December 16, 2025 • 34 mins
GENE STERATORE (CBS Rules Analyst) Gene helps us settle debates on all of the controversial calls from week 15 in the NFL. - From missed PI calls to questionable ejections; Gene covers it all! :30- EVERETT FITZHUGH (Kraken Audio Network PxP) The Kraken have lost 8 of their last 9 games and the frustration is real. It’s not for lack of effort, so what’s going on with this team? Things don’t get easier tonight with the Colorado Avalanche in town. :45- Injuries could play a role in Thursday night’s game. The Seahawks could be without Charles Cross and the Rams could be without Davante Adams, but they still have plenty of offensive weapons.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's time for Checking Buck's weekly visit with former NFL
official Gene Sterotur brought to you by Bmwcattle. Looking for
a new or used BMW or something else even, come
check us out at Bmwcattle, conveniently located between I five
and I ninety near the stadiums now with Gene Sterotor.
Here's Chucking Buck.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well, we look forward to it every week. That's what
we do.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Our chance to chat with the greatest NFL official of
all time. Jene Sterotor is with us right here on
Chuck and Buck in the mornings.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Good morning, sir, Good morning fellows.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
How are you.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
We're doing great, We're doing great.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I'm curious though, before we start breaking down some plays
and some rules and stuff, did Philip Rivers in any
way inspire.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
You over the weekend.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Did you think to yourself, it is time for a comeback.
I can still do this. I can come back and
still be the greatest NFL official of all time.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
It's so funny, Chuck, I think this is a third
radio interview this morning, and everyone asked the same question. Yeah,
so it is one that must be out there, and
it makes me a little warm and fuzzy. When you
see really someone just older than they should be playing
in that game. And you went right to me on it, Chuck,
I mean, the tie there is fantastic.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
And to be.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Perfectly honest, there was that moment where you know, our
our our careers kind of paralleled themselves for that fifteen
years or so, and you know, it looked awful familiar
to me. And then I watched last night's game only
thirty miles from where I live and realized it was
seven degrees and I.
Speaker 6 (01:41):
Thought, you know, this chair in the studio. You know, Jane,
what do you think I think if it's.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Two steps in a football move? Okayjane, we don't like you.
But back to the chair, I went. I just that
was about how long it lasted?
Speaker 5 (01:54):
Check, She thought about it for a second.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
It did, Bucky, It went right through like the morning breeze.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Does you know, like it.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Just catches your hair for a second if you have
some no, but you know, and and then off we went.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
By the way.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
What was Rivers like Because a lot of fans, if
you weren't a Charger fan or a Colt fan, you
didn't like Philippers because it looked like he just whined
the entire game to the officials, what was he like
to officiate? Did you enjoy officiating his games?
Speaker 4 (02:28):
I loved officiating them, and yes, he waned the entire game,
and yes, to officiated most of it. And it was
a beautiful thing. You know, my older brother Tony was
a back judge on my cruise, so naturally when Phil
thought maybe something happened downfield or there was a legal
contact or holding, he loved to start that eight to
ten yard sprint down the field of voices, opinion and
(02:50):
displeasure and you know, kind of being the younger brother saying,
and my job was to protect a quarterback and knew
he was going downsield to kind of you know, my brother,
just for that minute, I was like, go ahead, go
for it. You know, I got a couple to throw
out there too, you know, say this to him while
you're you know, as you turn around, just to catch
(03:10):
him off guard.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
But no, he was.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
He was a joy and just intense and you could
see it, right. I mean, the beauty of the game
is it brings out the uh, the youthful vigor in
all of us. That and it's really did why I
did stay as long as I did in officiating and
you could see rivers immediately more right back that. Look,
it's it's game time, man, you know. And the intensity
(03:33):
was up and so was the talk. So I thought
it was a really cool thing to witness.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
Yeah, it was. It was.
Speaker 7 (03:39):
I agree it was cool, even though as a Bronco fan,
I was one of the ones that couldn't stand watching
him whine and talk trash dum it talking trash across
the field with no cuss words, like, you can't do that,
that's not right. But it was cool to see a
guy come out of retirement. I I am curious, man,
your thoughts just the way in which the game is
(04:01):
officiated now, I mean, they're trying to protect guys, and
I know if a receiver is trying to make a
catch and you don't want to go to his head.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I get that whole thing.
Speaker 7 (04:09):
And yet there's times too where a guy gets a
hit and it looks like the defender was just doing
what he's supposed to do. There's one in that Chargers
Chiefs game. There's actually a couple big hits in that one,
but one in particular where the guy ends up getting ejected,
but it kind of looked like he was committed to
going in hitting the guy in the chest. Then the
receiver drops down, Thornton's kind of drops down, so he
(04:32):
hits him in the head, and then because he's laying
on the ground now of a sudden, they eject him.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
Is that the way it's supposed to be called?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
Ato, Bucky, You're just so right on all those points
because I do think, Look, the player that was laying
wood on those hits is one of those players that
you won on your squad, right, because he causes receivers
and quarterbacks to think twice before throwing over the middle.
There's a huge element in this game that need to
(05:00):
continue to happen that way. That's a big part of
this game, and the rules quite honestly.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
Have taken some.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Of that element out of the game because of the
level and the amount of files that occur there. That
throws over the middle aren't nearly as dangerous as they
used to be because of the rules, and as you said,
the first hit was a classic hit within the rules
with force to a player's chest depletes him and imposes
his will, right, And I am sure on that field
(05:30):
when you get hits like that, a lot of people.
Speaker 6 (05:32):
On that field, like to start selling.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Wolf cookies a little bit and letting people know they're
out here for the whole day. It's the beauty of
that business, right, I mean, that is what this is about.
And then, as you said the second play, I think
he initially did have a perfect target level and I
think he realized it the element of that. And it's
so hard to do this in real time. I can't
even I would never be able to even think what
(05:57):
goes through their head or how great they are to
try them pipulate that the leading with the head portioned,
trying to maybe get a little shoulder in, but still
a little more just too much torpedo. Like we used
to think we're the best hits in the NFL ten
years ago, which now we get one to get out
quite honestly in defense of the player initiating the shot
in many cases and not the receiver.
Speaker 6 (06:20):
But then as you said, like this.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Receiver is doing what a human would do. He's ducking
to protect himself. Now he lowers what was a good target,
and now it becomes a hit on a defenseless receivers
head and neck area.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
So now you have a foul.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Those are hard plays to you know they're hard plays
to rept it is the rules are the rules. And
then as far as the ejection was concerned in that situation,
I think I did speak to it.
Speaker 6 (06:44):
Briefly on air.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
When there is a flag down in the NFL for anything,
but in sportsmanlike unnecessary roughnesses those plays, New York then
can come down and way in Now. I was told
after some communication with the NFL in real time on
at play, was this a play where New York came
down and initiated And their response to me was the
(07:06):
officials were contemplating potentially ejecting.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
On the field.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Did not make that initial assessment right on the field,
but with collaboration from New York, and that goes up
a different level to true vincent and the people in
operations that are a little above that that are in
the room. They made that decision. Now, whether that's based
on previous behaviors and other games, or what their standard is,
(07:33):
or how they kind of process that, that's kind of
into the office.
Speaker 6 (07:36):
But the ejection was confirmed or.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
I think basically made at the end of the day
from the office and not the officials of the field.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I had a conversation with my mom last night.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
She said she was going to be sending me some
Christmas fudge, as she tends to do, but this year,
I'm going to order a batch of woof wolf cookies.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
That's what I'm going to order for the Christmas Wolf clip.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
And when you're an older guy out there with the
young guys and you can try to you know, I'm
not up with all the stuff that happens in the
generations that followed me, But every once in a while,
you can even throw one of the ones that we
used in the seventies back down to them and it's
like your jeans and the drawer there, chuck, you know,
if you leave, if you leave them in there long enough,
(08:21):
actually comes all the way around again and you're.
Speaker 6 (08:23):
Making a fashion statement.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
So you know, I would try to keep a few
of those late sixties, early seventies one liners and throw
them out there to the next generation and then they would.
Speaker 6 (08:33):
Look like, dude, I like that one.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I'm going to use it.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
You know, I said, just.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Give me some credit on it back end, but go,
you know, feel free to go with it again.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
Us looks is when we used it.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, and Christmas Wolf cookies are the best, I mean,
so Delicious Jeans is with us here. CBS rules analyst
joins us every week to talk about some of the
calls in the National Football League. Just curious since before
where we get off the Chiefs game. Now that Patrick
Mahomes is hurt, will NFL officials stop rigging games for
(09:06):
the Chiefs?
Speaker 4 (09:09):
No, but more than likely what's going to really happen
is and it happened this year. And it's ironic, isn't it.
Like the last couple of weeks the Chiefs they just
didn't pull off the big wins. And I think they
lost six games within one possession this year, so you know,
they were probably a possession away from the schedule or
their you know, their record looking different. But all of
(09:31):
a sudden, it's like there are a few penalties there
against Kansas City and they're losing, you know, And sometimes
when you start to foul, you start to lose. There'll
be a new team here on the horizon that will
now be getting the unexpected favor of the officials as
they succeed as teams again.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
And listen, by the way.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
Those guys are playing up in Seattle right now, they
have a chance to be one of those teams.
Speaker 6 (09:59):
Or other successful and it's fun to watch, it really is.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
All right, Well, let's talk about silks. There are a
couple of plays. I mean, we did win the games.
We're not going to grouse too much up here, but
it did seem like there were a couple obvious pis
up to us up.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Here in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
One on JSN in the first half, one against Rashisha
Head in the second half. We assigned you to look
those up and tell us what you thought whether or
not we got screwed over there.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
I thought the first one was a PI. That's a
play the deepest official on that sideline, it's his receiver.
It's the widest receiver. It's kind of man to man
one on one coverage. That's his lock in key from
snap to in this case, snap to ball. That's a
play you got to get. There's enough restriction there, there's
(10:48):
enough of.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
A turn there that he put that.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Receiver at a disadvantage and really went beyond the rule
or what would be allowed. I would say, to give
him an opportunity that.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
I thought was a foul.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
The other play, look, technically, I think if you throw
nobody says too much for me. And again It's not
like I put this into my element all the time
when I refereed. But if you watch that play, the
moment that d back got to Shahed, he kind of
puts his arms up in the air and soccer style immediately,
you know, as he started to run and the ball
(11:22):
is still a ball that you can make a play on.
And it was almost as if immediately when the contact
and that defensive back started to snuggle and occur with him,
he was already in his I can't get to this
ball because of this contact action. I think if he
plays a little more and fights back through that defensive
(11:43):
player who did not have his back toward the football,
so he wasn't playing the ball, which means, you know,
contact to him becomes a little more technical. I'm going
to call it a little quicker because of that. But
I think if Shaheed doesn't just throw his arms up
like I'm giving up right now, as the ball still
was a three steps away from a play, plant your
legs start to work back towards the inside through that
(12:04):
defensive back who hadn't got his head around, and I
think that play becomes an easier play as far as
a foul is concerned. The tough part about it is
we know we've seen that play this year. This is
me speaking philosophically. I think it's I like those plays
as no calls. I think those plays just the way
that one blended and again the way he reacted to
(12:25):
that initial contact and blending. I would love that to
be a consistent no call because I think players adjust
to that. But when we see it throughout the league
that as soon as that happens, they know a flag
is coming or it's coming more often than not, I
think we lend ourselves to that behavior right where the
expectation now is that's automatically they called that. They called
(12:47):
that last week or two weeks ago, and it wasn't
a lot of contact. So again that's just a personal
thought on that play. But then you know, look, because
of the contact, if they throw it and they go
to Gene and Gen, is that really enough for pass interference? Yeah,
I can break that down and tell you, yeah, he's
not playing the ball. He makes it a little early
contact and make it you know, and kind of agree
(13:09):
with a call. But I like it personally, Again, that's
personal opinion that when I like could be looking at
them and good fellas Man's game today and I'll fight
back and get the football here. Give me something more
to earn this. This is a big file in a
big game.
Speaker 7 (13:22):
Yeah, Jean, there was a play in the Jets Jacksonville
game where the Saunders guy gets objected for making contact
with official and just first and foremost. Even though there
was times I wanted to absolutely beat an umpire or
two wow over the course, I did a couple of times.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Yeah I didn't.
Speaker 7 (13:38):
I didn't because that that obviously is unacceptable. You just
get mad and leave it at being mad when it
comes to that. I'm all about protecting you guys, you know,
especially when if if you guys make a call and
somebody comes up and shoves you or really is alluding
to I'm mad at you and I'm going to then
get physical. That is, there's no place for that, and
I think punishment should be. But is there a gray
(14:02):
area where you can make contact? I remember years ago
somebody was celebrating and just getting ready to do to
a giant fist bump and clocked a referee and it's like, okay,
well that he wasn't trying to do that on purpose.
Is that still a flag or is there a gray
area where you're like, Okay, you're trying to break up
a skirmish. If a guy is just pushing people away
(14:22):
from himself and he actually touches an officials, is that
ejection worthy?
Speaker 6 (14:28):
Oh that's a good point.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Look in my career, I always empathize with what the
players are dealing with. And you have a couple of
big guys that are pushing and giving themselves the business
a little bit that hasn't elevated, but I need to
break it up. If I did make a decision to
go in there and try to separate these giants, I
knew that if I always felt like, if I go
(14:50):
in there and I catch a flipper or an arm
flinging out where he doesn't realize who it is, it's
even trying to separate him, and it just happens. And
as you said, incidental is the word. And now I
get kind of clocked for that. I put myself there.
It's not mandatory that I go in there and physically
break you up. I can blow my whistle five or
six times. And what I did more than not buck
(15:12):
quite honestly to not put myself in that situation, was
I would blow my whistle, which is allowed whistle in
close proximity, and then I would get it out of
my mouth and start yelling that the play clock was running,
which would always stoke the offensive players because of the
way they were trained, like get yours out of here
and go back to the huddle, because they're going to
have a delay a game. When you yell the play
(15:33):
clocks running on a football field, when big guys are
tied up, you'd be amazed how quickly a lot of
them separate this situation. I can't tell you that's Bori's cheek.
Who is I think thirty plus years in the NFL.
It's his last year. He's been around the business a
long time. Did he talk to Saunders a couple times
throughout the game? Was there something else that happened in
(15:54):
there at that moment that kind of stoked him to
go beyond incidental? And it was like, look, I've been
with you know, three times here in the last five
minutes on plays, and you hear me next to you
and you throw that arm in the direction of the voice.
Speaker 6 (16:09):
You know.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
I don't want to read too much into it, but
there isn't a level of incidental contact that should be permitted.
But then I appreciate you saying it. It's not easy
when you're out there man, and that intensity, and these
guys are legitimately upset and a lot of times for
valid reasons and that things happened. But contacting officials we
(16:29):
take extremely serious.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
But I do think there's a window there to.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
Understand what incidental contact is and what happens in the moment.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
You know too, So that would be my take on it.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I don't know if you watched the Olio State Michigan game,
but there was like a player that headbudded an official
and didn't even get tossed from the game. He got
a fifteen yard penalty, but it didn't even get tossed
from the game.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
It was very strange. I did see it, Chuck, Yeah,
and you're gone. You're just gone, gone, right gone.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
You're gone?
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Yeah, yet not even yours is gone.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
I mean those are plays where I'm a talker, as
you guys can tell, right, I mean, but there are
those moments and games where behaviors like that happen and everything.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Stopped and you're out of here.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Escort him out now, because no, that leads itself to
so many different layers of something that makes this game
not something we like.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
So yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Well, I don't think that I'm going to get the
chance to wish you a happy holiday next week, so
I'm going to do it right now. And I'm very curious.
We all as children had that one Christmas gift that
we always remembered that kind of changed our entire childhood.
Was yours a striped shirt and a whistle? By chance?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Or is there something else?
Speaker 3 (17:46):
You know?
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Actually, I don't even really remember a gift that jumped out.
I mean, we were from an old school Italian family
with seven kids, and the ref shirts because of my
late father. They were in every room every year day,
you know, they were part of the couch furniture, that's
what you threw over the chair and then had a
whole winter if the dog wanted to lay there in
the wintertime or something. So h But I think the
(18:12):
gifts that I remember most, quite frankly, were the ones
that were either really basic and required some creativity. I
remember the erector set. If that dates me a little bit,
I know that goes way back, right and I look
back and think about that gift and think and they
put actual.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
Steal in there, you know.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
It wasn't this plastic pre formed stuff like this was
like I remember opening up thinking, hell, I can build
like a building with this, Like this is real good material.
You know, I can fix the fender on the car
and the driveway with this stuff.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
You know.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
But looking back, it was it was good to be
part of such a huge family, and the chaos of
Christmas and the joy of the family really was the.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Greatest gift of all. If that doesn't sound so warm.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
And fuzzy, that's right here on a beautiful Tuesday morning.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Yeah, well, Merry Christmas to you and yours. Thank you
so much for being with us all season long, and
look forward to more conversations here in the future.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Thanks guys, I have a wonderful holiday and good luckless Thursday.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
All right, Jean Stator joining us right here on Chuck
and Buck. His segment brought to you by BMW Seattle.
Looking for a new or used BMW or something else,
even in time for the holidays, perhaps check out BMW Seattle,
conveniently located between I five and I ninety near the stadiums.
Coming on next, Everett fits you joins us, what's wrong
(19:34):
with the crack and we're gonna let the voice fix
at Sports Radio ninety three point three.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Good to have the voice joining us here again on
this Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
The Voice of your Seattle Cracking hasn't been called many
wins as of late, but we're gonna get to the
bottom of that.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Good morning, Everett, Morning, Chuckie.
Speaker 8 (20:02):
Have you taken more vacations we talked about this beginning.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Of the year.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
That's true.
Speaker 8 (20:07):
You you took a break around Thanksgiving and you know what happened.
Speaker 5 (20:11):
We didn't win a couple of games there, So were
you back home?
Speaker 3 (20:15):
I have a couple more days off this upcoming week
going into the holiday, so maybe that reverses it.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Maybe that takes it right out of the.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Content for your sake, be hope.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah, because light Wakie keeps sending me nasty emails under
yeah ever fits you the voice of your Seattle Cracking
with us right now? I mean, where where is the
alert level around the organization?
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Right now? I mean this is eight out of nine
games that they have lost.
Speaker 8 (20:49):
Yeah, I mean I think it depends on what circle
you run with, what what room you walk into it
at any certain time day.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
I think in the locker room.
Speaker 8 (21:02):
The most frustrating part about all of this is you
can see how hard the guys are working. You can
hear Chander Stevenson and Jordan Eberley and Lane Lambert. You
can hear in their voices, you know, the the uncomfortability
with this situation because the players are playing hard. I
(21:23):
mean you almost you almost wish this was a stretch
of games where they're getting blown out by four or
five goals, because at least you can say, well, hey,
you know they don't have it, but this is the
team that's still limiting teams to two goals, maybe three goals.
They're getting burnt by, you know, a couple of mistakes,
a couple of empty net goals. And if you take
(21:44):
out the two oiler games, the nine to four and
the four nothing oiler losses, I mean, these have all
been games where the Kraken have been in a position
in the last five minutes of the third period to
minimally get a point to overtime, if not get wins.
So that's that's the most frustrating piece about all of
(22:06):
this is that despite the record, the team isn't playing poorly,
They're not playing bad. It is a mistake here, It
is a bounce there, it is a it is a
momentary lack of detail here that is ultimately losing the
crack of these games.
Speaker 7 (22:26):
Yeah, I mean, obviously they're not intending to do it,
and yet yeah, it seems like it's similar fashions in
which they're doing it, whether it's close games and they're
just not finding a way to get the edge or
you know, and then regardless of the empty net goals
where it looks different on the scoreboard than the actual
game itself. So I'm where is the main thing, I
(22:46):
mean when you see them skating, you know, and practice,
and what is the main thing that they need to
shore up to find a way to just kind of
flip the tables a little bit.
Speaker 8 (22:55):
Well, we've talked a lot about special teams, whether that's
the power player, the penalty kill. I mean, penalty kill
is getting better as of late. So they were they
allowed a power play goal in nine straight games, and
I think rock Bottom was the four for five effort
the Oilers had on the power play a couple of
weeks ago. So the power the penalty kill has improved.
(23:18):
The power play still continues to be a work in progress.
I've always contended that if you need one of the
units to be strong, I'd rather a strong penalty kill
because that just takes away the momentum from the other team,
and that can really deflate a lineup and deflate a building,
especially if you're on the road. So the PK is
(23:39):
going in the right way, it's still the offense. I
think it's still the offense. It's still you know, the
crackner getting shots. You know, the last six games or
seven games, in five of those games, Seattle has accounted
for twenty eight or more shots. So Ley Lambert has
been saying, I want the guys to be selfish. I
want these guys to shoot more. They're shooting more. They've
(24:00):
run into some pretty good goaltenders in the last couple
of a couple of weeks. But you know, all of
these I understand our excuses, and at the end of
the day, we're in the NHL to win hockey games.
And Laida said multiple times the excuses are there. We're sick,
were hurt, were injured. No one cares. I don't care.
We have to win hockey games. And at a certain
(24:21):
point you gotta you have to man up to a
man you have to challenge each other internally collectively, uh
to to get it done. So you know it's going
to be a very difficult task tonight against Colorado, the
best team in the league.
Speaker 5 (24:37):
But Seattle has played a lot of the top teams
in the league. They've played them pretty close this.
Speaker 8 (24:44):
Season, and I've gotten a couple of of of wins
that on paper around the league probably were unexpected.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, I'm tired of Lane using me in my vacation
time as an excuse in the locker room.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
That's right on the board.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
Yeah, see what the side says, because this is an
FCC regulator show.
Speaker 6 (25:04):
But it's it's it's not kind.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
He's not mixing words, is what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Yeah, well, let's talk about this Colorado team, because I
don't know if everybody's aware of what they're doing so
far this year. They've lost two games this season. Who
this entire season twenty six wins, two losses. And I
already thought Everett that Nathan McKennon was the best player
in hockey and just didn't get credit for that. And
(25:30):
he's leading the league in pretty much everything. So what
on earth? What kind of a buzzsaw have the Avalanche
turned into in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 8 (25:40):
Well, they've calmed down, they've cooled off a little bit.
They're only seven to one and two in their last
ten games.
Speaker 5 (25:46):
Is that all?
Speaker 8 (25:47):
Yeah, they've cooled down quite a bit from where they've been.
I mean, listen, it doesn't get more complete than the
Colorado Avalanche when when you look at their their top
line is arguably the best trio right now in the NHL.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
They can score from the blue line.
Speaker 8 (26:07):
Defensively, they leave the league in scoring with obviously Kill
mccarr and Devon Tamees back there their goaltending, the wood
Shed Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgwood.
Speaker 5 (26:16):
Scott Wedgwood already up to fourteen wins.
Speaker 8 (26:19):
This season, So, I mean, it is it is remarkable
what's going on in Denver.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
And this is the team that you know, two thousand
and two.
Speaker 8 (26:28):
They're coming up on or twenty two, rather, they're coming
up on five years since they've won the Cup. And
a lot of people will tell you within that five
year window, you know you need to start either retooling
or you need to tear it down. Very few teams
can stay that consistent for that long. And the Avalanche
have been one of those teams that have been able
(26:51):
to retool. I remember last season after a first round
exit to Dallas, fans in Denver were calling to blow
up the team. They were calling for Jared Bennar, They're
head coach to be fired. And it's like, guys, you
just came off the Cup a few years ago and
you've just made the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
I think it's now five six.
Speaker 8 (27:11):
Years in a row for the Avalanche, So they're now
getting back to a place of dominance. I mean, everybody
had Colorado on paper winning the Cup before the season started.
I think now that has just been solidified more. They
made a couple of big trades last year. They had
a couple of big free agency signings that have paid
off dividends for them at Brock Nelson, Martin Achius, and
(27:33):
Brent Burns. So this is I mean, not arguably, this
is definitely going to be Seattle's toughest game to date.
But like I've said before, this Kraken team, they have
beaten the league's best this year. I go back to
a game in Winnipeg in early no late October where
(27:56):
the Kraken shut out Winnipeg on their whole ice three nothing.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
It was just the third time Winnipeg.
Speaker 8 (28:02):
Had been shut out at home in two seasons, and
just their fifth or seventh loss at the time, seventh
home loss in the last two years overall. They then
come back home and beat Edmonton three to two. That
was their first win over the Oilers in eight tries. So,
I mean, for Seattle, this isn't new. Playing the top
(28:24):
teams in the league isn't new, And maybe this could
be that turnaround wake up call that this team has
been waiting for. I'll tell you what, if the Kracking
want to win this one, it's going to be a
defensive game. This is not going to be a four
to four, three, five to four Kracking win.
Speaker 5 (28:38):
I mean, this is going to be a greasy, grinding game.
If the Kracking won.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
To have success, well no, I can't imagine a better
spark though, for a team that needs one, is to
pull an up set against at home against the best
team in the NHL.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
So all right, let's get that done tonight. Thank you, sir.
We appreciate it, and we will be listening.
Speaker 5 (28:59):
All right, good fellas, Ashley take care.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
All right, Everett FETs you the boys.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
If you're Seattle cracking right here on the flagship Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. Six thirty pregame with
Mike and then Al and Everett show will be taking
place starting at seven o'clock. Everett joins us every Wednesday
at eight thirty. By the way, how about getting Shane
Wright going? Can't wait to talk to Al about this tomorrow.
No assists since December fourth for Shane Wright, no goal
(29:25):
since November twentieth, and he is seventeenth on the roster
in ice time.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Seventeenth Oh wow? Was Isn't this supposed to be the
big step forward year for Shane Wright? So yeah, very
big mystery there from Shane Wright this season?
Speaker 5 (29:39):
All right?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Coming up next Seahawks rams.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
So we count down the minutes to Thursday Night Football
on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
That's the third time I've done that Today. Rick new
isis is going to join us today.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
At nine o'clock College Football Insider. We got the college
Football Playoff to preview, this Michigan jomp thing going on
out there, and so much more. Never a dull moment
these days in the college football world.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Also, the old Judge will.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Stop by at nine thirty, and let's face it, we
are just this isn't just counting down day by day
to Thursday Night football.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
It was like minute by minute.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
I mean, this is monstrous game coming up here this Thursday.
And the Seahawks seem to be pretty healthy. I mean, yeah,
everybody has their injuries this year, but man, to get
to this point in the season, this is about as
healthy as as you can hope to be. I think
the Rams are also enjoying that this season. They've had
(30:43):
a pretty healthy campaign as well. But if there are
two things to point out, Greg Bell says that there
is an injury there with Charles Cross, something to monitor
throughout the course of the week. And I'm almost certain
DeVante Adams is not going to play for the Los
Angeles Rams. And even though he didn't hurt us all
that much in game number one, one catch, one yard,
he did score a touchdown with that he is a
(31:06):
red zone demon with this Rams team, and I think
they have become a lot easier to defend when it's
just Nikua and not Nikua and Adams.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
Well, I don't remember exactly what it was for Nicu,
something crazy eight catches or nine catches and over one
hundred yards. But and you're right, Adams only had the
one catch for one yard, but it was a touchdown.
He's got fourteen touchdowns on the year, Nakua, and the
next best, which I think is Kobe Parkinson, they have
twelve combined touchdowns. So red zone threat, yes, most certainly. Now,
(31:39):
I mean I have a feeling you it's it's going
to be diminished to yes, exactly. I think they'll find
a way to find somebody. Now, just the tricks of
the trade. DeVante Adams knows how to get opened down
there in limited space and Matt Staff, yeah, is that right? Okay,
(31:59):
well just ask him that. But I imagine you're you're
right that he is. Obviously he's he's figured out a.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Way to do it.
Speaker 7 (32:05):
He was carved out an unbelievable career. But the health
is one of the issues. You get to this point
in the season, and I don't know for sure how
healthy everybody is, you know, even the guys that are
able to play, You don't you don't know how ding
dinged up they are at this point in time. But
it's going to be an important part in this final
stretch drive for sure.
Speaker 9 (32:22):
Well, and I do think, yeah, Nicoua is a threat,
but don't worry.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
I asked AI if Pooka.
Speaker 9 (32:27):
Nakula was going to play, and and A I said,
Nicua is expected to be a top target, potentially seen
heavy usage if Cooper Cup has issues.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Oh so.
Speaker 9 (32:38):
I think really fine then, because Cooper, like I mean,
if he's playing for US.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Now, that's the problem with AI. They are just not
up on current events really or not.
Speaker 9 (32:46):
I was like, wait a minute, this seems grossly inaccurate.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
In the movies, they seem to be a little more
up to speed.
Speaker 9 (32:52):
Yeah, those robots, they don't really know what's going on.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Yes, Pooka Nikua could have a great game if Flipper
Anderson doesn't get in a.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Way, it's like hold on.
Speaker 9 (33:03):
So yeah, I did think at one point that the
Nikola injury was a little bit more serious, but yeah,
I was just cramping.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
So he's he's good.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Yeah, Uh, Nicoole, we'll have a big game if Jim
Everett can get him the ball. Thanks A, I appreciate you. Uh,
Nicole is a monster and he's going to be a
monster either way. But I really do think that it's
you know, Adams what he brings to the table. Not
having him in this game is a big boost for
the Seahawks. I mean, we are going to have to
(33:32):
face a quarterback starting quarterback this week.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
I guess what gives.
Speaker 7 (33:36):
Isn't didn't they have like a rule or something that
we didn't play first stringers.
Speaker 9 (33:40):
Got two days.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
It's crap, is what it is. Yeah, that we're not
facing I was hoping for Wolford, okay, come out of retirement. Yeah, yeah,
that would be crap. If we have Garoppolo too, where's it?
Why don't we bring Why why doesn't Jim Everett come
out of retirement?
Speaker 2 (33:59):
We got you to that. Well, didn't Jim Tomay come
out of retirement? We're just throwing a baseball player. But yeah,
something to monitor.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
I think that is a huge advantage if you don't
have to worry about Nkua and Adams because Ninkua is
a handful enough. Something that we'll be discussing, of course,
throughout the week here on the radio program. Coming up next, though,
Rick new Eisle gets a set for the college football Playoff.
We'll also ask him what he's hearing on that Michigan
Front and More Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM,
It's time for Checking Buck's weekly visit with former NFL
official Gene Sterotur brought to you by Bmwcattle. Looking for
a new or used BMW or something else even, come
check us out at Bmwcattle, conveniently located between I five
and I ninety near the stadiums now with Gene Sterotor.
Here's Chucking Buck.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Well, we look forward to it every week. That's what
we do.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Our chance to chat with the greatest NFL official of
all time. Jene Sterotor is with us right here on
Chuck and Buck in the mornings.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Good morning, sir, Good morning fellows.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
How are you.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
We're doing great, We're doing great.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
I'm curious though, before we start breaking down some plays
and some rules and stuff, did Philip Rivers in any
way inspire.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
You over the weekend.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Did you think to yourself, it is time for a comeback.
I can still do this. I can come back and
still be the greatest NFL official of all time.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
It's so funny, Chuck, I think this is a third
radio interview this morning, and everyone asked the same question. Yeah,
so it is one that must be out there, and
it makes me a little warm and fuzzy. When you
see really someone just older than they should be playing
in that game. And you went right to me on it, Chuck,
I mean, the tie there is fantastic.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
And to be.
Speaker 4 (01:22):
Perfectly honest, there was that moment where you know, our
our our careers kind of paralleled themselves for that fifteen
years or so, and you know, it looked awful familiar
to me. And then I watched last night's game only
thirty miles from where I live and realized it was
seven degrees and I.
Speaker 6 (01:41):
Thought, you know, this chair in the studio. You know, Jane,
what do you think I think if it's.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
Two steps in a football move? Okayjane, we don't like you.
But back to the chair, I went. I just that
was about how long it lasted?
Speaker 5 (01:54):
Check, She thought about it for a second.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
It did, Bucky, It went right through like the morning breeze.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
Does you know, like it.
Speaker 4 (02:04):
Just catches your hair for a second if you have
some no, but you know, and and then off we went.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
By the way.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
What was Rivers like Because a lot of fans, if
you weren't a Charger fan or a Colt fan, you
didn't like Philippers because it looked like he just whined
the entire game to the officials, what was he like
to officiate? Did you enjoy officiating his games?
Speaker 4 (02:28):
I loved officiating them, and yes, he waned the entire game,
and yes, to officiated most of it. And it was
a beautiful thing. You know, my older brother Tony was
a back judge on my cruise, so naturally when Phil
thought maybe something happened downfield or there was a legal
contact or holding, he loved to start that eight to
ten yard sprint down the field of voices, opinion and
(02:50):
displeasure and you know, kind of being the younger brother saying,
and my job was to protect a quarterback and knew
he was going downsield to kind of you know, my brother,
just for that minute, I was like, go ahead, go
for it. You know, I got a couple to throw
out there too, you know, say this to him while
you're you know, as you turn around, just to catch
(03:10):
him off guard.
Speaker 5 (03:11):
But no, he was.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
He was a joy and just intense and you could
see it, right. I mean, the beauty of the game
is it brings out the uh, the youthful vigor in
all of us. That and it's really did why I
did stay as long as I did in officiating and
you could see rivers immediately more right back that. Look,
it's it's game time, man, you know. And the intensity
(03:33):
was up and so was the talk. So I thought
it was a really cool thing to witness.
Speaker 5 (03:37):
Yeah, it was. It was.
Speaker 7 (03:39):
I agree it was cool, even though as a Bronco fan,
I was one of the ones that couldn't stand watching
him whine and talk trash dum it talking trash across
the field with no cuss words, like, you can't do that,
that's not right. But it was cool to see a
guy come out of retirement. I I am curious, man,
your thoughts just the way in which the game is
(04:01):
officiated now, I mean, they're trying to protect guys, and
I know if a receiver is trying to make a
catch and you don't want to go to his head.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I get that whole thing.
Speaker 7 (04:09):
And yet there's times too where a guy gets a
hit and it looks like the defender was just doing
what he's supposed to do. There's one in that Chargers
Chiefs game. There's actually a couple big hits in that one,
but one in particular where the guy ends up getting ejected,
but it kind of looked like he was committed to
going in hitting the guy in the chest. Then the
receiver drops down, Thornton's kind of drops down, so he
(04:32):
hits him in the head, and then because he's laying
on the ground now of a sudden, they eject him.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
Is that the way it's supposed to be called?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
Ato, Bucky, You're just so right on all those points
because I do think, Look, the player that was laying
wood on those hits is one of those players that
you won on your squad, right, because he causes receivers
and quarterbacks to think twice before throwing over the middle.
There's a huge element in this game that need to
(05:00):
continue to happen that way. That's a big part of
this game, and the rules quite honestly.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
Have taken some.
Speaker 4 (05:07):
Of that element out of the game because of the
level and the amount of files that occur there. That
throws over the middle aren't nearly as dangerous as they
used to be because of the rules, and as you said,
the first hit was a classic hit within the rules
with force to a player's chest depletes him and imposes
his will, right, And I am sure on that field
(05:30):
when you get hits like that, a lot of people.
Speaker 6 (05:32):
On that field, like to start selling.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
Wolf cookies a little bit and letting people know they're
out here for the whole day. It's the beauty of
that business, right, I mean, that is what this is about.
And then, as you said the second play, I think
he initially did have a perfect target level and I
think he realized it the element of that. And it's
so hard to do this in real time. I can't
even I would never be able to even think what
(05:57):
goes through their head or how great they are to
try them pipulate that the leading with the head portioned,
trying to maybe get a little shoulder in, but still
a little more just too much torpedo. Like we used
to think we're the best hits in the NFL ten
years ago, which now we get one to get out
quite honestly in defense of the player initiating the shot
in many cases and not the receiver.
Speaker 6 (06:20):
But then as you said, like this.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
Receiver is doing what a human would do. He's ducking
to protect himself. Now he lowers what was a good target,
and now it becomes a hit on a defenseless receivers
head and neck area.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
So now you have a foul.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Those are hard plays to you know they're hard plays
to rept it is the rules are the rules. And
then as far as the ejection was concerned in that situation,
I think I did speak to it.
Speaker 6 (06:44):
Briefly on air.
Speaker 4 (06:45):
When there is a flag down in the NFL for anything,
but in sportsmanlike unnecessary roughnesses those plays, New York then
can come down and way in Now. I was told
after some communication with the NFL in real time on
at play, was this a play where New York came
down and initiated And their response to me was the
(07:06):
officials were contemplating potentially ejecting.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
On the field.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
Did not make that initial assessment right on the field,
but with collaboration from New York, and that goes up
a different level to true vincent and the people in
operations that are a little above that that are in
the room. They made that decision. Now, whether that's based
on previous behaviors and other games, or what their standard is,
(07:33):
or how they kind of process that, that's kind of
into the office.
Speaker 6 (07:36):
But the ejection was confirmed or.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
I think basically made at the end of the day
from the office and not the officials of the field.
Speaker 2 (07:45):
I had a conversation with my mom last night.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
She said she was going to be sending me some
Christmas fudge, as she tends to do, but this year,
I'm going to order a batch of woof wolf cookies.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
That's what I'm going to order for the Christmas Wolf clip.
Speaker 4 (08:01):
And when you're an older guy out there with the
young guys and you can try to you know, I'm
not up with all the stuff that happens in the
generations that followed me, But every once in a while,
you can even throw one of the ones that we
used in the seventies back down to them and it's
like your jeans and the drawer there, chuck, you know,
if you leave, if you leave them in there long enough,
(08:21):
actually comes all the way around again and you're.
Speaker 6 (08:23):
Making a fashion statement.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
So you know, I would try to keep a few
of those late sixties, early seventies one liners and throw
them out there to the next generation and then they would.
Speaker 6 (08:33):
Look like, dude, I like that one.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
I'm going to use it.
Speaker 6 (08:35):
You know, I said, just.
Speaker 4 (08:37):
Give me some credit on it back end, but go,
you know, feel free to go with it again.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
Us looks is when we used it.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, and Christmas Wolf cookies are the best, I mean,
so Delicious Jeans is with us here. CBS rules analyst
joins us every week to talk about some of the
calls in the National Football League. Just curious since before
where we get off the Chiefs game. Now that Patrick
Mahomes is hurt, will NFL officials stop rigging games for
(09:06):
the Chiefs?
Speaker 4 (09:09):
No, but more than likely what's going to really happen
is and it happened this year. And it's ironic, isn't it.
Like the last couple of weeks the Chiefs they just
didn't pull off the big wins. And I think they
lost six games within one possession this year, so you know,
they were probably a possession away from the schedule or
their you know, their record looking different. But all of
(09:31):
a sudden, it's like there are a few penalties there
against Kansas City and they're losing, you know, And sometimes
when you start to foul, you start to lose. There'll
be a new team here on the horizon that will
now be getting the unexpected favor of the officials as
they succeed as teams again.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
And listen, by the way.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
Those guys are playing up in Seattle right now, they
have a chance to be one of those teams.
Speaker 6 (09:59):
Or other successful and it's fun to watch, it really is.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
All right, Well, let's talk about silks. There are a
couple of plays. I mean, we did win the games.
We're not going to grouse too much up here, but
it did seem like there were a couple obvious pis
up to us up.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Here in Seattle.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
One on JSN in the first half, one against Rashisha
Head in the second half. We assigned you to look
those up and tell us what you thought whether or
not we got screwed over there.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
I thought the first one was a PI. That's a
play the deepest official on that sideline, it's his receiver.
It's the widest receiver. It's kind of man to man
one on one coverage. That's his lock in key from
snap to in this case, snap to ball. That's a
play you got to get. There's enough restriction there, there's
(10:48):
enough of.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
A turn there that he put that.
Speaker 4 (10:50):
Receiver at a disadvantage and really went beyond the rule
or what would be allowed. I would say, to give
him an opportunity that.
Speaker 5 (10:58):
I thought was a foul.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
The other play, look, technically, I think if you throw
nobody says too much for me. And again It's not
like I put this into my element all the time
when I refereed. But if you watch that play, the
moment that d back got to Shahed, he kind of
puts his arms up in the air and soccer style immediately,
you know, as he started to run and the ball
(11:22):
is still a ball that you can make a play on.
And it was almost as if immediately when the contact
and that defensive back started to snuggle and occur with him,
he was already in his I can't get to this
ball because of this contact action. I think if he
plays a little more and fights back through that defensive
(11:43):
player who did not have his back toward the football,
so he wasn't playing the ball, which means, you know,
contact to him becomes a little more technical. I'm going
to call it a little quicker because of that. But
I think if Shaheed doesn't just throw his arms up
like I'm giving up right now, as the ball still
was a three steps away from a play, plant your
legs start to work back towards the inside through that
(12:04):
defensive back who hadn't got his head around, and I
think that play becomes an easier play as far as
a foul is concerned. The tough part about it is
we know we've seen that play this year. This is
me speaking philosophically. I think it's I like those plays
as no calls. I think those plays just the way
that one blended and again the way he reacted to
(12:25):
that initial contact and blending. I would love that to
be a consistent no call because I think players adjust
to that. But when we see it throughout the league
that as soon as that happens, they know a flag
is coming or it's coming more often than not, I
think we lend ourselves to that behavior right where the
expectation now is that's automatically they called that. They called
(12:47):
that last week or two weeks ago, and it wasn't
a lot of contact. So again that's just a personal
thought on that play. But then you know, look, because
of the contact, if they throw it and they go
to Gene and Gen, is that really enough for pass interference? Yeah,
I can break that down and tell you, yeah, he's
not playing the ball. He makes it a little early
contact and make it you know, and kind of agree
(13:09):
with a call. But I like it personally, Again, that's
personal opinion that when I like could be looking at
them and good fellas Man's game today and I'll fight
back and get the football here. Give me something more
to earn this. This is a big file in a
big game.
Speaker 7 (13:22):
Yeah, Jean, there was a play in the Jets Jacksonville
game where the Saunders guy gets objected for making contact
with official and just first and foremost. Even though there
was times I wanted to absolutely beat an umpire or
two wow over the course, I did a couple of times.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Yeah I didn't.
Speaker 7 (13:38):
I didn't because that that obviously is unacceptable. You just
get mad and leave it at being mad when it
comes to that. I'm all about protecting you guys, you know,
especially when if if you guys make a call and
somebody comes up and shoves you or really is alluding
to I'm mad at you and I'm going to then
get physical. That is, there's no place for that, and
I think punishment should be. But is there a gray
(14:02):
area where you can make contact? I remember years ago
somebody was celebrating and just getting ready to do to
a giant fist bump and clocked a referee and it's like, okay,
well that he wasn't trying to do that on purpose.
Is that still a flag or is there a gray
area where you're like, Okay, you're trying to break up
a skirmish. If a guy is just pushing people away
(14:22):
from himself and he actually touches an officials, is that
ejection worthy?
Speaker 6 (14:28):
Oh that's a good point.
Speaker 4 (14:29):
Look in my career, I always empathize with what the
players are dealing with. And you have a couple of
big guys that are pushing and giving themselves the business
a little bit that hasn't elevated, but I need to
break it up. If I did make a decision to
go in there and try to separate these giants, I
knew that if I always felt like, if I go
(14:50):
in there and I catch a flipper or an arm
flinging out where he doesn't realize who it is, it's
even trying to separate him, and it just happens. And
as you said, incidental is the word. And now I
get kind of clocked for that. I put myself there.
It's not mandatory that I go in there and physically
break you up. I can blow my whistle five or
six times. And what I did more than not buck
(15:12):
quite honestly to not put myself in that situation, was
I would blow my whistle, which is allowed whistle in
close proximity, and then I would get it out of
my mouth and start yelling that the play clock was running,
which would always stoke the offensive players because of the
way they were trained, like get yours out of here
and go back to the huddle, because they're going to
have a delay a game. When you yell the play
(15:33):
clocks running on a football field, when big guys are
tied up, you'd be amazed how quickly a lot of
them separate this situation. I can't tell you that's Bori's cheek.
Who is I think thirty plus years in the NFL.
It's his last year. He's been around the business a
long time. Did he talk to Saunders a couple times
throughout the game? Was there something else that happened in
(15:54):
there at that moment that kind of stoked him to
go beyond incidental? And it was like, look, I've been
with you know, three times here in the last five
minutes on plays, and you hear me next to you
and you throw that arm in the direction of the voice.
Speaker 6 (16:09):
You know.
Speaker 4 (16:09):
I don't want to read too much into it, but
there isn't a level of incidental contact that should be permitted.
But then I appreciate you saying it. It's not easy
when you're out there man, and that intensity, and these
guys are legitimately upset and a lot of times for
valid reasons and that things happened. But contacting officials we
(16:29):
take extremely serious.
Speaker 6 (16:31):
But I do think there's a window there to.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
Understand what incidental contact is and what happens in the moment.
Speaker 6 (16:37):
You know too, So that would be my take on it.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:41):
I don't know if you watched the Olio State Michigan game,
but there was like a player that headbudded an official
and didn't even get tossed from the game. He got
a fifteen yard penalty, but it didn't even get tossed
from the game.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
It was very strange. I did see it, Chuck, Yeah,
and you're gone. You're just gone, gone, right gone.
Speaker 5 (16:57):
You're gone?
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Yeah, yet not even yours is gone.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (17:01):
I mean those are plays where I'm a talker, as
you guys can tell, right, I mean, but there are
those moments and games where behaviors like that happen and everything.
Speaker 5 (17:11):
Stopped and you're out of here.
Speaker 4 (17:13):
Escort him out now, because no, that leads itself to
so many different layers of something that makes this game
not something we like.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
So yeah, I agree with you.
Speaker 3 (17:22):
Well, I don't think that I'm going to get the
chance to wish you a happy holiday next week, so
I'm going to do it right now. And I'm very curious.
We all as children had that one Christmas gift that
we always remembered that kind of changed our entire childhood.
Was yours a striped shirt and a whistle? By chance?
Speaker 2 (17:42):
Or is there something else?
Speaker 3 (17:46):
You know?
Speaker 4 (17:48):
Actually, I don't even really remember a gift that jumped out.
I mean, we were from an old school Italian family
with seven kids, and the ref shirts because of my
late father. They were in every room every year day,
you know, they were part of the couch furniture, that's
what you threw over the chair and then had a
whole winter if the dog wanted to lay there in
the wintertime or something. So h But I think the
(18:12):
gifts that I remember most, quite frankly, were the ones
that were either really basic and required some creativity. I
remember the erector set. If that dates me a little bit,
I know that goes way back, right and I look
back and think about that gift and think and they
put actual.
Speaker 5 (18:29):
Steal in there, you know.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
It wasn't this plastic pre formed stuff like this was
like I remember opening up thinking, hell, I can build
like a building with this, Like this is real good material.
You know, I can fix the fender on the car
and the driveway with this stuff.
Speaker 5 (18:44):
You know.
Speaker 4 (18:44):
But looking back, it was it was good to be
part of such a huge family, and the chaos of
Christmas and the joy of the family really was the.
Speaker 5 (18:53):
Greatest gift of all. If that doesn't sound so warm.
Speaker 4 (18:56):
And fuzzy, that's right here on a beautiful Tuesday morning.
Speaker 3 (18:59):
Yeah, well, Merry Christmas to you and yours. Thank you
so much for being with us all season long, and
look forward to more conversations here in the future.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Thanks guys, I have a wonderful holiday and good luckless Thursday.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
All right, Jean Stator joining us right here on Chuck
and Buck. His segment brought to you by BMW Seattle.
Looking for a new or used BMW or something else,
even in time for the holidays, perhaps check out BMW Seattle,
conveniently located between I five and I ninety near the stadiums.
Coming on next, Everett fits you joins us, what's wrong
(19:34):
with the crack and we're gonna let the voice fix
at Sports Radio ninety three point three.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
Good to have the voice joining us here again on
this Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
The Voice of your Seattle Cracking hasn't been called many
wins as of late, but we're gonna get to the
bottom of that.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
Good morning, Everett, Morning, Chuckie.
Speaker 8 (20:02):
Have you taken more vacations we talked about this beginning.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Of the year.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
That's true.
Speaker 8 (20:07):
You you took a break around Thanksgiving and you know what happened.
Speaker 5 (20:11):
We didn't win a couple of games there, So were
you back home?
Speaker 3 (20:15):
I have a couple more days off this upcoming week
going into the holiday, so maybe that reverses it.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
Maybe that takes it right out of the.
Speaker 5 (20:25):
Content for your sake, be hope.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yeah, you're right.
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Yeah, because light Wakie keeps sending me nasty emails under
yeah ever fits you the voice of your Seattle Cracking
with us right now? I mean, where where is the
alert level around the organization?
Speaker 2 (20:43):
Right now? I mean this is eight out of nine
games that they have lost.
Speaker 8 (20:49):
Yeah, I mean I think it depends on what circle
you run with, what what room you walk into it
at any certain time day.
Speaker 5 (21:00):
I think in the locker room.
Speaker 8 (21:02):
The most frustrating part about all of this is you
can see how hard the guys are working. You can
hear Chander Stevenson and Jordan Eberley and Lane Lambert. You
can hear in their voices, you know, the the uncomfortability
with this situation because the players are playing hard. I
(21:23):
mean you almost you almost wish this was a stretch
of games where they're getting blown out by four or
five goals, because at least you can say, well, hey,
you know they don't have it, but this is the
team that's still limiting teams to two goals, maybe three goals.
They're getting burnt by, you know, a couple of mistakes,
a couple of empty net goals. And if you take
(21:44):
out the two oiler games, the nine to four and
the four nothing oiler losses, I mean, these have all
been games where the Kraken have been in a position
in the last five minutes of the third period to
minimally get a point to overtime, if not get wins.
So that's that's the most frustrating piece about all of
(22:06):
this is that despite the record, the team isn't playing poorly,
They're not playing bad. It is a mistake here, It
is a bounce there, it is a it is a
momentary lack of detail here that is ultimately losing the
crack of these games.
Speaker 7 (22:26):
Yeah, I mean, obviously they're not intending to do it,
and yet yeah, it seems like it's similar fashions in
which they're doing it, whether it's close games and they're
just not finding a way to get the edge or
you know, and then regardless of the empty net goals
where it looks different on the scoreboard than the actual
game itself. So I'm where is the main thing, I
(22:46):
mean when you see them skating, you know, and practice,
and what is the main thing that they need to
shore up to find a way to just kind of
flip the tables a little bit.
Speaker 8 (22:55):
Well, we've talked a lot about special teams, whether that's
the power player, the penalty kill. I mean, penalty kill
is getting better as of late. So they were they
allowed a power play goal in nine straight games, and
I think rock Bottom was the four for five effort
the Oilers had on the power play a couple of
weeks ago. So the power the penalty kill has improved.
(23:18):
The power play still continues to be a work in progress.
I've always contended that if you need one of the
units to be strong, I'd rather a strong penalty kill
because that just takes away the momentum from the other team,
and that can really deflate a lineup and deflate a building,
especially if you're on the road. So the PK is
(23:39):
going in the right way, it's still the offense. I
think it's still the offense. It's still you know, the
crackner getting shots. You know, the last six games or
seven games, in five of those games, Seattle has accounted
for twenty eight or more shots. So Ley Lambert has
been saying, I want the guys to be selfish. I
want these guys to shoot more. They're shooting more. They've
(24:00):
run into some pretty good goaltenders in the last couple
of a couple of weeks. But you know, all of
these I understand our excuses, and at the end of
the day, we're in the NHL to win hockey games.
And Laida said multiple times the excuses are there. We're sick,
were hurt, were injured. No one cares. I don't care.
We have to win hockey games. And at a certain
(24:21):
point you gotta you have to man up to a
man you have to challenge each other internally collectively, uh
to to get it done. So you know it's going
to be a very difficult task tonight against Colorado, the
best team in the league.
Speaker 5 (24:37):
But Seattle has played a lot of the top teams
in the league. They've played them pretty close this.
Speaker 8 (24:44):
Season, and I've gotten a couple of of of wins
that on paper around the league probably were unexpected.
Speaker 3 (24:52):
Yeah, I'm tired of Lane using me in my vacation
time as an excuse in the locker room.
Speaker 5 (24:57):
That's right on the board.
Speaker 8 (25:00):
Yeah, see what the side says, because this is an
FCC regulator show.
Speaker 6 (25:04):
But it's it's it's not kind.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
He's not mixing words, is what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
Yeah, well, let's talk about this Colorado team, because I
don't know if everybody's aware of what they're doing so
far this year. They've lost two games this season. Who
this entire season twenty six wins, two losses. And I
already thought Everett that Nathan McKennon was the best player
in hockey and just didn't get credit for that. And
(25:30):
he's leading the league in pretty much everything. So what
on earth? What kind of a buzzsaw have the Avalanche
turned into in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 8 (25:40):
Well, they've calmed down, they've cooled off a little bit.
They're only seven to one and two in their last
ten games.
Speaker 5 (25:46):
Is that all?
Speaker 8 (25:47):
Yeah, they've cooled down quite a bit from where they've been.
I mean, listen, it doesn't get more complete than the
Colorado Avalanche when when you look at their their top
line is arguably the best trio right now in the NHL.
Speaker 5 (26:05):
They can score from the blue line.
Speaker 8 (26:07):
Defensively, they leave the league in scoring with obviously Kill
mccarr and Devon Tamees back there their goaltending, the wood
Shed Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgwood.
Speaker 5 (26:16):
Scott Wedgwood already up to fourteen wins.
Speaker 8 (26:19):
This season, So, I mean, it is it is remarkable
what's going on in Denver.
Speaker 5 (26:25):
And this is the team that you know, two thousand
and two.
Speaker 8 (26:28):
They're coming up on or twenty two, rather, they're coming
up on five years since they've won the Cup. And
a lot of people will tell you within that five
year window, you know you need to start either retooling
or you need to tear it down. Very few teams
can stay that consistent for that long. And the Avalanche
have been one of those teams that have been able
(26:51):
to retool. I remember last season after a first round
exit to Dallas, fans in Denver were calling to blow
up the team. They were calling for Jared Bennar, They're
head coach to be fired. And it's like, guys, you
just came off the Cup a few years ago and
you've just made the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (27:10):
I think it's now five six.
Speaker 8 (27:11):
Years in a row for the Avalanche, So they're now
getting back to a place of dominance. I mean, everybody
had Colorado on paper winning the Cup before the season started.
I think now that has just been solidified more. They
made a couple of big trades last year. They had
a couple of big free agency signings that have paid
off dividends for them at Brock Nelson, Martin Achius, and
(27:33):
Brent Burns. So this is I mean, not arguably, this
is definitely going to be Seattle's toughest game to date.
But like I've said before, this Kraken team, they have
beaten the league's best this year. I go back to
a game in Winnipeg in early no late October where
(27:56):
the Kraken shut out Winnipeg on their whole ice three nothing.
Speaker 5 (28:00):
It was just the third time Winnipeg.
Speaker 8 (28:02):
Had been shut out at home in two seasons, and
just their fifth or seventh loss at the time, seventh
home loss in the last two years overall. They then
come back home and beat Edmonton three to two. That
was their first win over the Oilers in eight tries. So,
I mean, for Seattle, this isn't new. Playing the top
(28:24):
teams in the league isn't new, And maybe this could
be that turnaround wake up call that this team has
been waiting for. I'll tell you what, if the Kracking
want to win this one, it's going to be a
defensive game. This is not going to be a four
to four, three, five to four Kracking win.
Speaker 5 (28:38):
I mean, this is going to be a greasy, grinding game.
If the Kracking won.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
To have success, well no, I can't imagine a better
spark though, for a team that needs one, is to
pull an up set against at home against the best
team in the NHL.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
So all right, let's get that done tonight. Thank you, sir.
We appreciate it, and we will be listening.
Speaker 5 (28:59):
All right, good fellas, Ashley take care.
Speaker 2 (29:01):
All right, Everett FETs you the boys.
Speaker 3 (29:03):
If you're Seattle cracking right here on the flagship Sports
Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. Six thirty pregame with
Mike and then Al and Everett show will be taking
place starting at seven o'clock. Everett joins us every Wednesday
at eight thirty. By the way, how about getting Shane
Wright going? Can't wait to talk to Al about this tomorrow.
No assists since December fourth for Shane Wright, no goal
(29:25):
since November twentieth, and he is seventeenth on the roster
in ice time.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
Seventeenth Oh wow? Was Isn't this supposed to be the
big step forward year for Shane Wright? So yeah, very
big mystery there from Shane Wright this season?
Speaker 5 (29:39):
All right?
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Coming up next Seahawks rams.
Speaker 3 (29:41):
So we count down the minutes to Thursday Night Football
on Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM.
Speaker 2 (29:56):
That's the third time I've done that Today. Rick new
isis is going to join us today.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
At nine o'clock College Football Insider. We got the college
Football Playoff to preview, this Michigan jomp thing going on
out there, and so much more. Never a dull moment
these days in the college football world.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
Also, the old Judge will.
Speaker 3 (30:12):
Stop by at nine thirty, and let's face it, we
are just this isn't just counting down day by day
to Thursday Night football.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
It was like minute by minute.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
I mean, this is monstrous game coming up here this Thursday.
And the Seahawks seem to be pretty healthy. I mean, yeah,
everybody has their injuries this year, but man, to get
to this point in the season, this is about as
healthy as as you can hope to be. I think
the Rams are also enjoying that this season. They've had
(30:43):
a pretty healthy campaign as well. But if there are
two things to point out, Greg Bell says that there
is an injury there with Charles Cross, something to monitor
throughout the course of the week. And I'm almost certain
DeVante Adams is not going to play for the Los
Angeles Rams. And even though he didn't hurt us all
that much in game number one, one catch, one yard,
he did score a touchdown with that he is a
(31:06):
red zone demon with this Rams team, and I think
they have become a lot easier to defend when it's
just Nikua and not Nikua and Adams.
Speaker 7 (31:16):
Well, I don't remember exactly what it was for Nicu,
something crazy eight catches or nine catches and over one
hundred yards. But and you're right, Adams only had the
one catch for one yard, but it was a touchdown.
He's got fourteen touchdowns on the year, Nakua, and the
next best, which I think is Kobe Parkinson, they have
twelve combined touchdowns. So red zone threat, yes, most certainly. Now,
(31:39):
I mean I have a feeling you it's it's going
to be diminished to yes, exactly. I think they'll find
a way to find somebody. Now, just the tricks of
the trade. DeVante Adams knows how to get opened down
there in limited space and Matt Staff, yeah, is that right? Okay,
(31:59):
well just ask him that. But I imagine you're you're
right that he is. Obviously he's he's figured out a.
Speaker 5 (32:04):
Way to do it.
Speaker 7 (32:05):
He was carved out an unbelievable career. But the health
is one of the issues. You get to this point
in the season, and I don't know for sure how
healthy everybody is, you know, even the guys that are
able to play, You don't you don't know how ding
dinged up they are at this point in time. But
it's going to be an important part in this final
stretch drive for sure.
Speaker 9 (32:22):
Well, and I do think, yeah, Nicoua is a threat,
but don't worry.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
I asked AI if Pooka.
Speaker 9 (32:27):
Nakula was going to play, and and A I said,
Nicua is expected to be a top target, potentially seen
heavy usage if Cooper Cup has issues.
Speaker 2 (32:35):
Oh so.
Speaker 9 (32:38):
I think really fine then, because Cooper, like I mean,
if he's playing for US.
Speaker 2 (32:42):
Now, that's the problem with AI. They are just not
up on current events really or not.
Speaker 9 (32:46):
I was like, wait a minute, this seems grossly inaccurate.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
In the movies, they seem to be a little more
up to speed.
Speaker 9 (32:52):
Yeah, those robots, they don't really know what's going on.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Yes, Pooka Nikua could have a great game if Flipper
Anderson doesn't get in a.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
Way, it's like hold on.
Speaker 9 (33:03):
So yeah, I did think at one point that the
Nikola injury was a little bit more serious, but yeah,
I was just cramping.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
So he's he's good.
Speaker 3 (33:11):
Yeah, Uh, Nicoole, we'll have a big game if Jim
Everett can get him the ball. Thanks A, I appreciate you. Uh,
Nicole is a monster and he's going to be a
monster either way. But I really do think that it's
you know, Adams what he brings to the table. Not
having him in this game is a big boost for
the Seahawks. I mean, we are going to have to
(33:32):
face a quarterback starting quarterback this week.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
I guess what gives.
Speaker 7 (33:36):
Isn't didn't they have like a rule or something that
we didn't play first stringers.
Speaker 9 (33:40):
Got two days.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
It's crap, is what it is. Yeah, that we're not
facing I was hoping for Wolford, okay, come out of retirement. Yeah, yeah,
that would be crap. If we have Garoppolo too, where's it?
Why don't we bring Why why doesn't Jim Everett come
out of retirement?
Speaker 2 (33:59):
We got you to that. Well, didn't Jim Tomay come
out of retirement? We're just throwing a baseball player. But yeah,
something to monitor.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
I think that is a huge advantage if you don't
have to worry about Nkua and Adams because Ninkua is
a handful enough. Something that we'll be discussing, of course,
throughout the week here on the radio program. Coming up next, though,
Rick new Eisle gets a set for the college football Playoff.
We'll also ask him what he's hearing on that Michigan
Front and More Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM,
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