September 4, 2026 • 48 mins
In the third hour, Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain chat with Hugh Millen about Apple Cup 2026 and the future of the rivalry game, Demond Williams, UW’s non-conference schedule and the playoff implications, then the guys get to the Hardball Pregame Show and revisit Bryce Miller’s comment yesterday before Chris Petersen joins the program.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is duke of duke's seafood and this hour is
brought to you by duke's seafood why don't you make
it a duke's night tonight reserve your table today at
duke's seafood.com now back to softy and dick on sports
radio 93.3 kjr fm the.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Guy that obviously has been watching the apple cup is
a long long time the former husky quarterback hugh millen
little live at five right here on 93.3 kjr fm
how are you man.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I'm doing great guys what's happening Not much.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
You want to share your enthusiasm level, your juice level,
your intrigue level for this Apple Cup on Sunday? What
do you make of what we're about to see and
the build-up to it on Sunday?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Not much. I feel sorry for the Cougs. I think
that there were some built-in disadvantages that we all know
about prior to this conference realignment. If you consider the population,
if you consider the The politics, the size of the cities, towns,
(01:01):
the academic difference. You could argue that of all of
the traditional rivalries, there was more disparity between Washington and
Washington State than any of the rivalries across the country.
There's differences in others, but think USC, UCLA, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn.
(01:24):
If you go and then you say, okay, what are
all the material ways that a school could be different?
There's a hell of an argument to be made in
an objective fashion that Washington and Washington State had the
most disparity and differences. I don't just mean to say
high and low as if there's a hierarchy, but just
(01:45):
even the most differences. remain neutral on it. And so
it was a unique rivalry. It's dissolving because of all
of the changes. And so I'm just not terribly gripped
by it personally.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
We had Pat Chun on a couple hours ago.
Speaker 5 (02:04):
I don't know if you got a chance to hear that,
but one of his quotes was, there is an intent
to continue the game on both sides of this, end quote.
What do you make of those words and how much
do you believe that?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Well, I think I'm going to take his phrase in
literally because he's paid to speak with the right phraseology.
And there is an intent tells me almost nothing because
it doesn't tell you how much intent and it doesn't
tell you the conditions that need to be met to
actually realize a difference. So I think that he leaves
(02:41):
himself a wide canvas of for how this could actually
play out. And I don't say that to levy any
critique to his comment. I think that that's the way
he asked to speak to it. But that could mean
a shred, very minimal. It could be moderate intent. It
(03:02):
could be significant intent. The fact that he doesn't disclose
it just doesn't tell me that that's much of a comment.
Short of him saying- you know, it's dead in the water,
which you would not expect him to say, then that's
the next best thing. But it really doesn't give us information.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Well, and it could mean, I mean, also, if we're
just going to speculate here, it could mean that that's
their intent from their perspective. You know, they're covering their side. Hey,
you know, we intend to play it, but we don't
know about Wazoo. I mean, if they bail out, that's
on them. But our intention is to play this thing.
I mean, how much of an intention, you don't know,
but who knows what Wazoo's perspective is going to be.
Speaker 6 (03:39):
But look, man, I mean, if.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
It's Dave, sorry to interrupt you, but that could mean
Washington's intent is, hey, every game is going to be
played in Seattle.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Like you want to play in Lumen? Fine.
Speaker 7 (03:51):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
You want to play in Husky Stadium?
Speaker 8 (03:53):
Fine.
Speaker 6 (03:53):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
We're never going to Pullman again. Like and he could
he could that could fit under his terminology and he
could accurately have said it. that they have an intent
to continue the series.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I think he did say, by the way, just to
be fair here, I think he did say intent to
honor the terms of the contract or something like that.
We intend to honor our contractual obligations, I believe.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
Is what he said.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
And when does that expire?
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Two years.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Two years, 27 and 28 with a game in Pullman
next year and a game in Seattle in 28. So
just from a standpoint of, where those games are played,
if he's talking about contractually obligated, as of right now,
they are obligated to go to Pullman and come back
here in 2028.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And by the way, yes, exactly. And by the way,
there's always clauses in the contract that says, hey, if
we want to pull out, this is the remedy.
Speaker 6 (04:47):
Right.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
You know, it's not a breach of contract. It's just
it's fulfilling the clause in the contract that states if
we if Washington pulls out, then then this is the restitution.
If there if you, you know, I mean, that's laid
out the consequences. So even even that. phraseology gives a
(05:09):
wide latitude for what can even happen in the next
two years. That doesn't, that doesn't certify that it's going
to be, I mean, I would, I would anticipate that
it'll be played.
Speaker 6 (05:17):
We could be here all night. We could be here
all night debating the definition of the word intent.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Unfortunately, we only have two hours left in the radio show.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Are you mocking me in the words of Buzz Lightyear? Slightly.
Speaker 6 (05:30):
Yeah, that's okay.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
See, I can do that to you because you're my boy,
all right? And you can do it to me, by
the way. If Washington intends to play in the CFP,
they're going to need, number one, to play really well.
Speaker 6 (05:45):
Do you feel like we are going to see.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
a solid season, a bounce-back season in some ways. What
are you expecting, honestly, man, from DeMond Williams this year?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Well, I think that he has kind of stepped up
his leadership game since his gaffe.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
Right.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I call it a gaffe. I mean, it was just
an honest– he followed where his heart led him, and
then when he got bent over a legal barrel, he–
He then reversed course in a manner where he had
no choice. Let's be honest about that. Anything other than that,
I'm going to argue pretty aggressively with you. He had
(06:27):
an intent to leave, but he couldn't. So here he is,
and since that time, I think he's been more engaged
with the team than he had been. He's taken his
leadership role more seriously, so that's a good thing. He's
got a better offensive line. That's going to help him. Now, arguably,
(06:48):
the targets, until somebody steps up and plays at the
level of Denzel Boston and obviously the receiver core that
Pennix had, we're used to seeing some pretty good receivers here.
I think there's some questions about whether or not DeMond
is going to enjoy that kind of battery mates with
its targets. But here's the challenge. If you go back
to a year ago, Washington played four games against teams
(07:12):
that had top 25 defense. By the way, I booted
this this morning like a Jason Myers preseason PAT. So
let's see if I can get this better.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Was there a wide right or a wide left?
Speaker 3 (07:26):
It was everything. I basically topped it. I would be
having to play the rest of the hole with my
wiener out. Wow. If we're being honest here, like that's
how bad I did.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Did he just say what I thought he just said? OK, Jackson,
that's a drop. If I can get that for 6 p.m.,
that'd be phenomenal.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Go ahead. So so the Huskies averaged nine point three
points per game in those four games against teams in
the top 25. Defense.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
You've sent him off the edge.
Speaker 6 (07:58):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
You know what I'm talking about, right? If you whiff
a ball, if you don't like it, what is it, 10,
20 yards?
Speaker 9 (08:04):
No, it's the ladies' tee. The ladies' tee. Yes, the ladies' team. Well,
I'm glad to know that I don't know the details
of that, David. Hugh, Hugh, Hugh, you may know the details.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
If I had to play with my wiener on top
of the ball, I'd play 18 holes buck naked.
Speaker 10 (08:20):
Indeed.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
Get out of here.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Indeed.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Go ahead. So the Huskies offensively a year ago, they
were 9.3 points per game against teams that had a
top 25 D. That's Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
In their non-conference, they were 55.7 points. Remember, they hung
59 on Wazoo and 70 on UC Davis. Here, Don James,
(08:44):
when his entire career, had exactly 20 games where he
scored 50 points, but zero that he scored 60. Like,
he knew, hey, we made our point. Let's put on
the brakes. But Washington hung 70 on UC Davis. The
gap between those two numbers, which is 46.4 points, was
the biggest gap in all power four. Not only was
(09:05):
it the biggest gap, the gap between one and two
is greater than the gap between two and 15. So
all of the barking that we're doing about Washington's offense
in many, many categories were built on teams out of
conference and in the lesser, actually bottom 20 of the
Big Tens. And by the way, then you go yards.
(09:26):
The difference in yards was 282. That was also number one,
the biggest gap. So what does that tell us? that
tell us the Huskies' offense. And then I won't cite
the stats, but when you go passer rating and you
go EPA, the new stat, EPA that everybody's talking about,
DeMond Williams was the number one quarterback for how the
(09:49):
gap between his performance against top 25 versus non-top 25.
So that is the challenge. I'm just going to be
rolling my eyes. I expect that Jed Fish will probably
try and hang a lot of points on the Cougars. Hell,
a year ago, with two minutes and 40 seconds to go,
(10:10):
DeMond was still in the game. He throws a deep
corner out for a touchdown, what is it, a 60-yard touchdown,
to make it 59 to, what, 24?
Speaker 6 (10:17):
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
So I expect Jed Fish to want to put some
fireworks up, not just Sunday against the Cougars, but the
remainder of this feeble non-conference, and to rack up these
offensive numbers and maybe start a bid for DeMond to
be a Heisman Trophy winner. But I'm going to be
rolling my eyes until they prove that they are not
(10:40):
the worst team in Power 4 in terms of the
gap between non-top 25 defenses and top 25.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
So what can we learn, if anything, about DeMond Williams'
development as a quarterback over the next month when he's
playing Wazoo, Utah State, and Eastern?
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Yeah, I'd like to see his timing, put his back
foot in the ground, get rid of the ball when
the primary's open. throw it to the primary early. I'd
like to see him a little bit closer to the
line of scrimmage. He has a pen. He's so athletic
and bouncy that when he takes a five-step drop from shotgun,
(11:19):
he lands at 11 yards deep and then he wants
to stay there. Well, then on so many of the passes, when,
when he puts the ball in the air, the defense
has a better time to react. You know, you watch,
I went, I studied extensively some of the, the top
college quarterbacks, you know, take Fernando Mendoza last year. I mean,
(11:41):
he was parked right there at eight and a half yards.
And so when he went to throw the ball, the
ball's in the air less. So defenders can break on
the ball less and you get more run after the
catch because the ball gets to the receiver's face. Like
every yard matters. And if you're giving up two yards
less Because you want to be behind the line of
scrimmage too much. Maybe that's because he's short. That would
be the inference. But I don't know if we're going
(12:04):
to see any difference in that regard. But that would
be an element that if he wants to be a
better quarterback, I think he needs to be closer to
the line of scrimmage from his launch.
Speaker 6 (12:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (12:14):
Hey.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Now, Hugh, you mentioned non-conference there, and I want to
ask you about that real quick. Maybe we can sneak
into the Hawk topic or two. We're going to have
you on again Monday. And then, by the way, just
so you know, pencil in Wednesday before the Patriot game.
We want to have you join us as well. So, yeah,
we're going to lock you in for that. So we'll
talk a lot of Hawks, obviously, next week. But Pat
Chun came on. You'll hear that coming up 6 p.m.
(12:37):
hour and said that, you know, look, their non-conference schedule
the next two years is not going to change. Fresno,
Portland State next year, Eastern, UNLV in 28. They do
have a series with Tennessee starting in 29, I believe,
with the Vols. But their focus is on 2030 and beyond.
So next two years won't look great from a non-conference schedule,
(13:01):
but the next few years after that could look drastically different.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Well, there was always the model that Don James favored,
the ABC model. however that constituted so that when you
look through the history of Washington and many can remember
these games, but there was a Michigan, there was a
Notre Dame, there was a Nebraska, there was a Miami Hurricanes.
There was always the idea, hey, let's try and get
(13:26):
a marquee game. I'm somewhat sympathetic to the argument and
open to the argument that you've upped your conference game,
but you know, because now the Big Ten and you're
going to have a lot of competitive games. I think
that there's some dregs of the Big Ten as well, right?
(13:47):
I mean, not everybody is Ohio State and Michigan. You know,
a lot of the, you know, Purdue, you know, well,
Illinois was better last year, but, you know, Michigan State,
there's a lot of, you know, UCLA a year ago
was god-awful. You know, so at any given time, you're
going to have the dregs, but I think it's unfortunate.
(14:09):
that Washington doesn't do the ABC and the, and getting
Tennessee on the schedule to me is, is, is a
step in the right direction. I think it's a good thing. And, and, and,
you know, that may be alongside something there's been talk
that the, the sec and the big 10 are going
to have, uh, you know, some type of series where
they're almost mandated to match and pair. And so I
(14:30):
think that'd be a good thing because I think one
of the worst things about college football, which is a
great enterprise, uh, I love it like everybody else, uh,
But September scheduling, Dave, you know my feeling about that.
You know, there's just this dearth of competitive games. And,
you know, you got September 12th. Ohio State's going to
(14:50):
go to Texas. All eyes are going to be in Austin.
But there's just too few of those type of matchups.
Speaker 5 (14:56):
Well, that to me is the only reason why I'm
starting to lean towards a 2014 playoff, just to get
more of those matchups in September that we want. So
what is a better scenario for the brand of Washington?
Washington is about 50% finishing in the top 12 of
the final regular season CFP poll since it started. So
(15:16):
about 50% of the time, if we would have had
a 12-team playoff the last 10-plus years.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
They would have made it.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Is it better for the brand of Washington to go
to an exclusive club one out of every two years
or a much less exclusive club of 24 almost every year?
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I think that I'd rather have them in the 12th.
I mean, 24 is getting pretty watered down. Are you
talking about four years? the end of the season and, and.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Just for the brand of the, just to the brand
of the Washington Husky football programs, it better to be
an exclusive 12 team club, like every other year, which
is what they've averaged or, you know, expands to 24.
They're going to get in far more times than they
aren't going to get it.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I think the former, I think the former and, and,
you know, we'll see. I, I, I'm not crazy about
the extension expansion. I think a 12 team playoff is,
is just fine. I think it, it still puts enough, uh,
primacy on the regular season. Each time you go from
12 to 16 or 16 to 24, whatever they're proposing,
(16:26):
then we can all agree on this, that that waters
down the regular season for the better teams. Now, you
could say, wait a minute, what about teams 18 through 28?
If you have a 24, there's a lot of eyes
on that. Well, I'm sorry, but those teams don't interest
me as much. I want more interest in the Ohio
(16:46):
State-Michigan game. I want that to have consequences, like real consequences.
You have 24 teams. The Michigan-Ohio State game becomes a
scrimmage because they're both getting in. It would resemble the
top levels of ACC basketball. North Carolina-Duke is a nice scrimmage. Uh, uh, rivalry,
but in the regular season, does it, does it really matter?
(17:07):
Not in the ways that football games have mattered.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Right.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Well, you start thinking about, let's say you got two teams,
two Husky teams that make a 24 team playoff. versus
one Husky team, Dick, is what you're saying, that make
a 12-team playoff. That one team that makes the 12-team playoff,
you could potentially assume, would be more of a national
title threat than either one of those teams that made
the 24-team playoff, especially if they're near the back end
(17:33):
of the rankings.
Speaker 6 (17:35):
I've got to be honest with you guys.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I don't know if you can just go get a
drive-through lobotomy somewhere over the weekend. I would like to
find somebody to do that for me and get this
damn thought I have in my head of you playing
golf with your pants.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
Off, by the way.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Because ever since you threw that on the air, I
can't get the damn thing stuck.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
Out of my freaking head, okay?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
And it's gross to me to be honest with you,
all right?
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Gross to me.
Speaker 6 (17:58):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
I just said, you know, you play by the rules,
you know, that Johnson might have to... Flop around a
little bit.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
See, now it's back. Now it's back.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
It was just about to get out of my head.
Now it's returned again.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
You got another drop there, Jackson.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
You're giving me a shovel.
Speaker 6 (18:11):
Give me a ladder. This is a family show. You
know that, right? This is a family show. Let's keep
it clean. All right, pal?
Speaker 2 (18:18):
All right, we'll talk Monday about some Hawks. The Hawks
go on Wednesday, five days from the freaking opener.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, it's here. Man, unbelievable, dude. So ready for that.
You're relieved from your misery of the preseason, David. So
from here on, we got real football.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
Thank God. Thank God.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
All right, boys.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
Enjoy it. We'll talk on Monday. See you, man. Humiliating
with us. Holy moly.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Holy smokes.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Like a phrase that I didn't think. You see the
drops on me?
Speaker 6 (18:44):
I have not. Where is it?
Speaker 4 (18:46):
I sent you a picture. I sent the picture.
Speaker 6 (18:48):
Oh, you did? Well, I'm using my phone.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Color-coded and everything.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
I'm using my phone for something else right now. Play it!
Play it!
Speaker 4 (18:54):
That's why I put it on your wall.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
I have my own things I have to play. You
have the drops.
Speaker 6 (18:59):
Well, I'll get to it next. I've got to cleanse
my brain.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
We'll get to it next on 93.3 KJRFM.
Speaker 6 (19:07):
Play ball!
Speaker 7 (19:09):
Welcome to Softie and Dick's Hardball Pre-Game Show, presented by Pemko,
the insurance you get. Learn more at pemko.com on Sports
Radio 93.3, KJR-FM.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
All right, we're back on a busy Friday night. Chris Peterson,
Pat Chun coming up in the 6 p.m. hour, getting
ready for the Apple Cup on Sunday, 9 o'clock pre-game
show here on KJR-FM. Pemko helps make insurance less challenging.
Get a quote today at pemko.com. or call 1-800-GO-PEMCO. PEMCO,
the insurance you get. PEMCO, Mutual Insurance Company, Seattle, Washington.
(19:43):
Lineup for tonight's game for the Mariners. Game two of
four is out. Rosarito, Canzone, Julio, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor
at first, Cole Young at second, JP at short step,
Laz Montes and Wright and Brock Rodden. That seems like
that might be the same lineup as last night, by
the way, with Logan Gilbert on the mound tonight against
Cade Morris for the A's. Cade Morris, Dick, in 14
(20:07):
and two-thirds innings this year. has an opponent batting average of.
385 with four home runs and 40 total bases allowed
and a whip of 2.11 in 14 innings so far,
9.82 ERA.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
So, of course, he'll crush the Mariners' offense tonight at T-Mobile.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Well, what I was going to say, that sounds exactly
like Jack Perkins' whip and ERA that we faced last night.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
I would be having to play the rest of the
hole with my wiener out.
Speaker 6 (20:37):
All right.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Maybe that's what the Mariners have been doing.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Bryce Miller was on the radio show yesterday and mentioned
that he thought the team Dick was talking too much
this year about what happened last year. And so we
asked him as the interview was progressing to clarify what
he meant by that statement.
Speaker 6 (21:00):
Check this out from yesterday.
Speaker 8 (21:01):
Coming into this season in spring training and just about
every single meeting that we've had as a team up
until about a month ago, it was every single time,
you know, it comes up of, oh, you know, last
year we did this. Last year we were in the ALCS.
Last year we almost went to a World Series. And
(21:21):
I think there comes a point where we recognize that,
you know, we had a good season last year and
we have expectations that we want to meet. Um, but
there also comes a point where you got to let
go of that. This is a new season. What we
did last year has nothing to do with what we
do this year. And we just got to go out
(21:42):
there and play, you know, it is, it wouldn't have
mattered if we were in the world series last year
or not, that's not going to change the results that
we have this year. Um, and I think that's, you know,
something that we, we kind of, as a team talked about, um,
in our, our last meeting was like, all right, whatever happens,
Our expectations were whatever happened last year, it's done. We
(22:03):
can't relive it. We're living now. We're living in a
new season with new difficulties and new opportunities, and it's
time to move on and go out and win today
and win this series, win this month, and get into
the postseason and make a new story.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
All right, so a couple things.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
First of all, I think immediately upon hearing that, We're
all like, what?
Speaker 6 (22:31):
Right? What's going on?
Speaker 2 (22:32):
I do think we have to step back just a
little bit because it's one guy's reaction in the clubhouse
of 26 people. He may have a different version of
events than other guys in the clubhouse. He may have
heard one person somewhere mention 2025 and be so angry
about what happened at the end of the year that
he wants nothing done, nothing, no talk, no chat or whatever.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
Right?
Speaker 6 (22:55):
I mean, different people translate things differently, even in our office.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Right?
Speaker 6 (22:59):
Obviously.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
Or he can be the most honest person on the
team and willing to lay it out there, which nobody
else will.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
That's absolutely possible.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
I guess my point is I would love to, and
I don't even know if anybody would go on record,
talk to more guys about it and ask them, hey,
this is what Bryce thinks. Do you agree with that,
that there was too much talk about what happened a
year ago and not enough talk about this year? Look, again,
it's one guy and his impression of events that were
going on. Inside the clubhouse. I just would love to
(23:32):
hear what other guys had to say about it.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
No, that's fair.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
What needs to happen this weekend for you to pull
the plug on the team?
Speaker 6 (23:42):
What do you mean pull the plug? Like say they're done?
Speaker 5 (23:44):
Yeah, like we have our funeral on Monday.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
If they're eight games out Monday, they're finished. Because here's
the thing. I mean, Houston's got 21 games left to go, right?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Mariners have 21 games left to go. So right now,
if the Astros go 11-10 the rest of the way,
the Mariners have to go 17-4. If the Astros and
they're playing, what, Arizona right now, is that correct? What's
the score of that game? It was scoreless last time
I looked. Let's just say the Astros take two out
of three against Arizona.
Speaker 6 (24:16):
All right?
Speaker 2 (24:17):
And then they're sitting there and they've got 9-8 the
rest of the way or 9-9. in their final 18 games,
and the Mariners split with the Oakland A's, and they've
got to go 15-3 in their final 18. I think
you get to a point where what needs to be
done to catch Houston becomes a little bit ridiculous. And
(24:38):
I think a 15-3 type thing becomes a little bit ridiculous.
So I think if we're sitting in that scenario on Monday,
I would say the odds are so stacked in your
favor that we can go ahead and bury them.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Well, even if they're only six games back, because... It's
the amount of games left.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
Right.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
I mean, let's say the Mariners win two of the
next three, but... Houston wins two of the next three.
You've just blown a four-game series with Oakland where they
had a three-game series with Arizona and you picked up
no ground.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Right.
Speaker 6 (25:11):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
No, I mean, if you're 68 and 76 at the
end of this weekend, the Astros are 74 and 76.
And you've got, what, 18 games left to go at
that point to catch Houston. What you're talking, you've got
to be six games better than them. So you've got
to go, you know, you've got to go 12 and 6.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
And they would have to go.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
6 and 12.
Speaker 7 (25:38):
Right.
Speaker 6 (25:39):
Forget it.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Forget it.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
Forget it. And that's, I mean, that's, again, that's 12
and 6.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
I mean, 12 and 6 is not impossible, but that's
also counting on the Astros just totally melting down.
Speaker 6 (25:51):
The rest of the way. Right.
Speaker 5 (25:52):
And that's also 12 and six for a baseball team
at that point.
Speaker 6 (25:57):
Right.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
That would have only won four of their last 12 games.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
I mean, even if they go nine and nine, I mean,
you would have to go 15 and three in their
final 18 games to catch him. So that would be
what I would call it. I mean, again, I don't
know why, I guess it's important for people to have
somebody actually call this on the air and Right?
Speaker 6 (26:20):
Call it. What was the guy's name in No Country.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
For Old Men?
Speaker 4 (26:23):
Anton Chigurh.
Speaker 6 (26:24):
Yeah, right.
Speaker 5 (26:24):
I'm just looking for a show consensus. I just want
us all to be in the same boat together, sipping
our martinis.
Speaker 6 (26:31):
Why?
Speaker 10 (26:31):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Why do we have to be in the same boat?
Because you're my buddy.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
Jackson's my buddy.
Speaker 6 (26:34):
But we're not buddies.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
I have felt all along that the M's were going
to take advantage of the schedule. And so far, one
game into this fairly easy cruise, they haven't done it.
I mean, can they take three out of four? Can
the Astros lose two out of three? Can they wake
up on Monday and be maybe four, maybe five games
back of first place? I mean, I think at that
point you kind of want to hang in there a
(27:00):
little bit, right, and see what happens. But if this thing,
if we wake up Monday, Dick, and these guys are
seven games out of first place with 18 games left
to go, I'm going to be writing a eulogy.
Speaker 10 (27:09):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (27:10):
For Monday's show.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
All right.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
I will say this, though. Does it make you feel better? Yes,
it does make me feel better. Although... It's all about you.
Speaker 6 (27:16):
I want to make you feel good.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Yeah, make me feel good.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
We're buddies.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
I mean, despite the fact that it's Mariners minus 221
money line in this game.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
They're going to win.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
Isn't this like the most... If you're ever going to
put money on the Mariners all year long.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
Wouldn't it be this game with your most consistent starter
on the mound against the dude that what'd you say
his whip was?
Speaker 6 (27:36):
What'd you say his ERA was? 2.1 with a nine
and a half ERA.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
I mean, my God, if they can't win tonight, when
are they going to win?
Speaker 6 (27:45):
Yeah, I mean, tonight is the night, man.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Tonight feels like if you're going to get this thing done,
if you're going to give yourself any shot to do this,
if you're serious about making a run, you have to
win this game tonight.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
All right, honey.
Speaker 10 (27:56):
100%.
Speaker 4 (27:56):
Putting the 529 on the Mariners.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
That's it.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
I mean, look at their... Look at their lineup, Dick.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Look at our lineup versus the A's lineup. I mean,
it's ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. So, yes, tonight is a must-win.
I agree with you. It's a must-win tonight. We're going
to break. Chris Peterson coming up at 6 on 93.3 KJRFM.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
I-formation.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
Snap to Browning.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
They'll just hand Gaskin again.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
Left side.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Gaskin has a hole. Gaskin into the open field across
the 50.
Speaker 9 (28:27):
Miles Gaskin inside the 20-yard line.
Speaker 6 (28:31):
Left sideline. Miles Gaskin is ripped out at the pylon.
Two arms up. Touchdown Washington.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
80 yards.
Speaker 6 (28:40):
Miles Gaskin to the house.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
All right, well, it may not feel like it for
some people, but it is Apple Cup week. I'm telling you,
it's actually happening Sunday at 1 o'clock. Hear the game
right here on 93.3 KJRFM. Kickoff at 1.05. Pre-game show
starts at 9 from the zone. And whenever I think
of this game, I always wonder if there's ever one
game that Chris Peterson really misses.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
As the head coach of the Huskies.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
It's got to be this one because he never lost
to Wazoo, and he outscored the Cougars by 140 points
in the six games he coached in the Apple Cup
and is with us right now on the air talking
some college football and talking some Apple Cup. So, Coach,
I know there's a lot about this game and this
sport and crazy business that you don't miss. How about
(29:27):
taking part in the Apple Cup after all the success
that you had in that.
Speaker 6 (29:31):
Game, man?
Speaker 10 (29:33):
Well, it never really felt like that, you know, outscoring
by the number you just said. The games just always
felt like they were going to be tight and hard
fought and there was a lot of emotion going on
and so you know that's kind of par for the
course you know you don't really appreciate those things and
some of the work that's going on so much later
(29:55):
but So that's kind of my feelings on that. What
a special game, you know, and it's a little bit
unfortunate that just like all of college football, the whole
stage has changed. And so the stakes feel different. But,
you know, you got to credit Washington and Washington State
(30:18):
still trying to play this game as long as they can,
even if they have to move it early in the season.
It just is what it is. And we'll see how
it goes from there.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
You got you got three games left in the series contract, coach,
as of now going through 2028. And there's a lot
of Coug fans that I know and I'm sure maybe
some wazoo people that you talk to that just don't
know if they've got the stomach ready.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Uh, to keep this thing going.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
You know, I'm curious to see what kind of crowd
the Cougs get for the game on Sunday, but.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Put yourself in the wazoo shoes for.
Speaker 6 (30:46):
A minute, right?
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Of a, of a fan, of a booster, of a,
of a coach, of a maybe administrator, AD, whatever. Uh,
what do you think you'd feel, uh, in your gut
about keeping this thing going if you were on the
opposite side?
Speaker 10 (31:00):
Yeah, it's hard going to a gunfight with a knife, right?
I mean, that's what I think about. Um, it's just,
there's some, there's some cool things going on in college football.
I know we always talk about the negatives and, you know,
all the chaos behind the scenes. The Saturdays are still
(31:20):
really cool, but probably the thing that bothers me the most,
certainly from my roots and where I come from is
the separation, um, between the haves and the have nots,
so to speak. And, um, You know, it's just the
separation is becoming so great. Like when I was at
Boise back in the day, you could feel those things.
(31:44):
I remember visiting some places and, you know, some of
the Texas schools and Texas A & M and just
scratching my head going, holy smokes, they have all this
stuff going on. How do they not win all their games?
And then we go back and, you know, try to
figure out how to compete with those type of guys
in a bowl game or something like that. But how
we competed with them is we were able to get
(32:06):
underrated talent and really develop that talent and keep them
with us for a while. And they turn out to
be much better players than people thought they were going
to be. And so when you are paying these kids
so much money and you can take them out of
developmental places like the Boise's, the Wazoo's, the Oregon State's,
(32:28):
the San Diego State's of the world. that's really hard
and really frustrating when that component goes away. Um, you know,
it's one thing to be able to not go after
the same recruits that kind of always has been going
on in college football. You had to pick your, your,
your battles wisely before the transfer portal, before paying kids
(32:49):
and all those types of things. But, you could still
find really good players and you can keep them developing.
The developmental programs are Texas, Notre Dame, Ohio State, you know, Washington.
I think Jeff's done a great job of keeping those
guys there. Those are the developmental programs because you can
keep your good young talent there and pay them.
Speaker 6 (33:10):
Right, right, right.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Well, you got a guy on the opposite side in
Kirby Moore, Coach. Chris Peterson's with us. And, I mean,
all of a sudden, you got a pretty damn nice
coaching tree going for you. I mean, you know, two
guys that you know very well, and Kellen with the
Saints and Kirby now with the Cougars. But, I mean,
you tell me. I mean, what does Kirby Moore bring
to the table? I don't think Washington– I'm trying to
(33:33):
remember if we played him when he played for you
at Boise. I think we may have seen him when
he was a wide receiver, but certainly not as a
head coach, obviously. What is Kirby Moore going to bring
to the table on Sunday in this Apple Cup, you think?
Speaker 10 (33:47):
You know, Kirby and his brother, Kellen, they're so similar.
You know, Kellen has always kind of got the headlines
because he was the quarterback and a darn good one
at that. I mean, one of the best to ever
play college football. And then Kirby being the wide receiver
and the little brother, you know, in some ways it's
kind of always been behind the scenes, but they were
(34:08):
so similar. And I start with really their football IQ
and their smarts. They're really, really smart people and smart
football coaches. And then, you know, I move quickly to
something that I think a lot of people probably don't
talk enough about in this emotional coaching world is their temperament.
(34:30):
they are just so rock solid steady. They're not going
to ride the roller coaster. And if they feel it inside,
the players and the people around them and the coaches
aren't going to feel that. And thirdly, you can't find,
you know, in both Kirby and Kellan, but talking about
Kirby here, you can't find better people. Like they're just
(34:52):
high character quality human beings. And so, you know, these
are the type of people that you're really rooting for,
not because you just have a connection, But when you
do get to know Herbie and so many of the
people that he's assembled on that staff, it's really an
interesting game for me, right? Because we've got the dogs,
you know, opening. It's on a Sunday. I'm actually going
(35:13):
to get to be able to go to this game.
But there's eight other people on that staff that I'm
connected to that we either played for on the staff
of Boise or in our staff at Washington that are
on that Washington State staff. And it's, you know, that's it.
That's a hard way to come out of the gate.
First time head coach building your program against what Jetfish
(35:34):
has built and building there at Washington.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
I'm surprised that you said, yep, to come in on
this one for the Apple Cup. But obviously, it's a
different animal now. And you mentioned all the names and
the people that you know. And look, we'll talk about
what's going on Saturday with a 2000 Sunday, what's going
on with a 2016 team in a minute. Coach Peterson's
with us. Apple Cup Sunday pregame show starts at nine
here on KJR. But when you look at this roster
(36:06):
that Jed Fish has put together, Do you see a
potential Big Ten championship caliber team? Do you see a
college football playoff team potentially? What do you see when
you look at what Jetfish is working with?
Speaker 10 (36:23):
Yeah, you know, I actually think that Washington, when I
put on my college football analyst hat, that kind of
humorous airsoft between you and I being in that chair, right?
But when I go that direction, I actually have Washington
as a true sleeper this year. I know people are
(36:43):
buzzing a little bit about them and all those types
of things and they're ranked, what, 17th? But I do
have them a sleeper, meaning that they could get into
the college football playoffs. I mean, I really do think that.
Some things got to fall correctly for them, but I
love how their schedule lines up. I love how it
starts out. And I think it's really important that you
(37:05):
get off to a fast start good confidence building start.
I always think that's about kind of figuring out our identity.
We think we know who we're going to be and
we want to be, but it's never quite exactly that.
And so the way the schedule shakes, you know, kind
of accumulating in the first four games with a home
game at Minnesota, I like that because I think Minnesota
(37:26):
is always going to be a scrappy, hard competitor. So
that'll be a good little test. And then the one
that everybody's got circled is the next game going down
at USC. But I think that game is positioned so
well for the Huskies. Because the game before that, the
Trojans are playing the Ducks at USC. And any way
(37:48):
you cut it, the way I see this, that's a
win for the Dawgs. A win in terms of before
the game's played, emotionally. Because the Trojans are going to
be all in on that game. The Ducks will be
all in on that game. That's going to be super emotional.
There's going to be a lot of bullet shot. Win
or lose. And so you got to regroup after that game.
(38:09):
I've said this a million times. I think you're a
different team after every Saturday. Sometimes a little bit better,
a little bit more confident, sometimes not so much the
other way. And the coach's job is to kind of
figure out where we are and go from there. But
I think that that is a well-positioned game for the Huskies.
right there going down there. And then just, you know,
I like everything else about it. And Penn State's going
(38:32):
to be an improved team, but we get them at home.
Iowa's always hard. Iowa, I think that's going to be
a problem probably with coming here. And then certainly the
last two games. I mean, I think he could come
down to these last two games. We've got Indiana at
home and then have to go to Eugene to play
the Ducks. And so I kind of like the schedule.
I like the talent that he's accumulated there. I like
(38:53):
the fact that this is year three. You follow Jeb's
track record. He just keeps building. And so I think
this is a really interesting team.
Speaker 6 (39:02):
Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Well, a lot of it, as you know, it's unfortunate
to pin a lot of this on one position, but
unfortunately in football, more so than any other sport, Coach,
and you know this as well as me, sometimes it
just comes down to one guy, and that's the quarterback, right?
And here's Devon Williams, who's wearing Warren Moon's old number one.
We haven't seen a Husky quarterback wear number one in
almost 50 years on campus, and he's grabbing that this year.
(39:27):
You know about what happened over the offseason. Seems like
the team has put that behind them for the most part.
But if you're coaching Demond, if you're advising Demond, what
do you need to see out of now number one
this year and year three that maybe you didn't see
last year?
Speaker 10 (39:41):
Well, I think it's all the things that Jed Sash
has talked about, you know, and you're right. You know,
a lot of this, I mean, the quarterback position, in
my opinion, is the greatest position in all of sports.
That position has to go and has to be successful.
And it was for the most part last year. But
to take the next step, that position has to take
(40:03):
the next step as well. And I think DeMond will
take the next step. The question is, again, as a coach,
as a head coach on offense, the whole thing you're
trying to do is make that position as successful as possible.
So what do we need to do there? Number one,
you got to run the ball and you got to
run the ball as effective. That just takes so much
(40:26):
pressure off the quarterback. And when I look at that,
the one guy that I think they need to get
back in that mix is Landon Hatchett. I think he's
completely underrated. I think he's a way better player than
most people in this city give him credit for. He's
a leader. He's the heart and soul. That guy is
a very good football player. And so, you know, they
(40:49):
got some depth there now, and so they're going to
be okay. But I think Landon is a big key
for that offensive line. I think the running backs, hopefully
they can stay healthy, excited to see Quade Cargo. Jaden Lamar,
I think, is a really good player. He's got to
get healthy, stay healthy, all those things. And then do
they have enough firepower out wide, you know, to help
(41:09):
them on? I think that Chris Moss is a really
interesting new piece added. Desmond Robux can be good, Rasheed Williams.
And so, you know, it's depth, you know, because you're
just not going to have all those pieces as you
go through this season. That's just not real football. And
so you have the guys underneath them that can step
up and make this happen. The defense, again, you want
(41:31):
to talk about underrated. I think this defense, I think
Ryan Walters is truly one of the best coordinators in
the country. It's almost, to me, a little bit like
a no-name defense. I mean, here in Seattle, we know
the names.
Speaker 6 (41:43):
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 10 (41:45):
But the sum of the parts is better than the whole.
Those guys played really well. They did last year. And
I think they're going to be better this year, even
though they lost some of those really good corners. And,
you know, I just think the pieces that they have
stacked in there, that linebacker crew is deep and experienced.
I like that. And I think this, even being an
offensive-leaning kind of coach all my career, championships are won
(42:09):
on defense. I mean, the offense, yeah, we've got to
score points. But when you're playing really good teams or
on the road, you're not going to score the same
amount of points week in and week out that you're
used to. That just doesn't happen. When you're playing Indiana
and Oregon and going on the road, you don't usually
(42:31):
score like you would normally. That's when the defense has
to come to life. And that's so much where the
toughness of your team comes from, too.
Speaker 6 (42:40):
Yep.
Speaker 10 (42:40):
And so I like this defense. And so I think that,
you know, those are all the things that I think
about this team right now.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
Well, we're going to see you on Sunday. I know
you got Fox duties, TV duties on Friday. Chris Peterson's
with us talking Apple Cup. And I don't know, man,
I don't know how often you play the what if game.
I played a lot. I mean, I'm a Seattle sports fan.
I got plenty of opportunities to play the what-if game, right?
Not just with the Seahawks and Mariners and Sonics, but
(43:08):
that 2016 game against Alabama, man. What if, what if
Buda Baker had picked off that pass? What if Jake
hadn't thrown that pick six? What if Bo Scarborough, blah, blah, blah,
drives me nuts. But what I think people forget is
the accomplishment, 15-year wait to win the conference championship.
Speaker 6 (43:25):
And go to a.
Speaker 3 (43:26):
Game like the Peach Bowl.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
What you did not see because you were with the
team was the party across the street at the bar
outside the golf course where we had to wait an
hour and a half to get on the air because
of a high school game that we were carrying. And
by the time we did go on the air, nobody
was in the right shape to be on the air.
But you guys provided a massive party for us, and
you provided a massive point of pride. for Husky fans
(43:51):
to end that streak, coach, and get us back to
a Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2001. That
team's going to be honored Sunday. You're going to be there.
When you think now, God, we're talking what, you know,
10 years later, what do you think about when you
think about that club?
Speaker 10 (44:10):
I think the first thing that just jumps into my
mind when I think about that team and maybe a
couple teams even after that team, but like, really just
all the good players that we had. I just always
think that, that, you know, I think sometimes whether it
was even at Boise or Washington, I think probably the
(44:32):
most underrated thing about our programs was the players that
we got. We just had some really good players and
you don't end up getting to a four team college
playoff without some of the best players in the country.
And that's what I think happened with Boise. I think
that we had this talent that just was really, really outstanding.
And then I will tell you this. It was really
(44:54):
interesting because, you know, you better than anyone. You hear
all these things and all these regrets. In fact, half
the stuff you just talked about, I didn't forget. Now
I'm going to have a bad day.
Speaker 6 (45:03):
Sorry.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
My fault.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
Think about the Colorado game. Think about Colorado instead.
Speaker 6 (45:08):
All right.
Speaker 7 (45:09):
Why would I?
Speaker 10 (45:10):
What Colorado game?
Speaker 6 (45:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (45:12):
Which one? The championship game that you won in Santa Clara.
Speaker 10 (45:16):
I was going back to my last year when we
lost to Colorado.
Speaker 6 (45:18):
So that's how we think, right?
Speaker 3 (45:20):
No, not that one.
Speaker 10 (45:21):
We think the same. So, but let me just say this.
So going into that 2016 season with that team, you know,
we've been there two years and we were kind of
going backwards. You know, the first year we had a
lot of good players, underachieved. We didn't have our act together.
I didn't have my act together enough to get those
guys all aligned. Next year, we lost a lot of
(45:42):
good players, played a bunch of true freshmen. Better on
this 2016 team, right? And, you know, scratching and clawing
to win games, and we were in every game in
the fourth quarter, just couldn't quite get it done. And
I remember in that offseason, a couple different players, John Ross,
Coleman Shelton, some guys that had been around, and.
(46:06):
Some of those like kind of older guys leader type
guys and I remember them coming up to me independently
in the weight room in the spring and they're like
coach you know we're going to be good this year
right and I'm like why would you say that and
I did I was just like you know and they
all said this too they all said you know I
know we always say that at Washington we always say
(46:27):
that and I just said what makes you say that
I've heard this before and they said no we are
going to be good And they all kind of made
a reference that what we want to do now is win.
And whatever that takes, I think we're over ourselves. Like before,
it had all been us trying to like get ours. And,
(46:48):
you know, it's just that like team first mentality. It's like,
you know, everybody needs to start and everybody needs to
catch so many balls and everybody needs this role. This
team has really just said, even going into that. I
remember John Ross said, hey, if I got to go
back to defense and play defense, or if you leave
me a receiver and I don't catch any balls in
(47:08):
the game and we win, I am good. And I
promise you that. And so I heard that from these
different guys. And I'm thinking, hmm, this is going to
be interesting because that is the number one requirement to
a championship gold standard type team is to have this
team first mentality. Whatever the role is that this team needs,
(47:31):
you're all in on. And I felt that from these
guys going in and the rest kind of happened.
Speaker 6 (47:37):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
Well, I'm glad you guys are getting your due on Sunday.
A lot of big names, a lot of great guys
on that team. And swing by the pregame show if
you're so inclined. Greg, Lewis, Mario, myself, we'll all be there.
We'd love to see you in person and say hello. But, hey,
in the meantime, appreciate you doing this. Always fun to
catch up, all right? Great to see you back on
(47:58):
TV for another year. Still weird to me that you're
doing it, but you're getting grayed out, by the way.
So keep it going, and we'll see you on Sunday, hopefully.
Speaker 6 (48:06):
All right?
Speaker 10 (48:07):
Appreciate you, Safdie.
This is duke of duke's seafood and this hour is
brought to you by duke's seafood why don't you make
it a duke's night tonight reserve your table today at
duke's seafood.com now back to softy and dick on sports
radio 93.3 kjr fm the.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Guy that obviously has been watching the apple cup is
a long long time the former husky quarterback hugh millen
little live at five right here on 93.3 kjr fm
how are you man.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I'm doing great guys what's happening Not much.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
You want to share your enthusiasm level, your juice level,
your intrigue level for this Apple Cup on Sunday? What
do you make of what we're about to see and
the build-up to it on Sunday?
Speaker 3 (00:40):
Not much. I feel sorry for the Cougs. I think
that there were some built-in disadvantages that we all know
about prior to this conference realignment. If you consider the population,
if you consider the The politics, the size of the cities, towns,
(01:01):
the academic difference. You could argue that of all of
the traditional rivalries, there was more disparity between Washington and
Washington State than any of the rivalries across the country.
There's differences in others, but think USC, UCLA, Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn.
(01:24):
If you go and then you say, okay, what are
all the material ways that a school could be different?
There's a hell of an argument to be made in
an objective fashion that Washington and Washington State had the
most disparity and differences. I don't just mean to say
high and low as if there's a hierarchy, but just
(01:45):
even the most differences. remain neutral on it. And so
it was a unique rivalry. It's dissolving because of all
of the changes. And so I'm just not terribly gripped
by it personally.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
We had Pat Chun on a couple hours ago.
Speaker 5 (02:04):
I don't know if you got a chance to hear that,
but one of his quotes was, there is an intent
to continue the game on both sides of this, end quote.
What do you make of those words and how much
do you believe that?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Well, I think I'm going to take his phrase in
literally because he's paid to speak with the right phraseology.
And there is an intent tells me almost nothing because
it doesn't tell you how much intent and it doesn't
tell you the conditions that need to be met to
actually realize a difference. So I think that he leaves
(02:41):
himself a wide canvas of for how this could actually
play out. And I don't say that to levy any
critique to his comment. I think that that's the way
he asked to speak to it. But that could mean
a shred, very minimal. It could be moderate intent. It
(03:02):
could be significant intent. The fact that he doesn't disclose
it just doesn't tell me that that's much of a comment.
Short of him saying- you know, it's dead in the water,
which you would not expect him to say, then that's
the next best thing. But it really doesn't give us information.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Well, and it could mean, I mean, also, if we're
just going to speculate here, it could mean that that's
their intent from their perspective. You know, they're covering their side. Hey,
you know, we intend to play it, but we don't
know about Wazoo. I mean, if they bail out, that's
on them. But our intention is to play this thing.
I mean, how much of an intention, you don't know,
but who knows what Wazoo's perspective is going to be.
Speaker 6 (03:39):
But look, man, I mean, if.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
It's Dave, sorry to interrupt you, but that could mean
Washington's intent is, hey, every game is going to be
played in Seattle.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Sure.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Like you want to play in Lumen? Fine.
Speaker 7 (03:51):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
You want to play in Husky Stadium?
Speaker 8 (03:53):
Fine.
Speaker 6 (03:53):
Right.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
We're never going to Pullman again. Like and he could
he could that could fit under his terminology and he
could accurately have said it. that they have an intent
to continue the series.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I think he did say, by the way, just to
be fair here, I think he did say intent to
honor the terms of the contract or something like that.
We intend to honor our contractual obligations, I believe.
Speaker 6 (04:18):
Is what he said.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
And when does that expire?
Speaker 6 (04:21):
Two years.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Two years, 27 and 28 with a game in Pullman
next year and a game in Seattle in 28. So
just from a standpoint of, where those games are played,
if he's talking about contractually obligated, as of right now,
they are obligated to go to Pullman and come back
here in 2028.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
And by the way, yes, exactly. And by the way,
there's always clauses in the contract that says, hey, if
we want to pull out, this is the remedy.
Speaker 6 (04:47):
Right.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
You know, it's not a breach of contract. It's just
it's fulfilling the clause in the contract that states if
we if Washington pulls out, then then this is the restitution.
If there if you, you know, I mean, that's laid
out the consequences. So even even that. phraseology gives a
(05:09):
wide latitude for what can even happen in the next
two years. That doesn't, that doesn't certify that it's going
to be, I mean, I would, I would anticipate that
it'll be played.
Speaker 6 (05:17):
We could be here all night. We could be here
all night debating the definition of the word intent.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Unfortunately, we only have two hours left in the radio show.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Are you mocking me in the words of Buzz Lightyear? Slightly.
Speaker 6 (05:30):
Yeah, that's okay.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
See, I can do that to you because you're my boy,
all right? And you can do it to me, by
the way. If Washington intends to play in the CFP,
they're going to need, number one, to play really well.
Speaker 6 (05:45):
Do you feel like we are going to see.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
a solid season, a bounce-back season in some ways. What
are you expecting, honestly, man, from DeMond Williams this year?
Speaker 3 (05:58):
Well, I think that he has kind of stepped up
his leadership game since his gaffe.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
Right.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
I call it a gaffe. I mean, it was just
an honest– he followed where his heart led him, and
then when he got bent over a legal barrel, he–
He then reversed course in a manner where he had
no choice. Let's be honest about that. Anything other than that,
I'm going to argue pretty aggressively with you. He had
(06:27):
an intent to leave, but he couldn't. So here he is,
and since that time, I think he's been more engaged
with the team than he had been. He's taken his
leadership role more seriously, so that's a good thing. He's
got a better offensive line. That's going to help him. Now, arguably,
(06:48):
the targets, until somebody steps up and plays at the
level of Denzel Boston and obviously the receiver core that
Pennix had, we're used to seeing some pretty good receivers here.
I think there's some questions about whether or not DeMond
is going to enjoy that kind of battery mates with
its targets. But here's the challenge. If you go back
to a year ago, Washington played four games against teams
(07:12):
that had top 25 defense. By the way, I booted
this this morning like a Jason Myers preseason PAT. So
let's see if I can get this better.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Was there a wide right or a wide left?
Speaker 3 (07:26):
It was everything. I basically topped it. I would be
having to play the rest of the hole with my
wiener out. Wow. If we're being honest here, like that's
how bad I did.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Did he just say what I thought he just said? OK, Jackson,
that's a drop. If I can get that for 6 p.m.,
that'd be phenomenal.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
Go ahead. So so the Huskies averaged nine point three
points per game in those four games against teams in
the top 25. Defense.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
You've sent him off the edge.
Speaker 6 (07:58):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
You know what I'm talking about, right? If you whiff
a ball, if you don't like it, what is it, 10,
20 yards?
Speaker 9 (08:04):
No, it's the ladies' tee. The ladies' tee. Yes, the ladies' team. Well,
I'm glad to know that I don't know the details
of that, David. Hugh, Hugh, Hugh, you may know the details.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
If I had to play with my wiener on top
of the ball, I'd play 18 holes buck naked.
Speaker 10 (08:20):
Indeed.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
Get out of here.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Indeed.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Go ahead. So the Huskies offensively a year ago, they
were 9.3 points per game against teams that had a
top 25 D. That's Oregon, Ohio State, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
In their non-conference, they were 55.7 points. Remember, they hung
59 on Wazoo and 70 on UC Davis. Here, Don James,
(08:44):
when his entire career, had exactly 20 games where he
scored 50 points, but zero that he scored 60. Like,
he knew, hey, we made our point. Let's put on
the brakes. But Washington hung 70 on UC Davis. The
gap between those two numbers, which is 46.4 points, was
the biggest gap in all power four. Not only was
(09:05):
it the biggest gap, the gap between one and two
is greater than the gap between two and 15. So
all of the barking that we're doing about Washington's offense
in many, many categories were built on teams out of
conference and in the lesser, actually bottom 20 of the
Big Tens. And by the way, then you go yards.
(09:26):
The difference in yards was 282. That was also number one,
the biggest gap. So what does that tell us? that
tell us the Huskies' offense. And then I won't cite
the stats, but when you go passer rating and you
go EPA, the new stat, EPA that everybody's talking about,
DeMond Williams was the number one quarterback for how the
(09:49):
gap between his performance against top 25 versus non-top 25.
So that is the challenge. I'm just going to be
rolling my eyes. I expect that Jed Fish will probably
try and hang a lot of points on the Cougars. Hell,
a year ago, with two minutes and 40 seconds to go,
(10:10):
DeMond was still in the game. He throws a deep
corner out for a touchdown, what is it, a 60-yard touchdown,
to make it 59 to, what, 24?
Speaker 6 (10:17):
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (10:20):
So I expect Jed Fish to want to put some
fireworks up, not just Sunday against the Cougars, but the
remainder of this feeble non-conference, and to rack up these
offensive numbers and maybe start a bid for DeMond to
be a Heisman Trophy winner. But I'm going to be
rolling my eyes until they prove that they are not
(10:40):
the worst team in Power 4 in terms of the
gap between non-top 25 defenses and top 25.
Speaker 5 (10:46):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (10:48):
So what can we learn, if anything, about DeMond Williams'
development as a quarterback over the next month when he's
playing Wazoo, Utah State, and Eastern?
Speaker 3 (10:58):
Yeah, I'd like to see his timing, put his back
foot in the ground, get rid of the ball when
the primary's open. throw it to the primary early. I'd
like to see him a little bit closer to the
line of scrimmage. He has a pen. He's so athletic
and bouncy that when he takes a five-step drop from shotgun,
(11:19):
he lands at 11 yards deep and then he wants
to stay there. Well, then on so many of the passes, when,
when he puts the ball in the air, the defense
has a better time to react. You know, you watch,
I went, I studied extensively some of the, the top
college quarterbacks, you know, take Fernando Mendoza last year. I mean,
(11:41):
he was parked right there at eight and a half yards.
And so when he went to throw the ball, the
ball's in the air less. So defenders can break on
the ball less and you get more run after the
catch because the ball gets to the receiver's face. Like
every yard matters. And if you're giving up two yards
less Because you want to be behind the line of
scrimmage too much. Maybe that's because he's short. That would
be the inference. But I don't know if we're going
(12:04):
to see any difference in that regard. But that would
be an element that if he wants to be a
better quarterback, I think he needs to be closer to
the line of scrimmage from his launch.
Speaker 6 (12:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (12:14):
Hey.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (12:15):
Now, Hugh, you mentioned non-conference there, and I want to
ask you about that real quick. Maybe we can sneak
into the Hawk topic or two. We're going to have
you on again Monday. And then, by the way, just
so you know, pencil in Wednesday before the Patriot game.
We want to have you join us as well. So, yeah,
we're going to lock you in for that. So we'll
talk a lot of Hawks, obviously, next week. But Pat
Chun came on. You'll hear that coming up 6 p.m.
(12:37):
hour and said that, you know, look, their non-conference schedule
the next two years is not going to change. Fresno,
Portland State next year, Eastern, UNLV in 28. They do
have a series with Tennessee starting in 29, I believe,
with the Vols. But their focus is on 2030 and beyond.
So next two years won't look great from a non-conference schedule,
(13:01):
but the next few years after that could look drastically different.
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Well, there was always the model that Don James favored,
the ABC model. however that constituted so that when you
look through the history of Washington and many can remember
these games, but there was a Michigan, there was a
Notre Dame, there was a Nebraska, there was a Miami Hurricanes.
There was always the idea, hey, let's try and get
(13:26):
a marquee game. I'm somewhat sympathetic to the argument and
open to the argument that you've upped your conference game,
but you know, because now the Big Ten and you're
going to have a lot of competitive games. I think
that there's some dregs of the Big Ten as well, right?
(13:47):
I mean, not everybody is Ohio State and Michigan. You know,
a lot of the, you know, Purdue, you know, well,
Illinois was better last year, but, you know, Michigan State,
there's a lot of, you know, UCLA a year ago
was god-awful. You know, so at any given time, you're
going to have the dregs, but I think it's unfortunate.
(14:09):
that Washington doesn't do the ABC and the, and getting
Tennessee on the schedule to me is, is, is a
step in the right direction. I think it's a good thing. And, and, and,
you know, that may be alongside something there's been talk
that the, the sec and the big 10 are going
to have, uh, you know, some type of series where
they're almost mandated to match and pair. And so I
(14:30):
think that'd be a good thing because I think one
of the worst things about college football, which is a
great enterprise, uh, I love it like everybody else, uh,
But September scheduling, Dave, you know my feeling about that.
You know, there's just this dearth of competitive games. And,
you know, you got September 12th. Ohio State's going to
(14:50):
go to Texas. All eyes are going to be in Austin.
But there's just too few of those type of matchups.
Speaker 5 (14:56):
Well, that to me is the only reason why I'm
starting to lean towards a 2014 playoff, just to get
more of those matchups in September that we want. So
what is a better scenario for the brand of Washington?
Washington is about 50% finishing in the top 12 of
the final regular season CFP poll since it started. So
(15:16):
about 50% of the time, if we would have had
a 12-team playoff the last 10-plus years.
Speaker 4 (15:21):
They would have made it.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Is it better for the brand of Washington to go
to an exclusive club one out of every two years
or a much less exclusive club of 24 almost every year?
Speaker 3 (15:40):
I think that I'd rather have them in the 12th.
I mean, 24 is getting pretty watered down. Are you
talking about four years? the end of the season and, and.
Speaker 5 (15:50):
Just for the brand of the, just to the brand
of the Washington Husky football programs, it better to be
an exclusive 12 team club, like every other year, which
is what they've averaged or, you know, expands to 24.
They're going to get in far more times than they
aren't going to get it.
Speaker 6 (16:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I think the former, I think the former and, and,
you know, we'll see. I, I, I'm not crazy about
the extension expansion. I think a 12 team playoff is,
is just fine. I think it, it still puts enough, uh,
primacy on the regular season. Each time you go from
12 to 16 or 16 to 24, whatever they're proposing,
(16:26):
then we can all agree on this, that that waters
down the regular season for the better teams. Now, you
could say, wait a minute, what about teams 18 through 28?
If you have a 24, there's a lot of eyes
on that. Well, I'm sorry, but those teams don't interest
me as much. I want more interest in the Ohio
(16:46):
State-Michigan game. I want that to have consequences, like real consequences.
You have 24 teams. The Michigan-Ohio State game becomes a
scrimmage because they're both getting in. It would resemble the
top levels of ACC basketball. North Carolina-Duke is a nice scrimmage. Uh, uh, rivalry,
but in the regular season, does it, does it really matter?
(17:07):
Not in the ways that football games have mattered.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Right.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Well, you start thinking about, let's say you got two teams,
two Husky teams that make a 24 team playoff. versus
one Husky team, Dick, is what you're saying, that make
a 12-team playoff. That one team that makes the 12-team playoff,
you could potentially assume, would be more of a national
title threat than either one of those teams that made
the 24-team playoff, especially if they're near the back end
(17:33):
of the rankings.
Speaker 6 (17:35):
I've got to be honest with you guys.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
I don't know if you can just go get a
drive-through lobotomy somewhere over the weekend. I would like to
find somebody to do that for me and get this
damn thought I have in my head of you playing
golf with your pants.
Speaker 6 (17:48):
Off, by the way.
Speaker 2 (17:49):
Because ever since you threw that on the air, I
can't get the damn thing stuck.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
Out of my freaking head, okay?
Speaker 2 (17:54):
And it's gross to me to be honest with you,
all right?
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Gross to me.
Speaker 6 (17:58):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
I just said, you know, you play by the rules,
you know, that Johnson might have to... Flop around a
little bit.
Speaker 6 (18:04):
See, now it's back. Now it's back.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
It was just about to get out of my head.
Now it's returned again.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
You got another drop there, Jackson.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
You're giving me a shovel.
Speaker 6 (18:11):
Give me a ladder. This is a family show. You
know that, right? This is a family show. Let's keep
it clean. All right, pal?
Speaker 2 (18:18):
All right, we'll talk Monday about some Hawks. The Hawks
go on Wednesday, five days from the freaking opener.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
Yeah, it's here. Man, unbelievable, dude. So ready for that.
You're relieved from your misery of the preseason, David. So
from here on, we got real football.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
Thank God. Thank God.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
All right, boys.
Speaker 6 (18:36):
Enjoy it. We'll talk on Monday. See you, man. Humiliating
with us. Holy moly.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
Holy smokes.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
Like a phrase that I didn't think. You see the
drops on me?
Speaker 6 (18:44):
I have not. Where is it?
Speaker 4 (18:46):
I sent you a picture. I sent the picture.
Speaker 6 (18:48):
Oh, you did? Well, I'm using my phone.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
Color-coded and everything.
Speaker 6 (18:50):
I'm using my phone for something else right now. Play it!
Play it!
Speaker 4 (18:54):
That's why I put it on your wall.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
I have my own things I have to play. You
have the drops.
Speaker 6 (18:59):
Well, I'll get to it next. I've got to cleanse
my brain.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
We'll get to it next on 93.3 KJRFM.
Speaker 6 (19:07):
Play ball!
Speaker 7 (19:09):
Welcome to Softie and Dick's Hardball Pre-Game Show, presented by Pemko,
the insurance you get. Learn more at pemko.com on Sports
Radio 93.3, KJR-FM.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
All right, we're back on a busy Friday night. Chris Peterson,
Pat Chun coming up in the 6 p.m. hour, getting
ready for the Apple Cup on Sunday, 9 o'clock pre-game
show here on KJR-FM. Pemko helps make insurance less challenging.
Get a quote today at pemko.com. or call 1-800-GO-PEMCO. PEMCO,
the insurance you get. PEMCO, Mutual Insurance Company, Seattle, Washington.
(19:43):
Lineup for tonight's game for the Mariners. Game two of
four is out. Rosarito, Canzone, Julio, Cal Raleigh, Josh Naylor
at first, Cole Young at second, JP at short step,
Laz Montes and Wright and Brock Rodden. That seems like
that might be the same lineup as last night, by
the way, with Logan Gilbert on the mound tonight against
Cade Morris for the A's. Cade Morris, Dick, in 14
(20:07):
and two-thirds innings this year. has an opponent batting average of.
385 with four home runs and 40 total bases allowed
and a whip of 2.11 in 14 innings so far,
9.82 ERA.
Speaker 6 (20:22):
So, of course, he'll crush the Mariners' offense tonight at T-Mobile.
Speaker 5 (20:27):
Well, what I was going to say, that sounds exactly
like Jack Perkins' whip and ERA that we faced last night.
Speaker 3 (20:33):
I would be having to play the rest of the
hole with my wiener out.
Speaker 6 (20:37):
All right.
Speaker 4 (20:37):
Maybe that's what the Mariners have been doing.
Speaker 2 (20:41):
Bryce Miller was on the radio show yesterday and mentioned
that he thought the team Dick was talking too much
this year about what happened last year. And so we
asked him as the interview was progressing to clarify what
he meant by that statement.
Speaker 6 (21:00):
Check this out from yesterday.
Speaker 8 (21:01):
Coming into this season in spring training and just about
every single meeting that we've had as a team up
until about a month ago, it was every single time,
you know, it comes up of, oh, you know, last
year we did this. Last year we were in the ALCS.
Last year we almost went to a World Series. And
(21:21):
I think there comes a point where we recognize that,
you know, we had a good season last year and
we have expectations that we want to meet. Um, but
there also comes a point where you got to let
go of that. This is a new season. What we
did last year has nothing to do with what we
do this year. And we just got to go out
(21:42):
there and play, you know, it is, it wouldn't have
mattered if we were in the world series last year
or not, that's not going to change the results that
we have this year. Um, and I think that's, you know,
something that we, we kind of, as a team talked about, um,
in our, our last meeting was like, all right, whatever happens,
Our expectations were whatever happened last year, it's done. We
(22:03):
can't relive it. We're living now. We're living in a
new season with new difficulties and new opportunities, and it's
time to move on and go out and win today
and win this series, win this month, and get into
the postseason and make a new story.
Speaker 6 (22:25):
All right, so a couple things.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
First of all, I think immediately upon hearing that, We're
all like, what?
Speaker 6 (22:31):
Right? What's going on?
Speaker 2 (22:32):
I do think we have to step back just a
little bit because it's one guy's reaction in the clubhouse
of 26 people. He may have a different version of
events than other guys in the clubhouse. He may have
heard one person somewhere mention 2025 and be so angry
about what happened at the end of the year that
he wants nothing done, nothing, no talk, no chat or whatever.
Speaker 5 (22:55):
Right?
Speaker 6 (22:55):
I mean, different people translate things differently, even in our office.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
Right?
Speaker 6 (22:59):
Obviously.
Speaker 5 (23:00):
Or he can be the most honest person on the
team and willing to lay it out there, which nobody
else will.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
That's absolutely possible.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
I guess my point is I would love to, and
I don't even know if anybody would go on record,
talk to more guys about it and ask them, hey,
this is what Bryce thinks. Do you agree with that,
that there was too much talk about what happened a
year ago and not enough talk about this year? Look, again,
it's one guy and his impression of events that were
going on. Inside the clubhouse. I just would love to
(23:32):
hear what other guys had to say about it.
Speaker 4 (23:33):
No, that's fair.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
What needs to happen this weekend for you to pull
the plug on the team?
Speaker 6 (23:42):
What do you mean pull the plug? Like say they're done?
Speaker 5 (23:44):
Yeah, like we have our funeral on Monday.
Speaker 2 (23:50):
If they're eight games out Monday, they're finished. Because here's
the thing. I mean, Houston's got 21 games left to go, right?
Speaker 3 (23:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Mariners have 21 games left to go. So right now,
if the Astros go 11-10 the rest of the way,
the Mariners have to go 17-4. If the Astros and
they're playing, what, Arizona right now, is that correct? What's
the score of that game? It was scoreless last time
I looked. Let's just say the Astros take two out
of three against Arizona.
Speaker 6 (24:16):
All right?
Speaker 2 (24:17):
And then they're sitting there and they've got 9-8 the
rest of the way or 9-9. in their final 18 games,
and the Mariners split with the Oakland A's, and they've
got to go 15-3 in their final 18. I think
you get to a point where what needs to be
done to catch Houston becomes a little bit ridiculous. And
(24:38):
I think a 15-3 type thing becomes a little bit ridiculous.
So I think if we're sitting in that scenario on Monday,
I would say the odds are so stacked in your
favor that we can go ahead and bury them.
Speaker 4 (24:49):
Well, even if they're only six games back, because... It's
the amount of games left.
Speaker 6 (24:54):
Right.
Speaker 5 (24:54):
I mean, let's say the Mariners win two of the
next three, but... Houston wins two of the next three.
You've just blown a four-game series with Oakland where they
had a three-game series with Arizona and you picked up
no ground.
Speaker 1 (25:11):
Right.
Speaker 6 (25:11):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
No, I mean, if you're 68 and 76 at the
end of this weekend, the Astros are 74 and 76.
And you've got, what, 18 games left to go at
that point to catch Houston. What you're talking, you've got
to be six games better than them. So you've got
to go, you know, you've got to go 12 and 6.
Speaker 6 (25:36):
And they would have to go.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
6 and 12.
Speaker 7 (25:38):
Right.
Speaker 6 (25:39):
Forget it.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
Forget it.
Speaker 6 (25:41):
Forget it. And that's, I mean, that's, again, that's 12
and 6.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
I mean, 12 and 6 is not impossible, but that's
also counting on the Astros just totally melting down.
Speaker 6 (25:51):
The rest of the way. Right.
Speaker 5 (25:52):
And that's also 12 and six for a baseball team
at that point.
Speaker 6 (25:57):
Right.
Speaker 5 (25:57):
That would have only won four of their last 12 games.
Speaker 1 (26:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
I mean, even if they go nine and nine, I mean,
you would have to go 15 and three in their
final 18 games to catch him. So that would be
what I would call it. I mean, again, I don't
know why, I guess it's important for people to have
somebody actually call this on the air and Right?
Speaker 6 (26:20):
Call it. What was the guy's name in No Country.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
For Old Men?
Speaker 4 (26:23):
Anton Chigurh.
Speaker 6 (26:24):
Yeah, right.
Speaker 5 (26:24):
I'm just looking for a show consensus. I just want
us all to be in the same boat together, sipping
our martinis.
Speaker 6 (26:31):
Why?
Speaker 10 (26:31):
I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:32):
Why do we have to be in the same boat?
Because you're my buddy.
Speaker 4 (26:33):
Jackson's my buddy.
Speaker 6 (26:34):
But we're not buddies.
Speaker 2 (26:38):
I have felt all along that the M's were going
to take advantage of the schedule. And so far, one
game into this fairly easy cruise, they haven't done it.
I mean, can they take three out of four? Can
the Astros lose two out of three? Can they wake
up on Monday and be maybe four, maybe five games
back of first place? I mean, I think at that
point you kind of want to hang in there a
(27:00):
little bit, right, and see what happens. But if this thing,
if we wake up Monday, Dick, and these guys are
seven games out of first place with 18 games left
to go, I'm going to be writing a eulogy.
Speaker 10 (27:09):
Okay.
Speaker 6 (27:10):
For Monday's show.
Speaker 3 (27:10):
All right.
Speaker 4 (27:11):
I will say this, though. Does it make you feel better? Yes,
it does make me feel better. Although... It's all about you.
Speaker 6 (27:16):
I want to make you feel good.
Speaker 4 (27:16):
Yeah, make me feel good.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
We're buddies.
Speaker 5 (27:18):
I mean, despite the fact that it's Mariners minus 221
money line in this game.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
They're going to win.
Speaker 4 (27:23):
Isn't this like the most... If you're ever going to
put money on the Mariners all year long.
Speaker 5 (27:30):
Wouldn't it be this game with your most consistent starter
on the mound against the dude that what'd you say
his whip was?
Speaker 6 (27:36):
What'd you say his ERA was? 2.1 with a nine
and a half ERA.
Speaker 5 (27:39):
I mean, my God, if they can't win tonight, when
are they going to win?
Speaker 6 (27:45):
Yeah, I mean, tonight is the night, man.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Tonight feels like if you're going to get this thing done,
if you're going to give yourself any shot to do this,
if you're serious about making a run, you have to
win this game tonight.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
All right, honey.
Speaker 10 (27:56):
100%.
Speaker 4 (27:56):
Putting the 529 on the Mariners.
Speaker 1 (27:58):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
That's it.
Speaker 6 (27:59):
I mean, look at their... Look at their lineup, Dick.
Speaker 2 (28:02):
Look at our lineup versus the A's lineup. I mean,
it's ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. So, yes, tonight is a must-win.
I agree with you. It's a must-win tonight. We're going
to break. Chris Peterson coming up at 6 on 93.3 KJRFM.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
I-formation.
Speaker 6 (28:21):
Snap to Browning.
Speaker 4 (28:22):
They'll just hand Gaskin again.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
Left side.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
Gaskin has a hole. Gaskin into the open field across
the 50.
Speaker 9 (28:27):
Miles Gaskin inside the 20-yard line.
Speaker 6 (28:31):
Left sideline. Miles Gaskin is ripped out at the pylon.
Two arms up. Touchdown Washington.
Speaker 3 (28:39):
80 yards.
Speaker 6 (28:40):
Miles Gaskin to the house.
Speaker 2 (28:43):
All right, well, it may not feel like it for
some people, but it is Apple Cup week. I'm telling you,
it's actually happening Sunday at 1 o'clock. Hear the game
right here on 93.3 KJRFM. Kickoff at 1.05. Pre-game show
starts at 9 from the zone. And whenever I think
of this game, I always wonder if there's ever one
game that Chris Peterson really misses.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
As the head coach of the Huskies.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
It's got to be this one because he never lost
to Wazoo, and he outscored the Cougars by 140 points
in the six games he coached in the Apple Cup
and is with us right now on the air talking
some college football and talking some Apple Cup. So, Coach,
I know there's a lot about this game and this
sport and crazy business that you don't miss. How about
(29:27):
taking part in the Apple Cup after all the success
that you had in that.
Speaker 6 (29:31):
Game, man?
Speaker 10 (29:33):
Well, it never really felt like that, you know, outscoring
by the number you just said. The games just always
felt like they were going to be tight and hard
fought and there was a lot of emotion going on
and so you know that's kind of par for the
course you know you don't really appreciate those things and
some of the work that's going on so much later
(29:55):
but So that's kind of my feelings on that. What
a special game, you know, and it's a little bit
unfortunate that just like all of college football, the whole
stage has changed. And so the stakes feel different. But,
you know, you got to credit Washington and Washington State
(30:18):
still trying to play this game as long as they can,
even if they have to move it early in the season.
It just is what it is. And we'll see how
it goes from there.
Speaker 3 (30:25):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
You got you got three games left in the series contract, coach,
as of now going through 2028. And there's a lot
of Coug fans that I know and I'm sure maybe
some wazoo people that you talk to that just don't
know if they've got the stomach ready.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Uh, to keep this thing going.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
You know, I'm curious to see what kind of crowd
the Cougs get for the game on Sunday, but.
Speaker 3 (30:45):
Put yourself in the wazoo shoes for.
Speaker 6 (30:46):
A minute, right?
Speaker 2 (30:47):
Of a, of a fan, of a booster, of a,
of a coach, of a maybe administrator, AD, whatever. Uh,
what do you think you'd feel, uh, in your gut
about keeping this thing going if you were on the
opposite side?
Speaker 10 (31:00):
Yeah, it's hard going to a gunfight with a knife, right?
I mean, that's what I think about. Um, it's just,
there's some, there's some cool things going on in college football.
I know we always talk about the negatives and, you know,
all the chaos behind the scenes. The Saturdays are still
(31:20):
really cool, but probably the thing that bothers me the most,
certainly from my roots and where I come from is
the separation, um, between the haves and the have nots,
so to speak. And, um, You know, it's just the
separation is becoming so great. Like when I was at
Boise back in the day, you could feel those things.
(31:44):
I remember visiting some places and, you know, some of
the Texas schools and Texas A & M and just
scratching my head going, holy smokes, they have all this
stuff going on. How do they not win all their games?
And then we go back and, you know, try to
figure out how to compete with those type of guys
in a bowl game or something like that. But how
we competed with them is we were able to get
(32:06):
underrated talent and really develop that talent and keep them
with us for a while. And they turn out to
be much better players than people thought they were going
to be. And so when you are paying these kids
so much money and you can take them out of
developmental places like the Boise's, the Wazoo's, the Oregon State's,
(32:28):
the San Diego State's of the world. that's really hard
and really frustrating when that component goes away. Um, you know,
it's one thing to be able to not go after
the same recruits that kind of always has been going
on in college football. You had to pick your, your,
your battles wisely before the transfer portal, before paying kids
(32:49):
and all those types of things. But, you could still
find really good players and you can keep them developing.
The developmental programs are Texas, Notre Dame, Ohio State, you know, Washington.
I think Jeff's done a great job of keeping those
guys there. Those are the developmental programs because you can
keep your good young talent there and pay them.
Speaker 6 (33:10):
Right, right, right.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
Well, you got a guy on the opposite side in
Kirby Moore, Coach. Chris Peterson's with us. And, I mean,
all of a sudden, you got a pretty damn nice
coaching tree going for you. I mean, you know, two
guys that you know very well, and Kellen with the
Saints and Kirby now with the Cougars. But, I mean,
you tell me. I mean, what does Kirby Moore bring
to the table? I don't think Washington– I'm trying to
(33:33):
remember if we played him when he played for you
at Boise. I think we may have seen him when
he was a wide receiver, but certainly not as a
head coach, obviously. What is Kirby Moore going to bring
to the table on Sunday in this Apple Cup, you think?
Speaker 10 (33:47):
You know, Kirby and his brother, Kellen, they're so similar.
You know, Kellen has always kind of got the headlines
because he was the quarterback and a darn good one
at that. I mean, one of the best to ever
play college football. And then Kirby being the wide receiver
and the little brother, you know, in some ways it's
kind of always been behind the scenes, but they were
(34:08):
so similar. And I start with really their football IQ
and their smarts. They're really, really smart people and smart
football coaches. And then, you know, I move quickly to
something that I think a lot of people probably don't
talk enough about in this emotional coaching world is their temperament.
(34:30):
they are just so rock solid steady. They're not going
to ride the roller coaster. And if they feel it inside,
the players and the people around them and the coaches
aren't going to feel that. And thirdly, you can't find,
you know, in both Kirby and Kellan, but talking about
Kirby here, you can't find better people. Like they're just
(34:52):
high character quality human beings. And so, you know, these
are the type of people that you're really rooting for,
not because you just have a connection, But when you
do get to know Herbie and so many of the
people that he's assembled on that staff, it's really an
interesting game for me, right? Because we've got the dogs,
you know, opening. It's on a Sunday. I'm actually going
(35:13):
to get to be able to go to this game.
But there's eight other people on that staff that I'm
connected to that we either played for on the staff
of Boise or in our staff at Washington that are
on that Washington State staff. And it's, you know, that's it.
That's a hard way to come out of the gate.
First time head coach building your program against what Jetfish
(35:34):
has built and building there at Washington.
Speaker 2 (35:44):
I'm surprised that you said, yep, to come in on
this one for the Apple Cup. But obviously, it's a
different animal now. And you mentioned all the names and
the people that you know. And look, we'll talk about
what's going on Saturday with a 2000 Sunday, what's going
on with a 2016 team in a minute. Coach Peterson's
with us. Apple Cup Sunday pregame show starts at nine
here on KJR. But when you look at this roster
(36:06):
that Jed Fish has put together, Do you see a
potential Big Ten championship caliber team? Do you see a
college football playoff team potentially? What do you see when
you look at what Jetfish is working with?
Speaker 10 (36:23):
Yeah, you know, I actually think that Washington, when I
put on my college football analyst hat, that kind of
humorous airsoft between you and I being in that chair, right?
But when I go that direction, I actually have Washington
as a true sleeper this year. I know people are
(36:43):
buzzing a little bit about them and all those types
of things and they're ranked, what, 17th? But I do
have them a sleeper, meaning that they could get into
the college football playoffs. I mean, I really do think that.
Some things got to fall correctly for them, but I
love how their schedule lines up. I love how it
starts out. And I think it's really important that you
(37:05):
get off to a fast start good confidence building start.
I always think that's about kind of figuring out our identity.
We think we know who we're going to be and
we want to be, but it's never quite exactly that.
And so the way the schedule shakes, you know, kind
of accumulating in the first four games with a home
game at Minnesota, I like that because I think Minnesota
(37:26):
is always going to be a scrappy, hard competitor. So
that'll be a good little test. And then the one
that everybody's got circled is the next game going down
at USC. But I think that game is positioned so
well for the Huskies. Because the game before that, the
Trojans are playing the Ducks at USC. And any way
(37:48):
you cut it, the way I see this, that's a
win for the Dawgs. A win in terms of before
the game's played, emotionally. Because the Trojans are going to
be all in on that game. The Ducks will be
all in on that game. That's going to be super emotional.
There's going to be a lot of bullet shot. Win
or lose. And so you got to regroup after that game.
(38:09):
I've said this a million times. I think you're a
different team after every Saturday. Sometimes a little bit better,
a little bit more confident, sometimes not so much the
other way. And the coach's job is to kind of
figure out where we are and go from there. But
I think that that is a well-positioned game for the Huskies.
right there going down there. And then just, you know,
I like everything else about it. And Penn State's going
(38:32):
to be an improved team, but we get them at home.
Iowa's always hard. Iowa, I think that's going to be
a problem probably with coming here. And then certainly the
last two games. I mean, I think he could come
down to these last two games. We've got Indiana at
home and then have to go to Eugene to play
the Ducks. And so I kind of like the schedule.
I like the talent that he's accumulated there. I like
(38:53):
the fact that this is year three. You follow Jeb's
track record. He just keeps building. And so I think
this is a really interesting team.
Speaker 6 (39:02):
Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Well, a lot of it, as you know, it's unfortunate
to pin a lot of this on one position, but
unfortunately in football, more so than any other sport, Coach,
and you know this as well as me, sometimes it
just comes down to one guy, and that's the quarterback, right?
And here's Devon Williams, who's wearing Warren Moon's old number one.
We haven't seen a Husky quarterback wear number one in
almost 50 years on campus, and he's grabbing that this year.
(39:27):
You know about what happened over the offseason. Seems like
the team has put that behind them for the most part.
But if you're coaching Demond, if you're advising Demond, what
do you need to see out of now number one
this year and year three that maybe you didn't see
last year?
Speaker 10 (39:41):
Well, I think it's all the things that Jed Sash
has talked about, you know, and you're right. You know,
a lot of this, I mean, the quarterback position, in
my opinion, is the greatest position in all of sports.
That position has to go and has to be successful.
And it was for the most part last year. But
to take the next step, that position has to take
(40:03):
the next step as well. And I think DeMond will
take the next step. The question is, again, as a coach,
as a head coach on offense, the whole thing you're
trying to do is make that position as successful as possible.
So what do we need to do there? Number one,
you got to run the ball and you got to
run the ball as effective. That just takes so much
(40:26):
pressure off the quarterback. And when I look at that,
the one guy that I think they need to get
back in that mix is Landon Hatchett. I think he's
completely underrated. I think he's a way better player than
most people in this city give him credit for. He's
a leader. He's the heart and soul. That guy is
a very good football player. And so, you know, they
(40:49):
got some depth there now, and so they're going to
be okay. But I think Landon is a big key
for that offensive line. I think the running backs, hopefully
they can stay healthy, excited to see Quade Cargo. Jaden Lamar,
I think, is a really good player. He's got to
get healthy, stay healthy, all those things. And then do
they have enough firepower out wide, you know, to help
(41:09):
them on? I think that Chris Moss is a really
interesting new piece added. Desmond Robux can be good, Rasheed Williams.
And so, you know, it's depth, you know, because you're
just not going to have all those pieces as you
go through this season. That's just not real football. And
so you have the guys underneath them that can step
up and make this happen. The defense, again, you want
(41:31):
to talk about underrated. I think this defense, I think
Ryan Walters is truly one of the best coordinators in
the country. It's almost, to me, a little bit like
a no-name defense. I mean, here in Seattle, we know
the names.
Speaker 6 (41:43):
Mm-hmm.
Speaker 10 (41:45):
But the sum of the parts is better than the whole.
Those guys played really well. They did last year. And
I think they're going to be better this year, even
though they lost some of those really good corners. And,
you know, I just think the pieces that they have
stacked in there, that linebacker crew is deep and experienced.
I like that. And I think this, even being an
offensive-leaning kind of coach all my career, championships are won
(42:09):
on defense. I mean, the offense, yeah, we've got to
score points. But when you're playing really good teams or
on the road, you're not going to score the same
amount of points week in and week out that you're
used to. That just doesn't happen. When you're playing Indiana
and Oregon and going on the road, you don't usually
(42:31):
score like you would normally. That's when the defense has
to come to life. And that's so much where the
toughness of your team comes from, too.
Speaker 6 (42:40):
Yep.
Speaker 10 (42:40):
And so I like this defense. And so I think that,
you know, those are all the things that I think
about this team right now.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
Well, we're going to see you on Sunday. I know
you got Fox duties, TV duties on Friday. Chris Peterson's
with us talking Apple Cup. And I don't know, man,
I don't know how often you play the what if game.
I played a lot. I mean, I'm a Seattle sports fan.
I got plenty of opportunities to play the what-if game, right?
Not just with the Seahawks and Mariners and Sonics, but
(43:08):
that 2016 game against Alabama, man. What if, what if
Buda Baker had picked off that pass? What if Jake
hadn't thrown that pick six? What if Bo Scarborough, blah, blah, blah,
drives me nuts. But what I think people forget is
the accomplishment, 15-year wait to win the conference championship.
Speaker 6 (43:25):
And go to a.
Speaker 3 (43:26):
Game like the Peach Bowl.
Speaker 2 (43:28):
What you did not see because you were with the
team was the party across the street at the bar
outside the golf course where we had to wait an
hour and a half to get on the air because
of a high school game that we were carrying. And
by the time we did go on the air, nobody
was in the right shape to be on the air.
But you guys provided a massive party for us, and
you provided a massive point of pride. for Husky fans
(43:51):
to end that streak, coach, and get us back to
a Pac-12 championship for the first time since 2001. That
team's going to be honored Sunday. You're going to be there.
When you think now, God, we're talking what, you know,
10 years later, what do you think about when you
think about that club?
Speaker 10 (44:10):
I think the first thing that just jumps into my
mind when I think about that team and maybe a
couple teams even after that team, but like, really just
all the good players that we had. I just always
think that, that, you know, I think sometimes whether it
was even at Boise or Washington, I think probably the
(44:32):
most underrated thing about our programs was the players that
we got. We just had some really good players and
you don't end up getting to a four team college
playoff without some of the best players in the country.
And that's what I think happened with Boise. I think
that we had this talent that just was really, really outstanding.
And then I will tell you this. It was really
(44:54):
interesting because, you know, you better than anyone. You hear
all these things and all these regrets. In fact, half
the stuff you just talked about, I didn't forget. Now
I'm going to have a bad day.
Speaker 6 (45:03):
Sorry.
Speaker 3 (45:04):
My fault.
Speaker 2 (45:05):
Think about the Colorado game. Think about Colorado instead.
Speaker 6 (45:08):
All right.
Speaker 7 (45:09):
Why would I?
Speaker 10 (45:10):
What Colorado game?
Speaker 6 (45:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (45:12):
Which one? The championship game that you won in Santa Clara.
Speaker 10 (45:16):
I was going back to my last year when we
lost to Colorado.
Speaker 6 (45:18):
So that's how we think, right?
Speaker 3 (45:20):
No, not that one.
Speaker 10 (45:21):
We think the same. So, but let me just say this.
So going into that 2016 season with that team, you know,
we've been there two years and we were kind of
going backwards. You know, the first year we had a
lot of good players, underachieved. We didn't have our act together.
I didn't have my act together enough to get those
guys all aligned. Next year, we lost a lot of
(45:42):
good players, played a bunch of true freshmen. Better on
this 2016 team, right? And, you know, scratching and clawing
to win games, and we were in every game in
the fourth quarter, just couldn't quite get it done. And
I remember in that offseason, a couple different players, John Ross,
Coleman Shelton, some guys that had been around, and.
(46:06):
Some of those like kind of older guys leader type
guys and I remember them coming up to me independently
in the weight room in the spring and they're like
coach you know we're going to be good this year
right and I'm like why would you say that and
I did I was just like you know and they
all said this too they all said you know I
know we always say that at Washington we always say
(46:27):
that and I just said what makes you say that
I've heard this before and they said no we are
going to be good And they all kind of made
a reference that what we want to do now is win.
And whatever that takes, I think we're over ourselves. Like before,
it had all been us trying to like get ours. And,
(46:48):
you know, it's just that like team first mentality. It's like,
you know, everybody needs to start and everybody needs to
catch so many balls and everybody needs this role. This
team has really just said, even going into that. I
remember John Ross said, hey, if I got to go
back to defense and play defense, or if you leave
me a receiver and I don't catch any balls in
(47:08):
the game and we win, I am good. And I
promise you that. And so I heard that from these
different guys. And I'm thinking, hmm, this is going to
be interesting because that is the number one requirement to
a championship gold standard type team is to have this
team first mentality. Whatever the role is that this team needs,
(47:31):
you're all in on. And I felt that from these
guys going in and the rest kind of happened.
Speaker 6 (47:37):
Yeah, no doubt.
Speaker 2 (47:37):
Well, I'm glad you guys are getting your due on Sunday.
A lot of big names, a lot of great guys
on that team. And swing by the pregame show if
you're so inclined. Greg, Lewis, Mario, myself, we'll all be there.
We'd love to see you in person and say hello. But, hey,
in the meantime, appreciate you doing this. Always fun to
catch up, all right? Great to see you back on
(47:58):
TV for another year. Still weird to me that you're
doing it, but you're getting grayed out, by the way.
So keep it going, and we'll see you on Sunday, hopefully.
Speaker 6 (48:06):
All right?
Speaker 10 (48:07):
Appreciate you, Safdie.
Dave 'Softy' Mahler and Dick Fain News
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