S6 E7: BearTalk Sports Edition

Today's Podcast: Will Blackmon hosts BearTalk and introduces BearTalk’s new Sports Edition, BearTalk’s newest installment to feature MJ, local and national sports.

Hosts: Will Blackmon

Podcast Editor & Producer: Luke Judkins

Episode Transcript

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Bear Talk is produced by the GoldenBear Gazette Mount Juliet High School student newspaper.
Welcome back to bear Talk. I'myour host, Will Blackman, and
today is Monday, December eighteenth.I hope everyone is having a great Christmas

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break so far, but we stillhave some action here in the sports world.
Girls basketball travels to Gatlinburg this weekthey have a tournament down there,
and boys basketball stays local. Theyhave a tournament at Levenon High School.
The leading scorers for the Bears includeJohnny Fefferley with nine points per game,
along with Braxton Cory and Ashton kirkandallwith nine points a game. Garner Pfeiffer,

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averaging two threes a game, isaveraging eight points a game. Let's
head on down to Memphis where theGrizzlies travel to Oklahoma City tonight they play
the Thunder and try to avoid theirfifth straight loss. Not the way you
really want to start your season.They are six and eighteen and they are
thirteenth in the West. Heading downto Nashville, the Predators won three to

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one against the Capitals on Saturday.That's their eighteenth win on the year.
They are eighteen thirteen and zero,not a single overtime loss for the Predators
this year. They host the Canuckstomorrow and they are currently fourth in the
Central Division. Titans lost a toughone last night against the Texans. They
fall to five and nine and areeliminated from playoff contention. They lost an

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overtime sixteen to nineteen. Speaking ofthe Titans, let's head into the NFL.
Let's look at the teams in playoffcontention. So as we sit right
now, the Ravens are eleven tothree and have clinched a playoff spot,
Dolphins ten and four, Chiefs nineto five, and Jaguars, although they
have lost three in a row,they are eight and six, clinging to

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that AFC South title. The Coltsare currently the seventh seed, trying to
push the Jags out of that playoffspot. Along with the Texans, they
moved to eight and six, butare currently sitting outside of the AFC playoff
race. Let's head to the NFC. As the forty nine Ers top the
NFC, they have clenched the NFCWest. They are eleven and three after

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their forty five to twenty nine winover the Cardinals. Christian McCaffery gets three
total touchdowns. He had two receivingtouchdowns and a rushing touchdown one hundred and
eighteen yards on that game. Althoughthe Cowboys lost yesterday to the Bills,
they are rooting on the Seahawks tonight as they play host to the Eagles.
Eagles and Cowboys still fighting for thatNFC East Division title. Eagles sit

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currently at ten and three, lookingto move to eleven and three, Cowboys
hoping they drop to ten and four. As we look at the NFC race,
the Lions sit ten and four afterthey beat the Broncos forty two to
seventeen. Sam Laporta catching three touchdownsthat night and Jared Goff throwing for five

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touchdowns, joining c. J.Stroud is the only quarterback this entire season
to throw for five touchdowns. Aswe take a look at the four seed,
the Buccaneers are seven and seven asthey currently lead the NFC South.
They took down the Packers in lambeauField thirty four to twenty. Baker Mayfield
is the first ever quarterback to gointo Lambo field and throw a perfect passer

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rating. As it sits right now, the Cowboys are ten to four and
currently the fifth seed. Vikings comein there at seven and seven as the
sixth seed in Rams who did notstart the season how they wanted to.
They are clinging on to that sevenseed right now at seven and seven as
we go over to the seventh seedin the AFC. As we look at
that race, the Colts sit eightand six, Bengals at the sixth seed

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with also eight and six, andthe Browns nine to five. After their
big win against Chicago twenty to seventeen. The Ravens clinched a playoff spot last
night with their win twenty three toseven over Jacksonville. They are the first
AFC team to clinch a spot.As we head back to the nfc R,
the forty nine Ers, the Cowboys, and the Eagles have all punched

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their ticket back to the playoffs.Matchup of the year next week in my
opinion. As the Ravens traveled toLevi's Field to play the forty nine Ers
on Christmas Day, that is probablygoing to be the matchup of the year
in a potential Super Bowl matchup.Both teams stand at eleven to three and
have both already punched their ticket tothe postseason. The Dolphins host the Cowboys

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next week. That's also going tobe a very good game. The Chiefs
host the Raiders. Raiders clinging onto their playoff lives, they are not
yet eliminated. Speaking of eliminated,let's see who got eliminated this week.
The Jets and the Titans the onlyteams eliminated from playoff contention this week.
The Panthers and the Cardinals were previouslyeliminated. The Patriots have been eliminated with

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the Commander's loss. They also areeliminated this week, which is good for
the Giants. The Giants, eventhough they lost, they are still in
it at five to nine. Theyreally need this win this week against the
Eagles. As we get closer tothe playoff race, it's we're about a
month away. The Ravens looking goodto lock up that one seed. But
the team that I really think couldbeat them in the playoffs is the Browns.

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They beat them before earlier this year, and their defense is top notch.
If a team is going to beatthe Ravens in the playoffs, I
think it really could be the Browns. In possibly a revenge tour for Joe
Flacco as he was the former quarterbackof the Ravens. As we head over
to the NFC. If the fortynine ers are healthy, I don't think
any team can beat them. TheCowboys really need to win that NFC so

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they can host a playoff game.The only team in the NFL that has
not lost at home. They're averagingover thirty points a game at home.
Where they struggle with is on theroad. They're three to four on the
road this year, averaging just overtwenty points a game. So it's vital
for them that they host a playoffgame and don't need to travel like they
did last year, which how itis setting up right now, it's looking

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like they're going to travel to TampaBay just like they did last year.
The only difference you had Tom Bradylast year. This year you have Baker
Mayfield. The next couple of weeksleading up to the playoffs are definitely going
to be some games to watch.This Thursday, the Rams play the Saints.
The winner of that game is lookinggood for that wild card spot.
They are both sitting at seven andseven. Saints with a phenomenal defense.

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Rams with Matthew Stafford, Pukin'akua CooperCup, it's gonna be tough to beat.
And they are starting to heat up, which is what you want towards
the end of the year. Soall in all, it's gonna be a
pretty good week for football. Someother non division games with major playoff implications.
The Browns travel to Houston. TheBrowns are nine to five. Houston
is eight and six. The Jaguarstravel to Tampa Bay to take on the

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Bucks. Jag sit at eight andsix right now. Bucks are seven and
seven, clinging on to that NFCSouth title. The Ravens and the forty
nine Ers. Ravens travel to theforty nine Ers. Both sit at eleven
and three. Gonna be a greatgame. That's all I have for you
today on this sports edition of BearTalk. Once again, I'm Will Blackman.
Until next time, stay class atthe m J and have a very

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great day.