Indiana Looks to Win National Championship & NFL Wild Card Weekend Recap

You ready to do this?

It is the height differential. We're back. That's the 6'6", Neil. He's laughing over there. I'm the 4'10", Nick. What are we going to talk about, Neil? Always intro. I'll let you do the intro. What are we going to talk about today?

Neil (00:35)
I mean, there's a lot of things we can talk about, but I mean, we're in the midst of the college football playoff and coming down to the championship game on Monday night. definitely got to talk some college football. I the NFL playoffs started, get into that. Little wild card weekend, three, four, we have four really good games and a really bad game.

Nick (00:56)
Yeah, the one I said

was gonna be an upset was not the good game.

Neil (01:00)
Four really good games, and a really bad game along the way there. Then, I don't know what's going on tonight, three nothing early in the Pittsburgh game. But, you know, a lot of football to talk about, some college hoops. Brooks Koepka's back in PGA Tour, and I don't know, you sent me some wild story about some dude not using soap. So, we gotta talk about that as well.

Nick (01:21)
We'll get into all that, but you started off with the college football playoff, and I think that's ⁓ definitely a good place to start. Miami sneaks out a win over Ole Miss. A lot of people still saying there might have been a P.I. on that last play. And then Indiana just does what Indiana does and just puts it on Oregon. Let's start with the Miami game. What was your takeaway with the Hurricanes getting the win and advancing it to the national title?

Neil (01:34)
You're not getting that call.

I mean, that

was a fantastic, fantastic football game. ⁓ I mean, we joked about it when we say that, you you have to score 20 points to win. Miami's putting up 31, 31 points, all offensive points as well. So not even a defensive score, but a great, great football game. Fourth quarter, I think there was four league changes in the fourth quarter, all in the last seven minutes. And, you know, we were...

I just kept waiting and waiting for the Miami offense to mess up or Carson Beck to throw that pick and he never did. He played a good game, controlled the offense, didn't turn the ball over, drove him down the field and scored that touchdown with 18 seconds left to get that victory. an absolutely fantastic football game ⁓ on both sides of ball. think Ole Miss played well as well.

Nick (02:36)
No, they both did. And my takeaway from this game is really if Trinidad Chambliss wasn't, I still think he was the best player in the field and I think that's why this was as close a game as it was. But mean, Miami just controlled the line of scrimmage. And it was like every single time they ran the ball, they were getting five, six yards. And I mean, Fletcher was just unstoppable running through the tackles and

Neil (02:53)
Yeah.

Nick (03:06)
I mean, Malachi Tony, like dude's 18 years old and is, yeah, and is just an incredible talent. you're right, Carson Beck threw for 268 yards and didn't make mistakes late in the game when they needed him. And maybe he looked like a guy that has been a part of championship teams. And I don't know if he's ready to put the next step to beat IU, but.

Neil (03:10)
It should be in high school. It should be a senior. Yeah.

Nick (03:36)
And he's seen people do it and he's been on great teams and I mean, he just doesn't make mistakes. He wins games.

Neil (03:44)
Yeah, mean, when it was, like I said, was those four lead changes in the last seven minutes and, you know, Ole Miss kicked that field goal to take the lead, about right around seven minutes left in the game. And Miami answers back with a four play, 75 yard drive in a minute 56. So they went boom, just scored like that. Ole Miss answers and what's Miami do? They absolutely just wore Ole Miss down at the end. I mean, that last drive, let's see, I to note it was da da da.

15 plays, 75 yards. And at the end of the game, could just look at it. Ole Miss was just gassed. mean, the time of possession was 41 minutes for a Miami. Ole Miss was 18. So when your defense is on the field for 41 minutes, you know, they're going to get worn down. And I think that ultimately is what happened on that last drive. 15 plays, they've been on the field for 41 minutes. Like, it was inevitable, I think, that that was going to happen.

Nick (04:21)
Right. Right.

No, and like I said, when you're getting five, six yards of pop every time you run the ball, that's gonna lead to having a 42 to 18 time of possession. And Miami's gonna look to do the same thing against IU because if they wanna win that one, they're gonna have to control possession very similarly than they did against Ole Miss. Anything else on that game or we'll go ahead and move to IU.

Neil (04:44)
Yeah.

No, just, know Ole Miss, mean, Ole Miss kind of also, during the game, they were moving the ball on that one. We talk about Miami defense being so, it was really great. They moved the ball, they scored that long, lacy run, but then they started settling for field goals. They hit four straight field goals without, I mean, they'd move the ball, they'd get into scoring range, and all of a they're having to settle for field goals. I mean, you just take one of those drives and put it in the end zone, you're probably looking at Ole Miss in the national championship game. But instead,

You know, their drives would stall. mean, that's credit to Miami's defense of bending and not breaking, but Ole Miss had the chances there, but they settled for those four field goals instead of touchdowns.

Nick (05:45)
Yeah, I they were two for 10 from third down for the game and that's a big reason why you're settling for field goals. But I mean, still an incredible job by Pete Golden and what was remaining of his staff and even new staff that's coming in that was added within the last couple of weeks. I mean, we talked about it last week how either you're gonna get Miami going home to play for a title or you're gonna get a staff that is thrown together trying to figure things out in the run and

The game lived up to all the hype, came down to the last play. I agree with you, there's no way you can call that PI. But I mean, there was some contact there and it's just, what a good game. I mean, Miami just, if you're controlling the game 42 minutes to 18, you're usually gonna win. And that's what they're gonna have to do next week to beat IU.

Neil (06:40)
I mean, is the SEC dominance in the sport? Is it over?

Nick (06:45)
mean, they're gonna be arguing to get more teams in the playoffs so they can get more chances.

Neil (06:49)
I this is

three straight years without an SEC team playing for a championship. I think that's the last.

Nick (06:54)
I mean, the trick

is to do like the Big Ten did and have them play each other so you're guaranteed a spot.

Neil (07:00)
is true.

Nick (07:01)
But you gotta have two teams in the Final Four to do that.

Neil (07:03)
Correct. So, yeah, I don't know. In the era of NIL, it might be a ⁓ little level playing field. Parody is showing its head.

Nick (07:12)
mean, if you got a guy who's anybody who's gonna write checks and help you get players, it definitely does let even the playing field and I use proven that you can do it with a bunch of bunch of fourth, fifth year guys that are a lot older than everybody else. I mean, God, they just, we talked about it how it could potentially be different, right? Last week, and it was different. They just.

Neil (07:38)
Yeah. Yeah.

is

Nick (07:42)
It wasn't a close game at all.

Neil (07:43)
a complete opposite of what we were expecting. I mean, it's incredible what they're doing. And like, IU's so good, and they're beating teams so badly, that they're now conspiracy theories out there, that they're hacking into the eye clouds of their opponents and stealing their practice videos, and they know exactly what's coming, and et cetera. Like, no, they're just that well-prepared. Coach Lignetti is that good of a coach, that it looks that way. But they're just that good of a team.

Nick (07:56)
Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, you start off with a pick six on the first play. And when you're already up against it, you're playing a team that is playing, was entering the final four as clear favorite to win the title. And you do that on first play, you put yourself behind the eight ball. I mean, you look at the stats are very even. And a lot of that is because, you know, Oregon was able to move the ball a second half was when the game was, it was already put away, but.

Neil (08:13)
Yeah, first blood.

Nick (08:38)
Mendoza had three incompletions. He only threw for 177 yards because they really didn't need to move the ball that much, but he had five touchdowns and no picks. I mean, you sent me his numbers for the playoff. I he's 31 for what, 38?

Neil (08:49)
I mean, they're Yeah.

Yeah, 31 for 36. 31 for 36, 8 touchdowns, no interceptions. So he has 3 more touchdown passes than incomplete passes in 2 games through the playoff. Against Alabama and Ori. How's that possible?

Nick (08:57)
36

Yeah,

two of the best defenses, I mean, they're both top 20 defenses entering the playoff. They vouched for Alabama and Oregon 94 to 25.

Neil (09:16)
How's that plus? ⁓

Just five incompletions and eight touchdown passes. No picks.

Nick (09:29)
He seven completions of 20 plus yards or more. I mean, that's a completion percentage of 86%.

Neil (09:37)
86.1%, yep. It's incredible what he's doing and just backing up his case of why he was the rightful Heisman Trophy winner.

Nick (09:46)
They were what a three and a half point favorite in this game. Three and a half. I think it was three against Alabama too. And it was close to was it seven?

Neil (09:51)
I'd say they covered.

No, it was more, it was like seven. Yeah.

It was a decent, pretty big number.

Nick (10:03)
Now it's going to be seven and a half in the title game against Miami. But I don't know really what else to say about this Indiana team that we haven't said all year when it comes to breaking down this game. It's just when they play an inferior opponent and believe it or not, Oregon and Alabama both are inferior opponents right now when you talk about Indiana and

It's just they they four different touchdown reception four different guys had touchdown receptions I mean they do that Steve like that's the story every single game It's ⁓ I mean

Neil (10:47)
I mean, it's just a freight train right now. And I don't see Miami slowing it down. I mean, I know Miami is going to be in their own building. They're going to be comfortable down there. They get to stay at home, sleep in their own beds, and do their normal routine as if it's basically like a home game for them. I don't think that they've got the talent to stop. We talk about how good their defense is. I don't think they're going to stop Indiana. And I don't think their offense is going to score on Indiana. Mark Fletcher has just been an absolute beast in these playoffs.

He hasn't faced a defense like this.

Nick (11:18)
No, and that was the thing last week when we talked about Ole Miss and Miami, we kind of talked about this unstoppable defense versus this unstoppable offense, which one will bend first? mean, yeah, this is a story of Indiana's unstoppable offense against Miami's unstoppable defense, but Indiana's defense is just as good. They're just as good. Yeah, like for Miami to pull this off,

Neil (11:39)
Yeah. Like it's a better defense than Miami's defense.

Nick (11:48)
First off, you talked about the home field. And that is an advantage. know what Indiana has the biggest alumni base in the country, right? And they're gonna show up. So it's not gonna be just Miami. Would you say, will it be 50-50? Is they gonna be even, will it be pro-IU in Miami?

Neil (11:57)
Correct.

I can see a game

probably about 50-50 would be my guess.

Nick (12:12)
mean, Miami is 7-1 at home this year. Their long loss coming to the cards. They're 18-3 over the last three seasons. So they have had success at home. ⁓ mean, the way that they, they gotta figure out a way to run the ball. They gotta figure out a way to control the clock. mean, if Indiana controls the possession, they have no chance.

The possession has to be 40 to 20 at least, I think for Miami to have a chance. They gotta create turnovers. They gotta get Mendoza to throw a pick. They gotta create a fumble. They force five turnovers in the playoffs. They've got four picks and a fumble recovery. The pick six against Ohio State really kind of set the tone for that game if they can do something like that where you're flipping the script a little bit on what IU did against Oregon.

I mean, that's what they've done all year. They have 16 picks this year and three of them they've returned for touchdowns. I mean, and you gotta rely on Beck to not make mistakes. He's thrown four touchdowns and only has one turnover in the playoff and they gotta keep doing that.

Neil (13:22)
Yeah, yeah, nope, you're right. That is the way Miami is gonna win. And like you mentioned, they're gonna need IU to stumble along the way. Like you said, throw a pick or fumble the ball or something like that. So it would be something uncharacteristic for IU to do ⁓ for Miami to win the game. But I IU's got the advantage in the coaching and probably I think with Sig, he'll have them ready. It's hard for me to see Miami winning this game, but-

Nick (13:48)
Yeah, there's nothing.

Neil (13:52)
I also thought they were going to lose to Ohio State and lose to Ole Miss. And here we are at the national championship game, and they're in there as a double-digit seed.

Nick (14:02)
Well, dude, everybody just talks about how good Miami's defense is. they're fifth best, they average, they've given up 14 points a game. But I like you said, Indiana's is even better. They're second, they're giving up 11. So you don't even have a huge advantage there. I ⁓ I talked about Miami having 16 picks, guess who has more? Indiana, they have 18 on the season and ranked seventh in the country. And Miami's secondary has been where their issue is on defense.

You know, they've given up over 200 passing yards a game on the season and I just don't think that bodes well. Do what?

Neil (14:32)
And they're banged up, I think, a little bit.

Aren't they a little banged up?

think they're little banged up in the secondary too with some injuries. So it's gonna be challenge. Good luck.

Nick (14:42)
Yeah, so I mean, yeah,

you got to establish the run. You got to try to get a turnover early to set the tone. Otherwise, I see the same thing happening we've seen in the first two games. we need to quit saying that these games are going to be close, because Sig and his crew have proven that it's not going to be.

Neil (15:10)
Yeah.

Nick (15:13)
I mean, I think this is gonna be a 20, 30 point game. I really do. And I wish I would have gone out on a limb and said this the first two rounds, but it's Indiana. Like, and did you see them play in Oregon? You see them play in Alabama. That doesn't matter. That doesn't matter. They are the best team. And if they go out and they don't make mistakes, they're gonna win by 20, 30 points.

Neil (15:30)
Yeah.

I agree 100 % with you. ⁓

Nick (15:39)
You got nothing. Both Alabama and Oregon, you talked about how you're worried they might lose.

Neil (15:41)
No, that's, you're spot on. They are that good. They are that good.

I shouldn't have doubted it. I don't know. I don't know why. because I mean, I guess like because the two times they played, you know, a really good team like in Ohio State or in Oregon, they've been close games like they won by three points against an Ohio State. They won by a 10 against Oregon. They blew out a lot of teams, but they didn't blow out a lot of really good teams like this. I didn't expect them to do this, but they are. I mean, they're that good.

Nick (16:15)
I mean, nobody expected Miami

to do this either.

Neil (16:18)
Let's say,

for argument's sake, and we can talk about this if and when it happens next week is if they do come out and win this game by 20 or 30 points. They are in the discussion, probably, one of the greatest football teams ever.

Nick (16:31)
They have to be. They have to

Neil (16:33)
Like I don't know if they're as good as that Joe Burrow LSU team or if they're as good as that Miami team in the early 2000s, but they're up there, man. They're coming up.

Nick (16:36)
They're not, no, they're...

They're in the conversation.

And look, they're the first team that's ever had to win three games to do this, if they do it, which puts a notch on their belt for sure.

Neil (16:51)
Wait, they'd be one... They'd be one,

Nick (16:54)
They had to win three games to win it. We're not putting them in the conversation of one of the best teams ever, are we?

Neil (16:56)
Ohio State won four last year.

No, we're

not, but I mean, this is not unprecedented for a team that's...

Nick (17:04)
No, but I'm saying

as far as best teams ever. Like if you're talking about the Joe Burrow LSU team, they didn't have to win three games.

Neil (17:07)
Yeah, correct. Yes. Yeah, yeah.

They won. Yes, correct. They won. Two.

Nick (17:14)
Yeah, I'm not putting

I don't think that Ohio State team belongs in that conversation. As one of the best teams ever. I mean, they came in as what a eight nine ten see.

Neil (17:27)
Last year they were like an eight.

Nick (17:30)
Yeah.

But, and we've hit this so many times, but unlike anything we've ever seen in the history of sports. they're 60 minutes away of playing the football that they've played all year and don't even have to play a great game, just have to do what they've done all year and they'll be hanging a banner at the Rock.

Neil (17:57)
the rock.

Nick (17:58)
Like, how does that even make sense?

Neil (18:02)
Well, it doesn't, man. I just remember the days back in school. We went, you know, me and Tab and Brian Weigel and Jeff Hall and the roommates, we went to the games. We weren't some like the typical students that, you know, all you got, IU students don't go to football games. They just tailgate in the field and drink beer and don't even care. I'm like, no, we actually were the students that did go to the games in the bad weather and the cold and the rain and watched our teeth get kicked in by Minnesota, you know, so.

No, we stayed, man. We stayed. We stayed. We walked from 3rd Street all the way to 17th Street to the stadium. I mean, we were those fans that were there. And watch, like I said, our butts get whooped by a Minnesota or a Michigan State. Never would have dreamed that IU football would be where they are right now.

Nick (18:31)
Did you all stay for the whole game or are gone if it's over in the third quarter?

I mean, I've been to several games at IU when, I mean, there was nobody there. I mean, yeah, I mean, nobody there. it's just, and to the season ticket holders that have been going to games for 20, 30, 40 years. Like, I can't even imagine, like, what's going through their head during these, and it's not just this year, it's last year too. Like, how fun was last year when it came out of nowhere?

Neil (18:59)
There was nobody there when I went, yeah, no.

Nick (19:22)
Like this year, you knew you were gonna be good. You didn't maybe know you're gonna be this good, but you knew you were gonna be good. And like that's what being a fan is all about. Like sticking it, like sticking it, sticking in through the thick and thin, like when your team's terrible, there wasn't a lot of thick either. It was all thin for IU. I mean, the worst, the worst power conference team in the history of college football. And I don't know.

Neil (19:22)
yeah.

real football. Yeah.

Nick (19:52)
It's just, it's going to make a hell of a 30 for 30. And it's going to happen pretty quick. It's going to happen pretty quick.

Neil (19:57)
Yeah, they need to make one. They need to make one. There's no doubt.

Nick (20:04)
We're watching it at the crib? Is that the plan?

Neil (20:08)
Oh yeah, we were talking about that. Maybe having some people over. Yeah, I think that's probably the plan. Get a group of the friends and watch it over here.

Nick (20:18)
Well, Indiana Hoosiers are playing for a national title.

I that's it. I got nothing. I got nothing.

Neil (20:29)
You gotta finish the job.

Nick (20:31)
I do have to finish the job. I guess we can go in the order of playoff games.

Neil (20:38)
Bye!

Nick (20:41)
The Panthers were 10 point dogs.

Neil (20:44)
Yeah.

Nick (20:46)
And looked like there for a second they might be in for the upset. But number nine did what number nine did, does. And got them in the end zone late and they avoided a scare. A lot of people are picking the Rams to win it all and they escape and move on, which is what it's all about at this point.

Neil (21:07)
Yeah, I mean that was, it was the first game of the playoffs and it started out with a great game and I mean, are you surprised that it was close? That the Panthers had a chance because, you know, in week 13, the Panthers took care of the Rams at home. So this is not unfamiliar territory for the Panthers. They've already beaten this team once and they were on the doorstep of doing it again but.

Like you said, Matthew Stafford became Matthew Stafford and they scored that touchdown with two minutes left and ⁓ the Panthers on their last drive didn't move the ball at all and that was all she wrote.

Nick (21:47)
No, I I was just, I mean, I didn't think Carolina would score 31 points. I mean, Bryce Young was barely over 50 % completion, but threw for 264 yards. And I mean, Jaylen Coker was a dude. He was a dude, almost had nine catches for 134 yards in a tutty. And I mean, you gotta give Carolina some credit for sticking in there. The crowd was into it. They got behind early. Had it look like the Rams might just kind of put it away early and.

Puka missed that one easy touchdown and that kind of spun the game a little bit but and Stafford hurt his hand. You thought maybe that would be an issue but he was able to tough it out and.

Neil (22:19)
give us.

Nick (22:28)
But no, mean, there's something about having home field advantage in a playoff game. And I don't care if you're eight or nine or what your record is getting a road. But still getting a road playoff win and figure out a way to survive. I mean, that's what the playoffs are all about. And you got to give Stafford credit. And I think that's why he's probably gonna be the MVP.

Neil (22:37)
So they did deserve it.

Yeah, no, no, you're right, you're right.

Nick (22:57)
And then the Bears do what the Bears do.

Neil (23:00)
How do they keep doing it?

Nick (23:02)
I don't know, you're down 11, late. Down 18, going to halftime. Yeah. And these fourth down plays that Kayla Williams continues to make when everything's on the line, it's, mean, what is this, his seventh game winning drive of the year when they needed a drive to win it late?

Neil (23:05)
down one at 18 in the fourth.

Nick (23:30)
And they're 11 and six, meaning seven of their 11 wins have come on their last drive, which is the only time I bet it is when I bet it against the Niners the one time they didn't do it. So for all the Bears fans out there, I will not be betting on the on the Bears late because that will run their run. I don't want that on me. But I mean, it wasn't like once again, Caleb Williams is only 50 percent, but when he needs to make plays.

He makes plays.

There was no love lost between the two coaches after the game.

Neil (24:08)
No, I saw that. That was kinda funny.

It's what the sport needs. We need some more of that. We need some more fire.

Nick (24:16)
Well, when we did our rivalry rankings, what a couple months ago, or maybe about a month ago before the UK UL game, we included the Bears and the Packers. And that's because it is one of the, it's the Otis rivalry and probably professional sports in the United States. One of, if it's not. yeah, like Ben Johnson hating the Packers as much as he does is good for the rivalry.

Neil (24:25)
We did.

great for the right and didn't

I mean he he came from didn't come from Detroit yeah so I mean he's he has a history of playing the Packers and you know he probably hated the Packers from when he was in Detroit and when you become the head coach of their big of Green Bay's biggest rival I mean you're probably gonna have him even another level so it's good for the rival I love it I love his little locker room antics and everything that he did ⁓ yeah why not

Nick (24:48)
Yeah, he was their OC.

Do you like the blow-by? Are

you a blow-by guy?

Neil (25:13)
In a situation like that, you have an emotional game, you pick up the win, basically when it was down to the last play, you're fired up. I I'm not gonna sit there, shake your hand and talk to you for five minutes. I'm gonna give you a quick handshake and I'll run in and celebrate with my guys. I can't wait to get to that locker room and celebrate with my guys. So yeah, give me a handshake and see you later. See you later. So what?

Nick (25:32)
It was barely even a handshake. was just, I shouldn't go. It was,

and he slid left too. Like I could never do it personally. Like if I was a head coach, there's no way I could do it. But as a fan of a team, I kind of want my coach to be a dick.

Neil (25:49)
Some of the greatest coaches are that way, yeah.

Nick (25:51)
No, I mean, that's what Zach Taylor is not. He's clearly not that. like, I don't know, I kind of loved it. I kind of loved it. And as a Bears fan, I would love it. Like I want my coach to hate every team they play, especially our division rivals. Yeah, you're going to respect them and show respect, but you hate them and want to beat them.

Neil (25:55)
No. No he's not.

I do, I agree with you. I agree with you.

Nick (26:17)
I want to see my coach in the locker room after the game saying F the team that we just beat.

Neil (26:23)
It's what he did.

Nick (26:24)
I mean, you would never ever would see Zack Taylor say F the Steelers or F the Ravens after they beat him.

Neil (26:32)
I really wish he would sometimes. Show me that he cares a little bit.

Nick (26:36)
You know, you want your coach to kind of have that edge, to kind of be a jerk, to be a maniac. And I mean, as a human being, I'm like, you know, it's kind of, is that fan of a team? That's kind of what I want to see.

Neil (26:51)
It was it was an emotional game like that came down to that last play and like I said like he's excited He wants to get to the locker room and celebrate with his with his team So give him a quick handshake and run off the field. I got no problem with it. All right, Yeah it up

Nick (27:04)
I think he also-

I think there's also a little bit of strategy there too. Like he wants to be a little bit of, you know.

Neil (27:14)
Yeah, mean, if the Packers don't like it, if the Packers don't like it, then go beat them.

Nick (27:15)
But you wonder if LeFou, like, how will

he respond? Will he start acting the same way back to him? Because he hasn't acted that way towards the Bears. And where did all these cheese grater hats come from over the last month? Everybody has cheese grater hats.

Neil (27:25)
No he is not.

It's first time the Bears have been good in a while. They're talking all the smack.

Nick (27:38)
You

Neil (27:40)
He the cheese grater hat, he had the actual cheese grater on the set after the game. It was grating ⁓ some fresh cheddar on the post game set.

Nick (27:48)
Yes.

The Bills and Josh Allen finally came into this game 0-4 in road playoff games. were 0-8, dating back to like the early 90s in their last eight playoff games. They were down. They trailed late, but I mean, Josh Allen gets 10 yards on a tush push. Gets them down to the one.

Neil (28:12)
Push push, yeah.

Nick (28:16)
They end up getting in on the next play and then they get a pick to seal it. I I think this, mean, obviously it's a tough road for the Bills, but them getting that road win and getting that off the snide a little bit, giving Josh Allen some confidence, I think could really kind of propel this team ⁓ on a Super Bowl run.

Neil (28:39)
Yeah, I think the Bills would be my choice to win the Super Bowl. And if they're not gonna do it this year, then I don't know when they would with no Mahomes, no Burrow, no Lamar. This is Josh Allen's time to shine. He's the superstar of these playoffs. He's the defending MVP. This is his moment. Yesterday when his team beat him the most, he stepped up and let him on that touchdown drive. a great game, Jacksonville, what a season Jacksonville had. But a great game, four lead changes in the fourth quarter. ⁓

Buffalo, think is just a little bit better. They're the better team. I they're probably, in my opinion, probably the best team in these playoffs right now. I did not expect Jacksonville to even, nobody expected Jacksonville to be here, but not let alone put up a fight in the first round ⁓ against Buffalo and Josh Allen.

Nick (29:32)
No, mean, yeah, your reward for how many in a row did they go into the playoff winning seven or eight in a row? ⁓ And your reward is to play Josh Allen and Buffalo at home. ⁓ Yeah, definitely tough. I mean, you're getting the best quarterback in the the playoff and there's nothing to hang their head about about for Jacksonville. And I don't know if you saw the post game.

Neil (29:38)
Love it. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, tough measure.

I did, yeah.

Nick (30:03)
But there was a reporter that was basically saying what we're saying and saying the coach and you can kind of see that Liam Cohen is down. I mean, you just got beat all you're exhausted. You're disappointed. And she's just like, no great season. Like keep your head up and you could see his face kind of lighten up in the middle of it.

Neil (30:22)
He did. I think you can tell

he appreciated what she was saying to him.

Nick (30:26)
And there's a lot of people that are saying, you know what, that's not really acceptable in a press conference. That's not what a reporter should be saying to a coach. are your, what's your take on that?

Neil (30:40)
Why

not? It's not like it's a regular season game. You're like, man, keep your head up, coach. You almost pulled that one out here in week 13. No, his season is over. And it was a great season. To me, he probably should be coach of the year, NFL coach of the year. You take a Jacksonville Jaguars, you had the number two overall pick in the draft last year. You were terrible. And not only did you win the division, you won the division winning seven straight games. You're hosting a playoff game. You're taking the Buffalo Bills, who were probably the Super Bowl favorites.

with the defending MVP down to the wire in a game that you could have and maybe should have won at the end there. I got no problem with it. Like the season's over. now if that's not the time, when's the time? Because she's not gonna talk to him again. She's not gonna talk to him again until next season.

Nick (31:26)
Look, look, reporters and coaches develop relationships. They're around each other, they're human beings. Like everybody who's mad about this, get off your high horse. Like, and this is what, like it was so wholesome, right? Like you can genuinely see his face be lifted by her encouragement.

Neil (31:30)
And they're human. They're human beings.

They're human beings, like...

Yes. Yes.

I

don't I didn't see the who they actually like I never saw a picture of her But she sounded like she might have been a little bit older than Liam Cohen because she said hold your head up young man Called him a young man. So I mean that's you know That's just a sign of respect between two humans like a genuine interaction. They've got no issue with that

Nick (31:54)
⁓ yeah.

Yeah, I mean, you're seeing people like the AP reporters out there either be a reporter or be a fan. You can't do both. And look, see what this isn't being a fan. was saying, it was saying, look, hold your head up. You had a great year. Like nobody expected y'all to do what you did this year. Like you had a chance to be the one seed going into and you didn't do anything like you won all your games. No, I just thought this is what sports is about.

Neil (32:11)
Why can't you be a reporter and respect the job that somebody did? No, it was not a fan comment. That was not a fan comment.

Yes, correct.

Nick (32:35)
It was just to see his face go from being dejected to seeing him kind of light up and be like, you know what? We should yeah, we're disappointed, but we should be proud of the job we did and Like everybody who's saying just get out of here

Neil (32:50)
Like I said, was genuine interaction between two humans and he definitely looked like he appreciated the words that she was saying. So, yeah, it's dumb. Absolutely dumb.

Nick (32:58)
there's no doubt.

So bro, champs are done. I think this is the one I got right that you got wrong. Yeah, so that makes up for me picking the chargers over the Patriots. But.

Neil (33:08)
They are. You did pick that one, didn't you?

Yeah, I forgot you picked that one too.

Nick (33:20)
I the Jawan Jennings touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. I Christian McCaffrey, I know he only had 100 total yards, 50 rushing, 70 receiving. But, and I know that they're handing probably the MVP trophy to Stafford or maybe Drake May, but Christian McCaffrey needs to be talked about more for the MVP for what he does. I his numbers, he almost had a thousand yards receiving and rushing this year.

Neil (33:43)
He's a do it all.

Yeah,

no, he's a do it all kind of back. I there's no question he's the Swiss Army knife of that team. It's good to see him finally stay healthy for a whole season and really showcase just how good he is. Because we knew he was good, but he wasn't playing full seasons. He was playing half seasons and missing games here and there. So it is good to see him finally healthy and doing this on a big stage.

Nick (34:11)
But this game, Philadelphia led pretty much the entire way, but I always felt, and I don't know if this was because they've had issues offensively. I don't know what it was, but something told me that San Francisco was gonna figure out a way to win this game. And in the end, that's what happened.

Their linebackers are all banged up. They're playing guys that haven't played all year and they were all over the field making stops. And I mean, what the Bengals couldn't do all year is get a stop on the fourth quarter when you've got the lead and they've got all these backups in there and they're figuring out a way to get stops. And you got to give Shanahan and his crew credit because I feel like they do this every year. They deal with injuries more than anybody else. At least it seems that way. Or at least of the teams that are still successful.

Neil (35:08)
Yeah.

Nick (35:10)
I mean, Purdy made plays when he needed to, he had two interceptions and I Jucik had a couple huge plays, their fullback and a huge third down reception to keep a drive alive. And I don't know, this 49er team, it's gonna be two NFC West teams playing to go to the title.

Which one was just which one's not going to be.

Neil (35:37)
Yeah, we see Hawks, Hawks

Rams like who? Yeah, no, you're right. ⁓ but I didn't expect it to happen. I thought that the Eagles win this game. Obviously, we talked about it last week. The Eagles offense was.

Nick (35:52)
It's been that what's been inconsistent all year.

Neil (35:53)
it's it's bad

and during the game you've got AJ Brown and Nick Sirianni going at it on the sideline like they just looked out of sorts. They just I don't know something's off. The offense was terrible only putting up 19 points. You're not going to win very many games putting up 19 points, but you know credit to the Niners defense and Robert Sala former head coach is DC out there. He's probably going to end up with a head coaching job. I would say this cycle I would take him as a Bengals fan. I put him on my team and I would love Robert Sala be my head coach.

Cuz he knows what he's doing and he's got his defense prepared and they were prepared yesterday and shut down the Eagles.

Nick (36:29)
Yeah, you talked about AJ Brown and yeah, you see that interaction on the sideline and then a big moment in the fourth down and he just straight drops a ball that is going to go for a 30 to 40 yard gain and they just didn't seem like a winning football team to me. And you can't have those issues. I don't think you can just flip the switch and turn it on in the playoffs even if you are the defending Super Bowl champions. And I give

Neil (36:38)
I'll to drop the ball.

Nick (37:00)
San Francisco credit, they had that big play to Demarcus Robinson to start the game, that 61 yard game that set them up and they took the 7-0 lead. But I they really didn't do anything the second and third quarter. And their defense held serve against the Philadelphia offense that maybe isn't all that good right now. But they hung in there and were able to make plays in the fourth quarter and figure out a way to win on the road, which any time you went on the road.

In the playoffs it's big, when you can do it against the defending Super Bowl champions, it's even bigger.

Neil (37:32)
Yeah, yep, so I'm kind of glad the Eagles lost. I mean, could get some new blood in the Super Bowl.

Nick (37:42)
So now next week in the AFC side, we got the Bills going to Denver. And then you've got, it'll be either the Steelers or the Texans going to the Patriots. And then the Niners go to the Seahawks and the Rams go to the Bears.

Neil (37:57)
Yeah.

Nick (38:05)
Bills, Broncos, you go Bills.

Neil (38:05)
Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, I know the Broncos are the one seed, but we've said, I've said all year, I'm still not sold on them. I mean, they've pulled out games that I can't believe they've pulled out. They just lost to Jacksonville ⁓ at home toward the end of the season and they lost by double digits to the Jaguars. So, Buffalo on the road already, beating Jacksonville, winning a playoff game on the road. I see no issue with them going to Denver and winning.

Nick (38:34)
Yeah, and you wonder, and I know they're not taking a month off like they do in college football, but you wonder if the Bills get a little bit advantage from playing last week too. So, and getting that win on the road and now they've got a little momentum. They're one and a half point favorites. ⁓ I'm going to Bills. And then the other game on Saturday is going to be the Niners at the Seahawks. We just saw this game, what, two, well, two weeks ago. It was the last game of the regular season.

Neil (39:01)
Yeah.

Nick (39:03)
And the Seahawks just absolutely put it on the Niners. They couldn't do anything offensively.

Neil (39:07)
Which that was for the 1C. Wasn't that for the 1C? Yeah, no yeah. Seahawks held them to three points. That game was insane for Ann. ⁓ I just think the Seahawks are better. They'll probably end up winning the game, especially at home with the 12th man giving the Seahawks no George Kittle for the Niners.

Nick (39:11)
Yeah.

You know, we saw Sam Darnold take his team to a one seed last year.

Neil (39:35)
And then he choked in the playoffs, yeah.

Nick (39:37)
And you just beat this team. They just got a little momentum with the road win at Super Bowl Champions. I just think there's something special about this Niners team.

Neil (39:40)
Yeah.

Nick (39:51)
And I think both one seeds are gonna get beat on Saturday.

Neil (39:55)
I mean Sam Darnold has shown in the past he's susceptible for that four interception game. He can turn it over with the best of him.

Nick (40:03)
He's gonna have to because their defense is so good. He's gonna have to make mistakes. Brock Pardee's gonna have to limit his mistakes. But there's just something, like I said, they were down the whole game against the Eagles and I just kept thinking the Niners are gonna win. There's just something that tells me the Niners are gonna, they're not gonna lose two games in row to the Seahawks. They're gonna figure out a way to win late and both one seeds will go down on Saturday.

Neil (40:29)
Nick Evans, the biggest 49ers fan I know.

Nick (40:33)
I'm definitely not a Niners fan. I the Bengals in the Super Bowl twice. So. Rams at Bears.

Neil (40:43)
I don't even know how to pick this one. Like, on paper, I think the Rams should win by two touchdowns. But the Bears always find a way to get it done. They get it done every time. I don't know. I think the Rams are better. I think the Rams should win. But every time I doubt the Bears, they prove me wrong. I mean, I'm still going Rams, but I would not be shocked if the Bears pulled this out.

Nick (40:44)
Yeah

Vegas agrees with you. They are three and a half point favorites on the road. Seattle, I did mention that is seven point favorite at home against the Niners, which I think that's really high.

Neil (41:21)
That is high.

Nick (41:24)
But, I mean at what point is this bear's magic gonna run?

Like, I think if you put these two teams side by side, it's pretty clear you picked the Rams.

Neil (41:34)
I mean they-

But the Bears, they just keep doing it. And you're talking about how good the 49ers are. The Bears were on the doorstep. They were at the goal line to win that game in San Francisco in week 16. So they've proven that they can play with the good teams in this league. This is just another case of that. This is another chance for them to prove it again. And I hate to doubt them, but I don't know.

Nick (42:10)
I think this one is so hard to pick too. I've already went two road teams. Can I go three road teams?

Neil (42:17)
And this would be the road team I would pick out of all of them.

Nick (42:21)
Yeah, I mean, I think it's gonna be two NFC West teams in the NFC title game. So give me three road winners next weekend.

Neil (42:37)
I'll tell you who you're not

going to pick on the road and that's whoever wins this Steelers and Texans game going to New England. Unless you want to go with the Texans who have won eight straight.

Nick (42:48)
I mean, have arguably the best defense.

Neil (42:50)
Actually, they might have won nine straight. They

won the last week of the year, so they won nine straight.

Nick (42:54)
They have arguably the best defense in the NFL, but I'm not. After seeing what the Patriots did last night, their defense is incredible. And Drake May is like, Drake May is why I trust the Patriots and why I don't trust the Broncos. Because I just, yeah, think he's, I absolutely like, I think he's proven that.

Neil (43:15)
just think he's better at bone nicks. More trustworthy than bone nicks.

Nick (43:23)
Yeah, Bo Nix has had some great games. I don't trust him game in game out. I think it's kind of scary what New England's building after what they did under Tom Brady a little bit to me with Grable with Drake May.

Neil (43:35)
I it. I mean, Mike,

Mike variables the X factor there. You know, he, he comes in, cleans it up and look what they're, they, they turn themselves into a two seat after being the worst team in football for like the last two to three years. But.

Nick (43:48)
Yeah, but

now I mean, I don't care if they play the Texans or the Steelers, I'm going Patriots and that.

Neil (43:55)
And it's

not surprising what Vrabel's doing, I just-

Nick (43:57)
This is after

I picked him to get upset last week just because I was.

Neil (44:01)
Yeah, it's

not surprising what Vrabel's doing there. I expected him to, I thought he was gonna do a great job and make them good. I just can't believe it. It happened in one year. It's like the signetti of NFL football right now.

Nick (44:15)
Well, when you get a head coaching job, what is the most important thing?

Neil (44:22)
players.

Nick (44:23)
Well, and specifically. Well, and a quarterback. You can't win in this league if you don't have a quarterback. And when you take a job, it's, I mean, can you?

Neil (44:25)
Good players. And a quarterback, yes.

I mean, you look at Jacksonville, like we talked about Trevor Lawrence going down that road of, know, maybe he's going down the road of two and falling apart and his career might have been over and he gets Liam Cohen injected into his veins and all of a sudden Jacksonville becomes. The great team. I know that, but. Then people were ready to move on from him.

Nick (44:54)
Well, Neil, he's a former first overall pick.

Yeah, but I'm just saying like the most important position and maybe of all sports is a quarterback. And when you take a job at a new team and you go there and you've already got Drake May, who's got a little bit over a half a year under his belt where he showed promise, that's a benefit.

Neil (45:07)
It is.

But see, that's

the difference between Vrabel and Cohen is Vrabel's going into New England where Drake May's only been there for, he's still raw, he's only been there for a year, maybe played a half a year last year, because Drew Covey-Bressette started. And then you got Liam Cohen, who's going into Trevor Lawrence, who's been in the league now for what, six years?

Nick (45:37)
I know,

so what are we arguing here?

Neil (45:39)
is that you're talking about the key is having a good quarterback and New England has it. I'm not sold that Jacksonville had that good quarterback when Liam Cohen took over. I'm not sold that quarterback play is what made Jacksonville good.

Nick (45:52)
I think that's why I would give Liam Cohen the coach of the year. And he had to rebuild Trevor Lawrence's confidence. Cuz you know Trevor Lawrence has the tools. He's got the tools, he's already proven it, he's had good years, he's already took the Jacksonville to the playoffs. mean, you know the kids got talent and Liam Cohen was able to build his confidence up and-

Neil (45:56)
That's the case I was making. That's why I think he should be coaching.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Nick (46:20)
That's why I don't remember their OC's name, but he's getting looks for head coach jobs. He just interviewed with Cleveland. So that's why Liam Cohen, I think is the coach of the year. I I just, think it's scary kind of a little bit what variable is building there in New England. And after seeing this New England dynasty with Tom Brady for so many years and being, I mean, a little bit happy that they're, they haven't been good for the last, what, four or five years. And

Neil (46:37)
Yeah, I'm not happy.

Yeah.

Nick (46:50)
Now looks like they're going to be around for a long time again.

Neil (46:53)
day.

Nick (46:56)
You know what else is gonna be around for a long time, it looks like.

Neil (47:00)
Duke, toping.

Nick (47:02)
I'm not good at these. Sometimes I like, I'm okay at these little.

Neil (47:05)
Duke Tobin.

Nick (47:07)
Did you listen to the presser?

Neil (47:10)
I did, I was at work. I read the transcripts, I read the quotes, I heard it all. To me, it's still a bunch of word vomit. He still has confidence in the talent that we have. wants to improve. Basically, the gist of what I heard was he wants to improve the lines, the front lines of the offense and the defense, but mainly the defensive line. His philosophy of pressuring the quarterback will take off the pressure of the secondary. Maybe it wasn't all their fault because we didn't get pressure on the quarterback.

Nick (47:39)
We didn't do that last year either. You didn't fix it.

Neil (47:41)
Right.

Right. That's what I'm saying. It's all to me. He thinks he understands the problem, but I need him to fix it.

Nick (47:44)
Like, Before we-

Before we rip it into, were there any positives you took from it? Because there were a few I took.

Neil (47:57)
We'll see you. What are your positives?

Nick (47:59)
I mean, I think at least admitting that they need to do more on defense and they need to do more in free agency.

Neil (48:04)
Well if he doesn't say that, he's not gonna have a job, Nick. Of course he's gonna say that. What did you want him to say? Hold on, so you expected, so your positive is he got up there and said that the defense wasn't good enough. Well what was he gonna say? That the defense was great. What was he gonna say? He didn't talk last year either.

Nick (48:08)
I'm trying to find any positive.

They weren't good enough last year they didn't do anything in free agency.

Well, he did. He just didn't talk at Paycore after the season was over.

Neil (48:28)
Right,

that's what saying, he didn't have this press conference last year. So, no, I did not expect him to get up there and say, man, the defense, it wasn't their fault, blah, blah, blah, like, of course, if he doesn't get up there and say it's not acceptable, then they're gonna have a problem. Otherwise, what are you talking for?

Nick (48:44)
No, mean, yeah, but really, that's about the only positive I took from it.

Neil (48:49)
So the only problem was him admitting the defense wasn't good. Well, the numbers say that because we were 30th and 31st in scoring and yard.

Nick (48:54)
Well, to him

it was not just defense, was not getting stops late and he's not playing complimentary football, which he's right with that. I mean, even when the defense was a little better, I mean, the offense, I mean, you can't have two turnovers for pick sixes. You can't have how many touchdowns did the offense give up this year? I mean, you can't do that either. So you have to figure out a way to play complimentary football. But I mean,

Neil (49:12)
I agree.

Nick (49:23)
You're right. he was very defensive the whole time. He like there was a question asked about trying to get contracts done earlier and like and you've got Dax Hill and you've got DJ Turner guys that are eligible for contract extensions. Go ahead and trying to get them done. And they he acts like they tried to do that in the past. And no, you didn't. And that's why you had to over like pay more for Jamar and T. Like if you would have got those done earlier.

Neil (49:42)
Yeah.

Correct. That's correct.

Nick (49:52)
You would have spent less money and then

your entire offseason wouldn't have revolved around their extensions and you would have had an opportunity to maybe go after some more free agents. Like get in front of some of this stuff and quit telling me that we've done it before. We've done it before. Yeah, you have. You got to the Superbowl. You got to the AFC championship. That was four and five years ago. That was four and five years ago. Just because you did it doesn't mean you can do it again.

Neil (50:01)
That is correct.

that 100%.

Nick (50:21)
Like you have to change. Like you have to change the way that you're doing things. And I know it's small that I get a little bit of positives from the fact that he's like, we got to get into free agency. And the reason is because they didn't do that last year and they knew this defense sucked.

Neil (50:23)
Yes.

Yes.

Is the reason they,

but is the reason they didn't do it last year, and I don't want to give him an excuse, because I think he sucks and he doesn't know what he's doing, but is the reason that they didn't do it last year is because they were so wrapped up in the Jamar and Tee and Trey drama and trying to get that done that they just basically ignored everything else, because A, they probably didn't know how much money they had to spend, and B, you know, it was just basically taking up all of their focus.

Nick (51:05)
Well, if that's true, then that's just a negative on the franchise as well. Because you've got to be able to multitask. But I think you're right. I think it absolutely played a role in why they weren't active in free agency.

Neil (51:11)
This is another negative, isn't it? I agree.

So maybe this,

so if you're looking for a positive, maybe the positive this year is you don't have that drama anymore. They're wrapped up, there's no looming big contract extensions that are out there to that magnitude. Trey's gonna be a free agent. You you free up that space, that money that his contract would have been.

You know, now let's just go out focus on actually getting dudes. Just go get dudes. And I think I saw a quote when he was talking about improving the pass rush and the pass rush. And if he doesn't do it, you do it in the draft. Well, he's tried that in the draft over the last several years with Miles Murphy and Joseph Assai. And those guys are not working out. They're not working out. So you trying to address this in the draft. And Shamar Stewart. Shamar Stewart, another example. You trying to address the pass rush in the draft. We need to stop with that. Let's just go get a proven dude that can actually get after the quarterback.

Nick (51:42)
You have to.

I mean.

Neil (52:08)
that knows what he's doing at this level.

Nick (52:10)
You also need to find somebody and get to the quarterback from the deep, from the inside. That's not a edge rusher. Like if you can get some pressure up the middle too, you can add a guy of that caliber. you.

Neil (52:22)
He tried that with Sheldon Rankins because Rankins sacked Joe Burrow

twice in a game and thought that Sheldon Rankins was the next coming of the refrigerator period.

Nick (52:27)
Well, I mean, that's another

example of why they're idiots because you had the worst rushing defense in the NFL. You lose DJ Reader and you don't replace him with another rushing rush stopper. You had a ⁓ sack defensive tackle and that was just an embarrassment. I will say the thing that just irked me more than anything is him talking about how he

nobody works as hard as he does. And look, you can believe that, whenever anybody says that, I just feel like you defending, like over defending yourself. Like if you're really good at your job, you don't need to tell somebody nobody works harder than

Neil (53:16)
Yeah, the high school kid bagging my groceries at Kroger down the street works as hard as Duke Tobin does. Like that kid works hard. Everybody works hard at their job. Most people do work hard at their jobs. Because you want to be good at your job. You don't want to suck because then you get fired. And usually when you suck at your job you get fired unless your name is Duke Tobin.

Nick (53:23)
But like, if I'm a

Right,

it should go without saying. And if I'm conducting a job interview and somebody comes in and says, nobody's going to work as hard as

What is that that does nothing nothing that does nothing Also, you don't know that you don't know that you can't prove it you can't prove it

Neil (53:47)
That's what I expect out of you. That's an expectation. It's not a positive. It's an expectation. Like, like...

You also can't prove

it. No, you're right. It is tangible. You can't prove it. But also it's an expectation that you're gonna come in and work hard at your job and work as hard as you can. Like I don't know if anybody is working as hard as you or harder than you, but if you can tell me that you're working as hard as you can, then that's all I can expect. But that is an expectation. It's not a brag on yourself. I'm working really hard at this. That's your job. Because otherwise you suck at your job, you get fired.

Nick (54:24)
It is your.

Neil (54:27)
And what should be happening here is playing its day and it's not happening. And we talked about this last week and you didn't believe it was going to happen. But this just shows the differences in the franchises of the Cincinnati Bengals and a team like the Baltimore Ravens, who they missed the playoffs this one year, didn't meet expectations, and they fire a Super Bowl winning coach, a coach that's gone to four AFC Championship games.

won multiple division titles, probably going to be in the Hall of Fame at some point, won a ton of games more than he's lost, and they fired him after one year because they didn't meet expectations. And here we are hanging on to these bombs, Zach Taylor and the Duke Tobins, when we haven't made the playoffs in three years, when we've got the quality of talent of the Jamar Chase, the Joe Burrows, the T. Higgins, and the rest of those guys. Like we don't take it seriously like they do. They take it dead serious.

Nick (55:24)
Well, I said it last week when I told you that John Harbaugh was not gonna get fired. That if he does get fired, then I'm definitely gonna fire Zach Taylor and he can come on just drive on down to Cincinnati. I wouldn't fire John, I wouldn't fire John Harbaugh.

Neil (55:36)
⁓ I would not

have either. I would not have either. I would have given him little more leniency, but that's how seriously that organization takes winning. It just proves it.

Nick (55:44)
And well, I do wonder

like internally if there were some things going on there that maybe with Lamar that maybe their relationship had just kind of came to an end there and.

Neil (55:54)
And there

was the rumor that the organization wanted him to get rid of Todd Monkin and Lamar and Monkin didn't get along and Harbaugh was going to stick with his guy and that ultimately might be the end of it.

Nick (56:07)
Yeah, I mean,

to hire somebody that, I mean, and I think you're right, I think he is gonna be Hall of Famer. To get rid of somebody like that, I think there's gotta be some kind of internal things that you don't really see on the outside. And I think that played a role. because, mean, like I said, you don't fire a guy because a rookie missed a kick. I mean, he's not fired if they're playing right now.

Neil (56:30)
Of not. But to me that's the difference. They take it seriously enough, if they didn't meet expectations, they're going to go in a different direction. How there's not internal stuff with the Bengals makes no sense because they all suck. And if I'm like Brown, I'm going to Zach Taylor and be like, win me some football games. Duke Tobin, win me some football games. They're all sitting around a campfire singing Kumbaya when they're winning five games a season? Six games a season?

Nick (56:50)
I

I know.

And here I am, like, honestly applauding them for putting Duke Tobin in front of people finally. Like, that's how low the bar is. That's how low the bar is that I'm applauding them for making their de facto GM accountable. Like, it's not fair to Zach Taylor to have to answer for all the roster decisions. Like, and he's the only one that ever answers to it. He's not the one making the decisions. Yeah, he's involved.

Neil (57:25)
See, yes, that's an influence. I know. I agree. But putting Duke Tobin on the podium didn't make me feel any better, didn't make me feel worse, didn't make me feel better. I'm in the same spot that I was before he got on the podium. I'm not going into next season with like, man, Duke's got a plan and we're gonna be back. No, I still have zero confidence that this organization is gonna do anything right.

Nick (57:25)
But ultimately, he's not making those.

I mean, I... No.

No, and you, I mean.

Look, I left it, I walked in, I didn't walk in, but I started watching that presser with even confidence and that's exactly the same. Like that changed nothing. Like my confidence level for what the Bengals are gonna do next year did not go up, it did not go down. Do I agree with him that I think they have a talented roster where they should be competitive next year? Absolutely I do. Absolutely I do. But you gotta go.

Neil (58:15)
No, not on defense. Not on the defense. They've got no talent on the defense. One guy, maybe

two guys.

Nick (58:20)
If you go make changes on defense, you get the right guys. This team can be competitive.

Neil (58:23)
But he was, the way he was talking was he trusted

the talent. said he would put his roster up against anybody in the NFL. I would not do that. I would not do that. Yeah, it is the offense.

Nick (58:30)
And I think a lot of that is because of the offense.

I think it better be because of the offense, if he's thinking it's because of the defense, it's because you have arguably the best offense in football. And you've got the best offensive line that you've had. You got to re-sign one guy. You bring Reisner back. Then you've got your entire offense intact. And go sign a guy at every level of the defense.

Neil (58:38)
I'm putting on teardrops.

Yeah.

Although I did see

as much as we did praise their offensive line and how it was probably the best that they've had, they did still grade like 29th in the league in past protection and PFF.

Nick (59:07)
Well,

it's because they struggled early. I mean, they were a lot better the second half of the year. And you hope that that continuity will help them start off a little better at the beginning of next year. they were, I mean, you bring in riser, they make no changes to the, I mean, you started a dang rookie at guard in Fairchild too. I mean, you got to give them a time to adjust.

Neil (59:29)
Yeah.

Nick (59:33)
Yeah, confidence level changes zero.

They better make some changes, sign some guys. If not, I don't know what's gonna happen.

Neil (59:46)
This, I told you last week, this is your last chance to get it right. It's your last chance to get this right.

Nick (59:48)
I

I agree, but like, is Joe gonna walk away from Chase and T? Like, all three gonna leave?

Did you get to watch Hey Hoops this weekend?

Neil (1:00:05)
Yeah, yeah. We ⁓ watched some some college hoops, had our first YMCA nine and under girls basketball game. I watched that hoops, coached in that hoops. The nine and under Northeast YMCA Valkyries took a tough loss. Seven to four to the Liberty.

Nick (1:00:15)
Let's go. Let's break that down. How'd we do?

7 to 4.

Where we trailing the whole game, I to go down.

Neil (1:00:30)
Nope, nope, we had a 2-0 lead. Got out to a 2-0 lead after the first quarter. Fell behind 5-2. Harper Rohrer scored her first two points of her basketball career to pull us within one point and ended up taking a tough L. 7-4 was the final.

Nick (1:00:49)
but Harper had two of the four points.

Neil (1:00:51)
She had

two points, I was proud of her. But that was at noon on Saturday, so I did miss most of the noon games on Saturday. ⁓ Caught the second half of the cards game, which is really, glad I didn't watch the first half, because they struggled against Boston College. And got it together in the second half without their top two players and pulled out that victory by 13. So glad that they got it together in the second half. ⁓

Nick (1:00:53)
⁓ What heights are around?

And looks,

BNC is doing the same thing every game where they play a good first half and then they just completely fall apart in the second half.

Neil (1:01:19)
Yeah. Yeah,

yeah. I did see Michigan. I watched that Michigan Wisconsin game to me was game of the weekend. That was a fantastic game close the whole way through. Wisconsin was just bombing in threes left and right. I mean, incredible performance shooting performance there. But what a big win for the Badgers in Ann Arbor, giving Michigan their first loss of season. He went off. But five five straight like five threes.

Nick (1:01:42)
The Belouskas, like at the beginning of the second half, dude is just, yeah, and

he had eight threes coming to the game. He hits five in this one. And this, mean, that's what you're going to have to do to be, I mean, Michigan was 18 point favorite in this game. ⁓ But I mean, Wisconsin, it's 15 threes and Cadeau for Michigan.

in the second half was just lights out and keeping them in the game when Wisconsin was shooting as well as they were. But I mean, Blackwell and Boyd were just incredible for Wisconsin. they were 10 and five going to this game. And maybe Greg Gard and his guys have found something because, I mean, they look like a contender in that game. I mean, obviously you're beating a Michigan team where everybody's talking about being as good as any team we've seen in long time.

Neil (1:02:32)
Yeah, absolutely.

Yeah, I Michigan was beating teams by 40 points almost every game.

Nick (1:02:43)
Yeah, mean, Yaxle didn't have his best game, only had 14 points and six rebounds and wasn't crazy active there in the second half. Like I said, it was mainly Cadeau keeping them in the game. ⁓ But no, I was really impressed with Wisconsin. And I thought Blackwell and Boyd were both incredible there. And I mean, that's a game that gets you to where, I mean, Wisconsin at this point was nowhere near the tournament and now you've...

Neil (1:02:54)
Yeah.

Nick (1:03:12)
You knock off Michigan, all of sudden you're right in the middle of it.

Neil (1:03:15)
Yeah, yeah. And then, you know, another Big 10 game that was kind of disappointing is Indiana had Nebraska undefeated Nebraska at home, had them on the ropes up 16 in the second half. And this is a game that for a resume standpoint, Indiana really, really could have used ⁓ with the way that their season's going. And they let Nebraska off the hook and Nebraska stays undefeated. Somehow top 10 Nebraska basketball.

Nick (1:03:39)
Yeah, we've talked about Indiana football. Now let's talk Nebraska basketball. We're in a flip flop world. ⁓ This is Nebraska's fifth Quadrant One win on the year. The only only team that has more is Duke. ⁓ They won last week two road games at Ohio State and at Indiana. They were underdogs in both of those games.

Neil (1:03:43)
Yeah. How about that?

Nick (1:04:07)
and win both of them to remain undefeated. Like you said, they were down 51 to 35 in the second half against IU, rallied to win 83 to 77. was Jamarcus Lawrence who had a career high 27 that really kind of led that rally for the Cornhuskers. You know, one thing about Jamarcus Lawrence.

spent his first two years in Nebraska, went to the Rhode Island, started 31 games last year, averaged 9.9 points, and then he's like, I'm going go back. He goes back to Nebraska for his senior year. But, I mean, Nebraska is 5-0 in league play for the first time since the 60s, and they move up to eighth in the AP, which is their highest ranking ever. I think it was that same team in the late 60s.

Neil (1:04:33)
Yeah.

Yeah.

go back to the great state of Nebraska.

Yeah.

Nick (1:05:00)
I mean, this is a team that they were picked 14th out of 18 in the Big Ten. So kind of out of nowhere for Fred Hoiberg. But I mean, you go on the road, you win both when you've got everybody watching you because you're one of six remaining undefeated teams and you're able to pull out both of them. That's pretty impressive. And now I think the team that everybody thought was going to be the last team to lose loses. So now there's only five undefeated teams.

Neil (1:05:05)
Amazing. Wow.

Yeah.

Yeah. I mean, Vandy. Vandy continues to roll. They didn't really play anybody. They played about LSU over the weekends. that's right. During the week? Yeah.

Nick (1:05:31)
they beat Alabama.

And dude, I think this Vanderbilt team.

Neil (1:05:37)
And we did.

Nick (1:05:40)
I might, this might be a little hot take, but I think they're talented enough to win the whole thing.

Neil (1:05:46)
buying in on the Commodores. What is like, what's in the water at James Madison that they're just producing these head coaches that are going other places and just dominating?

Nick (1:05:47)
I really do.

Well, I they put a lot of money in their athletics at James Madison. They get good coaches. And I mean, I don't know. I hope Preston Spradlin is the next one. I mean, as my guy at Moorhead, I hope he's the next one to do it. Vanderbilt, like Tyler Tanner to me is one of the more fun guards to watch in all the country. Duke Miles, I

Neil (1:06:13)
Yeah.

Nick (1:06:25)
They're just, really was impressed with Vanderbilt and they've got a unique home court advantage with the way that their benches are lined up. It gives teams trouble.

Neil (1:06:34)
Yeah, that definitely is

an important advantage.

Nick (1:06:39)
But Kentucky gets a must needed win against Mississippi State. They were down 12 and Moreno. Yeah.

Neil (1:06:46)
Yeah, and they did that without without quaintance and when without

low played three minutes and they're going to be without him the rest of the year now. So a little bit of a challenge for the Wildcats who's going to play point guard and see if they can overcome those injuries. But yeah, big win for them. They needed that one.

Nick (1:07:02)
I

mean, they're down early and you're like, whoa. I mean, Mark Pope's seat is getting really, really hot. I mean, they actually look like they knew how to run offense there in the second half and Moreno was incredible.

But good win for the cats, good win for the cards, both winning on Saturday. And we're down to five undefeated teams. We already talked about Nebraska and Vanderbilt. We still got Iowa State, we still got Miami, Ohio, and we still got the number one team in the land, Arizona.

Neil (1:07:42)
Who do you think is the last one to lose a game?

I don't even know who Miami, I guess Miami Ohio is into conference play now, so they're just playing all Mac teams. I just don't know much about Miami Ohio.

Nick (1:07:51)
They are. ⁓

Let's look at ⁓ what is...

Arizona

Neil (1:08:03)
Let's where they got this

Arizona this week. I mean they got a pretty easy stretch coming up. 10 and 6 Arizona State. They are at Central Florida next Saturday. Central Florida was ranked before they just lost this week. Cincinnati's terrible. West Virginia not very good. Maybe that game at B, that big Monday game on the 26th of January at BYU, that'll be a good one.

Nick (1:08:32)
Yeah, I would. mean, Devontae's been unbelievable. I don't know. I mean, if you made me pick off the of my head, I'd probably just go Arizona because I think they're the best team. I haven't seen Miami, Ohio schedule. I don't know who they play, so I'm not really even including them. But my question for you, before we kind of get off the college basketball topic.

Nebraska is the only like Power Four team to never win an NCAA tournament game. Will they win one this year?

Neil (1:09:01)
Mm-hmm.

I if I had to say right now, I would say yes. Because right now they're turning to be a top three seed, which means they're going to play like Alcorn State or something in the NCAA tournament. And they should handle that pretty easily. So I would say yes, as of right now. I there's still another month and a half, two months left in the regular season. So as long as they don't have anybody go down with injury and they keep up what they're doing, I would say yes, Nebraska does get off the sh-t. Yeah.

Nick (1:09:34)
Get off the sign. Get off

the jigs. No, I agree. Like, if they keep this up, like you said, right now there are two or three seed. And unless you run into a St. Peters or an Oakland, you're looking pretty good.

Neil (1:09:48)
Yeah.

Nick (1:09:51)
So, Brooks Koepka

It's coming back.

Neil (1:09:57)
Yeah.

Nick (1:09:59)
your thoughts.

Neil (1:10:00)
I'm happy about it. I'm happy about it. You know, the PGA Tour is better when the best talent is on that tour. And Brooks, he's kind been forgotten about the last couple years, as most of those guys have, because it is his fault. It's his fault. It's all of their faults. I mean, I can honestly say I've not watched a full live tournament. I don't even know where to find the live tournament when it's on. Is it on Fox? Like, actual Fox now? It was on the CW, I think, for a while. I don't know.

Nick (1:10:13)
See you tomorrow.

it's on Fox. No, it's on Fox.

Fox and

Fox Fox, what's your name?

Neil (1:10:29)
I haven't watched it. To

me it's gimmicky golf. I'm glad they finally decided, we're going to play 72 holes now. But no, like the PGA Tour is the superior tour and it's better when the best players are on that tour. So glad to see Brooks come back. I hope John Rahm and Bryce and DeChambeau follow suit because I think those and Cam Smith, because those are the only other three that under these new guidelines that can actually come back at this point in time. hopefully they all wise up.

And they come back and get the exposure that they deserve and it just makes the PGA Tour better. So it'll probably make, it should make Brooks better, make the PGA Tour better. It just makes for better golf.

Nick (1:11:07)
So the penalty for leaving and playing in illegal tournaments, which Liv is on the PGA, to the PGA, their penalty is a $5 million charitable donation. They're ineligible for player equity program for five years, which projects to be 50 to 85 million or so in lost earnings. They're ineligible for the 2026 FedEx cut bonus payout, which is a lot of money. I mean, they're all making...

Neil (1:11:13)
Yeah. Yeah.

Nick (1:11:36)
close to $200 million with their contracts for Liv.

Neil (1:11:41)
Yeah, that's not gonna hurt Brooks too much. He does get to participate in TGL, so we'll make some money from that.

Nick (1:11:48)
Yep.

Yeah, he's also eligible for the President's Cup.

Neil (1:11:52)
in the President's Cup. Have they decided when, if and when he will join the TGO?

Nick (1:11:58)
I haven't heard on TGL, but he's gonna play. ⁓ I think he's playing in the waste management and the farmers this coming up.

Neil (1:12:05)
He's playing. I

did see that.

Nick (1:12:08)
But I mean, if your Brooks kept good, like you just went and took the money, took a couple of years off, wore shorts, played three rounds, and now you're like, and now you get to come back. Like this this this piddling is really nothing compared to what he made and live.

Neil (1:12:24)
Correct.

Yeah, he's coming out on the plus side. But like I said, like I said, like if you're Brooks, like you've kind of been forgotten about. Like nobody talks about you anymore. Nobody really watches you anymore. Your game's kind of falling. I mean, I don't know if your game's falling off or not, because I haven't watched you, but the times I have watched you, that's not, that's what I'm saying. The times that I have seen you on playing golf is in the majors and you've not been very good the last year, two years. So.

Nick (1:12:27)
Like, so he made it.

Well, he hasn't performed well in majors.

Neil (1:12:53)
I'm glad he's back. I think it'll be good for him. Like I said, it'll be good for golf. I hope those other dudes, those other three follow suit.

Nick (1:13:02)
I mean, if I'm Rom or Cam Smith or DeShambot and I see this is all it takes to get back on the biggest tour in the world after collecting my money, I'm gonna collect my money, pay these little fines and go pay on the PGA Tour again. And look, this is what the PGA Tour wants because they want the best players. But these dudes win. These dudes won this.

Neil (1:13:25)
Yeah. I think if I had to pick of who would do it next, think Bryson would be the next one in line.

Nick (1:13:27)
I mean.

See,

think he's the one that might not do it. Because I think he really enjoys the fact that he doesn't have to play every week. That he can do all these YouTube videos and I think he really relishes that.

Neil (1:13:35)
Why?

You don't have to play every week. mean, what are the PGA Tour requirements? How many tournaments you gotta play in?

Nick (1:13:52)
mean, you have to play in

all the signature events.

Neil (1:13:56)
Okay.

Nick (1:13:57)
And I just, of the four, I could see him being like, no, I'm going to keep doing my own thing. Because his profile has actually gotten bigger after he's left.

Neil (1:14:04)
Hmm.

It's because you want to major.

Nick (1:14:11)
And it's because his social presence has just increased exponentially. Yes. Right. Right.

Neil (1:14:16)
Well, he does do all those social media videos of hitting golf balls over his house and stuff. mean,

but you can still do that on the PGA Tour. Your social media presence doesn't have to go away because you're on a PGA Tour compared to live.

Nick (1:14:23)
You can.

But I mean, look, at these penalties, I mean, yeah, you just, like, all right, here's five mil. You can have that of, I still got 195 left from my live bonus. Like, it's a no-brainer.

Neil (1:14:40)
Yeah.

Nick (1:14:43)
It's, but the dudes that went to live that aren't eligible for this, I guess they just stuck. Like Earl Varner. You ain't getting back, dude.

Neil (1:14:48)
Yeah, you're stuck.

You ain't going back.

Dustin Johnson, Phil.

Nick (1:14:58)
I mean, all those guys are a older, like Harold Varner's not an old guy. But he's also counting his money and he's too worried about it either.

Neil (1:15:00)
Yeah. No.

Nick (1:15:10)
So you opened, I let you open. You talked about some dude that didn't use soap?

Neil (1:15:20)
You freeze?

You dead. ⁓ you back?

he's back. You're back from the dead. No, bro, you frozen. You got icicle over there. You got popsicle. Your screen was a popsicle.

Nick (1:15:37)
You left. You left, bro.

You look like a...

All right, we'll just start that over.

Alright, I'll let you open today. Did you hear me when I said that before? When did you lose me?

Neil (1:15:59)
right after you talked about Harold Varner collecting his paycheck.

Nick (1:16:05)
So I let you open, Neil, and you mentioned that this lady's going viral for making a video about how a guy she was dating for, I guess, months, went several months during the relationship.

Neil (1:16:21)
I say one.

Nick (1:16:24)
without having soap in a shower and not using soap to clean himself?

Neil (1:16:31)
I... I mean...

Nick (1:16:34)
Is this real life?

Neil (1:16:37)
It seems to be real life. Yep, what city was she from? ⁓ Austin. Was she in Austin? I it said Austin, Texas. Yeah, so based on her video, she says her and this dude are dating and she's at the apartment and is in the bathroom and notices he doesn't have soap in his shower. So then she confronts him about it. He gets some soap, puts the soap in the shower, and then she checks it and none of the soap's gone like a couple weeks later.

And he finally confesses that no, he does not use the soap, just uses hot water. What is that guy doing?

Nick (1:17:12)
So what, like, do you just stay, do you just stand there in the shower and just let the water hit you and that's it?

Neil (1:17:17)
That seems to be it.

Nick (1:17:18)
Do at least like rub the water on you?

Neil (1:17:21)
Yeah, I would assume. Right? I like you gotta maybe use your hands.

Nick (1:17:24)
I don't

know, used soap. just thought everybody automatically used soap. I thought that's why we invented soap. Like, I didn't know we were cavemen.

Neil (1:17:32)
I mean I know there people that are anti body wash because the chemicals this, chemicals that but get some get some bar soap get some kind of antibacterial soap get some kind of soap that's gonna scrub your body scrub you know scrub the areas that need to be scrubbed

Nick (1:17:45)
For the people that are anti-the chemicals, are plenty of options out there. There are preternatural soaps. I don't think this is what is happening here.

Neil (1:17:49)
Plenty of options, plenty of

So my question then is, the girl's been on several dates with this guy and he's not using soap. But does he not smell? Is he just masking himself in so much cologne? Is he just masking himself in so much cologne and deodorant? Does he use deodorant? I'm guessing he has to. Is he just masking himself in so much other stuff? That's just weird.

Nick (1:17:58)
Like, what are you still doing? Why aren't you seeing this dude?

He has to stink something awful.

I mean, dude, if he ain't using soap, I ain't predicting he's using deodorant.

But

like, why are you dating this dude for as long as you are?

Neil (1:18:23)
Yeah, you would have been gone the first time I realized you didn't have soap in your shower. I wouldn't even have given you a chance.

Nick (1:18:27)
Like this ⁓ is a Seinfeld episode. This is a Seinfeld episode. Like Jerry notices the girl he's dating doesn't have any soap in her shower, so he puts some soap in there and he goes back in three days later, ⁓ the soap's exactly the same, George. Like it's like, that's what this is. And then they break up. He just doesn't have TikTok or Instagram or whatever she went on to to go viral. I just.

Neil (1:18:47)
That's what I do.

Nick (1:18:56)
I understand a lot of things here. I don't understand why you wouldn't use soap. don't understand, smelling good is one of my favorite things. Look, if he ain't using soap, I don't think he's using shampoo or conditioner. And I doubt very seriously he's using deodorant. And this chick just.

Neil (1:19:02)
Does he use shampoo? Like, is he bald? Does he just got shampoo? What's he doing?

That's just nasty.

How's this dude not just

smell? Like, how does he not smell? How are you with this stinky old dude?

Nick (1:19:23)
I don't know. Like, what are you doing dating this dude? Like to me, why would you go out on social media and admit that you dated this stinky guy for as long as you did?

Neil (1:19:36)
Well she probably wants to bring awareness to it so other women that maybe are going go on a date with this guy know the truth. I mean this poor dude, his dating life is over. He's like you're going single for a long time.

Nick (1:19:42)
You

And

not if he finds a bar of Dove or a thing of small body wash or...

Neil (1:19:55)
Get some Irish Spring.

mean, old buddy needs to go get some Irish Spring. Give it a try. See if you like it. But you gotta do something, my guy. You can't go through your life with no soap.

Nick (1:20:09)
I and look, there's plenty of, if you don't want these chemicals, there's plenty of options. Like every man Jack, use it. There's, there's, there's no chemicals in that. Like it still smells, you still smell great. Like, I mean, I don't want to smell good when I come out of the shower. That's taking a shower is one of the, it's one of the life's, it's one of life's greatest pleasures.

Neil (1:20:27)
That's the point of taking a shower. You smell good?

When you smell good, you feel good.

Nick (1:20:34)
100%, 100%.

Neil (1:20:37)
I don't know. This dude, he's toast. He's done. Dating life over. He's gonna be alone for the rest of his life unless he and Mr. Dove come to an understanding.

Nick (1:20:50)
Yeah, Mr. Dove or Mr. Irish Spring. So there was a viral video of a bunch of kids at halftime of, what was it, in Pennsylvania.

Neil (1:20:55)
Mr. Irish Spring.

Yeah, the Hershey Bears minor league hockey during one of their intermissions had a youth Pee-wee, they basically Pee-wees. They looked like they were probably what, seven, eight years old, I don't know, less than 10. Little mini hockey players out there playing a little hockey game at one of the intermissions.

Nick (1:21:28)
and they all just go ham on each other.

Neil (1:21:29)
Yeah,

the problem was what was supposed to be a hockey game turned into WrestleMania and dudes are just throwing haymakers.

Nick (1:21:35)
I mean,

so it turns out it was staged and like you're watching it and you're like, if this isn't staged, the parents would definitely be out there trying to break this thing up. Yes.

Neil (1:21:40)
It was day.

Yes, as soon as I noticed no coaches were on the ice trying

to break it up, I was like, this seems like it's a staged act, but.

Nick (1:21:52)
Dude, they're throwing haymakers, they're throwing their whole bodies, like dudes are on the kids are on the ground and the goalies coming from the other hand and just straight duplexing him? Like bodyplexing?

Neil (1:21:56)
A gully!

Dude, the goalie

came in, it was like a bowling ball that just came in and knocked down a bunch of pins. He just straight ran over four dudes. Full gear. they're getting in trouble. Yeah, I sent you that NBC article that whatever, Pee-Wee Hockey Association of Pennsylvania, whatever they call themselves, said there will be repercussions for the coaches and the players. Now, now.

Nick (1:22:06)
Yeah.

And they're getting in trouble? Are they getting in trouble?

Why?

Why? If you're in the crowd and you're watching this game, are you not just loving this? Well, this is the best, this is the best half time ever.

Neil (1:22:34)
No, because we're not teaching our kids, like I know hockey. No,

we can't be having this Nick, we can't be having this. Is it entertaining? Is it entertaining for the fans? Absolutely. like fighting is a part of hockey, but it cannot be just fighting. Like these are kids, these kids do not need to be taught at the age of seven and eight years old to just drop the gloves and just start punching each other. No.

Nick (1:22:41)
It'd be hilarious!

It

was all, like the best thing like at football half times is when the mascots play the kids, right? And the mascots just straight stiff arm the eight year olds into the ground. Like this is kind of this.

Neil (1:23:08)
yeah. Yeah. But they're actually playing a game

of football. They're playing a game of football. They're not just out there-

Nick (1:23:14)
Hockey

fights! There's fights in hockey!

Neil (1:23:16)
This isn't SummerSlam where they're out there giving them the rock bottom on the ice here. Like no, like play the hockey and if there's a fight that occurs naturally, it occurs naturally. We're not just out here fighting.

Nick (1:23:27)
So why do we got

a vile disciplinary action? somebody, nobody get hurt? Bunch of kids having fun. Bunch of kids.

Neil (1:23:31)
Well, they couldn't get like they're all they were all wearing those helmets

with like when they were punching each other They were wearing those helmets with the cage masks on so like they were basically hitting Metal like I'm trying to punch you in the face on a full-on face guard So it was kind of dumb to me. It was all dumb. Was it entertaining? Yes, because little kids just But you shouldn't be teaching little kids this is not this is not hockey hockey

Nick (1:23:51)
That's the whole point of it! That's the whole point of it!

my god, it was all

good fun. They weren't saying go on the street and start beating up random people.

Neil (1:24:01)
Alright,

what if little Johnny did get hurt? What happens if somebody did get hurt?

Nick (1:24:06)
Well, then you got a different issue, but I don't think anybody did. So get off your high horse, Pennsylvania, whatever group you are. You don't need to do disciplinary action. Let the eight-year-olds have fun. Let the people in the crowd enjoy it. mean, you can't tell me you didn't enjoy watching the video. There you go.

Neil (1:24:12)
No. No. No. No.

It was hilarious.

but, we cannot be using kids fighting as our forms of entertainment as grown adults.

Nick (1:24:36)
Ugh, ⁓ people just need to relax.

Neil (1:24:40)
It's not Wrestlemania 62 out there. This is hockey. This is hockey. Until Lil Johnny breaks his jaw because Big Fat Goalie runs in with his full on gear and just spears you into the boards.

Nick (1:24:43)
Just relax. Bunch of kids having fun.

What, cuts his hand off with a skate? Then you gotta miss you.

Neil (1:24:58)
This reminds me, what was that scene in

Mighty Ducks 2 where you do the sticks, glove, and then you pull the shirt off the opponent and then you start beating the crap out of them. Sticks, glove, shirt. Sticks, glove, shirt.

Nick (1:25:06)
See, they didn't go that far. They didn't go that far. So no

disciplinary action needed.

Neil (1:25:16)
Fulton Reed what not there.

Nick (1:25:18)
One thing we forgot to talk about with just Chicago State up to a tenth of a second left. And they call a timeout, get a technical, give Stonehill two free throws and they end up losing the game.

Neil (1:25:28)
With the ball, up two,

up two with the ball, one tenth of a second left. On the video it was not clear who called the timeout. Did it come from the bench?

Nick (1:25:38)
I'm not sure, but I think it was one of the players.

Neil (1:25:42)
Also, if you're the coach, you just say, son, just throw the ball straight up in the air. Throw it up in the air.

Nick (1:25:46)
Doesn't Doesn't matter.

Does not matter. You just throw it straight to mid-court as high as you possibly can throw it. Or just throw it off somebody. There's a lot of things you can do with the tenth of a second. Yeah. I mean, yeah, they can get a shot off.

Neil (1:25:54)
All you gotta do.

I would just just just roll the ball on the floor. Just roll it out there. Just roll it to the opponent

If the ball is on the floor gave you just rolled the ball out there. They can't pick it up off the floor and shoot it Just roll the ball called the timeout. That's that's

Nick (1:26:10)
Now, just.

I mean, just

a brutal, brutal way to lose. They ended up losing by three.

Neil (1:26:22)
Was this like were they throwing the game? Was this some point shaving?

Nick (1:26:25)
I don't know,

maybe, but yeah, just get the ball in here. I guess before we wrap, we didn't do this last week, but the women's basketball team at the University of Louisville is playing some good basketball right now and put it on pit yesterday. ⁓ Coach Walls got his 500th win against Virginia Tech last Sunday. I saw Coach Walls on Sunday.

Neil (1:26:39)
playing some great basketball right now.

Yes.

Nick (1:26:53)
and offered him my congratulations, told him it was big time. He completely ignored me congratulating him and asked me when the Bengals play this weekend. And I told him we had to buy. And yeah, just glad I wanted to watch that defense.

Neil (1:27:10)
Yeah, that's what he does. That's

what he does. Yep. I saw Coach Walls in the elevator before the game yesterday and I told the elevator attendant to make him take the stairs. ⁓ But.

Nick (1:27:19)
Well, dude,

speaking of the elevator attendant, like normally the nicest people ever at KFC Yom Center, right?

Neil (1:27:28)
Yeah,

great people, yeah.

Nick (1:27:30)
leaving the game yesterday. And I went up and saw the fans, so I'm leaving. And a lot of the staff is leaving at the same time. A couple of assistants are already on the elevator. And then another assistant is coming with a couple of kids to get on. The kid actually has the arm through the elevator to get on. And the flight attendant was like, no, not the flight, the elevator attendant. No more people. And we're like, dude, this arm is in the elevator and it's another coach. And doesn't even turn around just yelling.

Neil (1:27:32)
huh.

Yeah.

Nick (1:28:00)
No more people, no more people. And like, it was not, it was not the greatest ⁓ situation. Yeah,

Neil (1:28:05)
no, boy.

Yikes, no top 10, Louisville women's basketball number nine in the polls today. So top 10. They've got a really tough week coming up on the road at Notre Dame on Thursday at six o'clock and then on the road at NC State.

Nick (1:28:19)
Got Notre Dame on Thursday.

Neil (1:28:25)
on Sunday. So this team will be tested and then they've got the California trip blooming at the end of the month where they'll go out and play Stanford and Cal, which is always tough to do. So, you know, if they get through this stretch, you know, they're probably, I mean, right now they're the favorites to win the ACC. But if they can get through this tough stretch this week and come out with couple of victories, they're looking really good at hosting some NCAA tournament games for the first time in three, four years.

Nick (1:28:52)
Yeah,

and look like Notre Dame might be down a little bit and then they put a 30 piece on North Carolina yesterday. So they're getting right at about the same time. Hidalgo, we know how good she is. It will be a good test, but I think this team's up to it. I think they're as deep as they've been in a really long time. And Amari Berry has been incredible the last month. just, Elif didn't play on Sunday, but she's been exceptional.

Neil (1:29:10)
Absolutely.

Yes.

The

Nick (1:29:21)
This.

Neil (1:29:21)
growth of both Barry and Eli from what they were a year ago. The confidence and just the growth of those two and the level of play that they're playing at right now has just been absolutely phenomenal. ⁓ Then you add the pieces of ⁓ Ziegler and Scott and...

Nick (1:29:24)
Thank you.

Neil (1:29:36)
And Skylar Jones from the transfer portal, all three of them, major contributors. know, like this team, the chemistry on this team seems to be really, really good. They're all playing together, playing for each other, playing with confidence. And, you know, this is a team that Coach Walls can coach, you know. He can be old Coach Walls again. And he seems to be enjoying it. The players are enjoying it. And this is when Louisville women's basketball has been at its best. It's been with teams that look like this.

Nick (1:29:54)
No.

Yeah, I mean, I don't know if they've ever had front court depth like they have right now. just a lot of putras getting some good minutes. Grace has played well when she gets in there and.

Neil (1:30:15)
Grace is going to be,

I think when it's all said and Grace is going to be a fantastic player.

Nick (1:30:18)
But

really, really excited ⁓ to see what this team is gonna do this year. And like you said, we will learn a lot this week, but I'm excited for it. if you haven't got out to the KSC Yom Center to watch this team, get out there and watch them.

Neil (1:30:33)
Do it. You won't regret it

and you'll want to come back.

Nick (1:30:37)
Yep. So this is our longest pod. I think we need to stop. We're already close to an hour and a half. There's no way anybody's listened this long.

Neil (1:30:44)
See, this is what happens when we

cut our pods from two in a week to one in a week. We got a lot to talk about.

Nick (1:30:52)
We do, we do, we gotta figure out when are we gonna come back next week? You want to do Tuesday night after the championship game?

Neil (1:30:58)
Tuesday? We gotta do Tuesday, right?

Yeah, we got to go Tuesday.

Maybe we'll get a What Would Joe Ziegler Do segment potentially coming up soon.

Nick (1:31:08)
All

these segments, like Juices Lunch Pell, the Carl Trivia, like the Joe, what would Joe do? Like we gotta make these a regular thing, get more people involved.

Neil (1:31:16)
What

would Joe do would be a good one? gotta get Joe Ziegler on here.

Nick (1:31:21)
But if you hung with it this long, I apologize that you listened to us for 90 minutes. We hope you enjoyed a little bit of it. But we will be back next Tuesday to break down what could potentially be the Indiana Hoosiers first college football national championship, which is just.

an incredible thing that I never thought I would say.

Neil (1:31:45)
Let's go Hoosiers.

Nick (1:31:47)
I mean, remember they just started randomly wearing three different helmets to try to make themselves just at least noticeable in the college football game? And they weren't even good helmets.

Neil (1:31:54)
Yeah.

Oh, the candy stripe chrome was fantastic. The candy stripe chrome was good.

Nick (1:32:00)
They weren't even that good helmets, but.

We'll let you get out of here on that one. For the 6'6 Neil, I'm the 4'10 Nick. Don't forget to follow us on Spotify, Apple, YouTube. What else is there? Amazon. Make sure you're hitting that subscribe button. However you listen to podcasts. You can watch this on YouTube or Spotify. But I think that's enough for today. You've been listening to the height differential. We will talk to you next Tuesday after the national championship.