The Pat McAfee Show Live | Friday January 23rd 2026

[laughter]. Who's. we.

for real. >> Oh no. [screaming]. [groaning]. Let's go.

[ __ ]. [screaming]. OH, >> today.

running. [music]. >> You got. >> in Berkeley, CALIFORNIA. [music]. You did it. [cheering].

This one's for three. AJ Hawk. $5,000. [screaming]. HEY, [music]. HEY, HEY.

[music] You make me watch my hands up. My hands up all again now. >> [music]. [music].

>> USA. USA. USA.

Come on in. >> [cheering and music]. >> Time. A.

>> [cheering]. >> Woo!

The following program is a collection of. stooges talking about happenings in the. sports world. It is meant to be comedic. informative. The opinions expressed on. this show do not necessarily reflect the. beliefs of their peers, their boss or. ESPN. There may be some cuss words. because that's how humans into the real. world talk. If you are a young, please. seek permission before watching any. further. >> Hey,

let's go. >> This show sticks and the fact that you. listen, we are very, very thankful for. >> McAfee on the line with a gorgeous. assist. >> The alltime leading [music] tackler for. the Green Bay Packers. You pick. >> stutter. Damn it. >> Your friend, tell a friend something. nice could change their life. Hello beautiful people and [music]. welcome to our humble the boat the.

Thunderdome on this championship weekend. [music] feelgood Friday January 23rd. 2026 this program begins now. >> FOOTBALL. >> he didn't play it safe. >> are you kidding me. >> it is championship weekend even due to a. illness in Ty Schmidt's family he is not. able ble to make it here today and we. appreciate him and Godspeed to his. family as they battle I think the flu. hitting their house or something along. those lines. So we appreciate that. So. today's show on this championship.

weekend eve and I know this show is. going to be spectacular because what. we're doing this weekend is we're. crowning champions. We're hanging. banners in some buildings. We are seeing. who will be representing in the Super. Bowl. Now the New England Patriots way. ahead of schedule in a rebuild with Mike. Vrabel as the head coach. The chosen son. may be coming back to New England to. restore glory to a team that had the. greatest dynasty in the history of. sports, taking on the Denver Broncos. Number one seed in the AFC, Shawn.

Payeyton has a backup quarterback who. used to run rough shot on all of high. school football in the state of Texas. And now his first actions in the AFC. Championship game go back to the second. preseason game against the Arizona. Cardinals. in stutter and Shawn. Payeyton's offense went bananas. 300. some yards in a preseason game. Absolutely going crazy. Maybe he'll be. able to do the same to the New England. Patriots who have a defense that should. be talked about. Maybe as historic, especially with what they were able to. do to CJ Strad. Five turnovers last.

week. Obviously, they were smothering. everybody. And then the Los Angeles Rams. and Shawn McVey and Matthew Stafford. who've had a couple different iterations. of this particular team have always had. success and now they're back where they. think they're supposed to be, which is. the NFC Championship game trying to. fight to get to the Super Bowl against a. Seattle Seahawks squad that is awesome. Now, not that the Rams aren't. >> The Rams are special. They got the MVP. They got maybe two of the top five wide. receivers in the NFL at any given time. They got a couple running backs, great. offensive line, a defense full of hungry.

dogs. But in Seattle, they got a coach. that's a prophet. This guy, his first. team meeting just 21 months ago said, "I. want you guys to envision something.". Okay? It's going to be January. It's. going to be about 30°. There's going to. be a little bit of rain. We're going to. be hosting NFC Championship game. It's. going to be hell for them, just right. for us. As he was trying to set the. precedent of what this era of his. football is going to look like in the. Seattle Seahawks building, he told. everybody what he wanted. I want dogs. I. want toughness. And I wanted. togetherness. That was the first. meeting. And now he's living it out. and.

Sam Darnold. Listen, I didn't Kyle Vanoi. came on the show, you said. We love Kyle. Vanoi, >> the man. >> We think you're probably gonna see a lot. more of Kyle Vanoi in this particular. program going forward, which we. certainly hope for. And if he goes and. plays football again, still the entire. thing he said and did something that I. think. >> I don't I don't think it's fair. >> It's ridiculous. It was unbelievable. >> Only Only people that are rude would do. this. Yes. And my not us. He was reading. what other people were saying about Sam. Darnold and said, "Hey, people were. saying is the same Darnold. Same.

Darnold. The same Darnold that everybody. would be referring to would be a guy. that can't win in the big game." And the. biggest moment is not going to be able. to play his best ball just a year ago. when he's with the Minnesota Vikings. They were competing for the number one. overall seed in the NFC the last week of. the regular season. [ __ ] the bed. Then. next game [ __ ] the bed again. And then. they said it's Sam Darnold's fault. Not. because the team played bad, not just. because he had an off night, but because. Sam Darnold can't play well in the. biggest game. and they're in the NFC. Championship game right now hosting it. number one seed and people are still. saying that about Sam Darnold. Until.

people see Sam Darnold win a. championship, till they see him win a. Super Bowl, there's always going to be. the ghost haunting him from the past. There's always going to be conversations. about can he get it done. I would like. to say this is not the same Donald. And. I believe Kyle Vanoi was hoping for that. as well because what we would like to. see is a guy's story being resurrected. both in Minnesota and here in Seattle as. maybe a trash scrap bust as they would. call it. Becoming a Super Bowl champion. would be a beautiful story especially. because you know other people will be. inspired by it all. So congrats to the.

Seahawks and McDonald. Congrats to the. Rams getting back to where they think. they're supposed to be and they always. have been with McVey and then the. Patriots and the Broncos having a. massive Sunday for us. We're lucky to be. a part of all of it and chat about it. Let's go to the toxic table. Looks a. little different today at Boston Connor. Obviously ready for playoff football. I. appreciate that. And next to him at. Derek Murphy 32, also referred to and. known as Debbone. Thank you for joining. us, Debbone. >> Thank you guys for having me. >> Oh man, move a little closer. >> Oh jeez. >> I'm a big fish out of water up here, but.

I'm happy to be here. Thank you guys for. having me. >> That's it. That I I thought the football. thing at the beginning was going to be. enough. That's it. Bo, I can't even. freaking look at you, man. Scoot closer. to the mic. Move up. Move up. Maybe turn. your headset up a little. >> You sound like a fool. Freaking talk. into this thing, man. >> Okay. >> Is this better? >> No. No. >> It was definitely better. Yes, it was. definitely not the best. Okay. Good. Better. Best. We're trying to get there. with Ben Johnson. You do need to. potentially bring the boom a little bit. Con man, this is obviously on you, but. let's get back to you. Championship.

weekend. You're back in it. All of us. are thinking to ourselves, there's only. three games left. We got two. championship games, the AFC and the NFC. >> Mhm. And then we just go a Super Bowl. We got Tuesday night flag football game. happening in a convention center over. there in San Francisco a week or so. away. >> Can't wait. >> Can't wait for that. Excited to start. the bell of the packed out in there. But. for the rest of us, it's like we only. got three football games left. Let's go. ahead and enjoy it. And the numbers for. these games. Everybody seemingly is. enjoying that. I appreciate that fact. But you're like still have the anxiety. You're still in it. You're back in it. If you know, I guess I could describe it.

more accurately. How does it feel to. have your team still dancing right now? >> It feels amazing. It it is truly one of. those things you were dreaming about. when your team is bad and then to. actually be here is remarkable. There's. no real uh sports like football. You. wait all week for one game. You know, you think about the NBA playoffs and the. NHL playoffs and it's every other night. You know, you kind of bounce back. immediately after that game and it's a. sevename series. This is win or go home. There is nothing like playoff football. There's nothing like being a fan of.

playoff football. And I I'm just so so. grateful that the Patriots are here and. I can't wait for Sunday, especially with. Sty at the helm for Denver. It's a big. challenge. >> And you know, you said wear and go home. Uh Booty kind of said something along. those lines as well. Yeah. >> And then that kind of ran and had a life. of its own in its entirety. You know, a. lot of people looking for any sense of. disrespect. But what Booty was trying to. say was, "Hey, we got two week break. regardless here. Maybe even more. If you. lose this game, you're off." Because. Shawn Peyton came out, I believe, and.

told his fans like, "Hey, we need all. you got here." Again, I like what Shawn. Peyton's doing with the crowd. He's. acknowledging that the crowd could be an. advantage. I think the crowd appreciates. that as opposed to it coming off as. condescending to crowd or questioning. crowd. It feels like Shawn Peyton is. considering crowd part of team. Hey, we. [clears throat] need you in the huddle. Hey, that if we're going to have. homefield advantage, let's go ahead and. get a huddle yell, okay, going forward. Not saying you guys stink. We're just. saying, hey, we can all get better. He. is coaching them up. He did it again. He. said, "Hey, listen. If we're worried. about energy or juice or anything like. that, you don't have anything for two.

weeks until the Super Bowl. Okay. And. then Kanan Booty comes back and says, "Yeah, like actually you can go Cancun. It's no matter what, you're going to. have a break here for a while if you're. just kind of selling out the program.". How do you feel about kind of. potentially trying to find some. disrespect? And also, how do you feel. about Shawn Payeyton getting his crowd. to be a member of the team? I love it, Con. >> Yeah, I love what Shawn Payton's doing. And this has always been his thing. This. isn't like a exclusive to him in Denver. Like him talking trash, kind of being. that guy. I think it's awesome. And he's. not saying anything about the team, by.

the way. He's just saying like, "Hey, everything you got here, then you can. have a nice little twoe break after. going to the Super Bowl." His. expectation is to go to the Super Bowl. That makes sense. Now, the Kahan Booty. thing, you know, people running with. that. First, it started with uh Underdog. Sports who does fake stuff all the time. And they kind of misqued Kahan Booty cuz. he said, "Hey, look, you like you. mentioned, you can go to Cancun and get. arrested there." They they do that. underdog sports on the internet. Kan. Booty then comes out and says like, "Hey, that's not what I was saying this.

morning." Fake news first take. They go. on and they [laughter] basically say. like, "No, this is a real riff back and. forth type thing. Surprising that they. did that because it's completely. irrelevant." And Kanan Booty clarifying. immediately after seeing the firestorm. starting, that makes a little sense. Yeah, I was saying it's obviously win or. go home, so you'll rest regardless. Trying to clarify. >> Isn't it crazy though? Just like one. change of you and they in the quote can. really change the narrative of. everything. That's why context matters, you know, and if you happen to just hear.

things out of context about people, you. can't just automatically judge them or. their stories. We've certainly been got. before. First takeout got here with this. entire thing. But on that note, feels. like these are two teams that probably. respect the hell out of each other if I. had to guess. Because if you look just. back a few years ago, they weren't. supposed to be here. You know, that is. not how both these teams are supposed to. be. Shawn Payeyton, we all assume Hall. of Fame coach certainly Vel going to be. a Hall of Fame coach. Has to win a Super. Bowl obviously. He says he would uh. he says he cut off his uh. >> Yeah, his dong.

>> Mhm. His song. You dong. >> Is that tennis player? >> No, that UFC fighter Sugar Sean. They're. going up against each other on Saturday, >> which one of the greatest names we have. heard. >> Awesome. I wish I would have known that. this name existed before. Song Yaong is. taking on Suga Shawn. I mean, you're. talking about some really clever word. playing there. But yeah, Vable told the. boys on the bus, the busing boys, he. said, uh, I would cut off I would cut. off my baby maker to get another Super. Bowl. You know, he had family already. obviously has has kids that have grown.

up and that's how much he wants another. one. I think when he accomplishes that, whether it's this year or in years uh to. come, I think he's Hall of Fame coach as. well. So, I think they both feel like. they're tough teams. They both are built. with a great defense. Yeah. I mean, an. absolutely great defense. Young. quarterbacks. Now, the $32 million. deficit that the Denver Broncos are. operating with right now, still. incredibly impressive and uh should be. chatted about at least. Uh one half OF. THE HAMMER DONE Cowboys looks incredible. today. That's AP Tone. Joining us now, we'll dive into some of the numbers of.

the game here in a little bit. Joining. us now is a man who can give us the. behind the scenes of what happened with. a couple of the hirings that have taken. place here or potential hirings that. have taken place. Ladies and gentlemen, senior NFL insider for ESPN, Adam. Shifter. >> Y. >> Hey, get ready. It's cold. It's coming. Cold's coming. But the cold is coming. Is it Is it already there? >> It's here. And then we're expecting a. major storm here on the East Coast. Down. south now, moving up to the East Coast. All I can say is if the conference. championship game had been in New.

England this year, oh boy. Oh boy. >> It was close. It was close. I mean there. there was uh some things that had to. happen there last week and it could have. taken place. Con man just uh wrote on. his whiteboard and said 16 in we got. more than a foot coming up to New. England. >> Oh yeah, big time. It is going to be an. absolute shite show and I think it. starts Sunday night into Sunday. >> which by the way if you're coming in to. play the Patriots you would say of. course. Isn't this just such an. interesting little thing that this. always takes place? Now on that note we. hope everybody stays safe with the uh.

weather. Let's talk about mentor getting. hired in Baltimore. Congratulations to. Michigan man. Breaking Michigan man news. there. Menter obviously with Harbaugh. Michigan goes over to the Chargers with. him. Everybody talks about his. greatness, his leadership, how good of a. defense he has. Jesse Mter being hired. What was the conversation that went into. it? But Shotti obviously has confidence. in himself and finding a great leader of. men. What does this mean for Lamar? Just. if you could give us all these things as. we now have a new leader in Baltimore. Yeah, Jesse Mter flew in there Wednesday. and I think it became very apparent to.

the people in Baltimore that that was. somebody that they were going to want to. hire ASAP. He was supposed to fly out, was supposed to go to Cleveland, never. made the trip to Cleveland, stayed. behind in Baltimore as they discussed a. deal the entire time. And I think. Baltimore probably went into this. thinking that Jesse Mter would be one of. the ideal candidates to hire from the. cycle. I think that there were other. people that they were really impressed. with during the cycle. The issue is, can.

you wait on some of these coaches that. are in the conference championship. games? Can you wait on a Nate Sheiel. House or a Davis Web or a Chris Schula? And you know, if they win on Sunday, those guys cannot be hired until Monday, February 9th. And if you're a team like. the Buffalo Bills who didn't interview. them in the window provided by the NFL. rules, you can't even talk to them until. their season's done. So, I think. Baltimore just saw Jesse Mentor, knew.

him from the four years that he spent in. the organization. Obviously, very. comfortable. He was incredibly. impressive during the interview. So much. so that they wanted him not to fly out. And they were able to knock out the deal. during the course of the day. It's a. 5-year deal. Uh he stays in Baltimore. and working with Lamar will be a huge. part of it. Like we know that Josh Allen. is actually sitting in on the Bills head. coaching interviews. Sitting in. Lamar. didn't do that. But I have to believe. that they spoke to Lamar and are like,

"Hey, you good with this? You want to. talk to this guy?" I don't know if they. ever spoke or not, but there's no way. you just hire the guy without Lamar. having any knowledge of it. Bashadi. said, uh, they will certainly have. input, but they will not have power. I. have all the power. I will be the one. doing the hide. I believe was Bashadi's. actual quote. And I assume that he. definitely reached out to Lamar. Feels. like Lamar was potentially a part of the. reason for the new iteration of the. Baltimore Ravens going forward. Good. luck to them. Everybody loves Mter.

Hopefully they're able to find an. offense that continues to roll because. this year the defense was a ass in. shite. So Bashadi saying if we would. have had a good defense this year, we're. probably in a much better spot going. with a defensive mind. Cool. You talk. about the Buffalo Bills missing the. window to talk to some people because uh. they're still playing or whatever. They're still in it. Is that why Phil. Rivers is getting an interview. potentially because he's one of the. people they can certainly talk to at. this exact moment. They just want to. leave no stone unturned. What's the. realistic opportunity here for the. Buffalo Phils to be taking a brand new.

stadium? And if Josh Allen's sitting in. on these, uh which is fascinating. I. appreciate their respect for Josh Allen. and his importance to the program and. his relationship with the head coach. mattering for the success of them going. forward. I know there's detractors to it. and I will certainly listen to them and. I understand they have their take as. well. For me, I think that a quarterback. is a CEO of locker room. I think that. person should have seat in there, but. only if they've earned it. Has Josh. Allen earned it? I I would say yes, but. there's certainly some people that would. say no as well in the entirety. Aaron. Rogers was not asked, I don't think, whenever the floor was hired in Green.

Bay. I think that was a big story. I. think that ended up being something. There's been other story situations in. the past. Uh but anyways, I assume. Payton was asked whenever Jim Codwell. got the job after Tony Dunie here in. Indianapolis. So, interesting dilemma. there. But if you could explain a little. bit more about Josh Allen's role in. there and what how normal this would be. or abnormal this would be. And then also. the Buffalo Phils, Phil Rivers, obviously we love him here in. Indianapolis. And did you see what he. did to Seattle? Everybody's talking. about the Seattle Seahawks defense. >> Oh yeah. Phil Rivers, fresh off the.

bulletin board, fresh off the headset of. coach in high school football, almost. beats the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. And everybody's like, "This guy can't. complete a pass." Nobody can against. Seattle, but Phil Rivers still can. And. that's because Phil Rivers knows this. offense. Would he be offensive. coordinator and head coach? Just all. that involved there, Shifty. Sorry I. went on a rant, but it needed to be. said. >> Yeah. Yeah. Uh, let's start with Philip. Rivers. and you know he's been busy. getting ready for this interview with. the Bills and and my understanding is he.

was ready to go when he was being called. into that interview this morning in. Florida. Um he's there that's where the. Bills are doing the interviews. Philip. Rivers doesn't do anything without being. thoroughly prepared. And I'm going to be. really surprised because he's in there. right now as we speak. I'm going to be. really surprised if Philip Rivers. doesn't wow them in the interview. Now, are they going to hire him? [snorts] I. have no idea how Brian Dalow and Brady.

and Davis Web, some of these other. candidates are going to do, >> but I can tell you that Philip Rivers. has a chance to become the third person. in history to become a head coach. without any prior head coaching. experience at all. Jeff Sad did it for. your Colts. >> Norm Van Brockland did it back in uh. 1961. called him Brock. Yeah. MVP. >> They call him Coach Brock. Rocky. >> Yeah. He He'd be the third. Uh again, here's the thing. Philip Rivers, that's. just who he is. Like, he elevates.

people. He raises up people. He's never. been the head coach of a NFL team. He's. been the head coach of a high school. team. But this is his chance to present. his ideas and his perspective to see. whether or not he's ready for a job like. that. Like, we've seen other people in. similar situations. If you remember a. few years ago, people were interviewing. Josh Macau right away. I think the. Texans didn't. There were some people. who thought Josh Macau was going to get. the Texans job that I think that year. went to Lovey Smith. So, Philip Rivers,

if he wants, can be a head coach one. day. Is it this day? We'll find out. That's up to the Bills and him and that. presentation. And Josh Allen will be. sitting in and and that tweet that you. held up. I know Ryan Fitzpatrick said he. strongly disagrees. I think certain. players, this is me, are in different. categories. They're in different. categories. Josh Allen is an MVP. If you. win an MVP and you're the best player in. the league or amongst the two or three. best players in the league and you're. going to be in that city for the next. five, six, seven, eight years to me, why.

would you not include him in the. conversation to hire a head coach? You're going to get his input anyway. What does it matter if he's sitting in? It's just a different perspective, different ideas. I don't have any issue. I know players don't ordinarily sit in. on interviews and maybe you could say. it's a bad precedent, but I always say. when there's a player holding out that, you know, is an eighttime allp pro. player and they and the team does. something for him that they haven't done. for anybody like include a no trade. clause. Well, you say you say to the.

other people, when you go to eight. straight allpro teams, uh when you win. the NFL, we'll do the same for you. And. I just think he's a different in a. different category and and and it's. being reflected in the way that they're. conducting interviews with him being a. part of it. >> Well, and also if he wants to be a part. of it, you know, like we go back to uh. Baltimore who just made their hire like. did did Lamar want to be a part of it? Was Lamar a part of it? How much a part. of it was he? You know, all those things. cuz Bashardi said they definitely have. input, they don't have power, I believe.

was his exact quote. So is he also, you. know what I mean? So like I assume Josh. Allen's the same thing. like he. certainly has his input, but he's not. the one that's going to be making the. decision ultimately. Pagula sounds like. he's potentially going to be Hey, a lot. of talking out of Terry. Lot of talking. out of Terry, I like this. When these. owners, you need to start because I know. you text with the owners. You need to. tell them we need more microphones in. front of them. We need we need podcast. from these owners. We need them talking. more. You know what I mean? Chef Dy, tell them that not just through. anonymous sources of like.

>> shfter tweets. No, no, >> anonymously. The building is very pissed. off at the coach. It's like, well, who's. Shifty? Who did you get that from? [laughter]. >> A building sent you a How's that even. exact? We know you got connections. everywhere. We know you got a busy day. We appreciate you joining us talking. about the big news. Okay, coaching cycle. real quick. What do we uh who's next to. get hired cuz I mentioned Stfansky going. to Atlanta is wild. Like I I mentioned. that as wild. I I I did not think that. he would just get hired as quickly as he. got for another head coaching role. because of how it all went in Cleveland.

And a lot of people in in Atlanta are. telling me that I need to, you know, treat this Phil Rivers interview as the. same. Like, hey, this is you're. attacking us. What about them? I think. there's not a lot of huge names in this. particular coaching. Like, who do you. think goes next? What do you think goes. next? And is it just a waiting game for. Shield House, Schula, and maybe Kubak or. and the guys that are still coaching. right now in the championship weekend? >> Well, I think that enters into it right. now. Again, if you're Buffalo, you can't. talk to the people that are a part of it.

right now. Um, and you're not allowed to. talk to these coaches until they're out. Cleveland, to me, it seems like the. Browns are looking at one of these young. offensive minds, whether that's the. Jaguars offensive coordinator, Grant. Yudinsky, or the Rams passing. coordinator Nate Sheiel House or Jim. Schwarz. And I think that that's. something that that they're going to be. looking at strongly because if you want. to keep that defense, the continuity of. it, you can't hire another defensive.

coach. You got to keep Jim Schwarz and. he's got to be the head coach. And these. young offensive minded head coaches, it's up to the Browns to determine when. and if they're ready. So to me, that's. the Browns choice. These one of these. young offensive minds or Jim Schwarz. The Cardinals, uh, they had in Anthony. Campanil, the Jaguars defensive. coordinator yesterday. I still think. they're looking at Raheem Morris, Mike. Laflur, the Rams offensive coordinator. who's involved this weekend. Pittsburgh. like Chris Schula, Anthony Weaver, Mike. McCarthy de definitely very much in.

play. We'll see what the Steelers do. The Bills are just getting started. Philip Rivers is with them right now as. we're on the line going through his. interview in Florida. And then there's. one other team that's out there. We're. forgetting. >> uh. Cardinal Raiders. >> Raiders. the Raiders. I I think in a. perfect world, you'd also like a young, bright offensive mind to shepherd along. Fernando Mendoza and to grow with him as.

your quarterback. Like Davis Webb would. fit in Vegas, but Davis Webb might be. the play in Buffalo. I think Buffalo to. me, like I said, you start with the. three guys that have Buffalo connections. in one bucket. Joe Brady who had a great. interview yesterday, Brian Dable who. also is in contention, and Davis Webb. Those are the three guys to me that are. that are in one bucket. In another. bucket, you got the Outsiders, although. Anthony Lind's got great Buffalo.

connections, too. He was the runner up. to Shawn McDermott in 2017. And basically, there were some people that wanted him. and other people that wanted Shawn. McDermott. And the people who wanted. Shawn McDermott won out. Lynn was the. runner up. He took the Chargers head. coaching job in the midst of a. relocation. He led them to a 33 and 31. record. So maybe we'll put him in that. Buffalo bucket too. And then the other. bucket will put Mike McDaniel and. Anthony Weaver and Grant Yadinsky and. Philip Rivers uh some of the outsiders. But the Bills also want to see how this.

weekend's games go because Chris Ula, Nate Shiel, um Davis Webb, they'll also could be in. play depending on whether those teams. win or lose. A loss for one of those. coaches is a win for their HEAD COACHING. CHAMP. >> OH, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, NO, NO. WE DON'T. SAY THAT, JEFFY. That was for the good. of ball. We can't start that. But seems. like that is the accurate uh depiction. of the situation. You're the best. Have. a great day. Enjoy championship weekend, Shy. We appreciate you. >> Appreciate having me. Thank you.

>> Where are we heading? Anywhere cool. right now? We going anywhere cool? We're. doing some errands. What do we got going. on? >> We're running around. We got, you know, we're trying to take care of some things. before the storm hits here. >> Smart. Okay. >> Buy bread. >> Yeah. Good move. >> Toilet paper. >> Yeah, there you go. Water. >> Water. I think so. >> Dog food. And dog food. >> Dog food. Certainly good. Eggs. Good. >> Maybe some of those uh egg or waffles. >> Yeah. Yeah. Some of those pizzas are. good. Yeah. >> Protein pockets. >> Okay. Enjoy it all. Good luck out there, ladies and gentlemen. Ask Adam.

[applause]. >> Yay. Chef D. >> Chef D. >> What' you hear about the Pittsburgh. Steelers right there? >> So, every he confirmed kind of. everything that I've heard so far. Uh. they are allowed to talk to Schula and. Shelhas because they talked to them. before this round of playoffs. They. they're smart. They got ahead of it. unlike some other teams. Uh and then uh. Anthony Weaver, the DC for the Miami. Dolphins. He is picking up some steam as. well. And then you got the homegrown. native himself, Big Mike McCarthy. >> Okay, on that note, he would be taking.

over the Pittsburgh Steelers as the. fourth coach. >> since 1969 or something. Chuck Null. forever. Mike Tomlin most recently forever. >> Yeah. >> In between there, Yanzer dog. Not only. an incredible leadership ability in. fight about every single word coming out. of his mouth, one of the greatest chins. in the history of mankind. Ladies and. gentlemen, homegrown Super Bowl champion. for the Steelers, Hall of Famer, Yinszer.

legend Bill C. >> Hey guys, Pat, how we doing? Hey, life. is good, coach. Let's talk about Mike. McCarthy potentially getting the gig. You Yinszer legend becomes Steelers head. coach. There's a lot of pressure, I. think, just on that job as a whole, let. alone being a Yinszer. What was it like? And uh how do you view the head coaching. role of the Pittsburgh Steelers now that. it's opened up for the first time in. what 19 years or something like that? >> Yeah, it's interesting. I I actually. talked to Mike yesterday. He got done.

and he just talked about how surreal it. was for him. He grew up in Greenfield. and he went but then into the facility. for the first time which I share with. pit and just being in that building. itself it's again you know I remember. when I went in there for the first time. it there was a mystique about that. building and you get inside there and. then you operate underneath that whole. scenario that you operate under. It's a. it's a special place. It's a unique. place. I think that's the biggest thing. I would say. There's total transparency, total collaboration. Um, and I think.

it's a it's a great place to kind of. grow your your your your resume, whatever it may be, whether it's from. the beginning or if Mike happens to go. back there. I think it'd almost be like. a full circle coming back home. >> A lot of young coaches. Obviously, you. hired young, Tomlin hired young. I don't. know when Chuck got hired. I assume he. was young as well. >> He was he was 36, I was 34, Mike was 34. >> Okay. So, been the trend young. And you. hear a lot of Yinszers right now just. expecting the same thing. Hey, a lot of. Yinszer's voicing we want young, we want. young. Could it be maybe go different.

here and bring in the older veteran like. coach McCarthy and what do you think he. potentially brings to a team or maybe. young guy doesn't know yet or young guy. growing with team a part of the entire. process to make it great like you had to. do? >> Yeah, I think it just those are two ways. you talk about going about this Pat. I. think you know again you put those in. separate categories. You saw the first. two guys that go, obviously John. Harbaugh and and then Kevin Stfansky and. you know Hafne had been a coach at BC.

and Robert Sol was a head coach before. and I think as you talk to the people. going through this process um that you. can see a big difference between guys. who have coached before they're much. more prepared for some of the questions. but then young guys and I and the only. thing I'll say about the young guys is. it's nice to mold a guy underneath what. your system is all about what those core. values are all about. I know when I came. to Pittsburgh you know Mr. Rooney was. very good about allowing me to be a part. of everything, but then you had to earn. the right to have input. I think that's. the biggest thing I came in there. Um, I.

wanted to make sure I had my hands on. everything, whether it's free agency, whether it was a salary cap, obviously. the draft you're going to be involved. with. But the biggest thing for me was. making sure I got myself a staff. And I. think that's the biggest thing right now. for some of these teams is there are. some good assistant coaches out there, but they're going to keep taking be. taken up as as you wait, the longer you. wait. So, I think there's a lot to be. said for that from the standpoint if you. make your coach now, he's got a little. bit of a more pool of coaches that he. can put uh around him. And I think. that's a big part of your success is. your assistant coaches. >> Yeah. And if you're a defensive coach.

who gets a head coaching job now and you. got a young quarterback or MVP. quarterback like Mter just got hired at. Baltimore, it's like who's the offensive. coordinator now that's going to have to. come with you? Obviously, you rely on. your network, but coordinator is very. important. Offensive coordinator very. important, especially if you're a. defensive head coach. And you got to. have guys in line too because if you. have success that guy's going to get a. head coaching job. That's a fascinating. little wrinkle to this all coach. >> You know, it really is. A matter of. fact, when I lost Chan Gayy back in 1997. after his second year as an OC and the.

Dallas Cowboys, they they signed him. really right right around the time we. were we were in Indie, you know, at the. combine and like so I had really had a. very late search to go through. We had. Cordell Stewart coming off his best. year, his first year as a starter in 97. We hired Ray Sherman. That did not work. out. And so I went out and got Kevin. Gilbride to bring some credibility back. And after two years, I didn't that did. not work as way I I thought it should. And I went back on my staff with. Malarkey then and then having Wizhun. So. I think a big part of I learned the.

advice I give to people is have a backup. plan. I remember saying this to Dan. Campbell a couple years ago. You're. going to lose some of these guys. Just. make sure that you want to be able to. keep it in house. don't have to change. the system. I'd rather have the coach. learn it new as opposed to the players. And so I think that's the system we had. was the same system had when I hired him. back in 1992. We had that to the very. end. Yes, you come in, you put your. little plan on, you can, you know, do. some variations to what that is. But the. terminology was the same for both sides.

of the ball. That way when players came. and and coaches might have lost coaches, we didn't lose a beat. you're able to. again you put your fingerprints and your. mold on what you want to do within the. terminology that you have so that not. everyone has to relearn it again. So um. I think that's one of the things you. have to be able to do and again I go. back to the same thing the first staffs. you have like I made a lot of changes my. first couple years because you have to. till you work with someone you really. don't know who they are and do they. think like you think and you really. don't know that till you're with people. 70 hours a week. >> and you said that you would actually.

move on from a member just to shake some. things up. Hey, every once in a while. you got to keep everybody fresh. Didn't. you say that? I think you've told us. that before. >> I I I have told you that before. There. was probably no metric that would. quantify me making a change except for. the fact that I just had a feel and a. pulse for the fact that we needed to. have a different voice in the room. And. so, you know, and that to me was like. trying to hold people accountable, you. know, and I you do it with the players. I did it with the coaches as well. I was. pretty hard on on the coaches and I. coached the coaches. And so I let the. coaches coach the players and I because.

I think that it was very important that. they have that relationship and ability. to have that one-on-one. I interceded. when I needed to and stepped in at times. when I had to. Um I was a lot of times. the bad cop and they could be the good. cop. I was fine with that. Um but you. know I think it's also important that. they have that opportunity you know to. have you know some flexibility with what. we're doing. We we had collaboration but. you know I wanted people to also be. think outside the box. So I wanted them. to put some input. I want everyone to. kind of think they were a coordinator or. get up there and talk in front of the. team. And so a lot of times I did have.

other coaches and even players get up. and talk to the team because I think. it's my voice. It's the same messaging. after you get to a period of time, the. same core values, but sometimes there's. different ways of saying it. >> You were the Pittsburgh dad of the. Pittsburgh Steelers. That's what it. sounds pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. That's. what it sounded like. Yeah. I'll be the. bad cop podcast. Yeah, sure. I hate it. Get it out of here. Also, you're fired. Why? I just We don't like you being. [laughter] around. >> We need to we need to move along. No, there was there were there were reasons. for that. >> Of course, of course, of course. Yeah, of course. Of course. There's uh Yeah, there's certainly an argument against. it, but how you feel and how the team.

feels, I think, is a big part of being. like this CEO type head coach, which you. certainly were. Leader of men, great at. rallying the crew. Now, if the refs are. wrong, they were getting held. accountable as well, which was also an. incredible part of it, but you were CEO. like operation. Tone has a question for. you about that. Yeah, coach, there's uh. a lot of talk about the CEO type head. coach versus an offensive coordinator. coming in, defensive coordinator coming. in. Obviously, you were a DC coming in. uh before you were at the Steelers, but. we talked to Kyle Vanoi yesterday and he.

said he doesn't care or or players. shouldn't care if it's a offense. coordinator come in or defense. coordinator in, but all the guys in the. league this day are looking for an X's. and O's type guy because a lot of the. players in the league today want to know. why they are doing something and explain. why. What's the purpose of what we're. we're doing in this situation? Do you. agree with that sentiment that it has. changed where in the old in the older. days maybe players were just like, "Sure, you got to coach whatever you say. versus today." Um, guys just want they.

want to know the why. And do you think. it's important uh for coaches today to. to explain that why and be X's and O's. guys? >> Tony, I think that's the most important. thing you can do. I listen, I played for. five years in the National Football. League. I went from playing right to. being an assistant coach. I coached. special teams. I coached the secondary. I was coaching the secondary in. Cleveland with Hanford Dixon and Frank. Minfield. guys I'd played with three. years before that as a as a special. teams linebacker. And you're saying, "You're gonna tell me about bump and. run? You're gonna tell [laughter] me. about off off coverage? What do you know.

about secondary work?" Well, I said, "I. just spent a whole summer with Larry. Weaver, who was a great secondary. coach." I says, "And if you asked the. question, if I don't have the answer, I'll get the answer for you. But I think. we should try this thing. Just trust me. along the way, but I'll work with you as. well." And I think that's the thing that. you said. I'm Hey, Rod Woods used to. catch punts over his head. And I'm. thinking that Rod that's like that's not. the way you catch a punt. That's the. way. But he said that's coach that's the. way I catch a punt. I go okay well. you're Rod Witson. And I said the next. guy I go you guys are not Rod Whit right.

here. You look it in you put it right. there. So I think it's important you let. players be them. Same thing when Troy. Palamo come in. The more that you could. trust his instincts that the more than. you allowed him to do certain things and. gave freedom. I did not want to harness. greatness. I don't want to sit there and. tell you, okay, you have to coach this. way. You have to turn this ball in or I. can turn it in. But, you know, if I go. underneath this block, I maybe can make. a play. So, I want you to be aggressive. I want you to take chances. I want you. have the freedom to be a disruptive guy. on the field. If you're wrong more than.

you're right, you're probably going to. be standing mid next to me. And, you. know, but but when you're right a lot of. the times, a guy like Troy Palmlo, he. did he went against the grain of things. we did. He he would void a coverage at. times, but he was right 90% of the time. So, I remember when Ryan Clark came in, I said, "Your job, your first job you. have as free safety with Troy is you. have to cover up for Troy. He's going to. do some things at times that may not be. what he's supposed to be doing, but I. said, "He's right nine out of 10 times. Every now and then, he's wrong." And I. said, "When he's wrong, you need to make. sure you cover up for him." So, that's.

your first responsibility. So, you want. to give certain players just the freedom. to be able to do whatever they want to. do and have that confidence out there. that they they can take over a game that. they take ownership on the field. And if. they do that and you let them have. input, they take ownership in the locker. room. And those are kind of the dogs. that you you're you're going to and my. message went to those guys. I knew who. those guys were. So if I want to send a. message, hey, hey, just put the word. out. We win uh Sunday, you're going to. get a couple days off. Oh, okay. Particularly early in the season, you. got it. I said, so but if we lose, we're.

watching that tape. So I just want you. to know that. So, it was working with. the players and being able to having. been a player as you ask them to make. the sacrifice, the commitment to things. You you got to scratch each other's back. and sometimes you got to give them a. little bit of leeway as well. Have input. and take ownership over what we're doing. on the field. >> Yeah. But they got to earn that just. like you know the run said to you that. that you're not just going to everybody. and treating them the same way. Bruce. Arens, he he was the most blunt about. it. Bruce Arens was the most blunt about. it that I've ever heard in team. meetings. He would walk in and go, "Hey,

this is a five stars game, okay? Our. five stars got to beat their five stars. And if you don't know if you're a. fivestar, you're not." Okay? So, all you. other guys need to just show up, okay? We need you guys just to show up. This. is our five stars need to beat their. five stars. Got it. >> Team break. Let's go. Move. That was. literally Bruce Arians. >> And and to me, there's always going to. be three matchups during the course of. the game that could determine the. outcome of the game. And let's talk. about those matchups. It may be our left. tackle against their right defensive.

end. And you know what? We have a backup. plan. If you're struggling, we have a. backup plan for you. But if you can win, I got one more guy I can put out into. into the route. So, you know, that's. going to be a big part of a pivot part. of that. We have to be able to stop this. running game on the inside. And once we. stop it, it's make them one-dimensional. I always first thing I wanted to do on. defense is make a team onedimensional. I. was going to take away what I perceived. to be your strength. And I was going to. make you beat me with I what I perceived. to be your second strength. So, I want. to make you beat me left-handed, not.

right-handed. And you know what? The. biggest thing I want to do also on. offense is be able to impose myself and. have a backup plan for any matchup that. I don't feel comfortable with. Receiver. out there, I'm going to put you out. there periodically one-on-one or I take. my best corner. I'm going to put him on. number two and I'm going to just take. him out of the game and I'm going to. double number one. So, it's a it's the. different approaches you can take. Best. on best. How about best on second and we. can put two on one so on your first guy. So, it's it's it's those types of things. that you have to be able to do in the.

course of a game. You adapt, you adjust, and I love that strategical part of. football. I love doing it. I loved it. Love it. >> Coach, do you love ball? Huh? Do you. think you love ball? [laughter]. >> I love it. I still to this day, Pat, I. said, you know, I've talked to some. coaches and I I still have some blitzes. to this day that I've given to some. people that, you know, I I love to get. four guys on one side. If I can scheme a. guy open with a fiveman rush, man, I. beat you. And you know what? I remember. playing Lindy Lindy and Fonte um one.

time and Lindy and Fonte who was with. the Colts for a while. He was a head. coach. I was with Lindy and Cleveland. and Lindy wanted to get everybody out. and I remember one time we were playing. him and he was up in Green Bay and he. brought the tight end back into the back. field at the back. There was two backs. there. So I said, "Man, that's like him. just waving the white flag." He hated to. have to have all that protection in. there because he couldn't he couldn't. block the blitz. And we had some guys in. Kansas City that we could do some things. on the grass in the dirt in Green Bay. And I Lloyd Bur and Don Cherry, they'll. be up there mugging the A gap. And Don.

says, "I'm telling you, coach, if I go, there's no one. They're not they're not. ignoring me." I said, "Well, then you. go." I said, "But Don, you better get. your butt back in the middle of the. field as fast as you can, but if you. guys are doing it, then do it." I said, "You have nothing. You're out there. I'm. not out there, but let's talk about it.". That's and something up. first, though. Yeah. Let. >> Yeah. Just let me let me know you're. doing it. >> Yeah, I like that thought. And I also. appreciate the fact of you now at this. stage of life on a dry race board. somewhere probably spitting all over it. if I had to guess. [laughter]. So you got an idea taking a picture.

sending yourself video recording. yourself sending it to a defensive. coordinator. I think this is I think now. I don't want to dive completely into X's. nose and modern ball. We got 13. personnel showing up now. We got six. offensive linemen have it for people. I. think everybody's trying to protect. their [ __ ] right now. Now you talk about. being former player and your ability to. be able to connect and also coach. there's something happening up in New. England that was very special. Go ahead. Khan man. >> Yeah coach all the fans are ready as you. can see I got my helmet on uh for Sunday. and as you you know mentioned all those.

blitzes I'm going to be rip [ __ ] if you. didn't give one to Mike Vrabel while. you're up there in New England. But when. you're talking about culture you know. and Vrabel has established it very. quickly in one year. Mike McDonald, another guy in two years, you know, he's. gotten they've gotten their teams to the. conference championship game. What is. kind of the steps you have to take right. away when you are establishing that. culture? And also, what is the. importance of kind of bringing in. veteran guys that understand you, your. culture, what you're trying to do, and.

are those the ones that you mentioned. that are kind of leaking things to the. le rest of the locker room like, "Hey, we might take a couple days off if we. win." Yeah, I mean I think they are and. Mike and Mike understands that very well. just having coached him his first four. years and you know we drafted him at. Ohio State and um and then really it's. funny we we talked about this I did a. sit down with him and we we shared the. conversation we had after four years he. came in it was at the end of his. four-year contract I knew he was going. to be a free agent and I just said. listen Mike I can pay you the same but I.

just can't give you the same opportunity. if you go somewhere else if you want to. start because I got Joey Porter and I. got I got Jason Gilden I got two outside. linebackers and you'll be able in the. rotation system. That's just the way. we're going to do it. So, if you have a. chance to go start somewhere else, um. then if you feel it's important, then do. it. I and I get it. Totally understand. that. So, we had that conversation. Um. and he appreciated that. I think the. fact is that like the transparency that. you have and I think up there that Mike. as you go to that practice and I saw.

those guys uh con they they're they're. loose. It's a very fast pace that he. has. He he he interjects special teams. in there. You have some times I sitting. over talking to Booty and Diggs and you. know they they said you give me some. give me some some some dirt on Mike. Bravo. I said listen he was he was not a. pain in the butt to coach. I said matter. of fact I knew he was going to be a. coach because he would ask questions. that nobody else would even think of. And so and I said that's when I knew. that this guy was pretty special in what. he did and I said but he was also a guy. whatever you asked him to do he would do.

it. And I think we look at this the. other guy is Josh McDaniel. Just talking. to Josh yesterday too, that drive he had. at the end of the game last week against. Houston, which was about six minutes. He. took off the ball. They ran it and they. just just one time. Six offensive. linemen, the fullbacks in the game. Chisum comes in as the as the blocking. receiver. He's like a little pitbull. He's just getting in people's way. And I. I just loved it. And I think it was like. one of those staple drives that they. were all about. And I said, and it. reminded me of our teams. I said,

"You're snapping the ball with one. second left. you're using the clock and. all you're doing is just taking away the. Houston will and because all of a sudden. the time is just going down. I said when. you break someone's will is when you. know you're going to run it and they. know you're going to run it and you. continue to do it snap after snap that's. breaking the will of the opponent. >> Four or five yards a pop too. Just right. on schedule. No problem. No stress. Maybe one for seven or eight. Maybe one. for 10. Maybe one for two. Okay. Then. we're going to get up. Bang. >> New running back coming in.

>> Oh, fresh. Yeah, >> fresh guy coming in here fourth quarter. and then Oh yeah, our defense it's going. to be quick. So the defense, your. defense going to be on the field again. like that that turnovers are about to. come. You're about to be on the field. again. So this is just coming right down. your. math. [screaming]. >> Yeah, >> you get it. >> I'll tell you, but you look at the free. agents that they spent and they spent. their money. Every one of them has been. made a significant impact on that team. I mean, Chisum is playing as good as. he's played. Ellis is playing. You also. talked about Landry, the leadership that.

he brought in. Carlton Davis on the. other side there of Gonzalez. So, they. have gotten some on the other side of. the ball. You know, you you get the. whole offensive line. You get Bradberry. in there and then Diggs and what he's. done for that wide receiver room. >> It it's a great group of people that. have came come together that were like. Mike Rael guys and they came up there. and it's a culture and it was it was. ironic. I said, you know, when Rabrael. left in 2000, um he did leave, he went. to New England. He went to New England. to play linebacker and beat us in the.

championship game in 2001. So, you know, I'm just and I asked him, I just. wondering, is this team got a little bit. of that sense? You went on there for the. first time and you brought a new a lot. of people came up there. It was Bill's. second year. It was Tom's first year of. being a starter. And so, it there's. there's a lot of similarities. You kind. of feel what's going on in that building. right now. It's like a turnover. It's a. little bit different vibe that's in. there. You had a five-year period of. time. You did not go to the playoffs or. win a playoff game, but now you're kind. you can feel it coming back. And there's. a little bit of that sense right there.

And that guy right there, Drake May, and. that catch by Booty. How good was that? And but Drake May has really been a big. big part of this right now. He's he's a. great leader, humble and tough. And I. think that represents a Mike Babel team. >> Yeah, I'm excited to watch this Patriots. team, I guess, for the next 20 years. Yeah, I guess that's what this is now. Uh, speaking. Go ahead. >> No, I just I Hey, listen. It's not Hey, I Shawn Peyton is going to have a plan. in place. So, you can talk about where.

you want to lose the quarterback, but. he's going to be fine with STDM. And. actually, Josh McDaniel knows Stidum. very very well, obviously, from his time. in with the Raiders and and initially. even with the Patriots when he's there. last time. So, um, still I don't think. he's going to give you the the the. outside the running that Bo Nicks did, but he'll be able to stay in that pocket. and I could see him coming with a game. plan. It's kind of like one of those. things for Sean is, you know, we are the. biggest home underdog in a championship. game in the history of football. So, you. know what? Go out there. You have.

nothing to lose. No one's giving you a. chance. So, it's one of those us against. the world kind of things. playing at. home and playing in Denver is going to. be a big challenge for New England. because I tell you Denver Broncos play. very well at home. The altitude is a. real thing. Uh particularly in the. fourth quarter of those games. So, we'll. see what happens as the game goes on, but um you know, I think I I would be. surprised if this is not a good a close. game. >> The altitude's real. The crowd is. awesome. They got a great fan base over. there. They're obviously ready. And uh. to your point about already having. built-in excuses to not have success in.

this game, that can be a little bit of a. relief. And on that note, the pressure. is all on the Patriots. >> Oh yeah, >> that is crazy to think about that. The. Patriots have first year head coach, second year quarterback, nowhere near. supposed to be this amount of success. for this quick of a turnaround. And then. going into the championship game, it's. like, all right, you lose now, you guys. stink. Basically, it's like that is a. crazy little narrative that could. potentially happen here way ahead of. schedule for this Patriots team. >> And it's the complete flip of what it. Sorry, coach, but it's the complete flip.

of what it's been all year. All year. it's easy schedule, easy schedule, easy. schedule. Now it's conference. championship in the AFC. If you don't. win, then it is a huge letdown. Whereas. the the whole entire thing after. everyone or most people took Houston to. win in New England, now it's completely. flipped to, hey, if they don't win, I. mean, we're talking about easiest. schedule and they don't beat Jared Stam. Whereas if they win, it'll go back to. this is the easiest path in the history. in the history of the playoffs. Yeah. >> [laughter]. >> the the narrative is comedy for whatever.

it will be on Monday. >> It's loud, coach. It's loud up there. >> And listen, I it it's loud on the. outside, but I'm telling you, I watched. this team work through practice and. there's just a kind of quiet confidence. going about business that they're doing. it. And I tell you, Mike is all over it. He's got his hands in everything that. they're doing, making sure that. everyone's okay, you know, and so I was. over there talking. He goes, you know, boot dig, you guys okay, Steph? He goes, "Yeah, we're we're good. We're good, coach." So like and so he's he's got his.

hands on it. I mean took some time to. come over in the middle of practice. Show me his you show me what his. structure of his practice was. I was. just curious like what how many players. you guys playing today and they took the. pads off. They don't have the pads on. Wednesday. They put the pads on. Thursday. So which is I which I thought. was a little unusual but he said no some. of these guys they they need till. Thursday till they're full and they they. they performed well all year with that. So he's got a system in place that are. in a routine. You know, I just remember. when we went on those runs, the biggest. thing you can do is stay in routine.

Just stay in routine because I think. that makes every game just seem the. same. It's like there's no one game. isn't bigger than anything else. You. don't do don't deviate from because. you're playing a championship game or. even playing in a Super Bowl, whatever. it is, you try to keep that week the. same. The Wednesday, the Thursday, the. Friday, they're gonna they're going to. fly out Saturday. Don't worry about the. altitude. We we'd have to go out there. two weeks ahead for the altitude, but we. couldn't because we had to play a game. last week. So, you know, he's he's just. don't make a big deal about it. So, he's. just, you know, I think when he's played. and he stands in front of that room, um.

there's there's he's got he's got a. presence about him. I think he's got a. calmness and a confidence that this. football team is following. >> Okay. Coach, and I don't want to do this. because of all the incredible. compliments you just gave, so I don't. want to turn it to a completely uh. combative segment, but you in your. prime. Okay. >> Yeah. Hell yeah. Ves, I think he's still in Yeah. in in his. prime. >> MCDC, Dan Campbell up there in Detroit. >> Yeah. >> Okay.

>> If there is there any other coaches I'm. missing Ryan, I think De Mo Ryan. probably put Put them in. >> Yes, you can put Put them in there. Put. Put Who Go ahead. Where you going with. this? Put them all Put them all in the. ring. >> Who's going to come out standing. >> kind of? Yeah. And who else deserves to. be in the ring? You think in Yeah. Okay. I like your face. Yeah. Yeah. I thought. so. That I want to let you know I went. the bat for you earlier today pretty. hard. >> Coach, we know the neck roll at NC State. happened. Okay. We know. >> Yeah. A couple people are unravelable. Won't say who. >> Yeah. [laughter].

>> Hey, well, listen to Oh, no way. Braves. is good. Very one-dimensional. I mean, I. think when you look at him, so but I. love the guy to death. He is what he is. Listen, I was a defensive lineman. I. made him a linebacker. So, you know, I. mean, I taught I got him to stand in a. two-point stance. >> Yeah. Yeah. You ever stop? >> But you know what? He just Yeah, he did. He did. And he was smart. He was tough. He was all those things, but you know, I. you got to take a stay a step ahead, you. know. Hey, matter of fact, do you know.

that I was I was just talking to Mark. Cuban the other day and we're talking. about Kurt Signetti and what a great run. that is. And his background, I guess you. know, Frank went to West Virginia, Pat, where you went to. Do you know that I. was down at West Virginia football camp. when Jim Carlin was there? I was 12. years old his last year and my I went. the next year. It was Bobby Bowen. So it. was it was a Jim Carlin Mountain State. Achievement Camp. My parents took me. down there. I was 12 years old and. dropped me off. They said, "We'll be.

back in a week." And I thought I did. something wrong at home. I said, "You. guys are coming back, right?" And so to. get me and so that was like one of my, you know, West Virginia. So I had those. West Virginia roots and Signetti kind of. just reminds me of that. So what a great. run that was. I know deviating from the. NFL, but no, >> I just thought that I think that was. fantastic. You guys did a great job with. game day. Just, you know, the field pass. stuff that you guys did that was really. a tremendous run by him and them and I. just I love everything he stands for and.

obviously with Mark Cuban was a big part. of that success as well. But, you know, he's another Pittsburgh guy that. >> Yeah. Were you McGee? Were you McGee. Women's Hospital? >> No. No, I was. No, I I was not at McGee. No. >> Okay. So cuz Mark Cuban was born in. McGee. Signetti was born in McGee. I was. born in McGee. We thought maybe you were. born in McGee. >> Yes. I thought there was a chance that. there was about to be like Wow. >> Cuz uh McGee Women's Hospital reached. out to us soon. We're like um we were so. thankful that you guys were shutting us. out. But also maybe we should look into. who all was.

>> born at Den Digs, born Nick Moro. >> Were you McGee? >> YEAH. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Like. >> you know what? Maybe I was I got I got I. don't even remember. I got to go back to. my birth. Probably a hardware store if I. had to guess. >> A hardware store. Yeah, potentially. >> Winter storm. >> Yeah, I know. >> Yeah, that's why you win that fight, by. the way. That's why you win that fight. >> Hey, listen. I was a boiler maker. through high school. I was actually. actually my first years in college. So, I went back. I got Freddy Gier from the. local got me into there and I was.

getting full rate. I was telling Cuban, I says, you know, you were working. making a buck 30. I was making like 12. and a half 1230 an hour. Yeah. >> So, I work for like I work 71 12s for. one month. I'd get my money and I'd go. back down to college, man. I was I was. picking up the check going out to the. bars, you know, but I mean after one. shot. >> Yeah, good union. Yeah, good union. Obviously, that's good working out. there. Pittsburgh. Hell yeah. That's. just classic story right there. Uh. you're the man. Built AQ Shipley McGee. Women's Hospital as well. >> He just got just. >> Wow. AQ. >> Yeah, Joeardo probably [laughter].

in there. Coach, we need to find out. where you came into the world at, brother, because I think this. >> I I I I'm gonna let I'm gonna find out, too, because I It might have been McGee. Yeah, it might have been. I mean, listen, I I grew up in Beach View. I was. in Beach View, you know, right down. I. mean, it was. >> So, that would definitely be McG would. assume. I I don't know all the hospital. >> Yeah, I think I think you must be It. must be McGee. It has to be. >> I believe we had this conversation with. Big Mike McCarthy. Him as well. >> McGee. >> at McGee. Yes, >> you're definitely there, Bill. >> You're definitely there, coach.

>> I know. I know. >> What a place. What a what a magical. hospital. So many. >> That is incredible. Yeah, that that's. like a documentary worthy hospital. >> And I think that's what the McGee people. were saying like we didn't even think of. this, but it feels like we should maybe. look into first breath in this. particular. >> like Aaron Donald. >> I would assume I would assume Rivas. >> I would assume. >> Dell Rivas Curtis Martin. >> Yeah. My favorite. >> Dam Marino. Damn. I mean you Yeah. Yeah. >> Go down the line of those names. McGee,

shout out to McGee and and coach, we're. just going to assume you're born there. and wherever you were born as well. And. we're thankful you're still in ball and. love ball so much. We appreciate you. stopping by, coach. You're the man. >> Thanks, man. Thanks, Pat. >> Oh, are you going to be in Pittsburgh. for the draft or what? >> Yeah, I I I'm pl I plan on being there. You You're going to be there, right? You. guys are going to be there. >> Yeah. Do you want to uh do you want to. work? >> Yes. Well, I mean, let me let me let me. let me see about that one. [laughter]. >> Yeah. Yes. Got it. Got it. Got it. Yeah.

Smart. Smart. If you are allowed to, we. would love to have you work. We would. love to have you be a part of our ship. >> Yeah. Talk talk. Yeah. You guys, you're. talking about the draft show. >> Yeah, the draft spectacular. The fact. you know Field Pass exists. Crazy, too. By the way, you just dropped that in. there. Thank you for knowing that that. exists. That was very cool of you. Good. preparation on the uh for this. particular combo. You're the man. But. yeah, our draft spectacular is. outrageous. Would be awesome if. Obviously, we don't want to ruffle any. feathers, piss anybody off. We know how. it goes. >> No, no, no, no. I mean, listen, Pittsburgh's still Pittsburgh. The. draft's coming to Pittsburgh. That's. pretty special. I'm not I'm on the host.

committee. So, you know, that's I know. that. SO, >> I I don't know what that consists of. I'm not sure what I'm supposed. >> You're going to be doing a lot OF THIS. HEY, GOOD TO see you. Welcome to Todd. Good to see you. Yeah, absolutely. You. might be up here with Gadell. You might. be the one doing the first chest bump. actually before Goodell does the. entirety. We appreciate you, coach. You're the man. >> All right. Thanks, man. Thanks, guys. >> That's Hall of Famer, Bill Cow. >> Yeah, coach. >> Absolute goat. If he didn't give Rabel a. blitz, then his ass better not be. >> He's not sharing knowledge with your.

stupid team. >> Oh, yeah. Was he there, Tony? Don't be. jealous. Don't be jealous. Don't be pet. No, he was there to ruin your team. >> All right, Bone, let's talk about it. How do you feel like the first 53. minutes have gone? And do you think. maybe after the first 25 seconds there. was a decision made that we're not doing. that again? >> Absolutely. >> Okay, little basic. >> He was talking like he was reading a. nighttime story or something like that. >> Yeah, with the football decision. And I. just want to go over that one like what. was the decision when you thought like. you know what I will say football first.

before. >> No, I think he was trying to hit it. I. think he just got excited. I think it. was a false start. >> Every day when you guys do that I'm back. there trying to time it up. >> and I do the same thing every day. So. that's what. >> false start. D3 national champion. offensive lineman. You do get a little. excited maybe. >> Mhm. A. >> lot of false starts in my career. >> HOLD YOUR WATER. >> BONE. HOLD YOUR WATER. BONE. You're. recently a Buffalo Bills fan. potentially a Buffalo Bills fan. Was. going to bring you in to ask a question. Didn't know if your voice would make it. to Sher in his car. [laughter] What are. your thoughts on the Buffalo Bills in.

the situation they're in? Can't. interview anybody because they missed. the window. >> Yeah, I mean, first year as a fan, I'm. kind of in for everything. I don't have. a favorite yet. I You know what? I was. going to correct Sheffy, but uh Weaver. was also a Bills Dline coach in 2013, so. there's another connection there. >> Oh, really? He's a Buffalo guy. He's a. Buffalo guy. So, we got three to four. Buffalo guys that could get the call and. could run the show. >> You're saying take them to the place. they never been. The Buffalonians have. been there before. They've shoveled the.

snow. They've gone through a Buffalo. winner. They understand what it's like. to be a Buffalo Beal. Is that what. you're saying? >> Absolutely. And I'm here for it. >> Josh Allen, this guy's making decisions. for you guys. Is he hiring a coach? Is. that how do you feel about that? >> Whatever Josh wants, let him do it. And. >> I like that. That's a that's a new age. fan. But I also appreciate the fact that. we're all kind of understanding that. maybe the MVP should have a little bit. of a say. I do appreciate also if the. MVP quarterback doesn't like if Lamar's. like that's on please I would like a guy. that is this and I don't want to.

necessarily be in there or if somebody. else but if you have become an MVP I. think it's only smart to kind of get. because they are the CEO of the locker. room like you you should get all the. leaders of the building in there. I know. Fitz doesn't like it and if I think Fitz. is wondering if they're only gonna hire. to appease Josh. They shouldn't just do. that. If Fitz is saying as a quarterback. like you shouldn't just be making a. decision that's just good for me. So you. just have to assume that they're. handling it in the proper fashion. Uh I. would like to hear more from Fitz. actually. We're going to try to reach. out and learn. >> Yeah, that that would be. >> because I have a lot of respect for. Fitz. I I personally have a lot of. respect for Fitz. He's been in a lot of.

buildings. So I respect the hell out of. him. >> Buffalo being one of them. But you like. I feel like what Steve Bashadi said was. kind of what I thought it was going to. more so be like, "Hey, I want all the. opinions. I want them all." But as far. as sitting in there and like the power. of kind of swaying it maybe like that is. where it comes too far cuz you can see. down the pipeline like Bills get off to. a slow start perhaps or there is a. little bit of a lull in the offense like. you can see people already saying like. oh this is the guy Josh Allen wanted. even though definitely should ask him.

>> Yeah. during that conference said like Lamar's. not in these introductory ones, but if. he wants to fly up with me for the the. ending ones, uh he can definitely do. that if he wants. >> Okay, so it feels like that's the Aaron. not getting ass was crazy. >> Yeah, it's insane. >> cuz it was Aaron Rogers, but now I guess. having too much power, we can see how. maybe people don't want. So fascinating. development up there in Buffalo. And. they might have Phil Rivers as their. next head coach. >> I hope. >> Love it. There's a lot of people that'll. kill it. Maybe he wins though. Hour two. on the other side. Obviously, last year this segment became a little.

bit of a rumor. $1.7 million out the. door for good causes and a great. college. Have you ever kicked before? >> Yes. >> What do you mean you've kicked? Hold on. I was told you have never kicked before. I feel like I've been bamboozled a. little bit here. You have kicked before? >> My brother's a kicker, so every once in. a while I go kick with him for fun. >> Okay. [cheering] All right. >> Okay. We'll make it $250,000. for you, Logan, to start this season.

Anything to say here to Logan as he. tries to win $250,000. >> after that hand gesture. Breathe and. close your eyes. >> Okay. He doesn't want you to win. I do. SO DO THESE PEOPLE. OAGE. >> LET'S [cheering] GO. >> Logan Kirk Herbson will be holding for. you. >> Look, by the way, this is this is. >> tough terrain. >> Tough. >> This is real Ohio here. Glenn, if you. want to come over this way, we'll put a. little extra pressure on him. You got. Pete running around. You got the mascot.

staring you down. They don't want you to. win. Glenn doesn't want you to win. Peter is taking a dump. >> in the middle of the field goal kicking. [cheering]. contest. Stiff it in. That's Peter's. manure. Now, through manure, great. things grow. Will Peter's poop grow you? $250,000. You only have one kick. I don't care how. loud [screaming]. they chant [cheering] for a rekick. You. only have one kick, Logan. Good luck, sir. 33 yds. Kicking is easy, everybody.

says. Let's find out. >> Ready, [cheering]. >> Glenn? What are your thoughts? >> I'm trying to give you. >> What are your thoughts? >> This is I think I think that poop was a. bad omen. >> Yeah. I mean, Peach just pooped right in. your face. >> I can't believe we don't have turf. >> Well, we're in Ohio. THIS IS A FOOTBALL. STATE. YOU GOT to be tough. Logan from. Ohio, SOPHOMORE IN BUSINESS FINANCE. Does he win $250,000?

[screaming]. [screaming]. >> [cheering]. >> Watch the poop. Watch the poop. THAT'S. WHAT I'M TALKING [cheering] ABOUT. JEEZ. LOGAN, get. [cheering]. congratulations. >> I'll tell you what. >> $250,000.

Week one of the college football season. Thank you for showing up. I'm proud of. you. How do you feel, buddy? >> I feel amazing right now. That That was. amazing. I don't want to be the bearer. of bad news. You definitely STEPPED IN. PETER'S POOP DURING YOUR CELEBRATION, BUT WHO CARES? BUY YOURSELF some new. shoes from Glen Pal. >> BACK TO YOU, REESE. WHAT a start. >> What a start. >> The following program is a collection of. students talking about happenings in the.

sports world. It is meant to be comedic, informative. The opinions expressed on. this show do not necessarily reflect the. beliefs of their peers, their boss, or. ESPN. There may be some cuss words. because that's how humans in the real. world talk. If you are a young, please. seek permission before watching any. further. >> Hey, >> let's go. >> This show sticks and the fact that you.

listen, we are very, very thankful for. on the line with a gorgeous assist. >> The alltime leading tackler for the. Green Bay Packers, you. stop. >> Damn it. >> Your friend, tell a friend something. nice could change their life. sports. Hello beautiful people and welcome back. to our humble above [music] the. Thunderdome on this championship weekend. e feelgood Friday January 23rd 2026.

after the program begins now. football it is the greatest unbelievable. work and it's not just me that has the. opportunity to chitchat about sports and. ball every single day it's not just me. that happens to be the luckiest person. on earth it is also a group of dudes. that are up here on the stage right now. the talks table at Boston Connor and at. Derek Murphy32 one half of the hammer. Don, >> did did he not. >> I mean, baby steps here. He hit the. football. >> Yeah, I think he would be early jump. I.

I think it would be one of those ones in. slow replay. They would notice it, but. the ref's eyes didn't call it. So, good. work on that. One half of the hammer. Cowboys AP. Tony is here. Way to go. >> How's it feel about the uh bone sandwich. you and Connor are making here today? >> It's actually a dream come true. I've. I've dreamt about this many, many. nights. Um and it's finally here. Can. you tell me about the numbers of the. game this weekend? I know you're going. to be distracted with Bone and his car. heart Uggs he's wearing. Uh so sweet. >> Yeah, those are [laughter] He did not.

know he was going to be on air today. This all came about. Ty had to go home. and be dad, you know, cuz mom work in. very serious world. So Ty literally just. got the call. He was not going to be. here today. We put Bone in here first. hour couldn't he didn't speak. So. >> it was tough to offer him up another. opportunity to do that. >> Yeah. But as we're looking at him, the. Carheart Uggs with that particular. quarter zip with the Sager hat. Feels. like today was the right day for you to. do what you're doing right now. We're.

proud of you, Bone. >> Thank you, guys. >> Thank you, guys. Wow. >> Unbelievable. >> Dialing like they're kind of like they. have Air Force bottoms and then the. >> they're I like the I like the Airheart. >> They're pretty good. The Airheart. perfect for Dumb Hick. >> Jeez, I don't think that's the case. I. think it's perfect for a lot of. situations. Debuting at the talks table. certainly one of them hammer. cowboy AP tone. What are the numbers on. the weekend's game telling us and what. should we be looking at? >> Okay, so yesterday we talked about Pats.

and Broncos. Pats uh yesterday moved. from -5 1/2 to -4 1/2 even though they. were getting a ton of the money and by. ton of the money I over 70% they're. currently sitting at 73% last time I. checked and they moved from 5 and a half. to 4 and a2 which in that world is. called reverse line movement normally. when a team is getting majority of the. action um their number would get larger. so they would go from minus 5 and a half. to minus 6 and a half because the book. is trying to get more money on the. Broncos but that did not happen and we.

have been sitting at four and a. ever since in that situation. And then. the Rams, sorry, >> hold on on that. More on the Patriots. Broncos. Denver plus four and a half is. in line to become the second home team. to get four plus points in conference. championship in history when it was at. five and a half points. It was the most. effort at four and a half. Second time. it's happened in 1976. You remember the. Raiders beat the Steelers. They had just. gone back to back 247 as a four and a. half point underdog. Shout out to the. Raiders at that point in LA. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. >> Is that right?

>> LA Raiders. Yeah. I would assume. performance. I think that it is the LA. Raiders at that particular time. So, congrats to them on getting a big time. huge [clears throat]. >> underdog story movie like win over the. back-to back Pittsburgh Steelers in. 1976. Will history repeat itself this. weekend in Denver? >> It it could. I believe the if my uh. memory is served me correct, I believe. the Steelers won the next two after. that. Could have had five in the decade. That would have been that would have. been sick. Um. >> they guys blew it. Yeah. four and a half. point or favorites and you guys blow it.

to the 1976 Raiders. >> The hell? You saw that seven on the. board if I remember correct. Terry. didn't have a great game, but that's. okay. That'll happen. Um, so yes, that's. what we talked about as far as, you. know, the. >> They were in Oakland. They were in. Oakland. We apologize to the Los Angeles. Raiders fans. >> They might have played it at the. Coliseum. That's where a lot of Super. Bowls were played back in the day. Um, but yes, four and a half as a home dog. is a huge number, obviously. Uh, five. and a half was was historic. And then. you go to the other game, the Seahawks. minus 2 and a half. That line has not.

moved at all. Even though the Seahawks. have been over 80% of the action uh so. far up to this date, and as we talked. about yesterday, um it's probably a lot. of recency bias because the Seahawks. have just been absolutely trouncing. people, especially on defense. And the. Rams, you know, over the last, I don't. know, five, six, seven games, uh have. been playing tight, close games. They. had the tight one against the Bears and. the Panthers in the playoffs. Okay, so. Bone, after watching film, what does the. NFC Championship look like in your eyes. after watching every play from both.

these teams? >> I think the Seahawks dog walked the. Rams. >> Bone. >> Bone. You didn't really say it with your. chest, but the words that you said would. be [laughter] something that would be. said with somebody's chest. Pretty. pretty heavy. That was a pretty heavy. hammer there. You went hammer. You like. the Seahawks team, huh? >> I do. I do. >> Is it just because what they just did to. the Niners or because the season's work? Why do you think the Seahawks dog walk? your words, not mine. The Los Angeles. Rams, >> you know, we were at the Dom Toretto's. garage and we saw him put up an ass.

whooping and it convinced me that these. guys have a real shot at going to the. Super Bowl and I think it's going to. happen. >> I completely forgot about Dom Toretto's. garage being a part of our story down. there at College Football Playoff. Championship in uh Miami. We're actually. sitting in between a really cool looking. building and Dom Toretto's garage uh. from Too Fast Traurious. Taw Too Fast for Y'all. We were sitting. in the garage. It was as if the garage. was just reserved for us. It was another. party that I guess wasn't happening. until like midnightish. We wanted to.

watch the game. The ESPN event was. happening across the street. We were. There was no way we're going into what. we heard that ESPN event was at the. time. It was not a lot of people in. there. So, we walk right across the. street to this place, Don Terrar's. garage, and uh owner George says, "Hey, come on in. Do what you guys need to. do." We have an entire patio, open area. We could smoke, entire inside, two. bartenders, DJ playing. We had this. entire thing. And then we're told by. George, he comes out. Too fast, too. furious right here. Filmed it and we. looked it up. It's like, >> literally right here. We were where the.

cars were lined up to race against each. other. Dom's in there. We're having a. couple cocktails. And at that moment, we. did watch we watched that Seattle. Seahawks team just absolutely it was. good times. We were having a blast while. they were doing it. Felt bad for the. Niners, but the Seahawks do have a. chance to do that, especially with the. 12th man humming the way that it's. humming. We talked earlier today, it. feels like both these games are going to. be good games. Yeah, >> but if they were to become blowouts, what could it possibly be? Well, I guess. Seattle could blow out the Rams, especially if that home field gets. rolling. And then on the flip side of.

that, what if it is Sam Darnold? >> Mhm. What if the Rams defense gets a couple. quick turnovers early and then all of a. sudden the Rams are able to roll because. they're able to run the ball. They're. able to kind of keep the defense on the. field. They're able to do that type of. stuff. So, I guess both teams could kind. of blow out each other if they really. wanted to. And then you go Patriots. Broncos. You would think the Patriots. maybe just absolutely demolish if Stadum. is not prepared for the moment. But on. the flip side of that, what if Stutm is. ready for the moment? What if St is. ready to turn Denver into steady city? There's a chance that that happens and. all of a sudden the Patriots, which we.

don't think is possible, just weren't. ready for a STDM le offense. I guess. there's a chance any of these game both. of these games could get ugly. But we. feel four best teams actually available. right now and we're going to have dog. fights through both of them is how I. feel about it. But there is a chance I. guess it gets ugly in a couple different. ways. >> No, I think we're all on the same page. here. Like it's impossible to see one of. these teams, any of these four pulling. away. you know, maybe there's a lead at. some point during the game where it's, you know, 10 points, 14 points, but then. you would expect the other team to make.

a big play and make that thing a game in. the fourth quarter. Like, it's very. difficult to see that. But at the same. time, like you mentioned, like even. with, you know, Darnold, could he turn. the ball over four times? Drake May, could he he's had he had three turnovers. against the Texans, could he do that. against the Broncos? STDM very well. could, too. So, it's one of those. situations, but that's why I mean these. games are so good. You know, I I feel. like every single year when it comes to. conference title games, we're all ready. for a very, very close game and they've.

delivered for the most part, you know, as teams have stayed healthy. >> Yeah, we talked about, you know, you. could see the Broncos just because Sidum. is a backup quarterback. He hasn't. played in two years or whatever. But the. one thing to watch to potentially keep. it close no matter how Sidum is playing, um, the Pats have given up five sacks in. both of their playoff games. Uh they are. 28th in the league in protecting Drake. May. The Broncos are number one in sacks. by a wide wide margin. So even if Sidum. is playing horrendous um there's a. chance that that Broncos Dline could.

keep them in the. >> most sacks off the right edge to your. point Nick Bonito right in that middle. of that thing there. Will Campbell now. rookie left tackle three sacks on 13. pressures this postseason. Who knows. what those stats mean. What we do know. is Drake has been getting hit and also. Drake's turnovers have been happening. whenever he's in pocket getting hit. Feels like he has no fear. Feels like he. has no fear about what could potentially. come. Now some people will say he has no. awareness either that this was happening. is how some like experts would say. And. I think he'll develop that as he has.

But he has no thoughts. He goes into the. pocket. A lot of these young. quarterbacks do not do that. Especially. as athletic as Drake May is. He could. easily have this constant I'm going to. get out to the left. him get out to. right cuz we've seen him go left and go. cross his body. We've seen him go right. We've seen him get the edge. We've seen. him lead a team in rushing before. So, it's like you could see how he would. maybe want to just get out and move. outside the pocket. He steps up in. pocket on a lot of different occasions. That is a pro quarterback. First of all, that takes years to do. But when you. step up in the pocket after you've. already come out, there's a chance that.

that thing is already starting to kind. of collapse. But if you're able to get. up in there, obviously going to have. your best options and escape through. there is normally a huge gash. So, he's. way ahead of schedule, it feels like, with the way he operates, but he's a. little bit behind how normal pocket guys. operate because they have a sense of. when this shit's about to happen. And. when that thing's collapsing, he had two. against uh I don't know, it wasn't. Houston, >> was it the Chargers? Chargers, two. against the Chargers that were him. stepping back up into it and then just. having no real uh I'm good. And then. bang, ball just out. It's like, hey, if.

you're going to step up in the pocket, that thing you're the reason why you're. stepping up in is because it's already. coming down. So, you got to figure out. what the hell you're doing now, not uh. tomorrow. >> Yes. And that's and you know, maybe it's. he has so much faith in Will Campbell, which I do love and I think we all. expect him to get much better after his. rookie year. But something he did. against the Chargers that he didn't do. against the Texans at all, was run like. he moved a lot more in up into the. pocket and then escape. Hey, let's go. get 10 yards. I I feel like that will be. a massive thing against Denver. Darius. Butler sent me a bunch of stats about.

how Denver plays the most man-to-man. So, you assume that with a team that. plays man-to-man that maybe there will. be a couple, you know, escape hatches. that he can get through. That's what I. think a lot of Patriots fans were. shocked about against the Texans. Against the Texans, I think he had 15. rushing yards maybe. Like even in that. play right there where he gets strip. sacked by either Will Anderson or or. Denil Hunter, like you thought he would. kind of escape to the left there and. maybe pick up a first down cuz that's. what he did against the Chargers. He. went away from that last week.

completely. So, I think that will be a. massive thing against the Broncos, especially because they play a lot of. man-to-man coverage. You would think, hey, a lot of backs turned, let's go get. a first down. >> He is only in a second year, first year. in this system. It does feel like some. of his strengths can also be kind of. weaknesses every once in a while, like, hey, ultimate faith in offensive line. Hey, you're going to have that thing. good for me in the back there. I think a. six sense is going to be developed. I. think that is only only can come through. football. But what he can do with his. legs, >> I don't even think we've even seen it to. it like what it could be. No. And they.

might save that. I mean, Super Bowl if. they were to make it there. Two weeks of. preparation. Whoever's preparing for it, it's like, okay. Yeah. And we got a. quarterback that can run like four, five, four. And this dude is durable. seemingly takes massive shots and keeps. it rolling. Dude, the only game that. they did this was against Buffalo at. home when they had that sec where they. were up 24 nothing, 247, whatever, and. gave up that lead. He started the game. off with a read option touchdown run and. then a quarterback draw touchdown run. And that's the only game all year where.

we've seen like very legitimate design. runs for him. >> And I think they don't want him to be a. run first quarterback. Like it's very. much like, hey, you're going to be a. passing quarterback. The only reason why. uh quarter or the only way that. quarterbacks can win a Super Bowl is. they have to be able to pass the ball. Okay, if you want to run later, we can. do that. So, I think it is by design to. be like, "Hey, you're staying in. You're. staying in. You're staying in." But they. haven't even really unleashed the run. And I don't know if they will ever cuz. maybe they think it's too many hits and. maybe they think it's not worth it. What. you're able to do in the pocket without. taking all those different shots is much. better for our team as a whole as.

opposed to you always scrambling and. take maybe getting concussed, maybe. getting knocked out for a few. So maybe. it is by design for them not to do that, but it's like what Drake May can do on. the ground is very lethal. I mean, like. very very very lethal. You're talking. about ball in his hands, makes plays on. a very regular basis. >> Yeah. Like underestimated to to your. point because we don't use it enough. Uh. but that was his problem his rookie year. before McDaniels got there is that when. he would escape, you know, he would get. blasted. He he didn't really slide. And. we've even seen it this year. I still. remember against Tampa Bay him taking.

the ball to the outside can easily, you. know, step out of bounds and he gets. eviscerated uh because he was trying to. get a couple extra yards. It's to the. point where it isn't worth, you know, him doing stuff like that. But it will. be very interesting to see if they do. break that out this week. >> Uh to all these points, Josh Allen ran. uh 12 times last week for 66 yards. His. long was 26. and with and also with the. man that the amount of man that they. play are there. I believe they are also. the most penalized secondary in the. league as well. Backs are turned a lot.

obviously that happens you know uh. tendencies to draw PI's in that. situation as well. So something to watch. for that game as well. >> Joining us now ladies and gentlemen is a. man who's a Super Bowl champion. He's a. college football national champion Rder. Cup winner. The all-time leading tackler. for the Green Bay Packers. Ladies and. gentlemen, AJ Hawker. Hawker. Hawker. Hawker. You see Boner. out here? >> Yeah, I see Boner. Hey, I was leaning uh. I was leaning heavy Rams, but after. Bones breakdown, I might have touh rein. [laughter] my my thoughts. >> Dog walk was just too uh persuasive for.

you. >> It was especially when you you springing. on me after watching all the film and. everything. What's your uh what's your. thoughts on the championships games? So. bone like credit to him thinking I may. have missed a snap or two. I might as. well just throw something crazy out. there to, you know, nail it home, you. know, drive it home, I guess. >> And D3 national champion, brother. I. mean, you you talk D3 football, you're. talking attention to detail. You're. talking no stone unturned. You're. talking about watching every single snap. of every single player that's on the. field ever for both these teams. Just so. you know, you get your shot on a.

microphone, you know what you're talking. about. And what he said, I watch. everything Shawn McVey has done going. all the way back to whenever he was on. the Washington. >> uh uh the Washington Jake Ruden. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. That particular uh staff. or whatever the case was. I watch. everything he does. I know his. tendencies. I know what he's thinking. And if I know what his tendencies are, D3 national champion. What do you think, McDonald? McDonald McDonald. The stats. for Shawn McVey and McDonald, by the. way, special. This is awesome that we're. getting this in the NFC Championship. time. Uh 2 and2, 109 to 107, yards.

1,600, both of them. And time leading. about the same. So, these teams match up. very well. And if you're the Seattle. Seahawks, you are very thankful that you. found a young coach that is able to keep. up with McVey out there in the. University West. Because Sean McVey. potentially, and now none of us believe. this will be the case because there has. to be burnout at some point in every. single profession, even if you are a. football coach. Him having so much. success, so much pressure at such a. young age has kind of changed things. We. don't know if he's going to coach as. long as some of these other coaches. I I.

don't know if he's going to 70. I I. don't know if he's going to 65. >> He's not even 40 yet. Right. >> Exactly. We don't know. Maybe he will. Maybe he goes down as the guy who. coaches as a head coach in the NFL for. the longest of all time. Maybe that is. the case. But if he is to get to 5560, which 50 to 60, which we all assume head. coaches can definitely get to, I mean, that's a long time in the NFC West of. these people having to deal with Shawn. McVey. So then McDonald gets hired. He's. young. This guy could do it. Maybe he'll. put up the He's the defensive Shawn. McVey. Exactly.

>> I mean, and he's a young lad as well. It's like what a great hire for them. And also, it turns out these teams are. going to be fist fighting for the next. 20 years against each other the exact. same way. >> Not to mention Kyle Shanahan. Like Kyle. Shanahan, also young guy who loves ball. from a football family who's been doing. it for a long long time, who has had. devastating loss after devastating loss. and has had to rebuild his team over. like multiple times already. >> He has more heartbreak than 75year-old. coaches. No doubt. >> Shanahan is still young. And speaking of.

uh Sean McVey, it's his birthday. tomorrow. >> Oh. >> Oh, really? >> Happy birthday, Sean. >> Birthday Sean. >> Championship weekend. Having a birthday. This boy was destined for it. >> Yeah, it was. >> Might as well be Super Bowl weekend, this guy. Oh my gosh. Most sport. weekend's uh championship weekend cuz. let's get to the big dance. And once you. get to the big dance, you let the big. dogs kind of do what they got to do. You. let him go ahead and eat. Happy. birthday, Sean McVey. >> I was born May 2nd, 1987. him. January. 24th, 1986, man.

>> He's been a head coach for 45 years. already. >> Yeah. >> This guy's unbelievable. >> And he's been offered every other job. under the sun, too. >> Hi, we're Amazon. Uh we got this thing a. lot of people are going to watch. We. just invested a billion dollars. Uh. we're wondering if you just want to. You've already done the whole thing. Maybe you just come into the booth. You. You be the next Madden. >> Blank check. >> Yeah. What do you want? What do you want. to get paid? 20, 30, 40. >> You decide. We're paid a billion for. So. if you think in comparison, >> you had to think about it, don't you. think? >> Yes. From what we were, now granted what.

was being reported what was real, you. know, who knows what's actually real. But if I'm Amazon and Sean McVeyy's. potentially going to be opening every. single week at that stage, we've already. put a billion in. It's like whenever. you're uh getting a mortgage for 30. years and they ask if you want another. 10,000 for these things uh added into a. 30-year payment. It's like, yeah, you. want to add another 35 million a year. for Shawn McVey, it's going to up the. everything. Well, we could find that in. here somewhere, don't we? We have a. billion dollars we've put into this. thing. We could do that. That kind of. was a situation that's only going to.

continue for him as his teams continue. to be great and he continues to be. exactly who he is. So, I guess that. temptation is what's going to be drawing. uh driving him maybe away from what he's. doing cuz all I've seen from Shawn McVey. is he wins games. Oh, yeah. and his team. loves him and he's innovative and he's. an offensive guy so that uh whenever he. does well the offense coordinator is not. getting plucked he's not having to. continue to battle that whole thing. I. Shawn McVey is an incredible story and. an incredible story. >> I mean even ESPN like before they got. Joe and Troy I thought ESPN was in it. for you know Shawn McVey to maybe pull.

him out. That's the good thing about the. booths now though. They're so close to. having all good prime time booths that. maybe some of these coaches that were. thinking about it at one point are now, hey, let's just go win Super Bowls. >> And and I will say this, I will say. this, there's going to be more prime time. games. >> cuz they're going to go to 18. >> Yep. For sure. >> There's going to be more little gimmick. games. >> Yeah. The international ones. >> Yeah. There's But there's going to be a. Wednesday game coming. >> Oh, >> yeah. Oh, yeah. Wednesday night action. is gonna be have a two-eek period, a.

two-eek run because some streaming. platform is going to be like uh two. billion dollars Wednesday games. >> Uh I guess yeah, we'll give those guys. they're already getting two buys 18. games. They get a backend buy, but most. guys aren't healthy by Wednesday. Well, they they have to be. So that's just how. this is going to be. There's only going. to be more of those. I think there's. only going to be more people being. tasked with going into the booth. >> The Black Friday games do so well. You. would assume Fridays maybe towards the. end of the season where yeah there's no.

more by weeks like 14 what is it 15 16. 17 18 I guess maybe 19 now those weeks. when there's nothing on Fridays kind of. uh high school football I know that was. the thing hey we're not going to do. Friday night games cuz high school. football high school football by then's. kind of done so you would think they. would do. >> oh Friday Night Lights yes the NFL's. Friday Night Lights. >> they'll have a whole thing boys of fall. Kenny Chess probably singing that entire. I I mean there's only more and more and. more coming and I think the NFL. understands that. Uh let's pivot away.

from the NFL and let's pivot to the. association. Something we're going to be. paying attention to after this Super. Bowl ends and who's going to be in the. Super Bowl. We find out this weekend, championship weekend, who matters in the. NBA. Okay, that's what we need to know. And I'm doing this not only for us, but. I feel like for the people watching, we're about to be in uh Hey, we're. watching other sports time. >> Yes. >> Okay, we are in it. >> next week. >> It's coming. Yeah, it's here. >> fast. Now granted, there's other sports. happening which we will certainly talk. about here in a little bit that are.

awesome and storylines that have been. developing around there. But the NBA is. about to be a big part of our lives. after this Super Bowl, after this. playoff run to give us everything we. need to know. Ladies and gentlemen, senior NBA insider for ESPN. In front of. the program, Sean Shirano. >> Yeah, Pat, congrats to your Hooers. Congrats. to your Hooers. And I know Boston Conser. got a big weekend with the Pat, so best. of luck to him as well. >> Well, thank you for that. The state of. Indiana is certainly pumped. I uh was. very thankful that the Hooers got a win. Obviously, the house is much happier.

whenever they're doing that and it's. great for the state. Connor actually. picked the Hooers as his college team. like last year. So, not only does he. have a national championship in his. short college football fanhood, but now. he's got a chance to have the Patriots. all the way back. It's a wild time to be. Connor and I want to let you know we do. appreciate the aura he is radiating. Sean, >> listen. I if if you would have told me. that IU would win a national. championship in football, uh I did not. expect them to ever be a football. school. So, shout out to the Hooers. >> Hell yeah. Shout out to Mark Cuban. >> Yeah. And Mark Cuban and also uh.

Yorkman, I believe, who's the head of. the Cook Medical Group down there in. Bloomington. Uh there's like a lot of. NIL uh people. Cuban certainly a part of. that. Cuban not the biggest. I don't. think he's ever said that he's the. biggest donor to the NIL. He has. certainly helped. There are others. Indiana's got a lot of people that are. pumped about Signetti and the Hooers. Anyways, let's move and their basketball. team. Anyways, let's move to your sport, shall we? In the NBA, we talk about. Connor having the Hooers win and maybe. the Patriots win. Are the Celtics once. again dominant? Like, who are the teams.

that are doing well this season that we. need to maybe think about as we look. ahead to post football season? >> The Celtics definitely like they've. surprised everyone. You have to give. Jaylen Brown a lot of credit. You you. think about MVP candidates, he has to be. up there. His game, he's going to be an. allNBA player. He's already voted an. all-star starter. So, you know what he's. been able to do to propel this team to. being a top three seed in the Eastern. Conference without Jason Tatum. And. we'll see if and when Jason Tatum. exactly when he comes back the second. half of this NBA season. But, you know,

when I look at the Eastern Conference, I. think of Boston. I think of Detroit. You. have to still put New York in there even. though they've had this lull over the. last 12 13 games where they I think. they've lost nine of the last 12 games. Um Cleveland still has some talent. Philadelphia's come on pretty strong. So. those are really the teams, but the the. East is wide open. Detroit has been far. and away the best team in that. conference so far from a regular season. perspective, but you look at what Boston. has. They've got the talent. They've. done it before. So you have to put them.

up there. And then I I think you look at. this trade deadline, right, Pat? So, I. think, you know, as the schedule's. starting to turn here, I think. hopefully, you know, we're going to be. having a lot more chatting coming up. because trade deadline is less than two. weeks away and Boston could be a team. where going into the year it's like, okay, are they going to shed some. salary? We know they shed Christos. Porzingis and Drew Holiday last. offseason. Who else will they shed in. season? Will be will it be Anthony. Simons? Will it be, you know, another. Pton Pritchard, but those guys are. essential parts of this team? I could.

see Boston going the other way and maybe. adding uh a player, maybe adding another. big man. Like, they've been in the. marketplace trying to go get a big-time. starting center potentially. So, they're. going to be, I think, aggressive in and. moving the needle. They've got assets. They've got contracts to use and play. with. In the Western Conference, Oklahoma City, I I said it early in the. year, it's Oklahoma City, and then it's. everyone else in the NBA. like Oklahoma. City right now with with the even though. Jaylen Williams uh aka JDub he started. the year uh out and now he came back and.

he got hurt again. Uh but this team is a. machine. Shay Gills Alexander right now. is is a leader for MVP. But then San. Antonio, they had a stretch within two. weeks where they beat Oklahoma City. three times. So San Antonio's shown. they've got the pieces and the parts to. give Oklahoma City real problems. And we. know Victor Romanyama loves uh to go up. against not only Sha Gillis Alexander. but Cadet Homegrren as well. So. >> you have to put San Antonio in there. Uh. Denver you have to put in there. They're.

the third seed right now. Third I think. 30 and 15. Uh they were the I think the. third seed when Nicole Joic got hurt a. month ago. And a lot of people around. the league are like this is a team. that's going to fall into the playin. You know they're going to they're going. to become a wildcard type team. But. they're still in that third position. they've been able to do more than enough. without Joic in the lineup to to keep. their heads above water. And then we see. the standings there. Houston, I think I. think you know after you get by Oklahoma. City and San Antonio and Denver, you.

have like that second tier of teams. that's like Houston, the Lakers, Minnesota, you have to put up there. They've been in the conference finals. the last two years. Uh and then Phoenix, like shout out the Suns. They lose Kevin. Durant and they're a team that's now. fighting hard even though they're. they're they they can be without Deon. Booker, they can be without this guy, but they they hired a new coach, Jordan, that's been able to change the entire. foundation and the culture there. So, uh. you have to give them a lot of credit. And then the two hottest teams in the. NBA right now, Portland and the.

Clippers. Uh and so the Western. Conference is absolutely loaded. Okay, so those are the teams that we'll be. looking forward to make a run and maybe. make a move at the trade deadline less. than two weeks away, which we. appreciate. Congrats to the Celtics. being buyers and not sellers and Tatum. potentially coming back, which is absurd. to think about after he tears an. Achilles in the playoffs last year. So, congrats to Boston, okay, having New. England in the uh AFC Championship and. then also having the Celtics and what. was supposed to be a downyear and an. upyear trade deadline. Let's talk about.

it as you uh your connection comes. unstable. Feels like. >> somebody's trying to throttle you a. little bit. They know what I'm bringing. up here. They know what I'm about to. bring up here. Trade deadline. Any big. names that we should think about? Giannis, for instance. So, you have been. on this on our show for a long time. I. remember Pacers in the finals talking. about this. I remember in the offseason. talking about this. I remember you. throughout this season talking about. this on your ex. The big thing for me is.

it has seemingly been that Giannis's uh. team, business people, you know, around. him have certainly been wondering if. Giannis and his time at the Bucks should. come to an end and maybe he has a chance. to win a championship or relevancy or. anything like that somewhere else. Giannis seemingly has not loved that. you've been messaging that publicly. Now, you as an insider are only saying. this because your credibility relies. upon it, your legacy relies upon it, and. also you're new in this business, so you. can't be wrong. You have very reliable.

sources to be saying what you are. saying. Giannis has come out publicly. and said, "The hell with this. This. ain't it." Because I don't think Giannis. wants to piss off the entire city, doesn't want to piss off the. organization. He wants to be kind of a. hero, but maybe also understands like if. I was to go somewhere else, there'd be a. whole new career potentially sitting for. me, which could benefit me publicly. Am. I accurately depicting that? And are we. anywhere near an end to this entire. story as the trade deadline looms with. the Greek freak? >> I mean, the totality of and we see right.

there the the time stamp and Giannis and. the Bucks, they've been having ongoing. conversations about his future, even. going back to May. Those conversations. have just every single passing week, every passing month since May when I. first reported that he is exploring his. best fits outside of Milwaukee uh for. the for really the first time and really. getting down to which team he would want. to go to, where he would want to be. Those conversations have only grown with.

every passing week and month since May. Uh, and recently the Bucks and Giannis'. conversations have intensified. in nature because we saw Pat he made. some comments after their game on. Wednesday. They've had some big blowout. losses recently and they got blown out. uh on our airwaves at ESPN against. Oklahoma City Thunder. They lost another. blowout game and he came out and. absolutely went off on his team. Like.

these are very uncharacteristic comments. from Giannis and to TMPO. We know Pat. also about a week, two weeks ago, uh the. fans in Milwaukee were booing him and. and the team when they were playing and. he booed them back as we saw in that. clip right there. That is also something. we have not seen from Giannis and the. Bucks fans is the booing. And so his. comments after the game, the frustration. that Giannis into and Takmpo has is at. an all-time high. He's frustrated with. the losing. He's frustrated with the.

situation. And I will say this, I've. spoken to about a dozen sources on and. off for weeks now. And the tension. that's in the air within that. organization in that locker room, it's. at an all-time high. And there's a. somewhat of a splintering environment. that we're seeing going on there because. when when a player of Giannis's caliber. is maybe has a wandering eye or maybe. doesn't know what his future holds there. and is having these intense. conversations with organization about. what that looks like. There's going to.

be such high levels and degrees of. uncertainty within that organization. And all of this is is you know to me. it's again it's hap it's been going on. all year but I just think back to the. summer late July Giannis and Tatoompo. and the Bucks general manager John Horst. are meeting face to face and John Horst. is and the Bucks and Doc Rivers and. ownership they're selling Giannis and. Takmpo and competing for a championship. like we have a title contending roster. and Giannis makes [snorts] it very clear.

that he has concerns he has issues with. the roster that he maybe doesn't believe. that this is a truly contending teams. and that leads to conversations with the. Knicks. That's a preferred destination. that he had in the offseason. Those team. two teams spoke. There were offers made. Obviously, there was no deal that. happened. The Bucks end up signing his. brother Tanas. He ends up committing to. the season and he ends up starting uh. the year there. And so, everything about. Giannis' brand has been loyalty. He. spent 13 years in Milwaukee. It's clear.

he loves the city. He loves the. organization. But what I've been hearing. over and over for months now is that the. writing is on the wall for Giannis and. the Bucks. It's just how do they get. there? When do they get there? And. really, when is either side ready to. step up to the plate and have that level. of understanding or will it continue to. live in this nebulous state where, you. know, will they or won't they? Will he. or won't he? And that has a direct.

impact on the team and how the. performance is and just the level of the. air. And so everything that happened in. the summer, everything that I reported, that is all just a backdrop to what. we're seeing play out now in real time. The only difference with what was going. on in the summer and right now is it's. all happening in everyone's public. domain because there are games to be. played. This is a team that's 18 and 25. They're in 11th place in the Eastern. Conference. If the season ended today, they would not even be a playin team or.

a playoff team. >> They're bougie. These guys. >> way out of the realm of what Giannis. wants from this team. And so we're. seeing all of the frustrations, all of. the feelings all play out in real time. >> It's like they're like with the Greek. freak, they're like Greek yogurt ass. >> Yeah. >> You know, like that is that's crazy that. that's what they are right now. And. obviously he's not happy. Nebulous. Uh, it's an adjective meaning hazy, vague, or indistinct. So, kind of a purgatory. situation between the Bucks and Giannis.

And you talked about Giannis' brand is. like loyalty and obviously he loves the. city and brought a title there, has. brought a lot of success there. We had a. similar situation in uh football where. it was like Russell Wilson and then team. three. There was like team three was. reporting things or leaking things and. then Russell Wilson was like kind of. what they're saying. It it it's like a. it's a cuz Russell Wilson loved Seattle. as well. Russell Wilson loved the. Seahawks. Russell Wilson wanted people. to you know hey good guy. Russell Wilson. consmate movie like character of a.

football player. So you never want to be. associated with that. For some reason. there's a negative connotation. potentially. But team three though was. like yeah but we we're here to think. about him. Okay. And what we think is. this feels like you've been potentially. talking to team freak. Okay. potentially. team freak. >> You know, I'll be honest, th this is now. reaching different levels because, you. know, maybe in the off season, you know, you have to really trust your sourcing. and trust you're getting it from from. people and things like that, but this is.

now happening in real time with the. Bucks. Like, this is there are games. being played. There are are pregame, there are postgames, there are in-game. environments that are going on right now. that you know maybe it is a lot more. sheltered in the off season, right? Where it is very much between player and. agent and team, you know, but as the. season continues to go on, there's. frustration that happens, there's. conversations that take place. And the. reality is when you have a star player.

who is Giannis is the one that said uh. on Monday uh on MLK day he was asked are. you going to spend do you have. confidence you're going to be with the. Bucks for the rest of the season? His. response was I don't know. I don't know. I take it day by day. Now I'll be. honest. how that's interpreted to. everyone around the league and everyone. in that locker room is not uh a sign of. full investment. That's just the.

>> Sean, do you do you feel vindication. here? Cuz I assume the Bucks people. because that was part of some of your. mentions because you said this stuff on. >> I'm sure they wanted to I'm sure they. wanted to do some very very mean and. harsh things to me all summer when when. when I. >> Yeah, they were saying mean stuff to. you, Seams. And there was a lot of. things they were saying with what rhymes. with your names and and and other stuff. I mean, they were getting clever with. it. I I don't think they were certainly. thrilled with what you were saying, but. what you were saying now is it seems. like the rest of the world is kind of. seeing what you've been kind of told. since May seemingly is is kind of how.

this whole thing was going. And it's. crazy if this ends in a super negative. way because for me it feels like Giannis. has only been good for the NBA in my. eyes. You know, just learning his. documentary, learning his story, where. he played in Greece, obviously bringing. his brother along, what all he's been. able to do for the city, how committed. he is, how much better he's gotten at. basketball since getting into the NBA. So it's like we obviously think nothing. but positive things, but you get him to. where would he go? Cuz New York, I think. you reported, was the only team that was. very interested. >> New York was his prefer. So think about. it, right? If if if if the n the New.

York Knicks and the Milwaukee Bucks are. having trade conversations in August, what is what is leading to that, right? Like like just if if people just look at. it just like think about that, right? And so, yeah, I mean, the Knicks were a. team in the off season where it was made. clear to all parties, whether it's the. Knicks, whether it was the Bucks, whether it was people around the Giannis. situation that that was a spot, that was. a preferred destination. But obviously, no deal happened. There were offers. made. The Knicks made offers. The Bucks.

obviously didn't feel like, you know, it. was two sides of the coin, right? On one. side, the Knicks felt that the Bucks. were never serious about trading Giannis. in the offseason. And and then the buck. side, there were people there that were. like, there were never offers that were. really serious enough for us to really. even consider. Like there weren't offers. made to the level that made sense for us. to even think about it. And so there's. two different sides of that story. Either way, it ended in no trade. But. the reality was all summer, Giannis uh. he he didn't want a gap year. This is a.

player that's 31 years old. He's a. two-time MVP. He won a championship in. 2021. He's been on the record. He's made. it very very very clear. I want to. compete and win a second NBA. championship. That level of. competitiveness and and window looks. like it has run its course in Milwaukee. potentially. At least that's what he. feels. That's what the concerns that he. shared with the Bucks. The Bucks on the. other hand felt like they had a roster. and a team and still do apparently uh.

that can compete for a championship and. can go uh compete with Giannis and and. win a championship there. And so, you. know, you have two differing kind of. opinions or two different kind of takes. on where this organization might be at. And so, he was sold on competing for a. championship. That obviously where. they're at right now with the record, that isn't what has transpired. And so, that's why you're seeing the. frustration. That's why you're seeing. the conversations continue to intensify. and something that we could very well.

see play out over the next two weeks. The Bucks and Giannis and into and. Goompo have major decisions to make. these next two weeks. That part is. abundantly clear to everyone in the NBA. >> Yeah. And the nebulicity of it all is. just kind of part of the problem. You. know, if we could get out of the. nebulousness and maybe just address the. elephant in the room and, you know, maybe address the tension head on, then. we'll be able to get past it. And what. that looks like, we'll see, I guess. But. then we'll no longer be nebuling. And uh. that's true. I think that's a big part. of it all. So, good luck to the Bucks. and good luck to Yiannis. Here's another.

story line that's seemingly brewing in. your world and will never stop. Go. ahead, AJ. >> Yeah, Sean. Pat's talking about the. Lakers. I know there's some drama there. Rich Paul goes on his podcast, gives his. opinion on what he thinks the direction. of the the franchise should be, I guess. What's what's going on there with. LeBron? Jeie Bust, the whole situation. How how does this how do they figure all. this out? >> Yeah. you know, you know, Rich Paul, you. know, I think everyone with the Lakers. feels Rich Paul is, I guess, entitled to. however he, you know, he wants. I mean,

he's got his own podcast. He can say. what he wants. Now, there's no doubt. like Austin Reeves, his camp, how they. might feel about the comments. They made. that clear. Dave McMenan put out a story. uh a few weeks ago saying one of Austin. Reeves's agent approached Rich Paul, had. a you know, really, really uh, you know, I think a good conversation with Rich. Paul about where things are at. Um, I. actually saw that take place in front of. me. It was a very respectful. conversation. It's two people that have. known each other for years. Um, but the. reality is here, you know, what we're.

having right now, this is this is, you. know, an end of a relationship, right, in terms of LeBron James and the Lakers. Now whether that comes at the end of. this season if LeBron James decides as a. free agent to sign somewhere else or if. he decides to retire or he decides to. come back for one more year and you know. decide that he wants to retire as a. Laker like the end is near with this. relationship either however you want to. slice it and so the end there's always. seems to be some sort of of you know. storyline with that and and it can be.

unceremonious at different points. We've. seen fallouts the Lakers have had, whether it's, you know, Jerry West, rest. in peace, uh, you know, he he had a. falling out with with Genie Bus to an. extent. And and so at the end of the. day, I think LeBron James when he made. his comments last night, he was very. succinct. I mean, he's someone who's 41. years old. He spends most of his time. playing golf. I don't think he cares. much for really anything that goes on. with with, you know, basketball other. than him playing in games and trying to. win on on a nightly basis. I think he's. got other uh uh things on his mind right.

now. That's the reality of the. situation. But um you know, before. LeBron got to the Lakers, this was a. team that was a lottery team. LeBron. James goes there, they win a. championship. This is I think his eighth. season there. And so we'll see how much. longer he wants to play, but this is a. Lakers team with Luca Don that wants to. compete for a championship. But how do. they get there? Uh do they make moves to. get there as well? These are all. questions going into the trade deadline. >> LeBron still playing after this season. It sound like you uh kind of left it. open for interpretation and then I think.

you said uh Lakers as well if he was to. play. Is there a chance free agency? LeBron's playing somewhere else next. year. >> I don't think LeBron James knows right. now January 23rd 1:41 p.m. Eastern time. what he wants to do uh with with his the. rest of his career. Like I think there. are multiple pathways that this could. play out. Now it's made a lot of sense. to people that he's in year 23. is. numbers 23 in Los Angeles. The All-Star. game is in Los Angeles. Could this be.

the year? But, you know, maybe it's in. part because of how this season's going. with the Lakers, how the relationship. has gone with the Lakers over the last. year, year and a half. They make the. trade, moving out Anthony Davis. You can. see they've clearly turned the page. Like, Luca Donic is this team's. franchise cornerstone. Luca Donuch is where this team is going. And and I mean that's understandable to. everyone, especially LeBron James, but. how he wants the end of his career to. play out. Does he want to retire a. Laker? Does he want to retire somewhere. else next season? Or does he just want.

to retire period? Those are all. questions that he's going to have. Uh. and things that he's going to have to. answer, but on what time it's it's going. to be on his time. >> Okay. Excited to find out what that is. We're always on Braun watch. >> Always. >> Yeah, we are. >> Ever since the LeBron conversation, you. know, I feel like I I know him a little. bit better. You know, feels like we know. him a little bit better. Feels like he's. earned the right to do whatever the hell. he wants. And I think that's what. everybody's saying is he is doing. whatever the hell he wants. Enough of. it. Enough. You know, Rich Paul, good. news. New podcast dropping today.

>> Okay. Pumped. >> Yeah, Rich Paul's got a new podcast. I. feel like he's probably going to address. everything in his own way. Rich Paul has. done a lot of really good business with. the NBA. You know, now his name is. getting brought up a lot now. He's got a. podcast as well to kind of answer things. so there isn't like, oh, Rich is doing. this, Clutch is doing this. I called him. this morning and uh I asked him, I'm. like, "Hey, you pissed everybody off. What's going on? It feels like. everybody's talking about it or. whatever." And he goes, "Uh, yeah, you. know, I got another podcast dropping. today." I'm like, "Okay, so we're still. doing a podcast." Okay, so we are we got.

one coming today. Rich Paul has been. very good to us. I think he has done a. lot of good for a lot of different. cities and a lot of different places. But certainly having a podcast and being. a pundit as well as an agent and an. insider, you know, it is an interesting. thing to have. He's got the people. talking though. >> Yes, he does. He's got the people. talking. People be talking. about people. >> All right, last uh headline we need to. address. Go ahead, con man. >> Yeah, Sean's not sure if he is a Rich. Paul guy, but John Morant has been in.

the news. I believe he requested a trade. two or three weeks ago and then last. week they said, "Hey, I don't want to. trade." What is kind of the situation. with Jaw in the Grizzlies and then. staying with that team? Uh you've. mentioned a big man being available for. trade. It feels like Jiren Jackson Jr. is that guy and he is also with Memphis. Are they going to sell everything. completely restart this thing or what's. the deal with the Grizzlies right now? >> Right now the focus around the league. with the with the Grizzlies is John. Morant because that's the player that. they are openly entertaining offers.

They're taking calls. They're getting. calls. are taking offers and um you know. this is a situation where there there. hasn't been a formal trade request to my. knowledge but it is something that I. think could both sides be ready for a. fresh start my understanding is yes that. that that is the case that this is. something that does go both ways but how. does that play out John Morant there's. you know Trey Young got traded he was. the first big blockbuster deal of this. trade season and that happened in the.

way it happened and the timeliness of it. he has one year left on his deal, a. player option for next year. And so the. return that Atlanta got was just. salaries. The difference between John. and Trey Young is Trey John's got three. seasons left on his deal. Like this is a. player that's under team control for the. long term. So Memphis, if they want to. keep him, they don't get offers that. they feel are satisfiable, they could. keep him certainly after the deadline, but I think there is a level of. motivation and the calls are in coming. to the Grizzies. I my understanding is. there's multiple teams interested uh.

making offers and then from there the. Grizzlies are going to have to sift it. out sift all of them out and then you. know they could go multiple pathways. after that. Do you continue to build. your organization? You know Jiren. Jackson is a piece that has you know a. ton of value on the marketplace. I think. there are several teams that would throw. multiple picks, multiple swaps, like the. kitchen sink at a guy like Jiren Jackson. because he can play the four, the five, he can defend, >> he can shoot. He's a defensive player of.

the year award winner. Like he's so. versatile, but the Grizzlies view him as. a player where if they move John and you. have a young team with Jiren Jackson, you can move forward. If there's someone. that completely blows them away, um, you. know, I think that is something you have. to take a look at too if you're the. Grizzlies. But I think I think the first. piece of this all is going to be what. happens with John Morant's future. Um. you know you think about Giannis Giannis. hovers around all these guys. But. whether it's John Morant, whether it's a. Damonte Sabonis, whether it's an Anthony.

Davis, a Michael Porter Jr., these are. all players that that are are big names. that that could have a big swing on on. what the NBA looks like in the second. half of the season. >> Okay, you said a lot of names. You. didn't say one big name in our eyes. And. Ty Schmidt is at home dadding right now. We will see him on Monday. Sitting in. for him. Bone has the last question for. you. >> What's up, Shams? It wouldn't be a Shams. appearance if we didn't ask an update. about Zion Williamson. Is he still just. crushing it for New Orleans? Last time I.

checked, he was putting up massive. numbers for the team. >> WAY TO GO, BO. >> I WOULD BE proud of that. >> This is the Zion show, though. If we're. not giving a Zion update on this show. before or after me coming on, like, come. on. we're not doing it right. >> Mhm. >> Um Zimson is playing basketball. The New. Orleans Pelicans. Um you know, record-wise, I can't say a great season. >> They're shite. >> Um but listen, I I think I think there. there there's going to be a level of. interest in Zion Williamson. Do the. Pelicans want to move him? Do they want.

to stand firm? I think there's still, you know, questions around where his. long-term future is there, but I think. right now the Pelicans are taking a lot. of calls and he's someone that he just. needs to stack games. He just needs to. play in games. >> They need to let him play. They need to. let him play. Maybe coming to Pacers. Coach Carl would love that. Keep rolling. it forward. Shams, we appreciate you. Basketball season's about to happen for. us. We'll talk to you soon. >> Appreciate you guys. Thank you, >> ladies and gentlemen. Sean Shiron,

>> way to go bone. bone. That felt good. >> Bone coming in there strong. >> Yeah, cuz you even said you even check. the notes to to make sure you got it all. and then you said every time I see him, he's crushing it. That was good. Ty. would have added at least one. Everybody. says he's a fats. So, but every time he. plays basketball, he's good. You did not. do that. >> No, I I don't fat shame anybody around. here. Why? >> It's not It's not shaming. It's just. pointing things out. I think that is. kind of the wrong thing to to say is. it's a shame. It's just like No, this is. what people were saying about Zion. People are saying that you're not saying. it. Yeah. You're not saying this is just. journalism. We're talking about what the.

story is. Okay. It's not same D. It's. not same D. >> Exactly. And it it kind of makes sense. That is a big story line with him. Not. to me mention the bumpus Hans. You might. time might have threw in a bump as Hans. Are they still okay with the grocery. store? >> Quick before show ends, we got to cover. all the stuff happening around the world. of sport. I guess Penn State basketball. ass this year from my understanding, but. they've been doing this fullcourt putt. thing where you win one year worth of. apartment lease money. And I guess this.

guy was getting booed. >> Yeah. >> What? >> He's just getting raising up a little. bit. Thumb down right there. >> Full cart. What do you do? The place is. booing that you're a part of. Give me that [screaming]. freedom apartment. WHAT A PUTT. I THINK. A LOT OF PEOPLE didn't know it was a. Penn State jersey he was wearing cuz. it's a black Penn State jersey. So, I.

think their natural reaction was, you. know, home of white out up there. Everybody else was wearing white. I. think their natural reaction was, "Oh, this must be from the away team. This. guy got randomly selected. Boo. That. ain't drains." And I was I'm one of you. guys. I'm one of you guys. I actually. spent more money on this thing. They go. crazy for him. I guess that's the second. person ever hit it. Uh, let's go to a. little high school basketball, shall we? How about an eighth grader? Eighth. grader, Rajan Rondo's kid, Pierre Prodo, eighth grade playing varsity. He uh this.

is all from one game you're about to. watch. This this this guy might be the. what? This might be Oh, yeah. He's. eighth grade. Doesn't look obviously. undized or overmatched. Talks [ __ ]. Plays the whole game. And this highlight. from one game is over three. It's three. minutes long in total. You're talking. everywhere. Passes, dishes. Number one, the white kid in the corner. Always. makes a shot, by the way. He's. unbelievable. This kid's in eighth. grade. Needs to be talked about. >> Also, this isn't against some scrub. team. This was against the number one.

team in Kentucky. So, against incredible. competition. And yeah, he was. unbelievable. Also, everyone he passes. to makes every single shot. There was a. big man they hit a pick and pop with. that was I mean this this team very good. as an eighth grader a 13-year-old I. believe. Unbelievable. >> Yeah. I I don't think you're supposed to. be this comfortable and confident as an. eighth grader on varsity. AJ Hawk. >> No. Yeah. That's the thing. Like he. looks like he absolutely belongs. I mean. eighth grade. Think of this guy's the. rest. Imagine the rest of this guy's. high school career. How fun it's going. to be to watch this team play.

>> Yeah. And in the age of content and I. guess NIL and everything like that, I. the only issue would be like can you. keep them hungry? Can you keep Pierre. hungry through this whole thing? Because. I like watching his teams react to him, too. This one, he dives on the ground, gets the ball. Let me go ahead and get. that thing back. He passed it to number. one there to save himself. Number one, where's he at? Corner. Ray Allen. [laughter] Splash. This team's unstopp. I assume the rest of the team I I I. assume they had to be in on it knowing. that an eighth grader was coming to play. with them. As soon as they found out. that, oh, Rajan Rondo's kid is also just.

like him and making us all a lot better, the buyin feels real. And that's it's. Rondo's team. He's an eighth grader. It's clearly his team whenever you're. watching this. >> Yeah, it's unbelievable. And it feels. like this is why maybe GM's trade for. draft picks in 2030 cuz he's part of the. 2030 class. Uh he will probably do what. Cooper Flag did. Reclassify. Hey, look. I played four years of high school. basketball, but I started in eighth. grade. I just need to go to the big. leagues because I'm ready for it. >> Tonight, 5:00 p. p.m. Pacific, 8:00 p.m.

Eastern on Netflix. Free solo. >> Yes. Alex Hnold will be attempting to. climb. one of the tallest buildings in the. world. Taipei 101, 1,667. ft to the top. And Alex Hnold's doing it. all without a rope. I wonder how he's. going to get to certain spots cuz. there's going to be little patios where. he's just going to be able to hang out a. little bit, maybe breathe. Maybe. >> he's going to go to the very top like. the big antenna looking thing. Is he.

going to the top of that? >> I would assume. Yeah. he had to map it. out and all these little latches I guess. would probably make it easier for Honel, but there's certainly going to be parts. of that where we're going to think about. him dying, you know, and I appreciate. the fact that he's doing without a rope. I appreciate there is no backup plan. If. he gets up that high and he falls, he's. going to die because we started getting. into deathdeying stunts that weren't. actually deathdeying because lawyers got. involved and said, "We can't have this. on TV." This feels like he could. actually die as they show us right here. This is his body if he was to slip and.

fall. So, that should be pretty insane. as we look ahead to this evening. >> I hope it is what we hope it's going to. be cuz as you just said, when the. lawyers got involved, all these things. started to suck. Okay. We watched the. across the Grand Canyon. There was a big. giant net underneath. We watched uh. what's his name? David Blaine. He was. riding a hot air balloon and it was the. dumbest thing I've ever seen in my life. Okay. >> The wild and wonderful W. >> Wenda. >> Wendes. >> Wendas. >> That one made me upset. >> Remember we tuned we were super pumped. about the Blaine one. like he was going.

to walk on a hot air balloon. He was. just taking a ride. >> Yeah, he was he was strapped in. Honold. actually talked about in free solo how. like, "Hey, I don't do ropes." Like that. is my thing. I'm I'm not a [ __ ] So, this would be one of those things where. he actually does show up. No ropes. Hopefully, there is a net maybe to catch. him. >> Let's get back to ball. Fernando Mendoza. made his late night uh debut last night. with Jimmy Fallon and he was breaking. more records. You get it? Breaking more. records. >> Jimmy and he got into a good groove. Jimmy threw some fast balls, some high.

balls, some different balls, and. Fernando was spinning it all over New. York. He also showed up on morning. shows. Fernando Mendoza representing. ball in a great way. And when he was. standing next to Jimmy Fallon, it almost. felt like we were watching the bigger. Jimmy Fallon, [laughter]. >> you know, as they were kind of going at. it. AJ, I thought it was a good. appearance. I thought he handled himself. well and represented for ball well as he. didn't snipe one at Jimmy Fallon's head. right there with 7 seconds left. >> Yeah, he I thought he handled himself. beautifully. He You can see he can. obviously sling it, but Jimmy wasn't. giving him the easiest tosses there. that last one. I think I think uh. Fernando should have buzzed buzzed the.

tower there and thrown one right right. by his ear when he threw it behind his. head at the end. >> Great work, Fernando. I believe we'll be. talking to him at some point next week. They have a celebration happening uh. tomorrow down in Bloomington. It's going. to be cold as [ __ ] Good luck out there. Shout out to him and Indiana Hooers. being 16-0. First 16-0 team since Yale. in 1800s this weekend. Obviously, we. look ahead to championship weekend and. weather across the board. Joining us. now, ladies and gentlemen, is the. weather man of all weather people. Now, Joe Donardo Dinardo passed on so this.

man could do his thing. >> Amen. >> Ladies and gentlemen, you'll see him. wherever is bad weather telling us what. we need to do and what we need to. expect. We appreciate him for that. Jim. >> Ktor, >> hey, what's going on, man? Hey, listen. I I actually did the Wenda crossing of. the Grand Canyon. I was the forecaster. for that. and when they did the. buildings in Chicago and they had a hu. and he he Nick had a huge gust that came. when he was in the middle of that and. I'm just I'm right there dude I'm. watching it and I was like oh no way am.

I going to see this please God don't let. me see this but I remember that and what. Alex is going to do holy smoke. >> so that was back in the day honestly I'm. not saying we could do it but whenever. they were hyping it up it was like. actual chance of like what could happen. here that's like the part of it you I. don't want to see it it's like train. wreck. You don't want to see it, but. that is the entire purpose of the. gimmick. So then whenever it started. getting too safe, I think network. started getting scared of everything. And it was like worst case scenario here. up at Niagara Falls was he was going to.

bungee jump above Niagara Falls. They. had him tethered to the thing. It would. have literally just been a bungee jump. It was like, "Oh no, is this type of. entertainment been ruined forever?" And. then Travis Pron's like, "Nope, just. come over to the internet. We're doing. dumb [ __ ] crazy [ __ ] over here all the. time." And now Hanold's climbing Taipei. 101. It feels like we're a little bit. back. Cantor feels like we're almost a. little bit back over. What do you think. the weather is over there? >> Thank you for the visual. If Alex. doesn't make it, you [laughter] get you. painted a great picture. If Alex doesn't. make it, I got a whole picture on that. Thank you. >> What do you think the weather's going to. be like over there, Jim? You got any.

insight on what Alex Arnold's going to. be battling? I think you froze up there. a little bit there. Throtten. You made. the weather's slowing down. What do you. think it's going to be like as he climbs. this building? >> Well, for there's going to be more wind. the higher up you go because you're away. from the surface of the earth, less. friction, right? Uh, it also could be a. little bit cooler up there on top. That's usually how it works. >> Hot air rises. I thought. >> temperatures decrease with height. >> Okay. Temperatures decrease with height. Hot air rises. I mean, there's a reason. we call you into this thing. >> I'll teach you, bro. I'll teach you. You.

teach me how how to jump off a diving. board in Miami in your in your underwear. and I'll teach you uh some weather. >> That was an Olympic speedo. Thank you so. much. Uh, not underwear. I see you were. potentially close to your underwear. >> That bronana hammock. Did you [laughter]. hammock? Did you. >> Thank you. I feel like it it worked out. Almost saw all of Pat there. We'll be. back for overreaction Monday. We. continue digitally here with Jim Canour. as we say goodbye to the ESPN audience. Sports Center is next. Be a friend. Tell. a friend something nice that might. change their life. Have a great weekend. Okay, so Jim, we're still live. >> That was a great one, by the way. >> Thank you. I feel like we got in there.

pretty good. Okay, let's. >> You hammered that one. >> Thank you. Let's talk about what you're. on for. And I don't know if you are in a. robe right now in a hotel room and if it. came or you brought your own, but where. are you and what should we be expecting. this? >> I know. Yeah, I I forgot my kimona. So, the hotel robe has to do. That's exactly. what I am. I'm comfortable. Some of us. have been up since 3:00 a.m. So, I said, you know, my producer, he's in his. pajamas, too, but we're not staying in. the same room. Don't worry about it. He. uh he's like, Pat wants to have you on. I'm like, oh my god, that's my beauty.

sleep time. >> Okay. So, I'm just going to get in that. mode and then we're done. I'm just going. to put my head down on a pillow. >> Get you some rest. We're going to need. you. I heard this is going to be a. sustained one here. What is this storm? This storm's different than most cold. storms. How is this? Cuz we got a. northern clip coming down and then we. got some preip coming from the south. there. Law lot of pressure here. So, wasn't expecting Did this Did the. southern preip one kind of outpower the. northern clip? That's why this thing's. moving north. >> What the hell are you talking about? What [laughter] in the. >> You [ __ ] tell me. It's what told us.

>> WE GOT CLIPPERS COMING FROM THE NORTH. >> HE'S GONNA break his fingers with all. that fingering going on [laughter] right. now. >> WE GOT PRE. >> NO, SERIOUSLY. I I MEAN, >> here's the deal. It's shallow cold air. So, you're going [laughter] to get this. huge area of ice. I mean, picture trees. down. picture, you know, since I didn't. talk to you during hurricane season. Uh, you know, so that bottom graph that. you're looking at right there, that's. where we're expecting, you know, ice. accretion maybe over an inch. >> Geez. >> And that that adds about between pole.

cell phone, you know, or power poles, that's about 800 to,000 pounds. Just an. inch. So down down they come. Trees come. down. It's an absolute mess. And then it. turns cold afterward, which is what. really makes this storm the worst. Usually we can get some melting. we can. get some cleanup going, but it's going. to turn bitter cold afterward. So. whether you're in the snow or even in. the ice, uh this catastrophe will be far. from over. >> Okay. So it the line of uh ice and snow. and everything seemingly has moved a bit.

north from original projections. Will. that continue to move north or what are. expectations? >> No, nothing. We're locked in now. the. the hurricane hunter planes. Here's a. neat one for you, Pat, that they usually. go out and chase hurricanes with. They. actually sent these planes out to the. storm when it was over the Pacific and. down in the Gulf to get like a high. resolution grid so that they could put. that into the models. So, they really. started coming in line as soon as they. did that. And so, now we're pretty. confident in in what we see.

forecast-wise uh and what we're going to. get. Now, it's still a disaster. Yeah. >> Okay. It didn't take the disaster away. That's still a catastrophe, but now. models are in agreement. >> Okay, so models are in agreement. We. basically know who's getting what. This. is a long one, right, that we're going. to be in this for a while is kind of the. expectation. It. >> it's really this it's starting this. afternoon in Oklahoma and Texas and New. Mexico, and it's going to scream across. uh the Mississippi Valley tonight, scream up into the Northeast on Sunday, which is where I am in New York City uh.

for this maybe about 12 to 18 inches of. snow. >> God, go ahead. >> Snow's easy though. It's the ice. No. bueno. >> Yeah. No bueno. Yeah. >> Hey, what do you think it's gonna be. like in the mid? >> Listen, I got a great back for you. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Well, go ahead, AJ. Go ahead. >> I didn't know what's on this card. I. didn't know. >> Oh, you want my stuff now? >> Yeah, we like your [ __ ] Yeah, we would. >> Okay. You want my [ __ ] now? Uh, all. right. So, the Broncos during and you.

may you may know this already. All of. their regular season games at home at. home they did not have a temperature. below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. >> Wow. >> It was it was 60 or above for every home. game for the Broncos. >> Now they go into this weekend, you know, championship and we're talking about oh. my god teens 20s windchills in the. single digits. >> So a whole different animal for them. We'll see if it plays a role. >> I like I like the web you're spinning. I. think they could use I think they'd. rather have a quarterback than a warmer.

temperature. >> Oh, certainly backup quarterback in the. championship is not the best time to. have that, but they are not necessarily. Denver not necessarily getting the full. wrath of this particular storm, right? Just the cold weather coming in. >> No, they'll get they'll get a little bit. of snow, I think. But I mean, when you. think about the regular season home. games that they had, I mean 60 in. Denver, that that's so rare to go their. whole regular season at home with. temperatures that warm. I mean, they. could have snow storms, uh, you know, wind, everything, but it was just. incredibly mild. And I thought that was.

interesting in the fact that, oh, they. got to wait till the NFC champ or the. the championship championship to get. into the good stuff. >> That's a good stat. I'm happy you did. that. AJ, now back to your regular. schedule program that you were. >> Yeah, I'm just Mr. Cantor, I'm curious. that what's the Midwest going to be. like? Are we dealing with 8 to 12, like. say Ohio, Indiana, places like that? Are. we going to have tons of snow? We have. the ice as well. Okay. Uh, Indianapolis. and Columbus, Ohio. >> Thank you, A. [laughter] All right. Uh, very similar. Probably probably.

eight to four eight to eight to 12. inches of snow. >> What? >> What kind of ice? We have that series. ice. >> The kind of snow you ski on it in. Colorado. >> I DIDN'T KNOW we're pow pow. We're going. to have pow pow out here. I like. >> Yeah, big dude. This is big pow. Because. the air is so cold and dry, you get a. lot more bang for your buck out of the. cold, dry air mass with less moisture. You don't need as much. That's why we. talk about snow to liquid ratios. On. average, 10 inches of snow equal one. inch of water. Now, we're talking about.

18 20 inches of snow out of one inch of. water. >> Oh, >> you see what I'm saying? So, you got a. lot more bang for your buck. >> because that's the no pressure, low. pressure coming in from the north. >> Clipper. >> The Clipper coming in from north. >> You know what? Quit where you're quit. where you're head. [laughter] It's the. big It's the big high. >> I thought it was. >> It's the big high to the north. That the. big arctic high. That's what's. >> Oh, the big arctic high from the north. They be smoking up there. Big Arctic. high. Yeah, I'm trying to get. >> big arcing.

>> Yeah, I'm trying to get Baltic high up. there, aren't I, Gump? Aren't we trying. to get Baltic high up there? That's. what's coming down from the north. Canadians are sending us down this to to. start this entire run. Thank you, Gumpy. >> Absolutely, Baltic. Yes. >> All right, Jim. Anything else we need to. think about? uh 40s in um Seattle. Who do you Who do you I think Seattle. takes it all, but that's just me. >> How about exploding trees? Can we talk. about this real quick just before we let. you get out of here? Uh are.

>> that's not exploding. That just broke. apart. >> Oh, exploding tree. Oh, yeah. So, and. you know, this is another thing from. that big arctic high. You know, you have. sap in those trees. >> Yeah. it's still liquid and you get like. this, you know, 20 30°ree temperature. drop down near zero or below and all of. a sudden that the water that's inside. those trees goes pow. It's got to go. somewhere because it's expanding, right? You ever put a full glass of uh bottled. water in your freezer and all of a. sudden it's like it pops the top off of.

it. >> Yeah. The worst. >> Same thing with the trees. Same thing. with the trees. >> Okay. So, let's keep our eyes out for. the trees. It's just the bark's blowing. up, not the inside of tree, right? We're. not going to get a big boom boom like. Oh, no. The sap's on the inside. So, sometimes it is the inside. >> Oh, so Zambelli fireworks potentially. happening everywhere we. >> look. >> I don't like that. >> Stay safe out there, man. What are you. going to be doing? Are you just going to. jump your ass into 18 inches of snow and. be like, "Hi, I'm down here." They're. like, "What is the What does the weekend. look like for you?". >> That's not That's not a height comment. by any chance.

>> 18 feet. Are you 18 feet tall? >> You like the robe? >> I'm sorry. You're 18 in. >> 18 inches. Yeah. Sorry. Not 18 feet. >> Brush. That's something to brag about. right there. Right. All right. >> 18 inches. Hey. All right, Jim. We. appreciate the hell out of you. Good. luck this weekend. We appreciate your. service. >> Hey, thanks, man. Great, great catching. up with you guys again. Thank you. I'll. be here in New York for the entire. event. Sunday's game day here. Sunday's. game day with the weather in New York. City. >> Championship Sunday. Yeah. You're the. man. Good luck out there, ladies and. gentlemen. Jim. >> K.

Jim, >> he's kind of taking that. >> He's awesome. >> Yeah, he's been up all more ice. Yeah, they they sent the hurricane plans to. get a little bit better uh. on when this thing's coming and they are. all aligned. >> Yeah, they're locked in. They. >> they know what's coming now. We got it. >> How long's he been in the game, Ton? >> Uh since the day he's born. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Weatherman. Boom. >> And he said, "Yes, >> please.". >> Kindergarten.

>> So, does that mean the snow will be. packing snow? Sorry. Is it like if it's. I don't know anything about skiing, but. Oh, >> no. No. Dry snow is tough. >> Yeah, fresh pile of powder. >> Yeah, we need we need some liquid in. there. You're right. >> Fresh pile of ice. >> Yeah, we like fun. We like fun snow, you. know, stuff we can do with you. >> Snowballs, sledding, all that. >> Bam. Toss one up. That's crazy. And. boom. Right down the suckle. T-bone. We. shouldn't have even told you that. You. would have fell for that immediately. first time we had snow outside. >> He'll forget. >> Yeah, he will. Yeah, he will. What did.

you learn today? You think on the. microphone they bone for a couple times? I realize [clears throat] that the show. is four quarters. You know, you might. not start off the best, but it's how you. finish. >> Um, >> how many points did the Steelers score. in the first quarter over 76 games or. something like that? >> They haven't scored more than seven uh. over the first quarter in 77 straight. games, I believe. >> So, you're like Mike Tomlin. >> I'll take it. >> I think Josh. I'll take it. >> Yes, you certainly should. Just started. horrendously early.

>> Did you see him? He was 14 ft away from. the microphone talking. >> His voice did change a bit. His voice. did change a little bit from the. beginning till the second hour. So, >> we did put it on pretty quick and he. always said like, uh, if I was. practicing at tackle and then game day, they told me I got to be guard, I was. not fully prepared and that's where the. mistakes came. >> Jumped off. >> Kind of reminds me of Jim Tom Sula more. than Mike Tomlin. >> Oh, what about Mcadoo? Any Mac? >> Mad work before the haircut. >> I think he's got some Jacksonville Urban. Meyer in him. Oh yes, he certainly does.

Might miss the plane, go see the boys, have a good time. Yeah, there's a chance. there's a little bit of that happening. You never know. >> AJ, any motivational speeches for uh. Debbone as we try to wrap up the show. today? >> I I give Debbone credit. When did he. find out he was going to be in that. seat? >> I'd say 10:15. >> Uh I mean that's that's probably good, but that gave him just enough time to. freak out probably and have some anxiety. leading up to it. No question. But uh. >> it's better than the night before. Do. you think it would be better if you' if. you'd have known last night? >> Absolutely not. His graphics were shite. immediately upon learning that he was. going up there.

>> Yeah. >> He actually stopped making graphics and. started taking notes for the show and I. said that's absolutely worthless bone. Let's just keep going with the. [laughter] graphics. >> Yeah. And he did and we appreciate just. like we appreciate Door Dash. >> Oh yeah. >> I'll tell you what, anything you need, Door Dash has got your back. And right. now, if you were to uh scan that QR. code, that'll get you a part of. something special. Now, I think the. contest is over because I think it was. during the regular season during game. days. But nonetheless, Door Dash will. show up for you on any day, especially. on game days. Make sure you're not. distracted from anything with friends at.

Door Dash being your assistant. They're. running pants if you need it. >> What? >> That's Yeah. >> Power tools. >> Holy [ __ ]. >> Got my Got my outfit for the national. championship. >> Get off Door Dash. >> Door Dash can uh get you ready for a. national championship. Salt on Door Dash. for the big snow that is coming. >> They're all sold out. There's not much. of it available. object. >> that's in where he lives. Obviously, it. might not be where you live, but you. should have got in ahead of time. Yeah, it's uh I will say that. Yes. Yes.

>> I just saw the updated graphic. I didn't. know that I came back and won this. >> Yes. >> 88 and four. Just where we want to be. >> Heading into championship Sunday. >> This is it. >> Me and the hawker. You know, this isn't. it necessarily. >> True. >> This isn't it necessarily. Anything can. still happen. >> True. >> We got a Super Bowl that awaits us in. Santa Clara, California, where we will. be there Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. from radio row with a litany of guests.

and maybe even a special show on Friday. >> All right. Let's get to the pick, shall. we? For championship Sunday, Patriots, Broncos, everything that needs to be. said has already been said from both. teams. The line moved from five and a. half to four and a half while having 70. plus% of the bets on that. Little. reverse line movement from the sports. books, but it has not changed much. Still 70 plus on the Patriots overunder. at 42 and a half. Tone, what's the final. takeaway from this line and what the. overunder is? >> Final takeaway uh on the line is that.

the sports books, if I'm reading it. correctly, like the Broncos in this one. and then the 42 and a half feels a. little low. the Broncos when playing um. other good teams, you know, the Jaguars, the Bills recently come to mind. They've. been higher scoring games surprisingly. Now, obviously a different quarterback. for the Broncos, but you know, it's just. something to look at. >> Harold Landry has been ruled out of. Sunday's AFC Championship game due to a. knee injury. Matt Collins, Carlton. Davis, and Mapu are questionable. Okay,

so questionable obviously better than. doubtful or out, I think, is what we. just saw from Connor right there. Connor, your final thoughts as we head. into championship weekend with your team. playing as four and a half point. favorites on the road. >> Uh Matt Collins being back would be. huge. He's been on IR, so him even being. questionable up to be able to play is. massive. Uh huge second half every. single game thus far in the throughout. the playoffs rather. Chargers second. half, they ran away with it. Texans. second half, sorry, I'm all jacked up. Texans second half ran away with it.

Broncos, I would expect kind of a early. kind of feel each other out. First. half's going to be tough. second half. They're going to run away with it. They. play a lot of man-to-man. We just. mentioned it. Drake May's got to run. He's got to be able to move. I hope they. kind of go into their bag of tricks when. it comes to his QB runs, some some. things of that nature. And then again, couple deep shots. Need to get Kyle. Williams the ball. They've missed the. first two playoff games on him deep down. the field even though he's been open. Let's get one of those in. Let's get. Drake May running and let's go to the.

Super Bowl, baby. >> AJ, with all that being said, are you. with Connor? Are you with this Denver. Broncos team? number one seed in the AFC. with Styi getting the start at home. >> Yeah. So, STDM, I I am a fan of STDM. I. think this guy can absolutely sling it. Uh, and I'm a huge fan of this Broncos. defense. I think they will generate. plenty of pressure, but I think it's. going to be one of those iconic days in. Foxboro. Give me the Patriots. Sorry, sorry. I think the Patriots are. not in Foxboro.

are going to figure it out on the road. Sorry, I'm a bit jacked up as well cuz. I'm excited for Braves and the boys, but. four and a half does feel like a lot, but I do I still am taking the Patriots. here. >> Just because Bulls called us out, I'm. with the Patriots as [laughter] well. And if we could provide motivation to. City and the boys, we certainly feel. honored about that. Love the way the. Broncos play. But this Patriots team, what their defense just did against the. Texans when we were talking about the. Texans with Drake May not playing his. best football yet, ever in his life. And. so has that opportunity. Stitty stepping. in there. I like the way he operates. I.

just like the Patriots defense as well. I'll take the Patriots. And let's go to. the NFC Championship. Rams Seahawks. Seahawks favored by two and a half at. home. Over under 46 and a half. Tone, your thoughts on DraftKings. >> So, the last time they played on that. Thursday night, uh the total flew over. this. Earlier in the season, it stayed. low. Sam Darnold had thrown a ton of. interception in this one. You see the. 81% on the Seahawks. We talked about it. earlier in the show. You know, that's. probably recency bias on the Seahawks. minus 2 and a half there. These days,

uh, home field is around 1.8 to 2.2 is. what sports books kick in for that. So, this is basically a pick him in the. sports books. >> 81% of the bets on the Seahawks. AJ, are. you riding with the Seahawks at home or. the Rams and MVP probable Matthew. Stafford? >> Well, Bone's breakdown of the Seahawks. really got me worried as a as a person. that was leaning Rams early, but I just. can't pick against him. I like this LA. Rams football team. I like Puka. I love. what the defense can do and I think. Stafford is having a magical year. I.

think he gets to the Super Bowl. >> Give me the Seahawks minus 2 and a half. at home. Can't wait to watch it. We. appreciate you all so much for allowing. us to do this for the living. We are the. luckiest people on earth. Have an. incredible championship Sunday. We will. see you on Monday for overreaction. Monday. Be a friend. Tell a friend. something nice. It might change their. life. We're in this thing together. In. the back, great work this week, boys. >> Graphic design boys. Great work. Debbone, way to step in here. Mick, CTO, Tim, we appreciate you all. AJ, you. crushed it this week. Anything to say as. we head into the greatest weekend of all. time, AJ?

>> I think enjoy it. Well, I know we keep. talking about that football's almost. over. No, football is right here and the. times that matter the most are right. here. So, we need to enjoy these games. while we have them. >> That's right. Perspective. We have it. Let's enjoy it. I GOT A PISS. TEAM ON. ME. TEAM ON THREE. 1 2 3. GOODBYE.