Casuals with Katie Nolan — Episode Summary

Podcast: Casuals with Katie Nolan (SiriusXM)
Episode: Alex Bregman, an Epic Week of NFL, and Buying the Bills' Urinals
Date: January 13, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Katie Nolan and her rotating cast—Isabella (sports newbie), Chris (master editor), and Brady (down the hall)—debrief a wild weekend in sports, with a special focus on the NFL Wild Card round, college football playoffs, and the madness of the Bills auctioning off stadium urinals. They answer listener emails about mascots and mispronunciations, give their unfiltered thoughts on awards show betting, and share lively banter on locker room trades and media faux pas. Notable stories include an Isabella-powered parlay, mascot pants debates, and an in-depth discussion of the ups and downs of being a sports fan (Patriots and Red Sox included).

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Catching Up & Listener Mail (Voicemails and Emails)

00:45–09:28
Quick banter about the Golden Globes and Amy Poehler’s podcast win.
Listener conundrums:
- Levi’s Aaron Rodgers “Britney with an AI” wife theory
- Correct pronunciation of “Megan” vs. “Meegan” (Jimmy: “Chris and Brady have a much needed socially conscious, anti patriarchal worldview…” [06:00])
- Olivia in Texas struggling to embrace the Spurs’ pantless coyote mascot.
- Pantless mascot deep dive: “Most mascots, I think, don’t have pants, but they’ve got an oddly shaped body… [Spurs’] just looks like he doesn’t have any pants.” — Katie [08:04]

2. Gambling in Entertainment & Sports

09:29–16:15
Katie rails against gambling ads in sports and dissects the problematic debut of “live odds” during the Golden Globes.
On Pandora’s box of betting:
- “It’s bad enough that gambling has entirely taken over sports media … God forbid one place just not have any of that.” — Katie [11:04]
- The absurdity of gambling on White House briefings and Gatorade colors.
Chris notes that entities are trying to skirt regulation by calling betting “predictions markets.”
Brady: “Right now, on that same website, you can bet on whether the Iranian regime will fall before 2027.” [14:01]

3. NFL Wild Card Weekend: Game-by-Game Recap

19:46–56:36

A. Patriots vs. Chargers:

Patriots win 16–3: Katie and Chris celebrate, Isabella’s parlay stays alive.
Conversation about how “4th and 2” works (football basics for casual fans).
Mike Vrabel’s bloody lip: “The broadcast needed to chill out with the slow motion close up.” — Katie [24:12]

B. 49ers vs. Eagles:

49ers’ injury hell, George Kittle out with torn Achilles, absurd substation-conspiracy.
“Can’t measure heart.” — Chris [26:33], referencing Niners’ resilience.
Terry Bradshaw only pundit to pick Niners to win.

C. Bills vs. Jaguars:

Bills get rare road playoff win.
Controversial kicker miss, “ball don’t lie” explanation.
Viral press conference “question” (“You hold your head up, young man!”), sparks newsroom ethics debate.
- Katie: “It was a really human moment … I thought it was cute.” [40:30]
- Brady: “Journalistically, it’s fairly bankrupt. You’re in the room as press … gathering facts.” [40:52]

D. Bears vs. Packers:

Bears win in dramatic 4th quarter comeback.
Cheesehead/cheese grater traditions explained.
Isabella’s accidental watching of a replay instead of the live game.
- “It just seemed confusing. … They don’t care about the people who actually want to get into football.” — Isabella [47:47]
Coaches Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur’s real-life rivalry. Brady: “They just hate each other.” [50:56]

E. Rams vs. Panthers:

Rams pull off clutch win after Carolina scores late.
Katie: “You left too much time on the clock for Matthew Stafford …” [52:49]

Parlay Drama:

Isabella’s random picks are 5/5; last game hinges on Steelers—offer to cash out the bet for $94 vs. risking for $300 payout.
- “I say let’s go for the $300.” — Isabella [55:08]
- “I don’t have anything to lose.” — Isabella [55:15]

F. Iconic Bills Urinal Auction:

Bills sell stadium artifacts, including the infamous “piss troughs.”
“It is as much like a piece of farm equipment as you could imagine.” — Katie [58:33]
Brainstorming uses for an old stadium urinal: planter, “piss pickles,” etc.
“What would you do with it?” — Katie [59:00]

4. NFL Coaching Changes: Goodbye Mike McDaniel?

62:10–65:02
Dolphins fire Mike McDaniel, interview Browns/Browns rumors swirl.
- “If a head coach is fired and immediately becomes the number one candidate for any and all open offensive coordinator jobs, that is a head coach candidate.” — Katie [63:29]
Host’s fiancé Dan (a Dolphins fan) reacts by stomping Dolphins merch post-firing.

5. College Football Playoff Update

66:41–71:10
Miami defeats Ole Miss; Indiana blows out Oregon, setting up Miami vs. Indiana in the National Championship.
- “Indiana has been dominant this year, one of the greatest teams of all time in college football.” — Chris [94:34]
Fernando Mendoza’s LinkedIn profile discussed; Chris investigates which athletes use LinkedIn, naming Derek Queen, Lindsey Von, Chris Paul, Steph Curry, and Lewis Hamilton.

6. Major League Baseball: Alex Bregman Leaves Red Sox for Cubs

73:48–79:54
Bregman’s opt-out and fans’ frustration dissected (especially as he replaced beloved Rafael Devers).
- “They shipped him off. The fan base turned on him ... I want my guy. I want my Yankee Killer.” — Katie [78:04]
Katie and Brady lament frustrating Red Sox management and fan relations.

7. Other Notable Sports Stories & Side Topics

80:00–88:18

A. NBA:

Trae Young’s trade to the Wizards analyzed; focus on high-usage stars’ value.
Katie: “The Wizards aren’t doing enough to lean into their nickname … more wizardry and magic.” [82:41]

B. Odd Basketball Interruptions:

Condensation at United Center delays Bulls vs. Heat; Benny the Bull drains a center-court shot, Tyler Herro refuses to participate, Asia Wilson works the crowd.

C. Scooter Braun’s Jealousy of Athletes DM’ing Sydney Sweeney: - “If you want other grown men to respect you, maybe go by, like, Scott.” — Katie [86:51] - Brady’s theory: Braun leaked the story himself just to remind everyone he’s dating her.

Show jokes about sliding into Sweeney’s LinkedIn.

8. What To Watch This Week (with Timestamps)

92:12–95:34
PWHL Hockey: Ottawa vs. Montreal — Tue Jan 13, 7 pm EST on Prime [93:02]
- “Chance to watch two of the best players, Brianne Jenner and Marie-Philippe Poulin.”
Women's College Basketball: South Carolina vs. Texas — Thu Jan 15, 7 pm EST on ESPN2 [94:34]
- “Two very, very good teams … check out that game.”
College Football Playoff National Championship: Indiana vs. Miami — Mon Jan 19, 7:30 pm EST on ESPN [95:14]
- “Let Fernando Mendoza know how much you appreciate his game on LinkedIn.” — Katie

Notable Quotes & Moments

On sports podcasting in strange times:
- “It’s a really tough time to do a sports podcast … Every day I wake up and go, we could—because it really feels like there’s a bunch of fronts that could at some point pop off and turn into one big world war, you know?” — Katie [15:29]
On gambling in entertainment:
- “For something like entertainment to become boiled down to odds, who’s going to win? What are the odds that this person wins… It just does not sit well with me.” — Katie [11:03]
On the NFL’s wild card drama:
- “These Bears just do not quit. You cannot count them out, even though I tried to…” — Katie [43:54]
On buying a urinal from the Bills:
- “How do you all not have pee fear? How are you all able to...” — Katie [58:23]
On athlete LinkedIns:
- “If you don’t have to be on LinkedIn, you should not be on LinkedIn.” — Katie [69:05]

Episode Highlights by Timestamp

00:45–09:28: Listener mail, fun mascot/basics Q&A, pantless mascot discourse
09:29–16:15: Gambling “creep,” with sharp critique on betting in sports/media
19:46–56:36: NFL wild card weekend deep dive, Isabella parlay, urinal auction
62:10–65:02: McDaniel firing, coaching carousel
66:41–71:10: College Football Playoff, athletes on LinkedIn
73:48–79:54: MLB: Bregman to Cubs, Red Sox fan pain
80:00–88:18: Trae Young trade, Bulls/Heat condensation, Sydney Sweeney “DM drama”
92:12–95:34: What to watch this week (hockey, basketball, college football)

Closing Notes

Guests Upcoming:
Katie teases a heavy-hitting guest lineup for Thursday's episode: director Joe Carnahan and Boston legends Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, to discuss their Netflix film "The Rip" and Boston sports.

In Closing:
A vibrant, funny, and refreshingly accessible round-up of the week in sports, loaded with inside jokes, critiques of betting culture, and a perfect blend of expertise and casual hangout energy.

Contact the Pod:

Email: casualswithkatienolan@gmail.com
Voicemail: 646-810-0043
IG/TikTok: @casualsthepodcast

“We love you, we mean it, and we’ll see you on Thursday.”

Casuals with Katie Nolan — Episode Summary

Podcast: Casuals with Katie Nolan (SiriusXM)
Episode: Alex Bregman, an Epic Week of NFL, and Buying the Bills' Urinals
Date: January 13, 2026

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Catching Up & Listener Mail (Voicemails and Emails)

00:45–09:28
Quick banter about the Golden Globes and Amy Poehler’s podcast win.
Listener conundrums:
- Levi’s Aaron Rodgers “Britney with an AI” wife theory
- Correct pronunciation of “Megan” vs. “Meegan” (Jimmy: “Chris and Brady have a much needed socially conscious, anti patriarchal worldview…” [06:00])
- Olivia in Texas struggling to embrace the Spurs’ pantless coyote mascot.
- Pantless mascot deep dive: “Most mascots, I think, don’t have pants, but they’ve got an oddly shaped body… [Spurs’] just looks like he doesn’t have any pants.” — Katie [08:04]

2. Gambling in Entertainment & Sports

09:29–16:15
Katie rails against gambling ads in sports and dissects the problematic debut of “live odds” during the Golden Globes.
On Pandora’s box of betting:
- “It’s bad enough that gambling has entirely taken over sports media … God forbid one place just not have any of that.” — Katie [11:04]
- The absurdity of gambling on White House briefings and Gatorade colors.
Chris notes that entities are trying to skirt regulation by calling betting “predictions markets.”
Brady: “Right now, on that same website, you can bet on whether the Iranian regime will fall before 2027.” [14:01]

3. NFL Wild Card Weekend: Game-by-Game Recap

19:46–56:36

A. Patriots vs. Chargers:

Patriots win 16–3: Katie and Chris celebrate, Isabella’s parlay stays alive.
Conversation about how “4th and 2” works (football basics for casual fans).
Mike Vrabel’s bloody lip: “The broadcast needed to chill out with the slow motion close up.” — Katie [24:12]

B. 49ers vs. Eagles:

49ers’ injury hell, George Kittle out with torn Achilles, absurd substation-conspiracy.
“Can’t measure heart.” — Chris [26:33], referencing Niners’ resilience.
Terry Bradshaw only pundit to pick Niners to win.

C. Bills vs. Jaguars:

Bills get rare road playoff win.
Controversial kicker miss, “ball don’t lie” explanation.
Viral press conference “question” (“You hold your head up, young man!”), sparks newsroom ethics debate.
- Katie: “It was a really human moment … I thought it was cute.” [40:30]
- Brady: “Journalistically, it’s fairly bankrupt. You’re in the room as press … gathering facts.” [40:52]

D. Bears vs. Packers:

Bears win in dramatic 4th quarter comeback.
Cheesehead/cheese grater traditions explained.
Isabella’s accidental watching of a replay instead of the live game.
- “It just seemed confusing. … They don’t care about the people who actually want to get into football.” — Isabella [47:47]
Coaches Ben Johnson and Matt LaFleur’s real-life rivalry. Brady: “They just hate each other.” [50:56]

E. Rams vs. Panthers:

Rams pull off clutch win after Carolina scores late.
Katie: “You left too much time on the clock for Matthew Stafford …” [52:49]

Parlay Drama:

Isabella’s random picks are 5/5; last game hinges on Steelers—offer to cash out the bet for $94 vs. risking for $300 payout.
- “I say let’s go for the $300.” — Isabella [55:08]
- “I don’t have anything to lose.” — Isabella [55:15]

F. Iconic Bills Urinal Auction:

Bills sell stadium artifacts, including the infamous “piss troughs.”
“It is as much like a piece of farm equipment as you could imagine.” — Katie [58:33]
Brainstorming uses for an old stadium urinal: planter, “piss pickles,” etc.
“What would you do with it?” — Katie [59:00]

4. NFL Coaching Changes: Goodbye Mike McDaniel?

62:10–65:02
Dolphins fire Mike McDaniel, interview Browns/Browns rumors swirl.
- “If a head coach is fired and immediately becomes the number one candidate for any and all open offensive coordinator jobs, that is a head coach candidate.” — Katie [63:29]
Host’s fiancé Dan (a Dolphins fan) reacts by stomping Dolphins merch post-firing.

5. College Football Playoff Update

66:41–71:10
Miami defeats Ole Miss; Indiana blows out Oregon, setting up Miami vs. Indiana in the National Championship.
- “Indiana has been dominant this year, one of the greatest teams of all time in college football.” — Chris [94:34]
Fernando Mendoza’s LinkedIn profile discussed; Chris investigates which athletes use LinkedIn, naming Derek Queen, Lindsey Von, Chris Paul, Steph Curry, and Lewis Hamilton.

6. Major League Baseball: Alex Bregman Leaves Red Sox for Cubs

73:48–79:54
Bregman’s opt-out and fans’ frustration dissected (especially as he replaced beloved Rafael Devers).
- “They shipped him off. The fan base turned on him ... I want my guy. I want my Yankee Killer.” — Katie [78:04]
Katie and Brady lament frustrating Red Sox management and fan relations.

7. Other Notable Sports Stories & Side Topics

80:00–88:18

A. NBA:

Trae Young’s trade to the Wizards analyzed; focus on high-usage stars’ value.
Katie: “The Wizards aren’t doing enough to lean into their nickname … more wizardry and magic.” [82:41]

B. Odd Basketball Interruptions:

Condensation at United Center delays Bulls vs. Heat; Benny the Bull drains a center-court shot, Tyler Herro refuses to participate, Asia Wilson works the crowd.

Show jokes about sliding into Sweeney’s LinkedIn.

8. What To Watch This Week (with Timestamps)

92:12–95:34
PWHL Hockey: Ottawa vs. Montreal — Tue Jan 13, 7 pm EST on Prime [93:02]
- “Chance to watch two of the best players, Brianne Jenner and Marie-Philippe Poulin.”
Women's College Basketball: South Carolina vs. Texas — Thu Jan 15, 7 pm EST on ESPN2 [94:34]
- “Two very, very good teams … check out that game.”
College Football Playoff National Championship: Indiana vs. Miami — Mon Jan 19, 7:30 pm EST on ESPN [95:14]
- “Let Fernando Mendoza know how much you appreciate his game on LinkedIn.” — Katie

Notable Quotes & Moments

On sports podcasting in strange times:
- “It’s a really tough time to do a sports podcast … Every day I wake up and go, we could—because it really feels like there’s a bunch of fronts that could at some point pop off and turn into one big world war, you know?” — Katie [15:29]
On gambling in entertainment:
- “For something like entertainment to become boiled down to odds, who’s going to win? What are the odds that this person wins… It just does not sit well with me.” — Katie [11:03]
On the NFL’s wild card drama:
- “These Bears just do not quit. You cannot count them out, even though I tried to…” — Katie [43:54]
On buying a urinal from the Bills:
- “How do you all not have pee fear? How are you all able to...” — Katie [58:23]
On athlete LinkedIns:
- “If you don’t have to be on LinkedIn, you should not be on LinkedIn.” — Katie [69:05]

Episode Highlights by Timestamp

00:45–09:28: Listener mail, fun mascot/basics Q&A, pantless mascot discourse
09:29–16:15: Gambling “creep,” with sharp critique on betting in sports/media
19:46–56:36: NFL wild card weekend deep dive, Isabella parlay, urinal auction
62:10–65:02: McDaniel firing, coaching carousel
66:41–71:10: College Football Playoff, athletes on LinkedIn
73:48–79:54: MLB: Bregman to Cubs, Red Sox fan pain
80:00–88:18: Trae Young trade, Bulls/Heat condensation, Sydney Sweeney “DM drama”
92:12–95:34: What to watch this week (hockey, basketball, college football)

Closing Notes

Contact the Pod:

Email: casualswithkatienolan@gmail.com
Voicemail: 646-810-0043
IG/TikTok: @casualsthepodcast

“We love you, we mean it, and we’ll see you on Thursday.”

wavePod

Alex Bregman, an Epic Week of NFL, and Buying the Bills' Urinals

Powered by Wave AI

Summary

Casuals with Katie Nolan — Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Catching Up & Listener Mail (Voicemails and Emails)

2. Gambling in Entertainment & Sports

3. NFL Wild Card Weekend: Game-by-Game Recap

4. NFL Coaching Changes: Goodbye Mike McDaniel?

5. College Football Playoff Update

6. Major League Baseball: Alex Bregman Leaves Red Sox for Cubs

7. Other Notable Sports Stories & Side Topics

8. What To Watch This Week (with Timestamps)

Notable Quotes & Moments

Episode Highlights by Timestamp

Closing Notes

Summary

Casuals with Katie Nolan — Episode Summary

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Catching Up & Listener Mail (Voicemails and Emails)

2. Gambling in Entertainment & Sports

3. NFL Wild Card Weekend: Game-by-Game Recap

4. NFL Coaching Changes: Goodbye Mike McDaniel?

5. College Football Playoff Update

6. Major League Baseball: Alex Bregman Leaves Red Sox for Cubs

7. Other Notable Sports Stories & Side Topics

8. What To Watch This Week (with Timestamps)

Notable Quotes & Moments

Episode Highlights by Timestamp

Closing Notes