Boston, Brawls, and Baseball | with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck & Joe Carnahan of "The Rip"

Summary

Casuals with Katie Nolan

Episode: Boston, Brawls, and Baseball | with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck & Joe Carnahan of "The Rip"
Release Date: January 15, 2026
Host: Katie Nolan
Guests: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Joe Carnahan
Podcast by: SiriusXM

---

Episode Overview

This episode of Casuals is a delightful, fast-paced blend of sports banter and Hollywood insight. Katie Nolan and her production team—Isabella, Chris, and Brady—tackle the latest in sports headlines, viral moments, and listener questions, before welcoming a blockbuster trio: Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and director Joe Carnahan. The focus: the trio’s new Netflix thriller The Rip (releasing Jan 16th), but things spiral into Boston sports loyalty, childhood trauma, the absurdities of fandom, and some playful games.

If you’re sports-curious, a Boston diehard, or just here for Affleck-Damon chemistry, this episode is pure recess.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Banter & Listener Mail: Bostonians and "Go Pates" (00:56-06:18)

• Running Joke: Isabella, the resident sports newbie, started a linguistic revolution by calling the Patriots the "Pates" instead of "Pats".
  • [Katie Nolan]: “Isabella, Boston icons Ben Affleck and Matt Damon said it. Can we do a little preview clip here?”
  • [Ben Affleck, clip]: “Go paints.” [Matt Damon, clip]: “Go paint.” (05:37)
• Boston Lore: The "Go Pates" meme is now canon, as confirmed by Affleck and Damon.

2. Viral Hockey Brawls & Youth Sports (07:23-10:29)

• The team reacts to a viral clip of 8-year-olds brawling during a junior hockey intermission.
  • [Katie]: “I don’t like it if it was staged by coaches – I want pure violence. I want them to hate each other because of their differing opinions on Bluey.” (08:57)
• Hockey & Violence: The reality of kids emulating hockey fights—“kids love it,” and the spectacle is both troubling and hilarious.

3. Sports News Tailspins (10:29-18:19)

Katie rapid-fires through headlines that "sent [her] into a tailspin":

• Crypto Antisemitism Token: Eric Adams launches a baffling digital token; confusion and ridicule ensue.
• Olympic Hockey Arena Not Ready: Photos of unfinished Olympic venue and the pathetic Jumbotron.
  • [Brady]: “Scoreboard above the ice just looks like four 65-inch TVs at right angles. I’ve seen this at Best Buy.” (12:00)
• DeuxMoi Ad Confusion: A gossip account’s paid "mystery couple" post for a water brand irritates the team.
• Fanatics Launching Studio: Skepticism about Fanatics’ quality and content ambitions.
• NFL Stars Playing Flag Football in Saudi Arabia: Bizarre all-star event sends Katie (and Brady) into existential dismay.
• Boston, Fallon, and Sports Loyalty: Rant about Jimmy Fallon’s ambiguous Yankees/Red Sox fandom.
  • [Katie]: “That drove me nuts. You can't be indecisive about these two things! ...It upsets the natural order of things...” (22:24-24:29)

4. Headlines Roundup (26:12-45:00)

• Etsy Witches and Sports Curses: UConn fans hire an Etsy witch to break a losing streak against Seton Hall.
• Mike Tomlin Resigns from Steelers: Longest-tenured NFL coach steps down after 19 years—debate about coaching turnover, locker room politics, and team loyalty.
  • [Katie]: “Never had a losing season is absolutely absurd. And it seems crazy to me to picture the Steelers without Tomlin.” (31:00)
• NFL Playoff Picks: Isabella attempts to redeem herself as the accidental parlay queen, and the crew debates the games.
• Nolan Arenado Trade & Red Sox Moves: Frustration mounts as the Red Sox lose another big player, and the Dodgers' dominance is decried.

---

Main Segment: Interview with Ben Affleck, Matt Damon & Joe Carnahan (50:03-81:40)

About "The Rip"

• Premise: Miami narcotics cops find millions in a stash house; trust fractures as outside forces and temptation close in.
• Realism & Storytelling:
  • [Ben Affleck]: “You got to believe these are real people... who can you trust? ...because I think, if you know who Matt and I are, you probably know that we are friends... a genuine fracture in trust is really interesting.” (50:27-51:11)

How the Movie Works

• Setting & Tension: Most of the film is confined to a house, creating “constant stress.”
  • [Joe Carnahan]: “Because [Ben and Matt] have such an easiness around each other... it creates a lot of tension.” (53:26)
• Directing Directors: Both Affleck and Damon, accomplished directors, easily deferred to Carnahan, respecting “the director’s medium.”
  • [Affleck]: “There is much wisdom in aligning yourself with the director...” (56:51)
  • [Damon]: “It’s really, conversations all happen before you get to set... by the time you’re shooting, you’re just executing on his plan.” (57:42)

On-Screen Fight & Longtime Friendship

• Stunt Work: Neither Affleck nor Damon performed the actual fight scenes—stunt doubles did the heavy lifting.
  • [Affleck]: “Tom Crazy Cruise... I would not be doing it... I don’t want to get a concussion.” (59:01)
• Real-Life Fights?
  • [Katie]: “Have you ever had a physical fight?”
  • [Affleck]: “We have not had a physical fight.” (60:19)

Boston Sports, Fandom, and the Patriots (61:04–65:37)

• Patriots Nostalgia: Affleck and Damon recall Boston football’s sad past, cherish Kraft ownership, and revel in the rise of Drake May.
  • [Affleck]: “It’s a miracle. How do you get another really good quarterback?... I thought I’d be dead before New England had another great football team.” (61:25)
• Hope for the Future: Excitement for new coach Mike Vrabel and the Patriots’ young talent and “unrecognizable” era.
• Playoff Climate: Wide open; ten teams could win the Super Bowl—reminiscent of when the Patriots held a dynasty.

Pressure, Calm, and Sports Psychology

• Cool Under Pressure: What makes stars great? Staying loose in chaos.
  • [Affleck]: “Brady just seems constitutionally incapable of getting anxious about anything.” (65:37)
  • [Damon]: Describes a military study where Special Forces cortisol levels dropped as the mission approached—explores human nature under intense expectation. (66:36-68:33)

Game-Day Watching

• Affleck on Live vs. TV Sports: “Football’s the one sport—it’s not as good live, television’s so good... Even baseball is a big game.” (69:14)
• Carnahan on Geometry: Football’s geometry “made sense” live to his son, even as TV presentation is confusing for newcomers.

Baseball Pace and Red Sox Heartache

• Pitch Clock Debate: Damon appreciates the pitch clock for regular season but would turn it off in playoffs. (71:01–71:12)
• Roster Knowledge Game:
  • Whiteboard Trivia: How many Red Sox innings did Affleck watch last year? Damon guesses 27, Carnahan 120, Affleck admits to only 10 games (90 innings). (76:13)
  • Matt Damon’s Roster Shot: Thinks he can name 18 Red Sox players; no time to prove it.
• Red Sox Heartbreak: Both lament losing Bregman, having zero all-star third basemen after recently having two.
  • [Matt Damon]: “What he [Simmons] said... was, I was planning on a decade or decade and a half of watching him play. It's just brutal when you lose people like that.” (72:14)

Hollywood with a Bonus: Fair Pay for Film Crews

• Innovative Payout Structure: Every cast and crew member on The Rip gets a bonus if the movie does well on Netflix.
  • [Affleck]: “A number of tiers in terms of hours watched... will trigger additional bonus payments to everybody who worked on the movie.” (79:19)
  • [Damon]: “To be clear, the crew's already been paid. This is on top of that.” (79:59)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Bluey and Hockey Brawls:
  Katie Nolan (08:57): “I want pure violence. I want them to hate each other because of their differing opinions on Bluey. I do not want it to be because coach says I have to punch this guy in the face.”
• Boston fandom gatekeeping:
  Katie Nolan (22:24): “You can’t be indecisive about these two things. You have to pick a side. It is the framework on which sports fandom is built. Rivalries—sports hatred.”
• On "Go Pates":
  Ben Affleck & Matt Damon (05:37): “Go paints. Go paint.”
• On Affleck's Red Sox watching fidelity:
  Matt Damon (76:13): “He directed a movie last year! Three full games if you added it up.” Ben Affleck (76:46): “I estimated 10 games… kids happened and they became more important than the Red Sox.”
• On the stress of Patriots playoff games:
  Ben Affleck (65:57): “…Brady just seems like a guy constitutionally incapable of getting anxious about anything. And I get tight watching the game.”
• On letting skilled people do the work:
  Ben Affleck (59:22): “For this kind of stuff, if there’s somebody that can do it better than me…I don’t want to get a concussion by getting my head slammed on the concrete floor a lot.”
• On bonus pay in movies:
  Ben Affleck (80:09): “The idea ultimately is, hey, people say, well, it's too expensive to make a movie…we're trying to achieve a kind of fairness…if a movie is really successful the crew, cast, and crew accrue more money.”
• Katie Closes:
  “Check out The Rip…high action, tense, all about who you can trust…as they mentioned, every single person who worked on the film has a bonus structure. I think it’s really cool that two guys like that who’ve been in this [business] a long time are trying to find innovative, creative ways to get people paid.” (87:14)

---

Important Segment Timestamps

• "Go Pates" Boston meme & Ben/Matt preview: 05:37
• Hockey fight reaction: 07:23–10:29
• Olympic hockey venue woes: 10:29–12:25
• Jimmy Fallon Boston rant: 18:19–24:29
• Fanatics content house & frustration: 15:10–16:12
• Affleck/Damon/Carnahan interview starts: 50:03
• On "The Rip" story & casting: 50:27–53:26
• Fight scenes & real-life friendship: 58:30–60:19
• Patriots nostalgia, coaching: 61:25–63:02
• Pressure in sports: 65:37–68:33
• Live vs. televised sports: 69:07–70:34
• Baseball pitch clock & Red Sox roster quiz: 71:00–78:58
• Hollywood compensation innovation: 79:19–81:17

---

Tone & Style

Casual, fast-talking, irreverent, loyal to “the Boston code”, and endlessly inviting, Katie and her guests blend humor, frustration, nostalgia, and wit. The Damon-Affleck rapport is affectionate and self-deprecating. Through it all, insider jokes (“Go Pates”), open wounds (Red Sox trades), and deep knowledge lend the episode both authority and warmth.

---

For New Listeners

This episode captures what “Casuals” does best: makes sports fun, accessible, and weirdly personal, while seamlessly welcoming unexpected celebrity crossovers. It’s a love letter to Boston, a side-eye to sports media absurdities, and a peek behind both Hollywood and Patriots’ playbooks.

---

If you want action, laughs, and Boston sports therapy – or just want to hear Matt Damon ponder if Ben Affleck watched 27 or 90 innings of baseball – this is your episode.

Transcript

[Katie Nolan]

This message is brought to you by Cottonelle. Cottonelle leaves you feeling so clean, you'll want to come clean about everything else. Like the fact that your home gym is actually just where you keep your laundry. Your booty deserves the best. And the Cottonelle toilet paper and flushable wipes duo use cleaning ripples to clean better and leave you feeling comfortably dry. It's the clean that makes you finally admit you still own a pair of cargo shorts you claim are vintage. Come clean with Cottonelle.

[Ben Affleck]

Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining forces.

[Joe Carnahan]

Switch to T Mobile and save up.

[Ben Affleck]

To 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T Mobile is in US cellular stores. Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the cost of optional benefits. Plan features in Texas and fees vary.

[Matt Damon]

Savings with three plus lines include third.

[Ben Affleck]

Line free via monthly bill credits. Credit stop if you cancel any lines.

[Matt Damon]

Qualifying credit required.

[Katie Nolan]

Hey, Isabella, did you see soccer player kept the ball in the air for 28 hours and 21 minutes. Like a. I don't know. I don't. Chris sent it.

[Isabella]

Juggling.

[Katie Nolan]

What?

[Chris]

Like, oh, I'm imagining him like just blowing up the ball. He's blowing it and he's like.

[Isabella]

That would be so much more impressive.

[Katie Nolan]

Is he the. Is he the big bad wolf? How would he possibly have the wind power? I don't know. You gave me little detail and my.

[Chris]

Imagination just fills a little less.

[Katie Nolan]

A little like kick things. The little dribbling or the juggling. Juggling. Oh, I.

[Chris]

For some reason, when you said it, my brain just didn't process the fact that it's like continuously touching something.

[Katie Nolan]

Like.

[Chris]

I just thought it's just like floating.

[Katie Nolan]

Fair. That's fair. That's fair. And that's on phrasing.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

2 hours, 28 hours and 21 minutes. That's like a full. That's a full day and then some.

[Chris]

Yeah, that's crazy.

[Isabella]

Also though, there's a small asterisk to this. He was allowed to take a 15 minute break every three hours.

[Katie Nolan]

That's crazy because when I went after my Guinness World record, which has since been at least tied, I don't know if it's been. I think it's been beaten by those jerks. Dude, perfect. Guinness themselves were such sticklers for the rules. They were like, you can't use. I stacked donuts blindfolded in a minute. And they were like, you can't use this type of donut. It has to be this type of donut. They can't be frosted or glazed. This guy got to take a break. No, you couldn't. Too much. The ridges would make the task too easy. It'd be ridged for my pleasure, and that's not allowed. Hello, and welcome to Casuals, a sports podcast that doesn't care how much you know. We're just happy that you're here. I'm Katie Nolan, your host joined today at the top of the show. Here by my casualties, our production team. We have Isabella, who is a sports newbie. Hello. Chris, our master editor.

[Isabella]

Hi.

[Katie Nolan]

And B B B B, B, B. Brady. Air horn.

[Brady]

Air horn.

[Katie Nolan]

Fwa, fwah, fwah, fwAh. Welcome to the show. If you want to reach us, Casuals with katienolanmail.com our voicemail 646-801-0043 on IG and TikTok, we are Casuals, the podcast. Joining us a little bit later in the show, you guys, I'm gonna throw up even saying it literally, I met them, and the first thing I said in one of their faces was, I'm gonna throw up. Join us.

[Isabella]

And then Ben responded with, I get that a lot.

[Katie Nolan]

I get that a lot.

[Isabella]

Which I quite enjoyed.

[Katie Nolan]

And that Ben, he's referring to Ben Affleck. Later in the show, we have Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Joe Carnahan, the director of their new movie the Rip, which is on Netflix January 6th. They came by, and we got to talk to them for a little bit shorter than we thought we were going to, which. Oh, we'll get into it, but that's coming up in a little bit. It's so exciting, I cannot believe. Brady, thumbs up and a round of applause on the. However that came together at the last minute. Now, that came together over a wild card weekend of NFL football, so we all had to. In between games. I was watching, like, 15 minutes at a time of their new movie, which. Which is very good. It's on Netflix. Coming up soon. Are we that far into January already? What's the date today?

[Isabella]

It's coming up tomorrow as this episode's being released.

[Brady]

It is?

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Damn. We're already, like, we're barreling through January. We're getting really close to my birthday, and I haven't come up with anything to do for it yet, Alas. Maybe I'll just do nothing. So we're gonna talk about a little bit of sports news here. Stuff that's come across the wires in the time since we saw you last. And Then we'll get to that interview because, I mean, really, that's gotta be why you're here. But we usually start out these show with going through some housekeeping, reading our emails or checking our voicemail and seeing what you guys have to say. Chris, can we go ahead and start today with Marcy? An email from Marcy.

[Isabella]

We can. Marcy writes in and says, I work in TV news in Boston. Shout out. And we just had an interview with the guy in the Patriots pro shop and he said, go, Pates.

[Chris]

Oh, my God.

[Isabella]

I can only assume he is a fellow casual. So it is now making it to the general public. I love you. Mean it, Isabella. You've started a revolution.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, my God. This is so much pressure. This is incredible. It's funny because yesterday I actually bumped into on subreddit, I don't remember which one it might be. NFL noobs. I. I follow a bunch of them because I want to see a casual fan's perspective on stuff. I. Somebody said, why is it pronounced pats and not pates? And I was like, it's catching on.

[Chris]

It's catching on.

[Katie Nolan]

It's catching on. I guess it's catching on because Isabella, Boston icons Ben Affleck and Matt Damon said it. Can we do a little preview clip here?

[Ben Affleck]

Go paints.

[Matt Damon]

Go paint.

[Ben Affleck]

I like it.

[Katie Nolan]

Incredible. You are now, Isabella, a part of Boston lore whether you like it or not.

[Isabella]

What a legacy for Isabel to leave.

[Chris]

Oh, my God, I'm so proud.

[Katie Nolan]

Absolutely incredible people. The funniest part, though, is that when you say it to somebody who's not in the know, they're like, you're a fucking idiot. You don't know anything. But it's always fun to go. No, it's you who doesn't. No, you just don't get it. If you were a bigger fan, you'd get it. You'd get it. It's all about that Pat's lifestyle and let's go Pates. We'll talk about it in a second. That game, I'm nervous. I'm nervous, I'm nauseous, all of it. Let's do another email. Let's do Kieran.

[Isabella]

Kieran writes in and says laughed so hard at Katie's last impression of Chris saying can't measure heart that I did a literal spit take, covered my suit and car and coffee on the way to work. So thanks.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, I was hoping he was going to say it was on the way back from work because then it's like, whatever cares.

[Isabella]

On the way to work.

[Katie Nolan]

How do you Explain that when you get to the office covered in coffee.

[Isabella]

Just heard a great. A great Australian impression and it made me laugh. I guess that's what you got to tell a boss.

[Katie Nolan]

Horrendous. A horrendous Australian impression. You can't measure hot.

[Isabella]

Measure hot.

[Katie Nolan]

Brady, remember when we did a live podcast and I spilled right before we went on stage, I spilled coffee all over myself. Do you remember that?

[Brady]

That was a mortal lie.

[Katie Nolan]

Holy cow. Right before going, it was like, are you serious? I like opened it and then boom, it's all over me. Jared Karabas was like, are you serious? You have to go out on the.

[Brady]

Well, it was cursed because we couldn't find an open Duncan.

[Katie Nolan]

In Boston.

[Brady]

In Boston.

[Katie Nolan]

Absurd. Absolutely absurd. Okay, let's do one more. Let's do an email from Timothy.

[Isabella]

All right. Timothy says, did you guys see that hockey fight between little 8 year olds? It happened at an intermission of an AHL game and now they are saying it was staged by the coaches or something. I don't think any of the kids got hurt. And it just looked like 8 year old boys having fun.

[Katie Nolan]

This went white hot viral. The moment that it hit the Internet wires, I. It was like on all of my timelines at the top being pushed to me. So in the intermissions of in between periods in games, sometimes they'll have little kids come out and play a little hockey game. And they do this in NHL games. At least I know the Bruins do. I don't know if it's like everybody does it across the league, but this was in the AHL in an intermission and these little eight year olds came out to play and they got into a big brawl and everybody loved it and they all thought it was funny. Does. Does anybody. Do you guys have any opinions on this? Did you see this, Brady?

[Brady]

It was immediate. Like they all threw down at the same time.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Brady]

I mean, I don't know who could buy into a group of 8 year olds being organized about being this violent. They went full royal rumble all together.

[Katie Nolan]

How organized can you really be? How organized can you really be when your fingers are all covered in ketchup? You know what I mean? Like, you guys are not. You don't have a clean operation over there. I will say if it is that the coaches staged it. That sucks. Yeah, I don't like that. I know. I don't want to be lady who ruins the fun. You're one friend who's too woke, but I don't think, I don't love it. If it was staged and being forced upon these kids so that you want.

[Isabella]

That violence to be pure?

[Katie Nolan]

Yes, I want pure violence. I want them to hate each other because of their differing opinions on bluey. Okay. I do not want it to be because coach says I have to go out and punch this guy in the face. I don't like it.

[Brady]

I think it's most likely that these kids watch hockey on TV and they see hockey fights, and they're like, coach, can we have a hockey fight? Can we do hockey fight?

[Katie Nolan]

Which is really funny because I think the argument people make and they're wrong, but the argument people make about hockey and fighting is they're like, what'll the kids think? And we're seeing it. That they love it, the kids love it, and they want to get in on it. So, yeah, look, hockey and fighting are synonymous.

[Chris]

And has there ever been a hockey fight where, like, multiple players are fighting each other?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Matt Damon]

Oh, yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

And that sounds like the refs do a pretty good job of, like, eep. Once it reaches a certain threshold, they. They get in the way. Like, if somebody goes to the ground, it's over. They've got to. They've got to, you know, get in the middle of the fight.

[Chris]

So I'm imagining, like, mean girl style, like, everyone pulling hair.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone's fighting at the mall. Yeah, yeah.

[Brady]

Hockey was in the news for three reasons this week. It was this. It was heated rivalry, and it was the woman from Minnesota doing the crossover dribble between the other woman's legs.

[Katie Nolan]

Insane. Did you guys watch that?

[Brady]

Actual game action. I feel like that's a problem for the NHL.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. But the ones that are is women, so shout out. And I would say heated rivalry is actual game action. Lot of action. Certainly a lot of action. Lot of what could be perceived as fighting until you look a little closer, you know what I mean?

[Brady]

Like when the kids shout from across the street, the dogs are fighting.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. Kind of. Yeah. Kind of like that. Yeah. Look, I'm not. I don't want it to be fake, so I'm just gonna say I hope that it's real, because, listen, this was kind of my yap for today. I saw so many stories between the last time I talked to you and now that sent me into a tailspin. Would it be okay if I just read what those stories are that have absolutely made me lose my grip on reality because I'm absolutely losing my mind? Number one, Eric Adams next act is exactly what you thought it might be. Eric Adams, the former mayor of New York City, where I live the crypto loving former New York City mayor is launching a digital token he says will fund efforts to combat antisemitism. Question mark I what is that headline? Eric Adams is launching a crypto coin. I don't understand it at all. Next headline. I saw a picture of what the jumbotron for the Olympic hockey venue currently looks like. It is absurd. Why is it so small? There was so much of this arena. I don't know if you guys have been following this. The place where they're playing hockey for the Olympics is not ready and may not be ready in time. Not fair.

[Chris]

I can zoom in on the photo. I can't zoom in on real life.

[Katie Nolan]

The deadline is fast approaching. As we've just covered, we are going faster through January than we anticipated. They are running out of time. The ceiling doesn't look finished. The dressing rooms, like the locker rooms.

[Brady]

Are like the scoreboard above the ice just looks like four 65 inch TVs at right angles. I've seen this in Best Buy.

[Isabella]

It's better lowering an iPhone. That's insane.

[Katie Nolan]

It is. This thing is not ready to have Olympic hockey in it.

[Chris]

Oh my God.

[Katie Nolan]

And we are going to find out how quickly they're able to get it.

[Chris]

There are wires coming out of the ceiling.

[Katie Nolan]

Absurd. There's not even any drywall up yet. It's just whatever the metal stud things are called.

[Brady]

Fuck it. Open concept.

[Katie Nolan]

Open concepts. For a room that you go into to get naked is crazy. I'm gonna. A wall because. Oh my God. This just like drew up a memory for me from my childhood of when you used to go into some department stores and there would be no individual stalls for dressing rooms. And so it would just be you and your mom. Yes. It would be like you, your mom and a bunch of other 50 year old women trying on clothes and you just had to like get dressed right there. And I was like, this is crazy.

[Chris]

Open concept fitting room.

[Katie Nolan]

Can a girl get a door, please? Absurd. Absolutely absurd.

[Isabella]

Hey, we have to deal with troughs. All right.

[Katie Nolan]

You're so. You're so right. Here's another one.

[Chris]

I wasn't really splash back in the Lowman's dressing room.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't think in mine there was Filene's basement. There absolutely was.

[Brady]

Jesus.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, this is another one. And it's not really a headline, but you guys know who Doom deux moi is? It's a an online gossip account that basically will post like, spotted this celebrity at this restaurant. Or like spotted these two celebrities are dating. It's like our Gossip Girl Yes. This is a. It's, like, official, but it's not. It's anonymous. And a lot of the times they're like, don't take this as news. Which is kind of a cop out, because it's like you're reporting it to your giant audience. I don't want to get into the. I just want to read this because this crosses a fucking line for me. This is the post I saw on my Instagram from Deuxmoi. It's a picture of Nina Dobrev from Vampire Diaries. Also recently. Were they married or just engaged? Broke up.

[Chris]

I think they were just engaged.

[Katie Nolan]

I think they were just engaged, too, with Shaun White, the. The. The snowboarder Olympic legend. It's a picture of her and then a guy in full, like, kiss makeup. Like, a white face with black whatever, and dressed in, like, studded whatevers. And the caption says, nina Dobrev spotted with a new mystery man in LA with the eye emojis. Sources say their lips looked glossy, revived, and very much alive with cosmetics. X. So, like, at times, Liquid Death's latest collab, Elf Partner. And then they tagged Getty Images. Excuse me. This is an ad. Is an ad for water, and you're reporting it like she was spotted on a date when clearly she wasn't. They're both drinking when you look closer. Or she at least is Liquid Death, which is a water, which is crazy. What is this? And who is this for? The comments were like, love them. As a couple, I had to go so far before I saw one person go. This level of brand integration is too much for me. No, thank you. I reject this with my soul. What do you mean? Hashtag Elf Partner. What is this? What is.

[Brady]

People who are buying a $4 can of water are not thinking this through.

[Katie Nolan]

Who? It's not getting paid for this. Does Jumoir get paid? Does Nina get paid? Does whoever that is? I'm sorry if that's somebody and I should know who it is, but it looks like somebody in a Halloween costume to me. Are they getting paid? Who? Who did this go through? Whose agency took this pitch? What is this? What is this? And why is this. Get it away from me. I never want to see it again. Next headline that sent me into a tailspin was this one from Boardroom. They said Fanatics is launching a studio. Fanatics? The company that can't make hats properly. The company that can't make merch worth buying that's of enough high quality for me to want to keep it or it to last more than two Seasons. Fanatics is launching a content house. They've launched Fanatic Studios, a joint venture built to be a leaning global of sports entertainment led by obb. What's that stand for? Obb? Anyone know?

[Brady]

Because they just Old Beautiful Bastard.

[Katie Nolan]

That's probably not it, but a good guess. As good of guess as any. Fanatic Studios debuts with a high profile slate spanning the LA Olympics, including the official Olympic film the Fanatics Flag Football classic featuring Tom Brady. A Brady docu follow the 2020 which I'm sorry, what do you mean by the 2020 success? Those have to be on ESPN. That's the whole point of the thing is ESPN's I don't. Okay, so Fanatics and Michael Rubin are launching a studio to make content great. What if you made a hat I liked? You know what else? Let me make sure I'm scrolling back enough in my phone to get all of the things that have sent me into a full tailspin. Okay, second to last one. Jaden Daniels set to play flag football in Saudi Arabia.

[Brady]

No, no, no.

[Katie Nolan]

What do you mean by that? How is that Again, the Washington commanders as you. As evidenced by Brady's reaction, he's not very happy. What was Jaden Daniel's injury issue this year? Where was it located? On his elbow. What did he do?

[Brady]

But then he also. Or a knee. But then he also had the elbow that bent the wrong way.

[Katie Nolan]

What are you doing? Play extra football. Stay home to remind you. Other players from the NFL set to make an appearance include Saquon Barkley, CD Lamb, Christian McCaffrey, Sauce Gardner, Miles Garrett, Brock Bowers, Max Crosby, Tyreek hill, Odell Beckham Jr. And Rob Gronkowski.

[Brady]

If it makes you feel better, three of those guys had season ending injuries and probably won't be able to go.

[Katie Nolan]

Doesn't make me feel better.

[Brady]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

Feel like they'll probably still go. Probably was written into their contract that if anything happens, they'll still get paid. Three NFL coaches. I guess this is old. So two and a half, two NFL coaches and a guy who once coached in the NFL will also be there. Pete Carroll, Sean Payton, Kyle Shanahan. So Pete's got time where we've got all of these gigantic NFL names heading over to Saudi Arabia to play flag football.

[Brady]

Mr. Beast will be there, I'm sure.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm sure. And let that send me into a tailspin as well. And then lastly. And this will pivot us well into. Well, I guess we're not going right into the Damon Affleck stuff, but last night Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were on the Tonight Show. Ever heard of it? Jimmy Fallon, the host, famously Jimmy Fallon, who you may know from such films as Fever Pitch, in which he played a die hard Red Sox fan who wins over Drew Barrymore, and also the Red Sox Win the World Series. That movie was filmed the year the Red Sox defied all odds and went on and won the World Series. Famously, Isabella, in case you don't know, they beat the Yankees on their way there in the alcs, which is the step right before the World Series. They came back, they were down three games to nothing. It's a seven game. So all the Yankees had to do was win one more game and the Red Sox won the next four games and went to the World Series. And then they won the World Series. I believe it was a sweep of the Cardinals. It was very lackluster. The big deal was the ALCS anyway, they won the World Series the year that Jimmy Fallon did this Red Sox movie. And so Fallon, also on snl, was in the Boston Teens sketch, which was him and Rachel Dratch and a number of other, I think Horatio Sands and a number of other guest stars and stuff would come by. The concept was that these were two, like Boston teens. They had thick Boston accents. They were Red Sox fans. They said, no, Ma. And so Jimmy Fallon has always had this association with Boston. Now, if you've been watching baseball recently, Jimmy Fallon is always behind home plate for the Yankees in a Yankees hat. He has said before, those are Lorne Michaels seats he sits with. Lorne makes sense. That's your friend. Jimmy Fallon grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. So him being a Yankees fan would make a lot of sense, a lot more sense than him being a Sox fan. And so as a Sox fan who's watched the Sox play the Yankees and has had to see Jimmy Fallon celebrating in Yankee stuff when the Yankees win, I've, in my mind, divorced Jimmy Fallon from any association with Boston. I've gone, don't be like those people who watched 13 Reasons why and then harassed those poor actors and actresses online because they can't separate a scripted show from a real thing. Don't be like those people and separate in your mind that Jimmy Fallon played a Red Sox fan from the fact that Jimmy Fallon is a Yankees fan. Now, looking into it, you can find that throughout his childhood, Jimmy was like, I don't. I don't even know if I. Sometimes I root for the Mets, sometimes I root for the Yankees. I'm not a die hard enough fan to know when is the right Time to do which? Look at me. Right in my eyes. There is no right time to switch from one to the other. You just have one team and you root for that team. I don't think anyone is following some unwritten rule about when you're supposed to switch from rooting for the Yankees to rooting for the Mets. What are you even talking about? But anyway, your lack of understanding of how fandom works is. Makes a lot of sense to me because how could you possibly make a movie that meant so much to a Boston, to the. I would never in my life make a movie that made Yankees fans feel good. I would never in my life be on the field even pretending to play a Yankees fan. Ben Affleck famously would not wear. Refuse to wear a Yankees hat. Was that Gone Girl that he was supposed to wear a Yankees hat? He refused because he's like, look, that's not me. I'm not about that. And I. That resonates with me. What doesn't resonate with me is that last night, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck went on the Tonight show and they did a bit with Jimmy Fallon where they list. They all. They said the names of every single town in Massachusetts. Shout out Framingham. Shout out Framingham. It's also kind of funny because when they first got arrived, they asked where in Massachusetts I was from, and I said Framingham. And they both went Framingham. And for some reason, that was my lasting memory from our interaction. I told everybody I grew up with that. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck said the name of our town to me, and it was the coolest thing ever because they recognized that they knew what it was and they'd heard of it before. And everyone I said that to was like, wow, that's amazing. I can't wait to see that bit.

[Brady]

Might have been the biggest moment in the history of Western Massachusetts. My wife's from Chicopee. It's just been all of social media. They're all just showing each other, and it's great.

[Katie Nolan]

It's fantastic. My issue is this. In this bit, Jimmy Fallon is wearing a socks hat and a sock sweatshirt. Buddy. What? Which is it? You can't be indecisive about these two things. You have to pick a side. It is the framework on which sports fandom is built. Rivalries, sports hatred. Knowing that you hate another. It's why Bears, packers was so exciting and great, because those teams hate each other. It's like, it doesn't make any sense to me that he just keeps being the Boston guy when he's not a Boston guy. Why? It drove me nuts. It drove me nuts. It also drove me nuts because I wanted to ask them specifically about that. And then I forgot we didn't get to it. And then they did this bit with him and I'm like, it's. I'm upset. I'm upset. And is that fair? Is that fair that I'm upset?

[Isabella]

Of course.

[Katie Nolan]

Thank you.

[Brady]

No.

[Chris]

Okay, go ahead.

[Katie Nolan]

Go ahead, Brady. I want to hear this. I need to hear this.

[Brady]

No, I don't have a good defense.

[Katie Nolan]

It's people.

[Brady]

Because my basis is not, like, as an Orioles fan. I don't have a Yankees. I have a. Yeah, I have the Yankees, but it's not the same.

[Katie Nolan]

Get good, then.

[Brady]

So in my mind, I can't. It doesn't comp quite the same.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. But in sports, it does. You're familiar with the concept. Even as a person who knows about the Sox and the Yankees, have you ever seen another person front facing forward facing famous person, flip flop between two enemy franchises?

[Chris]

Yeah, they're like rivals. It's not like just another team. I guess that's Bryce Harper as a.

[Katie Nolan]

But he's a player.

[Brady]

But Bryce Harper did, when he was with the Nationals, he wore the commander's gear. He grew up a Cowboys fan, and now that man's decked head to toe in Eagles gear.

[Katie Nolan]

Interesting, interesting, interesting.

[Brady]

Mike Trout never rooted for the Rams. Mike Trout's been an Eagles fan since the day he was born and still reps the Eagles even though he's played in LA for his whole career.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Huh. I just. It upsets me. It upsets the natural order of things to see two of the most famous Boston Red Sox fans with a guy I've looked at the last few years behind the plate of the Yankees at Yankees games, rooting for the Yankees in their gear. I just feel like I'm like, get away from him. You two, come this way. You two, come over here. We don't trust him. That's not. He's not. That's a wolf. He's wearing sheep's clothing. It's not. That's. He's not one of us. And so I just.

[Chris]

No, I get it.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm in a mood. I'm in a mood. Every headline I see. And then I saw that video and I was like, I can't with this. I really can't. My two dear friends, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who I've become so close with over the last couple days, it just hurt me to see them manipulated in that way. And so sorry. That's how I feel. So, socks fans, if you're listening to this and you disagree and you have a good argument for why I should just get over it, go ahead and write in or call in or whatever. But that just. I'm like, what are we doing?

[Isabella]

Did Fallon miss out on Conahan? Fallon couldn't get.

[Katie Nolan]

I was gonna say I don't think he could get him.

[Isabella]

So I wasn't able to pull a Brady. Brady's a better guest booker than Felon's people.

[Katie Nolan]

Brady's like, give me Brady. Almost got Tiana Taylor, which actually I really would have loved if she could have come in. I love her. Yeah.

[Brady]

Busy winning Golden Globes, right?

[Katie Nolan]

But you got to tell her I've loved her since my super sweet 16. I got to blow Dan's mind last night when I was like, I think this must be the first time somebody on my super sweet 16 won a golden Globe. And he was like, what? And I said, yeah, she got on my super sweet 16. Which then the immediate next thought is, whose Nepo baby is she? And it wasn't. I think she had just signed with Pharrell as like a music artist and used that money to throw the party or something. I don't.

[Chris]

Something along those lines.

[Katie Nolan]

Something along those lines. But she's not a Nepo. She's just so talented and amazing. Not. Not. Didn't win the. The award for the rip, though. She could. A solid performance which we're all gonna watch when it comes out on Netflix. But okay, let's get to some sports news and then we're gonna finally get to the thing that we actually all want to get to, which is Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Joe Carnahan. An etsy witch helped UConn beat Seton hall in New Jersey. This is something we've been following here in casuals throughout the year. Etsy witches are hot right now. You can spend a little bit of money and get a self proclaimed witch to on Etsy, put a spell on somebody or something or help your team in some way. The Huskies finally snapped their four game losing streak at the Prudential center on Tuesday. Tuesday night with a 69 to 64 win. Nice. Thanks to an Etsy witch at its mediocre Dan, which is an account on x that supports UConn, shared that their friend had hired a witch on Etsy to remove the Huskies curse at the Prudential center ahead of Tuesday's game. Dan Hurley, I assume, is UConn's coach. Not Dena Hughley. When UConn head coach Dan Hurley was asked about this after the win, he responded by saying, what the fuck? What was that? Well, I would say UConn fans are a different animal per college basketball writer Jaden Daly. He also went on and said, it's not surprising, but what am I going to say about it? I spray holy water all over the court. I sage my court. I throw garlic under the bleachers. I mean, I'm a cartoon character, so I don't know how I could pass some. Pass judgment on some other bizarre shit. He really went left on that. Isabella's our Etsy witch. Are we in agreement on that?

[Isabella]

Of course.

[Katie Nolan]

Like we. I text Isabella when I need something sports wise and she texts me back a picture of the post it note. And so far, so good.

[Isabella]

Sort of.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, we didn't see any evidence of a Steelers post it note. I will say there was no photographic evidence that she.

[Chris]

And it existed.

[Katie Nolan]

It existed. Yeah. Oh, no.

[Isabella]

It existed, but you didn't share it, so that was the issue, I think.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. What happens to an Etsy witch? You pay. Pay. Who does not get you what you paid for. Is there some sort of just say.

[Chris]

That the stars were not aligned that night.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, she's got a. She's like, look, I can pull up the email I sent. It's right here.

[Isabella]

Real quick though, can you call a four game losing streak a curse?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I don't think so.

[Isabella]

Four games.

[Katie Nolan]

I really.

[Isabella]

The last time they won was in 2021. This wasn't a 100 year thing.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Isabella]

They were dealing with.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Ben Affleck]

Yeah.

[Isabella]

Yukon Huskies.

[Katie Nolan]

And it's like, who, who, who cares? You know?

[Isabella]

Yeah, exactly. They get it done when it matters. They will win a national championships.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. This is like a paid promo for Etsy, which is what we're doing.

[Chris]

I'm gonna ask probably a stupid question.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Basketball. Okay. It's not stupid. Okay. That's not stupid. College basketball.

[Chris]

I was looking at the numbers and I was like, no chance. That's football.

[Katie Nolan]

That would be tough. That would be really, really tough. You're absolutely right. No, this is college basketball.

[Chris]

Got it. It got it.

[Katie Nolan]

You're right. We should have said that. Chris, you're fired. Got to put that in the headline. Okay. Okay, Chris. Thank you. All right. The. The big story, I guess that we should discuss since we last saw you. Mike Tomlin, the longest tenured coach in the NFL. I also believe maybe one of the longest tenured in all four professional leagues with the Steelers. He ended his 19 year run. And is resigning. He has stepped down and stepped back from the head coach position. Is Brady asleep? Okay. He just looked up. You've been looking down for a minute, but when you look down on Zoom, you look asleep. And so I thought maybe you were just taking a nap, which is nodding off. I actually wouldn't even. I would just talk quieter so that you could enjoy your peaceful rest. Cause it's Wednesday and it feels like it should be Saturday. So I'm with you. If any of you need to sneak in a nap, I won't be mad. He resigned as head coach. Now, I'm not calling conspiracy theory, but I will say it was interesting a couple weeks ago when Ben Roethlisberger came out and was like, he should be fired. And then the narrative shifted to, if Mike wanted to on, we should accept that that's something that he's allowed to do. He should be allowed to go do whatever he wants. And I was like, okay, he always is. What is this narrative? And now it's just interesting that he has moved on on his own accord. Not fired, resigned. They still. The Steelers have his rights because he was under contract. So if he were to coach somewhere between now and the end of the 2027 season, the Steelers would be able to get compensation for that or negotiate some. I don't get into the weeds on this stuff.

[Brady]

You'd basically be trading him to another team.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes, as. Isn't that what happened with Payton? Sean Payton?

[Brady]

Yeah. When Sean Payton went to the Broncos, since he had retired from the Saints, the Broncos had to give a bunch of draft picks.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. So there would be compensation. Although it's being reported he does not intend to coach in 2026. Anything can happen. And a lot of teams are still taking meetings with him. But it seems like he's not expected to coach in 2026. He's 53 years old again. 19 years. Never had a los with the team. He won a Super bowl with them, went to two Super Bowls, won one of them, lost one to the packers, who were, at the time led by his now, I guess, former quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Just an interesting little wrinkle. Never had a losing season is absolutely absurd. And it seems crazy to me to picture the Steelers without Tomlin. They're now searching for their, what, fourth head coach. I mean, they. They're not a team that does a lot of coach turnover. And so this is a wild moment. I pitched on fan service, and I know it's crazy. Please. But I pitched. Coach Swapp. I really think the Ravens should Hire Mike Tomlin and the Steelers should hire John Harbaugh. I think that's what we deserve for the content. Why not?

[Joe Carnahan]

Would be fun.

[Katie Nolan]

Why wouldn't we? And then film a reality show called Coach Swap where we get to watch what happens when you take the coach from one rival and swap them with the coach of another rival and they stop being nice and start getting real. And you know what?

[Brady]

This coach, I don't know why either one of them would want to coach. Like, they've both been coaching for like 19 years. Just like, take a gap year, dude. Like, just chill. Go do tv.

[Katie Nolan]

The problem with a gap year, as it was always explained to me in my youth when I was like, why not take a year off between high school and college? And I think she was right. My mom said, you won't go back. You'll take time off and then you'll like the time off or you'll have to work and your time will get filled with work and you won't. Once it stops becoming the compulsion you ha. It's like harder to get back into for some people. I will also say, when you've done something for that long, at that high of an intensity, coaching an NFL team, it's like an adjustment to that being gone from your life. And some people react to that adjustment by going like, I don't like this. I want to go back to the high stress environment. That's where I actually feel most comfortable. So I guess it's entirely possible that they would feel a calling to come back.

[Brady]

But I don't know. Bill Cower took that gap year and was like, hell with this. I can work three days a week and make millions of dollars from cbs. I'm not going back to coaching.

[Katie Nolan]

The money really is there in TV for a former player or a former coach. So I think there's quite a possibility that that could be what he does next. He. I don't know. He was great. He was a great player. Coach, I like Mike Tomlin. I really like Mike Tomlin. I'm going to miss him. I think he was, you know, good for the. I get it. I. I have come over the last few weeks. I've come to understand where Steelers fans are at with it. That, like, yeah, you've never had a losing season, but our record doesn't matter unless it gets us into the playoffs. And the playoffs don't matter unless we win them. And his record in the playoffs was not at the level that they wanted it to be. They were sick of getting there. And then not getting over that hump. And so there was, for whatever reason, a change in the organization. That's where we're at. And now we get to see what happens in that market because there's a lot of empty head coaching positions, and there's a lot of coaches and coordinators looking for gigs. So I have a question. Yeah.

[Chris]

How do you. I know in this case, he resigned, but how do you know when it's like a matter of a coaching problem, like the coach is the problem, as opposed to, say, like, the players or like the offensive coordinator? Like, how.

[Katie Nolan]

What.

[Chris]

What determines that?

[Katie Nolan]

It's a good question. Not always. Logic. Logic isn't always the thing. I would say in a. In my experience, when there's a change that needs to be made and fans start to latch onto the idea of a coach being fired, once it's kind of out there, once your fans are chanting as they were, Steelers fans were chanting, fire Tomlin in their playoff game, I think you just kind of get to a point where it's like, something's got to give. And again, he wasn't fired. He resigned. But I believe, like you said, the question is about. Because you've been watching this happen over the last few weeks, so I assume that's where this question's coming from. It's like, how do you know it's the coach? Not, like, go get better players and you don't always know. It's just easier to do one than the other sometimes.

[Chris]

Yeah. Okay.

[Isabella]

And sometimes it'll be the coach losing the locker room as well, which is what happened with John harbor while he was out at. In Baltimore, because he reportedly just lost the locker room, which meant that all the players just sort of didn't want to play for him anymore, didn't have a good relationship with him.

[Katie Nolan]

But if you ask his agent. That's not true. That's not true. He has a great relationship with his team.

[Brady]

When I was much younger, my buddy Joe lived in a crappy apartment, and one night, Melissa threw up in his sink and clogged it, and he realized it was going to be much easier to just move into a different apartment than to unclog that sink.

[Katie Nolan]

What?

[Brady]

So a lot of times it's like, what's easier to move? Find a new quarterback or find a new coach? You just find the easiest piece that you can move on from, and that's the change you make.

[Katie Nolan]

While we're talking Steelers, we have to say, and I'm sorry to you, Isabella, for this, that the Isabella Parlay ultimately did not hit. While Isabella was able to correctly pick five of the six games on wild card weekend, which do not hang your head. Not to Liam Cohen, you but like keep your head held high. You did a great job picking five of those six. Six. Nobody picked all six. And you picked five. I also saw somebody mention that it would be really ironic if the podcast that's loud about no gambling ran the table on a six leg parlay from a gambling standpoint and put all of.

[Brady]

Five bucks on it.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, we are the rely. We're the only reliable podcast for your gambling picks. But do not ever come to us for your gambling picks. It's a nice conundrum that we've run into, but.

[Isabella]

So it's just like the Knicks, just like the Mets. Start strong early, fall away late. This is Isabella's experience with sports the last 12 months. Is things starting strong and then falling.

[Chris]

Away like, I know the hell.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm really sorry. I don't like Isabella. And I actually asked them to fire Mike Tomlin because he lost that game, which cost you your part. Right. So they were like, no, we couldn't do that. And then he resigned. So we all kind of lucked out. But I said, that man can't get away with this. He made our Isabella upset.

[Chris]

I don't want to cause a man being fired.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, well, you did. So good luck sleeping tonight. So 30 to 6. The Steelers lost to the Texans on Monday night, which you guys knew when Tuesday's episode came out, but we did not know when we recorded it, obviously, which means the Pates are going to play the Texans next week, which is scary. The game ended up being a blowout, 30 to 6, but if you were watching it, it was 7 to 6 until the fourth quarter. So they were. They were very much in the game until, of course, they weren't. Aaron Rodgers might be retiring. We don't really know. He also might be married. We don't really know, do we? Brady, I just want to apologize again for attributing your take to somebody else. It was an honest mistake. I didn't mean to do it and I'll probably do it in the future because anything I've ever known, I've forgotten and it's just something we all kind of have to get used to. I apologize to people I like.

[Brady]

It's okay.

[Katie Nolan]

It's why? And to a woman. And so like, what? Isn't that about time that a man's take was stolen and given to a woman? Isn't it? Isn't that justice? Sure, yeah. Say it on the record. But, Isabel, I do still think it's maybe a good idea to have you pick the upcoming games for this weekend. Chris, why don't you go through the slate for our upcoming weekend of NFL action. And Isabella, you will pick a team.

[Isabella]

So the first game will be on Saturday, January 17th at 4:30pm it will be the Buffalo Bills at the Denver Broncos.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh.

[Brady]

Rematch of the 1992 AFC show.

[Katie Nolan]

She knows that. She knows that.

[Isabella]

We're all thinking it.

[Katie Nolan]

The Broncos are coming off a week off. They got a bye week. They didn't have to play last week, so they're well rested.

[Chris]

I know, but I think I'm to going just. I'm rooting for the Bills in this one.

[Katie Nolan]

Why is that?

[Chris]

I don't know. It seems like they always get there, but they're not fully there. And I want them to get there.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, that's really sweet, you know. Great. Okay, so she picks the Bills. Next.

[Isabella]

Next game will be Saturday night at 8pm the 49ers against the Seahawks.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, my God. A heated rivalry. Like, truly, there's the part of my.

[Chris]

Brain that's like what's more likely? And then there's the part of my brain of what my spiritual. You know what I mean?

[Katie Nolan]

That sports fandom, baby.

[Chris]

So wait, okay, so 49ers and Seahawks. Oh, man. Kenny Maine or Dan.

[Katie Nolan]

I don't know. Oh, no, what a choice. Mina Kimes as well is a Seahawks fan.

[Chris]

I'll root for the Niners.

[Katie Nolan]

She doesn't even sound like she believes it.

[Chris]

I'll root for the Niners.

[Katie Nolan]

Worth mentioning, is George Kittle still out? Yes, obviously he's done. He tore his what? Achilles.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

So Kittle is out. Go Niners. Have we heard Bosa's obviously out. Have we heard if somebody was potentially maybe coming back?

[Brady]

They opened the window for Fred Warner.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Brady]

Which is insane.

[Katie Nolan]

It is.

[Brady]

Fred Warner was supposed to be like long gone out for the season, right? He's not going to play this week. But like they said, there's an outside shot if they make it to the championship game.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, okay. And Isabella picked them, so maybe they will. Go Niner.

[Isabella]

Go Ninerds so far. Why not? Why not?

[Katie Nolan]

One more game. Bang bang, Niner gang, as they say. What's next? Chris?

[Matt Damon]

Chris.

[Katie Nolan]

I think I know.

[Isabella]

On Sunday at 3pm it's the Texans at the Pates.

[Chris]

Oh, go Pates.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. That was easy. We're not. You're not worried at all about the Texans defense? I don't know. That was crazy. Yeah, I Was watching.

[Chris]

Oh, so they really are that good.

[Katie Nolan]

They're really good. They. They are arguably better. Not arguably. They're better than their offense by quite a bit. Especially the other day. Yeah. But yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

So, okay. Isabella feels confident. So. So do I. And then the last game, the final game.

[Isabella]

Isabella, I feel like this is going to be pretty tough for you to pick the Rams at the Bears on Sunday at 6:30.

[Katie Nolan]

Her most productive receiver in her first fantasy season, which she won. Puka Nukua versus her quarterback, Caleb Williams. I want to cry. And the Bears technically are her team because she picked blue and orange. I feel like going into this season you were like, I'll root for the Bears. And look what it's done.

[Chris]

I know. You know what? I'm fucking rooting for the Bears.

[Katie Nolan]

All right.

[Chris]

I'm rooting for the Bears.

[Isabella]

I think that's the correct decision.

[Katie Nolan]

I think that's the correct decision. I'm rooting for the Bears.

[Chris]

I would love it if they won. Go Caleb Williams.

[Katie Nolan]

I saw somebody on. On TikTok argue that the hole in the space time continuum that we tore open when the Chicago Cubs managed to win the World Series that set us on this disastrous timeline that currently find ourselves on will only close when the Bears win the Super Bowl. And so we need to be rooting for the Bears to win the super bowl so that we can get our train back on track. And they said that the. The Pope being named the Chicago guy was like the first sign of, like, this is the direction that we need to go in. And then now the Bears just need to win the super bowl and things will finally go back to feeling normal and okay instead of literally scary every single day. So I think that was a good pick, Isabella.

[Matt Damon]

Go Bears.

[Chris]

Thank you so much. Thank you. Go Bears.

[Katie Nolan]

Go Bears. Okay. Nolan Arenado was traded to the Diamondbacks. If people care, he's the third baseman. He was acquired in a trade by the Diamondbacks. What? What was traded in return?

[Brady]

It was minor league pitcher Jack Martinez.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Brady]

He's like an eighth rounder. He's like a.

[Katie Nolan]

And that's how you say that?

[Brady]

Yeah, he is. Martinez.

[Katie Nolan]

Martinez.

[Brady]

But really, it just comes down to it's a salary dump. It's that the Cardinals are paying all of it except for like $11 million for the end of Arenado's contract.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Well, a big name making a big move. I'm so pissed.

[Brady]

I got. I got a. I got a rare opportunity to break news to you in the middle of a podcast.

[Katie Nolan]

God. What's it Gonna be. Are we at war?

[Brady]

No.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay. Not yet. Just say not yet yet. It's safer that way.

[Brady]

According to baseball writer man John Heyman, the Boston Red Sox have agreed to contract Bobaette. Bobaette with left handed pitcher Ranger Suarez.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay, I don't hate Ranger Suarez. Coming from the Phillies. I don't. He's. I like him. I just. That's not going to do it. No, that's not good enough.

[Brady]

But that's probably the Boba shet money.

[Katie Nolan]

He's bo. He's. How much?

[Brady]

Five years. $130 million.

[Katie Nolan]

Wow. How old is Ranger Suarez?

[Brady]

Not particularly old.

[Chris]

What's his position?

[Katie Nolan]

He's a pitcher. Oh, starting.

[Chris]

I thought you guys need a third baseman.

[Katie Nolan]

30. Isabella.

[Isabella]

He's 30.

[Brady]

No, Isabella. Nailed it. Yeah, he's 30. But he does not play third base, nor could he if he wanted to because he's left handed in a.

[Katie Nolan]

In a pitcher. So it's like not usually what they're known for, being good at, fielding the ball. It's fucking absurd. I. I'm not kidding. Every time I think about it, I get upset where I'm like, we. I remember when we signed Alex Bregman and I went, we have a third baseman. Why would we spend all that money on a third baseman? And it's exactly because of this reason that you don't do that. Because we had to get rid of one of them because you can't have two. And then the other one left us. And so now we've got nobody. But we've got Ranger Suarez, so things should be fine, I guess.

[Isabella]

I can't wait to hear Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's take on the Alex Bregman situation.

[Katie Nolan]

And you will. What a pro. What a pro. And you will. It's Chris's way of going, can you stop so we can get to the movie stars? Can you please stop talking so we can get to the movie stars? And that's fair enough. The Rip is a movie. It releases on Netflix Friday, January 16th. That's tomorrow. I'll give you the logline. Upon discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house, trust among a team of Miami cops begins to fray. As outside forces learn about the size of the seizure, everything is called into question, including who they can rely on. It follows the tactical narcotics team. It's a movie about trust. It's a. It's a. It's intense. If you've got anxiety, you might want to take little breaks because there's just a lot of tension in the room. And a great cast. Kyle Chandler's in there. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Steven Yeun, Teyana Taylor, Sasha Calle. There's a lot of people in this movie. It's good. It's on Netflix. They came by. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Joe Carnahan fresh from Stern, which is huge for our show. And I, these are the two most famous people to me, if you ask me, the two most famous people. Three, it's Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Joe Carnahan. So I was very stressed about this, which came together at the last minute. And I just, I'll be honest, I'll give myself a scouting report. Didn't do well on clock management. And so I'm a little bummed by the things we did not get to. Does not matter. The things we did get to just as interesting. So we're gonna hit a quick break and when we come back, I can't believe I'm saying the sentence, but Joe Carnahan, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck join us after the break. Gorton Seafood isn't new. It's been trusted since 1849. Their over 175 year legacy speaks for itself. It's a brand that you recognize and that brings up immediate feelings of comforting nostalgia. It's the proven quality of a seafood brand for you and your family. When you're choosing dinner, you want to know it's worth it every time. Gorton's delivers uncompromising quality and reliable fresh taste. It's an easy and dependable choice that takes the stress out of mealtime. Gorton's products work for every occasion, with a wide variety of products that'll make appetizers like coconut shrimp a breeze to more creative options like new taco tenders. To shake things up effortlessly. Solve the snack, appetizer or main meal dilemma with one trusted brand. That's what I love most about Gorton's is I can have it as a snack, I can have it as a meal, I can have it as part of a meal. It's easy to make in my air fryer and it tastes fresh. Visit Gorton's to learn more, find a store and get recipe inspiration. Hey, I don't know what it is about the world now, but finding clothes that look good and actually also feel good is such a challenge. And that is where Vori comes in. They make incredibly versatile, insanely comfortable clothes that move with you from lounging at home to layering up for a chilly commute. It's effortless, elevated style that you will actually want to live in. The performance Jogger and Halo Essential wide leg panel pant are made with Viori's signature Dream Knit fabric. It is their softest premium stretch material. Lightweight, it's moisture wicking and it's effortless to wear anywhere. Add the Restore oversized hoodie for an easy, pulled together look. I wore my Restore oversized hoodie to work the other day and everybody was like, I love that hoodie. It's an investment in your happiness. For our listeners, they're offering 20% off of your first purchase. So get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the [e-mail] Casuals v U exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions. Hey, did you know that 81% of shoppers say quote it's important for businesses to have a website and that actually feels low to me. If you're a business and you don't have a website, how do I know you're really a business? You have to have a website if you've been putting it off. Hello, here's your sign. Wix. WIX makes it easy to build a website and to do it your way. You can have that website online in minutes with their AI website builder or if you'd rather kind of do it yourself. They have thousands of templates that you can use. So it's like you're doing it yourself, but you're getting a huge hand from wix. WIX also has some of the coolest AI tools to help you grow your business without burning out. So go ahead, join millions of businesses who already use Wix and sign up for [e-mail] that's W I X.com this show is sponsored by Liquid IV. Dropping the Ball before you score a touchdown at the goal line is a rookie mistake. But even rookies can be pros when it comes to hydration. Rehydrate with Liquid IV's energy multiplier. Sugar free hydrating energy. It's scientifically formulated to support physical energy, hydration, focus, mood and social stamina. Just one stick plus 16 ounces of water hydrates better than water alone. It's powered by live Hydra science, which is an optimized ratio of electrolytes, essential vitamins and clinically tested nutrients that turn ordinary water water into extraordinary hydration. I love it because sometimes in the middle of the day you want a pick me up and you just want something that will hydrate you while also giving you energy. And that's when I turn to Liquid iv. Sugar free hydrating energy so rehydrate with better hydration and energy from Liquid IV. Zero sugar and zero crash tear pour live more. Go to LiquidIV.com and get 20 off your first order with code CASUITS at checkout. That's 20 off your first order with code casuals@liquid IV.com. i wanted to start by talking to you guys about the Patriots, because, thank God, they won. But we're gonna hold off for a little bit. We're gonna start by talking about your movie.

[Ben Affleck]

Okay, just do that if we started.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes. The. The Rip releases on Netflix on January 16th. It's a. A cop movie about the TNT, which I had never heard of before, and it stands for the Tactical Narcotics. Tactical Narcotics Team. What made you two want to do this movie? What spoke to you about this script?

[Ben Affleck]

Man? It's a really good, sharp, like, very kind of, in some ways, old school. Like, it's got a very clean story, and it's. And. And it's. It keeps you kind of guessing, but also the opportunity to be kind of grounded in. In reality, which I think it needs to be. You got to believe these are real people and believe this is a real circumstance and have a little bit of that. What would I do if I ran into a building and there was $20 million in there? And look, you know, nobody's above temptation. And it's about, like, kind of, who can you trust? And I thought you had the opportunity to have some really, like, interesting performances. And I've known Joe for a long time, and I thought, like.

[Matt Damon]

And despite the fact that Joe was directing it.

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah, it's amazing. I don't know how we. How I got that one under the Wire.

[Ben Affleck]

It's like, we.

[Katie Nolan]

Like.

[Ben Affleck]

Narc has always been a favorite movie of ours. I feel like Joe really understands these men and. And what this life is like. And one of the things I was really, really. I thought was really interesting. It's just about, like, people who do a really hard job where, you know, it's dangerous and they're subject to a lot of temptation and sometimes, like, hostility and. And, you know, it's tough. And the idea that there's a lot of integrity in finishing the day and doing your job, I thought was just a beautiful movie and also one that would be really interesting to watch. And I like the idea. I feel like now you bring. You can't help. Help but bring associations that people have with you to the story and. Because I think, you know, if you. If you know who Matt and I are, you probably know that we are friends. And have been friends for a long time. So the idea of, like a rift between these two people and like a genuine fracture in trust is a really interesting. It's one thing just not to trust somebody because, you know, they're the villain. It's another thing when, you know, they've been your friend for so many years. And I think people believed that. And so it gave us a chance to do something really interesting storytelling. I mean, and I was thought Joe could pull it off. And I, you know, carrying Matt as an actor is something.

[Matt Damon]

It's hard. It's a lot of weight.

[Joe Carnahan]

A lot of weight.

[Ben Affleck]

He's heavy.

[Katie Nolan]

You do a fantastic job. Thank you. Yeah, Joe. One thing I was struck by in this film is that so much of it takes place in such a small area inside that house. And then it's such big names in the cast and that something about the.

[Ben Affleck]

Way that Golden Globe winner, Teyana.

[Katie Nolan]

I was gonna say.

[Joe Carnahan]

Part two.

[Katie Nolan]

Did you watch the Globes or did you watch the Patriots?

[Ben Affleck]

We watched.

[Joe Carnahan]

Be careful, boys. Be careful. Be very careful.

[Ben Affleck]

Tiana. And we celebrated her win online.

[Katie Nolan]

Amazing. And I'm sure you also texted Bill Simmons because he got thanked.

[Ben Affleck]

Yes, I saw that.

[Katie Nolan]

Which is kind of an exciting. Gotta say, congrats to him. But yeah, with Tiana Taylor, I mean, you have Kyle Chandler, not that he's necessarily in that house. You guys, Stephen Young, there's a lot of big names. How did you manage to make it feel so it. It was so stressful the entire time. I was so. At any minute I didn't know, like, is this the thing that's going to make a big thing happen? It was just like constant stress. How do you maintain that?

[Joe Carnahan]

I think it's. I think the script we got, you know, we had like, as Ben mentioned, really strong. I think the script worked really well. And I think again, to Ben's point, you're also banking on a 40 year relationship with these guys. Has been friends as kids. And so when you, you know, when you enter and also, you know, you got the two, you know, the kind of the top of the food chain when they're. When they're behaving the way they were and kind of game and kind of ready to go, everybody came to work and work hard. And I think that inside that stuff, they also had really good notes. And we, you know, listen, it's. Anybody tells you that filmmaker is not a communal effort is nuts. It is, you know, you need everybody and all their input, all their great ideas, all the bad ideas, everything. And you sort through that stuff. And I think that because we. Because again, they have such an easy use around one another and you. And I think that when you do a little bit there, it creates a lot of tension. And I think that's what happened. And I think that. And if you can maintain that, which I think we did a good job maintaining, you're not. You're not really aware that you're in one place for like an hour and an hour and change, you know, whatever it is. And I think that that's just a function of. And hopefully we're getting back to stories like that we don't need to see. See, you know, giant monsters knocking huge chunks of skyscrapers down every time we go to the. You know, or every time you watch a movie. So I think to get back to movies like this that have their kind of emotional center and it's about people and the simplicity of betrayal and trust and honor and nobility and you name it. I'm hoping that we. That there's a move back to that stuff.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Is it hard to direct directors, actors that are also able to do all of the other stuff? Were they hard to work with?

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah, yeah, obviously. No.

[Matt Damon]

We're also the studio bosses.

[Ben Affleck]

Well, I think.

[Joe Carnahan]

I'll never forget Matt said to me one day, he goes, carney, I'll pull faces for you all day, man. Whatever you need. But no, like, listen, both of them, it's like, you know, he would hang around to do his own hand inserts, you know, which nobody does. You know, it's like.

[Katie Nolan]

And it's just for people who don't know, what are you inserting your hand?

[Ben Affleck]

If you do.

[Joe Carnahan]

If you do a shot of someone's. Hey, that's. You'd have to ask him.

[Ben Affleck]

That's a much more personal question, but kind of remark. I've learned not to respond.

[Joe Carnahan]

You know, if you're doing a close up of someone's hand, a lot of times the actor be like, yeah, get somebody to come in. You know, so it's. It's the minutiae, you know, that they. And so it's so funny. We first. When we. When. When it first landed Artist Equity, I'll never get mad saying, it's like, hey, this is great, man. We want to do it. Who do you see as the cast? I'm like, I don't know. Pauly Shore and Liza Minnelli. What are you talking.

[Ben Affleck]

You guys.

[Katie Nolan]

Although I do think those two would have done well in a betrayal movie. A different movie for sure. And you guys did okay. But I think they could have really elevated.

[Joe Carnahan]

It's a very different movie. No, I know. It was, it was lovely and, and, and, and again, to have the support of. Because that can be a very precarious place to be. It's like you're working for your bosses and, and, and. But they were lovely. And again, because that's the artist in them, I think they're good about separating out those things. It's like I'm here to do this job. That's, that's, that's a separate phase.

[Katie Nolan]

You know, I was gonna say, is that hard for you to like, turn off your brain that wants to direct or is it easier?

[Matt Damon]

No, I mean, it's, it's really. It's a director's medium and our company is all about facilitating the director and making sure they have what they need. And, and so it's very easy to, to take that hat off and go to work and work for Joe.

[Ben Affleck]

Yeah. I learned from directing how much wisdom there is and align your. Figure out what the director wants, really listen to them and try to move in tandem with them. Because the idea is probably analogous to sports too. Like, I'm gonna go out and run my own plays. Like, well, the rest of the team is running a draw and you're gonna go long. You know what I mean? You're not gonna get the football no matter how fast you are. And that's, you know, I think that's an app metaphor. It's like you've got to figure out, out what, what does the director want to do and how do you fit into that. And I, I became from directing much more wanting to be compliant and understand that and less kind of about my own ideas. Because this doesn't matter what your ideas are. The director is going to be making their movie and the ship is going in that direction. You sail your little boat out somewhere else, you're just going to be lost at sea.

[Matt Damon]

And a lot of those conversations, I mean, all of those conversations really happen, happen before you get to set. You know, it's not like you're discovering this while you're working. Joe wrote this script. It was great. We all talked about the script. We, we sat down and, and had kind of note sessions and try to. Tried to understand exactly what his vision was. And then by the time you're shooting it, you're just really kind of executing on his plan. And, and, and, and if something comes up, it's just, it's just an idea or an inspiration that happens in that moment. Moment. We've Kind of troubleshot everything else before we get to work.

[Katie Nolan]

That makes sense. It's a good plan. Keep that up.

[Joe Carnahan]

Keep it up. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Good job.

[Joe Carnahan]

We're gonna try.

[Katie Nolan]

You two get into a physical altercation in this film. Allegedly. Is that the first time on film that you've ever fought and then in life?

[Ben Affleck]

Our stunt guys did fight?

[Matt Damon]

Yeah, they were good.

[Ben Affleck]

You didn't even tell you they were very good there. And our stunt guys have never been. Been in a fight before, so it was a lot for them. And we watched.

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

And I thought they were great.

[Matt Damon]

With great interest.

[Katie Nolan]

Do you guys even, like, mark or block that or you just go like, and this is where we'll fight?

[Matt Damon]

No, no, we block the whole scene out and we understand how it's going to, you know, how we're going to get into the fight. I think some of it involved kind of a pretty hard tackle and a couple, like, slams on an actual concrete floor. So you let the pros go in for that.

[Ben Affleck]

So anytime for me, like, look, hats off to Tom Crazy Cruise. Like, that guy. I would not be doing it. Like, I'm not getting jumping at me, planes hanging on the side.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Joe Carnahan]

In your 50s, you're certainly.

[Ben Affleck]

Who wouldn't themselves.

[Katie Nolan]

We get it. Tom Cruise, you do your own stuff.

[Ben Affleck]

I'm impressed.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

But I believe that for this kind of stuff, you know, for me, there's somebody that. If there's somebody that can do it better than me, like, if it's sports double, you know, or an action, same thing I tell directors, actors when I'm directing, which is like, I do my job, it's going to be. It's going to be you. But, like, you want somebody that moves as well as they possibly can. Stun guys, fighters, like, they just have. They've been doing this their whole lives. They really know how to do it. So you want to have the very best people. It's like any of these jobs. It's collaborative, it's a collective effort, and you want the very best people doing it. And also, I don't want to get a concussion by getting my head slammed on the concrete floor a lot.

[Matt Damon]

Which. Which he would have. Because I would have gone off on that.

[Katie Nolan]

Years and years of frustration, afraid of him.

[Joe Carnahan]

What's wrong? Walk it off, man.

[Katie Nolan]

Walk.

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Our producers seem to suggest that men, if you've been friends for 40 years, you've had a physical fight. Is that. Does that not hold true for the two of you?

[Ben Affleck]

We have not had a physical fight.

[Katie Nolan]

That's what I said. I said, they're. They're civilized men.

[Ben Affleck]

This says a lot about your producer.

[Isabella]

That's what I said.

[Ben Affleck]

I'm a little concerned about the workplace.

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah, right. Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

What's the environment like here when the deposition happens? Like, can we note, your honor, that I observed. This was in front.

[Katie Nolan]

We knew this was gonna happen. Speaking of fights, The Patriots.

[Matt Damon]

Yes.

[Katie Nolan]

The Patriots won. Go Pats. We say go, Pates on this podcast because Isabella, our producer, we're turning her into a sports fan, and she. She heard about the Patriots. She saw P, A T S, and she said, if it's the Patriots, why is that. Is that pronounced by pates? And I said, no, of course not. And. But now it is. So we call them Go P. Go.

[Joe Carnahan]

Go Pates.

[Brady]

Hell, yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

John Ham likes to call them the patsies.

[Katie Nolan]

He's wrong. Okay.

[Ben Affleck]

He is right, and he's been proven wrong over and over and over and over with his football predictions.

[Katie Nolan]

I just for the record, did you guys. You got to watch the game, I assume. Yeah. Okay. 16 to 3, win over the Chargers. How are we feeling about Drake May?

[Matt Damon]

Oh, we love him.

[Ben Affleck]

Drake May. I mean, it's like a miracle. How do you get another really good quarter? It's. This is one of those things where you think, like, this is just good fortune. It wasn't. I thought it'd be. I thought I'd be dead before New England had another great football team.

[Matt Damon]

Well, also, like, our childhood was spent, like, just.

[Ben Affleck]

I mean, the Pats were Jim Plunket and Steve Grogan.

[Brady]

Just.

[Joe Carnahan]

Just forget Tony Eason.

[Matt Damon]

Tony Eason sure was.

[Ben Affleck]

Then we won.

[Matt Damon]

You.

[Ben Affleck]

We got the six and just rolled over.

[Joe Carnahan]

That was a. That was a fridge. That was the. They didn't get paid in that touchdown, so.

[Matt Damon]

Pissed me off, and I was brutal.

[Katie Nolan]

Look at you.

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah.

[Matt Damon]

No, that was a big. That was a. That was kind of a historic team. That 86 Bears team.

[Ben Affleck]

Super bullshit.

[Joe Carnahan]

Walter Payton. Walter Payton, Earl Campbell, probably my favorite football players of all time, favorite running backs of all time. To not get Peyton a touchdown, to get one in the fridge was just. I. I hated Ditka from that moment before. I just was like, come on, man.

[Chris]

You.

[Joe Carnahan]

You got to look after your guy fair, you know?

[Katie Nolan]

How do we feel about take right there?

[Joe Carnahan]

You like that?

[Katie Nolan]

No, it's good. That's like a.

[Joe Carnahan]

You said something interesting on this. That Vrabel's done an unbelievable job.

[Matt Damon]

Oh, my God, he's incredible. Incredible. We got this unbelievable coach, you know?

[Ben Affleck]

And.

[Matt Damon]

And where was he before?

[Joe Carnahan]

Was he coaching? Was it Tennessee Tennessee.

[Katie Nolan]

And they fired.

[Matt Damon]

And they fired him. I love when that happens. And, and just, you know, he was.

[Katie Nolan]

Like, okay, we'll take him.

[Matt Damon]

Yeah, okay, come on over. Raise your hand. Yeah, yeah, we'll take him. And, and, and, and, and Robert Kraft and that whole organization is just. Since he, since he bought it, it's just been an entirely different thing. You know, it's just, it's completely unlike the team that.

[Katie Nolan]

Unrecognizable.

[Matt Damon]

Unrecognizable.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

I mean, when I was a kid, you couldn't watch the games because they had blackouts, because they couldn't sell out.

[Matt Damon]

They couldn't sell out Foxborough. And so the games weren't on, which was kind of a small mercy to us in our childhood.

[Katie Nolan]

Don't worry. We'll just.

[Matt Damon]

We just see Bob Lobel tell us how much we lost by. On the news that night.

[Ben Affleck]

Get. Get right to the Bruins.

[Katie Nolan]

They had the game in the dark and just didn't tell anybody about it. Does this feel similar to Brady Belichick to you? I know it's early. I know that's a very early does. I don't know if we're jinxing it by asking you, but do you.

[Ben Affleck]

I would say you've jinxed it now.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes.

[Ben Affleck]

Yeah.

[Matt Damon]

Thank you.

[Joe Carnahan]

Late.

[Katie Nolan]

I just feel like coming into this season I had no expectations for this.

[Matt Damon]

I don't think anybody team going well. They were 4 and 13 like last year, so.

[Katie Nolan]

So it just was like anything could happen. But I don't think anyone expected.

[Matt Damon]

No, everyone was seeing it as a rebuilding year and also first year on the ground for, for this new coach that everyone's excited about. But no, what they've done is in. Incredible. Incredible. And, and also the way they're set up for the future. Like, we're. We're. Drake May's 23 years old. We've got all this cap space. We've got like.

[Ben Affleck]

Every time I see the guy, I'm like, this kid is in high school. I mean, people are like, no, dad, you're just old.

[Joe Carnahan]

That's my second year. Or this is his real second year. You.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. That sports, though, it's the thing that keeps you the most like, wow, I'm old. Because now these are the kids of the people that I was watching growing up.

[Matt Damon]

Yeah, right. You start to see a lot of the kids.

[Katie Nolan]

Why do I have to be reminded.

[Joe Carnahan]

Of Marvin Harrison Jr. It's like, is that. Oh, my God, his kids playing? It's like I'm old.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. It's absolutely disgusting. And completely unfair. How do you feel about. We don't know at time of recording this. This is coming out on Thursday, but we're recording this on Monday. So we actually don't know who the Patriots are playing, playing next. It's either the Steelers or the Texans, depending on who wins tonight. How do you guys feel about the Pat's chances in the next round?

[Matt Damon]

Texans have a great defense. Steelers have Aaron Rodgers, and, you know, I mean, it's. There's no. There's not an easy game for anybody for the rest of the way, so. And I think the great thing about this season is it's like There are probably 10 teams who. Any one of whom wins the super bowl, you'd go, like, yeah, I'm not supporting. Surprised, you know, like, like. And that's. And that's great. Like, there's not that kind of dynastic hold on. The thing that there has been in the past, usually by New England.

[Ben Affleck]

Yeah.

[Matt Damon]

So that wasn't that bad, so. No, it was great for us.

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah.

[Matt Damon]

Not so good for everybody else, but. But, but. So it's made it really exciting. And I. I don't know. I mean, I think what they're getting now, which is great and kind of invaluable, is playoff experience. And the further they go and the more, you know, the. The more kind of. The better built they're gonna be for this kind of run that it feels like they should go on. Barring injury, they should go on for a number of years.

[Ben Affleck]

Coming up, I'm a big believer in the, like, a big part of Brady's greatness. Like, they always say, oh, it's psychological, blah, blah. I always thought that was kind of bullshit, you know, but then I think, you know, like, his just not getting tight, you know, not because, like, you get nervous, you get anxious. It just, you know, and who doesn't, you know, I get tight watching the game.

[Katie Nolan]

Right. Like, I'm very tight.

[Ben Affleck]

Once again, it's the kind of thing I've learned not to respond to. But I think that is, like Matt said, that's the thing you want to like. And you see how people do under that kind of pressure, you know, it was the famous story about Joe Montana at the end of the Super Bowl. Got the team into the huddle and was like, hey, is that John Candy? And they all look up to see, but it's like, I don't know. All right, let's go. And then he throws the pass to Dwight Clark. Whatever. It's like the relaxation and, like, being at Ease, I think, is a big part of it. And Brady just seems like a guy constitutionally incapable of getting anxious about anything. And.

[Matt Damon]

But that's an actual real thing. It's like that. I remember you were telling me about that, that experiment they did in the, in the military where they had 30 Marines and then they had like 30, 30 tier one guys, special forces guys. And they, and they told them 30 days out that they were going to go on this mission that where they could expect heavy casualties. And they weren't telling them what the mission was. And every day they, they tested these guys blood and, and you know, the, the Marine unit, you know, their, their cortisol levels were going up, right. Every day as, as this day grew closer. They're, you know, they're getting ready. And the Special Forces guys, cortisol levels were going down every day as they got closer. And then when they got to the actual, the eve of this thing, they came in and they announced, no mission scrapped. Don't worry about about it. And the Marine units, cortisol levels dropped, right? And the Special Forces guys, cortisol levels went up. Jeez, man, isn't that crazy? Yeah, but it's just, it's. I think that, you know, you know.

[Ben Affleck]

People are constitutionally like set up to function. Some of the guys were saying, like, I feel better in chaos.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

You know, and they get sort of stable. And I remember ask this guy dealt me still only less than. I know 900 people have ever been in the Delta Force. Right. The history of this thing, it's incredibly elite military unit. And I said, like, what makes a good Delta Force? And they always sort of looked around, I don't know. And finally one of them was like, problem solving. And I was thinking like, problem solving because it's a lot like your job. I said, I assure you, it is not like my job, but I realized was like the ability to solve problems and stay calm when there are people shooting at you. That's really, you know, that kind of like your life's in danger and you're in this incredibly difficult position. You're 40 miles from the helicopter drop zone or whatever, and the other guys are going, okay, what do you think we got to do here? Now that every. This has gone sideways, let's go around the. You know what I mean? Like to just be lucid and function that way. And I do think there's a something.

[Matt Damon]

When a hundred thousand people are screaming and they're all anxious, like, how do you not kind of by osmosis or whatever, just Pick up that energy. But. But those people who, you know, the Aaron Rodgers of the world or Tom, obviously, like, they just. You just look in their eyes. That's why I love HDTV and like the. Because. And I love watching the games because the coverage is so good and you can look and you can see who's nervous and you can see who's. Who's just not.

[Katie Nolan]

I was gonna ask you about that. What. How is. What's your game watching situation on game day? Are you. I mean, you guys can't really probably go to a bar and watch it.

[Matt Damon]

He came over last night. We watched it at my house.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, that's. I assume most of it's like watching it at home. Are you going to a lot of games?

[Ben Affleck]

I gotta say, like, football's the one sport and I don't want to.

[Katie Nolan]

You know, that's bad.

[Ben Affleck]

But like it's. It's not as good as television's so good. Put it this way, that a lot of times you go to the game and then you're watching the tv, you know what I mean? You're trying to see the replay and you're trying to see the. Because like there are a lot of, you know, there are a lot of players on a lot of different things and you know, from far away, it just sort of rumbling up and down the field.

[Matt Damon]

Field.

[Ben Affleck]

But there's a lot of nuance to it and you benefit from the broadcasters who, who, you know, guys like Tom Brady who are experienced and can kind of talk in an informed way about like, what so and so is probably thinking. And it's just so you don't feel like you're missing anything by watching on tv. Even baseball, which is a big game, is that there's. You can focus on what's actually important and happening during the game, at the game. I. And basketball is an incredible game to watch live. I mean, that's.

[Joe Carnahan]

Hockey's the best game to watch. Yeah, hockey's the best. But it's interesting. My son, who's not a. Who's a big football guy, but took a job working on this sports podcast. I took him to Sofi a couple weeks ago to see the Lions, Rams. And he's like, dad, this game makes sense now. I could see the field. Now I understand 1st and 10. I understand how this, how it works. So the. The geometry of it was. Became important to him. And watching on tv, I think it's confusing. My girlfriend's Venezuelan. She's like, I don't know what the hell's going on you know, so we take it for granted. Grew up, you know, watching football.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Joe Carnahan]

But first and 10, fourth. Wait, what? So they get another set of down. So wait, if they throw it past that. What it. So you. You're answering questions, you go. I think for him, it was like, it all kind of made sense because you could see the full layout of. Of the. Of the field.

[Ben Affleck]

So that's the thing. Have you ever tried explaining baseball to somebody? Oh, my God, don't understand it.

[Joe Carnahan]

It's like me with cricket.

[Katie Nolan]

Only good part is that there's plenty of time to get your point out. You can go and we'll pick up after this and. Okay, have a pitch clock now.

[Joe Carnahan]

The pitch clock. I like that pitch clock.

[Katie Nolan]

It is a little fast now at the pitch clock. Do you like it? You like. You guys are baseball guys.

[Matt Damon]

Yeah, I think. I actually think they should turn the pitch clock off in the playoffs.

[Katie Nolan]

Huh?

[Matt Damon]

Okay, because. Because the draw.

[Ben Affleck]

Have you ever seen that?

[Matt Damon]

Have you ever seen the clip of them throwing over to first base 17 times and Vince Coleman, right. Steals on the 18 time and gets to like that. I mean, that is a. You know what I mean? So, like limiting the number of times you can throw to first base. I just think. Yeah. For the regular season. And you get attendance up.

[Ben Affleck]

So guys are definitely dragging it out at times, like in a way that's sort of. And look, I get it. There's that tension in our business. You know, we're. We want to take as much time as it takes to, you know, do the moment to the scene, do the nuance. There's also the part of it that's like, you've got people watching. You've got to be mindful of the audience. Yeah.

[Matt Damon]

Then you put your first cut of the movie up with an audience and you're like, we got to cut all this shit out. It's way too slow right here.

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah, it's true.

[Katie Nolan]

The time between pitches, it has to go. Do you guys have thoughts on Alex Bregman? It was just announced.

[Joe Carnahan]

He just mentioned this. Dude.

[Matt Damon]

I don't know what to say. I don't know what to say. We had two third baseman last year, two all star third baseman, and now we have none. I don't know what to say.

[Katie Nolan]

I'm upset.

[Matt Damon]

I'm upset. I was talking to Bill Simmons, interestingly enough, when. Because you'd mentioned him earlier, and we love him, obviously, and. But I ended up. I did an interview with him the day we lost Mookie, I think, or right around that time. And what he said, which was great, like, right off the top of his head, was he was like, I'm upset because I was personally planning for a decade to a decade and a half of watching him play. Like, you know, and it's just brutal when you lose people like that. And see, I'm a Dodgers fan, so I love. Recently, I mean.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, boo.

[Ben Affleck]

That turned into, like, the. The Yankees, you know, buy and play.

[Joe Carnahan]

They give them.

[Matt Damon]

There's a lot of goodwill still, but you can feel it's just about to.

[Joe Carnahan]

Go the other way. By the way, Mookie did not have a good World Series. He did not have a good postseason. He did at all. But.

[Katie Nolan]

You'Ve got 9 million other MVPs on your team, so you got a pretty. My God, those. Are you guys, like, softened to the. Are you friendly to Dodgers fans because you're la?

[Matt Damon]

Yeah, I work. You know, I was doing the Odyssey last year. We were all over the world, and most of, like, the Grip and Electric Crew were from la, and they were huge Dodger fans.

[Joe Carnahan]

Huge.

[Matt Damon]

Huge. And so everyone was talking about it. And look, I get it. Like, it's an unbelievably exciting team to follow right now. Like, they're historically stacked and great and, like. And Ohtani is just. I don't. Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

There was a spirit of the Dodgers that. I think there's something still vested. Did that. They had something reminiscent of the Red Sox. They're sort of moving up people.

[Katie Nolan]

They got all players.

[Ben Affleck]

Yeah, yeah.

[Matt Damon]

The vestigial aspect of the actual roster.

[Joe Carnahan]

They took the team.

[Brady]

Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

Oh, miserable. I hate the Dodgers. We have a. I have so many things I wanted to talk to you guys about. I. Obviously, we don't have a ton of time. I had a quick game. I wanted to play with you.

[Matt Damon]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

Would that be okay?

[Chris]

I hope so.

[Katie Nolan]

Well, underneath your seats, you all have whiteboards and markers. It's sort of a bit like the newlyweds, but there's three of you. The questions, Joe, no offense, these are mostly for Matt and Ben, but I want your answers. You're kind of our. You're kind of our control. No, no, you're in it. You're like, our control group.

[Joe Carnahan]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

The.

[Joe Carnahan]

The goal here, what I think they would say is, this is what.

[Katie Nolan]

This is kind of. That's. Yeah, that's the bit The. The sports are always about. Not numbers. This is not numbers trivia. I'm more interested in a different kind of number. So we're calling this by the numbers. What it is, is I'm going To ask you. I'll say. Let's say, for example, our first question.

[Ben Affleck]

How many do I need the magnets?

[Katie Nolan]

Those are for you.

[Ben Affleck]

Thank you. That's a gift.

[Matt Damon]

Thank you so much.

[Ben Affleck]

You told me we would get great stuff.

[Katie Nolan]

Thank you. And that's it. That's the great stuff. It's three magnets. The first question is going to be, how many innings of Red Sox baseball did Ben watch last year? Okay. Yes. I'll tell you. If you want to know the math of 162 games, nine innings, assuming they.

[Ben Affleck]

All just were regular, well, that's 900 plus 562. Something like that.

[Matt Damon]

Right.

[Ben Affleck]

Because it's. How much? 1400.

[Katie Nolan]

1458.

[Ben Affleck]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

So not looking right. Ben's going to write how many he thinks he watched last year, and then you guys are going to write how many you think he watched last year, and then we're going to reveal.

[Ben Affleck]

I'm gonna say, last year, how many innings did I watch?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, okay. Yeah. It's all about being honest.

[Ben Affleck]

Sure, sure.

[Katie Nolan]

You know, no one has even opened their marker yet, so. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, the goal is to just sort of gauge how much actual baseball gigantic Red Sox fan Ben Affleck actually watched last year. Did he. Is he a 162guy? Is he just watching the first and last inning of every game? Game? How many innings of Red Sox baseball?

[Ben Affleck]

They have the Internet now, right?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, that's true. That is true. Go ahead, let's. Matt, how many do you think Ben watched last year?

[Matt Damon]

27.

[Katie Nolan]

27 total innings.

[Joe Carnahan]

Oh, wait, yeah.

[Matt Damon]

He directed a movie last year. He's working full time as the CEO of our company.

[Katie Nolan]

Right.

[Matt Damon]

I cannot imagine that he had time to watch much baseball. The games come on earlier out there while he's in the office.

[Katie Nolan]

So true.

[Matt Damon]

So I'm saying over the course of the year. Year. Three full games, if you added it up. And I mean, that's not. It's a very atypical season for him. But just knowing what I know about the year that he had, I'm guessing somewhere around there.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay.

[Joe Carnahan]

I said 120.

[Katie Nolan]

I thought, you know, much nicer.

[Joe Carnahan]

Well, yeah, right.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah. Much more kind. Yeah. How many, Ben?

[Ben Affleck]

I estimated 10 games.

[Katie Nolan]

Why did you write it so small? Why did you write it so small?

[Ben Affleck]

Because I don't feel the need to compensate.

[Joe Carnahan]

Wait, 10 games or 10 innings?

[Matt Damon]

Oh, 90.

[Ben Affleck]

Confident in my system about. Yeah. Oh, 10 innings. I mean, sorry.

[Joe Carnahan]

Yeah, close.

[Ben Affleck]

I mean, you know, the truth is that, like, in the years when I was probably established myself as the well known Red. There are years where I watched every single inning of every single.

[Matt Damon]

When Pedro was pitching. We.

[Ben Affleck]

We to 2007 when Pedro was pitching.

[Matt Damon]

You forget whatever was happening. We were, we were, we were watching.

[Ben Affleck]

Come out of the trip trailer for the. But like, you know. Yeah, that's not. I had kids that happened. Yeah. And they became more important than the Red Sox.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

And. And then it was kind of like, yeah, I watched last. I wasn't working more.

[Matt Damon]

And also I'm really disappointed you watched that much baseball last year. You should be working harder.

[Ben Affleck]

Oh, this is a lot. I'm just trying to make myself look.

[Matt Damon]

A little bit better.

[Chris]

Okay.

[Katie Nolan]

Now we have to.

[Matt Damon]

I almost just put zero just as a. As a hope.

[Katie Nolan]

Matt Damon.

[Matt Damon]

Yeah.

[Katie Nolan]

How many members of the current Boston Red Sox can Matt Damon name? You don't have to name them. You just have to say how many.

[Joe Carnahan]

What's the roster? Baseball. How many. How many players are roster.

[Ben Affleck]

27.

[Katie Nolan]

That sounds right. Write it really tiny if you could, for me. Ben, do you have bad eyes?

[Ben Affleck]

What's happening? That just triggered in you.

[Katie Nolan]

You're supposed to hold it up and go like, hey, this is my.

[Ben Affleck]

I don't commonly when given a piece of paper or Right. Things like, you know, what's your name?

[Isabella]

Nice and big, everybody.

[Matt Damon]

Keep in mind, while a roster has 27 players, it's 26. Because we don't have a third baseman.

[Katie Nolan]

And what are we going to do about that?

[Ben Affleck]

Right.

[Katie Nolan]

Who is going to play third base? How many current Red Sox players can your friend Matt Damon name?

[Ben Affleck]

I'm going to dedicate this answer to you.

[Joe Carnahan]

You know what? Give you the benefit of the doubt, pal.

[Katie Nolan]

All right, Ben, how many can Matt Damon name?

[Ben Affleck]

Can you see that?

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah.

[Ben Affleck]

Okay.

[Isabella]

Nice and big.

[Katie Nolan]

Thank you.

[Joe Carnahan]

I'll stick with my original.

[Katie Nolan]

He says 10.

[Matt Damon]

I go 18.

[Joe Carnahan]

I went 22.

[Katie Nolan]

You think you can name 18 members of the current Boston Red Sox?

[Matt Damon]

I hope so.

[Katie Nolan]

I'd be lucky for you. They're telling me in my ear, we don't have time for you to name any of them because you guys have to go to your next thing. Everybody should check out the rip, which releases on Netflix Friday, January 16th. For a real important reason. Right. Because you guys had something to do with the payment structure for people involved in the movie.

[Ben Affleck]

We, our company, built a bonus structure where we are trying to sort of institute essentially performance based compensation and apply that not just to the cast and the above the line, producers, writers, et cetera, but the all 1200 people in the crew. So what we kind of negotiated built in which is like as the movie. If in the event that the movie does well or then even better than that, any better, there are a number of tiers of terms of hours watched and that will get trigger additional bonus payments to everybody who worked on the movie cast and crew that I think are pretty meaningful. This was kind of as a reaction in a lot of ways to we, you know, strikes and a lot of difficult. Our business changing.

[Matt Damon]

To be clear, the crew's already been paid. They were paid to do the movie.

[Katie Nolan]

I was like, you guys have to.

[Joe Carnahan]

Go watch the movie right now.

[Matt Damon]

Yeah, no, this is on top of.

[Ben Affleck]

Everybody gets paid their rate. And then there's the. We certainly couldn't ask anybody to cut before this is instituted. But the idea ultimately is, hey look, you know, people say, well, it's too expensive to make a movie, this is too difficult, etc. Etc. I think people don't want to be paid for nothing or they, they just, you know, we're trying to achieve a kind of fairness. Right. And so that if a movie is really successful that, you know, the crew, cast and crew accrue more money. And really for us, a part of it is trying to align and focus everyone's incentives on the same thing, which is we should all be there to make the movie great and we should all have an incentive to make the movie great. And part of that incentive should be in your paycheck. You know, I think sometimes you're cross purposes with people and they're just like, you know, they're like, I'm going to get the same thing no matter what happens with this movie. Movie. It just works a lot better when everyone's actually after that that goal. It's the team concept. This is a sports.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes, of course. I mean incentive based contracts and bonus structures are completely familiar to us people at home.

[Joe Carnahan]

When you watch it, just start watching it again.

[Ben Affleck]

Instead of watching you watch it, watch.

[Katie Nolan]

It within the first.

[Joe Carnahan]

Immediately again.

[Katie Nolan]

Yeah, I assume within the first few days of it coming out. Watch it first 90 days.

[Ben Affleck]

You could leave it on running for 90 days straight, no problem.

[Matt Damon]

We would be be mad at you.

[Joe Carnahan]

It's like a faucet.

[Ben Affleck]

Just leave like the carpenters and the paint onset. Standby. Painter and camera.

[Joe Carnahan]

Very.

[Katie Nolan]

And those two guys who fought because you two couldn't do it yourselves.

[Ben Affleck]

Men. Exactly.

[Joe Carnahan]

They do very well and they deserve it compensated.

[Katie Nolan]

Yes, of course. Thank you guys so much for being here. This is incredible. I can't believe I just met all three of you.

[Joe Carnahan]

Just say Two.

[Matt Damon]

It's okay.

[Katie Nolan]

No, no. You'll be what I. You'll be the lasting memory for me because I've blacked out the rest of you.

[Ben Affleck]

Protein is now at Starbucks and it's.

[Matt Damon]

Never tasted so good.

[Ben Affleck]

Try our all new caramel protein lattes with up to 31 grams of protein and options with no added sugar. Level up your drink at Starbucks. Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T Mobile and US Cellular are joining for switch to T Mobile and save up to 20% versus Verizon by getting built in benefits they leave out. Check the math@t mobile.com switch and now T mobile is in US cellular stores. Savings versus Comparable Verizon plans plus the cost of optional benefits. Plan features and taxes and fees vary.

[Matt Damon]

Savings with three plus lines include third.

[Ben Affleck]

Line free via monthly bill credits. Credit stop if you cancel any lines. Qualifying credit required. If you're the purchasing manager at a manufacturing plan, you know having a trusted partner makes all the difference. That's why hands down, you count on Grainger for auto reordering. With on time restocks, your team will have the cut resistant gloves they need at the start of their shift and you can end your day knowing they've got safety well in hand. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. Come to DSW for the shoes, stay for the fun. Because let's be honest, if shoe shopping isn't fun, are you even doing it right? So go ahead, try something new. Try something different, good different. Try something that feels like you, you.

[Katie Nolan]

Know, the real you. And then definitely brag about it later. Because at DSW you've got unlimited freedom.

[Ben Affleck]

To play with sneakers, boots and everything in between. For every style, mood and occasion. You'll definitely find shoes that get you at prices that get your budget. Dsw, let us surprise you.

[Katie Nolan]

Okay? Big thanks to Joe Carnahan, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Man, I'm so bummed at myself. I'm hard on myself in general, but I'm so bummed that we did not manage to have enough time to do that bit at the end because it really. We leave it in because you want all the Matt Damon and Ben Affleck you can get. But really it did not get to see the light. It did not get to experience the moment that it should have. That was gonna be some good stuff planned. It was gonna be such a good bit. Some of the questions that were going to be asked on that bit. Should I read those or do we leave the mysterious. Here's what we were going to. We're going to ask in that bit. We were going to ask how many celebrity Red Sox fans does Matt Damon think are more famous than him? Incredible confidence.

[Isabella]

Get him to say zero.

[Katie Nolan]

Incredible. And also just see what Ben thinks Matt's gonna say and also what Joe thinks Matt's gonna say, because that's also important and interesting. We had how many texts does Ben have back and forth with Tom Brady since the NFL season began. A great opportunity to find out if he has any intel on Alex Earl.

[Brady]

It's really the whole direction, really.

[Katie Nolan]

When you've got people this famous that are coming in to do press for something. Something. The whole game is how to ask them a question that you know you're probably not supposed to ask them, but you back them into a situation where it just came up naturally. And now look, here we are talking about it. The next one was going to be, how fast does Ben Affleck think he can throw a fastball? Now we're getting into their friendship. Now we're getting into. Because who's more honest about how athletic you are than your friend of 40 years? They're going to tell the truth. So you may be out here wanting to say you can throw it fast. And maybe your best friend who is famous actor Matt Damon would call you out on that and make fun of you. Wouldn't that have been fun and hilarious? Then the next one was given 100 free throws. How many does Matt Damon think he can hit? Great content. We're loving it. You're seeing it. You're getting the vibe. You're laughing. I'm so upset. We had how many. How many yards does Ben Affleck think he could kick a field goal?

[Chris]

Goal.

[Katie Nolan]

We have. What is the lowest round of golf Ben Affleck has ever shot. And then what I was really going for what I really. Well, this one's also good. How is. How old is the oldest piece of Red Sox clothing that Ben Affleck still wears? Great. Fantastic number. And then I was going to pivot from numbers and the last questions were going to be. And I almost. If you watch, we don't have the video. You can see on my face going, should I just do it? Should I just ask these last two? But I had just sold the bit as being about numbers, so it wouldn't of made sense. But I wanted to know Matt Damon's favorite Red Sox player of all time. And Ben Affleck would have to guess who that is. And then I wanted to know Ben Affleck's least favorite Yankee of all time. And Matt Damon would have to guess who that is, because I was really hoping we could talk a little bit about a rod, but I guess it just wasn't in the cards. I was so. I'm so grateful that they did this show. I'm so happy that I got to meet them. I'm mad at myself that I didn't manage the clock better. It's something I'm working on. As Tom, as Mike Tomlin would say famously, because he was known for his Tomlin isms, he told a player once on that season of Hard Knocks, he said, you're going to be great. You're just not going to be great today. As in, you got to learn this lesson and move forward from it. So. And then, Brady, all this means is you just got to book Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Joe Carnahan again so that we can get back to this.

[Isabella]

This.

[Katie Nolan]

To this bit. That'll.

[Brady]

Shouting hands can be tough, man.

[Katie Nolan]

Easy enough. Yeah. And if he's busy, director, he's busy. I was gonna say we could do it without him, but I really don't think we could.

[Isabella]

I think he's gonna be off.

[Katie Nolan]

He's crucial to the bit. So. Honestly, though, thank you to them for coming. And. And listen, watch the rip. If you guys are looking for something to watch, it's high action, it's. It's tense. It's all about who you can trust. And it's. There's misdirects. You won't know what's gonna happen until the end. It's a good movie. And as dog. And there's a. And there's a dog. And as they mentioned in the interview, they've got a thing worked out with Netflix for the bonus structure for every single person who worked on the film, which, you know, as they were saying, their industry, that industry is constantly changing and evolving, and it's very different. Same kind of with sports. As you can see, fanatics is getting into the content game. So everybody's industries are kind of in flux right now. And I think it's really cool that two guys like that who have been in this, who've been working for a long time at a high level, are. Are trying to find innovative new and creative ways to get incentive structures so that the people who work together to make movies, it really is a team effort, will also be compensated when those movies do well. So check out the rip. It's on Netflix tomorrow. And big thanks to Joe Carnahan, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. That's it for the episode, you guys. Kind of a crazy one. Fun, kind of wild. If you want to reach out to us, don't forget you can always do that. Casualswithkatienolan gmail.com Our voicemail is 646-801-0043 on IG and tick tock, we are at Casual is the podcast. We love you, we mean it and we will see you back here next week. Bye.

[Ben Affleck]

There's a reason Chevy trucks are known for their dependability. It's because they show up no matter the weather, push forward no matter the terrain and deliver. That's why Chevrolet has earned more dependability awards for trucks than any other brand in 2025, according to J.D. power, because in every Chevy truck, like every Chevy driver, dependability comes standard. Visit Chevy.com to learn more. Chevrolet received the highest total number of awards among all trucks in the J.D. power 2025 U.S. vehicle Dependability Study Awards based on 2022 models. Newer models may be shown. Visit J.D. power.com awards for more details. Chevrolet Together, let's drive.

[Katie Nolan]

Hi neighbor.

[Chris]

Welcome to Birch Lane, your home for.

[Katie Nolan]

Classic furniture and decor. Make the most of every special moment this spring with new beds and dressers, home reno essentials and more. Our timeless styles are craf to bring joy for years to come and delivered fast and free so you can celebrate what matters most. Its classic style for joyful living. Shop Birch Lane, a Wayfair specialty [e-mail].