Can Caleb build off the win on the road?

Summary

Dan Bernstein Unfiltered — Episode Summary

"Can Caleb build off the win on the road?"

Podcast: Dan Bernstein Unfiltered
Hosts: Dan Bernstein, Matt Abbatacola
Date: September 26, 2025
Episode Focus:
This spirited Friday episode covers the Chicago Bears’ upcoming clash with the Raiders, the pressure and opportunity for rookie QB Caleb Williams, the shaky Cubs finish, ongoing listener feedback, local sports talk, and healthy doses of Chicago sports snark. As always, Dan and Matt offer unfiltered takes, comedic asides, and smart analysis for faithful Chicago fans.

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Main Topics & Key Insights

1. Chicago Bears vs. Raiders Preview

• What’s at Stake for Caleb Williams

  • The Bears’ rookie QB, Caleb Williams, delivered a breakout four-touchdown game. The question: can he “stack” good performances back-to-back, especially on the road?

  • Offensive Line Concerns:

    • Potential for Theo Benedict to start at right tackle, a notable vulnerability facing Maxx Crosby and the Raiders’ defensive line.
    • Maxx Crosby moves around and will likely exploit any weakness, especially vs. a fill-in right tackle or against Braxton Jones (03:11–07:10).
    • “Why is Braxton Jones’s ass in my lap?” —Dan Bernstein [07:10]

  • The Road Factor and Crowd Noise:

    • Offensive lines struggle more on the road due to crowd noise affecting communication.
    • Raiders’ stadium expected to have a 50/50 Bears crowd split, but could still be loud for Bears’ offense (07:20–08:19).
    • Caleb’s leadership will be tested: “He was down there on fourth down before the DJ Moore touchdown telling the fans to be quiet” —Dan Bernstein [08:19]

  • The Meaning of Consistency:

    • The importance of Williams following up his strong performance for real franchise hope.
    • “For this to matter, it feels like a second consecutive strong performance…that would help it all matter more.” —Matt Abbatacola [08:37]

• Historical Context

  • Only four times in Bears history has a QB thrown at least four touchdowns with zero interceptions in a game: Eric Kramer, Cade McNown, Mitchell Trubisky, and Caleb Williams.
    — [09:36–10:24]
  • “Unbelievable. In the history of the franchise.” —Matt Abbatacola [10:24]

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2. Cubs Postseason Outlook & Panic Meter

• Cubs suffered a loss (a “clunker”), but Dan and Matt debate: is it a big deal, or not?
  • “It’s not a big deal, but it’s a big deal.” —Dan Bernstein [00:49]
• Cubs hold a magic number of 2 for the top wild card spot; breakdown of the playoff picture, including both AL and NL races (24:06–26:07).
• Discussion about the Cubs’ odds and an aside on following multiple games and handling streaming delays between platforms (21:59–22:11).

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3. NFL Broadcasts, Studio Shows, and Media Snark

• Entertaining dissection of NFL studio shows and their bar for quality.
  • “Don’t make people dumber.” —Matt Abbatacola [20:51]
• Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit commentary quirks on Thursday Night Football (18:23–20:08).
• Notable studio show moments, such as Steve Mariucci’s Captain Obvious moment (“Keep an eye on the Baltimore Ravens.” [21:17]) lampooned by Dan and Matt.

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4. Chicago Sports (Beyond Bears & Cubs)

• In-the-weeds on Bears’ O-line issues, specifically Darnell Wright’s penalty problems:
  • “Of 97 offensive tackles ranked in the NFL in terms of penalties, he is 96th. I think that might be bad.” —Brendan, listener email [37:39]
  • “He’s never going to play the way a first round pick should play…that is not a first round pick. That’s on Ryan Poles.” —Dan Bernstein [37:54]

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5. Unique Unfiltered Banter & Recurring Listener Features

a) Border Patrol Satire

• Extended riff on heavy-handed law enforcement patrolling the Chicago River, machine guns at the ready, and the “worst of the worst” being popsicle and fruit vendors (03:43–06:01, 26:27–27:17, 27:38–32:12).
  • “Where am I going to get my paleta de limon?” —Matt [05:50]
  • “Put the mango down!” —Dan [27:55]
• Listeners get in on the in-joke, highlighting “worst of the worst” as a recurring phrase [30:41].

b) Comedy on Stadium Food & Snack Commercials

• Over-the-top bits about movie theater popcorn butter, to-go ramekins, and the “mystery goo” in those dispensers (02:24–03:19).

c) Ongoing Running Gags & Callbacks

• Inside jokes about Chris Ranji and his “legal troubles” (15:32–17:32)
• “Clubber Lang” and F. Scott Fitzgerald from the movie Ted — paid off as a callback to a technical mishap from a past episode (49:51–51:43).

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6. Friday Feedback Segment

Listeners’ emails spark discussion on:

a) Historic Chicago River Swim

• A listener highlights the first open water swimming event in the Chicago River in 100 years, celebrating environmental progress:
  • “The reclamation of the river is one of the most impressive urban waterway revitalization projects in recent memory.” —Email from Polish Physician [33:43]

b) Reconciling Fandom with Player Beliefs

• Doug, a gay Cubs fan, explains his approach to rooting for players he disagrees with by donating to LGBTQ causes every time a problematic player has success:
  • “I would put some money in a pot every time he did something good in a game, and at the end of the season…donate the money to a pro LGBTQ charity.” —Doug (Listener) [46:59]
• David discusses why certain public figures (e.g., Matt Shaw) evade owning up to controversial beliefs—smart critique of public dog-whistles and coded language from the far right (47:32–48:46).

c) Advertising Tropes

• Listeners break down the similarities between Rob Gronkowski’s USAA ads and the classic “Trix are for kids” commercials; discussion extends to Toffifee, Charlie the Tuna, and Dawn dish soap’s strange mascot choices (39:53–44:59).

d) Weighted Vests for Exercise

• Matt’s take on the weighted vest fitness trend generates listener response (35:27–36:07):
  • “Exercise is great. It’s just exercising while wearing extra weight doesn’t do that much for you.” —Matt

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7. DBU Picks and Parlay Segment

• Picks for the weekend, including explanations about superstition (“the Bernstein Kiss of Life”) and how whenever Dan/Matt doubt a player (Travis Kelce, this week), he immediately goes off the next game (55:32–56:45).
  • Matt: Travis Kelce over 50 receiving yards (+154) [56:13]
  • Dan: Boston College -6.5 and under 52.5 vs. Cal [55:05]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Petering Carcinogens at the Movie Theater:
  “I've always wanted to open the cabinets below to see what's down there…It's just. Yeah. Hey, like the guy close the door. Like the guy in the…The copier sorter in Men in Black two.” —Matt [02:38–02:44]

• On Bears Offensive Line Struggles:
  “Generally your offensive line that's good at home, bad on the road is...a team in the Blob.” —Matt [07:20]

• On Anxiety and Worry:
  “Worry is interest on a debt you may never owe.” —Dan [13:41]

• On Steve Mariucci's Analysis:
  “I've got a sleeper for you. Thanks Steve.” —Matt [21:17]

• On Minneapolis Law Enforcement:
  “There was literally a guy in a bass boat, right?...Maybe he was one of the worst of the worst.” —Dan [29:05]

• On Pop Culture Illiteracy and The Great Gatsby:
  [As quoted from the movie ‘Ted’]
  “Who wrote the Great Gatsby?”
  “Jody Bloom?” —Dan
  “Hitler?” —Matt
  “F. Scott Fitzgerald.” —Guest clip [50:49–51:01]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Bears O-Line & Caleb Williams Preview: 06:01–08:37
• Historical Bears QBs Stats: 09:36–10:24
• Feedback Friday Segment: 26:07–37:39
• Listener Email: Chicago River Swim Event: 33:42–34:35
• Advertising/Commercial Satire: 39:53–44:59
• Reconciling Player Beliefs & Fandom: 46:59–48:46
• DBU Picks for the Week: 55:05–57:43
• Funny Football Studio Shows/Critique: 20:51–21:19

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Overall Tone & Takeaways

Dan and Matt maintain a fast-paced, irreverent, and unfiltered Chicago sensibility — ragging on media, sports figures, and the absurdities of fandom. The show is a lively mashup of smart football analysis, local sports coverage, comic riffs, and audience engagement, peppered with running gags and well-earned frustrations tempered by a love for Chicago sports in all its flawed glory.

Useful For:

• Bears fans wanting a reality check on Caleb Williams
• Cubs fans keeping an eye on postseason odds
• Sports media junkies
• Listeners who love sharp, funny sports banter and Chicago culture references

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Transcript

[Dan Bernstein]

Dan Bernstein, Unfiltered. Unfiltered on 312 Sports.

[Matt Abaticola]

Happy Friday to you. This is Dan Bernstein, Unfiltered, along with our executive producer, Matt Abaticola. Today's episode brought to you in partnership with my bookie. And because it's Friday, you're gonna get the DBU pics a little bit later on, brought to you by my bookie, Jess. Also, we are going to discuss what is at stake for the Bears and the Raiders in this game. It is huge for Caleb Williams and the offense. In particular, we'll discuss the Cubs. They had a clunker last night, but no big deal. Magic number. They're still at two to clinch the top wild card spot.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, kind of a big deal, but not a big deal.

[Matt Abaticola]

Not huge.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I mean, it's not a big deal, but it's a big deal.

[Matt Abaticola]

It is also Feedback Friday.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right.

[Matt Abaticola]

And I have been doing my due diligence and trying to go through your comments from each of our podcasts and all of the emails that continue rolling in and trying to put together some of the best stuff. And some of you are really working hard, too. Some of you are really sending long missives and creative things and sending videos and all. This isn't Sox math. You don't have to do these elaborate things to get on Feedback Friday. But I just sort of things that I find interesting, compelling, well written, or, of note, newsworthy. I will grab them and I will put them on.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, we're also going to pay something off from last Friday's Friday Feedback.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay. Very, very good. And I need to pay something off.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm going to make up for my technical glitch.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay, good. I want to pay something off from yesterday as well. That. Yes, the real reviews are out for one battle after another. The Paul Thomas Anderson movies.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, they are.

[Matt Abaticola]

And they're good. And some are spectacularly good. And. And it looks like I will be seeing this movie. So the people got all mad at me because of the early returns. It looks like it's. It's apparently way better than the trailers make it look.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I told you. When I saw the first trailer, I was like, I'm good. Then I saw it a second time and I was like. And then a third time and I turned the Natalie and I'm like, yeah, I'm in. I'm gonna. I'm gonna see this.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's like a three hour movie that is apparently really difficult to reduce to mere trailers. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And that, that just means that's three. Three giant buckets of population popcorn.

[Matt Abaticola]

Three giant buckets.

[Dan Bernstein]

Let's go back for the refills.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay. How many can you with. With the. The goo on it?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, whatever that orange stuff is that comes out of the dispenser. Who knows where it's like, what it's attached to?

[Matt Abaticola]

Palm oil. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

I've always wanted to open the. The cabinets below to see what's down there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Don't.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it's like a big fat guy and it's like right into his chest.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's just. Yeah. Hey, like the guy close the door. Like the guy in the. The copier sorter in Men in Black two.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's smoking and like. And sorting all the leads.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, this guy's smoking also.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, they're draining him of his precious bodily fluids. Putting it right in the popcorn.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's so good, though. Have you seen now movie theaters, they have the little to go cups, so you can put butter in the. With the lids? No, like the plastic ramekins.

[Matt Abaticola]

But yeah, but now it's.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I mean, you put it in there. You take six of those into the movie theater with you. So you eat the top layer, then you're dumping it on top.

[Matt Abaticola]

I heard they're deporting all the ramekins. Ooh, they're sending them back to Ramica.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, you too can. Can join if you want to stand up for your community.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's right.

[Dan Bernstein]

And go after the worst of the worst commercial. Jesus Christ. Seriously, like, I'm trying to enjoy a fucking Cubs game.

[Matt Abaticola]

Wait, honey, come on now. I hold out. I can get $50,000 and carry a gun. What?

[Dan Bernstein]

College debt forgiveness. Up to 50 grand bonus.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

You can protect your neighborhood from the worst of the worst.

[Matt Abaticola]

Go marching around like I was. I was standing there fishing yesterday. They were coming by on boats. They're standing Broats. They were on. They had five is now on, bro. It was customs and it wasn't ice. Technically it was customs and border patrol.

[Dan Bernstein]

But, like, isn't that what ICE is?

[Matt Abaticola]

No, this was different.

[Dan Bernstein]

Immigration and customs.

[Matt Abaticola]

This was different. This is border patrol on the Chicago River. I don't know what it borders, but they four. And not just having machine guns, like, slung over their back. Oh, they hold them holding a scoped big machine. They're in full army gear. Helmets, holding machine guns on the bow of this boat.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, the good thing to know, like, half those guys on the borough were unemployed a week ago.

[Matt Abaticola]

Masked. Yeah, they're wearing masks. I yelled at it. I said, take your mask off, coward. Yeah, and he Waved at me.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's not what you said.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, yeah, it was.

[Dan Bernstein]

You said something worse.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, but I'm just like, what are you doing? It's the Chicago river. What are you gonna pull over the skyline boat? As people are learning about architecture, you.

[Dan Bernstein]

Never know who's working on that boat.

[Matt Abaticola]

Come on.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're going after the worst of the worst.

[Matt Abaticola]

I guess they got to protect the Chicago river.

[Dan Bernstein]

There could be a bus play working that boat that they need to arrest.

[Matt Abaticola]

Pull the boat over because they're going.

[Dan Bernstein]

After the worst of the worst.

[Matt Abaticola]

Dan, machine guns.

[Dan Bernstein]

I saw the Chicago river. Relax a little bit. They're. They're doing God's work here in our country. I saw a video of ice take down. She was, I don't know, probably a mid-40s aged woman with her three kids. Arrested her, threw her to the ground, dragged her into a van.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're doing God's work, damn it. And you better appreciate the work they're doing for us.

[Matt Abaticola]

All the politeros are gone. All the guys who push the little ice cream and popsicle carts ringing the bell, gone. The people around right next to Chicago yacht club that always set up the fresh fruit stand.

[Dan Bernstein]

I see a dude. Oh, there's a fruit guy on Madison right by Union station.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's gone. Oh, he's there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Good dude, too. Oh, he says hello.

[Matt Abaticola]

Friendly, but my politeros are gone. Where am I going to get my palette de limon?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Well, where are you going to get your mango with Tahin?

[Matt Abaticola]

I know. It's so good, isn't it?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Big game for Caleb Williams, I think. And the offense. Now this is what I've been thinking.

[Dan Bernstein]

About is you thought about it and you think it's a big game.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, it's not that. It is. What we heard yesterday about the possibility that Theo Benedet could be starting at right tackle. And that's a problem. I think that's a problem. And they're going to line up Max Crosby on him.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, because literally on top of him.

[Matt Abaticola]

They line up Max Crosby wherever they want. And what they're going to do and what they tend to do with him, I think we've mentioned this on a previous pod before, is they love to do tackle end stunts when he's at end and they like to get him looping around to use his straight line speed because Crosby can do a little bit of everything. And obviously if he's. If he's lined up over Braxton Jones. What is the book on Braxton Jones? Just bull rush. Push him Backward, just. He'll give and eventually you'll push him into the backfield. And then either you make a play off of that once Caleb Williams decides. Why is Braxton Jones's ass in my lap?

[Dan Bernstein]

In my face?

[Matt Abaticola]

Hey, I didn't. I don't. The play did not call for Braxton Jones. Jones's ass being pushing me down. What do I do now?

[Dan Bernstein]

Ben Johnson stopped calling that play. That's why.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh the. The quarterback runs into Braxton Jones or his ass runs into the quarterback. So. And then you can move them to the other side and put him on Theo Benedict and we'll see how concerned they are. The. The general rule of thumb in, in the NFL is the quality of your offensive line is determined by its ability to travel. Generally your offensive line that's good at home, bad on the road is. It's not uncommon. But that's a team in the Blob. If you're a Blob team. Well, if you're, if you're out of the Blob, your offensive line is bad no matter where it is. If you're a Blob team, you are. You can generally stick together and execute what you need to do much more at home than the road. And if you're really good, it doesn't matter. The sound doesn't matter. And we know that it may be like a home game for the Bears because you have vivid seats. Is reported that the ticket sales are 50 50.

[Dan Bernstein]

Which means it'll be really loud for the Bears when they have the ball.

[Matt Abaticola]

Exactly.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because they had a lot of issues Monday night against the Vikings in week one with false starts and penalties, pre snap penalties because of the loud noise. And then Caleb is down there on, you know, on fourth down before the DJ Moore touchdown telling the fans to be quiet. We're trying to execute a play inside the red zone like be better.

[Matt Abaticola]

But follow this up now you had your four touchdown performance and for this to matter, it feels like a second consecutive strong performance, efficient managing risk air yards, being accurate on balls down the field, taking advantage of mistakes mistakes, recognizing breakdowns that are getting your guys opportunities to follow up that performance with another one. Having traveled as far as you're traveling, that would be a big deal. That would help it all matter more. I'm just sort of keeping an asterisk on last week's performance because we don't want it to be one that's added to the list of outlier strong performances by a Bears first round quarterback that ended up not being all that good. So I think if you follow this up with something, last week becomes more meaningful.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, I saw a stat based on what you shared with us earlier the week about those games that Bears quarterbacks have had. I saw one the other day, and it had bears quarterbacks with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. And it was. They showed Eric Kramer, Cade McNown, Mitch Trubisky, and Caleb. So that was the only. The only four touchdown, four or more touchdowns with zero interceptions. Is that what your. Your stat brought through? Did you do anything with interceptions?

[Matt Abaticola]

No, because if I remember correctly, the game that I used for Cade McNown, he had four touchdowns and two picks, even though it was his outlier best game.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, so. So this was. So then this stat was the only four times it's happened in Bears history where they had four or more touchdowns with zero interceptions.

[Matt Abaticola]

Unbelievable. So it was history of the franchise.

[Dan Bernstein]

In the history of the franchise. So Eric Kramer, Cade McNown, Mitch. Oh, Mitchell. Not Mitch Mitchell. And then Caleb.

[Matt Abaticola]

Wow.

[Dan Bernstein]

So, yeah, because the game you highlighted had interceptions.

[Matt Abaticola]

Correct. Okay. The game I highlighted for McNown did have interceptions. I'd have to remember the four touchdown game that he.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'll see if I can try to find that again.

[Matt Abaticola]

That doesn't seem plausible, but I believe you. If you're waiting for Sunday to start betting, you're missing half the fun and half the money. College football is cooking. Upsets, blowouts, wild covers, and my bookie lets you hit it all. Game lines, player props, and more. And like I say, I've got some more props coming up in our DBU picks everything you need before the pros even kick off. So when Sunday rolls around, you're already up. My bookie has it all under one roof. You win big on NFL super contests and survivor pools. If you are new to my bookie, I can't stress this enough. Use our code dbu. We heard from the folks at my bookie yesterday. Really happy with everybody from Dan Bernstein unfiltered. That has become a part of their community. So just make sure you get that deposit in, because that's really how you get started. Once you sign up and make that deposit with the code DBU, and any bet you choose up to $500 then is fully covered. You make your play. If it doesn't hit, you get it right back. When you opt in using your bet back bonus token. The code dbu, it's my bookie, where bettors win together because bragging's good, but cashing in is better.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. And if you listen to DBU On a regular basis. And you're. You're part of our. Of our. Of our listenership. You as.

[Matt Abaticola]

As you should. It'll make you smile more and you'll.

[Dan Bernstein]

Be smarter and you like doing things with games. Then you need to get on my bookie. Seriously. Go make an account, get a deposit in there and start playing along with us and follow our picks. It's been a lot of fun to do it. I've. This is the most I've done in a football season so far. And it's just. It's fun.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's the most I've ever done.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, it's really fun. I just. I like having the. The focus on other games to see what I'm doing and see and hand. It's going well.

[Matt Abaticola]

You're doing better than I am. I need to win. It's not great for my anxiety, I bet, right?

[Dan Bernstein]

Because I don't have anxiety. I don't really care. I'm like, whatever.

[Matt Abaticola]

Whatever happens, I will say it's all fun. It's not great for my anxiety, but I'm better at compartmentalizing. It has been a test for my newfound structure and skills in managing my anxiety. And I actually think I'm doing very well.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think you're doing very good.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think I am because of what I'm learning in therapy about how to put some guardrails in and about how to understand. This probably isn't as important or worrisome as you think it is because generally that's a good. Some things are worth it. Some things are worth worrying about, some are not.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, correct. Most things aren't actually correct.

[Matt Abaticola]

Most things aren't.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or not.

[Matt Abaticola]

And also, don't create worries for yourself. It's an old adage of my mother's.

[Dan Bernstein]

But you've used to do that a lot for yourself.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, I'm great at creating things to worry about for myself that are a complete waste of time. I've heard worry is interest on a debt you may never owe. I love that.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's a great phrase.

[Matt Abaticola]

And my mother has always said something, but it took me until much later in life to understand it.

[Dan Bernstein]

I've always found that no matter what's happening today, you get through the day. You wake up, tomorrow's a different day, and you feel better.

[Matt Abaticola]

But I never really. I always thought it was just sort of a combination of words. But as I become older and wiser and I've deep therapy, I now understand what she used to say was, don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you. Which is kind of the same thing.

[Dan Bernstein]

You say that five times fast.

[Matt Abaticola]

Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you.

[Dan Bernstein]

With a mouthful of peanut butter.

[Matt Abaticola]

Ooh.

[Dan Bernstein]

So I'm looking at your Cade McNown's game log. Yeah, there is no. So I'm gonna go find where I found that somewhere. And it was some real somewhere. Yeah. He's the only four touchdown game he's had included two interceptions.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh. If you're getting stats just from random reels or tiktoks, that's like getting medical advice. That's why people are running around in their weighted vests.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is that bad medical advice from.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, because people are getting all sorts of.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because I've stopped Tylenol. I threw all the Tylenol away.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, yeah, you got to do that Tylenol. Just king at Taiwan. I will kill you.

[Dan Bernstein]

What's the main thing?

[Matt Abaticola]

Acetaminophen. Acetaminophen.

[Dan Bernstein]

Acetaminophen.

[Matt Abaticola]

Acetaminophen.

[Dan Bernstein]

Some people have a hard time with that word. Some of us do. Some of us get elected president. So, you know, he had his second best touchdown game is. He had three. A three touchdown game. Dan, can you guess the number of interceptions he had in that game as well?

[Matt Abaticola]

Six.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, that'd be nicer.

[Matt Abaticola]

Three.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes, correct. Okay, three and three.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

His two best touchdown performances. All right. Sorry. Kate McNown, you were saying?

[Matt Abaticola]

Thank you for that. I'm just. I am. I'm looking forward to this game. Have you seen the coverage map for the cbs?

[Dan Bernstein]

The only reason I saw it because hilarious, angry Chris Ranji.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, that's right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

So because Ron G's, he's. He's not allowed to leave St. Louis because the charges.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, it's court order.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right. The probation and the multiple charges. He's not allowed to leave, which I told. No, he brought it on himself.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Bad guy. I meant bad guy.

[Matt Abaticola]

You're not allowed to do that to a sheep. You can't. I mean, even.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, it depends what state you're in. But not where he was.

[Matt Abaticola]

Not where he was. And he kept saying, the sheep is attractive and it's actual love. You can't punish me for love. We're like, no, dude, it's a sheep.

[Dan Bernstein]

And the sheep was really drunk, too. That's a problem.

[Matt Abaticola]

And he wasn't. He was stone cold sober.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

So he got the sheep drunk. He said, you know, this is good for you. It's in the Bible, and you should drink it. And it was. So I understand why Rangy can't leave St. Louis. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Those religious pickup lines always worked for him, right? Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. So he was. He, you know, it was sort of the secret to his success for a long time. But now when you. When you're getting into the animal kingdom and things get ugly so he can't leave. So he's mad. Bottom line is he can't watch the Bears Raiders game because there's tiny little circles around Chicago and Las Vegas and the rest is getting the Chiefs and Ravensgate. Yeah, I have a pick for you for that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Which game?

[Matt Abaticola]

Ladder game.

[Dan Bernstein]

Also. I mean, like, it's a huge game, so he needs to, you know, realize what's going on.

[Matt Abaticola]

And here's the. Here's the truth.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, you know, you could do.

[Matt Abaticola]

There's a possibility we're all going to want to switch to that game.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. And isn't it possible today, in today's day and age, and maybe I'm wrong, that you could stream something to get any game you want?

[Matt Abaticola]

I think so.

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe so. If you really wanted to.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's in a halfway house. I don't. I don't think he has.

[Dan Bernstein]

And it's a woman's halfway house. That's weird.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's all they. It's where they have the space. I don't. I don't think he's allowed. If he needs special, weasel his way in there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ladies.

[Matt Abaticola]

Hey, how you doing?

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, Boxes, how are you?

[Matt Abaticola]

Hey, Box. I don't think he has earned special privileges quite yet in the halfway house where he is because of the incident. Yeah, but good luck to him.

[Dan Bernstein]

He keeps walking around asking where the sheep are.

[Matt Abaticola]

Hey.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, Box.

[Matt Abaticola]

Any sheep in here? Come on, give it a rest, man. Have some dignity.

[Dan Bernstein]

So. But I mean, that's a huge game. One of those two teams comes out one in three, which I don't think anybody would have picked either of those teams to be one in three after four, like the Bears could have a better record than the Chiefs or the Ravens after four weeks.

[Matt Abaticola]

Doesn't make any sense.

[Dan Bernstein]

It doesn't.

[Matt Abaticola]

There's so much bad in this league right now because I watched last night and I know the game got close.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, it was a three point win.

[Matt Abaticola]

Both those teams look terrible. I know. They kept saying, these are good defenses.

[Dan Bernstein]

These are good. Well, I mean, so I was at football practice. We get home and I was like, oh, who's Monday night? Or who's Thursday night football? And it's Seattle and Arizona. And I was like, who's Seattle's quarterback? And then I pulled it up and it's Sam Darnold. And I was like, oh, okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

And I kept watching because I love Peevish Al Michaels. I love when he thinks the game is beneath him, which is most well, but he doesn't hide it. He doesn't care. He does not hide it. And the game got too good because when it was like 20 to 6 or whatever, I was like, okay, Al's gonna. This is gonna start to bother him because nobody was putting drives together and there was just a whole lot of silliness and they were falling down on 4th and 2 and. But he and boy Herb street had a. He had something to say about Marvin Harrison Jr. Oh, did he go after her? No, he had a whole speech planned. And then Al kind of broke in to do a little play by play. And then he's like, yes, well, getting back to my. He's like, to complete my thoughts on Barbie, it's like, get out of my way. And maybe they talked about it, but he's like, this man is not. He's not playing with confidence. He's not concentrating. It's not the guy that I've seen in the past. And I was like, okay. He came in with a prepared statement about Marvin Harrison Jr. S confidence level.

[Dan Bernstein]

And production and probably talking to people around the team.

[Matt Abaticola]

He got information to and Ohio State with all of his Ohio State connections. But Al was like, well, it's third. And he's like, well, completing my thought. Shut up, Al. Back. Back over there with you.

[Dan Bernstein]

I would take Herb street over Tom Brady.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

In a second.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes, I would, too. Well, that's. That's not saying much.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, you're right.

[Matt Abaticola]

But yeah, sometimes he's gotten. I would say herbs. He's gotten better with some NFL stuff. Things always seem to have a college. He's way better at college.

[Dan Bernstein]

Way better at college. I mean, I always associate him with, obviously with. With college.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's better at it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. But no, he's good, though. He's good. And I like angry, really disinterested Al Michaels.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Unhappy, bothered, like he doesn't need to be there. And I actually, I think Amazon's halftime. I think that that works. It looks good. It sounds good. I like the kinetic camera that they do.

[Dan Bernstein]

You're a fan of all the. Most of the sports, like panel shows, studio shows, you watch them all.

[Matt Abaticola]

I also think, I think Karissa Thompson does a pretty good job of popping the ball around, making sure everybody gets their touches. And like I say, it's. It looks good enough. So I don't like much of It. But that one doesn't make me dumber. And.

[Dan Bernstein]

Which is always your key.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, don't. I think that's a. That's a fair bar for most sportscasting. Don't make people dumber.

[Dan Bernstein]

What did I text you the other day? Oh, I was watching NFL Game Day on NFL Network.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I said, who is the team that could beat the Bills? The question was, who's the team that could beat the Bills and prevent them from winning a Super Bowl? Mariucci told the audience to keep an eye on the Baltimore Ravens.

[Matt Abaticola]

I've got a sleeper for you. Thanks, Steve.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's my guy, too. I was like, what? Come on, buddy.

[Matt Abaticola]

And also I like what I see in this. Lamar Jackson.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. Yeah. So that was the question pose.

[Matt Abaticola]

Who could.

[Dan Bernstein]

Who could be an obstacle to the. To the Buffalo Bills? And he's like, you know what, guys? Keep your eye on the Baltimore Ravens.

[Matt Abaticola]

I ended up watching more of the football game than I expected because the Cubs game was out of watching. I was waiting for the comeback so quickly. And I was kind of keeping. Keeping an eye on. On the phone just to see because flipping over on the. When you're flipping from. On the smart TV from Amazon to regular TV on mine, there's work, there's a delay, and you're waiting, and then you got to go back to Amazon and. Right. And then you're like, okay, yes, I want to watch it from where I.

[Dan Bernstein]

If I'm in the same situation, I have the one on my phone. So whatever game I'm not watching, I just have the box score there, so you can just see what's going on. But yeah, no, I stayed with the game, with the Cubs game, hoping that they would make a comeback out of it.

[Matt Abaticola]

I was leafing through my Chicago Window Guys brochure yesterday because Russ Armstrong left it with me because they are soon to be coming out and measuring for some upstairs windows. Then Russ of Chicago Window Guys, he's going to make the windows and then he's going to install them in my home. And if you have looked at your bills lately of what it costs to cool your home, to heat your home, whatever it may be, believe it or not, the best way to save money on that is by investing in really, really good windows. And that's what you get from Chicago Window Guys. And with football back and the baseball playoffs coming, hockey and basketball right around the corner, it means the cold weather's coming. So don't wait to replace these old windows. Call Russ. He will do for you exactly what he does for me. He's going to come out, he's going to tell you about the windows, he's going to give you the absolute best possible deal because a lot of what you hear from these other companies is just garbage. The whole buy one, get one free, 50% off. It's made up stuff that doesn't really save you any money. And he can explain that to you. There's no high pressure sales tactic. He's just going to give you all the info and give you the best deal. So call him right now. 847-302-9171. You can go to ChicagoNowdownGuys.com and check out all of his five star reviews and just know that when the installation comes, he knows everybody that's in and around your house and it's not third party labor. It's like everybody else uses. So when you're getting quotes, you can ask these other people, who's putting in my windows? Russ can tell you the names of the people who are putting in your windows because they all work for him. So give Russ a call. Don't wait. Even though the weather's nice now, it's going to be cold soon. 847-302-9171 and check out the 5 star [e-mail] so looking at the baseball playoff.

[Dan Bernstein]

Picture as well too, lots of happenings going on still. Still lots of teams involved in the final spots for playoff, the playoff race.

[Matt Abaticola]

Did I see the Tigers actually won.

[Dan Bernstein]

The Tigers actually won a game. So they actually won a game, a bullpen game too. So in the American League, Dan, it's, it's a lot of fun. There are three teams that are locked in right now. Toronto, the Yankees and Seattle. Seattle, the only division winner, the only, you know, team that's clinched their division as of right now, still alive. Boston, Cleveland, Detroit and Houston. So here's what's at stake. The AL east is still open as Toronto and the Yankees are tied at 91 and 68. Toronto with the tiebreaker right now over the Yankees. New York host Baltimore for the final weekend. Baltimore at 75 and 84 and Toronto host Tampa Bay at 77 and 82. So both very winnable series for the Yankees and the Blue jays in the AL Central. Cleveland and Detroit are tied at 86 and 73. Cleveland holding the tiebreaker. Cleveland host Texas who is one game over. 580 and 79. Detroit is at Boston who's still fighting for their wildcard spot at 87 and 72. Houston is one game back of. Of Boston. I'm sorry, of Detroit. And they are at the Athletics, who are 75 and 84 on the season. So lots of fun stuff there. In the American League, in the National League, five teams are in. Phillies have clinched the NL East. Milwaukee the NL Central. The Dodgers clinch the NL West. The Cubs and Padres have both clinched wild card spots. So what's at stake is the number four seed for the Cubs, whose magic number is at two. The Cubs host St. Louis, and San Diego host Arizona, who's one game above.500. Arizona fighting for that sixth wild card spot as well, too. So the final and final wild card spot, the Mets. Right now hold that. They're at Miami. Cincinnati is one game behind the Mets. They're at Milwaukee. And Arizona is two games back. And they're at San Diego. Like I said, so lots of fun stuff can still happen in the national and American League, so lots of good.

[Matt Abaticola]

Things to keep an eye on. One thing that we do on Fridays is Feedback Friday, and we gather feedback in all kinds of ways. It may just be anecdotal. It may be. I run into you, by the way, discount baked goods or discount meat at the back of the grocery store.

[Dan Bernstein]

Or you could see someone going by an abroad while you're fishing.

[Matt Abaticola]

I did. I saw government officials, machine guns at the ready, going by on a broat. And I had some choice words, and they just kind of waved back.

[Dan Bernstein]

And then you signed up. You got a $50,000 bonus. Hey, congrats.

[Matt Abaticola]

$50,000. You know, all you got to do is, you know, throw a bunch of.

[Dan Bernstein]

Wear a mask.

[Matt Abaticola]

Wear a mask and arrest unarmed women. Arrest the guy selling popsicles.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Throw him in jail forever and pull him away from his family. That's. That's it for 50 grand. You know, a little bonus.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's just a bonus. That's not even your pay.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's just the bonus to the guy. The guy's, you know, selling the cucumbers with the lime juice, and you can take them away and throw them in prison for the rest of the.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. So that you get a money bonus, you get a mask, you get a White Sox hat, you get a gun and a vest.

[Matt Abaticola]

But not just a gun. It's a huge. Like, it looked like one of those paintball.

[Dan Bernstein]

Like it probably was. No, they don't give you real ammo.

[Matt Abaticola]

One of those things like paint pellets. It was like the super tiny penis mega gun with a giant scope. And he's standing there on the bow, like, pointing it, like you have to point it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. I saw a guy the other day.

[Matt Abaticola]

What are you pointing it at?

[Dan Bernstein]

He had one of the guns that Jesse the body had in Predator. I thought that was a bit 60. Yeah, that's a bit much. I don't think you need that belt fed. Yeah, you don't need. That's too much.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Drop the popsicle. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Put the mango down. Come on, man.

[Dan Bernstein]

Why? Is it the alien from Men in Black, our guy, Vincent d'. Onofrio, what's his name? What was his name in that? The character? Edgar. Edgar.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, Eben. Ed. He had a weird name.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ok, I'll look it up.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, the wife keeps saying it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

I'm gonna. Meat sack.

[Dan Bernstein]

Drop the mango.

[Matt Abaticola]

Drop the mango. Oh, you idiot.

[Dan Bernstein]

You remember whose call sign was mango?

[Matt Abaticola]

George? Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, kiddos, I think Rangy was go.

[Matt Abaticola]

Down and George's call sign. Mango.

[Dan Bernstein]

Mango.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Edg. It was Edgar. It was Edgar.

[Matt Abaticola]

Are you sure?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I'm looking at it right now.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Very handsome. Vincent d'. Onofrio.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's so good in the man.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, he's good in everything.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's great in everything.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, he was Edgar.

[Matt Abaticola]

Odd dude, I think, but he is.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. So apparently you have Edgar in the ice now.

[Matt Abaticola]

Maybe he is.

[Dan Bernstein]

Come on.

[Matt Abaticola]

You're in the middle of the Chicago River. There was literally a guy in a bass boat, right?

[Dan Bernstein]

Maybe he was one of the worst of the worst.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, you think the guy in the bass broke? Maybe he was there. He had a. He had a nice little Gobi colored ned rig and no idea what that is.

[Dan Bernstein]

He was fishing. Is that bait?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, yeah, it's good. Good bait this time of year for that side of the river. I was. Oh, man. I had a great day a couple days ago. Caught seven. It was hot. Bite was hot and. But they're coming by. Damn it.

[Dan Bernstein]

You've got seven in one day.

[Matt Abaticola]

I caught seven. It was like in three hours.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think I have seven in my life.

[Matt Abaticola]

Maybe. Yeah, I got one. I got one at your house.

[Dan Bernstein]

You did? Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Your first cast. I know.

[Dan Bernstein]

That was impressive.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, that was the bubble gum senko. That's a secret weapon.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I used Hubb Bubba the next day. It didn't work.

[Matt Abaticola]

Bubblegum color. When in doubt if you have. No if you never. I told my kids that start with bubblegum.

[Dan Bernstein]

I told my kids. They went through their tackle boxes and they started pulling out of the pink bubble gum colored rubber worms.

[Matt Abaticola]

Good. Good for them.

[Dan Bernstein]

I didn't know fish ate rubber worms, though. It's weird.

[Matt Abaticola]

What do you Mean, you didn't know. They. They don't. They don't know it's a rubber worm. Oh, they're not saying, oh, I could.

[Dan Bernstein]

Use a. I thought they liked rubber worms.

[Matt Abaticola]

They. They do.

[Dan Bernstein]

Science discovered.

[Matt Abaticola]

They do. They just think it's something else. I don't know what they think the bubblegum colored one is gum because they don't see color. They love see color. They're very woke that way. Yeah. The fish have decided they don't see color.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, they better be careful because if ice gets like underwater apparatus.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, that's right.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're going after.

[Matt Abaticola]

Maybe that's what they're doing. Oh, maybe they're on the Chicago river because the bass don't know what color and they're going to ferret out all the woke fish. That's what it is.

[Dan Bernstein]

Worst of the worst.

[Matt Abaticola]

The worst of the worst.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Get the carp out of there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ice marine unit on Lake Michigan.

[Matt Abaticola]

Come on, clowns.

[Dan Bernstein]

Anywho, so, yeah, Feedback Friday. Okay. That wasn't your feedback?

[Matt Abaticola]

No, it wasn't the feedback. First of all, for everybody who keeps sending these nice notes saying how much? Thank you for all part of things. It really. I mean it. And I try to answer as much as I can, whether it is the Instagram direct messages or the stuff that I'm getting via the emails. It's dany12sports.com, matt12sports.com and I believe there's also an account that is feedbackyonetworks.com. i think that goes to both of us.

[Dan Bernstein]

Sure.

[Matt Abaticola]

I don't know how Marcus set it.

[Dan Bernstein]

Up, but you can definitely get us at dan and [e-mail]. And on that note too, Dan, if you are on social media or you want to get on social media, we have a TikTok page.

[Matt Abaticola]

We do.

[Dan Bernstein]

There's Twitter.

[Matt Abaticola]

Cool.

[Dan Bernstein]

X. I should say Instagram and Facebook. It's all 312Sports Chicago. All right, so go check it all out. Follow us there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Become friends.

[Matt Abaticola]

Very cool. That's. You're in charge of all of that?

[Dan Bernstein]

Sure.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, no, I'm on top of it.

[Matt Abaticola]

All right.

[Dan Bernstein]

On top of, like Max Crosby on.

[Matt Abaticola]

Top of Theo Benedict, like the entire time.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just like. Why does Max Crosby have a saddle on his shoulder? Well, he's gonna put it on Benedict's back. Ride him right to Caleb.

[Matt Abaticola]

Like Mungo coming into town. Oh, it's Mungo. If you also have been part of the iraqpoing mission. Thank you.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, yeah. There's a lot coming through.

[Matt Abaticola]

We've asked for you to be vigilant and noting anytime a celebrity, no matter how major or minor, is name checked in the commercial itself. There's some old ones, there's some new ones. Thank you.

[Dan Bernstein]

I got a text from our old friend Herb Lawrence.

[Matt Abaticola]

Really?

[Dan Bernstein]

He texted me about the Jeff Bridges. Zoe Saldana.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is it T mobile?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And I'm like, oh, yeah. We were all over pal. Had that one.

[Matt Abaticola]

Jeff Bridges, right? What is Jeff Bridges doing? Cashing a check, first of all. But I. Buying another house.

[Dan Bernstein]

That mountain life he's living or ranch life, wherever he's at.

[Matt Abaticola]

I know it's Jeff Bridges. You don't have to tell me. It's Jeff Bridges. That's the dude. Come on, man. But thank you for that. So I've collected a lot of the feedback here. Nice note from Polish physician. Our guy who says the show's been awesome. I'm enjoying both podcasts. My apologies if I missed your coverage of this, but there was an incredible event that happened in Chicago earlier this week that deserves attention from you guys because it shares an intersection with sports, nature, and Chicago civics. The first open water swimming event in 100 years happened earlier this week in the Chicago River.

[Dan Bernstein]

Saw a lot of that coverage.

[Matt Abaticola]

He said, I think you can say without a doubt that the reclamation of the river is one of the most impressive urban waterway revitalization projects in recent memory. The return of the Chicago river not only as a recreational destination for folks, but as a sanctuary for fish and wildlife in. In the middle of a major metropolitan area is nothing but remarkable. So the fact that people can participate in a swimming race in the river without fear of pollution or illness would have been unheard of a couple decades ago. Cranes by the river are just as important as cranes in the sky.

[Dan Bernstein]

So when I. When I first saw that coverage, I saw a lot of things on social media. I was like, aren't people going to get sick and die? So, yeah, thanks for pointing it out, too. I appreciate that. Because, yeah, that's a pretty cool thing. You can actually do it. And because it's a he. What did he call it a sanctuary for? That's why ice is there.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, it's a sanctuary river. That's why they've got the giant machine guns out.

[Dan Bernstein]

Can. Can he also give us an update on. On Cade Horton with an area of concern around his rib cage, whatever that means, what that could lead to?

[Matt Abaticola]

I wish I knew.

[Dan Bernstein]

Because if you do, like a WebMD search, it can lead to, like, his organs are exploding to, like, he has issues with his circulation, collapsed lung. Yeah. So a lot of. So I'm really concerned about him.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Area of concern.

[Dan Bernstein]

So if Polish physician can update us on what that means, areas of concern.

[Matt Abaticola]

Around a rib cage, they have an area of concern. My guess.

[Dan Bernstein]

My guess was too heavy. Of a weighted vase, a vest while.

[Matt Abaticola]

Walking and weighted vase. Wearing a vest and carrying a vase. That's the next fad. That's the next useless trend. Boy, people got mad when I pointed.

[Dan Bernstein]

Out people get really mad about it.

[Matt Abaticola]

That studies show that you can do it. And yes, it makes things harder for you, but you don't lose more weight, you don't necessarily get in better shape.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, my favorite response to that was the one guy who said, you've never worked out a day in your life.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, I have.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, you haven't.

[Matt Abaticola]

Not according to him. All right. But I wear my weighted vest all the time. I wear weighted underpants.

[Dan Bernstein]

So I have one. I wear it to bed. And I haven't lost any extra weight, so I think I'm doing something wrong.

[Matt Abaticola]

Exercise is great. It's just exercising while wearing extra weight doesn't do that much for you.

[Dan Bernstein]

So here's what I'm starting and you can get this on Amazon. Weighted underpants.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's what I said.

[Dan Bernstein]

While you. While you exercise.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. Or just while you do anything but really heavy, like 50 pound underpants. Is that guy okay? No, no, he's not. He's working out. It's really good for him. He's losing weight. You get into a public bathroom, you close the door, you just hear this horrible cacophony of metal clanging around. There's lead slamming down. What's wrong with that man?

[Dan Bernstein]

Crack the floor. He's nuts.

[Matt Abaticola]

And crack your crack. That man's nuts. Grab him. Here is a note from Brendan and Brendan says, guys, help me out here. Darnell Wright was a first round pick, correct? Yes, he was picked by Ryan polls over the problematic Jalen Carter. He said read problematic as meaning better. According to Pro Football Focus, Darnell Wright's overall OT grade is barely above average. His pass blocking grade is barely above average. He has six penalties in three games. Is he a problem? Is this another draft pick boner by Ryan polls? Maybe Darnell Wright gets better. I don't know. But right now, of 97 offensive tackles that are ranked in the NFL in terms of penalties, he is 96th. I think that might be bad. Is that bad?

[Dan Bernstein]

It is bad. And he's never going to play the way a first round pick should play. And he's, he's a serviceable guy. And that is not a first round pick. Again, that's not on him. That is on Ryan Poles.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, he's, they keep talking internally about his level of consistency, that when he's good, he's very good. He just tends to have drops in play. Whether that is lack of concentration, whether that's the, the same stuff that Kirk Herbstreet was talking about last night regarding Marvin Harrison Jr. If you're talking about that with, with a starting offensive lineman, it's every rep, be the same guy, every rep. And if you're, if you can be the same guy and be Darnell right when he's good, that's a really, really good player.

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Matt Abaticola]

Here's something that also garnered a lot of feedback here on Friday. Feedback on Dan Bernstein unfiltered. And that was my observation that the Rob Gronkowski USAA commercials are just an updated version of the Trix commercials for the serial for the Trix Rabbit, where instead of silly rabbit tricks are for kids, the ongoing bit is Silly Gronk USAA insurance is only for smart people. Veterans. Oh, veterans. I don't think he's dumb. I really. I don't think Gronk is dumb. I really don't.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

I think it's. The whole thing's a great bit, but I don't think he can't be dumb and be. He sounds dumb.

[Dan Bernstein]

We'll disagree. To disagree.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay. I really. I don't think he is, but it's silly. Gronk. This insurance is for active military and veterans and their families. Ho, ho, ho, ho. It's the same theme. So then we had other people bring up some examples. And one, and I had forgotten this one. Do you remember the candy Toffee Fey?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Toffee fe. It came in a. It was like a plastic holder that had several hard caramel cups that were filled with a mixture of.

[Dan Bernstein]

It was like half a sphere.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. Like hazelnuts and with a little chocolate disc on top. Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

Remember those?

[Matt Abaticola]

Very well. Hazelnut nougat.

[Dan Bernstein]

Loved those as a kid for some reason. That's like an old person candy.

[Matt Abaticola]

But that was the campaign. Toffee fey. It's too good for kids. Like. And your kid's like, wait a second. That's not too good for me. Right, mom, buy me toffee face. Shut up, kid. And they would say, it's too good for kids, but not too good for you. The granddad would give his kids the toffee.

[Dan Bernstein]

So I don't remember that. Obviously the candy, but don't remember that ad.

[Matt Abaticola]

Great recall on that one. That that was what they would do is they sold it being too good for kids. The other one that was mentioned was Charlie the tuna. Only the best tasting tuna can be murdered and put in a can.

[Dan Bernstein]

And he wanted to be killed and put in a can.

[Matt Abaticola]

And Charlie, who had this like Charles Nel Riley vibe with the big glasses.

[Dan Bernstein]

Didn't he have a beret? Did he have a hat on?

[Matt Abaticola]

I think sometimes.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'll take a look. Go ahead.

[Matt Abaticola]

I just remember the big krizal glasses that he would wear. And I found it macabre, this idea.

[Dan Bernstein]

Of a red cap of some kind.

[Matt Abaticola]

I always thought his desire to be killed, cooked and canned was strange. His whole life he just wanted to be good enough to be murdered for food and harvested.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yes. That was his goal.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah. And it was. I didn't like it. So McClure emailed to say there is an equally disturbing commercial that is running right now. He says to me, it's the dawn commercial with the baby ducks. Why would you choose as your mascot something that people only know to associate with your product because of an absolute environmental catastrophe. And if you remember, the reason why baby ducks are used is because of the oil spill. It was the Exxon Valdez that the only thing that got all of the oil covered animals clean was Dawn. Because it works. Because it really was a powerful reminder. And I will say it was something that was on a TikTok or reels about what dawn does. And it's true. It really is that effective. A couple of drops of it dissolved in water for cleaning. Like for cleaning my watch. This watch band has these tiny little things in it. And you set it in there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, I use it all the time for clothes, for stains. I'll squirt some on and rub it in and then let it sit for oil stains before I wash it. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

And the reason why is it because there's petroleum in Dawn. That's the secret. That there is. That's why it works on some of this stuff.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's probably not safe to drink then.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, but it's also, apparently there's certain clogs, certain toilet clogs it works on.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

And there are people who detail cars who say that their go to like special soap is just a few drops of dawn dissolved in water. But that's. I mean, I understand, but I agree that I don't think most people think when they see the adorable baby ducks, they think horrible environmental catastrophe oil spill. They just see cute baby ducks.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. And I. It's weird because the. The immediate place you go is. It's very gentle.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

But like you're using it to wash dishes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right. So it shouldn't be gentle.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know. But.

[Matt Abaticola]

So it should be highly corrosive.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, not highly corrosive, but it's like I don't think of like my dish detergent needing to be gentle on my dishes.

[Matt Abaticola]

Right. I think like on my baby.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

If I'm washing my baby.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

I want it to be gentle.

[Dan Bernstein]

I want it to be gentle. Like, I don't think I. I don't want corrosive, but I don't think I need gentle to wash my pots and pans.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's a good point.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, thanks.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, that's good. I get it. But that's right. If it's. It should just get the dishes clean.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right. I'm not looking for like what's really soft and gentle for this bowl. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

Because this precious bowl that I can't replace.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Anyway.

[Matt Abaticola]

Anyway. Lots of response to our thoughts about Matt Shaw missing the Cubs game to attend the pep rally that was nominally regarding the death of Charlie Kirk and what he said and what he didn't say and how he treated us all as idiots who are trying to believe what he said about not knowing anything the guy stood for, even though they texted all the time and they were good friends and he was compelled be there for religious reasons. So it was obvious bullshit. He clearly knows exactly. But he refused to say it, and there was a lot of reaction to our comments in that regard. This came in from Doug and Doug said, as a gay Cubs fan, it is difficult for me to root for someone who you know is a bigot. When the Cubs got Daniel Murphy in 2018, who had previously made a comment he would not be comfortable with a gay teammate, I decided to justify rooting for his success, which in turn would help the Cubs succeed. I would put some money in a pot every time he did something good in a game, and at the end of the season, I would donate the money in the pot to a pro LGBTQ charity. So thanks to Daniel Murphy, I donated something like $150 to Lambda Legal after the 2018 season. Lambda Legal is Laura Ricketts, I believe, is on the board of Lambda Legal, and Doug says I plan on doing the same thing for Matt Shaw. Now, while I'd like to see them find a third baseman who can hit better than.220 next season, I know he'll probably be back and I'd probably look to do the same thing. And I can continue to root for my lifelong favorite team without feeling any kind of icky about a specific player for a specific reason. Instead, I'll just feel icky about this poorly constructed roster, just like every other Cub fan does. I thought it was really cool and a really creative and constructive way to dispel the cognitive dissonance of rooting for your team. But having somebody for whom it's difficult to root because you know how they feel in Doug's case, how they feel about him, how this guy he's rooting for actually feels about him.

[Dan Bernstein]

Correct.

[Matt Abaticola]

Now, there's another thought here on that same topic that I thought was really well written. And this was sent in by David, who says the Matt Shaw stuff is a great example about how some of the far right types refuse to own up to their true beliefs. For instance, they'll imply that trans people are all evil child molesters by demonizing them, calling them groomers, we need to protect our children from them. Yet when confronted, they deny it by pointing out. They never say the words. I think trans people are evil child molesters. The smarter ones do that because they know it's an objectively reprehensible position to take. They also know the vast majority of people find their beliefs unreasonable, so they hope and pray their audience temporarily forgets the concept of implication dog whistles and stochastic terrorism, at least while they're talking to that audience. Obviously, if Matt Shaw was close personal friends with Charlie Kirk, he knows what Kirk's beliefs were. Even if he doesn't have any social media accounts, he has to deny knowledge of the beliefs because he agrees with him, but doesn't want to face the criticism his beliefs would undoubtedly receive. I thought it was very well put together by David. And we thank you, as always, for your Friday feedback.

[Dan Bernstein]

Now, there's something I want to pay off from last Friday's Feedback. And if you caught the show, you knew that in the YouTube in particular, there was. Oh, yes, there was a missing piece. There was an edited part of the show, only because I was an idiot. And there was some comments like, I wonder what they said.

[Matt Abaticola]

Unfiltered. Yeah, this is supposed to be unfiltered. Damn it.

[Dan Bernstein]

So here's what happened. We have. I have multiple computers here in my studio, and two that play sound. One plays sound only in the studio. The other plays sound that would actually records on the actual podcast or YouTube recording. I played the sound that I wanted to play from Feedback Friday, Friday on the wrong computer. So as we're. As we're going through and I'm looking at it, after we were done, I was like, oh, why? What is that big empty space of sound? And it was my audio that didn't come through the recording.

[Matt Abaticola]

You're so mad.

[Dan Bernstein]

And so I had to delete it, because if I'd left it in, all you would see is Dan and I reacting to something you couldn't hear. So I was like, all right, we got to delete it. So I need to pay that off of what it was. And it was based on the email that you received on the Great Gatsby?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yes. We were talking about the unfilmable nature of the Great Gatsby and the greatness of F. Scott Fitzgerald. And. And because how F. Scott Fitzgerald's writing and the details of his writing was so unique and what made the book work, it's impossible to recapitulate that cinematically. And that's why every version of the Gatsby on the big screen sucks.

[Dan Bernstein]

So that brought my brain to the movie, Ted.

[Guest or Producer]

You know Ted, if you legally become a person, you're gonna need a last name.

[Matt Abaticola]

Oh, yeah, you're right.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay, I got one.

[Guest or Producer]

Okay, what is it?

[Matt Abaticola]

Clubber Lang.

[Guest or Producer]

Who's Clubber Lang?

[Matt Abaticola]

Who's Clubber Lang?

[Dan Bernstein]

Mr. T's character in Rocky 3. Hello?

[Guest or Producer]

Is that the boxing movies?

[Matt Abaticola]

The boxing. But wait, you never seen Rocky?

[Dan Bernstein]

She's not serious.

[Matt Abaticola]

You've never seen Rocky. Come on, you know. You know Rocky.

[Guest or Producer]

I'm not gonna remember a movie I've never seen just because you're singing a song I don't know.

[Dan Bernstein]

You don't know Samuel L. Jackson. You don't know Rocky. You are literally pop culture illiterate.

[Guest or Producer]

I have a college degree. My pop culture references are Hamlet, Achilles and Dorian Gray. Ever heard of any of them?

[Matt Abaticola]

No, but I'm pretty sure Mr. T could kick their ass.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Sam, you really need to be educated.

[Guest or Producer]

Oh, really? Can either of you tell me who wrote the Great Gatsby?

[Dan Bernstein]

Jody Bloom?

[Matt Abaticola]

Hitler?

[Guest or Producer]

F. Scott Fitzgerald.

[Dan Bernstein]

Who's that?

[Guest or Producer]

The author.

[Dan Bernstein]

Why are you saying him?

[Guest or Producer]

What?

[Matt Abaticola]

You just said F. Scott Fitzgerald. What did Scott Fitzgerald do to you?

[Guest or Producer]

Yeah, no, that's his. His first name.

[Matt Abaticola]

His name's Scott Fitzgerald.

[Dan Bernstein]

What?

[Matt Abaticola]

No.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, then what's the F stand for?

[Guest or Producer]

Francis.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, it's got to be.

[Dan Bernstein]

It must be. It has to be.

[Guest or Producer]

Why the hell would it be?

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, because otherwise, why wouldn't he just say it?

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, he's hiding something. It's.

[Dan Bernstein]

Come on, read between the lines.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's.

[Guest or Producer]

That's completely insane. You guys are idiots.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yeah, well, whatever. Ted Cluber Lang, get used to it.

[Dan Bernstein]

So that. That's what it was.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's all it was.

[Dan Bernstein]

Right? That's all it was. And so it was talking about Great Gatsby. I immediately thought of that. That scene. And then. Because I'm an idiot and everything makes.

[Matt Abaticola]

You think of that movie.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, because we had the tricks for Serial with Liam Neeson.

[Matt Abaticola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

Played that clip. So that's what that was last Friday. It was not something that we censored ourselves on. Dan Bernstein. Unfiltered.

[Matt Abaticola]

I signed up for unfilteredness, and now this is filtered and I don't like it and I'm mad.

[Dan Bernstein]

So that's the stupidity that it was. And I wanted to pay that off from last Friday's Friday Feedback.

[Matt Abaticola]

And that is Friday. Hey, you know the one guy in your group chat that hits a five leg parlay week one and then you got to hear about it the rest of the season? Well, how about that being you? Because my bookie makes it really easy to get in on the action. College ball, NFL super contest and survivor pools. It's all the spreads, all the player props, the in game lines you want under one roof. If you are new to my bookie, use the code. Any bet you choose up to $500 is fully covered with DBU. That's the code DBU. The initials of Dan Bernstein, unfiltered. Make your play. If it doesn't hit you get it right back. When you opt in using the bet back bonus token and the code DBU mentioned earlier, my bookie is very, very happy with you for signing up. Make sure you sign up, put that deposit in and then you can jump right in and enjoy and have fun because we're going to give you picks in just a second. No better time to jump in. No better place to play football is back. Make some money with my bookie. You ready?

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I am ready. So before I get to my pick, I have two other games of important note to mention for tomorrow. Vanderbilt hosts Utah State 1145. They're looking to go five and oh my guy, Diego Pavia. And of course the most important game of the weekend, the Libertyville wildcats. Go Cats 4:30 tomorrow at Butler Lake park we host North Shore. Looking for back to back wins.

[Matt Abaticola]

At some point I should take in a game and fish Butler Lake.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do it soon because football season, it's great for the age that I coach. We start in the 90s temperature wise and we end in the 30s. So it's freezing cold. So we're getting to that point. I know tomorrow's still going to be a hot summer day with the high of I think 80 or 82 and sunny. So yeah, you should come on out.

[Matt Abaticola]

I fished Butler Lake once and I got a 4 pound largemouth bass.

[Dan Bernstein]

Lots of good fish in there in Libertyville.

[Matt Abaticola]

What else is in that lake, do you know?

[Dan Bernstein]

Octopus.

[Matt Abaticola]

There's no octopus in the lake.

[Dan Bernstein]

There are, it's. We stock it. Hammerhead shark.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

And radioactive shrimp.

[Matt Abaticola]

Are there governmental broats there?

[Dan Bernstein]

Are there? Are they out there? It's not, it's not really a big, it's not a huge lake, but it's big enough for a governmental broat.

[Matt Abaticola]

Big enough. They're out there with the giant belt fed machine guns.

[Dan Bernstein]

And I'll be honest, I'm glad they came because now we've rid the park of all the people selling fruit.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's what I was gonna say. The ice cream vendors are all gone.

[Dan Bernstein]

All gone.

[Matt Abaticola]

Gotta get them out of there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, because they're going after the worst of the worst.

[Matt Abaticola]

The worst of the worst. The worst of the worst. Ice cream vendors.

[Dan Bernstein]

So we're kickoff 4:30 tomorrow, the Wildcats take on North Shore.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay, it is now time for DBU picks that are presented by my bookie.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, sign up, get your account going, get some money in there, get things going. Boston College is my pick for this weekend. They are laying six and a half hosting the California Golden Bears. So I'm going to lay the six and a half and take the under of 52 and a half. So there's your winning parlay for college weekend. Boston College -6 and a half, under 52 and a half, hosting the California Golden Bears.

[Matt Abaticola]

I'm going to do something counterintuitive and I'm going to play the Bernstein Kiss of life. Wow. So I'm going to play against myself and we can do all the sort of the psychological games of how this works and how this affects the overall wagering atmosphere. I think you and I both agreed on this or on forward progress that Travis Kelsey looks done.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I wish he would have just quit.

[Matt Abaticola]

Looks slow bad.

[Dan Bernstein]

Called it a weird awful.

[Matt Abaticola]

So what I'm thinking is usually when I say something like that about somebody, their next game, they're awesome.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt Abaticola]

Usually if I say that guy's done, that guy sucks, that it's almost immediately, yeah, Bernstein, you were the guy that. So now I'm gonna play that. Okay, I'm going to play because even though they're going against the vaunted Baltimore Ravens, this is completely counterintuitive, but I'm going to bet the Bernstein kiss of Life. Travis Kelsey, 50 plus receiving yards is plus 154.

[Dan Bernstein]

You're taking the over.

[Matt Abaticola]

I'm going to take it.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right.

[Matt Abaticola]

I'm going to just based on the logic that I laid out, I'm going to say that because I said he's done, should have retired, that this is when he has enough of a dead cat bounce like death rattle game, he's going to go over 50 yards receiving.

[Dan Bernstein]

You know where he's going to finish now, right?

[Matt Abaticola]

Where?

[Dan Bernstein]

At 49.

[Matt Abaticola]

Well, that's. I'll feel okay about that. Okay, that's okay. But that still sort of makes my point that he had enough of a game. I mean, whether or not it actually hits. Just like I said about my Isaac to slob at last week, he got two targets right. And the fact that he didn't catch one, I can't be mad about that. If they didn't target him, that would be one thing. But I'm, you know, I know. Like I say, I know what to feel bad about now. I know I'm not mad about that. And I don't think that was necessarily a bad pick because he did have two balls thrown his way.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right, so Boston College minus six and a half. Hosting the golden or the Golden Bears of California and the under at 52 and a half in your pick, Dan.

[Matt Abaticola]

My pick, Travis Kelsey, over 50 yards receiving this week at + 154. There you have it. That has been DBU picks brought to you by my bookie. Lock in your picks now with my bookie. Bet on anything, anywhere, anytime.

[Dan Bernstein]

I stumbled across something really quick. I want to share this with you. Going through NFL numbers and stats, the Baltimore Ravens and the Baltimore. Or the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts, you know, the Colts, you know how many punts they've had this year?

[Matt Abaticola]

The Colts? They've had one.

[Dan Bernstein]

One punt. Correct.

[Matt Abaticola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

How many return yards? How many returns have the Colts faced? One punt. Do you think it was returned?

[Matt Abaticola]

No.

[Dan Bernstein]

Zero returns correct for zero return yards on the season. The Baltimore Ravens, Dan, have also had zero return yards this year on punts. Colts have had one punt. How many Ravens punts there have been?

[Matt Abaticola]

No.

[Dan Bernstein]

11, and they've had zero returns, zero return yards.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's pretty good.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's real damn good.

[Matt Abaticola]

That's. That's. I wonder how many of those were attempted returns.

[Dan Bernstein]

3. Okay, they've had three returns attempted with zero return yards on the season on 11 punts.

[Matt Abaticola]

Now, were any of those negative yards that came counterbalanced positive yards or were they all for zero yards?

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know. I could look into that. Of the three only, I'm going to guess that something had to be positive. At least one of those had to be positive.

[Matt Abaticola]

Somebody had to fall down somewhere.

[Dan Bernstein]

Somebody had to, right?

[Matt Abaticola]

There had to be a guy that did the Kyle Menon guy and ran backwards.

[Dan Bernstein]

Correct. Which is hopefully not in the game plan this week.

[Matt Abaticola]

Wrong way, Kyle. So Jason was telling me he was at the newspaper office on campus and they were editing a bunch of stuff, firing people. Get out of here. Get out of here.

[Dan Bernstein]

Growing hot comes the coffee and interns.

[Matt Abaticola]

Private equity took him over and he's cleared out the newsroom. So he said that somebody knew he was a Bears fan and they had all these games on and they're like, hey, Bernstein. He goes, what? He goes, what is your guy doing?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, no.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's like, what? He goes, watch this. And it was the Manon guy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Run, run. Backwards play.

[Matt Abaticola]

He's like, I have no idea. That's not my guy. Like, don't put him on me.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Because Jason had like them losing like two minutes into the game. He did. Yeah.

[Matt Abaticola]

No, it was three minutes in. Okay. No, it was right over the 10 minutes. No, it was like 45 minutes ago. That's it. I'm calling it. It's over. I said. All right. Well, you've been a Bears fan for too long, you meatball.

[Dan Bernstein]

Trusty old newspaper veteran.

[Matt Abaticola]

Totally. Yeah. None of these people can write, so that's going to do it. For today's Dan Bernstein, Unfiltered. We appreciate your listenership. This has been brought to you in partnership with my bookie. Quick reminder, we've got a special version of Forward Progress today. I am so exc about my list of the top 10 Raiders of all time, bringing you that along with a lot of Bears sound. And we will be live on Forward Progress immediately after the Bears and the Raiders sometime around 6:30, 7 o'. Clock.

[Dan Bernstein]

Could be four. You never know.

[Matt Abaticola]

It'd be real bad.

[Dan Bernstein]

3:45.

[Matt Abaticola]

It's gonna be four. It is certainly possible, but we'll look forward to that. And we will look forward to talking to you again on this program on Monday.

[Dan Bernstein]

Dan Bernstein, Unfiltered. Unfiltered on three one, two Sports.