Chicago Bears Concerns, LSU & Brian Kelly Drama, CFB Rankings, Cubs Offseason & NBA ASG Changes

Summary

Dan Bernstein Unfiltered – Episode Summary (Nov 12, 2025)

Episode Title: Chicago Bears Concerns, LSU & Brian Kelly Drama, CFB Rankings, Cubs Offseason & NBA ASG Changes
Hosts: Dan Bernstein & Matt “A Bat” Abbatacola
Platform: 312 Sports

Overview

This episode delivers classic “no BS” Chicago sports talk as Dan and Matt break down the Bears’ defensive vulnerabilities, dissect college football chaos (with a focus on LSU and Notre Dame), analyze the Cubs’ offseason strategy, and—with mounting disbelief—attempt to parse the NBA’s baffling new All-Star Game format. Expect raw honesty, sharp stats, and memorable rants.

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Key Discussion Points

1. Chicago Bears: Defensive Realities & Playoff Prospects

[01:54 – 17:15]

• Defense Not as Good as It Looks

  • Dan points out the Bears defense has lived off playing poor quarterbacks, citing low league rankings by yardage and points: “The Bears’ total defense… 27th by yards, 26th against the pass, 24th against the rush, 28th in scoring defense.” (03:27)
  • Red zone (12th) and third-down defense (6th), plus turnover creation (1st) are strengths, but Dan’s skeptical: “It also could be evidence of barely surviving. Could be smoke and mirrors.” (03:58)
  • Matt brings up past games where bad QBs have shined against them, including week one when a rookie shredded the defense (03:16).

• Turnover Luck and Unsustainable Success

  • Dan warns against assuming turnovers will keep bailing them out: “We can argue forever about the sustainability of turnover causation… Every team’s got their MacGuffin, their bauble, their prize… But you can’t count on turnovers.” (04:20)
  • Jokes about a literal pastry “turnover” celebration—“Just have someone’s grandma bake you a nice cherry turnover and you get the turnover.” (05:01)

• Playoff Outlook and Trust Issues

  • Dan and Matt agree the offense under Ben Johnson and rookie QB Caleb Williams is ahead of expectations and trustworthy, but the defense is suspect: “I do not trust this defense. I certainly don’t trust the special teams either.” (06:35)
  • TJ Edwards’ absence is highlighted: “There’s so much worse without him… glue-like efficiency, especially against quarterback runs.” (06:54)
  • Bears' future depends more on defensive fixes than offense. “The story of this season will be told more by their defense from here on in than their offense.” (13:40)

Memorable Quote

• Dan: “Life is great when you’re playing shitty quarterbacks… But things aren’t as fun when that starts to change.” (01:54)

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2. LSU & Brian Kelly Contract Drama: Suits, Settlements, and Swamp Negotiations

[17:15 – 26:32]

• Inside the Mess

  • Dan revisits his original hypothesis that LSU botched Brian Kelly’s firing, possibly maneuvering him into a de facto resignation, which is now leading to a massive legal fight over ~$54 million.
  • Details the legal battle: LSU argues they had grounds for firing Kelly “for cause,” Kelly argues he was never formally terminated.
  • Dan’s colorful summary: “They tried to do a little back-country swamp negotiating. That doesn’t work.” (25:00)

• Governorial Grandstanding

  • Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s on-air rant about not repeating Texas A&M’s $70 million buyout debacle is played, including a joking reference to Donald Trump picking the next coach: “Maybe we’ll let President Trump pick it. He loves winners.” (23:36)
  • Matt and Dan roast the endless confusion over who’s actually in charge at LSU.

Notable Moment

• Dan: “He should still be coaching. If he’s not been fired, he’s still the coach! Is he the coach in absentia? Has he been sent to the Isle of Elba?” (22:32)

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3. College Football Playoff Rankings: Notre Dame & Texas Under Fire

[27:11 – 32:36]

• Matt’s Rants Against Inflated Rankings

  • Matt calls out Texas at #10 and Notre Dame at #9: “I have an enormous issue with two teams in the Top 10.”
  • On Texas: “They’re not that good of a team. Archie Manning—if his name was Archie Johnson, we wouldn’t be talking about him.” (29:00)
  • Notre Dame invective: “I have a personal axe to grind… I hate the fact that they’re an independent football team… You can leave the Catholic Church stuff out of it…” (29:17)
    • Recaps their weak schedule and historic program “entitlement.”
    • Dan: “Don’t forget Prince Shembo and the rape… Don’t forget everything that happened with Lizzy Seeberg.” (30:06)

• Biggest Issue: TV, Money, and Unjustified Prestige

  • Matt: “They are not the ninth-best team in college football. Bullshit. And they’re going to end up staying there and it’s going to piss me off.” (32:36)

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4. Cubs Offseason: Money, Pitching Needs, & Roster Construction

[34:35 – 44:10]

• Jed Hoyer Cautiously Optimistic (and Tongue-Tied)

  • Audio clip of Cubs’ exec Jed Hoyer: “I think… I think we’re going to have an active offseason. Take that for what it’s worth.” (36:51)
  • Dan jokes Hoyer sounds like he’s “pulled out of a game of speed quarters,” poking fun at awkward PR-speak (36:33).

• Pitching-First Strategy

  • Hoyer: “I think the largest focus will be on pitching. That’s obvious… I expect to explore trades, I expect to explore free agency, both… But more on the pitching side than the hitting side.” (37:46)
  • Dan: “There isn’t really a name on this list of 30-plus veteran pitchers… that would tell me I want to spend a huge chunk of money.” (40:23)
  • Cubs’ development and “pitching lab” approach could unearth value in overlooked arms.

• Position Player Discussion

  • Matt thinks “Owen Caissie is your starting right fielder with Kyle Tucker gone… I think [Tucker] ends up in Philadelphia.” (42:26)
  • Debates about bringing back Kyle Schwarber as a DH: “If he’s your DH, sure, I take that in a second.” (42:51)
  • Internal candidates like Moises Ballesteros and Kevin Alcantara considered for depth/future moves.

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5. NBA All-Star Game: Format Changes Roasted

[47:16 – End]

• New Rules Breakdown

  • Dan and Matt attempt to explain the new “USA vs. the World”—now THREE teams (two USA, one world), round-robin quarters, no positional voting requirements, roster size adjustments by Adam Silver if international/USA balance is off, etc.
  • Dan, losing patience: “If I can't get through these paragraphs, how am I going to sit through the actual NBA All-Star Game?” (48:32)
  • Reads dense, convoluted summary from Tim Bontemps and jokes at the NBA’s expense.

• Mocking Silver’s Explanation

  • They lampoon Adam Silver’s explanations with a Monty Python bit about moving clothes pegs, using it as audio parody—emphasizing just how confusing it all is. (52:19)
  • Matt: “Shouldn’t someone just go—if we’re doing all of this, maybe we shouldn’t do it at all?” (53:28)
  • Both hosts declare they lost all interest—in the explanation, in the game, and in the “after a hockey game, during the Olympics” scheduling.

Notable Quotes

• Dan: “Incomprehensible format where the word ‘quarters’ has to be in quotes because they’re not actual quarters.” (56:38)
• Matt: “The best thing we can do as a people is not watch… or fuck with the vote.” (57:17, 57:22)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Section | |-----------------|----------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:54 – 17:15 | Bears defense, stats, turnover debate, playoff outlook | | 17:15 – 26:32 | LSU/Brian Kelly legal drama, Louisiana politics | | 27:11 – 32:36 | CFB playoff rankings, Notre Dame/Texas rants | | 34:35 – 44:10 | Cubs’ offseason plans, Jed Hoyer audio, roster discussion | | 47:16 – End | NBA All-Star Game new format explained and mercilessly roasted |

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Notable Quotes

“Life is great when you’re playing shitty quarterbacks… But things aren’t as fun when that starts to change.”
— Dan Bernstein, (01:54)

“The story of this season will be told more by their defense from here on in than their offense.”
— Dan Bernstein, (13:40)

“They tried to do a little back-country swamp negotiating. That doesn’t work.”
— Dan Bernstein, (25:00)

“I have a personal axe to grind with Notre Dame… I hate the fact that they’re an independent football team… You can leave the Catholic Church stuff out of it…”
— Matt Abbatacola, (29:17)

“If I can’t get through these paragraphs, how am I going to sit through the actual NBA All-Star Game?”
— Dan Bernstein, (48:32)

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Tone, Humor, and Final Takeaways

• Classic snark, frustration, and Chicago edge throughout.
• Playful callbacks (“turnover” pastries, Monty Python school sketch, “speed quarters” for Jed Hoyer).
• Blistering, honest takedowns of NFL defenses, CFB elitism, and NBA corporate absurdity.
• No subject—local or national—is off-limits for honest criticism or ridicule.

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For Chicago sports fans, sports skeptics, and anyone who loves sharp, unfiltered sports debate, this episode is essential listening—or reading.

Transcript

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[Dan Bernstein]

Dan Bernstein Unfiltered Unfiltered on 312Sports this is Dan Bernstein Unfiltered I'm Dan Bernstein. That is Matt A Bat Cola we are brought to you in partnership with my bookie. Is the Bears defense ready? Is it ready for right now? It's all fun when you're playing shitty quarterbacks. Life is great when you're playing shitty quarterbacks. That that's make that your your your motto when you wake up every day and your feet hit the floor and the creek don't rise and you can see the sun shining and know that everything is good in your world because the next quarterback you see is bad. Things aren't fun in life or as fun when that starts to change. And I know you don't get to talk to coordinators when you want to talk to them. And some coordinators get real mad when you start asking about what's been happening in the previous game because they're on to the next game. They don't want to hear about anything that happened in the last game. Like a rookie who was forced into action this year running and passing all over you until he gets knocked out of the game. And they have to bring in an old washed guy that gives you the chance to blitz and, and stay in it and come back and win it from down 10. Things like that. For example.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

You know, I hate to bring it up, but also going to bring up week one, the rookie quarterback. They made NFC offensive player of the week as well as the backup quarterback for Baltimore. Okay, sorry. Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

And, and, and the 100 year old Frankenstein's monster who was cutting you to ribbons, my guy. So right now, the Bears total defense, this is by yards. They're ranked 27th, 26th against the pass, 24th against the rush, 28th in scoring defense. Now you say, well wait a second, Bernstein, they're outstanding in some other categories. Yeah, okay. Red zone, pretty good. They've allowed touchdowns on 57.6% of opposing red zone appearances. That's 12th. Third down. Defense overachieving on third down. Real good. They're sixth at 34.4% conversion rate allowed. And then we see that they're number one by a mile in turnovers. They've caused 14 turnovers already. That's pretty good. It also could be evidence of barely surviving. This could be evidence of smoke and mirrors. And now it's time to prove it's not. We can argue forever in a day about the sustainability of turnover causation. And no matter how much a team loves turnovers and they can and every team's got their, their, their MacGuffin, their bauble, their prize, the turnover chain, the turnover basket. If somebody were self aware to call it a turnover McGu, I think it would be really cool. Hey, you got the interception, you got the strip sack, you get to wear the thing. Just like the home run celebrations and all that. Or if you just called it the turnover thing or you had a literal turnover, that would be really cool. If you have somebody's grandma who likes to bake you a nice lovely cherry turnover and then you get the turnover.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Turnover or they just go to Mariano's in the bakery clearance section.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's the why Will not sign off on those. Bad experience. Bad experience. On the cherry turnovers. I was not. No, I tossed them.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I think you should give it another try. I think that was just a one off.

[Dan Bernstein]

They didn't have enough cherry. It was a lot of. You're kind of like biting through the, the pastry dough and expecting like, where is it? Where is it? Where's my reward for my effort here?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

What was that noise again? I don't know who that sounds like.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know who that sounds like. And we'll hear from him a little bit later. Oh, seriously, stop doing quaaludes before you're interviewed.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

That's a really good suggestion.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just don't stop popping lewds. Yeah, we'll get to him.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

He said later.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, we'll say stop it, stop it. We'll get to the GM meetings or. Or as Chris Ronge once called them, the GM matings.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Oh, that's right. I forgot about that.

[Dan Bernstein]

The GM matings.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

All the GMs were mating. Yes, that's right now in the GM meetings.

[Dan Bernstein]

At the GM meetings. So I think the Bears are barely holding this together defensively and getting TJ Edwards back would really help. There's so much worse without him. I didn't appreciate TJ Edwards, his contributions and his quiet glue like efficiency, especially in stopping some of the quarterback runs. And I don't mean that he was like assigned as a spy. I just mean he's. He reacts quickly to some of that stuff and knows whether it's to get off a landmark or whether he sees the quarterback fully committed. And it's just a knack that he has that, that others in this defense do not have, but this is on them right now. And it's going to sound weird because as much attention and as much time as we spend flapping our gums about the offense and Caleb Williams and is he there and what else they have to do when Kyle Menungai and this is a compliment. I'm not worried. I'm not worried that they're. They're going to miss the playoffs because they don't score enough points. Yeah, I'm not. I think Ben Johnson has showed me enough that he can do more with less. He can find little pressure releases. And Caleb Williams has shown that if things are close and tough late, he's thriving. They've earned my trust in that regard. I do not trust this defense. I certainly don't trust the special teams either. But maybe that's something for another time. But the prove it here is on the defensive side of the ball because they have been able to make up for glaring deficiencies, yards per play. It's not good. They give up too many yards. They allow the opponents to move too far down the field too often and they do get bailed out. They got bailed out. CJ Gardner Johnson saved their damn ass. Not just the critical sacks, but causing that fumble. Look at what that did.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

That changed the entire course of the game, everything.

[Dan Bernstein]

It might have changed the course of their season. The difference between 5 and 4 and 6 and 3.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Well, it also changed the course of the rest of the season for the Giants too. I saw that Jameis Winston is starting.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

For the Giants.

[Dan Bernstein]

I love it. And in forward progress today we're going to talk about the future of that coaching job as well and some of the names that are starting to swirl in the betting.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Well, you know, the one name I don't mind, but we'll get into it.

[Dan Bernstein]

The one I don't. There's all kinds of stuff. There's a few that attached to that shouldn't be involved. But, but really my. The key question for the Bears right now from here on in. And this is, this is the start of the second half of the season, whatever you want to call it. This has been a nice little end of act. If we sort of, if we do this as, as a three act narrative here, it's like end of act two. Well, or though maybe we need another complication before end of Act 2. But I think that this, this moment, going into the remainder of the divisional games, having your cushion at 6 and 3, knowing the quality of your division, looking at the math, how it can go either way when it comes to making the playoffs and understanding they might be ahead of their developmental pace a little bit.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Right. You also have on your schedule, as it sits right now, two other division leading teams in the Steelers and the.

[Dan Bernstein]

Eagles and they've played and they've beaten the bad teams. We can mitigate that with every comment that you are already running through in your head right now.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

And that Steelers game, Dan, is a Friday afternoon game the day after Thanksgiving. So that's an odd. It's an odd day for an or NFL team and I love it. I'm excited about it. But that takes an NFL team off their regular schedule, their regular pattern of preparation for game week. So having that on Friday is also another complication. Add into it.

[Dan Bernstein]

It is. But if you trust your coach. Oh yeah.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

No, no. I and I and I do. Ben Johnson's earned my trust. The offense has earned my trust to Put points on the board. It may not always look pretty. And Ben Johnson has talked. They're not clicking in all cylinders yet and they haven't put a game together where all three phases have played well. And if you're asking right now, who do I trust the least? It's, it's, it's the defense, it's the.

[Dan Bernstein]

Pass rush, it's the, it's some of the cornerback.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

They do have some, some good things. Like you mentioned, they're, they're third down defense, their red zone defense has been good. And you have a guy in Montez sweat who is the best defensive player on the team right now and he's the highest paid guy. So it's working. You know, we, we wanted more from him and it's working. And the stats are there to back that up too.

[Dan Bernstein]

I want it to work even better. Oh, I know I do too often. I'll also give credit where it's due that something, an aspect that I did not mention that I should and I know that's, it's sort of part and parcel a function of my trust of, of Ben Johnson. The money they spent on the interior line was worth it. And guard, center, guard has been great, just great. Tuney Dahlman and Jackson Tooney barely say.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

His name, which is great. Jackson, it's once in a while, all of them, the Dolman of the three has been the weakest of the three with some deficiencies but all three have been, have been, have been really good.

[Dan Bernstein]

The biggest issue I've had with him is some of the, some of the shaky shotgun snapshots.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Those. And then the snap. Don't snap things.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, but early on there was some.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

There was some penalty issues, there was some lack of run blocking issues, but.

[Dan Bernstein]

I can live with some of that. I'm evened out overall. Overall my, in large part, my confidence in what they're doing and my confidence that if they underachieve this year or if this fizzles out, I don't think it's going to be due to a lack of offensive production.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I agree.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think it's going to be due to an inability to stop people because we've seen too many bad quarterbacks play well against the Bears and they got some good ones coming up and when they have seen good ones, when, when they, when they saw Jared Goff, they couldn't get off the field. He was doing whatever he wanted to them and that's when they were healthier.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Doing whatever he wanted to them.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Mindset Sweat leads the team in QB hits with nine tackles for loss at eight. He actually has matched his sack total from last year already with eight games to go. So that's, that's a six. Five and a half.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

It's five and a half right now. So that's good. And that's all, that's all good positive stuff. We wanted more from him earlier in the year and he is now delivering and providing the best play on defense for the highest paid player.

[Dan Bernstein]

But I'm going to put that, put it down right now.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

It's not enough.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, it needs to be more. The story of this season will be told more by their defense from here on in. Thanks. Than their offense. Yeah, I agree.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Agree with that 100%.

[Dan Bernstein]

It is. And we just haven't talked about it a lot. And in large part because of the. The head coach is available more. He's an offensive guy like most teams. Now we're getting used to this and this is sort of a new habit. Everything's going to focus on the offense. Cause that's the head coach's side of the ball. We only have Thursday to talk to the defensive guy and it's been a lot about, you know, the new guy here. But there, there's been a little desperation. You got a street free agent, a street free agent that came in and was your player of the game. And then you have another guy who you pried off a roster with a draft pick swap who is playing like there's material guys out there who are just guys that you're asking to do stuff and they're making up for some inabilities. But man, they're damn lucky that Russell Wilson got in that game and that Russell Wilson is washed as hell. There's been a lot of luck because of some of the quarterbacks you've been facing and even some of those guys have been immensely productive. So it's got to improve. This defense as it stands is a lot of smoke and mirrors with the turnovers. So you're not going to count on it. It's great if they can, but it's just so variable game to game, season to season. There's very little that explains this. And you do have defenses that culturally are turnover causers and sometimes you give up some yards with the, with trying to hit the ball instead of the player and they can say what they want about secure the tackle, then go for the ball. Some of those turnover culture defenses don't do that. And they are bend but not break and they are get. You can get down the field, but if we, if we have enough chances, if we make you have a 12 play drive, you're going to jump off sides, there's going to be a hold or we're going to get a hand on a ball. The Bears don't really play that way. That isn't how Dennis Allen usually plays defense. And the truth is he hasn't been able with the injuries. They've had to play as much. Man, there's been a lot more zone almost out of necessity and that he's. The turnovers have helped him do that because it has been much more like a bend but not break defense than we have expected from what Dennis Allen has done previously, just out of necessity and give him credit for adjusting in that regard. But I know it's not what he wants to do. He wants to have more pressures and more trustworthy cornerbacks who are locked onto their guys. You can't do that without your, your best defensive player. Jalen Johnson's not out there. Maybe your third, maybe second or third best defensive player when he's at the peak of his powers is Kyler Gordon. He's not out there.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

So are they coming back? When are they coming back? Maybe we'll find out more today when Ben Johnson talks.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

And the, and the Giants game too. The Bears left a turnover on the, on the field. The Nishan Wright interception. That just was a really great play by the receiver to knock that ball out. But that was, that was a gift. And that's kind of like how several of those turnovers have occurred this year. Little gifts and that one, they just.

[Dan Bernstein]

Take advantage of those.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

Finish the play.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Got to hold on to that ball.

[Dan Bernstein]

But great play. As of right now, what is, what is the date? It is the 12th of November. Defense, bears, defense. From here on in, if this team is going to surprise, if this team is going to continue on a trajectory that puts it ahead of schedule in the rebuild and in development, it is on that side of the ball. I don't want to say I told you so, but of course I want to say I told you so. Do you remember right as the Brian Kelly stuff was going down and he was having his bizarre negotiations with lsu, what I told you was happening, that my belief, my belief that when he and Scott Woodward had that meeting in Woodward's office that it seemed like Kelly got out foxed, that it seemed like something happened in that meeting. I was like, well, are you saying that we should part ways? Well, I don't know. Are you saying it? And there was an incredibly passive aggressive negotiation that took place that we're now learning. At one point Woodward said, well, here's $25 million and we can end this thing right now. And there's a dispute as to what was agreed and what wasn't agreed. And my hypothesis was that Woodward effectively coaxed or forced or extracted something enough resembling a resignation to be able to say that that was the conclusion of that meeting. And next thing you know, Kelly's gone. But now in the aftermath, we're understanding he wasn't really fired because now Brian Kelly has sued lsu and lsu, as their defense is saying that they haven't formally terminated him. Brian Kelly was not fired, according to Brian Kelly's attorneys, that they're saying that that's what happened. Now the school says they're firing him for cause. They don't want to pay the 54 million. And that was clear because apparently a number around 25 million was discussed in the meeting between Woodward and Kelly. And ESPN got a copy of the filing and said LSU's representatives had a call with Coach Kelly's representatives where LSU took the position that Coach Kelly had not been formally terminated and informed his representatives that LSU believed grounds for termination for cause existed. So hours after this call, they filed the suit. And Kelly's lawyers are seeking a judgment confirming the termination is without cause and that he's entitled to receive his full damages. And if LSU had cause, the school would no longer owe the full amount. So somebody screwed up in the chaos of Woodward getting fired, the governor saying Woodward wouldn't have any involvement in anything. Then they promote the Associate AD that had an unsavory history already. This is Osbury, who was promoted, and it is impossible to know unless they recorded that original meeting. I would love to know how they're digging in on this or whether or not this is just going to be a more complicated way of getting to the settlement. Because Brian Kelly's four cause termination clause would be material and substantial. NCAA rule violations. God knows what the rules even are anymore. What can be proven, being convicted of a felony or any crime involving gambling, drugs or alcohol, engaging in serious misconduct which either displays a continual serious disrespect for the mission of LSU or constitutes moral turpitude. Moral turpitude? You, sir, have engaged in and displayed moral turpitude.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Oh, that's later.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's different. That's different. LSU attempted to settle multiple times, including an email that details offers to settle for 25 million and later 30 million. And the email's part of the filing. So the 30 million offer would have come in two installments and included the elimination of mitigation and offset provisions. And Kelly hasn't agreed to either. The school has had no comment. But we knew this was funky when it happened.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, he called it immediately. And what's he trying to get? 54. 54.

[Dan Bernstein]

He should still be coaching.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Correct. If he's not been fired, he's still the coach.

[Dan Bernstein]

He's technically still the coach. He should be there. Are they saying he's the coach in absentia? Is he. Has he been sent to the Isle of Elba? Has he been sent into the Phantom Zone with Zod, Nan and Ursa? I don't know. But this is kind of awesome because you knew that meeting was weird and they sort of ended that meeting like, oh, are you leaving? Yeah, I'm leaving. Well, you want the money? No, I'm not taking that money. I want all my money. Well, I'll take some of the money, but are you leaving? Yeah, I'm leaving. And then he left and he told his players, I'm leaving. But nobody agrees that he was actually fired.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's great. And when the governor stepped in and screwed everything up.

[Jeff Landry (Louisiana Governor)]

We are not going down a failed path. And I wanted to tell you something. This is a pattern. The guy that's here now that wrote.

[Dan Bernstein]

That contract.

[Jeff Landry (Louisiana Governor)]

Cost Texas A&M 70. Something million dollars. Right now we got a $53 million liability. We are not doing that again. And you know what I believe? I believe that we're gonna find a great coach. Maybe we'll let President Trump pick it. He loves winners.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay. Sure.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Thanks, Gov. Helping us out.

[Dan Bernstein]

So it's apparently Verge Osbury is the guy who is in nominal control of the athletic department right now. That was Jeff Landry. That was your. Your. Your Louisiana governor. Yeah, I just pictured big old straw hat on.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah. The ad that had these talks with Brian Kelly is gone.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, he must be loving this.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

He got himself probably a nice little severance package and he's somewhere catching. Yeah.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I'm sure he didn't walk out of the room without a check, so.

[Dan Bernstein]

But I just keep an eye on this because it's.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

No, but you called it right away.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's correct.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

You said it just wasn't. It wasn't. It didn't seem correct.

[Dan Bernstein]

It wasn't kosher. Something weird happened when you had a guy who fired him. Didn't fire him. And then there was maybe a half. Resignation. Resignation. And now there's a reason why all of these highly paid agents have these big thick contracts. Is because everything has to actually be done pursuant to what has been agreed upon and negotiated. And they tried to do a little. A little back country swamp negotiating. That doesn't work.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Brought some turtle soup and gator pie.

[Dan Bernstein]

They go down to a big stilt house and.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, big jug of sweet tea.

[Dan Bernstein]

We gonna have a swamp negotiation. Big old deep fried negotiating and.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Nope.

[Dan Bernstein]

Nope. So whatever this is, I think the.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Best part is that he's still technically the coach.

[Dan Bernstein]

I know. So I would say I'd grab some popcorn, but no, not for this. Not for this. Maybe popcorn shrimp or remember, I'm gonna. I want to say. I want oysters. I want. I definitely want turtle soup. I will sit back and make myself a big old buffet and. And watch this go down.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Is Justin Wilson still alive?

[Dan Bernstein]

No.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Is he dead?

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, he's. It's the former Cubs pitcher or the Louisiana Cajun cook. Yeah, no, he's. Oh, my God. He'd be like 130.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Oh, seriously? No, he wouldn't be that old, really.

[Dan Bernstein]

Justin Wilson.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

He was like 27 when he was on TV. Just didn't look good.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, boy. Tell you, do you what, I'm checking my phone here for some of their memes. Justin Wilson. But the Cubs guy is going to come up. Okay. He was born April 24th, 1914. Oh, yeah.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Okay.

[Dan Bernstein]

So he would be. 111.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, he could. I mean, people do that.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, when did he die? September 5th of 2001.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Oh. Oh, yeah.

[Dan Bernstein]

So it's been about a quarter century for your. Your old guy, Justin.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's. That's real.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah. He didn't get to see the world change either. Lucky guy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Nope. And I don't think he would have, regardless down there, news or phone, what's he gonna see? He probably thought that the idea of being on television was some sort of voodoo magic or something. Or you bring that old machine in here, I draw a big eye with a light on it, and I'm on TV machine. TV machine.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

All right, so the College Football playoff rankings came out, and here's the. Here's the top 12. Ready?

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Ohio State, Indiana, Texas A and M, Alabama, Georgia at 5, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Oregon, Notre Dame at 9, Texas 10, Oklahoma, BYU at 12. There are two teams that I have an enormous issue with being ranked in the top 10. One of these two teams is going to take care of this for me. By the time the season's over and they won't be in the playoff bracket, the other team probably will. There's a chance that they lose Saturday and it helps knock them out of the top 12. And I'm hoping and praying that that happens. Okay, first of all, we'll start with Texas at number 10. Texas number 10. 7 and 2. They lose the opener to Ohio State. At Ohio State, 14 7. They beat San Jose State, UTEP, Sam Houston. They lose at Florida. They beat Oklahoma. The last three weeks, it's taken overtime to beat Kentucky, overtime to beat Mississippi State, and then they beat Vanderbilt 34 to 31 in a game that they barely survived.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hard for you to squeeze those words out of your mouth.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

It was, it was in Vanderbilt. Couldn't get out of their own way the first three and a half quarters. Pavia was sacked seven times in that game. Six the previous six games before that. And Vanderbilt scored late a couple times, had the onside kick that went through two of their players hands for it, rolled out of bounds. So Vanderbilt was going to win that game or at least tie it. But anyway, Texas holds on to win. They're playing at Georgia this Saturday, so they're going to get their, their third loss. They go and play Arkansas and then they play A and M to finish the season. So they're going to finish with four losses. They'll get taken out of the top 12. They'll be gone. Fine.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I just don't think they're a top 10 team. They're just not.

[Dan Bernstein]

They're.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

They're not that good of a team. Archie Manning, if he's, if his name was Archie Johnson, we wouldn't be talking.

[Dan Bernstein]

About him or Artie Johnson. Very fine.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

He's 44th in passing yards. He's 52nd yards per completion. He's, he's, he's not a guy worth talking about.

[Dan Bernstein]

He looks good in that Warby Parker commercial.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, outside of his commercials and the NIL money and his last name, he's not worth talking about as far as the college quarterback's concerned. Here's my bigger issue. It's with number nine, Notre Dame at seven and two. First of all, I'm going to get it all out there. I have a personal ax to grind with Notre Dame because I just don't like Notre Dame. I never have. I hate the fact that they're an independent football team. They've never joined a conference. They think they're better than everyone else. I hate the fact that even when they were shitty for all those years, they're on NBC every Saturday. You got to watch them and sit through them like it's something special to watch because they're Not. You can leave the Catholic Church stuff out of it. It impacts the way I feel about it, but we're not going to get into that. Then you have Brian Kelly, who allowed a kid to be killed, a college kid, for no absolute fucking good reason. So that's a part of the issue I have with Notre Dame.

[Dan Bernstein]

Don't forget Prince Shambo and the rape that. Don't forget everything that happened with and to Lizzie Seberg, okay?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Add that all to the list. There's a lot of reasons to hate Notre Dame football, okay? I just don't think you tell me that this is the 9th best team in college football. They lost to Miami to start the season. Now they were ranked 10th. They're currently ranked 15th. They lost to A&M in their second game. They start oh and two now. A&M was 16th when they played Notre Dame. They're now ranked number three in the country at nine. And oh, fine. They beat Purdue, who's two and eight. They beat Arkansas, who's two and seven. They beat Boise, who's six and three. Boise has been relevant. Well, they, they had, I think they finished in the top 25 last year. Fine. North Carolina State University, five and four. They beat them. They haven't been good since Justin Wilson was Alive. They beat USC, who's ranked 20th when they played them. The ranked 17th. Now it's 7 and 2. USC has been relevant in big college football games since 2016, 2017. They beat BC College or Boston College, who's. Who's 1 in 9? BC College.

[Dan Bernstein]

The college before Christ.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

That's right. They should. I'm sure they'd probably play them too if they could. Fucking independent bullshit. And they beat Navy, who's seven and two now? Navy, fine. But the last time they were ranked in the top 25. They're having a good year right now, but it was 2019 and they play Navy every year and they play USC every year, regardless of their schedule. So they're playing Pittsburgh this weekend, who's ranked 22 right now at 7 and 2 11am at Pittsburgh, praying that Pittsburgh beats them.

[Dan Bernstein]

You are?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I am, yes. Pittsburgh's getting 11 and a half points. Notre Dame probably should win this one on the road. And they're going to end up staying in this, you know, in the top 12. And we'll make the playoff bracket because it brings in TV money and revenue, which is all bunch of bullshit. They are not the ninth best team in college football. You cannot tell me, looking at this schedule, that there are only eight teams better than them. In college football, Miami A and M, Purdue, Arkansas, Boise State, North Carolina State, Boston College, Navy. And they play Syracuse also, who's three and seven and trash. And then they finish their season with Stanford, who's 3 and 7 and trash. I'd rather see UConn, who's also an independent football program, play. Their quarterback is 25 touchdowns, zero interceptions right now, Joe Fignano. I'd rather watch him than watch any Notre Dame football game. You're telling me this is the ninth best college football team in the country? Bullshit. And they're going to end up staying there and it's going to piss me off.

[Dan Bernstein]

14 teams have already hung 40 or more on the board this year and overs are printing. My bookie is where you can cash in on everyone. Player props, same game parlays, game lines, whatever you're writing, my bookie has it right. Now listen up. Unlock a special promotion at MyBookie AG, the code DBU for Dan Bernstein, unfiltered. Use that code DBU when you sign up or when you deposit to receive a bonus bet credit. Actually, I got an email from longtime guy. Do you remember the name Frozen Rope?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I do, yeah. Absolutely.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. Well, Frozen Rope said he's like, well, you guys must be doing something right. I have a My Bookie account. Wow. All right, good to hear it. And that special promotion at MyBookie AG is with the code DBU. So whether you're building your bankroll or looking to hit the lotto with Moneybag, you can bet on anything, anytime, anywhere. With my bookie.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I made some plays this morning, actually.

[Dan Bernstein]

Did you really?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I did. Yeah. I went looked at the college football weekend and instead of doing my DBU picks early, I just, I did some heart picks, which I know you're not supposed to do, but I took.

[Dan Bernstein]

If it's fun, if you're entertaining yourself, if you're not doing this and saying I am going to do this by every thin percentage, you're not risking your kids college educations on it. If you're simply doing it to entertain yourself. And it's a couple of bucks here, a couple of bucks there, and it would be more fun to bet with your heart than your head. I'm not going to yuck your yum on that.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, no. And it's also games that I'm going to watch this weekend and I just want to have extra little reason to watch it. So I'm taking Georgia -6 as they take on as they take on Texas and then I'm taking the Pitt Panthers plus 11 and a half. So those two games I'm definitely watching 11am and 6:30.

[Dan Bernstein]

I think you'd already mentioned that once you had the game times top of mind there. I think if somebody were to ask me which games is Matt watching, I think I might have been able to come up with those. Yeah.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Good job.

[Dan Bernstein]

The Cubs have some things to figure out when it comes to how they're going to construct their team. And obviously the best way to. To the prism through which to view the Cubs in the way that they think is always that winning games comes down to scoring runs and preventing runs. You obviously score runs with on base percentage and slugging and you prevent runs with pitching and defense.

[Jed Hoyer]

Yeah, I'm confident that we're going to have enough money to field a good team.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right. Yes, the Chicago Cubs are confident they'll have enough money to field a good team. A good team. These? Yeah, these. The very same. The same Chicago Cubs. This tiny little mom and pop shop.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

The little engine that could.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah. The fly by night little operation that's just trying to get by. They break even every year. Yes. The Cubs, they plow all of their profits of everything back in. They're confident that they were able to do well enough to field a good team. And you can always rest easy knowing that's the case. So how are they going to do it? And we can. I know there's also. There's wildly varying opinions about what free agency means and what it can do and where good money can be spent and where it can't. But let's hear. I believe it's Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic asking the question of Jed Hoyer. And something sounded weird at the beginning of this answer, but this was Jed Hoyer talking about what their focus is going to be in the off season.

[Sleep Number Customer 1]

I think we're having. I think we're going to have an active off season.

[Jed Hoyer]

Take that for what it's worth.

[Dan Bernstein]

Pause that for one second. What.

[Sleep Number Customer 1]

I think we're going to have now. I think we're not going to have an active off season.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know. What the hell was that?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I don't know what happened.

[Dan Bernstein]

Is he okay? I think so. What?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I think.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't know.

[Sleep Number Customer 1]

I think. I think we're having that. I think we're gonna have an active off season.

[Jed Hoyer]

Take that for what it's worth. I think that will, you know, I think the largest focus I think will be on pitching. I think that's obvious is a look at our depth chart that, you know, I Think we're in pretty good position on the position player inside. On the pitching side, we're thinner. And so I think that's going to be our focus. And I expect to explore trades, I expect to explore free agency, both, you know, at the top of the market, but then also looking at, you know, you know, looking at, you know, for my only free agency, I thought, you know, that last year in a lot of ways we, you know, gave Boyd a multi year deal and then we got a lot of value out of Brad Keller, who was a minor league free agent. And I think all of those trans, you know, Drew Pomerant we had made a tiny trade for. I think all of those transactions matter and so I expect to be really active in doing that. You know, I think on the, on the pitching side more than the hitting side.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do they pull him out of a game of speed quarters? I don't know. I don't know.

[Sleep Number Customer 1]

I think, I think we're having that. I. I think we're not gonna have an active.

[Dan Bernstein]

Hey, Chad, come over here a second. Hold on, hold on.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I got.

[Dan Bernstein]

I gotta go to an interview.

[Sleep Number Customer 1]

I think, I think we're gonna have an. I. I think we're not gonna have an act.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, no, no, no. You listen to me, okay?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Hey, Maddie.

[Dan Bernstein]

He didn't.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Maddie, what are you still doing here in San Diego?

[Dan Bernstein]

He didn't sound like himself.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

He didn't. They must have caught him off guard.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, I guess at the GM meetings, when you see Sahadev Sharma. Well, at the GM meetings, that's different. So when we start looking at pitching, on this list that I have from NBCSports.com from Matthew Pulio, who does a really good job with some of the stuff. Not Coolio. He's different as far as pitchers go. Dylan Cease, number two, Framber Valdez, number five, Ranger Suarez, number nine, Shane Bieber is ranked 11th. Michael King then. Now we're starting to. I'm starting to raise my eyebrows a little bit when I see the name Michael king. He's only 30, had some injuries last year, but I like his stuff. I like the way he moves.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

You like the cut of his jib.

[Dan Bernstein]

I like the way he might fit. Then you've got. Devin Williams is a relief possibility. Brandon Woodruff, 18th, Lucas G. Alito, 19th. This is a lot of the same guy. This is a lot of sort of up and down 30 plus guys. Zach Gallen 21st, Merrill Kelly 22nd. Chris Bassett looked pretty good when we saw him in the postseason at number 24 and there at number 25 is Shota Imanaga, who is 32 years old and they didn't take it off the table that they'd resign him. Whether or not the he would accept the qualifying offer, I don't know that he'd take the one year. Maybe they find a two year reasonable amount that doesn't have them on the hook for some of the later years that the current contract did. If he's your number four starter, fine innings eater, still capable of giving you some quality starts here and there. As long as you're not counting on him to go take the ball in the deciding playoff game, I'm cool with that. I don't have any issue with Shota Imanaga being a part of the Cub staff next year.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

No, I either do I. But if any organization, especially the Cubs, has him higher than a 4 or 5 guy in the rotation, it's just too much, right?

[Dan Bernstein]

And I wouldn't pay for that. The one thing to remember about how the Cubs were will look at pitching, it's going to be through the lens of their pitching lab, their developmental guys, their ability to micro scout every tilt on every pitch, every angle, spin rate, seam shifted, wake grips, position on the rubber, all of that stuff to then say we've got a market inefficiency here, we do this better than other teams do. We can take guys who weren't as good and make them good because we have a specific vision for how that guy is going to be used. Whether or not you trust that is completely up to you. But I think they've, they've earned a little bit of belief in some of that, in exactly the stuff he was talking about like with Brad Keller and Drew Pomerantz and how they found guys and made, you know, found value, created value because of what they throw this more, throw this less, throw this differently, never throw this again and figuring some of that stuff out. But there isn't really a name on this list of 30 plus veteran pitchers, many of whom are coming off of various injuries and or velocity drops that would tell me I want to spend a huge chunk of money on it. I know it's not my money, right?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

But no, I don't disagree with that. And the fact that he said that they're going to focus more on pitching than they are the bats and the offensive side of the game, you know, it just, it tells me that they're pretty much set with their starting nine. Well, they're starting eight, I should say. I mean they're set and I mean that I think Owen Casey is your.

[Dan Bernstein]

Starting right fielder with Kyle Tucker gone.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, with Kyle Tucker gone.

[Dan Bernstein]

Ranked the number one free agent on this list overall, by the way.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah. Yeah. I think he ends up in the, in Philadelphia. I think they're, they're going to give him 450 plus.

[Dan Bernstein]

Well, then you start talking about what Kyle Schwaber might be worth paying. I think his skill set will age well. It's hard to believe he's 33 already, but.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, I mean if he's your. He's your dh. Sure. I take that in a second. I mean I'm not counting on him to hit 50 home runs if he were great. But he's going to, he's going to give you 30 plus.

[Dan Bernstein]

I don't think for. I don't think 50s out of the question.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

No, it's probably not. But I wouldn't want to go into that with that expectation.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, but you know what you're going to get from him. You absolutely know they should never let him go in the first place, but here he is and it's just money. That might be the reasonable expenditure, but we'll see as these days go by and maybe there's something in the trade market as well and they can leverage their own development of. And the number of guys who are going to be log jammed because you got to figure out what are you doing with Moises Ballesteros. Where is he going to fit. You got any number of guys. You've had Kevin Alcantara who is still there and still ended on the roster.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Still like the season ended. Right.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, but you. These are, you know, if you're willing in this window for this one year before there's no baseball, what they. Yeah.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I mean if not going to commit.

[Dan Bernstein]

To stuff outside of this year unless there are. There's caveats in some of these deals. Yeah.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

If it's Kyle Schwaber for a year and you know you can tell me he's going to get 32 to 35 home runs at a minimum. Yeah, I do that.

[Sleep Number Customer 1]

I think, I think we're going to have an. I think we're not going to have an active.

[Dan Bernstein]

Russ Armstrong is waiting for your call. I know, I talked to him. I said what are you doing? Because well, I'm waiting for calls. No, he's not. They got plenty of calls and he goes out to your house and then he will give you the absolute best possible deal on the best possible windows because Russ Armstrong is the owner of Chicago Window. Guys, windows are made locally here in Chicago the people who install your windows work for Russ. It is not subcontracted labor. It's his crew. The same people who installed my windows and will soon be installing more windows will install yours. And when I say the best price, he can explain it better than I. And he will when he comes over. But you don't have to fall for these deals that say, oh, buy one, get one free. There's 50% off. Those are gimmicks. Russ is going to offer you the best product for the best price. Call him. 847-302-9171. Check out his 5 star reviews at ChicagoNowGuys.com all of his windows have a lifetime guarantee with parts and labor. And that means if your kid throws a ball through the glass out front, Russ is going to replace it absolutely free.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I can't help but think of him replacing your kid.

[Dan Bernstein]

Replace the kid. Yeah. You know, I should bring that up to him. It's just maybe a business proposition. Certainly. My idiot kid, he'd throw the ball off his own head.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah. And then run into a wall.

[Dan Bernstein]

Yeah, if you want that. By the way, if you want the whole full story of the dumbest concussion anybody's ever suffered, listed of the new organizations, win championships.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I've never read the list, the entire list of all concussions ever suffered. But we, even without reading that list, I'm going to put that top 10.

[Dan Bernstein]

Easy, ladies and my own child, our offspring is definitely on the all time top 10 list of dumbest concussions. If you did not think you could suffer a concussion while playing a video game, that's all I'm going to say. So, yeah, I don't know if Russ can replace my kid, but I know he's coming soon. He's been to the house. I know the windows are being made and it should be really, I don't know, maybe any day now, Russ, that they're going to be out there and putting them in. It'd be a perfect time this weekend because it's supposed to be in the 60s. Even pushing 70, this weekend might be a nice time to come on out and slap in those new windows. So call Russ and you'll, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about because you're like, oh, yeah, all of a sudden my energy costs are much lower. See? See how that happens? 847-302-9171. Check out the 5 star reviews at ChicagoNowGuys.com Matty, what are you still doing.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Here in San Diego?

[Dan Bernstein]

I love it.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Love it. It's so good.

[Dan Bernstein]

As always. We know the NBA is constantly trying to make people watch the All Star Game.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I loved what you told me about this today. And you're like, I was reading.

[Dan Bernstein]

So here's what happen. It's one thing to sit through an All Star Game.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

So good.

[Dan Bernstein]

It's another thing when I can't get through the story about the All Star Game format.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

So I read the headline, new ASG format. And then I got distracted on the train and never clicked into it. And it's one of the first things you mentioned this morning. You're like, did you read this?

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, so granted I was. This was in my pre bedtime routine when I do like a last check of late headlines. I was gonna make sure that maybe give the back of my brain something to work on passively because it does that. I like to load things sometimes. Like there's a puzzle that I'm working on and I'll wake up and I'll have the answer because it's like a computer background kind of thing. And I like to feed things in before I go to sleep. And sometimes things just get worked out that are unconscious or subconscious. So I said, look, I'm losing interest in this explanation here. And if I can't get through these paragraphs, how am I going to sit through the actual NBA All Star Game? So can I read this to you?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yes.

[Dan Bernstein]

This is not parody. This is written by Tim Bontemps. This is a longtime NBA guy. The headline is NBA presents new All Star Game format comma selection process.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Oh boy.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, you ready?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yep.

[Dan Bernstein]

All right. Okay. The NBA announced its long awaited plans to overhaul the All Star Game Tuesday night, laying out how the new United States once again versus the world format will go and how the teams will be formed. Yeah, settle in. All right. Sit back, relax and strap it down. Beyond the obvious change going to a three team format featuring eight man rosters, two of which will be made up of American players and a third of international selections. There are a couple of changes to how those players will be selected. The basics, five starters and seven reserves from each conference. With a combination of fans, media and players voting for the starters and coaches picking the reserves remain unchanged. What is different though is that there will no longer be any positional requirements. In the past, the starters have been made up of two backcourt players and three frontcourt players, with the reserves being the same split plus two wildcards. This year though, the starters will be the top five vote getters regardless of position and the reserves will be the top seven. Also, regardless of position, the league answered another lingering question. What happens if those 24 players do not evenly break down into 16American and eight international players? Or would the league force the voting to adhere to those numbers? The solution is that if the player pool doesn't reflect that 168 split, NBA commissioner Adam Silver will name extra players to the roster to get to the minimum 16Americans or the minimum eight international players. So, for example, if there are 14Americans and 10 international players, Silver would name two more Americans to get to the 16 player minimum. If it were a 16 or 18 six split, he would name two international players to get to the eight player player minimum. Both the NBA and NBC, which is taking over the All Star Game broadcast after it spent the past couple of decades on tnt, is part of the league's new television agreement this year, hoping the change will breathe life into an event that Silver has repeatedly tried to get players to invest more energy into over the past few years. Part of the appeal the international format for NBC's purposes, is that All Star Weekend is being built into the network's coverage of the Winter Olympic Games in February. As a result, the All Star Game will not take place at its usual 8:00pm Eastern time start time as it regularly has in the past, and instead will be at 5pm Eastern, 2pm Pacific and will come on the heels of a Team USA Hockey game. As usual, that's gonna be a good build in Wait, wait, wait. As usual, There will be four 12 minute quarters as part of the game, although those quarters will be played in a far different manner than usual. The first three quarters will be made up of round robin play featuring the three teams, allowing each of them to play twice. The fourth quarter will then be the game featuring the two best teams after the round robin action, and if all three teams have one on one records, the two with the best point differentials will advance to the championship game. Good grief. Now I completely glazed over four paragraphs in.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

That's a lot.

[Dan Bernstein]

I'm just like, you know what, There's.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

A lot going on there.

[Dan Bernstein]

Not worth my. Not worth my energy. I'd rather sit there and stare at my navel than continue thinking about this. And then I'm thinking, okay, why don't we just hear from Adam Silver? I think it's probably easier if we hear Adam Silver's explanation of how we are supposed to be invested in this. He's asking everybody to care about it more. And this was when he actually stood in front of the media and was asked about it by reporters. What he had to say.

[Adam Silver]

Now, before I begin the lesson, will those of you who are playing in the match this afternoon move your clothes down onto the lower peg immediately after lunch before you write your letter home, if you're not getting your hair cut, unless you've got a younger brother who's going out this weekend as the guest of another boy, in which case, collect his note before lunch, put it in your letter after you've had your hair cut, and make sure he moves your clothes down onto the lower peg for you.

[Dan Bernstein]

Now, sir?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yes, Mima? My younger brother's going out with Dibble this weekend, sir. But I'm not having my hair, so.

[Dan Bernstein]

Do I move my clothes down?

[Adam Silver]

You should listen, Weimer. It's perfectly simple. If you're not getting your hair cut, you don't have to move your brother's clothes down to the lower peg. You simply collect his note before lunch, after you've done your scripture prep, when you've written your letter home before rest, move your own clothes onto the lower peg, greet the visitors, and report to Mr. Viney that you've had your chit sign.

[Dan Bernstein]

Okay, you got it. That was Adam Silver.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

That's a good catch.

[Dan Bernstein]

Making sure that we all know exactly how this refurbished, relaunched, reborn, simplified All Star Game format is going to work to bring back all of our interest.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

What you just read is so much work. Like, shouldn't someone just go, if we're doing all of this, maybe we shouldn't do it at all? Something like, is there. Is there a woman in the building anywhere who can just be like, hey, hey, guys, let's just. Let's can this. This doesn't sound worth it. I don't think we should do this.

[Dan Bernstein]

After a hockey game.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Right? Listen up, hockey fans want to build an automatic audience.

[Dan Bernstein]

American hockey fans, have we got something for you. Stay tuned. Stay tuned, hockey people.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, I. Oh, boy. Like the end. Like, the NBA fans are going to be like, well, I'm not going to sit through this to get to this. And then the hockey fans will be like, well, I'm turning off.

[Dan Bernstein]

We're done bouncing that ball.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Wow. It's like someone's with Silver and being like, hey, how can we make this the dumbest possible idea? And let's do it after a hockey game. Yeah, I like it. Johnson, let's go.

[Dan Bernstein]

Middle of the afternoon, right?

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Oh, man. See that? Okay, that's the. That's the clincher right there.

[Dan Bernstein]

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[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

That might be the. The dumbest thing I've ever heard. That whole thing, the NBA stuff.

[Dan Bernstein]

Oh, my God. That's. That's insane that all of their meetings, all of their work has produced that. Like I say, if. And I have a. I have a pretty.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

And then they're doing it after a hockey game.

[Dan Bernstein]

I have a pretty good attention span. I have a pretty decent ability to comprehend some of this stuff.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

And the fact that you couldn't get through reading it.

[Dan Bernstein]

I just, I. I got my eggs scrambled at that point. I'm just like, no.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Yeah, good catch on the Monty Python bit, too.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's great. So good. That's what it reminded me.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Here's what'll help us. We'll play the game in the afternoon after an Olympic hockey game with an.

[Dan Bernstein]

Incomprehensible format where the word round robins quarters has to be in quotes because they're not actual quarters.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

And then if there's a tie, we're going to get point differential.

[Dan Bernstein]

They actually have to play hockey, I think.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

And then if not enough guys are there, then I'm going to point some guys from these countries and it's going.

[Dan Bernstein]

To be part of the Olympic coverage.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

And like their idea.

[Dan Bernstein]

That's it. Getting the bobsled. Their example of, go ahead, Luca, you're going down there. I don't want to.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

What if it's 14 and 10? What if it's like. What if it's 22 and 4.

[Dan Bernstein]

I mean, this is ripe.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

What is it?

[Dan Bernstein]

Is it.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

How many. How many guys on a team?

[Dan Bernstein]

I guess off my screen Now, I.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

36 guys.

[Dan Bernstein]

The best thing we could do as a people. The best thing we can do as.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

A people is not watch.

[Dan Bernstein]

No, Is fuck with the vote.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Oh, that's what we should do.

[Dan Bernstein]

Just mess it up completely.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

So not vote any of the stars.

[Dan Bernstein]

Everybody's appointed or people are. Have to come from. From, from. I don't know, like there's. Is there anybody who's not.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

How many teams in the league? 30. 30 or 32. What's in the NBA?

[Dan Bernstein]

30, I think. Yeah.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

So what if we get everyone to vote for the bottom three guys in.

[Dan Bernstein]

Every roster and have the NASA's Antetokounmpo International team. It's all Antetokounmpo brothers. Do, do, do, do, do without Giannis. Man, oh, man, that's something.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

I just. I mean, when you got to the. After the hockey game, combined with Olympic.

[Dan Bernstein]

Coverage, that's going to do it for today's edition of Dan. Good luck with that, Adam. Unfiltered.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

It's really good, man.

[Dan Bernstein]

Brought to you in partnership here.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Let's bring it on the end.

[Dan Bernstein]

There he is with my bookie, Dan Bernstein.

[Matt 'A Bat' Cola]

Unfiltered.

[Dan Bernstein]

Unfiltered. On three. One, two. Sports.