12-08-25 - Odd End To Raiders Game Has Gamblers Grumbling - 22yo Proclaimed They're Trans Masculine Non Binary And Was Cheered Online Confusing Us

Summary

Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness

Episode: 12-08-25 – Odd End To Raiders Game Has Gamblers Grumbling – 22yo Proclaimed They're Trans Masculine Non Binary And Was Cheered Online Confusing Us
Date: December 8, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo
Podcast: 98KUPD | Hubbard Radio

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Episode Overview

This episode of Holmberg’s Morning Sickness centers around two main themes:

1. The bizarre ending to the Las Vegas Raiders game and how odd sports outcomes fuel gambling conspiracy theories.
2. Perplexity and comedic commentary around the proliferation of complex gender identities, prompted by a viral story about a 22-year-old publicly proclaiming themselves trans masculine non binary.

The hosts deliver their signature irreverent humor and sharp-witted observations, focusing on generational differences, language confusion, and societal change.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. NFL “Fixed” and Gamblers’ Conspiracies

[01:19–03:18]

• Quick Recap: The team discusses a recent Raiders football game ending with a seemingly senseless field goal, sparking outrage and conspiracy theories among bettors.
• Perceived League Manipulation: Holmberg claims, "we realized that the NFL is completely fixed 100% now and the gamblers own it" (02:06).
• Impact on Gambling: The pointless field goal altered both point spread and over/under, a move described as affecting Vegas bets and fueling distrust among fans.
• Mocking the Spectacle: Bret Vesely quips, "At least show the nod up in the crowd on the Jumbotron" (02:38), sarcastically suggesting the league may as well just admit to fixing games for gamblers.

Notable Quote:

• Holmberg: "That's one for the gamblers. Like, just admit it. That was the weirdest thing I've seen...like, why even trot the team out there?" (02:42)

2. Generational Divide: Trans Masculine Non Binary Identity

[04:52–08:27]

• Viral Announcement: Holmberg highlights a viral social post: a 22-year-old publicly identifies as "trans masculine non binary," and receives widespread support online—something that confounds the hosts.
  • Holmberg says, “I don’t even know what that is. Nobody knows what it is. Okay, good. Trans masculine, non binary. And I don’t know what that means.” (05:01)
• Generational Acceptance:
  • Holmberg argues this identity label is primarily recognized and accepted by people in their twenties, whereas older adults find it baffling or dismissive: “If a 65 year old person shouted that out at Sun Lakes, you'd hear just a bunch of people going ‘shut the up. That's not a thing.’” (05:39)
• Identity and Confusion:
  • The hosts riff on the proliferation of new gender labels, framing it as too many options for confused young people: “A confused person just wants an identity. You give them too many options, trans masculine, non binary becomes one” (05:57).
  • They joke about the complexity by comparing it to complicated NFL plays and glue: “I know gorilla glue sticks to everything.” (05:20)
• Respect for Core Trans Struggles, But Cynicism for Trendiness:
  • Holmberg claims rapid expansion of labels diminishes the struggle of people who are genuinely trans: “...I think this is mean to trans people. The more they say that, the more trans people who have had a real struggle are like, what the...” (07:33)
  • They note gay and lesbian communities are growing weary of the explosion of new letters and identities appended to LGBTQ: “Gays are like, get off our. Get off. No more letters. Get off. What's up?” (07:46)

Notable Quotes:

• Holmberg: “Trans masculine. That sounds like an orchestra I wouldn’t listen to Christmas music.” (08:26)
• Holmberg: “We all know that’s just a kid thing...Then we just threw this slew of experimentation stuff down and they're trying it all. Trans masculine, non binary. That’s bull. Doesn’t exist.” (06:35)

3. Blind Listener’s Observation on Color (and Comedy)

[03:18–03:44]

• An email from blind listener Sean Rockefeller, responding to discussions about race and online controversies.
  • Sean wrote: “I can't see color. So I just call everyone the N word if they talk funny to me at all. Like Brady.” (03:33)
• The crew laughs at the “colorblind” take, with Holmberg remarking, “That was beautiful. That was very MLK. JFK. It was all of it. Thank you, Sean.” (04:00)

4. Listener Awards and Upcoming Events

[04:00–04:55]

• Holmberg discusses the upcoming "Holmberg After Dark" party at Stand Up Live, with Frank Caliendo joining as a special guest.
• A humorous aside about difficulty reaching their deaf candidate for "Listener of the Year," leading to the idea that perhaps Aiden—the "trans" listener—could step in.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Old vs. Young Acceptance:
  • Holmberg: “If it was truly a mental thing, it wouldn’t just be a certain age having the problem.” (06:02)
• On NFL Field Goals and Gambling:
  • Holmberg: “Why even line up for it?...Just changed anyway. Okay.” (02:30)
• On Identity Overload:
  • Holmberg: “You give people options and they’ll take them. But if you tell someone, hey, you might be transmasculine non binary, they’ll look into it like, ‘huh’. A confused person just wants an identity.” (05:57)
• Comic Sarcasm:
  • E (Bret Vesely): "That's a play in the NFL, isn't it?" (06:51)
  • Holmberg: “I need Madden’s chalkboard off to describe. There’s a guy who thinks he’s a girl, but isn’t sure he’s a girl, might not be a guy…” (06:55)

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Timestamps of Key Segments

| Segment Topic | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------------|:--------------:| | Odd field goal in Raiders game and gambling theories | 01:19–03:18 | | Blind listener’s satirical take on color/race | 03:18–04:00 | | Listener of the Year humor + Gen Z gender discussion | 04:00–08:27 | | Extended riffing on trans masculine non binary | 05:00–08:27 |

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Tone, Style, and Flow

• Tone: Irreverent, fast-paced, unapologetically sarcastic; plenty of generational ribbing and comedic exaggeration.
• Language: Casual, sometimes crass; unfiltered morning radio banter.
• Flow: The hosts move quickly from football conspiracies to social commentary, punctuated by sharp one-liners and cultural observations. The discussion is less about providing answers and more about comedic takes and cultural confusion.

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In Summary

This episode of “Holmberg’s Morning Sickness” is a quintessential mix of sports cynicism and social commentary, as John Holmberg and crew tackle the overlap between modern NFL drama and the complexities of identity politics. While never mean-spirited, their skepticism, confusion, and jokes about generational divides offer listeners a glimpse into how middle-aged cynics process rapidly changing language and norms—while always finding the humor in the chaos.

Transcript

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Sanford Lincoln and ABC15.

Holmberg's Morning Sickness. The old method of treatment for a person in this condition was to throw him in jail.

21 years of dime bag being gone crazy. Pantera. It's Cowboys from Hell. Bananas. How long ago that is and how mind blowing that that time has gone by so quickly. We were only on the air for two years while that was going on. Bananas. Never would have guessed it. Also we haven't talked about this, but last night we realized that despite my happiness with Lamar Jackson, the ugliest sperm on the planet and he dresses himself like that. So I'm going to call him that. Him being sad makes me happier than anything that can happen in the world. I love his sadness. It brings me great joy. It feeds me. But I think yesterday, I guess it was probably right around.

Like 4:30, we realized 5 o'. Clock, I guess we realized that the NFL is completely fixed 100% now and the gamblers own it. Because the Raiders kicked a field goal at the end of a game they were down triple digits and the three changed the over under and it changed the spread and everything about it was like this most unnecessary field goal in the history of field goals. And.

It changed gambling in Vegas. Yeah, I mean it's the most obvious thing you could ever. Why even line up for it is that like, what are you doing?

[E]

At least show the nod up in the crowd on the Jumbotron.

[C]

The guy going show the show. Pete Carroll rubbing his nose and another guy giving. And then the. The. You might as well put it on the Jumbotron. That's one for the gamblers. Like, just admit it. That was the weirdest thing I've seen him. Like, why even trot the team out there? You just changed anyway. Okay.

It'S just something. Had to be something. There was probably some sort of weird prop bet that the Cleveland Guardians players had on a last minute field goal as those guys did it too. But it was pretty crazy.

And by the way, our blind listener, Sean Rockefeller said something actually beautiful. And I think this is something we can all aspire to with all the talk of the Cinnabon girl calling the Somalis N words and all the comments that are on that page that's raising money for her, which I still don't understand. Sean, being blind says I can't see color. So I just call everyone the N word if they talk funny to me at all. Like Brady.

I don't even know what he looks like, but I know he's a Sean. That's beautiful. That's from the blind. We always see. I don't see color. He doesn't. We're all. Whatever slur he throws at us, he's guessing.

That was beautiful. That was a beautiful moment. That was very mlk. Jfk. It was all of it. Thank you, Sean. It's time for the Guadalupe replay and Frank Caliendo joined us on Friday. We had a good one and Frank's going to help us out with the Homework After Dark party Friday night. He's going to be part of that at Stand Up Live. Still some tickets straggling along if you want to grab those. The special guests include this year's Guest of the Year. I'm trying to get listener of the Year. Ironically, it's our deaf guy and I haven't heard back from him. But he's got to get to the scrolls that talk about me doing. I emailed him and said, would you like to be our listener of the Year? But somebody's got to, you know, he can read his emails. I don't know. I don't know what he's got. He's got to hurry up and get him in. Otherwise we'll have a different. We'll have Aiden. We'll try to get Aiden the trans up there and I saw a story this weekend. Here's something, here's I'm going to ruin the squares. 22 year old person shouted out in some weird thing in an announcement and people clapped that she's trans masculine non binary.

And people are like yay. I, I look, I don't even know what that is. Nobody knows what it is. Okay, good. Trans masculine, non binary. And I don't know what that means. It's just you don't bind to anything. Like this is why I didn't take science. I didn't understand what things bind to each other and this was attracted to that. I don't know what a trans masculine non binary is.

[E]

I know gorilla glue sticks to everything.

[C]

That'S right and nobody's ever said that I am trans gorilla glue, non binary. They but nothing bonds and repels and what, I don't know what it is. But they were in their twenties and everybody in their twenties was like yay. And then I thought here's how I know that's made up. If a 65 year old person shouted that out at Sun Lakes, you'd hear just a bunch of people going shut the up. That's not a thing. And they'd have to go back into their shell because up until now they've never heard of it. So you give people options and they'll take them. But if you tell someone hey, you might be transmasculine non binary that look into it like huh. A confused person just wants an identity. You give them too many options. Trans masculine, non binary becomes one. But old people don't. If it was truly a mental thing, it wouldn't just be a certain age having the problem.

[E]

You get booed if you say you're male or female.

[C]

I don't know. Try it. I'm a man. Cisgender. You're cisgender. Oh, sorry. But nobody at, you know, over the age of 55 is going to yell at you if you say I'm male cisgender. Shut up old lady. We all know that's just a kid thing. It used to be when women said they experimented in college with lesbianism because that's all they knew to experiment with. Then we just threw this slew of experimentation stuff down and they're trying it all. Trans masculine, non binary. That's bull. Doesn't exist.

[E]

That's a play in the NFL, isn't it?

[C]

Yeah, yeah. See you're running the X. Trans masculine. Why non binary? I need Madden's chalkboard off the describe. There's a guy who thinks He's a girl, but isn't sure he's a girl, might not be a guy. Doesn't. It doesn't bond to anything like that. And then doesn't. Is not attracted to anyone. Boom. Non binary. Doesn't make sense. But you put that out there, old people didn't catch it. Only young people caught it. So if it's a real thing, wouldn't every age have it?

[E]

They just didn't know.

[C]

Right. But he hadn't been wandering around going, I don't know. Do you think you're transsexual? Nope. Not that. They haven't named the thing I got yet. It's not like Lou Gehrig's disease, where, like, we don't know what this is.

[E]

Just a priest. Leave me alone.

[C]

And when they said it, I'm trans masculine, non binary. A bunch of old people didn't go, oh, that's it. Because it hasn't existed until they made it up. I'm all for the trans thing, but I think this is mean to trans people. The more they say that, the more trans people who have had a real struggle are like, what the. And I know for a fact gay people are getting tired of it, because somehow or another, they glommed onto the gay movement and they actually went through a thing. Gays are like, get off our. Get off. No more letters. Get off. What's up? The LG people. And then the B people are kind of like, make up your mind. But when you get into the T's and the Q's and the. The gays start getting a little upset. We're just getting on our train here. Get your own train. There's nothing to do with being gay. Trans masculine. That sounds like a. An orchestra. I wouldn't listen to Christmas music.

Anyway, I digress. It's your Guadalupe replay with Frank Caliendo, one of the stars of Homework After Dark this Friday. Let's listen to him. Hey, it's not weird. It's pretty cool, actually. No membership fees. I have heard enough of this.

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