JANE SLATER explains TEXANS RB split carries

Summary

Payne & Pendergast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: JANE SLATER explains TEXANS RB split carries
Date: July 24, 2026
Hosts: Sean Pendergast & Brandon Scott (in for Seth Payne)
Network: Audacy / SportsRadio 610

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Episode Overview

This episode focuses on two major themes: the ongoing "curse" of former Astros stars who have left the team in free agency, and a detailed discussion on the Houston Texans' running back split between Woody Marks and David Montgomery, based on NFL insider Jane Slater’s recent report. Hosts Sean Pendergast and Brandon Scott mix sharp sports analysis with plenty of Houston sports fandom, pettiness, and humor.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Ongoing Astros "Curse" (00:55 – 16:16)

Theme: Are ex-Astros free agents cursed after leaving Houston? The hosts do a tongue-in-cheek breakdown of how recent prominent departures have fared.

Notable Departures Reviewed:

• Kyle Tucker (“the Jake Marisnick of right field”)
  • Underperforming with the LA Dodgers.
  • Hosts joke about how much money the Dodgers are paying for subpar production.
• Garrett Cole
  • Strong start with the Yankees, but recent injuries, a mediocre record, and failure to deliver a championship.
  • Hosts both personally dislike Cole for how he left the Astros:
    • "I don't know if I've ever been more turned off by an athlete that played for my team than I was in that moment." — Brandon Scott [06:14]
• George Springer
  • Highly thought of by hosts but seeing declining production and graying hair as a Toronto Blue Jay.
  • "It's not going great…he's also balding now." — Brandon Scott [07:39]
• Carlos Correa
  • Injury-plagued stints, multiple voided contracts with other teams, injuries since rejoining Houston.
• Justin Verlander
  • Only exception; considered "not cursed" since he returned post-Tommy John and performed well, then finished out his contract as a highly-paid but ineffective veteran.
  • "All of us want to be Justin Verlander in fashion—overpaid in your last three years of whatever it is you do." — Sean Pendergast [16:01]
• Alex Bregman
  • Left for the Red Sox, then Cubs, mixed results, now drawing the ire of Chicago fans for lackluster play.
• Framber Valdez
  • Received a big contract from the Tigers but is struggling, and Brandon Scott openly dislikes him because of his hair extensions and on-field conduct:
    • “We're talking about a man that disrespected all who grow their hair out…intentionally beamed his own catcher. Those are two things that I just cannot abide by.” — Brandon Scott [14:55]

Takeaway:

• The "curse" is a tongue-in-cheek running joke on the show. It's a way to process both pettiness and schadenfreude around ex-Astros.
• The only exemption is Verlander, who the hosts agree would be a dream scenario for anyone.

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2. Five Reasons I Hate You: Chicago White Sox (16:16 – 26:07)

Theme: In a recurring segment, the hosts humorously list reasons they "hate" the White Sox as the Astros face them in a key matchup.

The Five Reasons:

1. Chicago's Cold Weather "Builds Character" Myth
   • Mocked for being more about frostbite and misery than character.
   • "It builds anger." — Brandon Scott [18:25]
2. Little Brother Complex with Cubs
   • White Sox’ obsession with being “real Chicago,” contrasted with the Cubs’ alpha status.
3. Worst Uniforms in Baseball (1979)
   • From "clam digger" shorts to disco-collar jerseys—major fashion offenses.
   • "They're a propeller hat away from being the class nerd." — Sean Pendergast [21:57]
4. Lionizing Tony La Russa
   • Annoyance with the twice-hired, old-school manager’s status.
   • "Tony La Russa is an annoying human being." — Sean Pendergast [22:41]
5. 2005 World Series Sweep
   • Houston’s heartbreak over losing in a (close) sweep at the end of the Killer B’s era.
   • "It was probably the closest sweep in the history of team sports sweeps." — Sean Pendergast [23:45]

Takeaway:

• This segment exemplifies the show’s blend of sports analysis and fan catharsis, heavily seasoned with humor and pettiness.

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3. Texans Running Back Split: Jane Slater’s Inside Report (28:51 – 36:14)

Theme: Analysis of Jane Slater’s report that the Texans will employ a running-back-by-committee with Woody Marks and David Montgomery.

Host Discussion:

• Both prefer a split of roughly 60/40 or 65/35 in favor of Montgomery, but think both are capable and offer complementary skillsets.
• Marks’ abilities as a receiver weren’t properly utilized last year because he was forced to be a bell cow.
  • "If Woody Marks can be in this offense what it feels like they drafted him to be…what he was at USC, where he caught a bunch of balls…" — Sean Pendergast [30:10]
• The league is moving away from a single workhorse back to more split usage, for both health and scheme reasons.

Jane Slater’s Clarification [32:08]

• “The vision in Houston is that they are going to split time there and that's because if you look at what Woody Marks did last season without a great offensive line with some of the struggles on offense, he still had 703 yards, a little over 900 from scrimmage. A source told me that this is not going to be necessarily a 50/50 split because health, game flow, matchups—they all dictate the touches. But that doesn't mean that there's not going to be meaningful roles for both.” — Jane Slater [32:08]

• Slater notes NFL trends: 15 teams in the last five years have had two backs over 700 rushing yards (compared to just five teams in the prior five years).

Hosts’ Conclusion:

• Both backs will be important; the days of the single "bell cow" are fading.
• The split will be dictated by health, situations, and matchups as much as by preference.

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4. Memorable Quotes & Banter

• "You have a franchise within this show called the Petty Cast." — Brandon Scott [04:11]
• "I think my dad will look at me crazy as he should. …You're a grown man out here with hair extensions." — Brandon Scott [15:34]
• "All of us want to be Justin Verlander in fashion." — Sean Pendergast [16:01]
• On the White Sox:
  • "Stop it with there being anything positive about cold weather and especially Chicago cold weather. With that wind whipping off the lake—get the hell out of here." — Sean Pendergast [19:07]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:55: Astros "curse" begins; rundown of ex-stars
• 06:14: Brandon Scott on personal dislike of Garrett Cole
• 14:55: Brandon Scott on Framber Valdez’s transgressions
• 16:16: "Five Reasons I Hate You" White Sox segment begins
• 21:57: Uniforms rant (White Sox 1979)
• 23:45: 2005 World Series heartbreak
• 28:51: Texans running back split discussion begins
• 32:08: Jane Slater audio clip and explanation
• 36:14+: Lighthearted off-topic banter and mayoral joking

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Tone and Style

• Heavily humorous, personal, and sometimes petty—leaning into fan emotions and "sports talk therapy."
• Hosts use insider knowledge, stat-based arguments, and plenty of banter and local color.
• Quotes and moments are often zingers or signature "Petty Cast" jabs.

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For New Listeners

This episode is for anyone who wants sharp but irreverent Houston sports talk, and especially for fans who relish the inside jokes, pain, and pettiness that comes with following your teams.

You’ll get a comprehensive, insightful look at how the Astros’ ex-stars are faring (and why fans shouldn’t worry about letting them go), and a clear breakdown of how and why the Texans’ RB workload is likely to be split—plus, plenty of playful, memorable moments.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[A]

As the U.S. men's National Team takes center stage at a home World Cup. Make sure you're listening to Call it what yout Want, part of the CBS Sports Podcast Network, where you can join me. I'm Jimmy Conrad alongside Charlie Davies, Tony Miola, Marcelo Balboa and Benny Fieldhaber throughout this tournament for previews, instant reactions and analysis of every US Match. Then all summer, we're back every Tuesday and Thursday covering all things U.S. men's National Team. Download and follow call it what you want on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts. Here Sports Radio 610 presents Pain and Pendergast. All right, Pain and Pender Gast. We are going to do a five reasons I hate you in the next segment, which might pull B. Scott in front of a bus here. I hate to do it this way, but you. We, as we outlined earlier, you have ties to the Chicagoland area.

[B]

I do, I do. But for now, they are behind enemy lines. Behind enemy lines.

[A]

Okay, good.

[B]

I am Houstonian.

[A]

Okay, excellent. We're going to do five reasons I hate you for the White Sox. We got to make sure the Astros keep this game face on right now.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know what I mean. So yesterday we did a segment where we got talking about the Kyle Tucker trade. And I don't know how many Astro fans have been following Kyle Tucker to see how it's been going for him in Los Angeles as a team. It's going great for the Dodgers. And if Kyle Tucker's goal is to win another ring, you know, to go with the one that he's got here, then he's on track to do that. They've got the best record in baseball. At least as of yesterday they did.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So he's, he's in a. He's in a good place to, to go ahead and do that, but he's having a terrible year. If the LA media is at all as vindictive as the New York and Philly.

[B]

Boston.

[A]

Boston. When it comes to baseball players underachieving, then life should be held for Kyle Tucker. Cause they are not only paying him $60 million a year, they are paying about almost another 60 in luxury tax to have Kyle Tucker on their team. And he is putting up numbers that are not drastically different than Cam Smith's numbers. They're both really good defensive outfielders. They both have Ops under.700. Cam Smith actually has more home runs than Kyle Tucker. Almost double the number of home runs Kyle Tucker has. Cam Smith's got 12. Kyle Tucker only has seven home runs on the year. He's batting like 2, 30 something. It's not good.

[B]

He is a light hitting outfield.

[A]

It is. He is a light hitting, good defensive out. He's Jason. He's Jake Marisnick in right field is what he is.

[B]

He's Jake Marisne.

[A]

Kyle Tucker, would you have given. Okay, Brandon, would you have given $60 million while being over the competitive balance tax to Jake Marisnik? Give me a hot take and say not sober. Okay. Yeah, yeah. How drunk would you have to be? Oh, I give Jake Marisnik $60 million.

[B]

Blackout drunk. Heroin. I don't know. Probably stuff that I. Drugs that I have not tried.

[A]

Right. I would say probably drugs you didn't even know you were taking like that you. Like there had to be one or two that got laced with something that you didn't know.

[B]

Yeah, I would have had to have

[A]

been combined with eating lettuce that might have been on your tacos.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Not going to say which establishment because I don't want the station to get in trouble.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

We don't want that.

[B]

Want to create enemies.

[A]

All those things plus explosive diarrhea would get you Jake Marisnik on 60 million bucks. So it got me thinking, like, okay, Kyle Tucker was a trade. They traded him away, but they traded him away, I think with the same spirit, the same esprit de corps as all the free agents they let walk. If they had kept Kyle Tucker in 20, 20, 2025 going into the last year, then he would have walked the same way that Garrett Cole, George Springer, Carlos Correa, you know, Correa is back now, Verlander, I know he came back. But these guys, Bregman, they've from. They've all walked in free agency. So it got me thinking, like, Andy, you know what I haven't done, which is a little strange? I haven't done this because I'm as petty as it gets when it comes to guys who leave my teams and how difficult it is to root for those guys for me, sometimes some more than others.

[B]

You have a franchise within this show called the Petty Cast.

[A]

Yeah, exactly. Like nobody's. Thank you.

[B]

It's your brand.

[A]

Thanks for the reminder. So it got me thinking, like, how are all these guys doing? And, boy, I went and looked. I think if you're somebody who's thinking of leaving the Astros in free agency or you're thinking of driving a hard bargain on your deal, Jeremy Pena, look out, because Jeremy Pena hired Scott. He's about to sign a deal here, and he hired Scott Boris and then doesn't sign a deal. So, Jeremy Pena, you may not be long for the Astros. Maybe he gets traded in the next two weeks. Maybe he gets traded in the next six months.

[B]

Meanwhile, the guys that have signed extensions are living pretty good.

[A]

Not too bad.

[B]

Jordan Alvarez looks like he might win an mvp.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Jose Altuve is a legend.

[A]

Legend. Yeah.

[B]

Christian Javier feels like he might. And Lance McCullers feels like they might have stolen some money.

[A]

Yeah. Nonetheless, at the very least, she got paid. There you go. Way more than you probably should have got paid. Saying it seems to have worked out for all those guys. So I started. Started going a little trip down memory lane. So you tell me, were these guys cursed? The guys that left Garrett Cole. I'm going to go chronologically. Let's go back to 2019. It's crazy to think there's only two years left on Garrett Cole's nine year deal he signed with the Yankees.

[B]

Man, life just happens. Fat. The time flies, dude.

[A]

Time fl.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Your call. Signed that deal heading into the COVID season. He's been largely good for the Yankees. He won a Cy Young Award a couple of two, three years ago.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But since that Cy Young Award, Tommy John surgery, missed a whole season in 2025, and he's come back. And in 11 starts, he's. This year he's three and five with. What I would say for someone with a $36 million salary is a very pedestrian. Nearly 3.4.00 ERA. 3.92 ERA. Yeah.

[B]

So this one for me is the easiest one to say is curse. Cause he is the one guy on this list that we're gonna go over who I just straight up dislike like. Like Kyle Tucker. I can kind of have fun with you and laugh at. I don't really dislike Kyle Tucker. He's not. He's just not. There's not enough there to really like or dislike.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Garrett Cole and the way things ended there with the hat and the representative of myself. I don't know if I've ever been more turned off by an athlete that played for my team than I was in that moment.

[A]

I'll pile on here. One more thing. He was brought in by the Yankees the year after they lost again to the Astros in the alcs. He was brought in to get them over the top and win them a championship. He's not done that.

[B]

They have not done that.

[A]

So he's not done that. So you say he's cursed.

[B]

He is cursed.

[A]

You are Cash. Yep. All right. George springer left in 2020. The heart and soul of the Astros back when he, if you're picking a heart and soul game, maybe wasn't their best player. He was good. He's an all Star a couple of times. You know, Altuve was the best player during that time, but he was the heart and soul of that team. Leaves for Toronto after the 2020 season. He's now in the final year of his Blue Jays deal.

[B]

Right.

[A]

He could bring Springer back next year if they wanted to, but he's been very up and down with Toronto. Yeah, I'd be very up and down.

[B]

Yeah. I'd actually be good on. On. As much as I love Springer.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And I know. I imagine that Seth and Brandy aren't listening, but I know that they love Springer to like, this is a Springer friendly show, whether Seth is here or if I. Or if I'm here. Right. We love Springer, but it is not going great.

[A]

Well, yeah. Got to a World Series last year, World Series and was better with them. But he's back now. He's an OPS under.700.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

OPS plus of 88.

[B]

Yeah. And, John, this is not a shot, but he's also balding now.

[A]

That's okay. You know what I mean?

[B]

But, but, but, like, for Springer, you know, it just. It when you watch somebody ball, it's like, okay, and then they're not playing well. You know, things are going the wrong direction there.

[A]

I know where you're going with this. George Springer. You are Cash. Yeah.

[B]

Sad to say. I think so, man.

[A]

Yeah. I mean, the Astros, I don't know if they offered Cole, they offered Springer. I mean, maybe if you take it, you still have a full head of hair. Ops of 850. Who knows?

[B]

To be fair on the. The curse, Ledger center field has not been the same since he left.

[A]

That's true. Yeah. I would say maybe the curse cuts both ways.

[B]

It could.

[A]

Could cut both ways. These next two, I'm not going to spend a ton of time on because they both came back to the Astros. But I do think it's interesting that Carlos Correa leaves the Astros, has not one, but two contracts with the Mets and the Giants, both nullified by an injury he suffered like a decade before that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then comes back here, and then in 32 games, he. He injures himself in the batting cages.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Batting cages. And so this is a weird one. So weird one for me, because the departed Astro curse may actually be negatively impacting the Astros directly, you know?

[B]

Yeah, I think.

[A]

But I think he might be cursed.

[B]

I think he might Be missed a

[A]

bunch of games in Minnesota.

[B]

Yeah. I feel like he was cursed even before he came back. And now it's only completely confirmed.

[A]

You odd Cash.

[B]

All right. Oh, man. We're. We're.

[C]

We're.

[B]

We're batting a thousand.

[A]

I think we're on, so I think

[B]

we're on to 70,000 here so far.

[A]

Justin Verlander left after the 2022 season in which he won the Cy Young, went to the Mets, the Mets stunk. The Astros trade and get Justin Verlander back. And he did some good things in 2023. Couldn't get him over the hump. Obviously, they lose in the ALCS and then in 2024, he's a complete non factor. He then goes to the Giants for a year. Complete non factor. Goes four and 11 for the Giants. Goes for his final resting place as a baseball player in Detroit from whence it started. And I mean, he's. He's the definition of a non factor. He's pitched one game, and he was terrible in that game for the Detroit Tigers. He's made a lot of money. Probably paid a lot more money these last couple years than he should have been paid. Yep. But is Justin Verlander, from an overall standpoint, is he cursed?

[B]

Nah. Everything after the cy young in 2022 was house money. House money.

[A]

Not cursed.

[B]

Not cursed at all.

[A]

He's not cursed.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Not. Not this one. To come back after Tommy John and have the year that he had and to kind of just go out getting paid. I mean. Yeah. Honestly. I mean, I would say every team that's paid him has been cursed, you know?

[A]

Right. I was just gonna say, you know who might be cursed? The Detroit Tigers. Yeah, you are. Cash. Cause they're going to show up again here in a minute.

[B]

Stay tuned.

[A]

Alex Bregman. Alex Bregman left after the 2024 season in free agency. Signed it. One of those deals, like a Correa deal. Like Correa first. Signed with the Twins. Three year deal for a lot of money annually that you could opt out of after each year. Chooses to opt out after one year with the Red Sox. Had a good year with the Red Sox, and I was banged up at times with them. I think made the all star team. He certainly put up all star numbers before he got hurt.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

But then the Red Sox didn't really do anything. He's not been good with the Cubs. And people in Chicago are mad at Alex Bregman.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

We've played some audio through the first part of the season where There were some of the streamers up there intimating that there's clubhouse issues over this. Like, this guy got 30 million a year or whatever. And, you know, those streamers would go on to talk and you'd learn like, this is just them speculating about it. But the fact of the matter is, it summarizes an overall vibe with Bregman up there. That and I talked to a couple of Chicago buddies of mine yesterday, and they're like, yeah, they're not happy with. His ops is under.706.92 ops. He's a below average baseball player for them right now.

[B]

Yeah, this one is the toughest one for me because I love me some Alex Bregman. This is one of the ones that I wish was actually still around, except not playing like that.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I don't wish that this was still around. How could I go with anything other than him being cursed if he's playing like this?

[A]

Man, you are cash. Someone just texting can Danhausen, by the way, that. That's Danhausen. Everybody saying that. I've got my Danhausen T shirt on. If you're watching on YouTube asking if he can uncurse Carlos Correa, he's got a cameo. Danhausen does, where he curses and uncurses things for people all the time. Yeah, that's how the Knicks got uncursed. Yeah, I forgot about that. He had cursed them before the playoffs because of Stephen A. Smith. He's like, Stephen A. Smith. I hear you are Knicks fan and you are very rude to Tannhausen. And he's cursed them. And then after two games, he uncursed him. And then they went on to win all but one of the games after.

[B]

See, I saw the young cursing. I didn't know the background.

[A]

That's why he was on a float in their parade.

[B]

So this was a Stephen A. Smith origin story with the curse. I didn't realize that.

[A]

Yeah, that's Danhausen's gimmick. He curses things.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Last one from Valdez, now, he left in free agency. But it's not like he was one of these guys that the Astros gave, you know, an offer to. Like they made competitive offers. I thought to Bregman, to Correa. I know with Carlo. I know both of them were looking for longer deals than the Astros may have offered from her. They just didn't make an offer to. Which tells me that things behind the scenes with Fromer were probably as bad as we speculated last year. Do you know you make an offer to a guy who's been your most consistent pitcher over the previous half decade.

[B]

Yeah. Was your ace at one point before Hunter Brown.

[A]

Yes. And that he got only three years out there on the market with the Tigers would lead me to believe there weren't a lot of people out there forking over seven or eight years. Like we've seen pitchers like Garrett Cole get three years. 114 million though for fromer. I can tell you they feel the same way about Fromer in Detroit that Chicago feels about Bregman right now. Like what the hell are we doing? And Detroit doesn't have as much of the. To use a Danhausen term, the human monies that a Chicago does.

[B]

Right.

[A]

They operate much more like a upper mid tier team than a than a have.

[B]

Yeah. They're much more selective with who they give that kind of. Yes.

[A]

Five and seven with a four five seven era. It's framer Valdez cursed.

[B]

So I know earlier I said that Garrett Cole was the only person on this list that I just straight up did not like. Oh, from is really, really close to the Garrett Cole status now. He didn't like. He didn't do the what Garrett Cole did to to kind of like once he got his way out of here. But we're talking about a man that disrespected all who grow their hair out in war. Sometimes it feels like the news is full of things that have never happened before.

[A]

And that is not exactly true. In fact, it may have happened this very week hundreds or thousands of years ago. I'm Sally Helm, host of the podcast History this Week from the History Channel. Trade embargoes. Thomas Jefferson tried them rent too high. We've been arguing about that for a while.

[B]

Each episode is proof the past isn't that far away.

[A]

Listen to History this Week, available now

[B]

on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Hair extensions and intentionally, I believe, intentionally beamed his own catcher. Those are two things that I just cannot abide by.

[A]

I know where this is going.

[B]

My man is cursed.

[A]

Cursed. You odd cast. All right, there you go. You're au natural when it comes.

[B]

Yeah. No, no. I I cannot. I have no patience for it.

[A]

For anybody with extensions.

[B]

Men.

[A]

Men with extensions.

[B]

Men with extensions. Women, do your thing.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah.

[B]

Men if you're gonna have it looks good. If you're a man with long hair, you damn sure better grow it.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

Come on now. Or cut your freaking hair.

[A]

I love Byron, you need to come in with extensions on Monday. Test B. Scott on this.

[B]

Do it or don't.

[A]

Byron's like the nicest guy in the

[B]

building ever until he puts extensions in his hair. And then all of a sudden, my man is cursed.

[A]

I would do it. I think my dad will look at

[B]

me crazy as he should.

[A]

It's usually like, I'll let him know,

[B]

hey, I'm leaving for work and stuff.

[A]

I'm pretty sure he'll just look back and go, where are you going?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, going to work. He figured he raised you right, and then all of a sudden, you're a grown man out here with hair extensions.

[A]

I got me a B. Scott. I got to go. Piss off.

[B]

Yeah, man.

[A]

All right. So there you go. So the theory holds for all but Justin Verlander, who's just basically living out his old man dream of cash and big checks. Yeah, I live with that.

[B]

Look, all of us want to be Justin Verlander in fashion.

[A]

In a lot of overpaid in your

[B]

last three years of whatever it is you do.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Let's do that. Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

Poor guy has to go home to his supermodel wife with all those 4 and 11, all those losses in San Francisco.

[B]

I'm so cursed. I'm 100 millionaire with Kate Upton.

[A]

Kate Upton is my wife.

[B]

I do.

[A]

Oh, all right. Five reasons I hate you. We haven't done one in a while, but we got to keep this vibe going with the Astros. Five reasons I hate you, Chicago White Sox. We will do that. Coming up next, Sports Radio 610 presents Pain and pender gas I pain in pendergast. We haven't done this recently, but five reasons I hate you. It's a football season staple. It's something that we heard in focus groups that our listeners really enjoy. It turns out that our listenership, at least a big chunk of it, can be just as petty as I can. Yeah. Or Seth. Or the pettiness world that I'm pulling you into. What? I loved how much pettiness you had for Garrett Cole in that previous.

[B]

Yeah, Garrett Cole. I had a little bit from. Yeah, yeah. No, I didn't.

[C]

It put.

[B]

Pull any punches, man. Look, I try to just be as genuine as I can, man. If I like you, I like it, but if I don't, I really don't.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And I don't like those guys.

[A]

Yeah, good.

[B]

Just don't.

[A]

Okay, well, let's get ready here. This one may be a little harder for you because I know that there are some roots up there in that part of the country.

[B]

I'll make it work.

[A]

I know you will. Yeah.

[B]

They also are little Tough. They like to fight up there.

[A]

Sometimes they do.

[B]

So you gotta. Got to get my game face on.

[A]

And this just in. They're good at baseball again.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's not re. That's not a reason. I mean. Okay, reason 5A. The White Sox are good at baseball again. All right. That's reason five.

[B]

What are they doing?

[A]

Yeah. Reason number five, though. Five reasons. I hate you, White Sox. This is a Chicago thing as much as it is a White Sox thing. Some of these are going to be general Chicago stuff.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

The people up there. And I can. I can attest to this because I lived in Naperville for three years. I go back to Chicago, at least I used to a fair amount. When my kids all lived there, they went. My kids all went to high school up in Chicago, in middle school, so I would visit them frequently when I was down here doing radio in Houston. The people up there act like the cold weather builds character, man.

[B]

They got to psych themselves out somehow, I think.

[A]

They act. They say it builds character. No, it doesn't. It builds frostbite. It builds pneumonia.

[B]

It builds frustration, because why is it so damn cold?

[A]

It builds anger.

[B]

Yeah. Anger is the word.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Angry.

[A]

Yeah. It doesn't build character at all.

[B]

It builds polar vortex, you know?

[A]

Yes. Like, I will take your word for it.

[B]

Like, what is that about?

[A]

Right?

[B]

Yeah, no, they did. They literally had a polar vortex during COVID Yep. Yeah.

[A]

Because the.

[B]

That guy from Empire ended up faking that attack in Chicago.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

He said he was attacked by Magazealts, and it turned out it was, like, two Nigerian dudes that he hired or something like that. And. But it was, like, in the middle of a polar vortex.

[A]

Polar vortex.

[B]

Like that. And just for the record, that did not build character.

[A]

No, no, no.

[B]

That was just.

[A]

No, no. So that's reason number five.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Stop it with there being anything positive about cold weather and especially Chicago cold weather with that wind whipping off the lake. Get the hell out of here.

[B]

I'd even go further and say, even if it did build character, well, in that case, character is overrated.

[A]

Characters overrated.

[B]

To hell with you and your character.

[A]

Character gets cursed.

[B]

Yeah, man.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Get out of here with your character.

[A]

All right, number four. They've got this annoying little brother complex going on with the Chicago Cubs.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Where it's one of those little brother things where they. They claim to be equals and rivals with them, but they do that thing where when you're the little brother, you've got to spend an extra 20 minutes explaining the whole Thing. Yeah. The Cubs don't need to explain anything. The Cubs are the alpha in that rival.

[B]

The Cubs are exactly the alpha. And they're almost like there's so much the alpha to where they don't even really much consider the other side.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You ever see the one sided rivalry where one side hates the other one way more than that side even cares about the other or about their. Even their existence, much less hate them?

[A]

It's called Notre Dame and Boston College. Yeah, that's what it is.

[B]

Yeah, there's. There's a little bit of that. Sorry, Tyler. There's a little bit of that with Texas and Texas A and M, you know, so. Yeah, so, yeah, there's. There's that.

[A]

Yeah. They. And they. They claim to be like the real baseball fans in Chicago. Like, Chicago. All the Cubs fans are all just a bunch of yuppies that aren't even from here.

[B]

Right.

[A]

They live in nice brownstones near Wrigley.

[B]

Front runners were the real.

[A]

Yeah. Fans. All right, so that's. That's number four. Number three. Go back and Google Chicago White Sox uniforms. 1979. These are the worst uniforms in the history of baseball. Now, this is back when the Cubs or the Cubs, the White Sox were owned by, I believe by Bill Veck was his name. And he was one of these owners that was kind of half carny, half owner, where he had a little person play for the team at one time. Are you looking at the uniforms? He was like these clam digger uniforms, man.

[B]

I'm looking at the uniforms that I've listened to you say that they had a little person play on the team.

[A]

Yeah, I don't think the little person played in those uniforms.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Just for whatever reason, watching the. Looking at the uniforms and hearing you say that at the time. Same. Same time. Just tickled me.

[A]

Uniforms had big collars on them, like collars that you would see on a 1970s polyester disco shirt. Those. You're only looking at the jersey. B. Scott. They played seasons in shorts.

[B]

Oh, my God.

[A]

In shorts. I can't think of Chet Lemon back in the day without thinking of him playing in clam digger unis with shorts. Horrible.

[B]

This is. This is. I would say this goes against their sort of tough guy mantra Persona that they've got.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Not wearing uniforms like that.

[A]

They're a propeller hat away from being the class nerd in those things.

[B]

I kind of want to give the guy a wedgie.

[A]

Just.

[B]

Just cuz.

[A]

Yeah. Just cuz.

[B]

Yeah, man.

[A]

Yep. All right, so that's number three. Number Two, this is an organization that has not only had him as their manager twice, but has treated him like an icon. The most annoying manager of all time, Tony La Russa.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Is there a more annoying boomer, old guy, curmudgeonly, probably now octogenarian. You know, he. He was their manager not that all that long ago. And he was one of these guys, too. That was just gut feel. Old school.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Tony La Russa is an annoying human being.

[B]

Yeah. Unwritten rules of the game, probably like all of those sort of things. Yeah. And. And holier than thou seemingly, but also has, like, skeletons, which I'm not even judging that part. It's the holier than thou with the skeletons part of it. Yeah, man. Tony Larussa. And. And look, White Sox fans know this, but we're talking to the people of Houston. Even when this guy wasn't managing, he's always kind of had Jerry Reinsdorf's ear. So he was like. He kind of had like that Jeff Bagwell, Reggie Jackson sort of vibe of like an advisor to the. To the owner, even when he wasn't managing.

[A]

Yes. Yes. So Tony La Russa and the way the White Sox lionize him.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Number two. Yeah. Number one's an easy one. And it's Houston. And this is the most Houston specific thing we can come up with that has to do with the White Sox. 2005, the World Series, and not just because the Astros lost the World Series to the White Sox. It was probably the closest sweep in the history of team sports sweeps.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Every game was close.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah.

[A]

These two teams were very even teams. And the timing of it, too, because you knew it was the end of the line for the Killer Bees.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Who to that point in the history of the franchise were 1 and 2 in terms of how they were viewed. And I think it was a pretty big drop off after that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, like, no disrespect to Nolan Ryan and Mike Scott, Cesar Sedano, and many, many others.

[B]

No, these were the clear guys.

[A]

These were the clear. They were attached at the hip. They came in at about the same time you. You knew. You. You had a pretty good feeling, at least that both were going to Cooperstown someday. And this was the last chance for two guys that, A, had been to the playoffs a bunch of times, and B, had not had success in the playoffs ever.

[B]

Yeah. And the part that really sucks for me, like, thinking back on it. So I was a. I think I was a junior in high school when this was, and I. I just reflect back on it To. To the point that you're making about how close the games were. It goes down as one of the more forgettable World Series for a lot of people, though, because it was a sweep. And I think a lot of people who is. The further we get from it, a lot of people forget how close it was that it was such a close sweep. I feel like if the Astros had gotten a game or two, that that World Series itself would be reflected on a lot more.

[A]

Fine flips a little bit, maybe. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. If there were a Marwin Gonzalez home run.

[B]

Right.

[A]

To kind of flip the tide. I. I still feel that the Marwin Gonzalez home run in Game 2 of the 2017 World Series has a case as the most important hit in the history of the franchise.

[B]

Oh, I like that. I like that.

[A]

He doesn't hit that home run to tie that. For those who don't recall, they were down by one run in the ninth inning. And it was. Kenley Jansen was on the mound and at that time, and I know Kelly Jansen still doing his thing. He was a hammer back.

[B]

He was the guy. He was the closer. He was the preeminent closer in baseball.

[A]

And Marwan Gonzalez on the road, hits a home run to tie that game, and they go on to win an extra innings. I think they lose that game, they might have gotten swept in that series. Yeah.

[B]

Since we're talking about Marwin and we're talking about 2017, I do think it's worth mentioning again on the road.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

I like that you said that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Was on the road.

[A]

Marwin is really good at home.

[B]

He was really good at home that year. But. But make this happen on the road.

[A]

And look, hey, Marwan Gonzalez cursed.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Left for free agency.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

To go back and listen to the previous segment.

[B]

I think so. Sorry. No, no, no. It's a good point, though. Marvin Gonzalez also cursed. But I'm glad you mentioned game two, though, because so much of the reflection, I think with that series goes to game. The Epic Game 5.

[A]

That was.

[B]

Yes. I think people. I'll just speak for myself, actually, almost forget everything that happened before Game 5. So that's a good point of Marwin kind of having the marquee moment in franchise history.

[A]

They are talking on CBS Mornings right now about John Harbaugh's speech. Not. Not cbs. Like, not a sports show. Not CBS Sports hq. The, like, very equivalent of Good Morning America. That's got Nate Burleson on there.

[B]

Yes. Morning or CBS Mornings or whatever.

[A]

Their tease right now was John Harbaugh's introductory speech. A big thing. Flop, question mark. You know what John Harbaugh is learning? Is he the very thing that he was. That he was trying to stress to his team. This is the New York Giants. You damn right, the New York Giants. He's finding that out. If he gives that. If he gives that speech like Jonathan Gannon did to the Arizona Cardinals.

[B]

No one knows.

[A]

No one knows.

[B]

Yeah. Not outside the sports world.

[A]

Not outside the sports world. It's not on CBS mornings.

[B]

Absolutely not.

[A]

He's the coach of the New York Giants. Yes. And now you're going to get scrutinized for being a boring MFer man.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Oh, my God. All right. That was fun. Five reasons I hate you, White Sox. If you missed it, you can. You can rewind on the Free Odyssey app. Hey, pretty soon you'll be listening to it on Crystal Clear FM radio, 95. 7 the Fan.

[B]

I heard something about that.

[A]

August 13th, B. Scott. Circle it.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've heard rumors.

[A]

Yep, yep. They're true. Turns out they're true.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

We're going over to FM, baby. 95. 7 the fan you drew. It's true. All right, coming up next, the running back room. We talked a little bit about the running backs earlier today. We talked about them yesterday, too. In the question, the training camp question of the day. Um, what will the split look like? The reporter who actually put that out there earlier this week, Jane Slater. That said the carries were going to be split between Woody Marks, David Montgomery and got a lot of people worked up. She explained herself and we will hear what she had to say about that. Coming up next, if your current wealth

[B]

manager isn't Point Lincoln and West Point

[A]

Lincoln of Sugarland Studios, here's Pam Pain and Pender Gas. I painted Pendergast with you. What would be for you, B. Scott. Brandon Scott in for Seth Pain. By the way, we're going to do Take a Mania at the top of the hour. This week's take a Mania. Vince Goodwill defending his championship. So you're kind of in Seth's place. Seth is the one who is the judge and jury. Yeah. So don't feel any pressure.

[B]

No, I actually am really looking forward to this because I had some objections to the conclusion that y' all came to last week. I would have voted differently.

[A]

Yeah. And I. And I am going to let you re. Adjudicate that one, I think, too. So we'll. We'll save that for top of the hour. What is your. In a perfect world, assuming health, what is Your ideal split look like between Woody Marks and David Montgomery?

[B]

Assuming health. Perfect world. It would be. I get closer to 65, 35. Somewhere in the 60, 40, 65, 35 range.

[A]

That's kind of where I am.

[B]

Things should be slightly more, but not drastic. I mean, my. My take on it, Sean, is that neither guy is so great to where I'm like, hey, that guy's gotta get all the carries.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But also neither guy is so terrible to where I'm like, hey, I'm worried if he's getting too many carries. So they're. They're. They're sort of like, David Montgomery's clearly better than Woody Marks and has more pelts on the wall and is more accomplished. But I feel like they're a similar tier back. Even though they're different stylistically, I feel like they're similar to your back.

[A]

It's an interesting conversation, too, because most of the time people think split and it's just carries. I think the. That what Woody Marks brings to the table as a receiver kind of what he wasn't really allowed to bring to the table as a receiver last year because he was just too big a necessity in the conventional run game.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You know, it's almost like touches as opposed to carries. If Woody Marks can be in this offense, what I. It feels like they drafted him to be, or at least what he was at usc. We caught a bunch of balls.

[B]

Yeah. Or even. It feels so far back now, but his first catch with the Texans. I'm trying to think if that was week two. Hey, y'.

[A]

All. I'm Maddie. And I'm Poodle.

[B]

And together we host the podcast Reality Gays.

[A]

We are two ridiculous homosexuals who love nothing more than talking about reality television

[B]

and tearing in a new one.

[A]

So whether it's 90 day, fiance love is Blind Love after lockup, or any other trash TV show about lonely hearts

[B]

looking for love, your gay besties got you covered, y'. All.

[A]

New shows every week. Follow and listen to reality gays wherever

[B]

you get your podcast. Let's blow. Against the bucks. But it went for, like 20 plus yards. Yeah, like, it was a. It showed early signs of being a pretty good thing. And they just weren't. To be fair to them, they weren't really able to do it because of personnel. He was not able to be that scat back. He had to be their kind of their bell cow.

[A]

Well, and one of the two touchdowns they scored against Kansas City, we know the one touchdown that won the game was Dari coming in for one carry in that game and getting into the end zone in one of the many times Woody Marks had to leave the field because he got banged up. Yeah, but Woody had scored the first touchdown on that little play where he leaked out of the backfield and there was nobody near him. So I would love to see some of that. I'd love to see Nick Kaylee get to use him more in that manner. Jane Slater of the NFL Network had reported earlier this week just a general hey, the Texans are going to be splitting carries with their top two backs without applying a ratio to it or anything. So a lot of Texan fans and media were just running with that in assuming that meant an even splitter, meant this or that. She had a chance to clarify herself a little bit on the NFL Network yesterday, here's what Jane Slater had to say about the Texans backfield.

[C]

The vision Keep in mind we have not seen these guys in pads yet on the field. The vision in Houston is that they are going to split time there and that's because if you look at what Woody Marks did last season without a great offensive line, with some of the struggles on offense, he still had 703 yards, a little over 900 from scrimmage. A source told me that this is not going to be necessarily a 5050 split because health game flow matchups, they all dictate the touches. But that doesn't mean that there's not going to be meaningful roles for both. And honestly, that's where the NFL has been trending over the last five seasons. I pulled some numbers from our stats. Fifteen teams have had two different running backs eclipse 700 rushing yards and the five years before that, just five teams. It's become less and less about that one workforce and more about keeping two backs fresh and productive.

[A]

Okay, I do like that last part. I like the, the research that she did was interesting.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That we're, we're living in an age now where teams are realizing it's almost like load management in basketball. Like a similar thing where it's like we just have, we're much more in tune with what the physiological part of the tread on the tire is. Yeah.

[B]

And that research also tracks with my feeling of it. Right. Just from watching football and following football. Like I, I would say this, I would much rather have two backs that I trust than like one great back, if that makes sense. And look, I would take one great back. Don't get me wrong, I love the Joe Mixon year, like Saquon, Barkley's amazing Jameer Gibbs Bajan Robinson, these guys are amazing. But if you can give me two backs that I can trust, hell, give me. I'll get greedy. Give me three.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know, like, give me a rotation of backs. Knowing, to your point, the physiology of it, the. The. The injury history and all of that, the lifespan of a. Of a running back. Give me multiple guys that can go out there and get the job done.

[A]

Well, especially if they've got a little bit of diversity to their skills. Exactly right. You know, I think that's what works so well in Detroit with David Montgomery, is he was the Hammer, and, you know, he was the Thunder, if you will, and Jameer Gibbs was the Lightning, but not to where they were. There wasn't any overlap with their skill set. I think David Montgomery probably has an element to his game where he can catch the ball out of the backfield,

[B]

just as Woody Marks has an element to his game that we learned last year, where he actually can run between the tackles.

[A]

Physically.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. He's a little bit more physical than we. I think we were giving him credit for in the beginning, even if we can also acknowledge that he shouldn't be the bell Cow, the every down back.

[A]

Did you. Did you. Are you a big eater of eggs? Do you eat eggs in the morning? Do you? I'm a big egg.

[B]

I do. It's actually my. It's. It is my best dish. It is the thing that I cook best.

[A]

Eggs.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Of all varieties or is there a specific motif? Are you, like. Are you the chef's kiss of scrambled?

[B]

Yeah, I'm a chef's kiss of scramble. That's my best, but I can do all varieties, but I prefer them scrambled. Scramble them.

[A]

Do you like a good omelette?

[B]

I love me a good omelette.

[A]

I love me a good omelette, too. I love going after the show. You and I have broken bread.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

At the old Avalon Diner.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

I love going and eating an omelet after the show and get my AirPods in. I'm listening to in the Loop. I'm writing my Houston Press article. I look up at the TV screen earlier in the show. There's a recall on 19 million eggs in this part of the United States.

[B]

Yeah. Particularly this part of the United States, Tex. Being included in that heat map, if you will. Yeah. And I'm not a fan.

[A]

I'm not either.

[B]

I'm not a fan.

[A]

The lettuce recall I can deal with because I don't eat any lettuce. I've been to me. That's A validation of what I've been telling people about lettuce all these years. It's evil.

[B]

Well, it sucks for me, Sean, because I eat both. Yeah, I lettuce. I like. I eat lettuce on sandwiches and I eat eggs. Just period. I just like eggs.

[A]

I saw this egg report and I'm like, okay, well, I guess I'm just gonna eat candy. That's what I'm gonna do.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Safe.

[B]

They're. They're our boss. Our big boss. Sarah posted a video on her Instagram stories of a comedian doing the joke of the healthy food. The produce is gonna kill us.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because that's what keeps getting recalled diseases in it or, you know what, whatever bacteria, whatever in it.

[A]

It's. It's the equivalent of like. There was an actor back in the day named George Burns who was a big time Hollywood actor. He lived to be like 101. You never saw the guy without a cigar and some hard drink in his hand.

[B]

Guys were built different back then, I think.

[A]

Yeah, I think so.

[B]

Something about it. But. But yeah, it's like. Yeah.

[A]

Can I ask. I want to actually ask a favor real quick of whoever is collecting these eggs that are getting recalled. I'm assuming they're just destroying them. Can I come get them and just, you know, throw the eggs at things, People's houses and things like that?

[B]

Yeah, that's a. I think that's the

[A]

way we need to. Don't just put them in an incinerator or something like that.

[B]

Waste the eggs, put them to good use.

[A]

Let's cross over with the segment we did earlier. Let's take the eggs recalled. Nobody's going to eat them, so we can transport them. We have to worry about the expiration date on them. Apparently, they're already damaged in terms of being able to eat them. And let's drive up and go find Garrett Cole's house and just egg his house with all the call back, you know, viral laden eggs.

[B]

I'm gonna have to take back something that I said earlier in the show.

[A]

What's that?

[B]

You are mayoral. I like Sean's America. Or in this case, Houston. I like Sean's Houston. It's. This is the place where we'll take the recalled eggs. Look, look, look. Vids. Houston, we got this.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

All right. We're gonna take our. Whatever our percentage of these recalled eggs are, we're not gonna waste them. We're not gonna let you take them away in this city. Under the Sean Pendergast administration, we will

[A]

be egging things there's emotional repair that can go on in this city.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

We can take these recalled eggs and get a positive out of these things.

[B]

I think so.

[A]

And for those who are wondering why Brandon Scott was wondering about my mayoral chops earlier in the show, it's because I, at the original Carrabba's last night, as I was wearing a suit, was mistaken by one person for Mayor Whitmire.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Apparently all bald people look the same to this person.

[B]

That's a deep cut for y' all to go on the Odyssey app and

[A]

check out the 6 o' clock segment was pretty good. Yeah, yeah, yeah, man. Yeah.

[B]

Well, I'm with this, though. I'm with this element of your platform.

[A]

So you're going to be my chief of staff. Yeah, man, you were going to be anyway.

[B]

Are you kidding me? You think I wouldn't get in on this, B?

[A]

Scott, I need you to go execute Operation Egg Coal.

[B]

Look, man, as the son of somebody who was a city employee, I am looking. I would be looking forward to a new day.

[A]

Yeah. Yes. Gambling day. Drinking. Yes. Cigars. That's what this. And egging the houses of people who have wronged us in free agency.

[B]

You know who I did think about, though, and had a little sympathy for the bar? Like the bartender community. We're going to put a serious tax on them. Like they're not their actual, like, money, but like their working hours.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

The bartenders are going to be very hard at work under Sean Pendergast's Houston.

[A]

Well, the other thing that happens under Sean Pendergast regime, I can tell you, if we're just mirroring the behaviors of one Sean Pendergast, people will tip well.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

People will tip well.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

I may. I might create laws about tipping. People may not like that. I understand. I might not win the election.

[B]

It's okay.

[A]

But I think common man people who work in Tippable Industries will see me as a hero when I become mayor.

[B]

I support this as well, because I. Look, I firmly believe either you tip well or stay your ass at home.

[A]

That's exactly right.

[B]

You know, and I'm perfect. If I don't have the tip money, I'm perfectly fine with staying home. I'm not going to go out and shortchange a server.

[A]

No, man, no, no, no.

[B]

I think this is a very principled campaign.

[A]

Thank you. I appreciate. I appreciate that. Are you ready to be the mayor of Take A Mania? I cannot wait. Okay, good. Let's do it. Take a mania. Vince Goodwill, basketball analyst for espn, is the current champ will play his current title reign title holding take. But we've got a handful of bad takes trying to take down the champ. We do it every week on a Friday. We'll do that coming up next. I would also put Blue Chew Gold as part of my mayoral make money from your podcast with the Odyssey Creator Lab. You create the show, we bring the advertisers. Apply now at Creators odyssey. Com.