B (2:48)

Well, that game was so tight.

C (2:50)

Yeah.

B (2:50)

You know, in a couple of key at bats, I mean, Judge and Stanton just, you know, were handled. Yeah, let's, let's say what happened. So if you're going to wait around for a home run, it's going to be likely from one of those two guys. And they weren't up to it in that moment, but they got another chance tonight, of course, in Yankee Stadium. All three games in this wild card round are in one ballpark. And so I, I, I looked at Frank, I don't see an edge. I just don't. These two have been at it too long. It's Hatfields, McCoys, it's Celtics, Lakers. It's, it's too long. You know, it's too long. There's too much history, there's so much back and forth and I think that even at a time where you can walk into a clubhouse and you and I have done this, and current day players aren't always familiar with a rivalry and the history of it. That is not the case with the Yankees and the Red Sox. Let me wander out on a limb and say that. So I don't see an advantage. I don't know that there's any kind of game we can predict. You know, we've seen tight games so far. I would love to see another one. That game last night was so dripping in drama. I was on a flight from Washington to Chicago and I had old fashioned DirecTV on the plane and I was able to see it and I found myself screaming out loud, particularly when Story hits the home run to tie it at three after the Yankees they're going to hit, it's like, oh my God, that's what Yankees, Red Sox should be. And why, why would we not think it's going to be like that tonight in the decider.

C (4:22)

Yeah. And when Story came up in the seventh inning with two on, I'm thinking he's going to get a hit. The way that he was hitting the ball. He absolutely crushed that one to center field. Luckily for the Yankees, it was. Caught the monkey wrench tonight though, Mike is he got two rookies going for the Red Sox. You Know, this isn't, you know, this isn't Pedro against Andy Pettit and the deciding game. So you just wonder, listen, either one of these guys, they could really, you know, start to build a pretty good reputation for themselves. I just wonder in a situation like this, if one of them is struggling early, how quickly do they get the hook? We could be looking at a big bullpen game for perhaps both teams. That's why for me, Chapman at the end, you know, they brought him in in the eighth. I think, again, you'll probably see that if that's the situation calls for it, the Yankees look like they might have gotten to it. You guys talked about it yesterday. I mean, when he needed to get out, he struck out two with the bases load in the ninth inning. All right, let's move to the National League, where the Dodgers cruise past the Reds and into the divisional round. Starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched into the seventh and rookie starter turn reliever. How about that? Roki Sasaki closed the door with a 1, 2, 3 ninth, sealing the 84 win. So, Mike, how did the Dodgers look to you as they head towards Saturday's game one in Philadelphia?

B (5:37)

I don't know. I mean, it's like they had a scrimmage, an inner squad scrimmage would have been tougher to play in the Reds, as it turns out. So I don't know. I'm not going to judge them against the Reds and then say, aha. That's going to inform me as to what they're going to do against Philly. No, it isn't. Because Philadelphia, the Phillies have what I think is the best lineup in all of baseball, American or National League. And so here's the bigger problem, immediate problem to me, for the Dodgers, Frank and I, you know, let me not be phony about this. I'm. I root for the Dodgers, I'm going to be rooting for the Dodgers in this next series. But the Dodgers Bullpen has an ERA in two games against the Reds of 10 plus. I think it's 10.38. Come on now, that is not going to get it done against a murderer's row lineup like the Phillies are going to try out there. So I don't know how, I don't know what this means for the Dodgers. I don't think anything that happened in these two, in these two games translates to what we're going to see in the next Series. Unless the Phillies are rusty and I know I'd rather. And they're going to have days off. The Phillies are Not going to get back in a real baseball rhythm until the next series if they advance past the Dodgers. So maybe that hurts Philadelphia, but that bullpen, man, what I've seen that bullpen in two days does not give me a lot of faith in the Dodgers.

C (6:59)

Yeah. And last year, the, you know, you think about the Phillies, that Game 1 against the Mets, they were rested. What happened? Zach Wheeler, seven innings, one hit. They go to their bullpen, everything blew up, and the Phillies end up getting knocked out in four games. You know, if you're the Philadelphia Phillies, you win 96 games during the regular season. And who comes to town that you have to beat? You have to beat the Dodgers. I get it. They, you know, you finish three wins better than them. But who do you trust here? Come on, Mike. Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, these guys have a tendency to deliver. And the rotation is set up for the Dodgers because of the travel days built in. You know, you're going to get Ohtani in game one. You'll get Blake Snell who pitched seven innings the other night. And then you get Yamamoto, who will be out on a week, a week long rest. And he pitched into the seventh last night. He pitched, you know, when he got out of that no bases loaded, no out situation. So if I'm Philadelphia, I get what you're saying, but they had a great lineup last year too. And you know, you talk about the Dodgers bullpen. The Dodgers bullpen had more blown saves in the second half of the season than any team in the major leagues.

B (8:01)

That's my point.

C (8:02)

But Mike, in September, their bullpen was actually better than Philadelphia's, believe it or not. So it's going to come down to that. Last year, Phillies bullpen betrayed them. We'll see if it happens this time around as well.

B (8:12)

Frank, we're real quickly to put a, a period on this. When Shohei was out there giving up nothing for five innings, he then goes out of the game and his bullpen gives up like nine runs.

C (8:25)

Yeah.

B (8:25)

So even, you know, you can get great starting effort and nobody. Well, very few pitchers are going to go beyond seven. And so we don't know that Shohei's going to do that because he hadn't done it. No bullpen, man. It's interesting. Interesting series coming up on both sides. Let's move to Lane Kiffin's proclamation that dynasties are dead in the sec. The culture fourth ranked Ole Miss told reporters that NIL and the transfer portal will keep programs like Alabama from stockpiling talent like they once did, said Kiffin. Quote. If a team in the bottom half is down for a couple of years, they won't stay down for long anymore because they can go buy and fix their problems. Close quote. You agree with Kiffin on this, Frank?

C (9:13)

You know, I would also add the expanded playoff as well because you have to win more rounds to, you know, repeat as a national champion. So you think about Nick Saban, six titles over his time in Alabama, 07 to 2021. And then of course Kirby Smart, they go back to back at Georgia. So those are like your most recent, I guess you would call them dynasties. What I love about Lane Kiffin, he likes to stir it up. He likes to say provocative things. And to me, this all goes back to last year because he wanted nine three, either Alabama, Ole Miss or South Carolina to get into the playoffs ahead of Indiana and smu. What I think he's doing, he's really lobbying. If you read a lot of his comments, he's lobbying to get four teams from the SEC into that playoff. He's right. You know, it's going to be difficult with nil. He brought up, he told the story about being at an Alabama practice. They would say go look at the outside linebackers. He'd watch them. He would say there's six of them that could all be first round picks. She used to have a chance to kind of develop guys. You know how this works now, Mike, it's the same way in basketball. If I'm not playing my first year, guess what I'm doing? I'm departing and somebody else is going to pay me to go play for them.

B (10:15)

So that's part of it. It's not provocative. It's not provocative at all. It's fact. He's right. There's not going to be any more dynasties. First of all, there are no weak programs in the SEC like there might have been even 25, 30 years ago. Because you can go into the portal and you can originally with Alabama or Georgia and you can come out with them a couple of years later when they're older and bigger and stronger and more mature. No, Frank, this is. He's right about this. It doesn't mean that a school won't have a run, but it's going to be harder to sustain that run. Right? And other schools look at Vandy. Vandy right now is a real threat to Alabama tomorrow, Saturday. I'm sorry, and we didn't think that before, but with nil and there's other money, there's going to be other ways of compensating. Not just nil, but money's plural and the transfer portal and kids being recruited aren't going to be stockpiling. LANE Kiffin is 100.

C (11:21)

And Mike, remember too, the conference got better by adding Texas and Oklahoma. How about having to go on the road and try to win there as well?

B (11:28)

Four teams. We're taking a break, but when we come back, what should we watch for in tonight's game between the Niners and Rams? We're going to ask Booger McFarlane.

C (11:37)

We're also going to ask him why the packers defense has fallen off so much.

B (11:43)

Yeah, college football, particularly is all the college sports in a crazy place.

C (11:48)

Pardon the Interruption is presented by the refreshing taste of Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea.

A (11:55)

Please drink responsibly.

C (11:56)

Part of Happy Hour.

A (12:01)

As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER click granger.com or just stop by. You ever show up late to the game and your friends already saved your seat, your drink, even a plate that's looking out, that's having your back. And that's exactly what AT and T does with the AT and T guarantee. They know staying connected matters. That's why AT and T has connectivity you depend on, guaranteed or they'll proactively make it right. Just like that friend who takes care of things before you even ask. AT&T connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.comguarantee for details.

C (13:05)

You are watching. Pardon the Interruption Presented by Twisted Tea Hard Iced Tea Part of Happy hour.

B (13:20)

Week 5 of the NFL kicks off tonight, which makes it a perfect time for a visit from our great friend ESPN NFL and college football analyst Booger McFarland. And book we're going to start with, of course, tonight's game 49ers Rams, the vaunted and maybe even impressive NFC West. What are you looking for in this game?

D (13:42)

Well, it's a couple of things. Number one, the 49ers are really, really banged up. Mac Jones is going to start. You got no George Kittle. How are they going to perform without some of their top weapons? I think Kyle Shanahan is going to have to do one of his most masterful coaching jobs just to get this team to compete. And then on the other side, I think this will be a welcoming party for America to see who I think is a top five receiver, and that's Puka Nakuur. Like, we talk about Ja' Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson and we talk about all the great receivers. How many times do we mention Puka Nakuur? He deserves to be mentioned. And I think he gets his spotlight tonight. Amazon prime. It's going to be a national game. Everybody's going to get to see what I think is a top five receiver and his name is Puka Nakua. If you've never heard of him, tune in and watch him. He's going to do it a little bit differently. He's going to run reverses. He's going to run every route on the route tree. And here's the thing I love about it. Will Bond. He's a physical dude. He could have played for the 85 Bears.

C (14:39)

Wow, 85 Bears.

B (14:40)

That's high praise right there.

C (14:43)

Let me ask you about another team in the nfc, the Packers Booger. They look so good early on with Micah Parsons. Now they're 2 and 2. Why has Green Bay's defense fallen off?

D (14:54)

See, that's kind of a trick question there, Frank, because you would think they've fallen off.

B (14:58)

Think about this.

D (14:59)

Aside from the Cowboy game, they're giving up 13 points a game, which is absolutely outstanding. I think in the Dallas game, they ran into a hot quarterback in Dak Prescott. Dak Prescott is on fire. He's playing the game at a high level.

C (15:11)

You.

D (15:11)

He's not only going to do what he did to the Green Bay Packers, I think he's going to do it to a lot of other teams. That's how good Dak Prescott is playing. But I don't think anything is wrong with the Packer defense. I think giving them 13 points a game, if they do that all season long, they're going to be mentioned right there with the 85 bears, I think, on the back end. If they can tighten up the coverage just a little bit, those pass rushes up front are really close. Michael Parsons was all over Dak Prescott. He was a half a second away. Rashawn Garrett, those and Van Ness, those guys are going to be right there. I think we're going to see this defense continue to dominate because when they don't play a guy who's on fire like Dak Prescott, they've been pretty good this year so far. Giving up only 13 points a game.

B (15:52)

All right.

C (15:53)

The Browns quarterback situation is something we've been talking about for months. They've decided to go with Dylan Gabriel against the Vikings. The Vikings have Brian Flores, terrific defensive coordinator. What do you make of that decision by the Cleveland Browns?

D (16:07)

I like it. I mean, who are we going to wait around for like the Little Rascals? Like, this is pro football. It doesn't matter who the coordinator is on the other side. You got to go against somebody. So I get it. Brian Flores is tough. But think about this. Guess what? Jackson Dart made his appearance in his debut against Jim Harbaugh and the mighty Charger defense. How did Jackson Dart do? They won the football game. So I, I think he's going to go out. I think the ball is going to come out quick. He's a rhythm and timing quarterback. It's going to be quickly, it's going to be precise, it's going to be accurate and you're going to see Jerry Jeudy and some of those guys be able to run after catch. But I like the idea. It's pro football. We're not going to wait around for the, for the Little Rascals or for the perfect team for him to go against. He's getting paid. He's a professional football player. It doesn't matter who's on the other side. I like the Browns ripping the band aid off and putting the rookie out there.

B (17:00)

All right, we're not going to let you get away without going to college football. I gave you a shout out earlier this week because I was stupid, wrong to suggest that Georgia was going to thrash Alabama, couldn't beat him at all, and you got it right and you were certain about it. So I'm going to stay with Alabama and ask you if the Tide should be on upset alert against a Vanderbilt team, which stunningly they have sort of struggled against and what you think will happen also in Florida State, Miami.

D (17:29)

I'm going to put this one right in your wheelhouse. Wil Bond. Years ago, they asked Charles Barkley what he thought about Angola and he simply said, I don't know much about Angola, but Angola in trouble. I think Vanderbilt is going to be in trouble for two things. Number one, I think what happened last year in Nashville when the Commodores upset Vanderbilt, I think that's going to get Alabama's attention. And number two, they're going to be at home. This game is not on the road and so I think Alabama is going to be out to prove a point. I think we thought the demise of Alabama after They lost to Florida State. That's been over exaggerated. They came back, they beat Georgia. I think everything is alright in Tuscaloosa and I think they beat the Vanderbilt Commodores by 14 plus. As far as the Seminoles and the Hurricanes, I think Miami could be in trouble. I think Florida State has this young quarterback. His name is Thomas Castellanos and if you remember in the off season he told us, hey, Alabama doesn't have Nick Saban to save him and they went out and beat the Crimson Tide. I think you're looking at a situation where this quarterback is going to bring some gravitas to the table like he's going to get this team ready to go. They're at home again, Miami's going on the road and let's be honest, I'm not as big a believer in Carson Beck as most people. I think Florida State keeps this game closer than most people think. And if Thomas Castellanos can make a couple of plays down the stretch, Florida State can pour not only one upset, but this will be the second upset in Doe Campbell Stadium.

C (18:54)

Wow.

B (18:54)

I learned my lesson. I'm not going against you again, Bug. I will tell you this as we wrap up. I'm old enough to have been sitting in the audience that day 33 years ago when Charles Barkley uttered that famous line about Angola Booker. Thanks man. We appreciate it. Wow.

D (19:10)

Anytime man. Appreciate it.

B (19:12)

Guys, we'll take one last break, but coming up, could Albert Pujols return to the majors as a skipper and the.

C (19:21)

Ravens look like they'll be out? They'll be without some major players this weekend. How about Booger quoting your guy Charles Barkley? Pretty good.

B (19:29)

Accurately. It's one of the great lines of all time.

A (19:32)

Ever start snacking and think, wait, should I be eating something healthier? Yeah, skip the guilt. With wonderful pistachios, you don't have to choose between tasty and smart. These are the don't hold back snack packed with bold, craveable flavors like honey roasted, chili roasted and jalapeno lime. Whether you want the heat, the sweet or something in between, they've got you. Each serving brings 6 grams of protein and 0 grams of regret. Want the full crack and snack experience. Go classic with in shell prefer. No mess, no hassle, no shells has your back. Perfect for game time, halftime or anytime. Whether you're watching the game, grinding through emails or just need a break from the chaos, wonderful pistachios are always a win. So don't hold back. Grab a bag and snack like you mean it. Head to wonderful pistachios.com to learn more as you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER, click grainger.com or just stop by.

C (20:59)

Pardon the interruption is presented by the refreshing taste of twisted tea Hard iced tea. Please drink responsibly. Part of Happy Hour.

B (21:10)

Time to get happy people. Happy 65th birthday Glen Anderson we all recognize Oilers legends Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Granpier and Jari Curry. But how about a little love for their fellow hall of Famer Anderson? He won six Cups, five with Edmonton, one with the Rangers. Anderson was a four time All Star scoring 498 goals. Frank in the regular season, another 93 in the playoffs. Wow.

C (21:39)

The one that he won with the Rangers. They were basically the New York Oilers. You had Essa Tinkinen on that team. Craig McTavish, Kevin Lowe, Messier. Unbelievable. What a career Glenn Anderson had though. Incredible player.

B (21:52)

Happy anniversary. Oh Bucky Dent.

C (21:56)

Yeah.

B (21:57)

On this day 47 years ago, Dent hit the three run homer over the Monster to help the Yankees beat the Red Sox in a time tiebreaker game earning him the nickname throughout New England of Bucky Bleeping Dent. That home run was only Dent's fifth that season and he hit just 40 over his 12 year career. Dent later managed the Yankees for parts of the 89 and 90 seasons.

C (22:23)

I remember coming home from school just in time for that. I still could hear the late great Bill White saying deep to left. Your shrimpji is not going to get it. It's a home run. I got to meet Bucky Dent when he was coaching with the St. Louis Cardinals. I had an assignment in Pittsburgh, hung out with him for a few hours. He told great stories, great Yankee stories.

B (22:41)

He started his career with the White Sox. I saw him play on the south side. Happy trails to the Angels. Managerial Opening League sources tell the athletic that future hall of Famer Albert Pujols is the leading candidate to follow Ron Washington who was sidelined mid season after heart surgery and interim Ray Montgomery. The Angels finished 7290 this season, their 10th straight season under.500. Pool Holtz, who played a decade in Anaheim and didn't really leave on the best of terms. Would be the Angels sixth manager in nine seasons. He has some managing experience already winning a Dominican Winter League title as manager this past season.

C (23:22)

Mike, if he gets the job, where do you put him on that list? With great players turn manager. You know, you have Pete Rose, Frank Robinson, Roger Scott.

B (23:30)

Go a long way to be good at. We're running out of show. We got to get to the big finish. Frank. Lamar Jackson did not practice for a second straight day with a hemi. What do you make of that?

C (23:40)

Yeah, I don't think he's going to play. Kyle Hamilton also missed practice. Duke has reportedly agreed to extend basketball coach John shire and other two seasons into 2031. Does that make sense?

B (23:50)

Yeah. Follow Mike is impossible. He has done that, it seems one Final Four appearance in three years. The players, the great high school players keep coming. Yes, he's earned it, it seems to me. Ed Orgeron tells WAFB he's ready to coach again. Your thoughts?

C (24:05)

Why would he want to do it? He got a $17 million buyout. Hasn't coached since 2021 at LSU. Caitlin Clark, back to Fisha Collier in her exit interview with reporters today. What's your reaction?

B (24:16)

The commissioner of that sport. I mean, it's going to really make a tough decision. I mean, maybe out sooner than later. Last one. Nashville won the US Open Cup. Is that significant?

C (24:28)

It's their first trophy with Matthew McConaughey of Austin FC in attendance. But you know what? The winning goal. Questionable penalty kick. I didn't like the call. We're out of time. Thanks for watching. I'm Frank Isola.

B (24:40)

I'm Mike Wilbot. We're back on ESPN tomorrow. Knuckleheads. He got Willa. He got my daughter. I need to find her.

D (24:47)

Willa.

A (24:49)

From acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson.

C (24:51)

You can save that girl.

A (24:53)

Today experience what is being called the best movie of the year. This is the end of the line.

C (24:59)

Not for you.

A (24:59)

Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Pan, Benicio Del Toro. Teyana Taylor. Chase Infinity.

B (25:04)

Let's go.

A (25:05)

Here I am, one battle after another. Now playing only in Beaters. Experience it in IMAX. Rated R. Under 17 nanometer without parrot.