C (2:00)

They weren't great.

B (2:01)

He wasn't great. I'm not going to make the argument like two was untouchable.

C (2:04)

That's right.

B (2:05)

But you know what? They signed Tua to a lot of money.

C (2:08)

Yes, they did.

B (2:08)

And he's making like, you know, NBA money.

C (2:11)

Oh, yeah.

B (2:11)

So why would they pay him that money if they didn't see something along the way that suggested Tua had enough talent and ability to execute the. To move the Dolphins to something. Now they go to a guy chosen in the seventh round, Quinn Ewis, who may or may not be any good. And as soon as he has one game, it will all be overstated.

C (2:31)

Well, this, this season is shot, so it doesn't really matter what they do for the rest of the season. Look, Tua has no future with the Dolphins as long as Mike McDaniel is the coach. Mike McDaniel has seen enough of him. He knows that he is 3 and 12 in his last 15 starts against winning teams. That is not a blueprint to go anywhere in the playoffs because in the playoffs you only face winning teams. Now, if Mike McDaniel gets fired and last guy got fired was a GM, the next head up on the block is the coach's head. If Mike McDaniel gets fired, then maybe someone else can come in and resurrect Tua. At this point, Tua has a contract through 2028. How's this for a number? If they cut him, they lose $99 million in dead money. 99 million. They have to pay him $56 million next year.

B (3:15)

So.

C (3:15)

So the Dolphins may be stuck with him. That contract feels like it makes the thing that Kirk Cousins had with Atlanta look like a piece of cake.

B (3:21)

Well, so do you think, because all these guys consider themselves geniuses, will somebody else look at Tua and say, I can do something with him?

C (3:30)

I think they will. Look, he leads the league in interceptions, which isn't good. 15. He's got 20 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions. That's Jameis Winston land. That's no good. But the Dolphins are aren't any good. And they haven't been good for a long time. I found this out today and I was stunned. You know the last time they won a playoff game?

B (3:46)

Yes. 2000.

C (3:47)

2000. Yeah, right. That the dolphins, in our lifetime. 2000. You know, they're no good.

B (3:54)

They were supposed to be running the ball. They discovered this running game they had won five out of six. What happened to that? They ran the ball 16 times Monday night in Pittsburgh and Nicole. How about running it 32 times against Pittsburgh and Nicole?

C (4:05)

They were down.

B (4:06)

If that's your strength.

C (4:06)

They were down 28.

B (4:07)

Yeah, but they got there because of the turnovers and including the interceptions and ill advised stupid passing. Run the ball.

C (4:15)

By who? By the Quarterback who's now gone. Let's move to the NBA and the NBA cup, which will now reside in New York in Madison Square Garden. As the Knicks beat the spurs last night, 124 to 113. The spurs led by two at the half. They were up by 11 with two minutes to play in the third quarter. The Knicks blew the game open in the fourth, beating the Spurs 35:19 in those 12 minutes. Well, Bon, I know you love Wembanyama and the Spurs.

B (4:39)

I do.

C (4:39)

Do you now take the Knicks more seriously as a contender? No.

B (4:42)

Because I already have the Knicks winning the Eastern Conference. I can't go much further than that.

C (4:46)

They don't. Did.

B (4:47)

Top of the conference is as far as you can go. There's no threat from Boston this year.

C (4:52)

Not.

B (4:52)

Not.

C (4:52)

Not without Jason Tatum.

B (4:54)

There's no threat from the Pacers.

C (4:55)

Not without Tyrese Halbert.

B (4:56)

Really? And so Cleveland's there.

C (4:59)

Cleveland's in sixth place.

B (5:01)

They are. They have not performed up.

C (5:02)

No threat from the Sixers. No threat from the Sixers.

B (5:04)

And I'm.

C (5:07)

Because they may not even be in the playoffs. No. So.

B (5:09)

So it's the Knicks.

C (5:11)

This is exactly what I'm thinking. The one team ahead of them is Detroit.

D (5:14)

Detroit.

C (5:15)

But how can you not consider the Knicks a contender at the moment? They're 18 and seven favorite. They've won six in a row and 10 out of 11.

B (5:23)

One thing I care about. You watched more of this last night than I did.

C (5:26)

I watched the half. You were sneaking.

B (5:27)

Watching. Watch the half. And you should.

C (5:29)

You should.

B (5:29)

Jalen is great to watch. I know you love watching he hits.

C (5:33)

Somebody in the chest every time he comes back on the court.

B (5:36)

I got one thing to say. It's all I care about. I said yesterday they better not put a damn banner up for a stupid cup. Contrived made up by the marketing people and Adam Silver to appeal to the soccer heads under the age of 12 that follow that league by clips. If they put that banner up. Are you in favor of putting the banner up?

C (5:58)

How do you feel about the Lakers a better banner?

B (6:00)

They shouldn't do it either.

C (6:01)

They did it.

B (6:02)

It's embarrassing.

C (6:04)

The Knicks have a lot of rafter space. I talked about this yesterday. They can put it up somewhere. Here's what I was looking for last night. Do you remember we discussed yesterday that everybody on the winning team would get $530,000? Pretty good. What I wanted. This was my dream. Adam Silver at mid court wearing a green eyeshade and an Emirates shirt, handing out 20s and 50s and hundreds to Jalen Brunson. I thought that would be great. That's a nice win for the Knicks. Do you know that?

B (6:29)

It is.

C (6:29)

They had. It is 32 second chance points on 23 offensive rebounds. Offensive rebounding things 10. Robinson had 10 offensive rebounds including 5 and 90 seconds.

B (6:40)

Are you going to get excited about them now? Are you going to wait?

C (6:43)

I'm going to wait because it's December.

B (6:44)

It's the Knicks.

C (6:45)

It's December. It's 60 games left.

B (6:48)

You know.

C (6:48)

I'm going to wait.

B (6:49)

4. Your alternative is getting excited over the Washington Wizards.

C (6:52)

No, they're. No, no. Don't. Don't start. Don't start.

B (6:55)

Giving you your alternative. Don't start. Now to a notable night in the National Hockey League. Sharks phenom Macklin Celebrini took this pass while skating backward. As you can see. Spins scores. Nice one. Is four points on the night. Spinorama. Leon Draisidle of the oilers got his 1000th career point on an assist against the penguins. Teammate Connor McDavid later bamboozled Stuart Skinner. The goalie. That MVP.

C (7:23)

He's good.

B (7:24)

Traded to Pittsburgh. Nathan McKinnon in the AVs had two goals and an assist to up his league leading total to 58 points in just 33 games. And the Maple Leafs scored twice in just eight seconds late to tie. Didn't beat my Blackhawks Tone. Which of these stands out to you?

C (7:44)

So I love watching hockey highlights. I have to watch them four times at Super Slow Mo to know what's going on. Everybody in the arena is cheering and I'm going, what if something's happened? Celebrity. That was wonderful. I never liked covering hockey when I was a sports writer. Writing a column is different. You're right. And you're focusing on one specific thing. You can do that. Being a beat writer in hockey's heart. It went too fast for me. I will get to these things. The individual stuff. Celebrini is fabulous. He may be the next Gretzky. Everybody may be the next Gretzky for an hour and a half. You don't know that. McKinnon leads the league in goals and in points. He's not the next Grey.

B (8:17)

You're impressed at 58. But how many do you think Gretzky had in the same number of games? One year.

C (8:22)

100. I happen to know this. I happen to know this. For fact, scoring two goals in eight seconds is pretty cool.

B (8:29)

Yeah.

C (8:29)

But for me It's Draisaitl and McDavid. Because Draisaitl and McDavid were at the.

B (8:34)

Top of the combination.

C (8:36)

Well, that's what I wanted. And you know why I did that? Because they are Canseco and Maguire, they're the Bash Brothers. They are.

B (8:43)

But at some point they gotta cash in. And the Bash brothers do two years.

C (8:46)

In a row, Stanley Cup Final.

B (8:48)

No, no, no, no. You gotta skate with the cup and take it home and bathe in it and do all those things. The cup has to belong to you.

C (8:55)

Bathe in it.

B (8:55)

Maybe not bathe.

C (8:56)

It's not that big a cup.

B (8:57)

No, it's not. It really isn't. It's. It's. Look, the Maple Leafs, they scored. They were down, I think three. Nothing. They had to be. They scored twice in eight seconds. The Blackhawks got off to a great start this year. And Mike Conner was like third in goal, scored.

C (9:12)

We're out. Isn't he.

B (9:13)

He's out now and the Blackhawks have lost like 7 of 8.

C (9:16)

How is it always the most Chicago centric show in the universe? Why? Let's take break. Coming up, Puka Nukua calls the NFL refs quote the worst. We're going to ask Steve Young how he would feel if one of his receivers had said that.

B (9:29)

We're also going to ask him whether he would have thrown that pass. Caleb. Caleb Williams.

C (9:35)

Caleb Williams. Another Chicagoan.

B (9:37)

That's right.

C (9:38)

Transplanted Washingtonian, but now a Chicagoan.

B (9:41)

Stopped on the way in Norman, Oklahoma and la.

C (9:45)

And ucla. Right. On usc. Not ucla. Usc. Right.

B (9:49)

Stopped in la, though. About a minute. Two years there.

A (9:51)

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D (10:54)

Welcome back to Pardon the Interruption presented by Grey Goose, part of happy hour.

C (11:07)

We've got some NFL questions for our great friend and the man who along with Jerry Rice, was just named a head coach for the NFL Pro bowl games, an event that Wilbon hates, Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young. Let's start with this. You're Philip Rivers. You succeeded in your first game back. What, if anything, do you need to adjust as the opposition defense adjusts to what you have just put on tape?

D (11:29)

Well, first of all, he put something on tape like, come on, I can't believe he didn't get hurt. He didn't pull a muscle. I thought it was remarkable in his post game when he's weeping about my hope that my boys see this, that you can take risks. That whole thing was amazing. So, you know, kudos to him. Now you talk about the facts on the ground as the 49ers go to play them, what are they going to do? The problem is Philip can't throw the ball far. That's why he quit, right, because your arm gives out and he can't throw it hard. And so there's, they're going to put a 15 yard kind of bubble around him so that the defense now creep, creep, creep, creep. They're not going to let you throw the flat, throw a screen, then throw something short over the middle. They're going to force you. They'll go one on one. Anything more than 15 yards, they'll go one on one. Figure they can figure it out as the ball kind of takes a little time to get there and they just double, triple on anything short because remember, he threw for 120 yards and in the end, if they can keep that from happening, that's going to really limit. Now the problem that the 49ers have playing the Colts is if Jonathan starts running the football and you got to go from the 40 to the, to the opposite 30 to go kick a field goal. He can throw a couple passes here and there. And that's the problem if they, if they. And the 49ers are lousy at the, against the run right now. So if they get running the football, Philip Rivers, he might, he's almost want to know he'll, he can get a win here if he can kind of hang in there with it and stay healthy and not pull a groin, man, because I, I still can't believe he didn't pull something, man. I, it's just hard to do come off the couch like that.

C (12:57)

All right.

B (12:58)

Unlike Tony I'm tired of Philip Rivers now. I've had enough of Philip Rivers. So I want to ask about somebody half his age, Puka Nakua, who told a neon livestream that NFL refs are the worst and make calls to get on tv. Some of them. Steve, if one of your wideouts had done this during the week, your reaction would have been what?

D (13:21)

Well, first of all, I know Puka. That had to be tongue in cheek. There's no way he's looking for trouble. But the fact is that gets said, the context is not there. So now I'm an official, I'm hearing about this. It's a problem. It's humans, right? And humans are going to say, like. Because in my mind, the two calls on the field that are so frustrating for fans, players and coaches is holding and pass defensive pass interference. And defensive pass interference in particular because you can change a whole game, get 40 free cheap yards by looping up a ball. Something goes haywire and like the game is so, you know, dynamic and tough and then all of a sudden there's like this crappy throw gets credited. So he's got to be careful because the league, all the rules are for the offense. Safety, rules have all worked against the defense. Puka should say, oh my gosh, I can't believe all the calls I get. I can't believe all the room I have to run. I know that's who he is and that's how he feels about it. He probably should come out and clarify it because you do not want as they go into the playoffs having a side judge or field judge going, you know, I don't want to get on tv, Puka actually. So we're going to let that one ride. Like you want all the calls. So he's got to figure that one out because that's not what you want anyone on the field to be talking about, the officials.

B (14:38)

I don't know if this comparison is being made in the Bay Area, but in Chicago, people are maybe obsessively comparing that Caleb Williams passed to D.J. moore. They're comparing it to Joe, to Dwight, which is a dangerous thing. But you know the pass I'm talking about, Steve, would you have attempted that pass?

D (15:04)

Half of my, most of my career was no, no, no, no, no, no. Yes, Right. Like that's how you do it. Like you, you take risks, you take. And look, I want every fan who loves pro football to have a chance to put a helmet on and stand behind the line of scrimmage with that perspective. We all watch the Super Slow mo. As a ball slides barely by a fingertip and catches for a touchdown. You know, it's like, we don't play in super slow mo. We play at field level where the visibility is really little and you have to take all kinds of judgments. And that's why the great players, Michael, as you know, have this ability to the calculus of the moment, to know where the ball needs to be compared to how. How fast the guy's running, how fast the defender, what the body position is of three or four guys and then fit something in and pull it off. That's the magic of the position. So, look, Caleb's still young. He's still getting used to the speed of the NFL. But those are the kind of throws that I think when he lets them go, you could say to yourself, I knew it would be okay, and he'd actually be telling you the truth. It seems insane, but it was the kind of throws that he's going to make into the future and he's going to get better and better at him as he works on that calculus and gets more used to the speed.

B (16:21)

By the way, to follow up real quick, did it remind you of Joe.

D (16:25)

To Dwight, I know Chicago, you're so desperate, bro.

C (16:28)

We are.

D (16:29)

I know how it's going right now. Like, we got a quarterback, like, in your lifetime, we got somebody and then we can be great. We go to the playoffs, we can win a Super Bowl.

C (16:38)

It's the cat.

D (16:39)

It's the catch, too. Yeah, we're there. Like, no, relax, bro. It's not there yet.

C (16:44)

Thank you for telling him to let it all.

B (16:47)

Need to pump the brakes. Here's what got me to push.

C (16:49)

Here's what's great. Wilbur sits on the show and he says, I'm tired of Philip Rivers. But Caleb Williams. Let's ask nine questions about Caleb Williams.

B (16:58)

He's not 74 years old. Let's talk about the two of us.

C (17:00)

Get you out of here. Some are casting the Patriots loss to the Bills as something that can actually benefit New England. As somebody who played on that field, do you subscribe to the theory of good losses?

D (17:14)

I actually subscribe and have auto renew. You know what I mean? Because you. Every law, the great teams, every loss is a good loss. In other words, we're going to make it work. We're going to learn. Ronnie Lott used to teach about we lose, we learn and we're going to. We're going to use it as fuel so that this doesn't happen again. And the great teams see every loss as that opportunity rather than something to kind of bemoan talk about the mitigating factors that, oh, we almost had it and then that weird thing happened. All this stuff that you get lost in victimization. Like, no, every loss can be a great loss, but you got to make it such. And so the great teams, like I think the looks like the Patriots are coming back with really solid new players and an offense that seems. I know, I like to watch it. It's like, you know what, they're a team that's. I think with Mike can say that's a great loss and make it such. Easy to say, hard to do. But in my mind, every loss you throw up in your mouth a little bit. It's terrible. Like it's acidy. It's like it's gross. But you can make it great.

C (18:20)

What a pleasure to have you, even if you're forced to talk about Caleb Williams. Yeah, thank you.

B (18:24)

He likes Caleb. Come on now.

C (18:26)

Enough with Caleb Williams. Let's take one last break. Still to come, the man who many consider to be the best boxer in the world retires. But will it be for good?

B (18:34)

And Carlos Alcaraz splits with his longtime coach. What's up with that, Steve and Caleb? I bet you they're identical. Size. Identical. I bet you I'm going to find out during the break. Identical height, weight.

C (18:47)

Report back after the break.

A (18:49)

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D (21:04)

Pardon the interruption is presented by Great Goose. Make time wait. Please enjoy responsibly. Part of happy hour.

C (21:12)

Happy time people. Happy 35th birthday. Tyler and Taylor Rogers, the identical twins pitched in the National League this season. Tyler Arighty was 46 with San Francisco and the Mets. Taylor, a lefty, was 32 with the Reds and Cubs. Amazingly, they were both traded on the same day, July 30th. The Rodgers twins grew up in Colorado. Tyler was drafted in the 10th round in 2013 by the Giants. Taylor was drafted twice, once by Baltimore as a high school player in 2009 and then by, get this, the twins in the 11th round of the 2012 draft. Overall, Tyler is 2623 with a 276 ERA over seven seasons. Taylor is 31 and 36, a 334 ERA over 10 seasons. And in 20, 23 and 24 they both played together on the Giants, the fourth set of twins to ever play for the same major league team.

B (22:06)

You see this submarine? Who's the first picture you think of when you see a submarine?

C (22:11)

I don't know. Tell me.

B (22:12)

Ted Abernathy.

C (22:13)

Oh, Ted Abernathy. I remember that. Yeah. I think of the EFIS before I think of the submarine. I think Hamilton. Happy Anniversary. Terrell Owens on this day 25 years ago to set the NFL single game record for receptions when he caught 20 passes from Jeff Garcia for 283 yards and a touchdown in a 17 nothing 49ers win over Wilbon's Bears Owens record was broken in 2000 by future Bear Brandon Marshall, who caught 21 passes from former Bear Kyle Orton in a Denver loss to the Colts. TO's 20 reception surpassed a 50 year old mark by Tom Fears of the Rams. Owens could be a pain, but he was first team all pro five times and three times led the league in receiving touchdowns. He had 1,078 catches, 15,934 yards and 153 touchdowns over 15 seasons and he was voted into the hall of fame in 2018.

B (23:09)

I came to like Tio a lot. I like him a lot.

C (23:11)

Now I know.

B (23:12)

I just hated when he had to antagonize my man Donovan McNabb.

A (23:16)

Why?

C (23:16)

What was the point?

B (23:17)

They were on the same team. By the way, Jerry Rice. That was his last home game in that record breaker.

C (23:21)

That was Jerry Rice.

B (23:23)

Jerry Rice, number one.

C (23:24)

That's right. Happy trails. Terence Crawford, the man generally considered to be the best pound for pound boxer alive, says he's retired from the sport. The 38 year old just beat Canelo Alvarez back in September to become the undisputed super middleweight champ. Watch that fight. He's also held that distinction as a welterweight and junior welterweight. Overall. Crawford has won 18 belts across five weight classes on his way to a career record of 42, 0 with 31 knockouts. He said on his YouTube channel, I've won a different kind of battle, the one where you walk away on your own terms. It's a nice thought, but boxers rarely retire once.

B (23:58)

He'll be back. That's what I But here's the here's the thing. He never got the do he deserved because boxing his crazy. Let me tell you something. He's so much better to me than Floyd Mayweather, who just can pump himself up. I'll take him.

C (24:13)

1 update Caleb Williams 61226 Steve Young tells us 62210 in your face Wilbon Running out of toes Big finish Quick Carlos Southwest split with coach Juan Carlos Ferreiro. After seven years and six majors, you surprised?

B (24:26)

How much more winning could they do? I don't get it. The SEC says it will revamp its tiebreaker criteria next season. Your thoughts?

C (24:33)

Tim Phillips is a year late on this. NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the league will decide whether to expand in 2026.

B (24:39)

Predictions done deal Seattle and Vegas. That's it. LSU interim coach Frank Wilson is leaving to join Ole Miss. See?

C (24:47)

Okay, LSU just got rid of him and hired lane Kiffin. Last one, the second 68 Ventures bowl tonight, Louisiana. Delaware, who you got?

B (24:55)

I was gonna say I got lead pass in the Washington D.C. i got Delaware. Except they're none on.

C (25:00)

I got the Blue Hens. We're out of time. We'll try to do better the next time. I'm Tony Cornhot.

B (25:05)

Well, you needed community people out there In Delaware, I'm Mike Lobacher. Same time tomorrow, knuckleheads.

A (25:10)

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