Hour 3: Focusing on 1 and 0

Summary

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Podcast Summary:

Sunday Mornings with Matt and Myron
Episode: Hour 3: Focusing on 1 and 0
Hosts: Matt Jones & Myron Medcalf (ESPN Radio)
Date: January 18, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this lively, character-rich episode, Matt and Myron serve up a blend of sports debate, listener stories, and playful banter. Kicking off with a quirky discussion about sleep habits, the hosts field a parade of “short sleeper” callers before diving into serious (and not-so-serious) talk about college football dominance, football playoffs, and regional culture. The show ends with picks for NFL and college championship games, featuring guest Christine Williamson, while celebrating the uniqueness of Southern and Black family nicknaming traditions.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "Short Sleeper Syndrome" and Sleep Deprivation Tales

[00:34–12:34]

• Matt shares a study about health decline at age 44, joking with Myron about getting older and "living it up" before the coming decline.
• Discussion pivots to “short sleeper syndrome” after news that the Speaker of the House sleeps 2–4 hours a night. Listeners call in to share their experiences.

Memorable Callers:

• Dan from California: Can only sleep four hours—claims immediate deep sleep.
  • “I can only sleep like four hours. After four hours I'm wide awake.” — Dan, [02:31]
  • “I think I fall asleep and immediately go into like that deep asleep. I think I'm either like in a coma or awake.” — Dan, [02:47]
• Eric from Alabama: Asserts he survives on three hours, hits the gym at 4 a.m. in Montgomery with a small group of regulars.
  • “I just can't sleep.” — Eric, [03:49]
• Lee in Detroit: Describes a grueling years-long work-and-transit routine on almost no real sleep, evoking hosts’ admiration:
  • “So I'd probably be sleeping on the bus for about... 2 1/2 hours or each way a total. And I'll take it.” — Lee, [06:05]
  • “Are you okay? What was the impact of that?” — Myron, [07:29]
  • “You’re a hard working man and you wear a steel hard hat.” — Matt, [07:54]
• Sean in Texas: Claims short sleepers enter REM sleep practically immediately; demonstrates with surreal 30-second dream stories.
  • “Short sleepers go into REM sleep immediately.” — Sean, [09:39]
• Alan in Oklahoma: Raised on a farm, recounts lifelong survival on 2–4 hours due to chores and being a college athlete.
  • “I've been like that my whole life.” — Alan, [10:10]

Hosts’ Reactions:

• Both hosts express skepticism and marvel at listeners’ endurance.
• “Who knew there are all these people out there getting two hours, three hours of sleep? God bless all of you.” — Matt, [10:50]

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2. Regional Dialects and Southern Pronunciation

[05:00–12:34, 23:11–25:21]

• The hosts riff on the pronunciation of “Montgomery,” “Detroit,” and “Tennessee,” playfully mocking each other's accents and regional slang.
  • “Montgomery. That’s how you… if we were to spell Montgomery like we say it, it would be M-U-N G-U-G-U-M-R-E-E.” — Matt, [05:29]
• Matt tries to teach Myron how Southerners say “Tennessee” and shares family ties with country singer Morgan Wallen, including an epic nickname tale about “Boots.”
  • “Her name was Boots. She was a wonderful lady.” — Matt, [24:23]

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3. Debate: Is Indiana Potentially the Greatest College Football Team?

[15:13–21:52]

• Matt and Myron debate whether Indiana, having dominated top teams and perhaps going undefeated, deserves “best ever” status.
• Matt argues Indiana’s gauntlet of victories (Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon, Miami) should put them at the top.
  • “If it said Alabama on their jersey and they had this run… wouldn’t people say, well, of course, this is one of the best teams of all time?” — Matt, [16:24]
• Myron pushes back, weighing “personnel” and historical blue-bloods (LSU with Burrow, "Tebow's Florida," Saban's Bama).
  • “For me… personnel matters a lot… there have been dominant teams that also had, like, this elite talent.” — Myron, [16:01]
  • “You’re telling me you line up that Tebow team against this Indiana team…?” — Myron, [21:01]
• They spar over Mendoza (Indiana’s star QB) vs. Tim Tebow. Matt asserts Mendoza will have a better NFL career and Indiana deserves to be in the conversation, suggesting bias may exist against non-traditional powers.
  • “I think what it is, is no one wants to say that the name Indiana can be the best team because it’s Indiana.” — Matt, [21:33]

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4. NFL Playoff Preview: Rams vs. Bears

[25:21–31:36]

• Focus shifts to the Bears’ underdog chances playing the Rams in frigid Chicago.
  • “What chances do you give the Bears… even though they are four and a half point underdog at home?” — Matt, [26:06]
• Myron: Defense and weather are the Bears’ hope; Rams have advantage in experience (Matthew Stafford). Weather, crowd, and home field could matter more than usual.
  • “I think it has an impact in a close game down the stretch… if you’re a Ram… it’s the only thing you’re thinking of in that fourth quarter.” — Myron, [27:39]
  • “Caleb Williams... going to have to keep up with a Hall of Famer and that'll be the question. He can't start slow.” — Myron, [28:57]
• Matt gets Myron to explain “bar for bar” rap terminology for the audience.
  • “As the hip hop guys say, bar for bar… I don’t know why I said that…” — Myron, [29:35]
  • “Bar means what?” — Matt, [29:35]
  • “In a typical rap, there are 16 bars… that’s the idea.” — Myron, [29:49]

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5. Family Nicknames: “Boots,” “Man,” and “Cheese”

[32:04–33:49]

• Inspired by Matt’s “Boots” story, Myron shares his own family’s tradition of nicknames—“Man” and “Cheese.”
  • “You have a relative who just goes by man, Man?” — Matt, [32:10]
  • “I honestly don’t even know his real name.” — Myron, [32:14]
  • “I think he smiled a lot… and people started calling him Cheese.” — Myron, [33:12]
• Both hosts bond over the tradition of inventive nicknaming in Southern and Black families.

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6. Guest Segment: Christine Williamson & Game Picks

[35:42–44:40]

Introduction:

• Christine Williamson, SportsCenter anchor and University of Miami alum, joins as guest picker. Christine rejects the “Miami is back” hype, sticking to Coach Cristobal’s “one and 0” mentality.
  • “Crystal Ball... likes to say we’re going one and 0.” — Christine, [36:12]
• She describes exclusive, resort-like Miami campus culture.
  • “At the time, there was an alligator living on campus as well. It's very resort, like…” — Christine, [39:11]

Picks:

• Texans at Patriots:

  • Christine picks Patriots, predicts Super Bowl win.
  • Myron agrees with her.
  • Matt roots for Texans as a protest vote against New England dominance.

• Rams at Bears:

  • Christine & Myron: Rams (experience over youth, Stafford over Caleb Williams).
  • Matt can’t turn on his beloved Bears, picks Chicago from the heart.

• National Championship: Miami vs. Indiana

  • Christine: All in for Miami (her alma mater), praises Cristobal, disavows hype.
    • “Do I trust Carson Beck? No! But our defense is stifling and I am going with the Canes.” — Christine, [44:01]
  • Myron: Picks Indiana (Carson Beck as difference-maker).
  • Matt: Picks Indiana, arguing for their place in college football history.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-----------------------------------------------| | 02:31 | Dan | "I can only sleep like four hours. After four hours I'm wide awake." | | 03:49 | Eric | "Crash in the afternoon. Nothing. I just can't sleep." | | 07:54 | Matt | "You're a hard working man and you wear a steel hard hat." (to Lee) | | 09:39 | Sean | "Short sleepers go into REM sleep immediately. You're not cycles of. We have to wait to get to that." | | 16:24 | Matt | "If it said Alabama on their jersey and they had this run… wouldn’t people say, well, of course, this is one of the best teams of all time?" | | 19:25 | Matt | "Why are you so hesitant to say that? … Mendoza is going to be the number one pick. Why not? Why not?" | | 29:35 | Myron | "As the hip hop guys say, bar for bar… I don’t know why I said that…" | | 32:14 | Myron | "I honestly don’t even know his real name. Man." | | 36:12 | Christine | "Crystal Ball... likes to say we’re going one and 0." | | 39:11 | Christine | "At the time, there was an alligator living on campus as well. It's very resort, like…" | | 44:01 | Christine | "Do I trust Carson Beck? No! But our defense is stifling and I am going with the Canes." |

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Short Sleeper Syndrome Stories: [00:34–12:34]
• Regional Accent Humor & Culture: [05:00–12:34, 23:11–25:21]
• Indiana Greatest Team Debate: [15:13–21:52]
• Rams vs. Bears Playoff Preview: [25:21–31:36]
• Family Nickname Discussion: [32:04–33:49]
• Christine Williamson Segment & Game Picks: [35:42–44:40]

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Tone and Style

The show is characterized by warm, good-humored chemistry; Matt’s playful provocations bring out Myron’s skeptical wit. Storytelling from callers and hosts paints a relatable and uniquely American sports radio atmosphere, rich with cultural nuance and personal texture.

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For First-Time Listeners

This episode balances sports insight with cultural color. Even if you aren't up-to-date with the college football season, you’ll appreciate the banter, the parade of distinctive callers, and the passionate, grounded debates. The guest segment with Christine Williamson is particularly engaging, providing listeners with an insider’s view of Miami's football fever and campus culture.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

This is Matt and Myron the podcast.

[A]

Matt myron here with two guys. Well, we are two guys in our 40s that at least one of which was really interested in Stacy's mom. We're presented by Progressive Insurance. Insurance for motorcycles, boats and RVs for protection on the road and on the water. See how much you can save at 1-800-progressive and progressive.com Myron I just saw a study this week, I don't know if you saw this, that science says that the age that humans drop off in health the most, where they take the biggest leap down in health quality is 44. That at 44 your body takes a massive leap down and then the next Tier is at 60, 73. So 44 and 73 is when your body starts to. It ages rapidly that year. So I just want to warn you that that is coming for you this year.

[B]

Well, not next year, it'll be for me. But like, what, why would you say that? Like, what do you mean? Are you.

[A]

I mean, I don't know, science, but that's.

[B]

I watch YouTube videos though. I see guys bodybuilding in their 70s. Man, I see, I see guys 80 years old running marathons. I mean, you know, you also see.

[A]

Guys that sleep three hours. I just want you to know, live this year up because starting next year it's all going to start falling apart. So I want to make sure you enjoy your last year.

[B]

Listen, I'm blessed. So I'm right.

[A]

I know you are. Now we were talking about how the speaker of the House said he sleeps two to four hours a night. Myron says he has a buddy that only sleeps three. It's called short sleeper syndrome and we have some folks on here who claim to have that. Myron and I wanted to talk to a couple of them. So Dan is in California. Dan, do you have short sleeper syndrome?

[D]

Unfortunately, I do. I can only sleep like four hours. After four hours I'm wide awake. Doesn't matter. If I go to bed at 8 o', clock, I'm up at midnight. If I go to bed at midnight, I'm up at 4.

[A]

So do you have like energy throughout the day?

[D]

Yeah, yeah, I think so. I don't know if there's any science to this, but I think the only reason it works for me is because like I think I fall asleep and immediately go into like that deep asleep. Like I don't think I do the light sleep at all. I think I'm either like in a coma or awake.

[A]

Well, that is. Well, okay.

[B]

All right.

[A]

So it works for you. All right, I appreciate the call. Now that's still though four. This guy was claiming two and you claimed three. Three to four. Eric is in Alabama. Go ahead, Eric.

[D]

Hey, I, I gotta, I gotta back up my man Metcalf here. I'm. I'm generally three. Three and a half. Four is a good night, but I can pass out and then literally three hours later I'm wide awake and cannot go back to sleep for the life of me.

[A]

But I mean. Alright. So how's your health though? Are you able to like with three hours take on the world?

[D]

Yeah, yeah. Work every day. I never have any problems.

[E]

I know.

[D]

Crash in the afternoon. Nothing. I just can't sleep.

[A]

So what time do you go to bed, Eric?

[D]

Anywhere from 11:30 to 12:30.

[A]

All right, so you get up, let's say you go to bed 11:30. You get up at 2:30 in the morning. It's not exactly an ideal time to start your day. What do you do then?

[D]

Read some emails. Then I'll go to the gym at about 4 and then start work at about 7.

[B]

The gym is open at 4 because the dudes like it's a real thing.

[A]

How many people are at the gym at 4 in Alabama?

[D]

More than. More than you'd think.

[A]

So at 4 o' clock in Alabama. What city in Alabama? What city in Alabama are you in?

[D]

Montgomery.

[A]

So I've been to Montgomery. You're telling me at 4am in Montgomery, Alabama there are all these people working out in the gym?

[D]

I didn't say all these people. It's. If there's a good six or seven of us that are there consistently and.

[A]

It'S the same, you get to know them, I would assume.

[D]

Absolutely. Absolutely.

[B]

Short sleepers is a real thing. Man. He's telling you.

[A]

All right, thank you very much.

[B]

You said it different. Like I say Montgomery. You said another word. Montgomery.

[A]

Montgomery. That's always out. It's Montgomery. Montgomery. You're saying too many letters and syllables. We like to make it Montgomery.

[B]

Yeah. I don't know how to do it. Montgomery is what I've always Thought it was. You just say you don't know how to say it.

[A]

Midnight in Montgomery. Like, listen, why don't y' all just.

[B]

Spell it the way y' all say it? That would make life a lot easier.

[A]

If you, if we were to say. If we were to spell Montgomery like we say, it would be M U, N G U G U M R E E. Montgomery.

[B]

Love. Love, love. Montgomery. Montgomery. Yeah, you just, you just snuck that in.

[A]

Yeah, that's how you.

[B]

But he's a real. I'm telling you, these people are real short sleepers. They're telling you. This is a real thing.

[A]

I'm also going to teach you how to say the actual cities in the United States, Lee. In Detroit. Go ahead.

[B]

I think that's Detroit.

[A]

Or as my grandfather would say, Detroit. Go ahead. Go ahead, Lee. Yes.

[D]

Yes, sir. I used to work in a little fuse arena. So I used to work from 11 to 7 in the inside and cleaning and then I used to clean on the outside from 7 to 3. Now I used to get on the bus at 3:30 to go to my wife's job and I get there about five. So I sleep on the bus to get the car to go get the kids and take them home. And once I get them home, get them settled, I drive the car back to her and then I hop back on the bus and go right back to work. So I'd probably be sleeping on the bus for about. About 2 1/2 hours or each way a total. And I'll take it.

[B]

How did you do this? What age were you when you did this? Because that sounds impossible.

[D]

No, I was. It was only a couple years ago, so I'm 37 now, so I was probably about 33, 34.

[A]

So. Yeah. Let me go through your schedule quick. You work from 11 to 7 on the inside, then you work from 7 to 3 on the outside. Did they pay you overtime?

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[D]

It was all. It was all in one. It was two contracts. I, I earned the. Earned the outside contract through the same group. So.

[A]

Okay.

[D]

Everything was all in one page.

[A]

And then you, you went and rode the bus from 3:30 to 5 and then you went and got the kids. That sounds like. How long were you able to do that? Feels like that would wear your body.

[B]

Yeah, that feels impossible.

[D]

I did, I did that for. I used to. I did that for three years.

[B]

Wow. Are you okay? Like, I mean, what was the impact of that?

[D]

I mean. Well, I had sports injuries, so I mean, that's. It is a bad impact on it, but because I Tore my cleaning pcl. No, no plan.

[B]

You tore your ACL cleaning.

[D]

No, no, I tore my ACL playing sports. But you know, it flared cleaning there, so, you know, I'll wear the brace and everything, so it'll be okay.

[A]

Well, let me tell you something, Lee. As, as, as, as the Brooks and Dunn would say, you're a hard working man and you wear a steel hard hat. And I appreciate your, your contribution.

[B]

I'll never complain, baby.

[A]

There you go.

[B]

I'll never complain again about anything. If he was doing that.

[A]

Sometimes they're like, could y' all do an extra 30 minutes of the show? And Myron's like, I can't do it. I can't do it. This is just too much for my brain. And every time you do that, I want you to think about Lee who's out there, and Lee is out there doing the inside and the outside. And you're like, I can't do 30 more minutes of radio. Let's go to Sean in Texas. Go ahead, Sean.

[D]

Hey, guys. I used to be for years a short sleeper. And I got over it. But I want to tell you how I found out I was. What was going on. I was dating a girl. That is probably part of the reason I was a short sleeper. But she getting ready to take a nap one day. We'd stayed out. We'll stay that real late the night before. We're taking a nap the next day. And she wakes me up and I said, what are you doing? She said, what were you dreaming about? I said, how do you know I was dreaming? She said, your eyes were moving. You were in REM sleep. So I described the dream in great detail and I said, how long was I asleep? She said, about 30 seconds. She was watching when I fell asleep. She heard my breath change and I said, what? No. This dream lasts like 10 minutes. She said, no, no, do it again. So she let me fall asleep again and then she woke me up again and said, what was it this time again? Long dream that had been asleep 45.

[A]

Your point of the story are you only sleep for 30 seconds? Is that what you're arguing?

[D]

No, no. The argument is short sleepers go into REM sleep immediately. You're not cycles of. We have to wait to get to that.

[B]

So they skip that first cycle. They skip the first cycle. That's what I'm telling you, Matt. It's like a real thing. They go right into their deep sleep. Most of us don't do that.

[A]

All right, well, I'll do one more. I feel like Some of y' all just telling wives tales about how you slept for 30 seconds, met a witch, and then all this stuff. I don't know if all this is true. Alan is in Oklahoma. Go, Alan.

[D]

Hey. I was raised on a farm, and we milk cows and those type of things in the early morning. So I slept three to four hours, tops. Went to school, then when I went to college, I was a walk on and worked a midnight shift and slept two or three hours and went to workout, went to class, then went to practice, then did homework after that and went back to work for a midnight shift. So that's kind of. And I've been like that for all my whole life.

[A]

Good night. Well, you folks are. Salute to you. I appreciate the call.

[B]

That's amazing.

[A]

Who knew that there are all these people out there getting two hours, three hours of sleep? God bless all of you. And this is what Sunday Morning with Matt Myron is for also. It's for this. Myron say Montgomery.

[B]

I say Montgomery, but you all say Montgomery.

[A]

Let's just try to do it like the rest of us in the south would say Montgomery.

[B]

Yeah, Montgomery is not something I don't. Montgomery. Montgomery. Every time I say one of those words, I gotta. Like. I feel like I'm making fun of. Like, it sounds like I'm making fun of people that. Montgomery. That's all I'm trying to do. Yeah. Where you going to now, man? I'm about to drive through Montgomery, you know, go through Montgomery. Novel. I don't know how to say it, man. I don't know how to say it without sounding like a goofball.

[A]

No, you just say, do I sound like a goofball? Montgomery, Alabama.

[B]

No, but you get. You, like, sometimes the show, your Southern is at like a three, and when you get on with people who are from the south, you go to like a nine in the middle of the conversation.

[A]

Yeah, that is true. Because. Because it brings it out of me. Like, if I meet somebody who's like, from Knoxville, Tennessee, then I. Yeah, then my.

[B]

Tennessee. I didn't know what. I know what state that is. You just described. That's a place, I guess, that you just. I don't know what that place is, but apparently it's on the map, so.

[A]

Tennessee. Yeah.

[B]

I don't know what that place is.

[A]

Rachel, when we come back, play Morgan Wallen, sand in My Boots. The chorus when he says he's from eastern Tennessee. And you'll see what I'm saying. That's how you. That's. That's. I'm gonna teach you mine. You're gonna be a Southerner before this thing is over. Matt Myron on ESPN Radio we're gonna pretend we're gonna get you championship plus Rams and Bears next here on Matt.

[B]

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[A]

It's Matt Myron on ESPN Radio. Is this Tate McCray? This is Tate McRae. So this is the woman that dates the hockey player, Jack Hughes. Myron.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You know her.

[B]

Not sound like Sabrina Carpenter at all.

[A]

I didn't say she sounded like. I'm just saying like she's like the.

[E]

Lyrics to this song. She very much is like Sabrina Carpenter.

[A]

Not like Friends.

[B]

The song, the sound is different. I know. I listen to all her albums. This is different.

[A]

They're either friends or they hate each other. I can't remember, but they have some, like, thing. And she's. She's Tate McCarthy.

[B]

I'm Team Sabrina, then.

[A]

All right, well, I'm sorry. I'm glad to know that. Matt Myron's. On ESPN Radio, presented by Progressive Insurance, Miami and Indiana coverage begins at 6:30 Eastern on ESPN Radio and the ESPN app on Monday. Indiana has a chance to go undefeated if they win. By the way, are they one of the best teams of all time? I know that's a crazy thing to say, but they've dominated. I mean, they beat Ohio State, dominate Alabama, dominate Oregon. If they were to, let's say, if they were to win and dominate Miami. Would you say that about the Indiana Hoosiers?

[B]

I'd say it's definitely one of the best runs of all time. For sure. I mean, but it's more than.

[A]

I mean, they've been like, great all season and last year they only lost, you know, one game.

[B]

No, no, no. So when you say greatest team of all time, for me, personnel matters a lot, right. So there have been dominant teams that also had, like, this elite talent.

[A]

So you need star. Well, I mean, it's. It's having the number one pick in the draft not enough.

[B]

We gotta be able to talk about Indiana without feeling like we gotta make this grand judgment about them. I think this is remarkable.

[A]

I just want to make the objective. I just want to make the objective case. If I were to tell you, let's say. My argument is if it said Alabama on their jersey and they had this run and they had the number one pick in the draft. Yeah. Wouldn't people say, well, of course, this is one of the best teams of all time. I think we don't want to do it because it's Indiana and we're like, how can we say that about Indiana?

[B]

It's one of the greatest runs of all time, 100%. It's one of the greatest stories of all time. Underdog stories, for sure, in terms of where they start.

[A]

Why can't it be one of the greatest teams?

[B]

Again, for me, when I think of the greatest teams, let's say, over the last 25 years, I'm looking at the teams that had the personnel that.

[A]

But they're.

[B]

They're different than what this Indiana team has.

[A]

There's a very good chance that when this is over, they'll have the best point differential if they win. Of any team in the last 30 years of college football. And they're playing in a real Conference too, shouldn't. I mean, like, that's, that's amazing.

[B]

I don't like the conversations when we feel like we got to take a team like Indiana and rank them. And because of how we're feeling right now, people are saying, okay, maybe one.

[A]

Of the best argument.

[B]

Matt, you're an SEC guy, though. We were an SEC guy.

[A]

What's your argument against it, though? What's your argument against it? Like, I'm.

[B]

The argument is I saw Florida and Tebow and I saw all those Nick Saban Alabama teams and I saw a Miami team that beat Ohio State. I mean, that will lost Ohio State but then beat them 20.

[A]

What's the argument those teams are better.

[B]

Is based on what the personnel is. The players are better.

[A]

So you just, you just like because you think their star names are better, then they must be better even if Indiana's results are better.

[B]

Matt, are you telling me that you think you put this team against the best Saban Alabama team and you're picking Indiana?

[E]

I'm not.

[A]

I don't know. But I would say those teams you just mentioned. Okay, well, hang on. LSU with borough, the Miami team that beat Ohio State, which I think is correct. One or two of those best Saban teams. I think if they finish this off, especially if they finish it off in a convincing way, I don't know why you wouldn't put this Indiana team in with that group. Why wouldn't you? Their results would be just as good. Now, do I think they're better? I don't know. I mean, I'd have to sit and really think about it. But I would say it would be inarguable. They should be in that conversation.

[B]

So you're lining Joe Burrow's LSU team against this Indiana team and you're saying there's a world where you bet on Indiana. Joe Burrow, would you bet on Indiana?

[A]

Well, I didn't bet on Indiana against Alabama, so I don't know.

[B]

But I'm saying to be in the conversation, to me, you would have to convince me that that's a fair game.

[A]

I would tell you that. Let's take the Florida Tebow team. I think there's a very good argument that while we love Tim Tebow, Mendoza's as good, if not better than Tebow. Why not? Mendoza is going to be the number one pick. Why not? Why not? Why are you so hesitant to say that? What else? Because.

[B]

Saying this stuff, but I can't.

[A]

Believe you're making me take up for the Hoosiers like this. Because I Usually hate Indian sports, but I can't understand what else they should do. If they. They will have beaten in back to back weeks, Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon and Miami and they will have beaten them all convincingly.

[F]

How?

[B]

What else are they supposed to do? I'm with you that this is remarkable what they've done and to dominate teams the way that they have done that, we haven't seen that very often. Full credit to Indiana, but I'm not going to do the thing that people like to do. Are you, Mendoza, Tebow? Are we being honest right now? Mendoza?

[A]

Do you know what I think is almost certain? You want to think it's almost certain Mendoza is going to have a better NFL career than Tebow.

[B]

That's a different conversation. Don't do that. Don't be. Don't do barbershop stuff, man. Don't do barbershop stuff.

[A]

In this conversation, he will have just as many. He will have won just as many national championships as Tebow. Tebow will have had better pieces around him. And Mendoza still won.

[B]

No, Tebow at two national championships. Remember, he's a freshman, one of them.

[A]

He was a player, he was a big player.

[B]

Who's going to be better in the league is a different conversation. Okay, you're telling me you line up that Tebow team against this Indiana team and that Florida team.

[A]

Does it say you can't have it both ways? You can't have it both ways. If you want to argue that the Florida team is better, I will listen to that argument. But if you're going to tell me the Florida team is better, okay, then Mendoza is better than Tebow because Tebow has a lot more around him than Mendoza does.

[B]

I think this feels like a kind of in the moment conversation. I just can't.

[A]

I think what it is, is no one wants to say that the name Indiana can be the best team because it's Indiana. But if they had the same jerseys on or the same players and it was Ohio State, you all would say it. But you won't say it about the Hoosiers because you're snobs from Montgomery, Matt.

[B]

And Myron, the podcast.

[C]

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[F]

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[A]

That's how you say it. So try it. Byron. Eastern Tennessee.

[B]

Tennyson. It sound like Hennessy that you're saying?

[A]

No, that's exactly what it is. Say Tennessee like you would Hennessy.

[B]

Tennessee. It doesn't sound right. I don't know what state that is. That's a different state. Maybe I haven't been to that state. Like, maybe y' all got a set of states.

[A]

Morgan Wallen is from Tennessee and he.

[B]

Might be a different Tennessee then she's.

[A]

From the way that she'd love eastern Tennessee, just so you know. And by the way, just a few weeks ago, I went by the house where Morgan Wallen, where he considers like his home place in eastern Texas Tennessee, because that's my family. And there it was. And I was going to take a picture to send it to you because I know, Myron, you're a big Morgan Wallen fan, right?

[B]

I know it's your cousin. What cousin? How is the relation again? Like, explain that.

[A]

Let's see. His great grandmother Boots like black folks.

[B]

Now you sound like black people on his daddy side.

[A]

You and I've talked about country people and black people. We have a lot in common, right? We have a lot in common. How we do stuff.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

His great grandma's name is Boots. Okay. What? Her name was Boots. She was a wonderful lady. All right. You know, but her name, you can.

[B]

Only do that in like, certain states. Like only certain things.

[A]

Do you get to be Boots and.

[B]

Everybody'S like, cool with it. That's all I'm saying.

[A]

Boots was hilarious. Her great grandma's name was Boots. My grandma Helen and Boots were sisters. So I think he is my second cousin once removed. Okay, okay. Second cousin once removed. Boots and Helen were sisters.

[B]

Yeah, that's definitely black folks. Because we will make our way to be related to anybody. Like, just ask somebody right now. Who's black? How you related to Denzel Washington. And I guarantee you that they can get there. They can find their way. They can find their way to Denzel. I guarantee you.

[A]

All right, I got you. All right. Let's go to Rams, Bears. My team is playing today. It's easy to get distracted because of these conversations. But the Rams and Bears are playing at 6:30. Winner was a distraction. Goes for exactly from what I would be doing otherwise to the NFC Championship game. You said Matthew Stafford had the most pressure on him being made in the playoffs. Let's talk just for a second about the Bears. Forty years ago they didn't come here to feathers ruffle. They came to do the super bowl shuffle and it is now there for them again. You're looking at having to beat the Rams and Sam Darnold to go the Super Bowl. It's going to be a wild atmosphere in Chicago tonight. What chances do you give the Bears of winning even though they are four and a half point underdog at home?

[B]

I mean they have a chance. I think it's two teams that are trying to erase the memory of what happened in their last outing. Right. You can make the case that the Carolina Panthers should have won that game against the Rams. Couple of mistakes cost them that opportunity and then certainly the packers somehow squandered that big lead they had against Chicago. So those two teams can't show up against Seattle and expect to win. I think Chicago definitely has a chance because they have a playmaking defense that creates turnovers. Caleb Williams, I think if you put them in a position to succeed. You saw that down the stretch against Green Bay. Certainly Chicago could advance in this game. But you're playing a guy who's been here, who's done that. Matthew Stafford has faced all kinds of situations that Caleb Williams has not seen yet. So I understand why the Rams have the edge. But the weather could be the thing, Matt. I mean it's supposed to be like 10 below wind chill or something like that. So I wonder what cold.

[A]

That snow, the. The wind there. You know, I think wind is a big deal because. Because Matthew Stafford. I think the win might have more of an effect than it will on a Bears team where Caleb can scramble and where they have a good, really good running game with DeAndre Swift. But we'll see. Not as of now. I don't think it's expected to have heavy wind, but it is supposed to be very cold. Do you think things like the cold matter for a team like la? Alright, in la, you're out There with the sun, the bikinis, the matcha and all that stuff, and you have to come to Chicago and play and it's 10 below. Do you think that has an impact?

[B]

I think it has an impact in a close game down the stretch. Meaning? I just think if you're not used to cold conditions, it just wears on you. I mean, it just. It's not something you can get used to. And I think the problem is.

[A]

Right. Do you think you. Have you gotten used to it?

[B]

Not, not. I mean, I don't enjoy it. It's not. I mean, it's here. I can't do a lot about it, but I don't love it. And I think the problem is if you're a Ram and all of a sudden it's the fourth quarter and you've been fighting and clawing to stay in the game, it's the only thing you're thinking of in that fourth quarter. Because, yeah, the first quarter, you come out, you see guys in the pregame, they don't wear shirts, they wear short sleeve to act like they're tough. And then they come out, maybe they have that adrenaline. When you hit that third quarter, though, all of that goes out the window and you realize how cold it is and it becomes. The question is, can you focus on everything else except the cold? And that's hard to do.

[A]

Now, Caleb has answered the bell in every situation so far, including on Sunday, but this is a whole nother level. You're playing against a Hall of Famer, right, in Matthew Stafford. You're playing in a game that can send you to the NFC championship for the first time in 20 years. A lot of pressure, a crowd there. Do you think Caleb Williams can answer the bell again?

[B]

Not if he starts the way he did in the first half. I mean, of the packers game. But I think you saw how he finished it, made some remarkable throws. I think this is one of those games where I think both, both defenses will make big plays. To me, he's going to have to keep up with a Hall of Famer and that'll be the question. He can't start slow. I think when Caleb Williams comes out and that offense doesn't get going early, they'll fall behind. But against the Rams, you're not going to come back the way you did against Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love. So I think he's got to go. You know, as the hip hop guys say, bar for bar. With Matthew Stafford, like, you got to really battle him. I don't know why I said that, but you got to really keep up with Matthew Stafford.

[A]

I think translate that for our white audience. Bar means what?

[B]

So in a typical rap, there are 16 bars, they're called. Right. So you hear 16 bars.

[A]

So the idea for people who are.

[B]

It's like a line. It's a part of a rap. You know what I mean? I went to the store, but that's. That's the thing.

[A]

That's a bar, and then there's six store.

[B]

There's 16 of them. Okay, okay. So that's why people will say bar for bar, like in a rap battle. Bar for bar. Like, I'm gonna match your bars, you're gonna match mine. That's the idea. Yeah.

[A]

All right. Well, I think Caleb will be able to match Matthew Stafford's bar bars, and I think he's going to actually play very well. My question is going to be, you know, the crowd played such an impact on those two packers comebacks. Right. I think the crowd was a massive part of it. You had the dude out there shredding cheese. Right? You had the cold. The night. It's nighttime. I think that's for the Bears. All that is wonderful. So then the question is, with all of that happening, does it at all freak out the Rams? I don't think it will do anything to Stafford, but those other guys, Myron, most of them have not been in a situation like this. And the last time the Rams went on a run to the super bowl, all those games for the Were indoors. All those games were at home. I think it. Playing in the outdoors, playing in the cold, that's really the only advantage the Bears have. So whether or not that's an impact, I think will ultimately decide whether or not the Bears are able to win is to what extent does the atmosphere give the Bears a leg up?

[B]

Yeah. And again, Caleb Williams has. Is responsible, I think, for sustaining an atmosphere. Right. I mean, he's the one that has to give those fans a reason to stay optimistic. But you know better than anybody, Matthew Stafford comes in, if he gets a couple of quick touchdowns to Puka, Nakua, and they're down big again, that's going to take all of that out of the environment.

[A]

One person writes in on the text machine. 772-774-5254. Myron is trying to act like he doesn't have anybody in his family with a name like Boots. I guarantee if Myron's family's from Mississippi, there's some relative whose name is Boots or some other nickname. Is that true?

[B]

I mean, Cheese, there's Cheese. Cheese, Man. Man, wait a minute.

[A]

You have a relative who just goes by man, Man? Yep, that's it. Nothing else?

[B]

Just man, I don't even, I don't, I honestly don't even know his first name. I don't know his real name. Man.

[A]

You call, you call another person, you just go, hey, man.

[B]

Well, he got the nickname when he was like 6, so I'm necessarily understanding.

[A]

He got the nickname when he was six.

[B]

Yeah, man, that's man.

[A]

Your family started calling a six year old man, man.

[B]

I don't even know his first name. I legitimately couldn't tell you his, his real government name, man. And then, and then Cheese, I definitely don't know.

[A]

That's another phrase that country people and black people use the government name.

[B]

Government name? Yeah. I don't know. I don't know his government name. I definitely don't know. Cheese's government.

[A]

I don't know if people say the phrase government name, but we will say the phrase government name.

[B]

Cheese may not have a legal name because.

[E]

Are you saying man isn't like M.

[A]

A n, like hey man.

[E]

Like hey man. Like you say to a random human being?

[B]

Yes, that's his name. That's what we call I don't know his first name. I legitimately don't know his name.

[A]

Your other family member, why do you call her call him Cheese?

[B]

I don't know where Cheese came from, but he's Cheese, I think cuz he smiles a lot. I think, I think it was like a smiling day. I think like he smiled a lot and then people started calling him Cheese. So like people yell down, would yell down the street, cheese. Hey Cheese. Like that's what they call them.

[A]

So again you have a family member named Cheese and another family member named man. And you, you laughed at there being someone named Boots. Boots to me is a lot more reasonable than both man and Cheese.

[B]

But I guess I just want the story behind Boots too though, you know, I want to know like how, how that became the certified nickname. So.

[A]

All right, it is. We're going to go. It is time for our final segment. We're going to take your pick. We will pick the playoff games and the national championship. And we're bringing on an alum from the U. That's right. A Miami alum joins us. That's next.

[B]

Here Matt and myron. The podcast.

[F]

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[G]

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[A]

It is Matt Myron here on ESPN Radio. That's how every good sports show comes in. A little Whitney Houston getting you ready for take your pick. It is time to make our picks. But first we want to bring in our guest picker. It's Christine Williamson. She's a sports center anchor. You know her, but she's also an alum of the U. Christine, I've been hearing for years the U is back. The U is back. The U is back. And then they weren't back, but now they're actually back. How excited are you?

[E]

Okay, so I would like to say I'm very much on the crystal ball messaging when it comes to this because he doesn't like to hear people say that Miami is back. He likes to say we're going one and now so we just are trying to get one and oh, championship and we can talk about whether or not Miami is back.

[A]

You, you're an entertainer. You can't, you can't become like the monotonous crystal ball. Actually, sir, we're one in one. You know, that's not right.

[E]

Christine, first of all, I would like to say Chris Paul is very much an entertainer as well. I love his personality and just like his demeanor when he does interviews. He's very straightforward and just, like, very militant in all of his interviews. I love him.

[A]

Is that what you look for in people, Christine, is militants?

[E]

Yeah. Yeah. Just very structured, disciplined people.

[A]

Okay.

[E]

I also do think, like, I'm very superstitious, and so I just try to always keep the main thing. The main thing, and just be very consistent. So I don't like to get too high or too low because I feel like that can end up messing up, you know, I don't know, Destiny or whatever. I don't know why I'm so superstitious. But anyways, so I just am going to go one and. Oh. home. Home game on Monday. That's all we're looking forward to.

[A]

For our college teams. We all sort of turn into superstitious children. Myron. I know. I got the same way. I get it.

[B]

I understand. Let me say first, Christine, I've watched you work over the years, and congratulations on all your success and everything that you've been able to achieve. It's been really cool to watch your rise. So that's number one.

[E]

Thank you so much. Thank you.

[B]

Yes. Number two, as someone who went to the University of Miami, why is it $750 to park at this game? Like, who's supposed to be able to attend this game?

[E]

I don't know if you know this, but Miami is very exclusive. I don't know. This isn't, like, a normal thing. I played volleyball at Miami as well, and I have a lot of teammates that were planning on tailgating. This isn't what usually happens. Like, usually if you don't want to go into the game, you can go into the parking lot, tailgate, have a good time. And there were a lot of former volleyball, football and track and field players that were planning on just tailgating because they didn't want to buy a $4,000 ticket, and they can't even do that, so they had to, like, move that elsewhere. So it's not typical. I honestly was trying to figure out what was going on, and I'm like, if we were anywhere else, would this still be the same situation? I have no idea. I think it's just because it is Miami playing in Miami, and they're putting a lot of different rules on the entire game because this has never happened before.

[A]

Is it. Is Miami a real college? And what I mean by that is every time I see videos, it's like, people are, like, at pools and they look. Everyone's very attractive, and it just feels like a place where, like, it Feels like it's almost like a fantasy world. What's it like to actually go there?

[E]

Thank you for telling me that you think that I'm very attractive, first of all.

[A]

Yeah, I don't know how to answer that, but I just. Was I just saying, you know, you're.

[E]

Like, everybody that went to Miami is so good looking. I'm like, thank you so much. I will say it is not so. I had friends visit me while I was in school and every time they came to campus, they were like, this is like a resort. It's not real. There's iguanas. At the time, there was an alligator living on campus as well. It's very resort, like Miami. People don't know this. A lot of people don't know this. It's a private school, so it's not like FSU in Florida, where you can. It's a state school. Like, you have to. It's a very expensive school and it's very hard to get into. It's very small. You can walk from one end of the campus to the other end. 15 minutes. Like, it's not a big campus. But no, I would say it's not normal. We didn't live normal collegiate lives. I went to Clemson for grad school and realized, like, what it was to live on a college campus.

[A]

It was not anything like when I.

[E]

Was in other places.

[A]

It's got to be a culture shock. That ain't Miami. Christine. South Carolina.

[E]

Exactly. Exactly.

[A]

Wow, Christine. Well, Christine, it's great to have you on here. It's time. You ready to make some picks?

[E]

Yes, I am.

[A]

Let's go. Christine's on the Dr. Pepper calling line. It's time for take your pick.

[E]

Take your pick.

[A]

You take your pick.

[B]

It's time to take your pick with Matt and Myron.

[A]

All right, let's get started. We'll start in the NFL. Christine, we'll let you go first, then Myron, then me. We'll start three o', clock, espn, abc. See, it is Texans at the Patriots. Who you got?

[E]

I am going to pick the Patriots in this one. I think the Texans defense has been amazing. Obviously, we saw what they were able to do against the Steelers. However, I honestly, and I know I'm getting ahead of myself, I think the Pats are going to win the super bowl, so I'm taking the Patriots in this one.

[A]

Oh, you got the Pats winning the Super Bowl. Wow, that's a. Yeah, I like it, though. You could have gotten really good odds on that before the playoffs started. Myron, who you Got?

[B]

Yeah. I mean, I think Drake Mays, the MVP. I don't think C.J. stroud has played to a level where I can trust him in a moment like this. That defense is really good, but I think the Patriots are just a better team overall, and I just think they win this one in advance to the AFC Championship. So.

[A]

I grew up and live in Kentucky. There's no reason for me to have animosity towards the Patriots. But a combination of them winning so much, Tom Brady being too good looking, Bill Simmons talking about them too much, all of those things have made me over the years hate the Patriots. So I. I'm kind of with Christine. I kind of think the Patriots have a chance to win super bowl, but I refuse to actually pick them to win this game. I'm going to say the Texans bring the defense. They become the first team, they're going to go to the super bowl, be one of the few teams defensive oriented to go all the way to the Super Bowl. I will take the Texans to win on the road today in New England. What's next?

[B]

Rams at Bears.

[A]

Christine?

[E]

Okay, so I'm obsessed with Caleb Williams and I think he's a great quarterback, but obviously he's very young and he still has to figure out the offense under Ben Johnson. So I'm going Rams because I like the old guy, Matt Stafford in this one you like?

[A]

He is old, but he's. He's. He's probably the best quarterback left in the playoffs. What do you got, Myron?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I want to believe in Caleb Williams and everything they've done to this point, but young quarterbacks don't usually get to this stage and advance to a Super Bowl. Matthew Stafford has been there before. I'm going to go with the more seasoned guys. Well, give me the Rams.

[A]

I was a wee little chap of 5 years old when the 85 bears went to the super bowl. And a wee little chap. And they became my. They became my favorite.

[B]

Two nursery rhymes, man. What are you talking about?

[A]

They became my favorite team. And for 40 years, they've given me misery, but this year they've given me so much joy. Even though I think the Rams are better, I have to pick my team to go to the NFC Championship. I'm going to pick the Bears to win at home. I don't really believe in it, but I am going to pick it. I'll take the Bears. What's next?

[B]

Number 10, Miami versus number one, Indiana in the College Football Playoff national championship. Presented by AT&T.

[A]

All right. Christine, take the floor.

[E]

This is complete liability. Obviously you know exactly who I'm going to pick. However, I do want to say something before that. In 2008 when I was a red shirt freshman at University of Miami, you said at the beginning of this that the use back. The use back. We said it a million years. In 2008 they had the number one recruiting class in the country. Jacore Harris was the quarterback. They had a couple of other guys and we thought that the U was back then they were able to do absolutely nothing. Randy Shannon was our head coach. They did nothing Moving forward. We had so many different head coach coaches.

[A]

Al golden, we just got 30 seconds. Christine got 30 seconds.

[E]

Been more confident in what Mario Cristobal has done with this University Miami team and it is go Canes all the way. Do I trust Carson Beck? No. But our defense is stifling and I am going with the kings.

[A]

I love it. I love the explanation. Myron, quickly.

[B]

Carson Beck ain't gonna have to go to class, but Kurtzignet is going to win this one. Give it to Indiana.

[A]

I just said I'm going to make Myron mad by saying Indiana goes down as one of the great teams in history. By winning this game against Miami, I will take the Hoosiers. Christine, you are a delight. Congrats on all your success and thank you very much.

[E]

Thanks guys. Great talking to you.

[A]

Christine Williamson, the Sports Center Myron, I enjoyed it. We will be back next week. Thank you very much. This has been Matt Myon right here on ESPN Radio.

[B]

Thanks for listening to Matt and Myron the podcast. You can listen to the show live every Sunday morning at 10am Eastern on ESPN radio, the ESPN app and on SiriusXM channel 80. Matt and Myron the Podcast.

[C]

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