#4558 Two Bros, Bro-ing It Up

Summary

TBTL Episode #4558: "Two Bros, Bro-ing It Up"

Air date: September 19, 2025
Hosts: Luke Burbank, guest David Romano (Luke’s brother, filling in for Andrew Walsh)

---

Episode Overview

This Friday edition of TBTL is a classic "two bros, bro-ing it up" hangout episode. With Andrew still out, Luke invites his brother David Romano ("David from the Basement") as guest cohost. The show blends Luke’s signature stream-of-consciousness observations on daily life, friend banter, and favorite topics—this time including the profound question of "fall vs. summer," Seattle Mariners and Seahawks sports talk, the latest on In-N-Out Burger, childhood nostalgia, and weekend plans. True to TBTL form, the episode is equal parts earnest, digressive, and deeply Pacific Northwestern.

---

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Opening Ramble: The Many Ways to Live (00:00–01:37)

• Luke muses about the diverse ways people live: from "wearing matching rings with their boyfriends" to "popping ollies off a half-pipe."
• Sets a tone of light-hearted, universal curiosity and gentle absurdity:

  “Some people are in, like, a bunch of snow and they're like, that's fine and normal. … What are you guys up to?” – Luke (00:45)

David's Introduction & Brotherly Banter (03:29–08:38)

• David Romano joins as guest co-host, rechristened "DAV Burbank."
• The brothers riff about managing recording duties, sleep deprivation, and working multiple jobs post-radio.

  “Because commercial radio pays so well… the lead producer for that morning show is so overpaid that he also pulls shifts at a local restaurant to supplement the family's income.” – Luke (07:24)

• David details his epic Mariners fandom, how late games ravage his sleep, and balancing family with baseball.
• Luke frames this as not-yet-the-sports-part but a preview of what's coming.

Weekend Plans & Domestic Life (08:38–14:14)

• The bros exchange their laid-back weekend plans:
  • David: cherishes time with daughter Gemma, enjoys low-key anniversary celebrations, yardwork, apple picking.
  • Luke: boating with friends, but frets about not actually loving the "speedboat" part.

    “I want it to be a floating square that just kind of like, moves along, you know, at a reasonable pace. Maybe have a drink or two and just kind of take in the natural beauty.” – Luke (13:02)

• David really loved childhood inner-tubing (“one of the most fun memories I can think of as a kid”) vs. Luke’s aversion to being thrown from inflatable rafts.

The In-N-Out Burger Discourse (21:44–24:51)

• Luke observes a “manageable” line at Washington’s first In-N-Out as evidence that "nature is healing."
• They riff on In-N-Out’s overhyped reputation:

  “The general consensus was In-N-Out’s not really worth the wait … By far and wide, people dislike the fries.” – David (22:01) “When you talk to an In-N-Out apologist and you say, yeah, but the fries are bad, they're like, you just got to get them hot. And I'm like, I don't know.” – Luke (22:44)

• Broader corporate, “bad politics” convo tags on, using Ben & Jerry's and Nexstar Media as cautionary tales.

Donor Thank Yous & Quick LA & Skateboarding Tangents (25:46–29:36)

• Standard TBTL community donor thanks, sprinkled with in-jokes ("dazzling donors").
• Luke and David connect donor home cities to skateboarding icons, family, and Tony Hawk nostalgia.

---

Main Topic Discussion: Fall vs. Summer Showdown (29:36–44:30)

The Debate Setup (29:36–32:16)

• Luke sets up an epic talk radio-style debate: which is better, fall or summer?
• Both hosts reflect on how their experiences have evolved from childhood (summer worship) to adulthood (growing fall appreciation).

David’s Pro-Fall Manifesto (32:16–35:21)

• David’s devotion to fall pushed him into team autumn somewhere in his 20s:

  “All of a sudden fall became the coziest, most fun season … It means cozy food, it means cozy television and movies, it means cozy music.” – David (33:33)

• Credits the end of school breaks and shifting adult routines; calls hot summers “unbearably hot,” and loves the smell/feel of autumn rain.

Luke’s Summer Sentimentality—and Realization (35:21–41:55)

• Luke realizes his summer attachment is tied to his work schedule, which (like a child’s) involves lighter demands and “catching my breath.”
• Both agree that fall brings superior outfits (“cardigans!”), food, and atmosphere but that January and February are the "bad months" to be endured.

  “If I can just deal with 60 to 80 not great days… that’s 90 days maybe; if I can just—90 Day Fiance.” – Luke (42:12)

The Value of Seasonal Transitions (43:45–44:30)

• David asserts the best times are the "dynamism" of fall-to-winter and spring-to-summer transitions, with unpredictable weather and leaves changing.

---

Sports Badlands: Seattle Mariners & Seahawks Deep Dive (44:30–80:03)

“Sports Badlands” Entry & Seattle Sports Group Text Drama (44:30–52:17)

• Cue the infamous “seahawks anthem” song. Luke warns: non-sports fans can log off!
• Luke and David address a recurring text thread debate: the emotional chaos sown by friend "Ders," who doom-spams every Seahawks setback.

  “It feels to me like he'll only be happy if we all admit that the Seahawks are going to go 0 and 17… It doesn't feel like there's any winning unless you are in as dark a place as he is.” – Luke (51:31)

• Luke describes how blocking Ders improved his fan experience; David concedes that Ders adds "texture" but sometimes goes overboard.

Seahawks & Mariners: This Week’s Highs & Lows (52:17–62:28)

• Recap of last weekend: Seahawks win convincingly in Pittsburgh, Mariners in the midst of a win streak; sports euphoria and TikTok-driven schadenfreude about Steelers fans melting down.
• Express delight watching ex-Seahawks DK Metcalf and Geno Smith struggle elsewhere.

Mariners vs. Astros—Setting the Stage (62:28–71:43)

• The bros preview a crucial Mariners-Astros series with postseason implications. The Astros are cast as “the bad guys,” referencing Enron, cheating scandals, and trauma from playoff defeats.
• David describes butterflies and “a weird amount of confidence” in this Mariners team.

  “I've never watched the team that has as many opportunities as they have…” – David (58:06)

• Both break down why this Mariners squad feels different: depth, clutch hitters, and trade pickups like Naylor.
• Luke likens facing the Astros to “facing Smaug—a lethargic dragon with one fatal vulnerability.”

Will The Mariners Make the Playoffs? (68:48–73:08)

• They agree stats say yes (>90% chance), and David is cautiously optimistic—not curse-level but “weirdly good feeling.”
• Luke likens past Mariners teams to “betting on just one number on roulette,” while now “we’re covering enough of the board.”

Seahawks’ Season Outlook (73:08–80:03)

• David: Seahawks defense is "legit" under Mike Macdonald; sees a division win as plausible, “not leaps and bounds behind” other NFC teams.
• Luke: Sam Darnold’s functioning as a good game-manager, offense has room to grow but defense can keep them in games.

  “If you can get a dominant defense and then figure out a couple of things on offense, you've got a recipe for winning some games in the NFL.” – Luke (77:22)

Notable Quotes

• “That was the thing, because otherwise it's just kind of a funny quirk … but like, that literally could have saved the game. It ultimately didn't, but being up by one run versus being up by two runs is massive.” – Luke, on a rule challenge in baseball (64:00)
• “This team feels like they have infinite potential if they stay on track, you know?” – David, on Mariners playoff hopes (70:21)

---

Notable Moments & Quotes With Timestamps

• On the diversity of human experience:

  “Some people saw the House of Horrors at the county fair and they were like, I'm gonna be that. What are you guys up to?” – Luke Burbank (00:45)

• Mariners sleep rhythm confession:

  “I'm claiming sleep bankruptcy at that point, accepting my fate.” – David Romano (08:17)

• Speedboat discomfort philosophy:

  “I don't like going fast on really anything. … I’m not into a fast car.” – Luke (13:09)

• In-N-Out fry reality:

  “I think by far and wide, people dislike the fries. And I have to agree.” – David (22:01)

• On getting older and water sports:

  “If I flew off of an inner tube now going at 30 miles an hour, it's pretty much curtains for me.” – Luke (19:40)

• Comparing Houston Astros to Smaug:

  “They're like smaug. Smaug is very scary, but Smaug is also very old and also has a vulnerability and is very… egotistical.” – Luke (66:50)

• Fall’s adult appeal:

  “All of a sudden fall became the coziest, most fun season. … It means cozy food, cozy television, movies, cozy music…” – David (33:34)

• Seattle sports text chain drama:

  “It feels to me like he'll only be happy if we all admit that the Seahawks are going to go 0 and 17… It doesn't feel like there's any winning unless you are in as dark a place as he is.” – Luke (51:31)

---

Important Segment Timestamps

• Opening Life Musings: 00:00–01:37
• Luke & David Banter, Sleep Deprivation & Mariners: 03:29–08:38
• Weekend Plans & Boating Philosophy: 08:38–14:14
• Nostalgia & Water Sports: 14:14–21:44
• In-N-Out Burger Segment: 21:44–24:51
• Donor Thanks & LA Notes: 25:46–29:36
• Fall vs. Summer Debate: 29:36–44:30
• Sports Badlands – Seahawks & Mariners Deep Dive: 44:30–80:03
• Show Close, Goodbyes, and “No Mountain Too Tall”: 80:03–81:06

---

Conclusion

This episode is classic TBTL: digressive, affectionate, and anchored by the chemistry of two brothers goofing and musing their way through everyday anxieties, nostalgia, and sports obsessions. Listeners get the signature blend of earnest Pacific Northwest micro-topics—fall weather, speedboats, fast food, and Seattle sports—punctuated with memorable rants and playful philosophy.

Ending catchphrase:

“No mountain too tall—”
“—and good luck to all!”
(81:03)

---

Power Out.

Transcript

[Luke Burbank]

Some people are living a life that I don't understand at all. Like wearing matching rings with their boyfriends or putting everything in their little briefcase and going to a building that looks Greek for some reason. Some people are making a smoothie and they got two kids crawling on the floor next to them. Some people work in a cubicle and ironically hung up one of those, like, cat posters. But it kind of does inspire them. Some people are popping ollies off a half pipe. Some people are in, like, a bunch of snow and they're like, that's fine and normal. Some people saw the House of Horrors at the county fair and they were like, I'm gonna be that. What are you guys up to?

TBTL.

[David Romano]

Guess what day, Guess what day it is. It's Friday, Friday Gotta get down on Friday Everybody's looking forward to the weekend. Hey, good looking.

[Luke Burbank]

And what we did see is we took them turds and we crammed them.

In between the number there.

So that's 1 turdy, 2 turdy, 3 turdy.

[David Romano]

It's embarrassing and it's gross, but at.

[Luke Burbank]

Least it's kinda funny. A year ago, this is exactly what Greg Kinnear was doing, but now he has an Oscar for sliding doors. 3 colon, jingle all the door. We have a story to tell, so listen. Okay? And write it down.

I was saying Blue Earnest.

All right. Hello, good morning and welcome, everyone, to a Friday edition of TBT all, the show that just might be too beautiful to live.

[David Romano]

This whole conversation bothers me.

[Luke Burbank]

My name's Luke Burbank. I am your host. Now, Tane, I can get into coming to you from the Madrona Hill studio, perched high above the mighty Columbia, where we have another beautiful day. I think that makes 5, 2, 3, 4. Five beautiful days here on this week as we come to a close. Oh, Ma pa. It's just beautiful. For our weekly broadcast, we arrive at episode 4558 in a collector series.

[David Romano]

Let the fun begin.

[Luke Burbank]

And not a minute too soon for me. I don't know if you can hear this, but I've been kind of battling a slight cold all week, and I think it's all sort of converging on my vocal cords here on this Friday. So thankfully, this is the last bit of broadcasting that I'll be doing. But there's a lot of broadcasting still to be done today on this Friday edition of the show. We're gonna go back to, I would say, my roots in talk radio.

[David Romano]

I heard about that thing on the.

[Luke Burbank]

AM radio, and we're gonna engage in some real Hot talk today with a fellow radio professional. We are gonna once and for all settle the question of what is better, fall or summer.

[David Romano]

The combustion becomes an explosion.

[Luke Burbank]

One of us jerks is gonna have an opinion, and you are gonna want to hear it. Also, we're gonna be doing something very special with the Badlands today, my new favorite segment on tbtl. We're going into full sports badlands mode. You don't need us telling you that it's bad. That's right. We're gonna talk about sports, whether you like it or not, at the end of the show. And by the end of the show, I mean, probably the middle of the show going, as long as this guy will stick around talking sports with me. He's filling in for Andrew here on Andrew's final day out, and he is someone who is as near and dear to my heart as anybody could be. And it's not just because he's a dazzling donor. It's because he's my actual brother, David from the basement. David Romano, welcome to the show. DAV Burbank. Hello. Hello.

[David Romano]

Thanks for having me.

[Luke Burbank]

Good morning, broseph. Sorry I was stalling there while I was remembering to unmute your microphone. I am dealing with a trend this week. Huh. I know. But, like, honestly, I have to be to pat myself on the back, which I don't do enough on this program. I think I was talking to our friend Lynn Pham yesterday after Livewire.

[David Romano]

Fam Demort.

[Luke Burbank]

That's right. And I don't know if he uses that anymore. I think that's been. It's been retired because of the person who wrote the Harry Potter series. But, yes, that's the person we're talking about. And, you know, our friend Lynn Pham is a careful listener to the show. And of course, this week, because Andrew's out, I have been in charge of the recording situation. John Sklaroff has been in charge of the posting situation, which has gone pretty well. But when I'm usually when. When I'm on the technical side of these things, there are lots of mistakes and lots of things that Lin Pham notes that aren't up to the audio quality of when Andrew is here. And so last night after Livewire, I was a little apologetic. I said, I'm sure there's millions of things that you're hearing on the show this week that are driving you crazy. And he just looked at me and he said, it hasn't been as bad as some weeks. So we're gonna take that, and I'm gonna just block out the haterism that you just presented early on in the show. Good morning, brother. You've been up for at this point, we're recording this about 9:30am West Coast. You've been up for what, 10 hours already? About eight hours.

[David Romano]

And about two hours before that, I had been up for about 20 hours or something like that.

[Luke Burbank]

So I meant, I mentioned to Jen Flash Andrews on the show yesterday that when the Mariners play an extra inning game, first of all, I'm in knots about the actual outcome of the game, but I'm also in knots about you because whatever feelings I'm feeling at like say 11 o' clock at night when they lose, I'm talking about when they lose. And we've invested like four hours in the process. I can't imagine what, what goes through your mind and heart when it's time for you to go to sleep for what, two hours at that point? Yeah, boy.

[David Romano]

First off, I'm flattered that you mentioned Mina. Jen, I've been listening throughout the week and I want to say, and I kind of dug my own grave here, but gosh, what a lineup of guests you have had throughout the week. So I feel like.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, no, it's actually, this is a huge compliment to you that you're, that you're going on Friday. That's actually protection for Jen. You cannot, you can't basically walk Jen on Thursday when they know that we have David from the basement coming up on Friday. I mean, she's actually get some pitches to hit.

[David Romano]

Right.

[Luke Burbank]

So that's a, that's a compliment to you.

[David Romano]

Thank you. Yeah, thank you. Well, yeah, and speaking of baseball, so what happens with those late games often is I'll be working at the restaurant Cafe Lago. And especially with those late inning games, extra inning games that were happening, I would get off at 10.

[Luke Burbank]

I see. Okay. This makes so much more sense.

[David Romano]

Thankfully, beyond. And so I would then tune in and be obviously very emotionally invested because I was exhausted already. The only thing that would make the night better was a Mariners win. And the last couple times they did win, thankfully. But yeah, anytime there's an extra inning game and they lose and it's a West coast game. It is, yeah. That's rough stuff. I'm in bed. Alicia, my wife, is. I'm next to her, just kind of like sweating, looking at my phone at the Root Sports app, she's unhappy with that. Instead of me kind of comforting her or playing with the baby, I'm usually paying attention to the Mariners.

[Luke Burbank]

So. Okay. So that makes a lot More sense to me, though, because I forgot that you. Because commercial radio pays so well, they overpay the producers of their number one one show. And I would say the most historically cheap place to live, and I would mention the most important day part is, of course, the morning show. The lead producer for that morning show is so overpaid that he also pulls shifts at a local restaurant to supplement the family's income. I forgot about that part of your life. And so I was. I had this whole other picture, like, you're just at home at your place and you've just made. You've just chosen violence for your sleep schedule of, like, watching these games in the late evening. You're already doing something else. You're coming home from having done something else. And at that point, let's be honest, you're already kind of screwed in the sleep department. So you're so. You're just like, also going to hope for at least something that makes you. Helps you go to bed feeling. Feeling happy of yourself, which is a Mariners victory.

[David Romano]

Yeah, I'm claiming sleep bankruptcy at that point, accepting my fate. And. And yeah, if the Mariners win, God knows I'm not falling asleep anytime soon anyways because I'm just amped. So, yeah, it's a beat I usually have in my mind, and it never pays off very well, I'll say.

[Luke Burbank]

I want to be clear with the listeners. This is not the sports badlands yet. We're not even there. This isn't even us talking sports. This is talking about my darling brother and his lack of sleep and the fact that he needs to get a raise at Cairo, which I don't think they even call it that anymore. It's also a conversation, David, about big weekend plans and if we have any. Yes, I don't have the big weekend plants music either. So we're using a Tom Petty song. Actually, that could be kind of a motto for your life, David, AKA Andrew. If you don't run, you rust. That's what old Tom Petty was saying. What's a weekend look like for you, again, as a person who is chronically sleep deprived, as a father of a beautiful baby daughter, as a husband of a beautiful wife, and as a sports fan. Like, what's your weekend looking like?

[David Romano]

Yeah, it varies. I mean, what's nice for me is I do get a good amount of sleep on weekends, and Alicia also kind of gets her sleep. So what happens is I'll go to bed kind of early on a Friday night, you know. Very cool, very hip.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, man.

[David Romano]

Probably 9pm On a Friday. And then I'll wake up with Gemma in the morning and then Alicia gets to stay asleep. And then I just get my time with Gemma where I just get like three hours where her and I are out in the living room playing. And then she falls asleep, sleep on me. It is the time that I cherish so much. And then we kind of get going with our Saturday once. Once Alicia gets up and. Yeah, it kind of depends. I've been doing a lot of landscaping, yard work for my father in law on the weekends, which is kind of fun. I like hanging out with him and he's got a wealth of knowledge and weird quirks, so he's kind of fun to hang out with. And then, you know, we've been. We had been early in September, we had been planning our. It's our two year anniversary of our wedding. And so we were planning on doing something fun. Going over to Port Townsend where we got married or going up to Bellingham or some of our favorite places.

[Luke Burbank]

It was basically to go to various places where I used to live.

[David Romano]

Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

So also on the list was happen.

[David Romano]

To be some of our favorite places.

[Luke Burbank]

Los Angeles, California. Yeah.

[David Romano]

And then we got Covid and so we had to cancel that. So that's kind of the deal. This weekend is like we're going to make up our anniversary. We're going to maybe try to go somewhere and pick some apples. That's one of our favorite things to do in sort of the mid September area. So yeah, excited about that. But not going to, you know, high key anything. We're not. We don't have any huge weekend plans, unlike you, I'm assuming.

[Luke Burbank]

I have also a weekend of leisure in front of me, bro. Of. Of doing some boating on the Columbia river tomorrow with some friends of ours who have a boat. The boat's usually in Portland, but they're actually going to bring it up and we're going to put it in and we're going to zoom around. And I'm both looking forward to it. I haven't done anything like that in a long time. And you know, like I am a person ostensibly and allegedly who like loves boating. I've owned a number of. I've crashed and owned a number of boats famously on the show. But I had this moment of wondering like what I. If I really like boating or not or I don't know if I like boating if I'm on someone else's boat.

[David Romano]

Interesting. You. Do you want to be in control? Is that what you're saying?

[Luke Burbank]

It's. I Mean, yes, but maybe not for the reason that you would suspect. Like, it's not because I don't think the other person is qualified. In fact, if anything, the other person is much more qualified than I am to drive the boat again. See History of Boat Crashes. It's that, first of all, I don't like going fast on really anything. I don't like. Call me the anti Tracy Chapman. I'm not. I'm not into a fast car. I don't like. I don't like. I get absolutely no enjoyment out of being in a car and someone's driving it faster than they need to be. I don't get any enjoyment of being on a boat. And someone, as they say, drops the hammer, which means, like, you put the throttle down. I don't want to do jet skis. I don't like. It's not a physically enjoyable experience for me to have a spray of water, like, hitting me in the face. The wind is blowing my hat off, by the way. Like, my hat. This is the new Livewire merch. It says must see radio.

[David Romano]

Nice.

[Luke Burbank]

It's pretty dope, right? Yeah.

[David Romano]

No, I like that. I like the script on it, too.

[Luke Burbank]

Shout out to. Well, we have a. We have a certified young person that works on Livewire, Ashley park, who designed these, which makes a lot of sense, but you know what I mean? Like, I don't really like if I'm on a boat. I really think at this point in my life, I want it to be like a pontoon boat. I want it to be a floating square that just kind of like, moves along, you know, at a reasonable pace. Maybe have a drink or two and just kind of take in the natural beauty. Enjoy a relaxing time. That's the thing. I think I like relaxing times. And this boat that we're going on is a speedboat. Now, the person driving it is not a speed demon, per se, but, like, I don't know what tomorrow's gonna look like. I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to all the parts that don't involve the person driving the boat too fast. And me, like, trying to, like, say something to Becca. Like, so over there, that's. That's Rainier, Oregon. Like, I'm trying to yell over the sound of everything. Like, it's not. It's not a physical experience that I like going fast on a boat. And I'm worried tomorrow the boat is going to be going fast.

[David Romano]

Is there. Is there a. A water ski slash wakeboard component to this?

[Luke Burbank]

Not that I'm Signing up for see.

[David Romano]

That, to me would be the only reason to go on a speedboat would be to do one of those types of activities, not necessarily wakeboard or water ski. I think for me it would be an inner tube thing just because I don't have great balance. But I can think of nothing more fun from being a kid. I think, I think of specifically when we were at a lake in Idaho.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, Loon Lake. Wait, wait, you mean, you mean with the, you mean when I rented that place? Oh, yeah, you.

[David Romano]

And we were out on the lake and you got a boat and you got inner tubes for us.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[David Romano]

Gosh, it was just so fun. And I have a lot of memories as a kid of being on inner tubes and it's just a really fun time. But I, I, I would say if I'm not on a vessel that I can hold on to that I'm then kind of being whipped around and stuff. I don't necessarily need to go fast on a boat. I think I would agree with you because it does just feel kind of choppy and yeah, you're getting wet but not controlling kind of how you're getting wet and cooling down. And it's also not super hot anymore. So I would understand also kind of not loving that spray from the river. Have you been on a route on a boat on the Columbia since you've moved there?

[Luke Burbank]

Well, yeah, but it's a different part. It's the down, it's the part down in Portland. It was actually on these folks boat and it was really fun. What we were doing was it was an afternoon and the idea was we were going to get on the boat. We were going to go over to this little kind of protected island area and then like just kind of put the anchor down and then just float and hang out and have a little dinner. And that was lovely. The getting there and back kind of sucked because it was a windy day. Like, there's a reason why I always refer to it as the mighty Columbia. It is a big, particularly at the part that I live on it. It is a very like, wide. It's a shipping lane for international shipping. It's like, you know, it's like the Strait of Hormuz or something. It is not like a lake. Like, I will say this, when I was growing up in my era of the family, we, you know, we used to crash. You were, you might, I don't even think you were born at this point, but we had this friend named Marianne and in her family, they had a family cabin on Loon lake outside of Spokane. And it was. If it had two rooms, I would be amazed. It was the tiniest little funkiest kind of lake cabin. And they had a big family. And then her entire, like her brothers and sisters also had a claim on this place. And they would all be out there. And somehow, against all odds, they invited us and were okay with like, you know, at that point still like five Burbanks or whatever, six Burbanks showing up. And it was so much fun.

[David Romano]

It does sound like a blast.

[Luke Burbank]

Dude, they had, like, so many old, like, weird, like, Reader's Digest large print editions and like, abridged books and things. Like, so you just like. I remember I would sleep on this screen porch. You know, there was like a. So it was like a little screened porch and it had some kind of like a, I don't know, daybed or couch. That would be my little spot. And I'd post up with a bunch of books and we would, you know, we'd all learned how to water ski on that. On that lake. And that is one thing that's really fun, being out on the Columbia River, a commercial shipping channel, where I'm looking at it right now and it looks unbelievably calm from here. But if I like, zoom in with my eyes, if I enhance, enhance, enhance. I can still see their, like, little white caps.

[David Romano]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

And I have a feeling that if you're at the river level in that white cap, it's. It's a pretty extreme event. And so, yeah, I think, I mean, again, I'm looking forward to it, but I'm already trying to sort of prepare myself. I also, this is one last thing, and then we can. We can move on. But, like, and I don't want to yuck any yums because kids love this stuff. I almost said the S H I T word. But I will say this, even going back to my childhood, I did love water skiing. I would still water ski, like now on a lake. That would be fun to do. But, like, I have never understood the appeal of inner tubing, where the goal is to throw your small rag doll, like, body off of the thing that stands between you and drowning. Like, I mean, that's the premise of inner tube. Again, people love it every I.

[David Romano]

This is so funny. I think you mentioned it on the show sometimes.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm sure I have.

[David Romano]

And I remember almost throwing my phone because I was like, that is one of the most fun memories I can think of as a kid was either going on a friend's boat, you know, in the Silverdale area, going on the boat, like I said, out in Idaho, when. When you took us out there, I mean, at church camps, going on the boats and going on inner tubes, Something about that, to me, was so fun. And I think part of it was feeling like I wasn't very good at the, like, more sporty ones, the wakeboarding and the water skiing. And all you need to do with an inner tube is just hold the heck on and, you know, and try to not get flipped off. And if you got flipped off, it's like, I don't know, it would hurt, definitely, but it felt kind of. Kind of cool. You felt kind of like a badass a little bit.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, that's a good point. I could actually see that, like, particularly as a kid. And like, if it's. If the idea is I'm going to hold on, like the sport is I'm going to hold onto this inner tube and not get. And not get thrown, um, then. Then I could see that being kind of a fun challenge. And you're right. I mean, ideally, the stakes are pretty low when you fly off. Although now that's the other thing about being 49 years of age. It's like, I feel like if I flew off of an inner tube now going at 30 miles an hour, it's pretty much curtains for me. Just leave me at the bottom of the Columbia and. And you and Andrew and John can host the show going forward because, like, I don't think I could survive that. So I think it feels extra dangerous as an idea to me. But I forget what it's like to be 12 when, like, you know, you're absolutely invincible. The other thing, too, that I thought I would update everybody on here on this Friday because it's been a pretty. A pretty rough week. I started last night, my little preamble at Livewire. I always kind of come out and talk to the crowd a little bit. I said I've. You know, I've been sort of. I've been. Because it's our first show back after our summer break. And I said, during the summer, I try to sort of recharge and relax a little bit. I try to sort of not get too obsessed with the news. So I've been kind of on a news blackout. I assume everything's been going great for white guys in suits who host talk shows. That was my spoof at the top of the show. But of course, it has really been a rough and bleak week. But I would like to bring a message of hope to folks, which is that nature is healing. Last night when I was driving down to Livewire, I passed the In N Out in Ridgefield, Washington, and the line looked manageable. Manageable. I don't know what. I don't. That's. I have to say I'm surprised that it has. It's. I thought it would been months, and maybe it had to do with the fact that it was like a Thursday and it was the time. Time of day on a Thursday. It wasn't like prime time. Maybe this weekend it'll be back to, like, insanity. But there was something about seeing that that line was not 100 cars deep, that. I don't know why that gives me hope. Maybe I'm just looking for anything now. Did that make your. You're a news producer in Seattle. You know, did the In N Out burger in Ridgefield, Washington, make the news on your station?

[David Romano]

Yeah, it made one of the kind of like, C block segments.

[Luke Burbank]

It's literally all I've been taught that tells you how small my world is. Now all I want to talk about is In N Out burgers and my fear of inner tubing.

[David Romano]

Oh, believe me, that's all the type of stuff I want to talk about as well.

[Luke Burbank]

I bet.

[David Romano]

Push to talk about other stuff, but. Yeah, no, we definitely talked about it. And I think the general consensus was In N Out's not really worth the wait, I think. And a lot of people like the burgers, but I think by far and wide, people dislike the fries. And I have to agree. I've had In N Out a couple of times down in la and the burgers are great. You know, the sauce is really good.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[David Romano]

Then the fries are just kind of like, couldn't you try a little harder with.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, it's very.

[David Romano]

And then likes a soggy fry. Like, I like the Dick's Fry. I'm into that. But something about. I think it's been described as almost, like, stale. And that's. That's exactly what it tastes like.

[Luke Burbank]

And I feel like when you. When you talk to an In N Out apologist and you say, yeah, but the fries are. Are bad. They're like, you just got to get them hot. And I'm like, I don't know.

[David Romano]

I mean, you go, I'm extra fried or extra crispy or what? And it's like, I shouldn't have to ask for it that way.

[Luke Burbank]

Exactly. Like, there's. That's one of the other things about in and out and the cult of in and out is that it's. There's a million different, like, sort of somewhat Byzantine ordering strategies. Oh, you got to ask for it. You got to ask a double animal backdoor secret sauce.

[David Romano]

And then that's.

[Luke Burbank]

Then that. Then the fries will be really good. It's like, well, why don't you just make them really good from the jump? That seems like maybe. I don't know how I would do it if I was running the place. But also, we know that the owner of In N Out has terrible politics. So, I mean, you know, of any.

[David Romano]

Giant corporation not have good politics.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, that's. You. You. You've. You've said something profound, brother. Because, I mean, I do think it's funny. I do think there was a time in this. In this country where, yeah, you assume that, generally speaking, big business and, And, And. And successful businesses, when they get to a certain scale, are going to kind of try to look out for their interests. But it also wasn't an insane thought that somebody might both have, you know, you saw, like, Jerry of Ben and Jerry's, like, quit Ben and Jerry's. Although that was the funniest headline of all time to me because it was like, jerry quits Ben and Jerry's because he feels like Unilever, who they sold the ice cream company to, is not letting him talk about, like, I don't know, Palestine or something. And I'm like, are you. Are you shocked that Unilever.

[David Romano]

That Globo Chem isn't letting you.

[Luke Burbank]

Thank you. I mean, even. And with the Kimmel stuff, it was like. I mean, obviously, like, we could go into that for days about how messed up that all is, but it was like, oh, you know, the company that really touched this off was the company that's trying to do an acquisition of a bunch of local stations. And what is the name of that company? Nexstar. I mean, are you. Are you telling me I was let down morally by a company named NextStar?

[David Romano]

Yeah, like, I had an apartment that was owned by nextstar. You know, like.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, it's a combination of Graystar, nexar, Unilever. They're all actually one company now, and. And they, for one, salute our robot overlords. You know, when someone goes away from the show for a week, we all change, David. And I don't know, I kind of love this song. And I don't just mean the Golden Girls theme song, which we've used and overused on this program. I mean, this specific version with way more saxophone than it needs. Also, I don't know if you're looking at me on Riverside. But I just did the most mom face of all time. And that was not intentional in any.

[David Romano]

Way, shape or form.

[Luke Burbank]

That's just because I am, in fact, Susie Burbank's son. All right, let's thank some donors. These fine folks are donating to TVTL and making today's episode possible. On this Friday, we're talking about Sean Savage, who's down in Los Angeles, California. When we were roasting In N Out, I feel like Sean was in his car and he looked up from his plate of In N Out fries and was like, what's wrong with these dudes? Thank you, Sean.

[David Romano]

The people who live and have lived in LA for a long time, have they turned now on In N Out, you think or.

[Luke Burbank]

No, but I don't think they fetishize it. You know what I mean? Like, I think, like, the In N Out that I used to go to in LA on the occasion that I did was primarily the one that's by lax. It's on Sepulveda.

[David Romano]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

And it always has a pretty healthy line. But it's also. It's next to the airport. And my thought is it's a lot of tourists who just are in L. A and they want to do. Maybe they're on their way back to the airport, maybe they've just left the airport, but they want to do something very L A. Ish. And that's probably going to. In and Out. Now, the thing about in and out in Southern Cal is there's tons of them. So, like, if you go to the. If you go to the In N Out in Corona del Mar or you go to the in and out in Ontario, that's where the real heads are. Those are the people that just live in Southern California and are just trying to grab a burger. And I don't. I don't know if people down there fetishize. I don't know if they've turned on them. I don't know what Sean's policy is, but I know SEAN's policy on TBTL is generously supporting the program. We appreciate that. Also, Gary Raskin is in Carlsbad, California, home of Legoland. And I believe. David, I was gonna say relevant to your interests. Believe that's where old Anthony Hawkins hails from. Would he have been a different skater.

[David Romano]

Sam thing, the whole skateboarding stuff?

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[David Romano]

I wished that I had been more into skateboarding, but.

[Luke Burbank]

But some of that must have. Some of that. Some of that must have trickled down to you. Not, Not. Not that you were, like, out there trying to skate but just that, like, I bet you Tony Hawk loomed somewhat large in your brain just because of having an older brother who was really into skating.

[David Romano]

Yes, Tony Hawk, Bucky Lassic. You know, these guys were, were definitely big figures.

[Luke Burbank]

Terry Granillo in North Bend, Washington, huge figure in everyone's life. Well, at least ours. Thanks, Terry, for supporting the show. Amaya Michelena is in Nashville, Tennessee. Beautiful Nashville, Tennessee. Corin, cops checking in from Seattle. Thank you, Corin. And then it's our friend, I believe, I believe it's Dr. Brock Goodman in San Diego, California. Although Brock is not the show off kind. Brock just has Brock Goodman. But I believe Dr. Brock Goodman down there in San Diego is doing dentistry.

[David Romano]

If I remember right. Don't hide your light under a bushel.

[Luke Burbank]

Exactly. You went to a lot of school and you've looked in a lot of mouths, Dr. Goodman, to have that title. Yeah. Don't keep your sugar on the shelf. Thank you to all of our donors for making today's episode of TBTL possible. We couldn't do it without you. Hello and welcome to Talk Top Story. All right, David, you hail from the knockdown, drag out world of talk radio news talk radio, where the talk is the nights are cold and the talk is hot. No one says that, but maybe they'll start. So you sent me because you're a radio producer, you're not only my brother, you're a radio producer. You sent me a list of topics today which I love. Thank you for helping me.

[David Romano]

And these are the types. So I produce what's thought to be as a very serious news driven show. So these are not the type of topics I get to pitch on a daily basis. These are more of the type of topics I would pitch for, like the night show when I was doing Cairo nights back in the day. And so this was really fun to be able to kind of.

[Luke Burbank]

You're saying that Charlie Harger is not. You're saying Charlie Harker does not want to settle into a summer versus fall debate?

[David Romano]

I think he would, but he's also very concerned about everything happening in the country and.

[Luke Burbank]

All right, that's fair. That's fair. Sorry, I'm a little distracted because I'm noting the FedEx person is delivering like probably hundred, no 150 pound item. It's this fire pit that I ordered and my plan was to try to be outside when she showed up. I'm now friends with. I get so much stuff delivered out here that I'm friends with the delivery people and I wanted to try to help Her. Because I knew this thing was arriving, and it's very. I know it's very heavy because I already bought one and it was broken. So this is the replacement one. And not only did this FedEx person have to carry it themselves, she carried it all the way down the stairs to the house. That was like a World's Strongest man kind of competition move that just happened. Anyway, I'm back. Thank you to my FedEx person, our FedEx person in the neighborhood, for. For going above and beyond. All right, so let's talk about. About fall versus Summer or summer versus Fall. So I have been kind of talking on the show a lot lately about how we're in this weird kind of. Okay, my memory as a young kid, like, playing sports, playing fall sports was. It was pretty typical for it to be warm in September. But I. I think what I'm remembering is early September, like the first, like.

[David Romano]

In football, like late August is when you kind of. Before school even, you would start, like, conditioning. And I remember that being so brutal.

[Luke Burbank]

You don't even have pads yet. There's like a week. There's like a week or two before you even get the pads out. Oof. Yeah. And so I sort of associate September with being a pretty good weather month here. But what I think I'm forgetting is it's not usually 80 degrees in, like, mid September, which it's been this whole week, including today. It's absolutely gorgeous. Blue sky, it's warm. I'm getting fire pits delivered. It's a great day. And I have mixed feelings about it because I love the summer so much. And I always talk about it like, the summer is definitely my favorite season. It definitely is something that gives me a lot of kind of emotional, well, being the fact that it stays light until late. And even though there is a certain amount of coziness with the fall, I do, other than a crisp day here or there, I get pretty depressed about the ushering in of the bad weather and the early sunsets. Less daylight. So I've been kind of talking about that this week, how I'm excited. I'm a little excited for fall to come, but I'm also very sad for summer to be over. I am assuming you are here to defend the idea of fall or to say that fall is superior to summer. What. What are you here to say?

[David Romano]

Yeah, well, so I came about this thought process pretty naturally once I was out of school, at least out of.

[Luke Burbank]

Sort of like, right.

[David Romano]

High school, like regular school before I then went to university. It was always, you Know, in when fall would come that would say university.

[Luke Burbank]

What are you, Canadian? I went to uni.

[David Romano]

And for me as a kid, I remember throughout the summer literally, like, feeling myself get so bummed out if I would even see a single cloud in the sky. Like, all I wanted as a kid was sunshine the whole time. I wanted it to be hot. I wanted to be able to take the garden hose and just attach the sprinkler. I was all in on summer.

[Luke Burbank]

Build some kind of slip and slide that dad would be mad about because it was going to kill the grass.

[David Romano]

And killing the grass, you know, all of that. I was very in on all of that. And then something happened around when I was 20 where all of a sudden fall became the coziest, most fun season. And I think part of that is school kind of shifted, you know, at university.

[Luke Burbank]

Thank you.

[David Romano]

It's a little. The feeling was a little different than kind of coming back for standard school, where you have that level of excitement about your new classes and there's all this opportunity ahead of you. And then certainly now after college, many years after college, every fall to me signals we made it through what feels like an unbearably hot summer. And now for me, it means cozy food, it means cozy television and movies, it means cozy music. It's all of these things wrapped in. And Alicia really loves fall as well. So we kind of like, as we can feel fall getting there, if there's an August day that's like a little rainy, where we both look at each other, like we're almost there, like we almost made it through.

[Luke Burbank]

And.

[David Romano]

And I don't know if I've become more sensitive to the heat or if it's just the impact of climate change. But for me, I can take about a month of summer, a month and a half of summer, and then I'm like, I think I'm good on the hot, hot stuff. And there's something about, like, especially being out walking the dog, and it's like all the grass is dead. You feel the heat just, like vibrating off of the asphalt. And it's like this is the 10th straight day that it's been 90 degrees and I'm sweating from being outside for like a half hour, and I just get kind of sick of it. And by the time fall comes, I welcome the rain. I love the smell of the rain. And then by the time it gets to, like, you know, December after Christmas, certainly January and February is. Is a little depressing. But I think all is such a great signal of, like, we made it and now we're. We get to kind of, like, relax a little bit.

[Luke Burbank]

I think that you've said something that I hadn't really thought of, which is when you're a kid, it's so associated with going back to school and with, like, you know, a thing that I liked school as a kid, but also I was bummed when it was time to go back to school. I would be excited for the first week because I wanted to see my friends. But just generally speaking, I was sad. And I think for me, why this is carried into adulthood, or at least why it's. Maybe it's ramped back up in the last 10 years, is because the way that Livewire works and really, honestly, CBS Sunday Morning is people, we don't do a lot in the summer. I basically still have, other than tbtl, I kind of have a summer break. I'm basically still on a child's schedule, except I am an adult, allegedly. And so I think at some point when my work life got like, for instance, when I worked when I came back from New York and we were doing TBTL and it was at Cairo, and that was the one job that I had, I bet you that my obsession with it being summertime and with summer not ending, I bet you that that was much lower. Maybe it didn't even exist because of all the things you're talking about. I mean, yes, I can, listen, I can acknowledge objectively that going to a pumpkin patch is fun and doing a corn maze and that, like, being cozy and let's be honest, it is a vastly superior outfit season. Yes.

[David Romano]

That was, that's the other thing. Yes. Getting to wear pants again.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. Yes.

[David Romano]

Cardigan.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. No. And I keep talking about this sweater that I bought at the Tate Modern Art Gallery gift shop in England, which I don't know why this was being sold in an art gallery museum gift shop. It is just a navy blue scarf. I think I might have said sweater. It's a scarf. And I don't know. I bought it. It was because it was on clearance. It was like $10. I'm so excited to wear it. Yes. It was six pence, none the richer. I don't know if that's how that works. But, you know, I, it is a, it is a superior outfit season. But I think, but I think that you've, you've identified something for me, which is I'm very fortunate in my work life that I've been able to get a lot of opportunities to do these jobs that I'm really grateful to have and may not have for much longer. Who knows in this world? But what I do is I end up over scheduling myself for much of the year and feeling a little bit kind of overwhelmed at the various things that I have to do in a given week. And the story that I always tell myself is, yes, but when summer comes and like you're not doing Livewire and the CBS people, everyone there is kind of winking and nudging that we're not, we're still working, we're putting up a TV show, but we're all kind of going out, you know, to wherever, the Hamptons or something. I don't know where they go. But like, I look so forward to it because I think for me it represents something beyond the weather. It represents a chance to catch my breath. Fewer people need something from me. And then as we get closer to, you know, September, it's like coming back to school. But if going to school was a hundred people are very reliant on you to like, if you, if every time you went to class you also had to teach the class or entertain the class. And if you were having a bad day, it meant maybe the class was going to be less profitable. Like I didn't know I'd somehow. And again, a lot of this is. I've just created this in my own mind. But I think I have whatever that feeling is of being a kid going back to school. But I have at times like 10 and it involves my livelihood. So it's like I think that's kind of added to my. This thing ramping up in my mind. But, but another thing that you make a good point. The fall is, is lovely. The thing I really don't like is basically January, February, it's really two months. Because here's the thing, I friggin love Thanksgiving. I look so forward to it. So that's. You got. We got November covered because we got Thanksgiving. So that's something to look forward to. And then it happens and then you're still kind of in the afterglow. I do love Christmas. I love Christmasing up the house. So that's kind of. You got December covered. So in October is not terrible from a weather standpoint. If I remember right, it'll probably get kind of rainy, but it's like, it's.

[David Romano]

Not that crisp mornings though. I feel like in October, that's so nice. I love a crisp, crisp morning.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. So like we can basically say, like I can tolerate October, I've got something to look forward to. In November, we've got something to look forward to in December. January kicks off with New Year's Eve, which I also like. God, as I describe this, I'm such a basic bee. I got my pumpkin spice latte in September. I've got my spooking season in October. I've got my Thanksgiving. I got my Christmas. I've got my New Year's Eve. I've got my. Dropping the ball with Andy Cohen. No, but it's really just like January after New Year's. It's like basically January, February, and then even March. March is not great, but I tell myself a lie, which is that March. I don't know why I consider March to be the beginning of spring.

[David Romano]

Well, sometime around mid March is always like March 12th or 13th. You get a day that's like 68 degrees. The sun comes out, and everyone in the Seattle area takes off their jackets. They're outside. Green Lake is packed with people. People are like, smiling at each other. The chill is gone. Everyone is like, so happy on cloud nine. And then we go back into, like, rain and sideways sleet for, you know, three more weeks.

[Luke Burbank]

Until June, like, probably, or till like July 5th usually. But yeah. I tell myself this weird story that is like, first. I don't know when the actual official first day of spring is. It can't be in the month of March, is it?

[David Romano]

I believe It's. It's like March 20th, 20th or 21st or something like that. But it never feels like that in the Northwest.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm not. I don't have synesthesia. But, like, in my mind, like, when I think of the months, it's not that they have colors, it's that they have an aura. And March has a spring aura to me. I do. I know, I know. I'm such a Pisces.

[David Romano]

So it's like I always associate March with green. That's always.

[Luke Burbank]

That's right. Yes. It's a green month to me. It's a green month to me. Whereas, like, February is a gray month to me. January is a gray month to me. December is a red month to me. I think because of Christmas, November is like a turkey colored month to me.

[David Romano]

A brownish area with points.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, gobble, gobble. So, no, but this is actually. David, this has been. This has been very. This has been good for me because I think what I really need to do is I need to tell myself the story that fall is awesome so that I won't feel a kind of a creeping ennui. And that really, what I have to get through is about 60, 60 to 80 not great days. If I can just deal with 60 to 80 not great days. And that would be basically January, February and a significant portion of March. Well, that, that, that's 90 days maybe if I can just. 90 day fiance.

[David Romano]

The months of January, I mean, they are pretty bad days. Like it getting dark at, you know, 5pm and being rainy and like it is, it takes its toll on all of us. But you know, you just gotta find that next thing for me now my daughter's birthday is in January. So it's like January is money. You know, Alicia's birthday is in February, Addie Adelaide's birthdays. And you know, you just got to look for those benchmarks. That's like I, when I get to that, that's going to be a fun celebration. That's going to be a fun thing we get to do and try to just grit out those days that it just feels like are both the longest day or I guess longest night and shortest day. Right?

[Luke Burbank]

Yes. But, but again, if I think about it as just 90 days that I have to get through as opposed to like I'm depressed because summer is ending or I'm depressed, you know, that's. That basically what that means is I'm missing out on all of the fun experience of fall because I'm just sad that when summer's over, eventually it'll be winter. But I need to like, I need to remember that there is this, there's a lot that doesn't suck about the coming, you know, eight months.

[David Romano]

I love and I love the, the season transitionary periods. Yeah, that is kind of always really fun. So like that springtime, that May season, April and May, spring going into summer, I find that to be a really great time. September, October going into fall. Like those feel like months where things are really dynamic. It's like one day you might get it still being really sunny and warm. The next day you might get torrential downpour. And it's just kind of like. It just is a little more exciting to me, I guess. And if you feel, especially in the fall, the leaves changing them falling on the ground, like there's just a lot kind of going on. That's. That I feel like is mixes up the, the maybe boring day by day.

[Luke Burbank]

David, do you hear this? Speaking of the sounds of fall. Oh, I didn't realize this one has a bunch of Steve Rabel in it. Wow, what a time.

[David Romano]

You know, with his dreadlocks, Wilson passes the ball to the end zone.

[Luke Burbank]

Touchdown. You know, we're gonna get the crown in The Super Bowl 24 teams get the ring. Listen to the crowd. It does not songs that go harder than they have to. K dude and little hoagie now. So this is the. This is your sign. If you are a person who does not care about sports or about strife within our sports text chain, which you might care about, this is probably your time to go ahead and log off for the week, Dear listener, because we're entering the sports badlands now. It's. There's an irony, David, to the fact that I'm playing this song this year. This team should be feared. You better saddle up when you roll with Seattle Bronco. Seem like some old cattle left in the field because do you know who turned us onto this song? Run away. Is Ders the very person that you said you may be forced to now block in the sports text chain? Now I'll just catch people up. Ders is a good friend of mine, a person who I absolutely love in the world in always, except when it comes to how we talk, what we talk about, when we talk about sports texting. And I want to be careful because I also get extremely triggered when I'm watching my teams play and I send a lot of stuff out to the criminals that I kind of sort of regret later. I also have. Andrew always points this out. I have a hyper specific sense of what I think is okay to say about the team and when. And there's no rhyme or reason to it, and I'm constantly violating my own rules. It's like, it's not like I'm never negative. It's like, I just feel like when I'm negative, it's. It's okay. And when I. And when someone else is being a negative in a way that I don't like, it's not okay. I mean, it's totally and completely.

[David Romano]

I feel like you and I are kind of simpatico where we will be really negative in that moment. And then pretty quickly we bounce back and we're like, but they're going to, you know, we're going to get a pick six. All it takes is three. Pick six.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[David Romano]

Back in it. Or, you know, that sort of stuff. And I feel like I learned that from watching sports with you as a little kid and being like, you know, I guess anything can happen, so why. And also, I just don't like feeling that sadness. I don't like sitting with that sadness. Maybe Ders has a grim satisfaction in, like, really sitting with that negativity. And I do want to. I want to say I greatly respect Ders and him as a radio professional. And, you know, in my capacity that I know him, I have a great affection for him.

[Luke Burbank]

But so let me ask this, because I have blocked him on the text chain now for going on a year, and it's greatly improved my experience, because what used to happen was that a bad play would happen. And by the way, this is mostly Seahawk related to me. I don't care if he roasts the Mariners. And again, this. We're all.

[David Romano]

We all hate the Mariners a lot of the time.

[Luke Burbank]

This gets to how completely insane my read on the situation is, but basically, like, there was something about a Seahawks game where something bad happens and he would immediately go, game is over. Season is over. And that would. I would already be bummed about the thing on the field. And then I would like, kind of turn my rage towards Ders. So I blocked him. And it's been great because I don't ever see anything that he's saying, so I don't get triggered by it. And then I'm able to just put. Put my 2 cents into the text chain. I did notice the other day, because you're not blocked, David, you wrote something like, okay, whatever, Ders, or something, and I was like, oh, shit. I don't even. I don't know what preceded that, but is that why you're now thinking you may have to block him, whatever that fal. Deral was? Yeah.

[David Romano]

And, you know, that might be an exaggeration for me to say I want to block him, because the truth is, he adds a lot of texture to that text thread in that when I am getting frustrated at the game and I look to the text thread, I almost know for a fact that I'll see Ders saying something echoing my same sentiment of frustration. And for me, the thing with this. So to kind of break it down, this Seahawks game, the first half of the game, in my view.

[Luke Burbank]

Now you're talking about the Steelers game.

[David Romano]

Yeah, the Steelers game. The Seahawks offense, led by Sam Darnold, was making some movement down the field. I think they had like 250 yards of offense in the first half, which isn't terrible.

[Luke Burbank]

Now, you went down and scored a touchdown on our opening drive. Right.

[David Romano]

Went down a couple other drives and got close. Sam Darnold through two interceptions, and then we missed a field goal. Like things happened. But our offense in general, I said in the text thread, I said, this is. This is mostly on Darnold. You can't blame Kubiak. That being Clint Kubiak, our new offensive Coordinator. The offense is kind of humming is what I said. And Ders said humming.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, no, wait, hold on.

[David Romano]

I can actually pull it up on the text thread here. Just give me half of one.

[Luke Burbank]

What you don't realize whether it's Hawk Squad or the Criminals, is the just sheer raw output of texting that goes on until you're trying to scroll back to find a text. You're like, it's probably like three texts back, and you realize, oh, my God, we are putting so much content into this.

[David Romano]

Okay, so I'll fill you in here. So the offense, as I thought, was humming, but Sam Darnold, again, not performing particularly well. We went down in the half, 14 to 7. I want to say Ders says, 02 coming right up. Says, remember these were active choices by our gm. Trade Gito, trade Geno, trade dk. What hubris to think this team would be competitive. I'm honestly surprised at how bad Darnold is. Worse than I imagined. And then I said, can't even blame Kubiak that much today. Offense has kind of been humming. Darnold is the problem.

[Luke Burbank]

Problem.

[David Romano]

And he said humming, question mark, exclamation point. Which particularly aggressive. When you put the exclamation in with the question mark, that felt a little aggressive. So what I did is I took a screenshot of the. What the offensive production was a little graphic that they show on the app, and I sent that in and I said, yeah, I would say so. Humming, not amazing, but again, I feel that's on Darnold. And he said, they're averaging three yards per carry. It ain't humming. And I said, okay, Andy, they suck.

[Luke Burbank]

Right? Well, that's the thing. I mean, this is why I have a problem with this kind of discourse on the text changes, because it feels to me like he'll only be happy if we all admit that the Seahawks are going to go 0 and 17. Like, that's the only thing that he'll agree to in those moments. And it's like, this is not well. We think they're gonna go. Owen 17. Why are we watching it? Why are any of us spending any of our time with this? It just doesn't feel like. It doesn't feel like there's any winning unless you are in as dark a place as he is over it. And. And that just is kind of like, you know, that's not. Again, even though I get negative on there, that's not the energy that I'm really, look, trying to match or whatever. Also, by the way, I'm Sorry, you were gonna say something, but let me just mention it was such a good sports weekend between the Mariners winning games.

[David Romano]

Yeah, this is midway through a Mariners, like they were seven games into a 10 game win streak at this point.

[Luke Burbank]

And by the way, I watched this Steelers game with our brother Sam and we were frigging jubilant. Granted, I think we may both still have had alcohol in our system from the night before. We may have been rolling 08s, which didn't hurt. But like my memory of this game was, yeah, the Seahawks, they, they had some like happens in every game, a couple plays that didn't go their way. But we did not feel overmatched. I mean we ended up winning by a kind of running away with it. My great joy. Okay, a few things here. One, it was a great sports weekend if you're a Seattle fan. The Seahawks go on the road and they win handily in Pittsburgh. The Mariners are like winning their eighth in a row or ninth in a row or whatever the hell it was. Seventh in a row and like, you know, challenging for first place in the AL West. Then I get to have the enjoyment of watching Geno Smith on Monday night throw three touch three interceptions, including just flaming out in the red zone. Geno Smith again, I don't have any problem with Geno Smith particularly, but like, it's nice to see. Also, DK Metcalf was vastly outperformed. I mean, he got a touchdown now. I'm talking about Steelers now. But DK Metcalf got a touchdown, but other than that he was largely silent.

[David Romano]

He had 20 yards and like backup corners too. The Seahawks were pretty beat up in the secondary and so Josh Jobe, who nobody knows, was locking DK down.

[Luke Burbank]

I saw Jalen Ramsey just getting cooked by JSN like I was the people that are in these. Like I have written these weird personal stories around wanting them to not do well again, not because I have really a problem with DK or Geno, but what sucks is when you see someone that was on your team go somewhere else and play even better. It just like hurts. Meanwhile, you have, you have DK Metcalf doing exactly what the problem with DK Metcalf was last season, which was he just disappears for large chunks of the game and the fan base is just freaking out going, like, why aren't they throwing to DK or whatever. So that was really fun to get to see. And then all my TikTok was for two days was Steelers fans flipping the flip out about how mad they are at Mike Tomlin's failed experiment and how DK Metcalf is a bum and how, like, this team will never go anywhere and they're the highest paid defense in the league and they can't whatever. And like, that was so much fun to watch.

[David Romano]

That's a special gratification is seeing the, the opposing team, especially a team that we historically despise now with a quarterback that I know Andrew and I have despised for years and years. And you're getting on that wagon as well, I will say so. One thing that, that Ders will do that I, that I to much to his credit is if they end up the Mariners or the Seahawks end up winning at the end of the game, it's not like he's saying like, well, that win didn't mean anything or they didn't.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, of course not.

[David Romano]

He's like, he's as excited as any.

[Luke Burbank]

Of us, of course, but he's emotionally dysregulated. So, yeah, of course, when he gets the outcome, I mean, this is like, this is. Any example I use from real life is going to be far too dark. But it's basically, it's like, it's like, oh, of course he's happy that they won. Of course he's now. It's like if you, if you've ever been stuck with anyone who has dysregulated emotions, it's like when the emotions are dysregulated, it's all over the place. And then when things work out, it's like, oh, I take back all of it. Oh, what are you so upset about?

[David Romano]

Right?

[Luke Burbank]

What are you so. What are you so upset about? About all the shit.

[David Romano]

Love bomb. The Seahawks.

[Luke Burbank]

Exactly. It's like, yeah, well, it's, it's easy to be happy about the game after they win. It's harder to be happy about it or to find some joy to when, you know, the breaks are beating the boys, as we say. And so that's, you know, like. I don't know, I just, I just thought it was a kind of a glorious sports weekend. And also it was. There's so few, I feel like there are so few W's. As a progressive, politically minded Seattle sports fan. There are. What I mean is like, the real world sucks. It feels like so much of Seattle sports life just sucks that, like, to just have a weekend where all of our teams win. And also we're seeing the lamentation of the women. As Conan the Destroyer says, we're watching the Steelers fans melt down on TikTok like it was just geno smith is throwing 3 ints. It's just like, oh, I needed this in my life. And so, okay, a couple things. We are now going into a Mariners weekend that I have designated on my calendar. By that, I mean, I don't have every game on my calendar, but months ago, I blocked out these three days and just wrote mariners, Astros. I didn't even know what that meant. I didn't know what it would look like. I just knew that this was a sports weekend that would probably either leave me on cloud nine or extremely bummed out. And here we are. We are tied in the AL west and we are going into the lion's den. Is it Minute Maid park still or has it got some other kooky ass name? Florida.

[David Romano]

One of the Florida teams? Maybe I'm not.

[Luke Burbank]

Have they still have they re retained the Enron services? I mean, that's all you need to know about the Houston Astros. Their park was sponsored by Enron. Okay. Then they had the most obvious and demonstrable cheating scandal of all time. A year they won the World Series and they didn't have to give back their rings. This is what we're dealing with. Mariners fans, I just want to say this is truly good versus evil. Except for our listeners in Houston, who are great and we love you, but, like, I mean, and we have just historically the Mariners. I mean, Jordan Alvarez hitting off of Robbie Ray is one of my, like, lowest sports moments of my life. And so here we go. It's. We're tied going into Houston. What are your thoughts, dear brother? Oh, brother, where art thou on this whole series?

[David Romano]

I have a tremendous number of butterflies in my stomach about the series.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[David Romano]

But I also have a weird amount of confidence.

[Luke Burbank]

I kind of do, too.

[David Romano]

It feels like in the ebbs in the waves of the baseball season, especially with the Seattle Mariners, you can almost predict when they have been too hot and they're about to cool down. And then you can kind of predict as you're giving up on the team when they're about to back up. And this doesn't feel like either of those things. This feels like. Like I've never watched the team that has as many opportunities as they have. And while, yes, we're very frustrated by the fact that Julio can never come up in the clutch, he, in all other situations seems to be getting on base, seems to be hitting doubles, hitting homers, hitting guys in. And then in the clutch, we have like, JP all of a sudden becoming like an amazing hitter.

[Luke Burbank]

Like, there's always Polanco, dude, rango so obviously, Mr.

[David Romano]

Double, like, all of these pieces of the team that I feel like in, in seasons past, you would look at like one or two pieces and be like, those guys have to hit.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[David Romano]

Guys have to knock this out or else.

[Luke Burbank]

Because we never had anybody who could do anything. And so because of that, there was always, yeah, we had one decent hitter, and if they were having a bad night, there was just like no chance. Now it's like, I think there's also this effect when you, when you have. I mean, first of all, I think Josh Naylor has been the greatest, like, mid season pickup in the history of the Mariners organization. I have never seen another player come in, you know, again, mid season and actually have the impact that he has had. Just between his steals, between his actual hitting and just the vibe that he.

[David Romano]

Brings at first base is wild. The amount of times that he has dug a ball out of the dirt is. And yeah, he's. It's funny, he feels like a few seasons ago, the season that we. In 2022, when we went to the playoffs for the first time in 20 years, it felt like Carlos Slam Tana. Oh, yeah. Was like, was that guy. We picked him up mid season. He's a vet. He's like, not very good, but all of a sudden he's hitting all these home runs for us. And it feels like Naylor is that. But also very good conventionally at baseball and also unconventionally good, like you said, baserunning. Like, he should not be as good at baserunning as he is.

[Luke Burbank]

And yet he is in like the lowest, 15th slowest players in Major League Baseball who have gotten to play as much as he has. Like, he is, he is one of the slowest players in Major League Baseball and has, I don't know how many stolen bases, I mean, over 20 as a mariner. And it's pure, it's just pure smarts. It's pure understanding the pitch that the pitcher is about to throw. Like, Naylor is a problem for the other teams. And we just haven't had many guys that, like, we are usually pitching to the problem. Like, it's been Jose Altuve for years. Like, Jose Altuve has been a problem and when. And he still is. He just hit a home run the other night, but it's like he would come up or historically, it's like the Mariners are, we need to get him out and we somehow don't get him out. And I don't know why. And I feel like Josh Naylor is our version of that now. Like, he Comes up and just. He's a problem for other teams, which is so fun to be a team that has a guy that is a problem. And then again, we. When you have those guys, when you have the Nailers and the Cal raws of the world and all these folks hitting, then what I think it does is it allows the Dominican zone's your twin. And the Mitch Garvers my twin to. It allows some of these other peripheral guys to actually really start hitting because it's not all on their shoulders. Like, it's kind of like gravy. It's like. I think. I think if you're the number nine hitter or the number eight hitter coming up in this lineup, you understand that, like, good things have probably happened in front of you. Good things might be happening behind you in the lineup. Like, I think there's a mental sort of liberation that goes on that allows everybody to hit a little better because nobody feels like it's uniquely on them.

[David Romano]

There's just, like, the trust. You just trust that one of the guys is going to get it done. Even if you hit into a double play, which is super frustrating, it's like, well, next inning, you know, Rosarena and Julio.

[Luke Burbank]

And we're also finding insane ways to win. Did you see the review call that we did yesterday? I mean, that's. That's dimensional.

[David Romano]

All day in the newsroom, it's.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, dimensional. Shit. I had the game muted. I was working yesterday. It was a day game, so I had it muted because I was also writing my livewire script, and people are like, why did he keep calling that author Jorge Polanco? Because I was watching. I had it muted, and I was like, what are they reviewing? Like, this is a clear. I go, the guy.

[David Romano]

Yeah, he didn't beat the throw or anything. Like, it was so routine. And I think this happened a couple years ago, that this shift rule changed a little bit.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, well, let me just. And I'll clarify for the listeners. For the two listeners that are still here, probably Ders and one other person. You're unblocked from listening to the show, Ders, if you want to. But, like, so there's. You know, you can. As a team, you can challenge certain plays in baseball now, kind of like you do in football, but it's illegal in major league baseball to have too many of your defensive players on one side of the field. Because what happened was a few years ago, they figured out that it was the way to go. The shift, it's called. And it was so effective that it was Making the games have less runs scored, fewer runs scored. And it was unfun. And Major League Baseball is like, we gotta make the game shorter and we gotta have more runs scored. And by the way, I guess they weren't wrong about that because it would appear that baseball is more popular than it was back in those days. So there you go. But there was a guy. One of the rules I didn't even know was a rule, was one of the things is you can't be standing in the outfield, you can't be standing on the grass.

[David Romano]

Not even one blade of grass.

[Luke Burbank]

That's right. You cannot be. That's considered to be illegal defense. And again, that's because they had, you know, they were doing all these things. They knew where the hitters were likely to hit the ball. And so they were, they were sort of formatting and positioning their players in all these weird, kooky ways, their defensive players. And again, it was working. It was making it so less runs were being scored. And so our guy who just sits there staring at every play trying to figure out if we should challenge it, if that was not an out, if the ball didn't go foul or did go foul or whatever, figured out that literally, like the very back of this dude's cleat was barely resting on the grass. And what was so fun about this was, first of all, they challenged it and we did win. Which meant that the guy, instead of being thrown out easily at first, was on first. And that guy scored. That was the thing. Because otherwise it's just kind of a funny quirk. It's like, wow, that was smart of us. But like, that literally could have saved the game. It ultimately didn't. But being up by one run versus being up by two runs is massive, Particularly when you have Munoz going in, who I feel like is always playing with fire, you know. So that was kind of like, I guess my point in all that is to say, like, we feel like a team. I'm going to knock wood as I say this. We feel like a team that is somehow moving into this rare air where things are going to go okay and we are figuring out three five dimensional chess ways to challenge plays and win. And like, Dominic CanZone is hitting three home runs. Like, it, it feels like something's clicking for us that's almost getting bigger than us. And it's karmic in a way. And I'm just hoping. The other thing that I keep telling myself this is my way that I lower my anxiety around Houston is I tell myself that They've been very injured all year and that they still. They have Jordan Alvarez back. But, like, they are. They're like, they. Houston has hurt me so much as a team in terms of beating the Mariners, and particularly in, like, very painful moments like playoffs and important series and like that. Like, I fear them. Like, as a Mariner fan, I fear them. I was talking about the auras that months have for me. Like, March has a green aura. There's an aura when I think of the Houston Astros, that's like. It's red. It's scary to me. It's like this team. And again, it's almost politically coded for me at this point. Not that I'm saying the politics of the Houston Astros, but it's like, in the way that I feel like the bad guys keep winning everywhere. They feel like the bad guys to me, and they. I feel fear when I think about going into their ballpark and playing three hugely important games. But then I have to remind myself, God is in control. No. Then I have to remind myself, he'll take care of the rest. He's gonna do it. He'll take care of the rest. The devil blew it. The devil is Jordan Alvarez in this song. No. I have to remind myself that, like, the Mariners are good, actually.

[David Romano]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

And Houston actually is not. You know what they're like? They're like Smaug. I knew we'd get there, David.

[David Romano]

Okay, now I'm in. I'm locked in now. Okay, go.

[Luke Burbank]

Okay. They're like, smaug. Smaug is very scary, but Smaug is also very old and also has a vulnerability and is very.

[David Romano]

Egotistical, you know?

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[David Romano]

Hubris.

[Luke Burbank]

Exactly. Yes. And. And I. I. What I have to tell myself is, like, we can. We can defeat this. This lethargic dragon that is the Houston Astros. All we got to do is take two out of three. So to me, this is the. Tonight is so important, because on the mount.

[David Romano]

I mean, anytime Woo is on the mound, it feels like no matter what team we're facing, it's there. We have a. We have a pretty darn good chance.

[Luke Burbank]

If we can win tonight. I think we're set up pretty well because obviously, what we need to do is take two out of three at a minimum, and I think we can do that, but I think it. It starts with a win tonight. I also think, weirdly, it's probably kind of good that they lost one game at Kansas City, because if we were like, you talk about, there's something weird with the energy of this team. Like, if we were on our, like, 13th win in a row or whatever would be 12th win in a row, I could somehow see us just dropping three. Like, I don't know why I feel like we're so streaky. Like, what was. Here's what was good. We lost a game in Kansas City. It was kind of a bummer game because we were leading four to three in the eighth inning. And then we came back and won the next day. Like, I feel like the old version of the Mariners. It's like as soon as the magic.

[David Romano]

Spell is broken, the downside begins.

[Luke Burbank]

The downside begins and there's no bottom. It's just like. It's just like, oh, my God, what is this? Mel's hole? Like, you know, and so I feel like the fact that we, We. We came right back and won a game and run kind of a tough game, you know, that wasn't like a. I wasn't a laugher. So do you think. Here's my question to you. Do you think the Mariners are going to make the playoffs? And if we do, how do you think we're going to do.

[David Romano]

Oh, gosh, it feels spectacularly curse. Ish to say that. Like. Yeah, I do think they're gonna make.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, the stats are that like a.

[David Romano]

Not over a 90 chance of either the wild card or the division did for us was.

[Luke Burbank]

They distanced us from Texas.

[David Romano]

Yeah. So. So the, you know, we have more room to get the, the first wild card, second car, wild card, third wild card spot. I do think that we can win the division.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes.

[David Romano]

Well, I mean, I mean, we could.

[Luke Burbank]

Actually have the number two seed. Like, like, conceivably, if we win, if we win the division, it's not out of the realm of possibility that we would actually get to. It's not a buy. Right. But we host or something or whatever.

[David Romano]

Like, I think if you. Yeah, if you're the one, you get a Buy a wild card round, but. Which I don't think we're not going to, you know, get to Toronto, but. No, but I, I don't. I don't want to say that I think they're going to win the division, but I do have a weirdly good feeling. Like, I did not have this feeling in 2022. I did not have this feeling in 2021 when it felt, you know, when they ended the season on that great run and every other season that they've been one or two games out, I think they're going to get the job done. And I think, like, this, this Team feels like they have infinite potential if they stay on track, you know?

[Luke Burbank]

Right. Yeah. You know what it's like we're doing. If I can just make a gambling analogy. We used to only be able to afford to play one spot on the roulette wheel. You know, there's 35. Well, if you count green, there's like 37 spots that you can play on the roulette wheel. And we used to only have, like enough money to come in and buy one spot. And that's like 36 other, you know, numbers that aren't your number. And it's mostly going to go to those numbers. It feels like we now have bought a sufficient number of numbers. We're covering enough of the board and enough of the wheel that, like, I think on paper we should beat a lot of teams in Major League Baseball. Like, we should be able to. Absolutely. I think we're a better team top to bottom than Houston is now. Does that mean that we'll will win all three games? I mean, that would be an amazing outcome, but, like, it's. I feel like we can actually, like, I would not be excited about playing the Seattle Mariners in the playoffs this year.

[David Romano]

That's what opposing fans are saying as well. Like, and you know, that feels. I don't want to take too much, you know, I want to take all of that with a grain of salt. But like, seeing fans in other Reddit threads and communities being like, well, who's the team you don't want to see in. In the postseason? And people being like, I don't want to see the Mariners anywhere near our team. And it's like, okay, that is something I have not heard in years past.

[Luke Burbank]

And can you imagine if Geno gets hot? And by the way, when Gino gets hot, it's like he is a guy who will hit like 10 home runs in like eight games. You know what I mean?

[David Romano]

He had a four home run game this season with the Diamondbacks. Like, he is capable of it. It's not like he got injured. He. He's just so streaky. And if we catch him on. On the upswing of another streak, then.

[Luke Burbank]

It'S like, yeah, I mean, he was over 33. He was over 33. And then he hits a home run and I think he had like three or four hits that game. I feel like he's kind of starting to like, lock in again. So if we are able to go. If we were able to go into the end stretch run here and then the postseason and we've got like Cal Raleigh with 60 home runs and Gino Suarez with 50 home runs. And then like, Polanco and Naylor in between. Then. I'm not even talking about Julio, who, again, on paper, is a very good hitter now, like, and then our staff, like, I just think. I think that this team, I mean, and could really be formidable in the playoffs. So I'm. I'm very excited about it. I'm also nervous about this weekend. I know you and I will have to be in close contact today, and the problem is. Well, I think. I know. I don't think I can give tomorrow my full attention, which kind of sucks. But Sunday, I'm basically. I'm pretty much blocking it out for Seahawks and Mariners. Now, quickly, before I let you go here, actually, you've got to. You got to leave right now, actually. We got to wrap this up.

[David Romano]

No, no, I mean, I don't have to leave for another 20 minutes.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, give me your. Give me your five minutes on how. What do you think. What do you think the Seahawks season looks like? We're one and one. We. We looked pretty bad the opening game. We looked, I thought, pretty decent in. I mean, we got lucky with that, you know, botched kick return. But still, I thought we. I thought. I thought it looked like I could see what we were trying to do. I could see what the Mike McDonald strategy is around the defense and stuff. In Pittsburgh. We've got the Saints coming into Seattle this week. The Saints, on paper, do not look that great. It's a home game. I think the Seahawks should be favored, but just like, long term this season. What do you see the Seahawks doing?

[David Romano]

I think they. I think the defense is legit. And I don't even mean the players. Like, obviously, Witherspoon's great. Williams, you know, Leonard Williams is great. I think the way that this defense is schemed and it was sort of proven to me last game with a lot of guys injured, this defense is, like, different. Like, they're different than the Legion of Boom. They are such a brilliantly schemed, brilliantly blitzed package. Like, all these things that McDonald did in Baltimore. Baltimore seem to be coming to fruition. And he has the pieces that he needs and not just starters. Like, he has backups who he knows can do the things that he needs them to do. And so I feel very confident that, you know, teams are not going to score very much. And so do I have a ton of confidence in Darnold. Not necessarily, but I think if. If we can. If Clint Kubiak can kind of come up with some ways to make sure Ken Walker and Zach Charbonnet are kind of wearing down other defenses. I think Darnold will begin to flourish. And I think. I mean, I don't even think the Rams are that amazing. I know they're two and, oh, I know the Niners are two and, oh, and even the Cardinals are. But I don't think any of those teams are leaps and bounds better than the Seahawks, which is crazy. If you had told me that Geno and DK and Lockett are all leaving and, you know, what did I think the team was going to be? I would probably say bottom of the. Of the division, but I think they have just as good a chance as anyone else to win the division. And, you know, I don't know if they're going to make noise against teams like Detroit or Philly in the playoffs, but I think they've got a good chance of making the playoffs, at least.

[Luke Burbank]

I think when your team has a good defense, you're going to be in every game.

[David Romano]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

So, I mean, it's going to be. I'm going to. It's going to take years off my life, but I think we're going to make the playoffs and I honestly think we're going to really surprise some people, because I do. I'm with you. I think that this defense, again, there's nothing more fun than watching other fan bases pull their hair out at why their team sucked against the Seahawks. Like, they're like, our line is garbage. And I'm like, well, actually, there's pressure on your quarterback every single play, because that's what our whole raison d' etre is. We're putting a lot of time into doing that to you. That's not just because, by the way, speaking of lines, I think Gray Zabel looks really good, which is like, I mean, what a. What a. What a wonderful thing to. To draft a guy with a high draft pick and have him come in and start right away and then be good. Like, that's the dream scenario, and that seems to be happening. Like, I just also, by the way, I am. I'm pretty okay with Sam Darnold so far. Like, I. I feel like he is doing mostly what he was hired to do, which is manage the game. I mean, he's had a couple of plays. Like, obviously, I mean, week one. The thing is, if he doesn't fumble that ball, we could be two and. Oh, and there would be this whole other narrative around this team, which is like, the Seahawks are ascendant or whatever. It's like I think when I watch Geno Smith like turn the ball over multiple times and continue to not get in, in the red zone, I think I don't miss that. And that was always a problem last year. I think Darnold's job is to just, is just manage the game and allow the defense to keep the other team in check. I thought it was a hugely positive sign that Ken Walker looked a lot better in week two than he did in week one. JSN continues to be elite in my mind. I didn't even know we had a guy named Tony Horton, but I'm encouraged by that.

[David Romano]

Yeah, that's great.

[Luke Burbank]

Like, I don't know, I just, I feel like if you can get a dominant defense and then figure out a couple of things on offense, you've got a recipe for winning some games in the NFL. Like you're again, you're always going to be in the game because your defense is always going to be keeping the other team relatively in check. I don't think we're going to give up too many watch this will happen tomorrow but or on Sunday. I don't think we're going to give up too many 37 point games, you know. And so you know, is it the most fun when your team is built around bend but don't break defense and then pounding the rock?

[David Romano]

No, it's like what was fun about the, you know that the super bowl winning Hawks team was like yeah, that was the philosophy. And then you just had Russell throwing like moon balls, moon balls and, and these receiver, you know, pedestrian receivers who were like, had the greatest hands and like there were all these aspects to that team that I think us as Seahawks fans are like still chasing and it's like yeah, that's, that was a once in a lifetime team like in every way. Not just the defense, the offense as well. Like there's never going to be another team like the 2013 Seahawks. And so I'm really excited for, for this team and yeah, even if Darnold's not necessarily the future, I think all of the bones of, of this team are really, really sturdy and and I think there's a lot to build on in coming seasons and I think this season, yeah, I, I don't see a, a team other than maybe Green Bay or Philly that is leap sounds better than them.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. Can you imagine a world in which we kind of get, you know, this defense totally locked in. We become one of those teams that has like a good 5 to 10 year run of just Like, a smothering defense, and then, like, Milroe kind of, like, matures into the job, and then we actually have, like, a fun, interesting offense. I mean, I guess that just makes us the Baltimore Ravens at that point. You know what I mean? Like a sick defense and then a quarterback who can actually like, really, really be a problem for teams. But, yeah, I mean, David, it's weird on this Friday because it's a sunny day. I'm watching the hummingbirds swarm around. The hummingbirds appear to be defeating the Yellowjackets right now, which is another W for all things good in the world.

[David Romano]

Yeah. Not all evil wins.

[Luke Burbank]

That's right. Evil does not always have to prevail. Here we are on this Friday, and we're going into, like, a weekend where, again, on Monday, I could just be in the absolute depths or I could be buzzing around like one of those hummingbirds, and we just don't know. And that's kind of what makes sports great and also terrifying, right?

[David Romano]

Yes, absolutely. That's the exhilaration and, yeah, the highs and the lows are what make it. That's why we're fans of the teams.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. All right, well, I think that's going to do it, everybody. For today's episode and also for this week of tbtl, thank you for spending it with us. I know things were a little different than normal, but we're going to be very glad to have Andrew back on Monday. And, yeah, I guess tune in to see if. If you hear me weeping quietly during the intro tape on Monday, you'll know that it didn't go well for my teams over the weekend, but I guess we'll. I guess we'll have to find that out. Find all of that out together on Monday. In the meantime, Davey, thanks for being on the show, man. Thank you.

[David Romano]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Appreciate you.

[David Romano]

Always a pleasure. I would like to be on with Andrew again at some point. I feel like he.

[Luke Burbank]

He's a hard no on that, and I don't know why. It's very weird. No, no.

[David Romano]

But it's all. I appreciate it, man.

[Luke Burbank]

All right. Love you, brother. Love all of you out there in listener land, too. Again, thanks for spending this week with tbtl. We'll be back on Monday with more imaginary radio. In the meantime, everybody have a great and safe weekend. Go Mariners. Go Seahawks. And please remember, no mountain too tall.

[David Romano]

And good luck to all.

[Luke Burbank]

Flawlessly executed.

[David Romano]

Power out.

[Luke Burbank]

And I'm gonna mute you, and then we'll be off to the races, okay?

[David Romano]

Okay, sounds good.