#4577 The Changing Of The Teasons

Summary

TBTL #4577 "The Changing Of The Teasons" – October 16, 2025

Hosts: Luke Burbank & Andrew Walsh

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Episode Overview

In this Thursday edition titled “The Changing Of The Teasons,” Luke and Andrew riff on everything from the oddities of migrating geese and portable saunas to their feelings on baseball heartbreak, the Manning football dynasty, and the pedantic use of the word “Lego.” They offer classic TBTL banter about introvert/extrovert culture, the rightness (or wrongness) of “extroverted” socializing, and an extended, emotional debrief about the Mariners playoff performance. The episode wraps up with their listeners’ Blursday (birthday) shoutouts, lavish digressions about Christmas trees, and pop culture tangents that only these two could manage.

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Key Discussion Points

1. The World is “Topsy Turvy” and Change is in the Air

• Opening Observations: Luke notes the idyllic weather but also the geese “flying north for the winter,” musing, “Everything is topsy turvy in this world” (01:13).
• Notable Quote: “We've the thing. We thought there was a law around them having to fly south... Now they figured out, well, we can just fly north and see what happens. Crazy world, folks.” – Luke (01:49)

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2. Mariners Meltdown & Baseball Therapy

• Wellness Checks from Friends: Luke describes receiving texts after the Mariners' rough loss, showing his “brand as guy who cares about baseball too much is strong” (02:28).

• Baseball Losing as Life Metaphor: Luke and Andrew dissect the Mariners’ “good old-fashioned drubbing” by the Blue Jays and find comfort in the loss being a blowout rather than a nail-biter:

  “Yesterday was, yesterday was such a not—I think a lot of people see the score and they're like, oh my god, the boys are going to be so bummed today. This was like the least bummer loss of the postseason for me..." – Andrew (44:15)

• High Leverage vs. Garbage Time: They explain why the post-season strategy—saving “leverage arms”—matters and commiserate over bullpen woes.

• Superfan Anxiety: Luke jokes about not having fingernails left to bite after so many tense games:

  “I have not had any fingernails left since...the 15 inning game...” (72:12)

• Predictions & Superstition: Andrew tries to avoid making predictions lest he “jinx” the team. They discuss how unlike other sports, a baseball blowout doesn’t guarantee repeat performance the next day.

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3. Pop-Up Social Saunas: An Extrovert’s Dream or a Forcing Function?

• Social Saunas in Seattle: Luke introduces the Seattle Times piece about “Tooley Lodge,” a mobile sauna designed to foster community (04:12–06:38).
• Introvert/Extrovert Riffs:

  “This feels a little bit forced to me...this is another example of extroverts being confused why other people aren't extroverts and really trying to shove it on people.” – Andrew (04:12)

• Conversation Cards in Saunas: Both hosts find the idea of enforced chat in small, sweaty quarters “exhausting,” pushing back against engineered extroversion.
• Tone: Light and self-deprecating as they admit their own social limitations.
• Quote:

  “If you just sort of force yourself to enough group sauna situations with enough little laminated cards that are conversation starters, you can kind of will yourself into that.” – Luke (04:43)

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4. Sauna & Heat Analogies: Hating the Jog but Loving the Jogger

• Luke explains:

  “Well, the thing about the jogs after a night of too much drinking is that I hate the jog. I hate the experience. I just...You love the jogger.” (08:35)

• Andrew confesses to once “hotboxing” himself in the car on purpose:

  “Sometimes on a really, really hot summer day...I would, like, get in my car and not turn on the air or roll down the windows for as long as I could possibly go and just, like, get real sweaty.” (11:01)

• The hosts spin off into a fantasy film about Andrew house-sitting a haunted mansion (13:19–15:33), complete with Glenn Powell as Andrew, and a subplot of loving saunas—showcasing TBTL’s trademark improvisational humor and pop culture references.

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5. “Chad Powers,” the Mannings, and Sports Comedy

• Exploring TV Show Origins: They fall down a delightful rabbit hole discussing “Chad Powers,” a sports comedy starring Glenn Powell, based on an Eli Manning “undercover quarterback” skit (16:09–21:27).
• Manning Family Admiration: Luke recounts a “Texas Monthly” article about the Manning family that makes him appreciate their down-to-earth attitude despite massive fame (21:44–24:28).
• Relatability of Arch Manning:

  “Arch Manning is babysitting at Dave and Buster's. Like, I love how deeply normal that is.” – Luke (27:43)

• Generational Pressures: They discuss the challenge of remaining grounded as a third-generation sports scion.

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6. Digressions: Language, Rituals, and LEGO Lore

• “Carrying the Mantle”: The hosts chase down the biblical origins of the phrase, joking about confusing mantle/mantlepieces (33:16–35:29).
• LEGO vs. Legos: Luke and Andrew side with "Legos," not the corporate-correct "LEGO bricks," and recall the infamous Velcro “hook and loop” legal campaign (83:32–87:01).

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7. Listener Donations & Blursday Messages

• Donor Acknowledgements: Heartfelt (and comically digressive) thanks to listener-supporters, including anecdotes about geography and mass transit (32:56–38:15).
• Blursday Shoutouts: Birthday wishes and TBTL inside jokes galore, including:
  • Listeners' kids commandeering podcast-branded musical instruments
  • Pet reactions to melodica/harmonica performances
  • Tangents regarding Christmas trees, ornaments (“fox” ornament memory), and personal holiday traditions (78:04–82:05)
  • A long, affectionate riff on the correct and incorrect ways to talk about LEGO/legos.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “I feel like I'm partners with the Hulk. Happy birthday. Pretty, pretty good.” – Luke (00:52)
• “You love the jogger.” – Andrew, summarizing Luke’s approach to healthy habits (08:43)
• “If I lived alone, I'd have like a tabletop tree probably… I'd hang, like, five ornaments on it.” – Andrew, on Christmas traditions (79:27)
• “Is that Corva Coleman?!... Behind a tree?” – Luke, imagining an NPR-themed D&D scenario (83:18)
• “For me to, for me to weirdly say Lego instead of Legos, I was playing with Legos. Somebody left all these Legos around…” – Luke (87:38)
• “I would absolutely snip a Lego to make the brick fit. I would pound it on there with a hammer.” – Luke, on LEGO impatience (87:48)

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Notable Segment Timestamps

• 01:13 – Opening: Geese flying the “wrong” direction, weather, intro banter
• 02:28 – Mariners loss debrief, fan anxiety
• 04:12 – Pop-up social saunas & extroversion, discussion of Seattle Times piece
• 13:19 – Mansion/superfan/sweatbox film fantasy tangent
• 16:09 – “Chad Powers”/Eli Manning, sports comedy
• 21:44 – Manning family lore, Arch Manning story
• 32:10 – Listener donations, show support acknowledgments
• 42:10 – Baseball fan psychology & postgame anxiety
• 73:30 – “Alexa” and rooting for the Mariners, extreme fan behavior
• 74:48 – Blursday messages segment (continues with birthday wishes and TBTL in-jokes)
• 83:32 – LEGO/Legos and Velcro digression and song

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Tone and Style

The episode features TBTL’s classic mix: wry, self-deprecating humor; earnest (bordering on obsessive) sports analysis; good-natured tangents about language, pop culture, and midlife existence; and playful teasing between two old friends who invite their listeners into their quirky world.

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For New or Occasional Listeners

If you’ve never listened to TBTL, this episode showcases its trademark blend: deep dives into semi-absurd topics (from saunas to LEGO grammar), relatable anxieties about sports and socializing, and a community of inside jokes and personal shoutouts. The show’s original flavor is all here—an easygoing, smart, and heartfelt take on getting through daily life with humor, humility, and a lot of baseball.

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Power Out!

Transcript

[Luke Burbank]

Uh, would you like to enter our raffle?

[Andrew Walsh]

Win dinner with a real astronaut? Okay. I like space. Ever since I was a child, I was always fascinated by Major Tony Nelson's fail space flight.

[Luke Burbank]

His capsule crash landing on a desert.

[Andrew Walsh]

Island, knocking over a genie ball. To releasing Barbara Eden. Thank you, NASA. She was his slave. Tbtl. Yeah, I can't hear you. Not true, of course, but cheer louder. Yeah, look, I get it. I'm not always fun to be around. I can be loud and abrasive.

[Luke Burbank]

My breath. The doctors say I have incurable stink tongues.

[Andrew Walsh]

So tired of you getting angry and.

[Luke Burbank]

Yelling all the time.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's exhausting.

[Luke Burbank]

I feel like I'm partners with the Hulk. Happy birthday. Pretty. Pretty good.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, my God, man. We have seen some we ain't never seen before.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, all right. Hello, good morning and welcome everyone to a Thursday edition of tbtl. The show just might be too beautiful to live.

[Andrew Walsh]

I heard about that thing on the AM radio.

[Luke Burbank]

My name is Luke Burbank. I'm your host. I'm an activist and house party enthusiast coming to you from the Madrona Hill studio perched high above the mighty Columbia, where we're looking at another nice day.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, my God. Pa.

[Luke Burbank]

It's just beautiful. Blue skies, the cows are in the river. It's pretty idyllic here, except for the fact that I saw not one, but two large flocks of geese once again flying north.

[Andrew Walsh]

There's something about the soul of a bird.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know what is going on with that, but I am a bit worried for them. I'll do some research later and figure out why the geese seem to be flying north for the winter, which, I mean, listen, everything is topsy turvy in this world. So maybe that's just. That's another norm being violated. We've the thing. We thought there was a law around them having to fly south. It was just because nobody wanted to violate the norm of southern flight. And now they figured out, well, we can just fly north and see what happens. Crazy world, folks. We're gonna try to make it a little better. Make it a little. Make a little more sense here on episode 4577 and they colle series.

[Andrew Walsh]

Let the fun begin.

[Luke Burbank]

I don't know if you heard. There was a Mariners baseball game last night against the Toronto Blue Jays and it didn't go great. It could be worse, but I'm not sure how. It's a good old fashioned drubbing again. I know that my brand as guy who cares about baseball too much is strong because People were reaching out to me last night, lots of people. Again, as I mentioned, I think maybe last week, kind of in the sort of wellness check category, sort of like, are you okay, Luke? Right now I am okay and I'll tell you why coming up. Also, if you need to, I don't know, feel better about the Mariner's loss or you want to take the edge off, you maybe could visit one of the portable saunas that are popping up around Seattle.

[Andrew Walsh]

Now I feel warm and I'm levitating.

[Luke Burbank]

Also known as the number one place you will never find my friend, Andrew Walsh. Pop up sauna on Lake Washington or Lake Union. Hey, it's a Thursday, AKA Blursday. So we'll celebrate all the folks who, who were born around this time. And of course, speaking of my dear friend Andrew Walsh, the longest running cobra of the show, he is maybe best known for his depictions of the tall ships and his aversion to going shirtless around people he doesn't know at 7 in the morning. Your voice is like a combination of Fergie and Jesus. He's joining me right now. Good morning, my friend.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, it's okay, Luke. They offer conversational topics on cards.

[Luke Burbank]

I wondered if you were gonna lock in on that dazzling deep.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's not. Imagine a story about saunas. And my biggest issue with it isn't taking my shirt off in public.

[Luke Burbank]

That tells you something. No, that really tells you something.

[Andrew Walsh]

I mean, we're jumping, right? I don't know if you really want that.

[Luke Burbank]

It's okay. Why not?

[Andrew Walsh]

Should we just jump into that right now? Jonas says, I got, I read that article and I thought, hey, everybody can like what they like. This feels a little bit forced to me, but it's not for me. Maybe it'll be a successful venture. I'll let you set it up in a second. But then I got to this line about like, and we just really want people to be social, so we're going to be creating conversation topics that people can take into the sauna. And I was like, yeah, this is another example of extroverts being confused why other people aren't extroverts and really trying to shove it on people or even.

[Luke Burbank]

People who are not extroverts but who have sort of built up a scaffolding, an exoskeleton of socializing around themselves so that they then come off as being somebody who's extroverted. In other words, it doesn't come natural. But if you, if you, if you just sort of force yourself to enough Group sauna situations with enough little laminated cards that are conversation starters, you can kind of will yourself into that. And by the way, I'm with you. Like, everyone should like what they like. People seem like they're having a lot of fun with this. It's called a Tooley Lodge. There was an article in the Seattle Times today from Nicole Pasia, who by the way, has a great title there at the Seattle Times. And I really hope I mean this seriously. Seattle Times Features Engagement Reporter. Wait a second. I thought that was a cool title because I thought, well, first of all, it's just kind of. It sounds almost like. It just sounds like a fun beat. And it sounds like a newspaper that's actually not doing the absolute minimum. You know what I mean? Like, you've got to have your like person who covers City hall, you've got to have your person who covers the Seahawks and the Mariners. But if you've got like a new features reporter, that's kind of cool. But then I get worried with that word. Engagement Features Engagement Reporter. Is this an ad, Andrew? Am I reading?

[Andrew Walsh]

No, I think you're. I'm looking at Nicole's little bio here on the Seattle Times and it says Features Engagement Reporter for the Seattle Times. She writes about the unique ways people find and build community in greater Seattle. So it's a very specific kind of features that Nicole is writing. Kind of like getting out there. It reminds me of what like Natalie Graham has been doing for the Stranger and other outlets around Seattle. I think other outlets, maybe just the Stranger for years now, which is going out and people are, whether they're playing, this is a dated one, but adult dodgeball or, you know, wall climbing clubs or that type of thing. I think that people like reading about how people are getting out, especially in a city that has a reputation for being sort of anti social.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, that's one of the things that comes up in this piece. So this sort of social sauna is on a trailer and they can wheel it around and they set it up at like 7 in the morning. And folks come out. This one, this stop was near the ship canal in Seattle. And you sit in this sauna, which is kind of like a tiny home that's on a trailer like I mentioned. And then there's like a kind of a cold plunge little kind of thing next to it. And you kind of alternate between the sauna and the cold plunge. There's no alcohol there because it's early in the morning and because they don't need the people to be both Scantily clad and drunk. And a lot of the people who were interviewed and who were taking part in this seem like they're having a great time. I am happy for them that they are having a great time. It is definitely not for me, but not even because of the reasons you might imagine. Although I'm not exactly wild about the idea of being shirtless around strangers, I don't want to be a shirtless around people that I know. It's that I have never understood personally, the appeal of feeling too hot like this surprises me.

[Andrew Walsh]

I thought you were gonna have the total opposite take on this. I thought you were gonna love sweating. I'm not joking. I thought that this was going to be something because. And I should have let you finish your thought before I told you, before I told you what I was predicting you were going to say. But thank you for allowing me the interruption. When I was reading it, I was thinking, like, oh, I could see why a sauna experience. Maybe not this social sauna experience that they're trying to promote here, but just generally speaking, you seem like somebody who really appreciates the sort of, I don't know, transformative nature or not. I don't want to say healing and I don't want to say transformative, but sort of, I know especially after a night of drinking back in the day, you would, like, a jog for you is really important. And I felt like one thing that you would say a lot is I feel like I'm sweating out the toxin. So I always thought that you sort of leaned into that feeling of, like, being able to, like, sort of express that, literally express that out of your pores.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, the thing about the jogs after a night of too much drinking is that I hate the jog. I hate the experience. I just.

[Andrew Walsh]

You love the jogger.

[Luke Burbank]

Exactly. And I. And it's just like, you know, I would be non functional without somehow, you know, fast processing the stuff through my system. So that would. That was really a means to an end, not something that I found to be kind of like spiritually restorative or anything. It was just literally like a practical. A somewhat practical solution to a bigger problem called my relationship with alcohol. But I have steam room, sauna, miss me with all of that stuff. It. First of all, in those steam rooms, I feel like I'm going to suffocate. You know, those are the ones where it's like the humidity is 1,000%. You're inside. Somehow you're inside of an active water situation.

[Andrew Walsh]

I've never been in One of those. I've been in a regular sauna before. At some point in my life, I remember the sensation of that. But I don't think I've been in a steam one.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, they are, you know, one's dry and one is wet. And both, for me, are absolutely stultifying. Like, I. I cannot get out of those things quickly enough. And the thing is, you know, I've gone, like, with Becca and stuff to, you know, these kind of upscale spas. And that's always, you know, a big part of the sales pitch is like, oh, we've got this, you know, really luxurious sauna or steam room or dry sauna or whatever. And I always feel like, well, I'm paying for this. I might as well. Maybe I've missed something about this. And then I sit in there and then I just am, like, counting the seconds until I can be out of there. Like, again. You know, in. Particularly in Scandinavian culture and stuff, there's this whole idea. I'm sure we're going to have some listeners. I'm sure we have listeners who are bigly into this stuff. And again, if you enjoy this, by all means continue enjoying it. People will probably email and explain the physical benefits of it and all that. And, you know, I believe that to be the case. It's just for me, there's people. I feel like people also just enjoy it. Like it's one of their favorite things in the world. I know people who like their favorite thing, if they could do anything, it would be sitting in a sauna or a steam room. That's their happy place. And for me, it's just I can't get out of there quick enough.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't think I would have exactly the same reaction. I. Again, I'm not. I'm not saying that I feel like I need a sauna in my life or even if I had one at. If I was on vacation or something, in a resort, had one. I'm not saying that I'm racing to get in there, but I wouldn't be totally against it. And I actually, here's the thing. This is going to be such a dumb analogy, but maybe you'll go with me here. Like, sometimes on a really, really hot summer day. I haven't done this in a long time. I would, like, get in my car and not turn on the air or roll down the windows for as long as I could possibly go and just, like, get real sweaty. This is more. I think I remember doing this more in, like, New Hampshire. I don't think I'VE done this in a really, really long time. But I would. When I was like kind of a young man in college or right after college, I would like do this thing. I get in my car really hot, but just stifle in there for as long as I could possibly go. And this is when I had more of a commute to work or something like that. And then at some point when I couldn't take anymore, I'd roll down all the windows or. Yeah. Cause I don't think I had air conditioning at this time. And I would roll down all the windows and it would feel so good when finally the air was hitting my. My sweaty, hot body.

[Luke Burbank]

First of all, I love the idea that you were doing this on your way to work. I don't even want to.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, probably. Probably on the way home, let's be honest.

[Luke Burbank]

Okay, that makes more sense.

[Andrew Walsh]

Also, I. I'm still Andrew.

[Luke Burbank]

This explains also what the. So the appeal of it was was not so much the being uncomfortably hot. It was the relief of that cool air blowing on you.

[Andrew Walsh]

I think that. But I also do think that. And this is what I thought maybe you would be a little bit more into, I think. Well, this also might just fit into my pattern in life of liking to feel like I'm accomplishing something without actually doing anything. And that's also like what a song experience could do. I can just sit there as opposed to going on a jog like you would and do something difficult. I can sit on my ass and just sweat, but then also feel like I've like I've kind of done something. I've again I keep using that word but literally expressed something it can feel. And I don't know if it's all in my head or not, but it can feel healthful to me or at least just like restorative in a certain way. And I kind of like that. So let me put it this way. If I'm on vacation and there's like a pool and a hot tub and. And a sauna or something, the sauna is the thing I'm least likely to go into. Having said that. If there was some situation where. And actually let's just fantasize about this for a second. Let's say that for some reason some incredibly rich person, I mean like just mass, like massively wealthy person has me house sit in their mansion.

[Luke Burbank]

But you have to take the E line to their house and it takes.

[Andrew Walsh]

70 to Big Hill at the very end. I have to house it. A very, very beautiful place. But I have Very little responsibility other than to. To use their facilities for. For. Let's say I had this place for a month, and so I've. I've already been there for a week or two. I've played with their. What do rich people have? Xbox. Even though I can't even fantasize about being rich. I've played with all of their.

[Luke Burbank]

I cannot believe.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't know.

[Luke Burbank]

That was the number one.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't know what. I don't know what. I don't know what they're doing that.

[Luke Burbank]

Most 14 year olds.

[Andrew Walsh]

I know, but rich 14 year olds. No, I don't know. I just feel like I would like exhaust whatever, you know, little, you know, if they have.

[Luke Burbank]

Who's playing you in this movie? Because this is powerful. This is Adam Sandler vibes or something.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, that's depends. Am I getting into trouble here or somebody invading the mansion and I have to. I have to defend it. What do you think is going to be the kind of. The plot or the tension?

[Luke Burbank]

I think your. Your. Your very rich aunt who's always been. Who's always thought that you were a little bit of a, you know, a basket case. No, for some reason allows you. She basically says, like, if you can take care of this mansion while I'm away in Moldova, but it's haunted. If you can. If. If you can take care of this mansion and if it is in good condition, when I come home, I will. I will give you the mansion or I will give you, you know, I will give you a sum of riches beyond your wildest imagination. But then, yes, the mansion is actually haunted, and also, yes, she wanted you to destroy it because she actually is herself a charlatan and could not pay for the mansion. In fact, the mansion had been mortgaged to the absolute eyeballs. And she was hoping you would destroy the mansion because then she could claim it as an insurance loss. That's what always happens in those movies, is that it's. Well, it's Lebowski, right? It's classic Lebowski. So that's what I think is happening in this movie. You are tasked with taking care of this mansion, and things go absolutely haywire at the mansion. But you do unlock a love for sauna also, by the way. I realize that you're basically what you were doing in New Hampshire was like a. A poor man's sauna and then cold plunge.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

You're so far ahead of this curve.

[Andrew Walsh]

Telling you, man, I just were also.

[Luke Burbank]

Eating raw meat like Liver King. I feel like you're on the bleeding edge of a lot of like kind of health trends.

[Andrew Walsh]

I was eating the raw meat during the sweating phase, not during the windows down phase.

[Luke Burbank]

Glen, that was on your way to work. Just a little raw meat.

[Andrew Walsh]

Glenn Powell, to answer your question, is playing me in this. And so if, I mean, that seems pretty big upgrade, but okay for him. Is that what you mean? I just, I've seen any. It's funny, I thought you were. I thought that was the obvious choice. They're going to make fun of me because, yeah, Glenn Powell, obviously everybody's going to associate me with Glen Powell.

[Luke Burbank]

Have you seen these clips of Chad Powers?

[Andrew Walsh]

I've seen clips, yeah. I know nothing about it. I kind of don't want to. I don't want to know, but I sort of like want to watch it. It seems very weird. Do you know, you can tell me. I'm not worried about spoilers. But do you know about it?

[Luke Burbank]

It feels like a throwback to me. It feels like a show. So it's got Glen Powell, AKA Andrew Walsh in it.

[Andrew Walsh]

The poor man's Andrew Walsh.

[Luke Burbank]

And he. I think my sense of the show is that he was a football quarterback who kind of washed out and now wants to go back and kind of have a do over.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, that's right. I saw a trailer. Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

Maybe he's out of eligibility or whatever. Maybe he's going to a smaller college. But he basically sort of, you know, he puts like a prosthetic nose and these teeth on and then he's like. I think he's really, really good compared to the people that he's playing with for some reason. I don't know if he's gone to a much smaller college. I know they don't let him go to a high school because that's now been made illegal. I know that that can't be the premise. You know, people are getting arrested left and right for going back to high school when they're adults. You know about this, right?

[Andrew Walsh]

No, I don't know what you're referencing.

[Luke Burbank]

This is a real thing that happens and unfortunately, sometimes with a very bad outcome. But like there has been a rash the last few years of adults, like entering high school again, just so they can be the coolest person at the high school. And then unfortunately, sometimes having relationships with people at the high school, which is illegal because they are. These folks are in their 20s and the high schoolers are high schoolers. But about every, I don't know, month or two, you'll see a story about somebody who got busted for Pretending to be a high school student.

[Andrew Walsh]

You know what, Luke? This isn't probably part of the recent trend that you're talking about, but I have a vague recollection of that being a top story. Like, years and years ago. Like, I think when I was living in Roosevelt or something like that, I remember there was a top story about somebody who went back to high school. I don't think there was any kind of inappropriateness. I don't even remember if it was a man or a woman, honestly. And I don't think there was any inappropriate romantic relationship in that particular story. I think it was, like, actually quite confusing what this person's motivation was. I'm just vaguely remembering that now. And you're saying that this is happening more often now, is it?

[Luke Burbank]

Well, it happens. I don't know if it's trending up or down. And by the way, not everybody who does this is yet like doing something with the other students that they shouldn't be. I always wanted to do this because there was a period of time where I felt like I would be the Chad Powers of the high school basketball team.

[Andrew Walsh]

Basketball.

[Luke Burbank]

Probably in my mid. In my mid-20s, I think I could have gone back and played high school basketball and been, like, a lot better than a lot of the high school athletes. Probably not all of them. Now it's to the point where. Can you imagine me trying to, hello, fellow students. But, like, now I would be worse than anyone, literally, at the high school, whether or not they even played basketball on the team, I would be worse than them. This is because of my age. But I always sort of fantasized about going back to high school, but it was strictly because I wanted to be better at high school basketball than I had been when I really played high school basketball. But anyway, Chad Powers seems to be slightly a version of that. Again, I assume he's at a college.

[Andrew Walsh]

Looks like he was somehow disgraced on the field as a star quarterback in a major college program. But after ruining his reputation, Holiday undergoes a physical transformation with the help of prosthetics and a wig to disguise his identity in order to join the floundering football team at a small school under the name of Chad Powers. So he still wants to play, and he. So he transfers schools. And that's why he looks so doofy in the ads. He's got this kind of honkin nose that does. And I think it's funny because it doesn't look real. That's what sort of strikes me about it. And that. What makes me laugh is how Funny, the image is of him, like, running around.

[Luke Burbank]

Now, the other thing I'm realizing, because I'm now looking this up as well, I'm sort of seeing this little, I don't know, rapid clip from Hulu of him putting on his prosthetic, and it's showing him Chad Powers driving, like, down. Like, I don't know if it's maybe sunset in Los Angeles, and he's looking at one of the studio lots. You know what I mean? Like the big kind of movie studio lots. And he sees a giant poster for Mrs. Doubtfire.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, yes, that's right.

[Luke Burbank]

I know.

[Andrew Walsh]

I've seen this trailer.

[Luke Burbank]

And that's where he's getting the prosthetic idea.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's actually pretty clever because there's a line in it or something. He says, I'm going to doubt fire myself or something along the line. Yeah. I don't even think I'm doing it justice, to be honest with you. But.

[Luke Burbank]

But, yeah, I find it unlikely that one of the major Hollywood studios is still promoting Mrs. Doubtfire on a side of their building. I feel like they've probably got, you know, the Matlock reboot.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's a real.

[Luke Burbank]

Or something that.

[Andrew Walsh]

Actually, you're right. That's what makes it even funnier. Huh? Like, why would there be. I wonder.

[Luke Burbank]

I wonder if there's even half of the Warner brothers.

[Andrew Walsh]

I hope this is totally absurdist in that way. I hope they don't come up with a good reason for it. You know, it would be funnier to me if it's just there and if that's the tone of this, where nothing really makes sense and it's just. Just absolute lark. I'm into that.

[Luke Burbank]

Oh, wow. Andrew. I'm getting more and more into this as we're delving in. Chad Powers is an American sports comedy television series created by Glen Powell and Michael Waldron, created by Glenn Powell, starring Powell in the titular role, developed from an Omaha Productions skit by Eli Manning, that.

[Andrew Walsh]

That sort of comes together.

[Luke Burbank]

Right. So I think that this is based on. On a skit that the Manning brothers did that's also. I love that. I love. Their company is called Omaha Productions, because that's, of course. Did Eli Manning also yell that, or is that just Peyton? I associate it with Peyton.

[Andrew Walsh]

I only think of Peyton, but I wouldn't know. You'd know better than me.

[Luke Burbank]

But that's a pretty. I mean, if you're. If anybody is for some reason, curious about the man. The Manning family, and in particular, Arch Manning, who is the kind of sort Of. What would you call it? The anointed one at Texas, Although he's having a tough season. I read this article in Texas Monthly about their family that was. I might have mentioned this on the show, actually. It was when my vacation was wrapping up, so I probably didn't. I read this Texas Monthly article about the Manning family that made me love them so much. And I didn't get the sense that this reporter was just, like, hired by the Manning family to write a puff piece. Like, Texas Monthly is a really good publication with really good journalists who work there. They just seem like for all of their fame and all of their whatever, to actually be, like, some pretty likable folks.

[Andrew Walsh]

They really. I'm glad to hear that. They actually are, because that is definitely their brand, and it. They exude likability. Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

And I'm with you. Like, my suspicion would be that, like, that's a front. Like, you can't be this rich and this famous and have this many Super Bowls under your belt and have. Your dad was a famous quarterback as well. And then, you know, the story of Cooper Manning is an interesting one as well. He is, I believe, the oldest of the three Manning brothers, and he was considered the best athlete of the three of them. He was a receiver, and he went to Ole Miss, and, like, it was like, you know, he was on his way to the NFL. It turns out he had spinal stenosis. And if he were to play any more football and he were to be tackled wrong, he would be paralyzed. So his football dreams ended that day. And in this Texas Monthly article, it talks about him going, cooper Manning, who's the dad, by the way, of Arch Manning, the kid that plays at Texas. This. Think about being this kid, Cooper Manning. Like, your whole life is football. It's this whole identity for you. And he goes to. He goes home after learning this, and he tells Peyton Manning, who's in high school, I'm putting. He's like, I'm gonna live my football dreams through watching you. And it doesn't sound like he says it, and I'm putting pressure on you. He says it in a way that's just like, this isn't gonna happen for me, but it's gonna happen for you. And I'm so excited to see it happen. And I thought, wow, what a. Like, what a. What a good way to deal with that. And then. And Cooper Manning then goes on to have this whole career in, like, finance and stuff, and, like, makes a great life for himself with his family, but also turns out to be, like, weirdly funny and is now, you know. You know, does all kinds of, like, I don't watch, you know, ESPN9 or whatever hell channel. The Manning brothers are always on. Watching Monday Night Football and talking about it. But I like that it exists. And Cooper Manning is, like, practically the star of the show. He's considered, like, the funniest one of the three of them and, like, you know, is always doing these sketches and things that are actually, like, pretty clever. So, anyway, it's an interesting article.

[Andrew Walsh]

They've done a lot of commercials, of course. I mean, this Omaha Productions thing, we've never seen the like is sort of. In media. They really created sort of a new path that I think only a family with this much power and success could in this particular industry. But it works out well because, like you say, I'm glad these are the folks who've been able to do this because they seem like good folks and they do it well. And when you see them, like, commercials with the various Manning brothers, I love the fact that Cooper is totally ready just to play the butt of all the jokes. Just like the worst Manning. I didn't know that thing about injury, or. Did you say it was injury, or was it.

[Luke Burbank]

It was. I believe it was spinal stenosis, which is something. A narrowing of the spine.

[Andrew Walsh]

I see.

[Luke Burbank]

So a narrowing, I think, of the, like, part of your spine. Boy, this is. I'm getting.

[Andrew Walsh]

But it's not a real danger. Something that happened on the field.

[Luke Burbank]

Not an injury. It's a. I think it's a condition. And what it meant was that he was in real danger of. Of becoming grievously injured if he were to be tackled. And nobody knew he had this.

[Andrew Walsh]

So I was doing a little bit of Googling while you were chatting, and I. Now, I always say I have vague recollections of things, but that is true. I have vague recollections of things. I don't know if we talked about this on TBT or not, but I think you're going to remember this as well. What Chad Powers is based on was a sort of, like, prank that Eli Manning did when he went undercover as.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, I remember.

[Andrew Walsh]

And he named himself Chad Powers at Penn State and he put on a big doofy nose. You remember this now, right?

[Luke Burbank]

This is all.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. You have a vague recollection, too? Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

How do I know about this? I remember the guy was named Chad Powers. I forgot that. I knew it. It's now hitting me like it's new information. What is wrong with me?

[Andrew Walsh]

Let's see. When was this. When did this. I think this was. So it was 22. It was 20. 22, I should say, is a better way of putting that. And so they. They created. It looks like a little 15 minute short where they show him getting into his prosthetics and then actually going out. I don't know from my quick viewing here how much the team was in on it, but it looks like they're trying to make you believe that he truly was pranking them, that he really, the team and the coaches were not in on this. It was like an undercover operation.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm just reeling at the fact that I didn't put this all together earlier, that we had this much of a conversation about Chad Powers before I remembered that or you reminded me that this, of course, was this whole Eli Manning thing.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, yeah, I mean, I had to look it up. I'm just realizing it now, too.

[Luke Burbank]

The last thing I'll say about this article in Texas Monthly, which obviously made a big impact on me about the Manning family, is the Texas Monthly reporter is trying to do an interview, I think, with Arch Manning over the phone. And the story on this kid is he is unusually and unnaturally, and in a way that is hard to believe, down to earth for the fact that he is the scion of the Manning quarterback family. And again, before he got to Texas, and he's having a rough season, but before this season started, there was talk of him winning the Heisman. There's talk of him being the greatest Manning of all time. And in the midst of all of this, he appears to be so incredibly down to earth, including the fact that when the Texas Monthly reporter is calling him, he says, okay, I have, like, about 15 or 20 minutes to talk. I'm at Dave and Buster's with my nieces. I'm babysitting, but I gave them a bunch of quarters, so I think they're good for like, 15 or 20. Arch Manning is babysitting. Great at, like, Dave and Buster's. Like, I love how deeply normal that is.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, me too. I love that. I wonder if he would give me some quarters if I were. If he were watching over me.

[Luke Burbank]

I, unfortunately, may be working at Dave and Buster's pretty soon, because it is. And that was the. I read this article, like, right before the season started, and I was, as you can tell, all in on the Arch Manning thing. I just really wanted him to do well and to be rewarded for what it sounds like is a really good approach to life. And, And. And who knows, he may. He may still get there but it was. It's been really tough.

[Andrew Walsh]

I didn't know that. I haven't been hearing anything about that. I remember hearing the name a lot in the run up to the season, but then I don't know if I, I probably. Baseball has just taken over most of my, like, kind of media listening.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, and again, I think part of it, I can't believe that this. We ended up talking about Arch Manning this much on the day that the Mariners will be playing in, what is it, Game four of the alcs. But one other thing that I got the sense in the article that, like, if Arch Manning ends up not, you know, becoming the football player, that there's all this pressure on him to become, he's in the right family for that, too. Because they were even kind of addressing that in the article. They were just kind of saying, like, if there's any group of people who know how fickle the fans can be and the media can be and how, like, you'd like just what it's going to be like when you have a bad game or a series of bad games, it's this family. And so it sounded like he was actually, his head was screwed on very, very straight so that, you know, whatever happens and he'll probably be all right.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm glad to hear that. I like that, especially because as likable as that family is and they've developed that reputation, you could just sort of see, like with each genera, I do feel that with each generation of being in that family, with that kind of attention on you, it gets harder and harder to be normal, I think.

[Luke Burbank]

Exactly.

[Andrew Walsh]

And so I'm really glad. And everything that you just said about Cooper and everything, it just sort of sounds like he has. I don't know, man. It just sounds like maybe he's been supported in the right ways that he can, you know, either bounce back from this or absorb it and not let it break him and move on to other things. But it's still pretty early in his career to be calling it a game. Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

And based on a very, very preliminary Internet search, it looks like Arch Manning is doing better. Andrew Here are the four headlines that come up when you put Arch Manning, Texas into the Internet after big win, Arch shrugs off earlier criticism 2 days ago Nice. Three plays that show how much Arch Manning has grown this season. 4 hours ago Nice. Arch Manning, a new American hero and charming comeback Kid at Texas. 1 day ago USA Today and then from the Houston Chronicle, quote, freedom of speech, Longhorns star QB paying no mind to critics. Two Days ago, I'm guessing he said, well, they have freedom of speech.

[Andrew Walsh]

I was wondering. I was a little confused by that headline.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, so maybe he's turning it around already now.

[Andrew Walsh]

Free Shador, right? Like, isn't Shador just stuck in, like, still the third spot?

[Luke Burbank]

Flack, Cleveland, Flacco.

[Andrew Walsh]

Hell yeah. And, like, not. Because now Flaco isn't even. Flaco is now the backup and. No, no, no, no, no. They cut Flacco, right? Cleveland cut Flacco and then they promoted that rookie. This is the first time, like, I've looked it up a few times and I know I should know his name. I've heard it. I'm not saying. I'm not saying. I don't. I've never heard of this guy's name, but this is the first time I can think of in 20 years that I literally, in conversation with you right now, cannot tell you who the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns is. I know he's a rookie who is.

[Luke Burbank]

Actually kind of got some flash. His name is Rick Thunder. It's weird. His nose doesn't totally look right to me. All right, this is Omaha a lot. I don't think they're doing that anymore.

[Andrew Walsh]

Right, right. But yeah, no, I'm pretty sure that they. They're. They're starting a rookie there, and then they brought up somebody from the practice squad to slip into the number two slot, and they're keeping Shador at number three. So I don't know what's going on right there, but maybe he should get a chance like Arch.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. Comeback of the year, Shedeur Sanders.

[Andrew Walsh]

Thank you, B.

[Luke Burbank]

Hey, let's thank some donors. These folks are keeping TBTL in business with their voluntary donation of their own hard earned money. This is 100% listener supported thing we're doing here. We have not yet been hired by espn, even though I think we had some incredibly insightful takes on the Arch Manning story, including me learning that he's doing better in real time on the air. That's the kind of sports insight that people come to tb. Me learning along with them how Arch Manning is doing at Texas.

[Andrew Walsh]

It sort of sounds like he had one good game, but the media and people like us want him to do well so much that everybody's just like, coming out with these headlines. Don't worry, everybody. Arch is still the future of the NFL.

[Luke Burbank]

That's right. We want to thank Sally Jenkins in Redmond, Washington.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's the second time I've confused college football in the NFL. My apologies to everybody who's throwing Their phone right now. My apologies to Sally for. For interrupting her. Thank you.

[Luke Burbank]

He could also be the future of the NFL. He just has to. He first has to be the future of college.

[Andrew Walsh]

I mean, they. I just always feel like he was talked about as the. You know, as the future, as the. As the person who holds the. What, carries the torch for the family or. No, if you carry your torch, you have a crush on somebody. Is that right? Yes. What do you carry? Don't you carry something? The mantle. Yeah, maybe it's like carrying.

[Luke Burbank]

When they say that, though, what do they mean? The man, Larry.

[Andrew Walsh]

Because Larry Mantle. They need. You hoist Larry Mantle up on your shoulders and you parade through the streets of Los Angeles.

[Luke Burbank]

That's right. And you say. This is air talk. But seriously, when they say the mantle, because when I was growing up, the mantle, that's the thing over the fireplace. We called that the mantle. And you would put pictures on the mantel. Yeah, but how could you carry the mantle for the Manning family?

[Andrew Walsh]

It looks like it might have a biblical origin. What do you think of that?

[Luke Burbank]

Unsurprised.

[Andrew Walsh]

When Elijah was taken to heaven, his mantle fell to the ground, and Alicia picked Elisha. Elijah picked it up to become his successor.

[Luke Burbank]

But what was the mantle?

[Andrew Walsh]

No. I don't know. I'm trying to figure that out. All I know is that he was going into heaven and it fell.

[Luke Burbank]

Was it a cliff? Oh, mantle. Well, because Elijah and Elisha.

[Andrew Walsh]

It's Elisha. Okay. Boy, I'm messing everything up today.

[Luke Burbank]

No, no.

[Andrew Walsh]

Does Elisha play for the NFL, or is Elisha still in college football?

[Luke Burbank]

Elisha is currently backing up Matthew Stafford at. In la. No, but there's an Elijah and an Elisha, and this is confusing. So this is not on you. Elisha versus Elijah. And let's see here.

[Andrew Walsh]

It says, when Elijah was taken to heaven, his mantle fell to the ground, and Elisha picked it up to become.

[Luke Burbank]

His successor, inheriting his double portion of spirit to continue God's work. I'm looking at a woodcut of this, and I think mantle in this case is like your robe, your blanket, the thing you're wearing.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, okay, interesting.

[Luke Burbank]

And so I guess you would take up the mantle. It'd be like sort of like picking up someone else's, you know, robe or coat and then putting it on. And kind of now you're going to be representing whatever it was they were doing.

[Andrew Walsh]

Interesting. I thought it was gonna be more like a crown or something than.

[Luke Burbank]

But so does that mean cloak, Mantle over a fire?

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, I'm Getting into Quora now. I don't know if I trust these fools.

[Luke Burbank]

Cora is the New York Times compared to the other s on the Internet. What are you talking about? Okay, so mantle is still a thing. Like a wood mantle over a fireplace. That's also, I guess, just one of those words that. There's a couple of different meanings.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. For it. Okay.

[Luke Burbank]

Sally Jenkins has this all written down somewhere. Thank you very much. Thanks also to Kirk Eldred, who's in Woodinville, Washington. That's not super far from Redmond. I wonder if Sally.

[Andrew Walsh]

I was gonna say. That's what I was gonna. I was gonna say. I think that maybe they're. Maybe they hang out at the wineries.

[Luke Burbank]

All the time, and maybe they pick up along the way. Chris Rupp from Shoreline, Washington.

[Andrew Walsh]

Hey, yeah, that's kind of. Maybe. Maybe Chris and I can. When they finally get that light rail running from the west side over here to the east side over there. Maybe.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. You don't even have to drive your car to throw away your rotted shrimp.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, right.

[Luke Burbank]

On the light rail and go do that in Shoreline.

[Andrew Walsh]

I don't know what you're talking about.

[Luke Burbank]

Annette Sakab Tan is in Livonia, Michigan.

[Andrew Walsh]

Now, I don't think the light rail goes to Livonia, Michigan. However, the E line might.

[Luke Burbank]

I bet you. And I bet you it would actually be shorter than when you tried to go down to Seward Park. Maybe that wasn't the E line, though. I don't want to besmirch the E line.

[Andrew Walsh]

That was. No, we should have taken the E line. The problem was Genevieve wanted to go on an adventure. She wanted to take the 40, and that was a mistake. Oh, yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

You should have brought a 40 on the E line, and then you would have had an adventure.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, we should have. Hey, you want to hear about growth? You want to hear about growth? I have a 24 ounce Twisted Tea in the refrigerator that has been sitting there for probably a week and a half, and it's been untouched. Luke. I don't even know if that's really growth or just the changing of the seasons, but I remember thinking I was changing the Teasens. The changing of the Teasens? Is that the show title? I already wrote one down. Oh, I had. Hate the jog. Love the jogger. I like. Yeah, but. Yeah, I remember at the end of summer, buying what I thought was my last twisted tea. And then I think we might have had a couple of warm days after that. That convinced me. Maybe twisted tea season isn't over yet. And I bought one and I put it in the fridge and I never cracked it. And now it's quite cold outside. It seemed weird to drink a twisted tea in this weather.

[Luke Burbank]

So this for you is seasonal?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, definitely. I never have the hankering. It's because. And this is not why you should drink alcohol to slake your thirst. But there's definitely something associated with like, oh, it's a hot day and it sounds very refreshing right now.

[Luke Burbank]

Right. Yeah, it's definitely a different vibe. Although we keep, you know, like I'm looking around, I keep getting ready to retire the. Oh, mapaw. It's beautiful. Drop. But we have really had a pretty spectacular October.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, we have.

[Luke Burbank]

The weather has really held and I keep looking at the 10 day forecast and going, all right, well, here comes the lousy weather. And then it just hasn't really materialized. So I will absolutely take this. I will absolutely also say thank you to our friend Cecilia Hanley, who's in Atlanta, Ga. A suburb of Dunwoody, Georgia. Oh, where Ryan Seacrest is from.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, is that true?

[Luke Burbank]

It's a suburb of tiny Dunwoody, Georgia. Now, I mentioned we had a donor in Dunwoody recently. And I was recounting the time when, when I did that TV story about Ryan Seacrest, I wanted to make the point that he was sort of like he'd come out to Los Angeles, you know, in his Honda Prelude with a dream, which was true. He did drive a Honda Prelude, which I find to be a dazzling detail. But he just had a dream of making it in Hollywood and in the entertainment business. And I knew he grew up in Dunwoody, Georgia. And so I wrote this line that, like, he grew up or. But Hollywood was a long way away from tiny Dunwoody, Georgia. And then somebody got ahold of me at CBS, like after this aired, I think maybe on the YouTube channel or somebody emailed me and said, you know, Dunwoody is just a suburb of Atlanta. He's from Atlanta, Georgia.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, I see. You were trying to make it sound like it was a very small town with maybe a general store run by a guy.

[Luke Burbank]

That's how I pictured it.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. But instead, a literal cracker barrel.

[Luke Burbank]

Like, yeah, the guys would sit around and whatever. I mean, I didn't, first of all, I did not knowingly mislead the television viewers of America. It wasn't like I knew that Dunwoody was essentially part of the Atlanta Metroplex.

[Andrew Walsh]

And I lied.

[Luke Burbank]

I didn't know it was part of the Atlanta Metroplex.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, that will. That Kind of misreporting will not happen under Barry Weiss, I'll tell you that much right now.

[Luke Burbank]

Absolutely not. I told you I got an email.

[Andrew Walsh]

You told me off air that you got an email. I saw.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, I was on a group.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. I mean, I saw some. You're talking about. Yeah. I think we can say that it leaked. Yeah. It was in the media that day that this email had gone out from the new. From what is her official title? Chief of editor, maybe. Yeah, maybe head editor. Saying that like everybody is going to get an email saying, you know, just send us in an email telling us what you do every day, describe your job or whatever. And I saw some tens who were wondering, speculating out loud on social media, whether or not you received that email.

[Luke Burbank]

To be honest with you, I didn't receive it directly. Like I don't have a CBS email. I was forwarded to me by people I work with.

[Andrew Walsh]

I see. So you don't think. Because I was like, as I thought with your role there. And again, I don't know much about it and I'm not trying to tell your story here, but I was a little surprised you got it as sort of a contractor who does the types of work you do. I was like, oh, even you have to fill one of those out. But you didn't get it as a. As March sent to me. Okay.

[Luke Burbank]

If I had a CBS email, I think it probably would have been sent to me. But you'll be incredibly shocked to hear, Andrew, that I have yet to write up. I've yet to write up my job description and what I've been working on that I feel really excited about lately, I get to submit that information.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, it also sounds like they didn't specifically tell you to do it, so.

[Luke Burbank]

Right. But let me put it this way. Even if they had, I wouldn't know. Obvious and not out of any particular moral stand, but because that's how lazy I am. I mean, you know, there's a long and well documented history of me not filling out forms.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

At jobs. Even when it's a completely appropriate ask. Yeah. Thankfully, Joseph Shin in Boston, Massachusetts filled out this form.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's right.

[Luke Burbank]

We could thank him for his donation.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

Thank you, Joseph.

[Andrew Walsh]

Appreciate you.

[Luke Burbank]

Thank you so much to all of our donors for making TBT all happen today on this Thursday. We appreciate you.

[Andrew Walsh]

Hello and welcome to Top Story.

[Luke Burbank]

Do you ever like say something on the show, Andrew, and then you spend the rest of your day kind of reflecting on it or thinking about how the listeners are thinking about what you said.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, I just say things and I let it go. Luke. I try not to live in my head. I live in the moment.

[Luke Burbank]

Right off a duck's back.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's right. No, of course. Obviously, I spend every afternoon just absolutely regretting everything I said in the morning.

[Luke Burbank]

The reason that I really wanted the Mariners to win last night was A, because I wanted them to win. I would like them to be 30 and ever closer to the World Series. But B, because I said at the end of our show yesterday, I just have a feeling they're going to win by a lot. And let me tell you, when Julio hit that home run, I wondered if maybe that was going to come true. But then, as we were getting just absolutely tormented by the Toronto Blue Jays, I realized, oh, yeah, not only are we not gonna win by a lot, we're not gonna win at all. And for some reason, it was the fact that I had called it. That was one of the main things living in my head, as opposed to the more real issue of, like, oh, we let Toronto back into the series, or whatever.

[Andrew Walsh]

You had asked me for a prediction on the show and I didn't give you one. And it's not because. It's not because I'm a coward. It's because I really. If I.

[Luke Burbank]

New TV show.

[Andrew Walsh]

What did you say? Fat Coward?

[Luke Burbank]

No, Chad Coward.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, Chad Coward. I was like, wow, I don't mind, but that was a.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, that would be an intense.

[Andrew Walsh]

I was like, that would be a very. That isn't how we talk on this show.

[Luke Burbank]

I just thought it'd be funny if there was a show called Chad Powers and then a show called Chad Coward. Yes, he has a real different vibe.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, every now and then I can't think of an example, and it'll be tedious for me to think of one. I just have a gut feeling about some of these Mariners games. Even during the regular season. I remember just telling you, I just feel like it's gonna be this way. And for me, my predictions are usually totally vibe based, honest. But if I'm not getting that, and also I don't have a very good track record, I would say maybe at best it's 50, 50, because it's just vibe based. When you asked me at the end of yesterday's show if I had a prediction, I just truly didn't. I didn't have a feeling. The only thing I truly believed was that the Mariners, whatever happens, I don't have a strong feeling that the Mariners are going to win or lose this series. The one thing that I thought for sure is the Mariners are not going to sweep this series. And so I thought I was just so. I was so sanguine going into yesterday's game. And even during yesterday's game, I thought, well, we're not going to win them all. And this one was a total blowout. But it was also. Listen, it was also theater. No, it was a blowout. Our starting pitcher got banged up. Kirby got. You know, he got blew up like it happens. But the rest of those runs, it doesn't matter. Like, yesterday was. Yesterday was such a not. I think a lot of people see the score and they're like, oh, my God, the boys are going to be so bummed today. This was like the least bummer loss of the postseason for me because what happened is once the game got out of hand, we just put in basically the equivalent of third stringers. I mean, we shouldn't have put in.

[Luke Burbank]

Our famous position player.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes. Turd Ferguson.

[Luke Burbank]

Ferguson, who did exactly what you expect him to do. Give up a three run home run to a person who may not be able to go on certain rides at Disneyland. Alejandro Kirk.

[Andrew Walsh]

And. Well, I was gonna try to think of a joke. Nevermind. And also. And then Luke Jackson, who has this magical ability to totally erase himself from my memory.

[Luke Burbank]

Like every time we have a person named Luke Jackson on our baseball team.

[Andrew Walsh]

Wait, isn't that who closed out the 8th and 9th?

[Luke Burbank]

It's possible I was at that point paying minimal attention.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, no, you're experiencing what everybody experiences every seven games when somebody named Luke Jackson comes out of the bullpen.

[Luke Burbank]

I think I'd be tracking him. We have the same first name.

[Andrew Walsh]

I remember I was at a game that my buddy Brent was also at, and Brent, like, works for 7:10. He knows the Mariners very, very, very well. And I texted him, I was like, when Luke Jackson came out of the bullpen, I text him, I'm like, who's Luke Jackson? And I believe his response was, you don't want to know. And then after Luke Jackson gave up a certain number of runs in that game, I texted him back. I'm like, you know baseball. I don't want to know. And the beauty of it is we all forget that he exists in between his outings.

[Luke Burbank]

This facial hair, it's rough. He looks like the fourth musketeer. Like, that is a Van Dyke if I've ever seen one. This guy has my same first name, has a ludicrous facial hair, is on the active roster. And I didn't know any of this was happening.

[Andrew Walsh]

His facial hair is interesting because he has both a mustache and flavor saver and goatee as three different parts that are not connected. It's interesting, but I don't want to make fun of somebody's appearance so much as their inability to do the job that they were assigned to do. So I don't know where Luke Jackson came from. I became aware of him in the second half of the season. But all of this is to say yesterday's game is probably less of a bummer than maybe some people would think because again, I didn't expect to win every game and I'm not happy that George Kirby got lit up. But that's the story of the game. Like maybe the. The five. That five run inning is the story of a game and that's a huge bummer. But what happened was we said, well, we're not going to waste any of our other players that we need down the line, so just put in Ferguson and Jackson. They're terrible. I wish we didn't have terrible players in our bullpen. I wish our floor was higher than these two players. But either way, they are who we have and there's no point in putting Luke Jackson or I literally can't. Is it Colin Ferguson? I've called him turd for so long. I can't. Caleb. And we put Caleb Ferguson in the.

[Luke Burbank]

Forgot his first. I didn't know Ferguson had a.

[Andrew Walsh]

Like Colombo. Yeah, but anyway, that's. This is. We have who we have and the only place to play these two guys is when you're definitely losing the game anyway or you're up by 100 points or runs, I should say. And so anyway, it is what it is. That final score does not to me indicate the future of the Mariners. It's just, okay, we saved some leverage arms for what our. Our next battle.

[Luke Burbank]

Yes, I agree 100%. And we were texting with television's Chris Hayes about this this morning as well, which is because you cannot carry the runs over in baseball. You don't get to apply any of those 14 runs to any of the other games. It's like get it out of your system. You know, go for like that's fine. Like that doesn't. We don't lose by more because they got 14 runs. And. And I'd rather the pressure would be off. I mean, they call the term that's arisen in the last, I don't know, five, 10 years is like high leverage situations. That's become the kind of like industry term for. Or high leverage Pitches basically just like super pressure packed moments where everybody is stressing and in particular the pitcher is just like. It's, it's like the pitcher's life battery energy is going down by 1% which ever with every pitch they throw. And what would have really sucked yesterday would have been if the Mariners were like leading the game for six innings and then the Blue Jays came back and sniped us by like a run. And then we had all these super high leverage situations where like our pitchers are getting worn down and then we still lose the game because then things are exactly where they are. Right now. We're ahead two games to one. I'm with you. I didn't think we were going to sweep the series. We were going to lose a game at some point. This one somehow was way easier to handle than one that would have been like in extra innings or in the ninth inning or just like particularly gutting. It just kind of became. I, I will say, and this doesn't really like, I don't actually believe exactly what I'm saying, but I do feel like, like because George Kirby just got hit so hard that I just don't think it would have probably mattered. But some part of me wonders, so after Julio hits this home run in the first, the first thing was, it was weird. I was stoked he hit that home run. And then my next thought was we need to score more runs like right now while this guy is shaky. And then you get. Polanco gets a double. And now Polanco is on second base with one out and we've already got two runs. And my thought is like, if we pour it on here, we chase this guy Shane Bieber and we get into their bullpen really early and then that's just chaos.

[Andrew Walsh]

Ball.

[Luke Burbank]

And of course, unfortunately, I don't think nail. I don't think Naylor popped out or something. I don't. Josh Naylor can do no wrong in my book. But then our guy Gino Suarez just did his normal thing, which is just came up and had a totally unproductive at bat that ended in an out. And, and we're running back to the dugout and we're ahead two zero. And I should be feeling exuberant, like, hey, that's great. We already have two runs in the bank. This is a great start. And all I could think was that was a real missed opportunity and I could very much see this guy Shane Bieber just locking in, dialing. That's. Yeah, that's what good pitchers do. And in fact it's really crazy. Think about Brace Miller in that first game in Toronto. Like he just locked in, like didn't, didn't he start off. He started off pretty shaky. Gave up a home run to George Springer on the first swing. And then he gets like two guys.

[Andrew Walsh]

On a 12 pitch walk, which really was. It should have been a strikeout. It was a bad call. But still a 12 pitch. He like, yeah, he'd load. Did he load the bases or two men on then the 12 pitch walk?

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, it was not good. And then what did he do? He got it together, he locked it in and then he was sort of fine. And like, I feel like that's weirdly what happens to a lot of pitchers. It's almost like, like it's such a psychological thing that like if they're on the ropes early and they manage to sort of like survive it a lot of times they'll really kind of solidify from there. And I just had this weird feeling. I was like, yeah, I know we just went up to nothing, but we didn't knock Bieber out. And they also just didn't think we were going to hold. I think I even said this yesterday. I didn't think we were going to keep Vlad Guerrero Jr. You know, over the whole series, you know, and of course we didn't. So like, yeah, it was a, it was a little bit embarrassing. It's embarrassing to see that number 14 up there. But it's just like, I don't know, I somehow was not overly destroyed by this game. And in fact, if anything, I'm feeling pretty okay about today because this game is just so fluky and momentumy and one game, like for instance, if you played a football team and you lost 45 to 7, you might have some real concerns that you would ever be able to beat that football team. You know, it's or same for basketball. Like in those sports, if one team just thumps the other team, it is probably an indication of a asymmetric sort of issue going on with the talent on the two teams. For some reason, baseball is not that way. Like the Mariners could win 14 to 3 today or they could win 2 to 1 or the Blue Jays could win 2 to 1. What I know it's not going to be is 14 to 3 Blue Jays.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. Let's just keep your predictions at bay.

[Luke Burbank]

For here's what I don't understand. Why did we start Kirby instead of Castillo? I was under the impression it was going to be Castillo all along. I was wrong about that. Was it just a rest Thing, you.

[Andrew Walsh]

Know, I'm not sure now that you say that. I think I at one point was under the impression it was going to be Castillo as well. And then I think I just stopped examining that when it was Kirby. I think. I don't know, Luke, it must. I wasn't following that closely. It must have been a rest thing. But everything you just said, I think really applies. One of the things that I don't think I fully was aware of until maybe this season was that sort of, I'm going to say bell curve, although might not actually be accurate, but the sort of bell curve nature of starting pitching, that it's interesting that you want to get to a pitcher kind of early on because he might be shaky at the beginning, but then settle settles in before he starts to come back down with fatigue. And you know, however, and also facing.

[Luke Burbank]

Him a third time, and facing a third time, it's kind of hitter advantage again.

[Andrew Walsh]

And you can sort of, you kind of get a little bit more of a book on him as fatigue sets in and speeds and velocities come down and everything. I think that's really, really interesting. I never kind of realized that until I remember this season being like, oh, yeah, you can. And I think about that with Castillo. I think that he's a real prime example of that. And so everything that you just said, I think we really need to remember tonight. Like, it's weird how sanguine I am and I feel like being sanguine about last night's game is just gonna, you know, I always worry about everything I say and do jinxing it. But I just think that given the, given the two run. I'm sorry, the two game advantage we had going into this game, this was the least important game of the series so far. Now tonight's game, if we lose tonight's game, things get real itchy for Uncle Andy over here. Like tonight I will. Yesterday I was not on pins and needles. I was like, ooh, this is rough. But I was also kind of glad to see that, well, it's out of hand. We're not going to. Like we already said, we're not going to exhaust our bullpen on this. This is the loss. If it says 14 or actually it was 13, I think. But, you know, whether it's 13 runs or two, we lose the game. And so it kind of doesn't matter.

[Luke Burbank]

Actually.

[Andrew Walsh]

Does stuff like that matter in soccer, Luke? Like a blowout, like, literally the points.

[Luke Burbank]

Kind of do carry over depending on maybe how the league is set up. And it's one of the many things I'll never understand about soccer. I feel like I'm always hearing that the Sounders are losing, and then it's always like, but they also just won their division. But it's like, I do think that that is a sport where the amount that you win by helps your overall.

[Andrew Walsh]

Standing, which is interesting. And maybe that's one of the kind of. One of the reasons people like that game is because it's unique in that way.

[Luke Burbank]

I mean, it's proportional representation, if you think about it. Yeah.

[Andrew Walsh]

I mean, yeah, I don't follow any sports where that matters, but yeah. So tonight, let's watch Castillo. If he gets into a little bit of trouble in the first and second inning, I'm not going to freak out yet. Unless it becomes immediately insurmountable. I'm really worried about saying this on the show and then it becoming insurmountable, and everybody's like, oh, Andrew said, don't worry about the first two innings. Nobody's coming at me like that except my own psyche. But I. I think that tonight's game is super important. And just to state the obvious.

[Luke Burbank]

A.

[Andrew Walsh]

3:1 series is so much different than a 2:2 series. So I think tonight's game is by far the most important game of the series so far. And last night's game was by far the least important game of the series.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. Here's what I keep telling myself. I feel very confident about the Mariners ability to win two out of the next four games. That's all they have to do, two out of the next four games. And so, you know, when you look at it like that, I think that we. I think we do still have a really big structural advantage. And when you look at, you know, not every team that goes up 2:0 on the road ends up winning the series, but most of the time they do. And by the way, I'm sure that most of the time it's not a sweep. So it's just, I think it's kind of the law of big numbers. Like, I just think you put yourself in an advantage position by going up 2. 0 on the road. That has proven historically difficult for the other team to overcome. And again, that other team does get wins in there somewhere. I mean, probably for me, actually, the best loss we could have taken would have been after winning yesterday and then losing today. So, like, you're on the verge of a sweep and then you give them a game three one, you're still not really in danger from them. That. That would be for me the only. That would be the most relaxing loss if there can be one. But I just keep telling myself we need to win two out of four games. Two out of four games. And as long as we do that in any combination of the different games, I mean, I'd sure love it to be tonight and Friday. But I'm just. That's how I'm kind of self soothing so that if, you know, if like they. By the way, did I tell you I got into it with a guy on blue ski about the Toronto Blue Jays home run jacket?

[Andrew Walsh]

No. That thing is hideous though.

[Luke Burbank]

It's so silly looking and I know. Listen, peace and love to our Blue Jays fans. I know that just sounds like. I know it just sounds like I'm kind of, you know, being a sore loser because. So every team now, in pretty much every sport actually, I don't think they do it in basketball. They're too busy actually playing in basketball. I think nobody has time for this nonsense. Right? But in every other sport, it seems like now there's some sort of totemic item that you get to interact with if you hit a home run or in football, there are teams that if you get an interception, there's a necklace you put on.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, I was gonna say. I didn't know that's like a Florida State thing.

[Luke Burbank]

It might have. Literally this whole thing might have started with Florida State.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, interesting.

[Luke Burbank]

I think. Maybe. Anyway, point is, in baseball now, when there's a home run hit, you get a thing. The Mariners have this. I can never say it right. It's a Triton or Trident.

[Andrew Walsh]

Trident.

[Luke Burbank]

It's a Trident. And of course, you know, because of the story that it was possibly purchased on Amazon and because it's my team, I think it's kind of fun. I could understand someone else thinking it's kind of silly or whatever. I think objectively speaking, the jacket that they make the Blue Jays hitters wear after they hit a home run is corny as hell.

[Andrew Walsh]

It is like.

[Luke Burbank]

It is. It's got all this writing on it which is like, you know, I assume related to. I don't. I don't even know what the. The writing is. Obviously Blue Jays related price and to do with, I don't know, games they've won or then when they won the World Series back a million years ago or something. I don't know what the writing on is, but it's also, it's. It's too tailored. Like it looks like. I mean, literally the cut of the jacket, I don't love it's. Got again, it's got all this loud writing on it. Anyway, I said, I wrote online. I wrote on blue sky. I think I said something the effect of let's see, I can find.

[Andrew Walsh]

I have it in front of me too.

[Luke Burbank]

Okay.

[Andrew Walsh]

I need help. But it's your word, so I'll give you. I'm just buying you some time if you want to find it.

[Luke Burbank]

Or I said, is it possible the Blue Jays bats went quiet for the first two games because no one wanted to wear that corny ass jacket. And then I just see a response a little while a little bit later. Unlikely. And it is from an obviously very, very, very dyed in the wool Canada sports fan. And so Blue Jays sports fan and all things Canada sports because this guy's.

[Andrew Walsh]

I was gonna say this. I know for a fact that this avatar triggered the hell out of you.

[Luke Burbank]

It's quite something. It's a like, it's like the Punisher flag that we all know and love that's now like very just like MAGA law enforcement coded whatever.

[Andrew Walsh]

But it's, it's not really the Punisher logo. It is a, it's like a spray painted looking drippy skull. And the Punisher logo is a skull. But this isn't the Punisher skull though.

[Luke Burbank]

Well, I guess what I mean is it's very much in the style.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, it kind of evokes that a bit. But it's not the Punisher logo logo.

[Luke Burbank]

It's a dripping spray painted skull that is the Canadian flag colors with a maple leaf right between the eye.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes. Very intimidating.

[Luke Burbank]

And, and the, the, the guy, the guy who, who was saying unlikely. His last name was Hackett. And so then my extremely mature response. Now remember my, my first text or my first a blue sky was corny ass jacket. And this person by the last name of Hackett says unlikely. And I said my bad. I meant corny ass Hackett. And then corny ass Hackett says responds that's better. Yeah, I thought was pretty funny.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

This person and then I said well played.

[Andrew Walsh]

They're just teasing. Yeah, it's not.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, I feel like that resolved itself. That resolved itself in a pretty okay way.

[Andrew Walsh]

Were you posting this? You were posting this in a moment of frustration probably. Were you sort of looking because you don't post on blue sky very much. Were you sort for a little, a little online fight to get your Y out a bit?

[Luke Burbank]

No, because I, if I was, I would have like did hashtag Blue Jays.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh sure.

[Luke Burbank]

I, I, I, of course I was annoyed because we had, you know, I think it was in that inning that he gave up five runs. So, yes, definitely, I was coming from a place of, of, of frustration. But then also, I really do. I, I mean, putting aside the moment or the specific moment of that game, I really do think the jacket is silly looking. And I really do think it's like, I'm glad that that's not how the Mariners are celebrating. Like, every time they don't run, someone has to like. And then there was someone trying to help. I forget who had it on. One, it was a guy from the blue. Dudes I'm not particularly familiar with. So it's not George Springer who also hit a home run or anybody like that. But what I noticed was it was like the guy couldn't get the jacket off quickly enough.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, I think I might have noticed that too.

[Luke Burbank]

Just he like, had to put it on because it's the celebration, but then, like immediately. But then he couldn't get it off because it was kind of like, ill fitting. So another guy was trying to help him get the J jacket off. And I just thought, I just had this thought that like, and again, I will be totally up front. I, My, my, my butt was hurt over the fact that the Mariners were not playing well. And so that was probably part of where that was coming from. But I, I don't think I, I put that on there to try to get Mariners fans. That's why I did hashtag Mariners. I wanted to have Mariners fans pick me up on their shoulders figuratively on Blue ski and carry me around the stadium and say, this man has written a blue sky post that has value and it is roasting the Toronto Blue Jays home run jacket. I did not.

[Andrew Walsh]

You wanted them to Larry Mantle you.

[Luke Burbank]

That's exactly right. Forevermore, that will be known as a Mantle here on tv.

[Andrew Walsh]

Carrying the Mantle. Okay, can I go back to baseball talk for a second here? Sure. Another thing, two things that I. And again, I'm being very Pollyanna ish about this, and we'll see if I regret it. But there are two other things I want to point out. If this series allows another start by George Kirby, he's going to be amazing. Not this series, but I believe if the postseason allows another start by George Kirby, because I don't think we would see him in. I can't do the math on this, but I don't think we would see him in this series again one way or the other. But he is going to be locked in if he has another chance to play in the postseason. And secondly, and this Is so maybe just wishful thinking. But even though it was an absolute garbage time home run, I loved seeing Randy get a garbage time home run. Randy, maybe. Maybe that's the beginning of Randy waking up at the plate a little bit and getting more home runs. Not that he hasn't been productive on the. On the base paths or whatever, but like he needed that home run even if it was totally useless. And also, I don't know anything about their bullpen. They might have had their own turd Ferguson out there when he hit that thing. I have no idea. I didn't have.

[Luke Burbank]

Right. They definitely weren't going to be using their highest leverage arms either.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, but they might have had a position player out there as far as I know. I don't know. So anyway, but still, Randy getting a home run, feeling a home run again. I'm excited to see now what he's going to do with that. Maybe maybe build up a little bit of momentum and. And we'll see what happens tonight. But I will say that if we end up just with a Tide series when we get on the show tomorrow and it's two two, that that's. I'm going to be way less sanguine.

[Luke Burbank]

About all this now. The one thing is if we do unfortunately find ourselves two two, just remember, like, I feel like this game is such a. There's just so much luck to it and the ball bouncing just your way or not bouncing your way. And to me it's like in a way we used up a little bit of our luck when we went to Toronto and got two games like the ball bounced our way. You know, we got, I mean we obviously played well and pitched well, but it's just like there's just such a. An element of randomness and luck to it as well. And it's like flipping a coin, I feel. And then, you know, they got a lot of it went their way last night and then if more of it goes their way tonight, I feel like that means also there will be some coming back our way at some point. I just feel like these things tend to even out. So I'm not going to feel great if we're 2 2, believe you me. But. But I also think that the. I don't think the Mariners are done for if it's 2:2, because I think that the. Again, I think that there's some luck involved with this stuff. And it's like if one team has a really lucky night, it seems to me that that increases the chances that that luck will swing over to the other team at some point?

[Andrew Walsh]

I assume the answer to this is no, but is tonight's game important enough that if it's close enough, we could even see a starter come out of the bullpen? We're not in that stage of the seven game series yet.

[Luke Burbank]

I'm guessing I don't get that sense. I'm not really a scholar on this particular topic, but I feel like that's real game seven energy.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Six or maybe elimination game energy.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah. Elimination game energy. Yeah. Yeah. Or yeah. So anyway, it'll be interesting to see, but just remember we Bizardo did not touch the ball yesterday and he's been so good for us. Yeah. Spire has not been good in the postseason and it makes me nervous.

[Luke Burbank]

Has he been actually bad?

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, he had a bad outing the last two outings.

[Luke Burbank]

Two outings, okay.

[Andrew Walsh]

The one, I think, wasn't he the one who had the really bad inning in Detroit? And also then when they put him in, he gave up a run on the 15 inning game on Friday night. They put him in. When they finally pulled our starter, they put him in and I was pretty against it.

[Luke Burbank]

I thought, wasn't that not his fault because there was already somebody on base.

[Andrew Walsh]

I thought he gave up a solo home run. He definitely let it run in. Maybe it wasn't an earned run. He definitely let a run and I thought it was a solo home run. And, and I w. Or not a solo home run. I, I, I don't know. I'm getting confused, but I know that they put him in and I was expecting to see a starter out of the bullpen, but instead they put inspire. And I remember kind of freaking out and saying, spires coming off of a terrible outing, do not go to him right now. Go do one of your starters. I thought they were gonna put Castillo in there and they put him in and he definitely gave up at least one run. And again, this is all blurring together for me, but I sort of feel like Spire has, I think, had two bad outings in a row and one incredibly short, but I don't think that's who he is. And so if he can bounce back and kind of shake that off, we still have him. We still have Bizzardo, who's fresh as a daisy and can go at least two innings. Like it's. Vargas has been kind of real bummer of this postseason, huh? Like we've kind of. Vargas has become completely unreliable, which is a real bummer. We don't have that much depth in our bullpen anymore.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, Vargas has been disappointing. Which is. Which is a bummer because he was really. He had really locked it in during the season.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

But my question to you is. And then we should do the blurs days. But is there a point where you just stop sending Geno Suarez up for at bats when he is as horrendous as he has been? He's hitting.152 in the postseason. He has one home run, which was back on the seventh against Detroit. That was the 8, 4 game, the one that we won, kind of going away. And other than that, he's done absolutely nothing. Has no hits. No, that's not true. I guess he got a hit last night, but it's just like he's just.

[Andrew Walsh]

Been two nights ago. He got.

[Luke Burbank]

I guess you're right. I guess he got that almost home run where he got stranded.

[Andrew Walsh]

Double would not. Because first of all, defensively, there's nobody else I trust at third base. Ben Williamson is no longer on the active roster. I don't think. I think that they.

[Luke Burbank]

They brought him.

[Andrew Walsh]

I think they bounced him. So I don't know who I mean. And despite that error last night, I know that he's not like, is locked down the right term there. I don't think there's a football term.

[Luke Burbank]

Lockdown, corner.

[Andrew Walsh]

I know that he's not a lockdown. I'm the corner third baseman. But he's pretty damn good. And when we brought him over the first time, I remember hearing that his defense was going to be a bit of a liability, but he won us. He won me over. I think he had a. His first time with Seattle, I thought he was a really good third baseman. Way better than we expected this time. You know, this short sample that we've been seeing, the small sample we've been seeing, last night's error like that almost killed me. Although it didn't end up, I think, affecting the actual run total at all anyway, so it doesn't matter. But without Ben Williamson, you put in Polanco back at third. Like, I don't know what you do there.

[Luke Burbank]

I guess you're right. It's just so frustrating to watch him go up there and just not do anything that would appear to be trying to modify his swing or learn from mistakes or like, it's just like it. You know, I think this is actually incorrect, of course, for people have always said doing the same thing over and over again is expecting a different outcome is the definition of insanity. I think that's actually incorrect for some reason. But we just have said it a Lot, but it is the definition of Gino Suarez right now, which is just like, go up there, just like, I don't know, take these gigantic swings, always get yourself in O2 counts and then almost always have a really bad outcome. I just don't understand how Edgar Martinez or Kevin Seitzer, somebody isn't taking him aside and go, let's try something new.

[Andrew Walsh]

I felt like yesterday he actually worked account once. And I was like, oh, wow, look at him working account. I, I could be wrong about that, by the way. I just thought I saw him maybe not get into a full, full count, but at least get it up to 22 or something. But I. Even if we had another option for third base, like, you know, as far as defenses speaking, do you. Would you replace him with Ben Williamson, let's say, if that were an option? I don't know that I would. And it's almost a. I consider this almost a Burbankian outlook I have on it because I just do think that these things are streaky. We know he's a man who can hit home runs. The reason we brought him over was because of what he was doing in Arizona. And we all know that the weather in Arizona is exactly like the weather here in Seattle. So I. Precisely.

[Luke Burbank]

Here's the, the most important part of this whole story, I think, is that and why last night was critical. I mean, it sucked that we lost, but it was good that we didn't lose by a very close amount. Andrew, I don't know if you can see this. I don't have any fingernails.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, no.

[Luke Burbank]

I haven't had any fingernails left since I think the 15 inning game. And so I haven't been biting. I mean, I haven't been biting my fingernails because I. They're at a critical level right now and they're not regenerating fast enough for me to bite them tonight. So we need to win in a laugher tonight. And like, at least last night my fingernails survived because it wasn't one of those, you know, as they say, nail biter games.

[Andrew Walsh]

But is there anything else you could do that would sort of like scratch that itch, even partially? Sunflower seeds? Cigarettes.

[Luke Burbank]

I could smoke sunflower seeds.

[Andrew Walsh]

That's right. Yeah, absolutely.

[Luke Burbank]

Give that a shot.

[Andrew Walsh]

No, but for real, is there any. Do you, do you find yourself, like when I was a poker and I would go home to visit my parents, whatever, and I couldn't have cigarettes, like, I would find myself probably eating a lot of like mixed nuts or whatever, you know what I mean? There are just Certain things that I would sort of of substitute the oral fixation with.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, maybe I could do the sunflower seeds thing. Mostly now I'm just pacing and yelling things that I'm hoping the Alexa is not recording.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, well, it is.

[Luke Burbank]

I need to unplug that thing before Mariners games because when I'm here by myself gets intense. I wish some very bad things upon people who are just doing their best at baseball.

[Andrew Walsh]

There's a right way to rock and wrong way to roll. You can't just listen to your. Just remember that life is number one. You can be having so much fun. Just remember that life is much fun. You can be nothing but. I always feel so bad when this happens. I accidentally skipped somebody's blurs day last week. So we have to do a makeup, a heartfelt apology and a makeup to Danielle, who wrote in to me [e-mail] she put Blursday in the subject line, just like you will for future blurs days. Danielle says, happy blursday to Stevie, my husband and truly my better half. October 10th. Now that's in the past. Unfortunately. He turns 40 and wants nothing more than to hear you say his name. Oh, okay. Stevie. Stevie. He probably wants you to hear. He wants to hear you do it too.

[Luke Burbank]

Hey, Stevie. Hun, come in here. That's my Jan and Wayne Skyler impression when they're talking.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, nice. Oh, nice. They call him Stevie. I don't remember that.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, well, no, there's just like I, I think that the Jan character is calling him. I can't see Hun. He's trying to talk to them and they're in the studio. Oh, oh, what is that? I can't see it. Hun. There's just some reason that when Heide Decker says that, it makes me laugh.

[Andrew Walsh]

I love it. Let's see here. Danielle says I plan on playing the TBTL tambourine and yelling Happy birthday at him to show him how much I love. Oh man. Happy birthday, Stevie. Stephanie says happy belated birthday to Gregory. I forgot to get in this birthday request on time and that's on me. But sending Gregory an individual who, bless him, has no background in music, a melodica, a tambourine and a harmonica is squarely on you as a hostage. 11. I think I'm owed an apology. I've been loving seeing people say I.

[Luke Burbank]

Didn'T even think about that. Yeah, we have sent a whole bunch of people a whole bunch of music making equipment that they may or may not have the natural talent for.

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm seeing a lot of videos on Instagram of either. What do we call fives, I guess the children of tens. Just totally commandeering all of the musical instruments and taking them over. We basically got.

[Luke Burbank]

Including my niece.

[Andrew Walsh]

Nice.

[Luke Burbank]

Gemma having a tambourine.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, nice. And also, I've been really enjoying seeing all the pet reactions cats and dogs reacting to their owners. Playing a melodica in a harmonica has been very interesting. But all of that is to say happy Blurs day to Gregory. Play louder. Play louder. Yes. Michael says happy Blursday to Justin, AKA Joe Baby, you're a great friend and father, and I'm glad that you've stuck around with TBTL since I introduced you to it a dozen years ago. Plus, you're an incredible entrepreneur. Love, Mike, Lauren, Langley, and Puddle. You know, can I be honest with you? It's like, just signed Mike, Lauren, Langley, and Puddle, and I said, love. So if the love was a little bit too much, if Joe baby's over there being like, love, is that our relationship? Just know that that's on me. I love you, Joe baby.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Andrew Walsh]

So explain that. This is Laura in Kenokee, Michigan, wishing my husband Ron a happy blursday today on the 16th. Oh, it's a golden blurs. Our first trip together after we met in 2017 happened when I said, hey, I'm gonna see a podcast in Austin. It's a long story. Want to go with it? He said yes, and has put up with my TBTL habit ever since. Love you and Happy Blurs. That's awesome. Not first date, but first kind of trip. Wow. From Michigan all the way down to Austin.

[Luke Burbank]

That was a fun show. Didn't we have. We had shaky graves there.

[Andrew Walsh]

Indeed, indeed. I stumbled. I tripped on stage.

[Luke Burbank]

That was the same trip that brought us the Miracle on Dirt.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yes, it was.

[Luke Burbank]

Which we thought might have been the highlight of Mariners baseball for the rest of our natural lives until this year. Yeah.

[Andrew Walsh]

Still. Still up there, Stephanie. This is our pal Stephanie saying, Stephanie's in Portland, Right? Stephanie and Jake and baby Augie, they're all in Portland.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. Yeah. I gotta be honest with you. Until you said Baby Augie, I wasn't locked in.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, sorry. Now that.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, now we got that little baby.

[Andrew Walsh]

Well, Stephen, exactly who you're talking. And so I thought, poor. Then Stephanie says, happy birthday to my amazing, wonderful, perfect cutie pie. August. I can't believe you exited my womb two years ago. Keep being the best, but maybe start eating more than just French fries, ketchup, and pizza. Thank you, please. Love, Mama. But Stephanie's not done Stephanie says. Also, future blurs. To the father of perfect baby August Jake. Wow. I think you're getting close to 40. I'm too lazy to figure it out. Thanks for being such a wonderful dad and husband. Fingers crossed for an amazing year. Love your fox.

[Luke Burbank]

Aw.

[Andrew Walsh]

Very sweet. Very nice. I have a little. Like, a little stuffed fox that's an ornament on the Christmas tree. It's one of my. It's probably my favorite ornament. Genevieve randomly got it for me years and years ago, and I just thought it was.

[Luke Burbank]

Do you get excited for the Christmas tree?

[Andrew Walsh]

No, I don't get excited for it.

[Luke Burbank]

No.

[Andrew Walsh]

I. But once it's up, I enjoy it. I always see it. If I live. Let me put it this way. And first of all, I've come a long way on this. I used to be kind of like, ugh, I don't feel like dealing with it. No, I'm game. Like, I help Genevieve. We go together, we pick out a tree. I know that it's one of Genevieve's absolute favorite traditions, so I really do try to be there for her. I think even last year, you know, often, like, she's very picky about her trees as well, which I find endearing. And so I drove her to several different places. And so I'm not. I don't want you to think that I'm over here, like, with my arms crossed, tapping my foot, but if I lived alone, I certainly wouldn't do it. If I lived alone, I'd have a. Like, a little, like, you know, like, I have, like, a tabletop tree probably that just, like, lived in a closet. And I'd pull it out, and I'd put it in one window, and I'd hang, like, five ornaments on it, and, you know, whatever. And, you know, so I would do a little something festive. But, like, I will say that when it becomes Christmas tree time, I'm like, okay, we gotta go out. We gotta go find a tree. Probably in the rain, put it in the car, clean up all the needles. Cleaning up needles for the next however many weeks, cleaning out the car after all of that always sounds like a pain in the ass to me at first. But we do it every year, and I'm still here. And once that thing is up, and then Genevieve always decorates it. She does all the hard work. I'll help out if she needs it. But it's a nice thing to have.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah. I'm such a fan of the smell. Although I do that aluminum Christmas tree now and have for the last. Last Ten years or so. So then I got to bring in the smell. I got to get that Frasier fur diffuser going. But like, I cannot wait. Like, I will be the weekend after Thanksgiving, I will be here. I will be blasting my Vince Garaldi. I'll be setting my tree. Here's the thing about the traditional Christmas tree. In my experience, you're right, it is a bit of work and it does drop those needles and what it kind of ends up being, for me, it was almost like a treat two times. The first is when you put it up and it looks all nice and it smells great and you're happy it's Christmas time. And then by the end, it's like kind of dying a little bit. The needles are everywhere. And then when you, like, take all the ornaments off, you get that thing out of your house, you sweep up all the needles and they're gone, and you get that real estate back in your living room. That almost feels like a win, you know, it's almost like a little. A nice little sweet treat in the otherwise depressing month of like January. Because now all of a sudden you realize, oh, it's nice to not have that. That friggin tree taking up all that.

[Andrew Walsh]

Space really opens the place up, they always say. Kind of does the two happiest days of a Christmas tree owner's life. Yeah. The day they get the tree and the day they win the lottery. Brandon on Vashon island says, Happy Blurs day to my five Stellan Thunder, who is about to turn 13. Here's.

[Luke Burbank]

Holy moly. That's a name.

[Andrew Walsh]

It is. I'm assuming that's a nickname because I don't use last. Last name. So I'm including Thunder here because I'm assuming that that is a. A nickname of sorts. Happy Blurs day to my five Stellan Thunder, who is about to turn 13. Here's to another year of fun. Soccer matches Dungeons and Dragons with friends and reading books next to Waffles the cat. That's a good name for a cat.

[Luke Burbank]

See, it was good that I had my sword to play.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

Sound effect. This is D D. This is.

[Andrew Walsh]

It is.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah.

[Andrew Walsh]

I've always been tempted to play Dungeons and Dragons, but then I remember that it's a very social game. You have to like, tell stories and like kind of come up and I don't know that I would like to do that kind of thing and on your off people. Yeah, I would do it like if.

[Luke Burbank]

You do it for money.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, sure, absolutely. Oh, tell stories. Yeah. No, but I Mean make up fanciful stories about like, you're in the woods and you've met a troll. I think I'm being disrespectful to Dungeons and Dragons. I was trying to be.

[Luke Burbank]

And you met Brian. You, you met Josh Naylor. I can't not call him Brian Naylor.

[Andrew Walsh]

Oh, Brian Naylor. No, actually, I like that.

[Luke Burbank]

I like that you're in the woods and you meet Brian Naylor.

[Andrew Walsh]

He's got some questions. All right, let's see. I haven't finished Brandon's blurzing message to Stellan yet. Can't wait.

[Luke Burbank]

Behind a tree. Is that Corva Coleman?

[Andrew Walsh]

Can't wait to see what you make with Legos next. We love you tons and tons. Happy birthday to Stellan from Brandon and the fam. I love that.

[Luke Burbank]

Can I say one quick thing about Brandon there?

[Andrew Walsh]

I'm out. Yes.

[Luke Burbank]

I like that Brandon said legos. I don't want to like, I don't want to light up the Internet with this hot take, but I know that it is. I know that the, the company is called Lego and I think purists, people that really, really like to do stuff with what I will call Legos, they call it like, like lego. Oh, I was going to build something out of lego. I don't like that. I like Legos only because that's what I grew up calling them. Like you have multiple of them and so they are Legos, not lego. Oh, hey, do you want to play LEGO or. I'm making something with lego.

[Andrew Walsh]

I didn't know that. I haven't heard that. It is interesting because I guess somebody like me, who you, who a real LEGO fan would call, I am assuming a noob and the O's are spelled with zeros. Maybe I don't know anything about Lego is what I'm talking about here LEGO or legos. But I call them legos. But I'm guessing that if you put a big pile of Legos in front of me, I'd say, hey, thanks for the big pile of legos. Whereas I think a real LEGO aficionado would say, thanks for the big pile of bricks. I don't think they call the objects Legos the way I do.

[Luke Burbank]

Guess what, Andrew? You're right, it's LEGO brick. But also this is another one of those, this is a real old fashioned hooked loop technology situation. Oh, here's what AI says the term is lego, not Legos. Because LEGO is a registered trademark for a brand of toys. To refer to multiple LEGO items, you should say LEGO bricks or LEGO sets. Or simply use Lego as a mass noun. Using Lego correctly helps protect the brand's trademark and avoid genericization like they were trying to do with Velcro. They wanted you to call everything, they wanted you to call it hook and loop technology instead of calling all of it Velcro because that was seen to be denigrating their brand.

[Andrew Walsh]

And they made a whole dancy song video called don't say Velcro where a bunch of people either claimed to be or really were the, I guess the legal team for the Velcro brands.

[Luke Burbank]

We're a company so successful that everywhere you go you see the scratchy hairy.

[Andrew Walsh]

Fastener and you say, hey, that's Velcro. But even though we invented this stuff, our patent lapsed 40 years ago. Now, no matter who else makes it.

[Luke Burbank]

You still want to call it Velcro.

[Andrew Walsh]

You think it's awesome for us, we're.

[Luke Burbank]

Famous, but we're lawyers and it's not causing us grief.

[Andrew Walsh]

Cuz there are trade like laws being broken. It's all here in this short legal brief. And we know that this is confusing.

[Luke Burbank]

Because Velcro branded who we are. What if you called old El.

[Andrew Walsh]

We're going to lose our circle. We're going to lose our circle. R. It's funny, I usually hate this kind of stuff when brands try to be fun. They did such a good job this how many years ago? This is eight years ago.

[Luke Burbank]

And by the way, unlike Chad Powers and its origins, I remembered hook and loop technology.

[Andrew Walsh]

I refer to it all the time. Like it really worked. They literally. I mean, I still would in casual conversation say Velcro, but I always think, oh, it's actually hook and loop. The way Kleenex is a brand and tissues are the product. Yep.

[Luke Burbank]

So good job, Velcro.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

And. And a rant to all those hook and loop technology companies that are trying to grift off of the Velcro identity. And happy birthday to everybody.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, happy birthday. After reading that description though of the LEGO situation, Luke, has it changed your opinion at all? Because I'll tell you what, it makes me want to say Legos even more because why do I give a shit about protecting their brand?

[Luke Burbank]

Well, that's the thing. And yet the Velcro people kind of got me because they were funny about it.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah.

[Luke Burbank]

But generally speaking, I am not overly concerned about the LEGO company's brand being protected.

[Andrew Walsh]

Me neither.

[Luke Burbank]

For me to, for me to weirdly say Lego instead of Legos, I was playing with Legos. Somebody left all these Legos around.

[Andrew Walsh]

Do you want to play with Legos. I haven't played with Legos in a long, long time.

[Luke Burbank]

I was so impatient. You know what? I would. I was the kid. I think we've talked about one of your friends doing something like this, too. If I couldn't find the right brick for the job, which, of course, I never. I never had a new set of Legos. It was all a bunch of hand me down shit. I would absolutely snip a Lego to make the brick fit. I would pound it on there with a hammer. It was a disaster.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, my Donald Morrow took me out to the barn with a Lego. Donald that didn't fit.

[Luke Burbank]

Just like an axe.

[Andrew Walsh]

Use a hatchet.

[Luke Burbank]

I would have liked that kid.

[Andrew Walsh]

Yeah, probably.

[Luke Burbank]

Anyway, you know me.

[Andrew Walsh]

Happy birthday. All right, everybody. Go Mariners.

[Luke Burbank]

Thank you for listening. That's right. We'll be back here tomorrow with more imaginary. Imaginary radio. In the meantime, have a great Thursday. Maybe I'll see somebody at Livewire tonight. If you decide you also want to not know what's going on with the Mariners game. You're not even talking about that.

[Andrew Walsh]

Okay.

[Luke Burbank]

Yeah, it's gonna be. I just. Everybody send the Mariners a lot of positive vibes because I'm not gonna be able to do it. So we'll be down one fan tonight. But anyway, see you tomorrow with more imaginary radio. In the meantime, have a great Thursday and please remember, no mountain too tall.

[Andrew Walsh]

And good luck. Luck to all. Power out.