The Bobby Bones Show: 25W — Bobby's Reaction to UFC Fighter’s Son Going Viral for Violent Beatdown + CBS Sports Reporter Brandon Marcello on Texas-Ohio State + Top 10 Hardest Positions in All of Sports

Date: August 25, 2025
Host: Bobby Bones
Notable Guest: Brandon Marcello (CBS Sports)

Episode Overview

This episode of 25 Whistles delivers a high-energy mix of viral sports moments, insider college football analysis, and a lively debate on the hardest positions in all of sports. Bobby opens with his personal take on a shocking incident involving Rampage Jackson’s son and pivots into weekend football—his own betting highs and lows, and behind-the-scenes stories. The centerpiece is an in-depth conversation with CBS Sports’ Brandon Marcello, exploring early-season college football narratives, realignment, star QBs, and playoff shakeups. The episode winds down with friendly banter on sports trivia and health myths, all seasoned with Bobby’s signature humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Viral Football & Fighting: The Rampage Jackson Incident

[03:47–08:59]

• The Story: Rampage Jackson’s son, Raja, went viral after a violent incident at a wrestling event. Initially, an altercation involving a fake can hit escalated when Raja, fueled by livestream chat and a misunderstanding, attacked and punched a wrestler "Psycho Stu" unresponsively in the ring.
• Bobby’s Take: "He slams them so hard, his head hits, and then it's just punch, punch. Oh, my God. It's awful. It is awful." — Bobby Bones, [08:42]
• Analysis:
  • The event highlights the dangers of mixing internet culture and live events. Raja, as a streamer, was “talked into being rage filled” by his chat, blurring performance and reality.
  • Bobby contextualizes wrestling ‘receipts’—when a wrestler physically retaliates to maintain the code of wrestling.

2. College Football Chaos: Fights, Bets, and Week Zero Reactions

[09:01–10:57]

• Avery Johnson’s On-Field Family Brawl:

  • Viral news identified Kansas State QB Avery Johnson’s father brawling after the game, only later revealed he was fighting Avery’s own brother.
  • "They've released a joint statement since then, but it's crazy. So just go, somebody must have talked crap... but turns out it was the dad and the son, crazy." — Bobby Bones, [09:43]

• Bobby’s Betting Woes and Highs:

  • Lost $700 on Kansas State vs Iowa State, but recouped on Kansas vs Fresno State.
  • "I was about to go heavy in the hole, week one. Heavy in the hole already. Yes, heavy in the hole." — Bobby Bones, [10:36]

3. Insider College Football Talk with Brandon Marcello

[11:18–39:48]

Brandon’s New CBS Sideline Gig

• "My heart was just—it's an absolute dream. I don't even know how to describe it." — Brandon Marcello on receiving his CBS jacket [11:49]

Kansas State/Iowa State Overseas Game

• Discussion of football being played overseas:
  • Both are skeptical of international college games—weather, logistics, and diminished local revenue.
  • "To go six time zones away to go play one game, especially season opener... unless there's a lot of money, I think we're going to see less games like that." — Brandon Marcello, [14:32]

The Kansas Football Turnaround

• Brandon praises head coach Lance Leipold’s transformational work, noting "Kansas really looked fast yesterday," and lauds the $350 million stadium upgrade.
• "The more remarkable job of rebuilding has been done by Lance Leipold at Kansas because that place was absolutely in the dumps in the Big 12." — Brandon Marcello, [16:20]

Coaching Trees & Building Programs

• Discussion of how championship DNA transfers across divisions, referencing Kalyn DeBoer’s rise and the importance of patience with proven winners. [18:37]

Texas vs Ohio State: Who’s More Loaded?

• Ohio State is expected to have more star power by season’s end, but Texas boasts proven superstars now.
• "By the end of the year, [Ohio State] will be more loaded with stars… but Texas might right now simply have the most proven superstar types." — Brandon Marcello, [19:24]

Inside the Quarterback Battles

• At Ohio State: The staff always suspected Julian Sayin had the most upside, but competition was real through preseason. [21:00–21:47]

Clemson’s Old-School Culture

• Dabo Swinney’s resistance to heavy transfer portal use is either due for a big payoff—or a reckoning.
• "The difference with Clemson is that he's brought in four and five star kids and they've stayed, they're not leaving…that's straight up culture." — Brandon Marcello, [22:20]

Penn State’s Hopes

• High ranking is less about QB Drew Aller, more about returning talent and upgraded transfer portal receivers.
• "They are stacked at Penn State this year and not just on the field, but also on the sideline." — Brandon Marcello, [23:30]

Playoff and Conference Realignment Mechanics

• Deep dive into SEC and Big Ten playoff expansion bargaining—debate over automatic qualifiers vs at-large bids, with financial and competitive implications.
• "If you do this AQ scenario, you're going to have conferences go down the tubes at times… and their number eight team definitely doesn't deserve a chance by just winning one game to get in." — Brandon Marcello, [28:38]

SEC Scheduling and Rivalries

• The complexities of scheduling permanent rivals in a growing SEC, struggles to balance fairness with tradition.
• Example: Arkansas may get Missouri, Texas, and possibly Ole Miss, but “not everyone will feel they got a fair draw.” [30:27]
• "You're just going to have some seasons that are more difficult than others…depending on how those teams rotate." — Brandon Marcello, [32:53]

Coaches' Personalities (SEC Netflix Doc Discussion)

• Bobby admits watching the SEC’s Any Given Saturday reluctantly: "I came away liking Brian Kelly way less than I already liked him, and I didn't like him much to begin with." — Bobby Bones, [34:39]

• Brandon adds: "Yeah, he's cold. He is a cold guy. It is what it is." — Brandon Marcello, [34:39]

• Both praise Clark Lea (Vanderbilt) and Shane Beamer (South Carolina) as genuine, intense motivators.

4. Segment: Top 10 Hardest Positions in Sports

[44:28–50:57]

The crew plays a game to guess the top 10 hardest positions in sports as per a referenced list, bantering about the merits of each.
Key positions discussed and their ranks [Approx. 44:58–50:57]:

1. Catcher (Baseball)
2. Hockey Goalie
3. Soccer Goalkeeper
4. (Not revealed)
5. Cornerback (Football)
6. Quarterback (Football)
7. Left Tackle (Football)
8. Pitcher (Baseball)
9. Point Guard (Basketball)
10. Hockey Enforcer/Defender

Memorable moment:

• "What's so hard about catcher, dude?" — Kevin
• "Well, you gotta call the game. You gotta always be..." — Dan
• "They got headphones. A little ear things now." — Bobby Bones [47:05]

5. Sleep Deprivation: Myths and Urban Legends

[50:55–59:41]

• Explores effects of no sleep on the body (cognitive impairment, hallucinations) and the urban legend of a streamer dying after 11 days awake.
• "24 hours, cognitive impairment and reduced reaction time can set in, similar to having a blood alcohol level of .01." — Bobby Bones, [51:14]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Bobby on viral fighting:
  "People were talking crap to him in his chat, and he had to go prove to his streamers that he's about that." — [05:43]

• Brandon on public family drama:
  “Hey, that's the day and age we live in. You better be aware that everybody's got a camera, obviously, and if you're going to do something publicly, it's going to be caught on film.” — [12:39]

• Brandon on coaching turnover: “Both programs led by former FCS head coaches who won championships... Again, it just shows you that if you’re a championship type coach, that translates to no matter what level really.” — [16:20]

• On conference realignment: "The more important thing is…they get the money. And the SEC is kind of fine with how everything is right now." — Brandon Marcello, [25:35]

• Banter, sleep, and Vegas:
  "If you're in Vegas and it's 4am with a 6am flight, do you sleep? Stay up." — Bobby (group agrees), [52:06]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Rampage Jackson Viral Incident Recap: [03:47–08:59]
• Avery Johnson’s Family Fight: [09:11–10:57], further [12:39–14:04]
• Brandon Marcello Interview Start: [11:18]
• Kansas & Kansas State Analysis: [15:53–17:39]
• Texas vs Ohio State Stars: [19:15–20:52]
• Ohio State QB Battle: [21:00–21:47]
• Clemson Culture: [21:47–22:20]
• Penn State as Contender: [23:26–24:44]
• SEC Scheduling Debate: [29:35–33:03]
• SEC Netflix Show/Coaches Personalities: [33:49–37:17]
• Top 10 Hardest Positions in Sports: [44:28–50:57]
• Sleep Deprivation Myths & Urban Legends: [50:55–59:41]

The Show’s Style & Tone

The episode is fast-paced and playful, weaving in sharp analysis, personal stories, and reoccurring in-jokes. Bobby is candid, self-deprecating, and energetic. Brandon brings data-driven, reasonable insight to all things college football. Their chemistry delivers both humor—“Dress them the same, we’ll keep those babies up for days!”—and sharp, up-to-the-minute sports commentary.

Quick Takeaways

• Sports Virality Is Messy: Both the Rampage Jackson incident and the Avery Johnson family brawl highlight how social media can escalate real world sports disputes.
• College Football Is in Flux: New playoff formats and conference realignment are making both schedules and opportunities more complicated—and heavily determined by financial incentives.
• Coaches Matter: Program turnarounds in Kansas and elsewhere prove hiring winners from any level yields success given time.
• There’s No Consensus on Sports' Hardest Jobs: Even among sports heads, debate over which positions are truly the hardest is ongoing and subjective.
• Sleep: Don’t Skip It: Myth or not, prolonged sleeplessness brings hallucinations and even urban legends of death—don’t try this at home.

For New Listeners

If you’re craving a blend of viral sports news, college football breakdowns, and locker-room banter—all delivered with humor and insider perspective—this is a flagship episode of 25 Whistles you shouldn’t miss.