GBF- Mi Casa, Su Casa

Summary

Episode Summary: GBF- Mi Casa, Su Casa

Release Date: January 3, 2025
Podcast: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Hosts: Dan Le Batard, Stugotz

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Introduction

In the "Mi Casa, Su Casa" episode of The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz, hosts Dan Le Batard and Stugotz engage in lively discussions covering the latest developments in college and NFL football playoffs, team strategies, coaching decisions, player contracts, and personal anecdotes. Throughout the episode, their banter is punctuated with insights from guests Billy Gill and Chris Simms, adding depth and humor to the conversations.

College Football Playoffs Analysis

The episode kicks off with a heated debate about the college football playoff contenders, focusing primarily on whether Penn State or Notre Dame will vie for the national championship.

• Stugotz expresses frustration over the quality of teams in the playoffs:

  “[04:18] Stugotz: Has there been one good game so far in the college football playoffs?”

• Billy Gill underscores the unpredictability of playoff outcomes:

  “[03:32] Billy Gill: [...] we need to accept that either Penn State or Notre Dame are going to be playing for the national championship.”

The hosts critique the conference strengths, particularly questioning the dominance of the SEC and the inclusion of teams like Ball State. They conclude that the playoff games thus far have been lackluster, with only one standout matchup deemed "a legendary classic" by Stugotz.

NFL Playoffs Predictions and Insights

Transitioning to the NFL playoffs, the hosts delve into predictions and analyses of upcoming games, emphasizing team performances and quarterback play.

• Stugotz shares his optimism about the Dolphins making the playoffs:

  “[19:04] Stugotz: I got a sneaky feeling the Dolphins are gonna get in. I do.”

• Dan Le Batard discusses the potential impact of key quarterbacks:

  “[50:06] Dan Le Batard: [...] I think that Dalton is not afraid that, that's for sure.”

Discussions highlight the strengths and weaknesses of teams like the Chiefs, Dolphins, Broncos, and Packers. The hosts express concerns about the Chiefs potentially not being sharp enough due to a lack of meaningful games leading up to the playoffs, comparing it to past instances where teams like the Ravens were upset in the divisional rounds.

Coaching and Management Strategies

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to analyzing coaching decisions and management strategies within NFL teams.

• Stugotz and Billy Gill debate the hiring prospects of coaches like Lewis Riddick and Mike Rabel, contemplating the dynamics of the New York Jets’ coaching staff:

  “[13:13] Stugotz: I would like to have Mike Rabel as my head coach [...]”

• Dan Le Batard criticizes the tendency of teams to prioritize quarterback contracts over the overall team structure:

  “[54:55] Dan Le Batard: [...] I've been trying to say that teams are negotiating against themselves.”

The hosts question the sustainability of hiring highly paid quarterbacks at the expense of other team players, highlighting the long-term implications for team chemistry and success.

Player Contracts and Team Building

The conversation shifts to the financial aspects of team building, specifically focusing on quarterback contracts and their impact on team dynamics.

• Dan Le Batard voices his concerns about the disproportionate salaries of quarterbacks like Tua Tagovailoa:

  “[54:24] Dan Le Batard: [...] some of the other good players on your football team. That's what I'm trying to say here.”

• Billy Gill agrees, noting the financial strain it places on teams:

  “[54:51] Billy Gill: [...] It costs the Dolphins, guys like Christian Wilkins. It cost Andrew, who just got named to the Pro Bowl for the first time.”

The hosts argue that over-investing in star quarterbacks can undermine the performance and morale of the broader team, advocating for a more balanced approach to player contracts.

Personal Anecdotes and Host Stories

Amidst the analytical discussions, the hosts share personal stories that add a relatable and humorous dimension to the episode.

• Dan Le Batard recounts his New Year's Eve experience, highlighting the challenges of balancing personal life with the demands of hosting the show:

  “[35:26] Dan Le Batard: [...] My wife decided. Nobody blows money like my wife. She's the best blower of money in the history of the planet.”

• Stugotz and Billy Gill engage in playful banter about inviting guests to their homes and dealing with unexpected interruptions:

  “[36:27] Dan Le Batard: [...] Guys that were telling Ohio State they suck and they should fire Ryan Day. Now you're gonna tell me.”

These exchanges provide a lighthearted break from the intense sports analysis, showcasing the camaraderie and chemistry between the hosts and guests.

Predictions and Final Thoughts

In the concluding segments, the hosts offer their final predictions and reflections on the playoff scenarios, emphasizing the unpredictability and excitement of the postseason.

• Stugotz predicts the Dolphins' success:

  “[19:13] Billy Gill: What happened?”
  “[19:15] Chris Simms: Cincinnati is gonna just be devastated...”
  “[19:20] Stugotz: Pull it, right, I'm told.”

• Dan Le Batard discusses the potential outcomes of key playoff games, expressing confidence in teams like the Lions while cautioning about their defensive vulnerabilities:

  “[72:17] Dan Le Batard: [...] they're going to have to play through their offense and be super aggressive.”

The hosts wrap up by anticipating exciting matchups in the upcoming games, reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses of various teams and players, and expressing their hope for entertaining playoff football.

Notable Quotes

• Stugotz on SEC dominance:

  “[04:56] Stugotz: [...] for all the SEC zealots who think their conference is the greatest conference, guess what? It's not.”

• Billy Gill on coaching hires:

  “[13:30] Chris Simms: He might be.”

• Dan Le Batard on quarterback contracts:

  “[54:34] Billy Gill: [...] we're going to pay him and ruin the whole organization over that.”

• Stugotz on playoff team strategies:

  “[22:19] Strugotz: Unless they go to the Super Bowl, of course.”

• Dan Le Batard on playoff readiness:

  “[45:03] Dan Le Batard: [...] Their defense is definitely better than it was at the halfway point.”

Conclusion

The "Mi Casa, Su Casa" episode offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of current sports narratives, blending analytical insights with personal stories and humor. Dan Le Batard and Stugotz, along with their guests Billy Gill and Chris Simms, provide listeners with a multifaceted perspective on the playoff seasons, team dynamics, and the intricate balance between player contracts and team success. Their candid discussions and witty exchanges make for an entertaining and informative episode, catering to both dedicated sports fans and casual listeners alike.

Transcript

[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

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[Dan Le Batard]

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[Stugotz]

God bless football. Billy Gill.

[Billy Gill]

God bless football. Mikey.

[Chris Simms]

Eh, God bless football. Stugots.

[Stugotz]

They lost to Northern Illinois. I mean, they did. Northern Illinois lost to Ball State. Ball State might be the worst team in all of college football. I mean, it's unbelievable.

[Billy Gill]

Stugots. Yes. Good morning, by the way.

[Stugotz]

Good morning.

[Billy Gill]

Happy New Year, guys. Happy New Year.

[Chris Simms]

Happy New Year.

[Stugotz]

Thanks, Billy. Happy New Year.

[Billy Gill]

So we're gonna talk to Chris Sims in a little bit. We're gonna have Stu Gotts. I sound a little down, right? I think that. Yeah, I. I don't. I don't know if I want to say that this is a support group, but you got. We need to accept something here together, and it's that either Penn State or Notre Dame are going to be playing for the national championship.

[Stugotz]

You're right. Yeah.

[Billy Gill]

So we just gotta kind of get ahead on that. Accept it. Right. Buys mean absolutely nothing in the playoffs. Nothing.

[Stugotz]

Right.

[Chris Simms]

Yeah, they mean something. You don't want them.

[Stugotz]

Right.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah. Rust, by the way, in the rest versus rust debate. Rust.

[Stugotz]

Has there been one good game so far in the college football playoffs? So there were five deserving teams. Five.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Chris Simms]

It was one very good game.

[Stugotz]

One very good. One legendary classic game.

[Chris Simms]

Very good.

[Stugotz]

Greatest game in NCAA Tournament history.

[Billy Gill]

Now we're getting way ahead of ourselves.

[Stugotz]

But, Billy, there were five. There was one of the eight games played. One of them was good. You have a team, one SEC team in the final four, one SEC team. That team was playing in the Big 12 a couple of years ago. I mean, enough with college football.

[Billy Gill]

Do you watch Just bad SEC teams playing like.

[Stugotz]

No, I'm just saying, for all, you know, all the SEC zealots who think their conference is the greatest conference, guess what? It's not. Oh, it's a big deal.

[Billy Gill]

Jeez.

[Chris Simms]

Wow.

[Stugotz]

For now, I mean, you have two Big Tens, an independent and an SEC school.

[Billy Gill]

Look, we're going to have either Penn State, Notre Dame.

[Stugotz]

Yes.

[Billy Gill]

Chris Sims is Texas. Or Ohio State being national champions. I don't know who I don't know who I'm rooting for here, I got to be honest with you.

[Stugotz]

Right, well, let's. Let's. Let's delve into that, because who's the lesser of the two evils with Penn State? Notre Dame.

[Billy Gill]

The thing with Notre Dame is then we have to hear the Goalix and Jess talk about Notre Dame winning the national championship, and, like, do we want that? And then we have to hear about how great.

[Chris Simms]

Marcus.

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[Chris Simms]

You lose your joke, you lose your play like a champion, because now they get to say it.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah.

[Chris Simms]

Yeah. I want that to go away. I. I'm rooting for the Golics to be happy.

[Stugotz]

Right.

[Chris Simms]

At the same time, I don't want that joke to go away.

[Stugotz]

They lost to Northern Illinois. We always have that.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, but the sign then means something, and then the whole golden dome and all nonsense, but they have to win it all, right?

[Stugotz]

They have to win it all for that to mean something.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Exactly.

[Chris Simms]

They've done that today.

[Stugotz]

I think we should set an impossible standard for that sign to mean something again. Like, they not only have to win the championship, but they got to win it by, like, 24 points back to back. Jack.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah. Anyone can get lucky and win one except Oregon. They're always gonna lose.

[Stugotz]

Mistake was the committee letting that team in. Jesus.

[Billy Gill]

I don't want us to be the I told you so show, but, like, we've been talking about for weeks, about how Oregon was really going to do something stupid like this.

[Stugotz]

Yes, Billy, I have an idea.

[Billy Gill]

What's that?

[Stugotz]

We're always asking whenever we go out to Arizona, and we've been there a couple of times since we started God Bless Football, if we could stay at the Golix house. I think you should have Golic stay at your house. I'm assuming he's coming down for the Orange Bowl, Penn State, Notre Dame on Thursday. I think this next week on God Bless Football. You need. Are you looking for a Go Jersey?

[Chris Simms]

Just thinking if it's a pull out.

[Billy Gill]

It is a pull out. This thing pulls out.

[Stugotz]

Okay. You should have Mike and his wife sleep on that.

[Billy Gill]

Let me see. Hold on a second.

[Stugotz]

Okay, he's going.

[Chris Simms]

I think you should just offer it up. Oh, no, no offer. Just offer it up.

[Stugotz]

If Mike stays at your house. Mike's assuming he's taking your bed.

[Billy Gill]

Hold on a second. I'm gonna. I'm gonna send. Okay, hold on a second. Where are they? In Notre Dame.

[Stugotz]

All right, he's on the air.

[Billy Gill]

Okay. Okay, good. Perfect. This is perfect. I'm gonna send a group text with. With the two of you on it right now.

[Dan Le Batard]

Okay?

[Billy Gill]

This is fun. Just for. Just for me, really.

[Stugotz]

I want to throw Gojo. Gojo would sleep on that thing.

[Billy Gill]

No, no, that's the problem.

[Chris Simms]

You don't want go.

[Dan Le Batard]

Because Gojo.

[Billy Gill]

Gojo will do it. Go.

[Stugotz]

Joe will do it.

[Billy Gill]

I don't really want that. You don't want that, right? Here's.

[Stugotz]

He'll never leave.

[Chris Simms]

I'll tell you this. Your kids will love him.

[Stugotz]

Oh, God, he's great.

[Chris Simms]

Your kids will love him.

[Stugotz]

Jesus Christ. Kai is unbelievable.

[Chris Simms]

Oh, man. Who are you looking for?

[Stugotz]

Who am I rooting for? Yeah, I'm always rooting for the Golix, man. I'm rooting for the goal. Guys, we don't know anyone affiliated with Penn State. What do we care? I want the goal looks to be happy.

[Chris Simms]

To be happy too. But I don't want to lose the jokes.

[Billy Gill]

We don't want them to be happy.

[Chris Simms]

For the sake of the show. I need the Golics to lose.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. But also be happy. I'll still have the Penn State jokes, though. The James.

[Billy Gill]

All right.

[Stugotz]

Jokes.

[Billy Gill]

I mean, I think. I think this Texas way too comfortable. And I don't think I'm gonna send it because I'm a little afraid. Says, great win. Big dog. Congrats on making it to the Orange Bowl. If you need a place to crash, I have a pull out couch with your name on it.

[Chris Simms]

I think you need to write Mike Golick on a piece of paper and put it on the couch. Take a picture.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's literally his name on the couch.

[Billy Gill]

My colleague's bed reserved for my Golic.

[Chris Simms]

It's literally your name on it.

[Billy Gill]

Okay, can I just credit where credit is due? A Notre Dame with like four seconds left on the play clock, taking your entire team off the field and running a whole different unit on there just to trick the other team into jumping off sides. And it works.

[Dan Le Batard]

So cool.

[Stugotz]

It was so cool. And it works. It was so cool. Unbelievable.

[Billy Gill]

And that's all the credit they will be getting today.

[Stugotz]

That's it. Come on, guys. We're not gonna root for Notre Dame. We love Smety and we love the Golics. Come on.

[Billy Gill]

It is funnier for them to lose in the championship than in the semifinals, I guess.

[Stugotz]

Yes. Now, who would. Okay, so Max funny would be them losing to. To Ryan Day, right? Like, that's.

[Billy Gill]

I guess. I mean, we don't want Sims to be happy, right? We know. We know that. We don't. We do not want Texas to win. It seems to be happy.

[Stugotz]

You definitely don't.

[Chris Simms]

Sims doesn't claim that. I don't think Sims would claim that victory the way. The way the goal claim.

[Billy Gill]

We'll see. We'll talk to him later. We'll see how happy about Texas.

[Stugotz]

No, I know, but I'm with Mikey A. On this. I think a national championship with Notre Dame winning it means more to the Golics than if Texas wins a national champion.

[Billy Gill]

Okay, hold on a second.

[Chris Simms]

You'd hate for Sims to get smug, huh?

[Stugotz]

Wait a second, Billy. I want Golics versus Sims. No, I do want this now.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, well, hold on a second. Hold on a second.

[Chris Simms]

Time.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, yeah, but hold on a second, because now. Now I'm thinking for, you know, finally paid off, what's best for the Golic family might be Notre Dame losing. You know what I mean? Because, like, if Notre Dame wins the National Championship, then you have a whole roster of Notre Dame legends out there that you can hire to come in and speak at your events and do all of these things. And then maybe we say old Mangolic coming here for. We can talk to Riley Leonard. You know what I mean?

[Stugotz]

Like, Riley is pitching beef jerky.

[Billy Gill]

Exactly. Right? Oh, Gojo. Okay, cool. He has a tattoo sleeves, but what did he ever win here? He went to the National Championship, got destroyed by Alabama. What do we talk to him for? What does he know about playing like a champion? Let's talk to a. You know, Chris Mitchell or something. You know what I mean?

[Chris Simms]

If Marcus Freeman wins the National Championship, he's going to the NFL. There's your. There's your Bears.

[Billy Gill]

Bears.

[Stugotz]

Bears.

[Chris Simms]

Bears.

[Billy Gill]

Wow.

[Stugotz]

I think if he wins the National Championship, will be at Notre Dame for the next three decades.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, yeah. No, he doesn't. Yeah, exactly right.

[Stugotz]

Wait, hold on. Is there a Keith Mitchell on Notre Dame? What name did you say?

[Billy Gill]

Chris Mitchell.

[Stugotz]

Mitchell.

[Billy Gill]

There's a Chris Mitchell there. He went to fiu. He trained. Yeah, no, he went to fiu. He entered the portal, and then he went to Notre Dame. And honestly, in my head, I'm like, was it worth it? Because you're getting two receptions a game. Like, down here, you're. You're getting, like, 180 yards a game. Here, you're getting 20 on two receptions. Like, I don't know if this was worth it for you.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. Anyway, by the way, our thoughts and prayers and we should have started here, go out to all the families that were impacted by the tragic events that took place New Year's morning in New Orleans and so we had the game delayed yesterday. Notre Dame be. Penn's. Notre Dame won that game. They'll advance to the semifinals to take on Penn State. And you have Texas, Ohio State. But our thoughts and prayers do go out to all the families, and it's hard to transition out of that, but I'll try. The NFL guys, we have a big weekend as well. And Stu, you gots picks. Those picks are coming up. I'm on fire. I've had a great year. They're coming up. Chris Sims is going to join us as well. What do you have?

[Billy Gill]

Stugats. You interviewed Lewis Riddick for your GM opening, Reportedly. How do you feel about that?

[Stugotz]

It's an odd thing that Lewis Riddick's name come up, comes up every single year for some sort of g. I. I just. He never gets the job. I mean, I'm not saying he wouldn't be good at it. He just never gets the job.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, maybe you guys are the guys that give him the job. Him and Rabes, because Rabes interviews coming up.

[Stugotz]

I would like to have Mike Rabel as my head coach, which I don't know how. Mike.

[Chris Simms]

He's getting interviewed today. He's getting interviewed?

[Stugotz]

Yeah.

[Billy Gill]

He doesn't want your job, though. This is the leverage. This is the leverage.

[Chris Simms]

He might be.

[Stugotz]

No, hold on a second, because I think one of the jobs that he definitely coveted was Ohio State, but there's no way Ohio State is getting rid of Ryan Day after what he did to Oregon. There's no. It's not happening.

[Billy Gill]

See, it's early still.

[Stugotz]

Wait, Billy, you think Ryan Day could be fired if they lose to Texas? No, early. What do you mean it's early?

[Billy Gill]

Early still.

[Stugotz]

So I think that's one of the jobs he wanted and he's not going to get it.

[Billy Gill]

So he wants the Patriots job. So he. I think the jets job is going to be open.

[Chris Simms]

I think it's going to be between the Raiders and the Jets.

[Billy Gill]

I.

[Stugotz]

If.

[Billy Gill]

Okay, so now let's have. Let's have a conversation that people will probably get mad at us for having. But does Varel have another bad job on his resume? You know what I mean? Like, how many more head coaching jobs does he get after this one? If this. If he goes to the wrong team and it doesn't work out, he took.

[Chris Simms]

Tennessee to a one seed and made the playoffs. There is not a bad team. I speak on behalf of the Browns, the Jets, all them. There's not a bad team. Who wouldn't take that in a second?

[Billy Gill]

No, no, I Know that. But I'm saying if you're variable and you take the jets job and it's an utter disaster, but you really want the Patriots job down the road, are you going to get the Patriots job if you fail at the Jets?

[Stugotz]

Did he do enough in Tennessee to override whatever. Sure. Lack of success.

[Chris Simms]

There's a lot of coaches that. That got that third chance. And then.

[Billy Gill]

Because if. If he really wants the Patriots job, like, he may be able to just. If Gerard Mayo has another bad season, he may be out next year, you.

[Stugotz]

Know, but the Patriots have it out. The Patriots have a quarterback, Billy. They also have the number one pick in the draft. They'll probably get Travis Hunter if they want him.

[Billy Gill]

We'll see.

[Stugotz]

I mean, I would love to have Rabel. I would. That would be great. So listen, this is a guy who took Ryan Tannehill as Mikey just pointed. Ryan Tannehill.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

Who will. One seed in the afc and I believe they went to two AFC championship games. I could be. I know they went to one and perhaps they went to a second. If you could take Ryan Tannehill to a 1 seed in an AFC championship game, you're a good coach.

[Billy Gill]

Talk about misplaying your hand. Ryan Tannehill waiting around to get a starting co. A starting quarterback offer that just never came, even with injuries. Like, nope, I don't want to be a badass.

[Chris Simms]

And him that was waiting. Maybe that wasn't the case.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, that was the report.

[Chris Simms]

The phone just never rang.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, that's what I'm saying. But like, he should have taken a backup job. Like, in a second, he should have taken a backup job if it was offered to him. But no, I want to. Wants to be a starter. That with the reports. And guess what?

[Chris Simms]

He watching Carson Wentz this week with envy.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, man. Oh, yeah.

[Stugotz]

Oh, man.

[Chris Simms]

I could have been. I could have been there. That could have been my week.

[Billy Gill]

17. So many. There's the past. Past couple weeks. I mean, he could have been looking at the Eagles with envy. He could have ended up winning a Super bowl as a backup quarterback. Had had a couple games where he went out there, and it's like, you know what? Tannehill still hasn't next year gotten the. The Sam Darnold deal. Like, I don't know what he was thinking saying, you know what? I'm just not going to play this year because. Because like, okay, look, even Teddy Bridgewater. Teddy Bridgewater left the game, went, coached a high school team to a. A state championship and now is back with the Lions. Yeah, yeah, I know what Tannehill's doing. Anyways. I don't know. How do you feel about the Tannehill today?

[Stugotz]

Well. Well, no, we were talking about Brable and making the point that he took right to the number one seed in the afc. How do you feel about the Dolphin's chances of making it here? A lot needs to happen. I mean, Denver needs to lose. The Dolphins need to win. They need to beat the Jets. This is the kind of game the jets normally win. But how do you feel about your chances here? I can't wait because Chris Simms was bashing. I can't wait for Sims today because Sims was bashing Tua and to his effort and to his play in big games for the Dolphins saying he hasn't been very good. So this is going to be interesting to see what Sims has to say and what you have to say to Chris Sims about this. But how do you feel about your chances?

[Billy Gill]

I don't know. I don't know because this also might be Aaron Rodgers last game. Right. So we'll see. Is he going to want to put on a show? Is he just going to kind of, if this is his last game, go out like a fart in the win and the game that's completely forgotten, his last game was not good. They took him out. What are we going to do here? I don't know. Because. I don't know.

[Stugotz]

It all gets down to Kansas City. Is Kansas City. Like, try telling to Mikey's point earlier, he just mentioned Carson Wentz. He actually did make a point. But try telling Carson Wentz this game doesn't mean anything.

[Billy Gill]

That's the thing.

[Stugotz]

Right?

[Billy Gill]

That's the thing. You have a lot of players, like just they could go rogue this weekend because of their own selfish needs. So like we were talking about the incentives and who's going to get what and whatever. And one of them was like, dawson Knox needs eight receptions. We're like, is he going to get that? And we're like, Mitch Trubisky going to decide he wants Dawson Knox to get incentives, or is Mr. Trubisky going to decide he wants a job next year? Like, what are we doing here?

[Stugotz]

Yes.

[Chris Simms]

What does he say to him? Does he say, listen, you need eight catches, I'm going to throw you nine balls. It's up to you.

[Billy Gill]

Game plan is throwing dust and knocks the ball nine times. I don't know what we're doing because also Josh is going out there to start. Josh is going out there to start to keep his Streak alive, but like, good luck getting him off the field, you know what I mean? I feel like Josh starts a football.

[Stugotz]

Game, he likes to finish him, right?

[Dan Le Batard]

Come on.

[Chris Simms]

He's gonna go out there, he's gonna scream for a flag and they're gonna pull him.

[Billy Gill]

Just one more drive, Coach. Just one more drive. You know, Anyway, you should just go.

[Stugotz]

Out there, take the victory formation and walk off.

[Billy Gill]

That would be funny. He goes out there, just kneels the ball in. First down, he gets his start and then he's up off the field.

[Stugotz]

I got a sneaky feeling the Dolphins are gonna get in. I do.

[Chris Simms]

I think so too.

[Stugotz]

Yeah. I could see Bonex joking in this game, man.

[Billy Gill]

What happened?

[Chris Simms]

Cincinnati is gonna just be devastated because they're going to be set up and I think the Dolphins are going to.

[Stugotz]

Pull it, right, I'm told. I'm with Mikey on this. Cincinnati beats Pittsburgh on Saturday and then at 1:00. I believe that's a 1:00 kick, right? Kansas City and Denver.

[Billy Gill]

No, they're 4:00. Yeah. 4:25 or whatever time.

[Stugotz]

What was I thinking, by the way? 10:00am In Denver, I think. But I do think Kansas City is going to win that game and I think the Dolphins are going to be the jets because the jets have no interest in winning that game and Aaron Rodgers had no interest in playing football. So.

[Billy Gill]

Huh?

[Stugotz]

How about that?

[Billy Gill]

He says he's gonna assess and he's gonna figure it out. How much time do you think?

[Stugotz]

I mean, I'm tired of him assessing.

[Billy Gill]

How much time do you think he gets to think about this?

[Stugotz]

I don't care. Take all the time you want. Just don't come back to our team.

[Chris Simms]

He's cut by Friday.

[Stugotz]

Is he really?

[Chris Simms]

Unless. Unless Mike fra's like, yeah, I'll come back, but I still want Rogers. I'd be like, okay, okay, you can have it.

[Billy Gill]

Why on earth? Why on?

[Chris Simms]

I don't know, but they'll give Mike Brable whatever the hell he wants. I bet.

[Stugotz]

Lewis Riddick, huh?

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, we'll see. Sweet Lou.

[Stugotz]

I mean, I love that Mike Tannenbaum is going to hire all the guys at ESPN to run the New York Jets. This is amazing.

[Billy Gill]

I wonder what Greenie's job will be.

[Stugotz]

What do you think?

[Billy Gill]

Media relations? Maybe stop.

[Stugotz]

When you have Greedy doing that, people are. I'm sending Greeny a text about getting Breeze all on. Huh? Yeah.

[Chris Simms]

He still won't get him on for you?

[Stugotz]

No, Never be on with Hembo.

[Billy Gill]

Hembo takes over Greedy's slot. Yeah.

[Chris Simms]

Oh, Hembo leads analytics. Come on, man. Let's just. Let's just.

[Billy Gill]

That's true.

[Chris Simms]

People in a chance to succeed.

[Billy Gill]

That's true.

[Stugotz]

Does Herm Edwards have a position? I mean, yeah, somebody's gonna coach the defensive backs. He's a former jets coach, so he'll have a position. Right. All the former J. Choose more for espn.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah.

[Chris Simms]

Except Rex to get the job.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, Rex.

[Stugotz]

Because Rabel does.

[Billy Gill]

If Rabel doesn't though, Rex gets that job. Right. In this ESPN jet scenario, it's gonna be Aaron Glenn.

[Chris Simms]

It's gonna be.

[Billy Gill]

Would you take. Would you take. Would you take him back, Rex?

[Stugotz]

I would.

[Chris Simms]

I would.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, I love this.

[Chris Simms]

I mean, I mean, it's not. It's definitely not my first choice. It's definitely not my top three choices.

[Stugotz]

You would want.

[Chris Simms]

He is. He is the least of the evils that I would be like, okay, you would. I would rather Rex than Matt Nagy. I would rather Rex than.

[Stugotz]

Oh, man.

[Chris Simms]

Some of those other guys. Todd Monkin.

[Stugotz]

I'd rather rather Aaron Glenn over Rex.

[Chris Simms]

No.

[Billy Gill]

Wow.

[Chris Simms]

No. Mike, I'm sick of hiring first time defensive coaches, giving them a young quarterback and go figure it out. And then when they don't, we go. I don't, I don't know how what went wrong.

[Stugotz]

Right. That's fair.

[Chris Simms]

I mean, Herm with Pennington, Rex with Sanchez, Todd Bowles with Darnold, Salah with Wilson. Like how many times are they going to do the same thing over and over and then wonder why it doesn't work?

[Stugotz]

The only thing, I'll say, the only guy who embraced being the jets head coach and really loved, truly loved it and made the fans feel like he was in the fight with them is Rex Ryan. That's. That's the.

[Chris Simms]

And there's something to be said about that because as much as the Billy's of the world get to make fun of us for. Yeah, yeah, I'm looking at you, Billy. Get to make fun of us for being the dumpster fire that we are. There's one guy out there who's banging the table saying, please give me the job that. I mean, again, he's not my first choice, but if the worst thing that happens is we give the person that wants the job and only that job, the job, I'm good.

[Billy Gill]

I. I deleted my text to go. Look, I'm not sending that text. Ah, yeah, just.

[Chris Simms]

Just a pit. Then just send the picture. Just send the picture. Mike Golick written on the couch and just let him. Let him infer the rest.

[Stugotz]

Mikasa Su Casa. Something like that.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, yes. Okay, we're back.

[Chris Simms]

Hey, big dog. Mikasa su casa.

[Stugotz]

See, Billy thinks it's easy to send a hey, big dog text until you actually fire it up and it's sitting there. You have to hit send and you don't want to hit send.

[Billy Gill]

We're back.

[Stugotz]

Mikasa Suasa. I can't wait to record with you next week. And Colic is sleeping on that couch behind.

[Billy Gill]

It would be so funny getting up in his underwear.

[Chris Simms]

Yeah, in the background himself.

[Billy Gill]

Mike. Any chance he could drop my kids off at school? Running a little late for work. Mike, not standing here for free. Take out the trash.

[Stugotz]

They'll be calling grandpa.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, Grandpa.

[Stugotz]

Mike, you'll have your kids written into the will.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, my God, Pop. Mike. I'm so excited.

[Stugotz]

That's a good looking will too.

[Billy Gill]

I know. We gotta make this happen. How do I kidnap the Golix?

[Stugotz]

It is time for this week's edition of Steal you gots presented by DraftKings Sportsbook. Stay tuned because you'll hear more about DraftKings and all it has to offer throughout the show. DraftKings, the crown is yours. We'll pick the final four in college football next week. NFL week 18. Final week of the regular season. Six and one a week ago. 78, 43 and two on the season. Holy tricky week, but here we go. Bengals minus two at the Steelers on Saturday. I'm taking Cincinnati here. They win. They cover. They leave themselves a shot to make it to the playoffs. We'll see what happens. The Bengals win and cover. The Bengals by eight points on the road over Pittsburgh. The packers minus 10. They're taking on the Bears. Buy it down to nine and a half. Take Green Bay. They win by 17 points. The packers cover the Commanders minus five at Dallas. Commanders win and cover on the road. Commanders by 10 points over the Cowboys. Bucks minus 13 and a half. They're taking on the Saints. They're at home. They win. They're in. Baker Mayfield. I'm taking that guy. Buy it down to 13. The Bucs win and they cover the Bucks by 21 points over the Saints. The Chiefs plus 10 and a half. They're at Denver. Denver needs to win to get in. They're gonna win. They're just not gonna cover. Don't tell Carson. Wentz. This game doesn't mean anything. How about that? I don't know what it means. Well, I do know what it means. It means the Chiefs cover. Broncos win. They go to the playoffs. Broncos by four points. The Chiefs get the COVID plus Ten and a half. Chargers minus four and a half on the rope. They're taking on the Raiders. Buy it down the the 4. The Chargers win and they cover the Chargers by 10 points on the road. Big game Sunday night. Vikings Lions winner, 1 seed. Loser likely facing Baker Mayfield. Jesus Christ. This game is for everything. I can't believe it. The Lions are three point favorites. We have doubted the Minnesota Vikings the entire season. I doubt them no more. How about that? You know what the D in Darnold stands for? Doubt them no more. Vikings. They're plus two and a half. Buy it up to three, you're going to win the game outright. They're going to be the 1 seed. The Vikings win by 4 points over the Lions. Those are the picks, everyone. Good luck. You got to hear from my friends over at Miller Lite. The holidays are here. It is a great time of year. Happy holidays to all. And listen, there is nothing like celebrating the holidays and bringing bringing in the new year with friends, family, football, sports, music and of course doing all of that with an ice cold Miller Light in your hand. It's a holiday tradition in my family, that's for sure. From family gatherings to holiday parties with friends, this season is for enjoying time with the most important people in your life and doing it with Miller Lite. Miller Lite is brewed for taste. It hits different than other light beers. The original light beer since 1975 and still the best one. Miller Lite. Great taste. 96 calories. Go to miller lite.com dan to find delivery options near you or you can pick up some Miller Lite pretty much anywhere they sell beer taste like Miller Time Celebrate responsibly. Miller Brewing Co. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces. Stugatz here. I want to thank the folks over at Smirnoff for being a loyal sponsor to both God Bless football and the Dan Levatar show with Stugats. Smirnoff knows there is no I in football. Football is a, we think an experience that is best enjoyed together with good drinks and good folks. Smirnoff is the world's number one vodka and is an official vodka partner of the NFL. And this year there are more opportunities to watch football and make delicious Smirnoff cocktails than ever before over the holiday season. From Thanksgiving to Black Friday and Christmas, Smirnoff and the NFL are with you every step of the way. So this holiday season when you are enjoying the game and your cocktails, please make sure to drink Responsibly Take a minute. Make a plan. Never drive impaired. Smirnoff, we do game days. Please drink responsibly. Smirnoff number 21, vodka distilled from grain 40 alcohol by volume. The Smirnoff Company, New York, New York. Please do not share with anyone under legal drinking age.

[Dan Le Batard]

Billy, like, right as I put it on. I mean, Billy's sick. I can see it on him. I can hear it on him. I mean, he's got issues. Y.

[Billy Gill]

Excuse. Excuse me, sir.

[Stugotz]

We're trying to get you out of your dinner plans, man.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, don't go to your dinner plans and get everybody sick. Don't be an.

[Billy Gill]

Hold on a second. This is classic deflection from Chris Sims because your team almost the bed yesterday and it was ridiculous. How many chances did you have to win that game? How many times did the referees have to cheat with a clear targeting call that would have cost you the game?

[Dan Le Batard]

There was a clear targeting call. The drive before on Arizona State that they let them go with, too. So I knew that was coming. That was coming.

[Stugotz]

That's not the one that everyone.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's what it is.

[Stugotz]

I don't hear everyone making an uproar about that one today. I mean, seriously.

[Dan Le Batard]

I know, exactly, right? It's. It's. Who. Who gives a. We should have won the game by 20. It doesn't matter. We were the better team. We miss field goals. We had a ball that, like, should have been returned for a return on a punt return to start the game. And I don't know what the guy did. He was literally, like, punted anywhere but on me. I mean, yeah, it wasn't impressive. We got it done. We're still alive. But don't change the subject and that you're sick and that you might go to dinner and infest other people.

[Billy Gill]

Listen, don't change the subject. And that Ohio State is waiting for you, and it is going to be an ugly scene.

[Dan Le Batard]

Scary. I'm going, though. Are you really going? Yes, sir.

[Chris Simms]

Don't do that.

[Dan Le Batard]

You guys are probably the same three guys that were telling Ohio State they suck and they should fire Ryan Day. Now you're gonna tell me.

[Billy Gill]

Big loss. It was an important loss that they had to Michigan.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Chris Simms]

As a Michigan fan, I love Ryan Day.

[Stugotz]

I thought of Oregon, came back, but Ohio State still won the game. They were going to fire Ryan Day afterwards.

[Dan Le Batard]

Seriously? Seriously. Right.

[Stugotz]

Well.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, it was, you know, they came back within 20. We have to fire you. Yes. So you're impressive, though.

[Stugotz]

So you're going to the Cotton Bowl. That's it.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm going. I was so excited. My kids have never been to a Texas game. I was telling my wife the night before, I was like, book the King flights and the hotel room right now. Like, now, right. We were having a drink. It was New Year's Eve. And then she was like, well, I'm a little tipsy. I don't want to do this. And I'm like, please do this. And she's like, well, we'll do it during the game tomorrow. And of course, she didn't do it during the game. So we looked up all this stuff, and of course, as soon as the game was over in Texas 1, everything went double, right? Everything.

[Chris Simms]

Yep.

[Dan Le Batard]

So, yeah, we're going, but not for the price I'd like, because my wife decided. Nobody blows money like my wife. She's the best blower of money in the history of the planet.

[Stugotz]

Yes, she likes blow through your money.

[Billy Gill]

So you're rooting for.

[Stugotz]

You'll be fine. Paying slightly more than what you were going to pay had she booked it the day before. You'll be fine, Chris.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, I mean, I will be fine, but, like, no joke, double. Like, I'm not even joking you. Everything. Like, the room rate, double. Everything was double. But nonetheless, we're going, and we're going to have some fun at the cocktail.

[Chris Simms]

Everything's bigger in Texas.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know that, right?

[Stugotz]

Put us. Put us there as the. As your kicker in regulation is trying to win the game, and he hits the upright. Are you cursing him out? What are you doing there?

[Dan Le Batard]

I was cursing him out before he even kicked it. I was. I was like, this mother. Effort. Better knock this in. Stop with all these talks and this crap. Just knock at the damn end. Like, knock it in. He's. He's a really good kicker other than in the state of Georgia. I don't know what it is. He missed those field goals against the Georgia in the SEC Championship game, too. Other than that, he's damn smooth. But I still think at our best, we're. We're as good as anybody in college football. We have these moments, like yesterday where you see it and you go, damn, Texas looks real. And then they kind of fall asleep at the wheel. I think they lose their way offensively. They kind of get away from their game plan. They'll be highly motivated and focused. They know who's coming to town this week, and they know this is one of the few times all year that they won't just step on a field and be the more gifted team on the field automatically with Ohio State on.

[Stugotz]

The field, Chris, I feel like they should start at the Elite Eight. There's no need for more than eight playoff teams. Like, they needed that. The committee needed that game to be close. Yesterday they got a close game. Arizona State is a deserving team that probably would have been left out of a 14 playoff. So I feel like eight teams is the right amount of teams.

[Dan Le Batard]

Eight. I don't mind the 12 either. I just want it to be the right 12. I don't want pre existing narratives to make it work. Right. See, this is my problem with the whole process. Like, they knew Indiana wasn't going to travel, so they're going to have Indiana, Notre Dame and Notre Dame, because that'll make sense. They wanted the Rose bowl to have the big 10 pack 12 look right. So they finagled it to where two of the four best teams in the country are playing in the quarterfinal round. That's stupid. Because they wanted to make. So when you go in with pre existing narratives, you. That's how you screw things up. They knew Arizona State wasn't going to sell out the Peach bowl in Atlanta. They knew they had to have a team like Texas going there to play it. So that's the problem. That's. We're not. There's too much business and narratives being filled instead of just going, these are the best 12 teams and we'll see what happens. And that's why it's led to some crappy matchups. But hopefully we'll. We'll. That's the end of that. We won't see any more of that.

[Stugotz]

All right, Billy, you were shocked that Chris has never taken his kids to a Texas game.

[Billy Gill]

I. Yeah, I kind of am. I mean, are you. I think. I think they've forgiven you, Chris. Like, I think that they moved on.

[Dan Le Batard]

I don't think they're gonna be. When do you. When are you gonna get it through your thick skull that I work on weekends and it' little job called football in the NFL. Like, when are you going to get that through your skull?

[Billy Gill]

You got some pull over there at NBC. You say, you know what? We got to do a show on. On location. Let's go to Texas. Let's cover a game there. You go to Universal Studios when you got to go to a theme park, you talk them into that.

[Dan Le Batard]

That's because they tell me to do that. That's not because I'm telling them to do that. And you wanted to see the meeting this year to make them let me and Maria go to the Texas Georgia game, even though that wasn't our game. It was espn, abc. And I was like, let us do our pregame. Me and Herb will be there at the game, and you can come in and check in on us every now and then.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

He said no. So that's. You know, that's not gonna happen. This game's on a Friday. I'll get there Thursday. I'll leave early Saturday morning so I can be back on my couch to watch Wild Super Wild Card Saturday and go, all. That's perfect timing. I'm looking forward to it.

[Stugotz]

Did you make it up till midnight on New Year's or what happened?

[Dan Le Batard]

I did. Yeah. I made it. I was. I went past midnight. Yeah, I did it. I mean, I went pretty hard on New Year's night. I definitely. A lot of smoky. Smoky drinky, drinky. That night.

[Billy Gill]

Right?

[Stugotz]

You have some friends over or how that.

[Billy Gill]

No.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know, kept it low key. I mean, it was me and my wife alone, and we were like, man, this is awesome. You know, I was like, hey, get naked. Just. Let's go crazy. And then my daughter called and she's like, we're coming home. Her and her boyfriend are like, we're coming home early. And I was like, great. Well, can't wait to see you. Awesome. So, yeah, they. They ruined my night.

[Stugotz]

You threw some underwear on. I mean, kids.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah. I had to put my wife's clothes back on, and we had to act like we were just sitting there normal on the couch.

[Billy Gill]

Now you should have a kid, Chris. Like, another one. Like, now I feel like you having a baby would be great.

[Dan Le Batard]

I put in all that good work already. You're. You deal with it now I'll watch your misery. Yeah, I'm enjoying that. You just keep being.

[Stugotz]

I actually am enjoying it.

[Billy Gill]

I think that you need a kid again. Your life.

[Stugotz]

He has you.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, exactly. Wipe your nose. Blow your nose. Don't touch that. Keep your fingers out of your nose. You'll get sick. Billy. Right.

[Stugotz]

Well, Sim, since we're trying to get Billy out of dinner plans tonight. Have you used. Like, have you. What's your go to excuse? What you want to get out of dinner plans? Work. Work. Right.

[Chris Simms]

Yeah, usually with. God bless football.

[Dan Le Batard]

Usually work. It's always. It's usually work related or schedule changed and I. Oh, I gotta. I didn't know I was gonna have to do this, and they made me do this. Now I gotta go do it. I'm sorry. I think that's one of my. But I'm like, I'm like, that doesn't really happen to me anymore just because I'm so, like, you know, hey, let's do dinner one night. I'm like, yeah, yeah, we'll figure it out sometime after the season. Like, I am not gonna put myself out there and put myself in those positions. I've just learned. So it's very rarely that I have to bullshit my way out of something anymore. Right?

[Stugotz]

Just kick the can down the road, that's all.

[Dan Le Batard]

Down the road. Exactly right.

[Stugotz]

PFT with Mike Florio. Every day, a peacock. The Unbuttoned podcast. Football night in America. Final week of the regular season. NFL is coming up. It flies by every single year. Chris, I saw your piece, by the way. Last week you went to D.C. you spent some time with Jaden Daniels, and I was thinking, on the field, it's obvious how talented he is, but. But that's. That's the exact kind of kid or person you want to be the CEO of your franchise. He is grounded. He is confident off the field. On the field, he seems like a guy who's never going to do the wrong thing, say the wrong thing. He's that kind of guy. He's that guy.

[Billy Gill]

Chris.

[Dan Le Batard]

Agreed. Agreed. I mean, vibes are high in that Washington facility because of him. You could feel that. I was there a few years ago. It didn't feel like anything like I felt when I was here just last week and visiting him. He's just a. Everything you see and everything you said, you're spot on. He's just a cool, smooth customer. Nothing bothers him. Right to the point where he's so nice and everything, you're like, I think he might need to learn to be a little bit more of a jerk if he wants to win in this league.

[Stugotz]

Right.

[Dan Le Batard]

I mean, you know, not that he really needs to, but you know what I'm trying to say? Like, is there a meanness about him? Because I even joked with him, I was like, you throw an interception, you have, like, a little grin on your face. You throw a touchdown, you have a little grin on your face. You win the game, you have a grin on your face. You lose the game, you have a grin on your face. It's just the way he is. But he talked about how he wants to portray that, that he used to be. He used to think about, hey, we're down, or things are bad and let me still act positive so people are positive around me. And he said, now he's become like that so much that he doesn't have to think about it. Anymore. And that's just the way he is, naturally.

[Stugotz]

What has been your assessment of Michael Penix through two games?

[Dan Le Batard]

It's been good. It's an incredibly tough situation, as I've been trying to explain to people, to get thrown out there at this point of the year when everybody's just, you know, all systems go, all hitting on all cylinders, total football shape and all that. But the one thing you cannot deny is that the ball comes off that guy's hand in a special way. It does. I mean, it's, it's, it's a different look. He's got a powerful arm. He sits there in the pocket, he lets it rip. They're not doing a ton on offense, but in a lot of ways I think they're somewhat more dangerous on offense. Even though it might not be as many plays and formations. He's just capable of hitting certain throws that Kirk Cousins is not capable of hitting. And hey, this is only the tip of the iceberg. When he gets a full off season and they really get to orchestrate the offense and he gets to feel real comfortable and all that. I think you're going to see Michael Penix look a lot like you saw Jaden Daniels and Bo Nicks look in a hurry. It's going to look real damn good.

[Stugotz]

Did the Falcons wait too long?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, I don't think they did. I think that, you know, that was a, that's a, that was a tough situation. That really was. I don't know if there was any right answer there. They, of course, were in a playoff run. They were the quarterback who's been very good for a long time. They were trying to give him the benefit of the doubt that he can work himself out of this. Right. I think they made the move right at the proper time. I do. That's a tough one. It really is. And hey, like, like we know it was there to be had last week. They should have called the timeout, in my opinion. You know, when they got that one completion up the right sideline, they dilly dallied there too long because it's a rookie quarterback and he's trying to get everybody orchestrated. If it's Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, veteran quarterback, Mahomes, whatever, I understand saving the timeout because he's going to be able to get up the line and be like, hey, this formation, blah, blah, blah, let's run the play. Set, hut. But Michael Penix is young and he's communicating a little slowly to everybody and making sure everybody's on the page and that's where precious time went by.

[Billy Gill]

How long was that adjustment for you from, you know, college to the NFL, timing wise? Because, like, we've seen Caleb Williams struggle with it seemingly this season as well. Where the game, I don't want to say it's moving.

[Stugotz]

Some guys get it right away, Billy.

[Billy Gill]

But it seems like he, like, he has trouble with the, you know, the play clock. It, it seems to just be moving at a lot different speed for him.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, it, well, nothing's been easy for them, right? I mean, nothing. They've been just a dumpster fire, really. And I think there's a little bit, sometimes too much of like, they give him too much and to where he's at the line of scrimmage and yeah, he's young and he's trying to figure it out. And it's like, oh, gosh, it's five, it's four, it's three. Hold on, check this. And you know, set, hut. And it kind of looks like discombobulated at times. It does. And that's where they got to help him. That's the biggest thing. But it is a big adjustment. That 42nd running clock in the NFL compared to what college football, it comes in a hurry, let alone the plays are a lot longer, they're a lot more descriptive. And really, in the NFL, more times than not, you got to call two plays in the huddle. So then you get out of the huddle, you get that long play call, the clock's been running anyways, and you get out, you go, oh, crap, there's only 13 seconds left and I still got to send a guy in motion and try to figure out what coverage they're in and then try to get to the right play out of the one or two or three that we called in the huddle. And that's where the coach can help the quarterback at times and try to simplify things and maybe not call play that on a consistent basis just every now and then, when need be.

[Chris Simms]

Chris, there aren't a lot of games this weekend that actually mean something in terms of the playoff picture. But for every team, they got a couple of players who were trying to get some contract incentives, a couple of bonuses and stuff like that. How much is that, like, discussed in the locker room? And how much do players be like, hey, hey, hey, I, I, I got this. You, you're gonna run this one in no matter what.

[Dan Le Batard]

I, I, I mean, it happens a lot. It happens a real lot. Like, right, who did we see?

[Chris Simms]

We saw is the one I remember.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, Brady and Gronk we had the, the old Lions running back who was in, oh, last year in New Orleans. Right. Didn't they score late in the game to give him a touchdown? Because there was an. Jamal Williams.

[Stugotz]

That's right. Yeah.

[Dan Le Batard]

Said it, remember? And they were, whoever they were playing, the coach got pissed because the players went renegade. They were like, the play call by the coach, we're running it up the middle and then get him an incentive. But it is talked about. It definitely is. And the thing you hope for, because the players can't sway in your favor. Totally. Right. You might try to help out your guy. You need the coaches to be on board. That's the big thing. And hopefully the coaches aren't too much of a kiss ass to the owner where they're worried about the owner's, you know, endless pit of money and him saving a few extra dollars. Like, right. I was in Tampa once and we were coming down the stretch. We weren't even in the playoffs officially, but we were going to be in the playoffs more than likely. We had two games left and we could win the division. We ended up winning the division and all that and getting a home wild card game. But Ike Hilliard needed like seven catches in the two games to get like $250,000. And they came to him before the second to last game and they're like, hey, I think we're going to arrest you these next two weeks. We're. We're going to arrest you to make sure you're ready for the playoffs. And of course he told us and me and Joey Galloway, and there was a little bit of an uproar and I think he was like, no, you, I'm playing like that's not happening. And yeah, he got that. And we made sure he got it and, and I was happy to see that, but teams can be annoying when it comes to that stuff at times.

[Stugotz]

Wait, so I kill you. The coaches said, you're not playing, and he said, you want playing? And he ended up playing.

[Dan Le Batard]

He goes, no, no, I'm playing. He goes, I'm playing. They tried to say it early in the week and then he told us too, to where we were. I think, I think they started to realize, whoa, like, the team's got his back. He told a few guys, the quarterback, Joey Galloway, they all know what's going on here. I think we got to play him. And he played really well for us in the last two games and helped us win the NFC south and get that home playoff game.

[Stugotz]

Chris, this is so tricky for the Chiefs, because I seen teams and coaches do it. Yeah, I've seen Bill Parcells with your dad play his starters when they've already clinched home field throughout the playoffs. So is Andy Reid doing the right thing here?

[Dan Le Batard]

I do. You got to play well. I mean, listen, I understand not playing Kelsey and Mahomes and Chris Jones. I get that. But like, sit out the whole team, let all the backups play. No, I don't agree with that. I don't. You got to play a little bit like the way it sets up right now. And I did a video on Instagram this week about this. I mean, they're going to go three and a half weeks of me without meaningful football. A meaningful football game. That's scary. That's a recipe for getting upset in the divisional round. That's what happens. Remember when the Ravens got upset by the Titans a few years ago in the divisional round? They didn't have to play anything the last two games of the year. Oh, bam, bam, boom. Oh, wait, this is what, it's a street fight again. We forgot what it's like. We haven't played football in four weeks. So that's what I worry about. Even for a team like the Patriots. I mean like the Chiefs. Right. Like you mentioned it, whether it was the Parcels Giants or the Belichick Patriots, they had a lot of games where week 17, it was all locked up. They didn't really need to do anything. But Brady and everybody played like maybe into the third quarter and then they took them out because. Yeah, it's too long of a time and you don't want to do that and you want to go into the playoffs somewhat sharp and, and ready to go. So I hope the Chiefs play a good majority of their guys, at least a good amount of the football game.

[Stugotz]

I will say if you have the ability to keep Joe Burrow out of the playoffs, you should probably take that opportunity. I mean.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, I, I hear, I hear you there. You're there. Now listen, like, you know, Denver's no easy thing either. You just saw them go to toe to toe with Joe Burrow.

[Stugotz]

Right?

[Dan Le Batard]

We saw them. They should have beat Kansas City as well. I don't think Kansas City gives a St. Gotts. I don't think they give a. I think Kansas City's like, bring on whoever you want to bring on. We're ready. And as much as Joe Burrow scary, they're less scary than years past because of that defense. Right. You know, the la. Those other years when Kansas City had to play Cincinnati, those defenses are Pretty good. This is one I think they look at this year and go, eh, we can score 30 on this defense for sure. And I don't think there's quite the fear from those top teams in the AFC of Cincinnati like there used to be.

[Stugotz]

Brisk. The only difference is that's the one matchup they play in with a quarterback. Maybe he is, maybe he isn't. But the quarterback thinks he's the better quarterback on the field.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, yeah. Or he's certainly not afraid that, that's for sure.

[Stugotz]

Yes.

[Dan Le Batard]

But I mean, that's where I'd love to see him get in because I mean, are you kidding me? I mean Burrow, Mahomes, Allen and Lamar all on the same side of the playoff bracket. I mean the four guys, the four guys that are clearly in a class of their own right now and quarterback in the NFL, it's like those four and then we can make a list after that. Right. I mean that they stand alone and that's. I would love to see all four get in.

[Stugotz]

I'm already feeling bad for Lamar Jackson, Chris, because, you know, the, the, the rap on him is doing in the postseason. He's won the MVP multiple times. He might win it again this year. But if it holds, if the, if the seating holds right now, Lamar Jackson is going to have to beat Josh Allen in Buffalo and then if he does that, he's likely going to have to beat Mahomes in Kansas City. It ain't happening, Chris.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, he's going to have to earn it. You know, this is, this is the Super Bowl. This is the NFL. You got to take it. That's, that's what the Chiefs have been doing and that's what it's going to take. You want to be the man, you got to beat the man. That's what you got to do. And yeah, you know, this is the, some of those early season losses to the Raiders and the Browns, right. That, that's come back to bite them in the ass. And now they're gonna have to go on the road and do it, but damn, they're hot. Their offense is playing as good as it's played all year. Their defense is definitely better than it was at the halfway point. So certainly capable of doing those type things. I think like, I think like Baltimore is the worst matchup in the world for Buffalo. I think Buffalo would rather see any team in the AFC rather than Baltimore. I think Baltimore really causes some problems for them. But to your point, Lamar is under more pressure, I think, than anybody in the NFL in This playoffs. I do. And what I mean, you bring him up with the MVP stuff. I mean, this year blows last year out of the way, right? Last year there was almost really like, Lamore Lamar wanted by default. There was no, like, unreal single guy that was like, oh, wow. I mean, you look at Lamar stats last year, they're good, but they're not eye popping.

[Stugotz]

This year's been his best season.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yes, but, yeah, yeah, but last year they had some moments at the end of the year, right? They blew out Miami and they blew out San Francisco in San Francisco on Monday night. That's what I think. Josh Allen has the advantage on Lamar this year, right? Josh Allen stats are close to Lamar's, but not quite there. I don't think Josh Allen support is as good as Lamar's is on the offensive side of the ball. And Josh Allen had a run of games there where it was The Chiefs, the 49ers, the Rams and the Lions that like, were all national televised games. And you were all going, oh, my gosh, is this guy the best football player we've ever seen? And I think those moments will get him over the top to win the mvp as long as he doesn't just totally, you know, screw it up this weekend.

[Billy Gill]

He's also had times where he's just sat out quarters, right, because they're blowing people so out of the water that it's like, well, he's not going to get passing or he's going to get touchdowns. He's just not playing. Which is weird because, like, they did mention he's going to play this weekend just to keep his streak alive. So I would think that's like a series or two max, I think, for Josh. Why put him at risk for anything there?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, no, I think it's more of like, yeah, get the start. It's also, let's just go through the process and, you know, go through warmups and act like we're going to play. So the next week when, you know, we're sitting at home and it's a wild card game and the Chargers are here, it's like, okay, we're ready to go and we feel pretty good or whoever might be there, you know, So I think that's what it's about. But yeah, I wouldn't expect to see him real long either. But like, man, it's crazy. Last year, like I said, it was like there was barely an mvp. This year we got four guys that I would go, holy, they win the MVP in any other year if they weren't just competing against each other right now in this, this year. It's, it's a crazy year.

[Stugotz]

Billy, did you just put the Dolphins in the playoffs? Is that what I heard there?

[Billy Gill]

You know, you never know.

[Stugotz]

You hear what Sims had to say about two in big games last week.

[Billy Gill]

I mean, listen, I, I, Chris, and I'm setting you up here to just be murdered by Dolphins fans. But I'm not 100% in disagreement.

[Stugotz]

He doesn't need your help.

[Billy Gill]

Listen, because I, I'm kind of with you. I, I think Tua lost a lot of people last week. Like, it's not his call. He can't just decide that he wants to play the, you know, medical team, the coaches and staff, whatever, sit him out. But, man, you want to see your franchise player get out there when the season is on the line. The Dolphins got lucky and Stube Huntley won the game for them. But you have two out. You have waddle out in Indianapolis. You had Anthony Richardson out. All teams that have a chance to make the playoffs, all in, must win games, all just out.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, I, you're, you're exactly right. I mean, it's big. And again, it's not like two is good. I'm not against any of that. Right? I'm not, I'm just against the fact of. I don't understand 55 million a year to a guy. Like you've heard me say in big games, he's usually the biggest question we have in a big game. And his ability to be available is a problem that does not match up with, oh, that's the guy we pay and put the franchise and all the chips on. That's bad team building. I will say the same thing at the 49ers. Do the same thing with Brock Purdy. Dan Patrick asked me about it today and I brought up these examples and I went, if I'm the 49ers, I go, Here, Brock Purdy, here's 30 million. Show me somebody else that's going to give you 30 million. Here you go. I wouldn't have done much different with Miami and Tua. I would have gone, here's 30, here's 35. Show me who else is going to give you more. Oh, right. Crickets. Take it. No. Okay, see you later. I don't know, but that's what I don't understand. And that's where I do. I've heard teams that I talk to a lot of people, as you guys know. I think it's going to start going this way a little bit. There's going to be a land in the line, in the sand a little bit with some of these teams start going, no, you're not this guy at all positions. And you're not. Just because you're up for the next contract and you're a pretty good player doesn't mean you get to flirt with the top of the market at that position. I think teams are wising up to that, and I think Tua, Deshaun, Watson, all that stuff is kind of a warning sign for that kind of stuff.

[Billy Gill]

Well, you also have people like Baker, who takes like a $30 million.

[Stugotz]

Exactly.

[Billy Gill]

I was a franchise quarterback. Right, Exactly. Oh, you kind of then have people think like, well, what if I go out there and what if I give money to a Sam Darnold for a lot less? Maybe Sam. Not that Sam will be that guy for a team. But when you have guys that succeed under that thought process, it's exactly where that is going to happen.

[Dan Le Batard]

Right. Like the Giants a few years ago, they could offer Daniel Jones 30 million a year and he was going to take it. Why did they offer 40? Like, what? Why? Like, these teams are negotiating against themselves. They're literally like raising the price tag on themselves. Like, here's 30. Oh, no, let's make it 34. Oh, wait, you're good with 34. Nah, we'll make it 38. And it's like, what, why, why is it going up? Nobody wants this guy. What are we doing? Who's. Who's bidding against them? I don't understand it. We'll see what happens.

[Billy Gill]

Chris became a suit. He used to be a player guy, now he's a suit. Yeah, there. Just try to save money. Not.

[Dan Le Batard]

See, that's wrong. See, this is where.

[Stugotz]

This is where.

[Dan Le Batard]

Totally the player guy. This is where. Where I'm totally a player guy because Tua and some of these other guys are not worth three and four guys on the football team. That's what I'm trying to say here.

[Stugotz]

Right.

[Dan Le Batard]

Let's start paying some of these other guys a little bit more and stop paying. Just because he's our quarterback and we won with him, we're going to pay him and ruin the whole organization over that. That has got to stop. Well, I mean, two is not worth three times some of the other good players on your football team. I'm sorry.

[Billy Gill]

It costs the Dolphins, guys like Christian Wilkins. It cost Andrew, who just got named to the Pro bowl for the first time.

[Dan Le Batard]

Exact. That's what I'm trying to say to you. Yes. See, you're coming around you're sick a little bit, but you're not totally sick in the brain.

[Billy Gill]

Sell out Pro management day.

[Stugotz]

Wait, so what happens here? What happens with Sam Darnold? I keep telling you, the Vikings are going to have a tough time walking away from Sam Darnold. So if Sam Darnold. What's like, what kind of money is Darnold looking at next year?

[Dan Le Batard]

Chris, if I'm them, I want to see another gear. I don't want to go total long term contract guaranteed money. I mean, you just heard some of the things I just said that would go against that. Also saying that though, I wouldn't want to let him out of the building with the way he's playing and what he's doing right now. Franchise him. Franchise them. That's what I would do. As we sit here right now, I think that's the right Play. It's about 40 million you buy yourself a year. If I'm Minnesota, I want to see one more year. I know this has been really good, but sometimes teams can get hot and a quarterback can get hot and that vibe of that year and they do it for one year and they can't replicate it like, like me. That's what I did. Okay, there you go. So that happens, you know. Hey, whoa. They're hot, they're good. And then that quarterback can never replicate that again in his career. And that's where I'd want to see. I'd want to see it a little bit more before I just totally, you know, empty out the Brinks truck for him.

[Stugotz]

Unless they go to the super bowl, of course. Right?

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, yeah, unless they go to the super bowl. Then that's a whole different ball game. And then maybe that's where you get into again. I'd still want to see it.

[Stugotz]

Interesting.

[Dan Le Batard]

But maybe I'd go two year deal with a little bit more money than the franchise or something like that. But as I sit here right now, I'd be thinking franchise.

[Chris Simms]

Chris, you got the Vikings. This Sunday they take on the Lions in Detroit for the 1 seed in the NFC. Who needs it more? Who needs that more to make a run?

[Dan Le Batard]

I think the Vikings, I. I actually think it's Detroit. Now both offenses are special, but yeah, hear me out to Godzilla. And I'm not saying I'm right, but I'm just going to throw some logic at you here. Both offenses are awesome, right? Kevin O'Connell. Does anybody get 25 and 30 and 20 and 25 yard? You know, completions open more than Kevin O'Connell and the damn Minnesota Vikings is incredible. Ben Johnson. I think Ben Johnson's the best offensive coordinator about to be head coach since Shanahan came from the Falcons to. To go to the 49ers or maybe McVay from Washington to the Rams. I think it's that quality of a guy, though, on that side of the ball. He's special. But here's where I think Detroit needs it, because I worry about Detroit's defense. I mean, you saw the other night. I mean, the 49ers were carving through it like they weren't even there. I mean, it was a fun game to watch, but you got to be worried about Detroit's defense. And I think at home, the advantage of the crowd noise is a big deal. That'll just give them a little bit more of an advantage. Because of why? Because, hey now, whoever's coming in there, you can't call two plays or three plays in the huddle. You got to kind of simplify things. It's too loud to do all this stuff with the line of scrimmage and call these plays in the huddle. And that would be an advantage. Detroit for their defense to a degree. So. So that's my only reason I say that. But I mean, you know, to Sagotch, your point? Both. Both teams could use it, that's for sure. Are we.

[Stugotz]

Are we going to be witnessing Aaron's final game in the NFL this weekend?

[Dan Le Batard]

If I had a bet, I'd say yes. I. I mean, I don't want to. I wouldn't want to bet a lot of money on this. I think he's definitely done with the jets, but I just don't know or feel like there's a clear landing spot. And as I think you've heard me say and I've said to Florio, I mean, Rogers reputation around the NFL is not very good. Like, nobody's signing up for. Let me deal with the Aaron Rodgers circus and all of that comes with it for him at this age and his style of play and how he plays now. So, yeah, I'm going to say no. I'm going to say this is the last game we see Aaron Rodgers.

[Stugotz]

This is an interesting one to me. Saquon Barkley has a chance to break the single season rushing record. The Eagles are not going to play him. They're playing the Giants. Are they doing right by Saquon Barkley said he's at peace with it. I'm not certain that he is. So the Eagles doing right by Saquon Barkley.

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm sure, he wants to. But I do think they're doing right by Saquon Barkley. Sometimes you got to save the player from himself. And this is what I would say to Saquon Barkley. I've been saying this all week, like, yeah, I know you want to break the record. I get it. But. But if you win a Super bowl and they're super bowl mvp, that'll pay you a whole lot more money through your lifetime than just being the single season rushing record leader. Right? You win the super bowl, that's big deal. Forever. And then you win the super bowl and you're the mvp, which we know there could be a real possibility with him running for 150 yards and three touchdowns. You're. You go into the legends category forever. Every time you sign your name. Super Bowl MVP, Super Bowl 59, blah, blah, blah. Oh, damn. Can you put Super Bowl 59 on there? That's an extra $5,000. Oh, yeah, sure. Blah, blah, blah. I mean, so that'll pay him forever. It stinks. I want to see him break it, too. But I think they're doing the right thing. Use this as a bye week. I think they're the best team in the nfc. If I do my playoff bracket, I'm going to pick the Eagles to go to the super bowl out of the nfc. I can tell you that right now.

[Stugotz]

Okay, so if Sirianni loses in the first round, is he getting fired? Because there's a good chance he might. I mean, Chris, they're gonna have a tough matchup.

[Dan Le Batard]

I know. I don't know. I don't think so. And this is something that I haven't, like, dug into or tried to find any back channel information on or anything. I think if they got upset in the first round, there'd probably be. Yes, he'd be in danger for sure. I think if they get by the first round, I think he's okay no matter what. But if they get upset at home and wild card weekend with that team, yeah, he's in trouble.

[Stugotz]

I mean, Chris, we're talking about Green Bay or Washington. I mean, I know the NFC's like, Gauntlet, man.

[Dan Le Batard]

Definitely, definitely. But as we've seen here, like, And Green bags gonna play all their starters because they have to. I mean, they. That's a bad way to go into the playoffs. The way they played last week. And Jordan Love, as you've heard me say all year, and again, you saw it last week, too many missed throws and plays early on in the football game. That was why they were down 20 to 3. So they got to try to continue to build him up. That'll be big for them. And Washington. I don't think they're going to get a Cowboys team asleep at the wheel. I expect them to win. But I do think the Cowboys will fight at home after being embarrassed last week against Philadelphia.

[Billy Gill]

Chris, we're all friends here, right? You think we're all friends here?

[Dan Le Batard]

For the most part. Depends about what you're about to say here.

[Billy Gill]

Well, this is a safe space just. Just amongst friends. You just said, like, this isn't something that you've gone. You've done too much digging. You haven't heard rumblings. What are some rumblings you're hearing that you can just tell a couple friends? You know what I mean? Not. Not. Not the masses. Just like. Like tell us things that you may be hearing. Maybe not have come to fruition yet. Maybe rumblings that are out there. Don't tell us. Don't. Yeah, don't tell. Don't tell us, like, who's telling you, obviously, but just little things maybe we can keep an eye on, like, you.

[Dan Le Batard]

Know, Ben Johnson, Jacksonville, Chicago, things there. Okay.

[Billy Gill]

Florio's gonna hear you. How many scoops has Florio stole?

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, Vrabo, there's talks about him up in New England and all that, too. I don't. I gotta see that to believe that. That they're gonna get rid of Gerard Mayo after one year. The other one that's. It's out there is that, you know, Brady's got his hooks and variable already, too, to try to come and be the. The Raiders head coach. So those would be like, some. Those would be ones that I can share with you. There's a few other, like, coach GM combinations that. Yeah, I'm not that good of friends with you that I'm going to talk to you about that quite yet.

[Billy Gill]

Oh, come on.

[Stugotz]

Wow, Billy. Did you say tampering?

[Billy Gill]

I didn't say that. Did you see Chris? Did you see at. Sue got to Mike, you haven't asked you either. Did you see what Nick Wright said the other day where he. He painted a scenario where the Patriots get. Get. Yeah, they trade Drake May they get Shador, they get Travis Hunter, and then they bring in Dion to be their head coach.

[Stugotz]

Oh, Jesus.

[Dan Le Batard]

Wow. Yeah. I don't know if I'm gonna buy into that one. That doesn't seem like a patriot like move, I don't think. And especially the way Dr. Has looked and played. I think they're in love with him up there. There's no way they're got a zig. One other zag.

[Billy Gill]

Let me ask you something, Chris. You. You worked for the Patriots for a little bit the Patriot way that they tell us about. Who's responsible for the Patriot Way? Because I always thought that it was like a Belichick thing, right? Like, it's just kind of like the tone that Belichick said, and now he goes down to North Carolina. So, like, is there still a Patriot way?

[Dan Le Batard]

The Patriot way is in. Like, it's into. Goes back to, like, parcels, and then it was handed off to Belichick. It's. It's that the Pat way is like, no excuses, shut the up, do your job, and then come back and do it all again tomorrow, and maybe we'll pat you on the back when it's all said and done. I mean, it's just.

[Stugotz]

It's the giants of the 80s, Chris.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's. It's. It's. It's. What's the same thing. It's just detail. It's a mantra. It's not something that they gave themselves this name. They weren't like, we're doing it the. Well, like, I didn't hear that in the facility. This is the Patriot Way. This is how we do it. No, that was kind of like what the media started to say, because, yeah, the Patriots are different in that they don't talk on the field to other teams. Their coaches don't talk to anybody. The front office wouldn't talk to anybody. Right. Things were done differently week in, week out. Preparation, all that type of stuff. Work ethic, you know, the. The way they dug into certain little details was special. So that's what the Patriot way means. I mean, yeah, I'm making a video of some guy over in Germany who might try to play football, but I'm up in the scouting department. They want to get eyes on them. So it's like, oh, well, we looked under a rock in Germany. There's a guy there that's got the right height, weight, and speed. Let's scout him out. That's the Patriot Way. That's the. That the Patriots do. The Patriots are most. Most coaches did not want to hear me explain the Patriot way because when they. They didn't like to hear all the work and detail that it went, they wanted to just believe Tom Brady did it. That's all. Most coaches that I talked to, they. Oh, just. They had Brady. That's why I don't want to be like, no, they were 15 and five without Brady. When he didn't Play. And the first year he left, they went to the playoffs with a rookie quarterback. Like, no, there's a little bit more to it than that. And it is a different level of how they practice, how they prepare, how they scout. All of it is different than any other team I was a part of at any moment.

[Billy Gill]

You broke down tape for them, right? I did.

[Dan Le Batard]

I was the. You know, I called myself the bitch boy, but, you know, quality control on the offensive side of the ball.

[Billy Gill]

So we're like, again, just amongst friends. How involved are you with Spygate? Did you see the tapes? And if not, what other spy tapes did you maybe see? I was never.

[Dan Le Batard]

I was there after. After that, right?

[Billy Gill]

Yeah. Then all of a sudden, the slap on the wrist, and you guys said, you know, patriot way, we need to really straighten up. We're gonna stop doing that.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, that would go into your detail stuff and all that too. And this is where, you know, Belichick is brilliant and that there wasn't definitive language about some of the stuff they were doing at that point in the rule book. Right? So he's almost like a lawyer. And like I tell everybody, like, Bill's like this, one of the smartest humans ever. It's not just football. If Bill was on Wall street, he'd be the wolf of Wall street, too. So, you know, that. That's where, you know, it's a little different. But, yeah, they're. They're. Obviously, they did some things back then. There was always rumors that they. Mike, defensive lineman, right? So then the next time they played that team, they go. They could hear the quarterbacks calls at the line of scrimmage. There was always rumors like that. But I can also promise you that I saw nothing of that. They were the biggest rule followers in the world when I was there. Like, if you wanted to bet $5 on the US Open, like, Bill would find out, and they'd send a memo to everybody in the office. No gambling on NFL premises. And you were like, what? It was like two friends who were like, I bet five on tire to win. But that's the way they were. But I'm telling you the details. Nobody can mess with what New England did and how they broke down games. No way.

[Stugotz]

PIE Charter for us.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah. Patriot Way. Chris Sims. Deny, deny, deny.

[Stugotz]

Well, PIE chartered for us. Okay. Brady Belichick, cheating. Chris Sims, PIE Charter.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah. Where were you on the cheating scale? How much did you help them? Let's not say cheat. How much did you help them?

[Chris Simms]

Work within attention to detail.

[Billy Gill]

There was no language for.

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, I. I mean, I don't know. I was there for about 18 months. And I mean, I. Like I said, I saw nothing other than the. Maybe the. Like, I started to get an inkling about the balls being not properly inflated. Right like that. And that's why you've heard me be a strong advocate for. Yeah, that was messed up. They took air out of the footballs. He took them. Not they. He as in Tom Brady. That's all there was to it. But, you know, he didn't need to. As we know, too, the balls were properly inflated for Super Bowl 49, and he won the MVP. That's what was annoyed me about it, is that Tom Brady, one of the greatest throwers I ever seen, did not need to take the air out of the ball, and he did that. But no, man, I can't tell you the breakdowns of those games. Everything I did for that another level. I'm just telling you. Nobody broke games down the way Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

[Billy Gill]

So if you knew that he was doing this, everyone. Belichick knew this was going on. Everyone knew this was going on.

[Stugotz]

What an interrogation that is going on right now.

[Billy Gill]

I'm just saying, like.

[Dan Le Batard]

But I would hang out back there in the. I would hang out back there in the ball boy area a lot. Like, if I got a break, I would go down and hang out there. So that's. That's where. Because I. That's the way I always was with a player. And you just want to get away a little bit. That was always the spot to get away from man of the people. It couldn't be all you got to do, like, you got to stop. Like the. The. The Patriots and Mr. Kraft tried to confuse the situation by putting misinformation out there and all that. All you got to do is read the text and listen to anybody that knows anything. He took the air out of the ball. That's so be it. So what? He did it. That was messed up, right? And all they really thought of against the end was that they didn't. They thought the punishment was too severe. They aren't. They at the end, they really didn't deny it anymore, and that's so be it, and I'm sick of talking about it.

[Stugotz]

Shut up, Chris. When you woke up this morning, okay, and you should be, by the way, I don't know what Billy's doing, but when you. When you woke up this morning and you said, hey, I got my show to do, I'm gonna go on Dan Patrick.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

Up did you think at all dp, right? Did you think at all someone's going to interrogate me about the fleet gate 15 years ago?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, but it does happen, like with me a lot. And it comes up, no matter what, almost like every two or three weeks in my life. It always does some. Yeah, it does. Somehow, some way. Well, because I've also. I was one of the few people out there that was like, like that's messed up because I still hear people go, well, what's the big deal about taking the air out of the football? Well, what's the big deal if we lower the basket to 9ft 10 inches? I mean, what. There's lots of things. What's the big deal then why do we have a high school football and a college football? Just let the guys throw the high school ball. Damn. Tom Brady and Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers up and they'll throw it 100 yards. The game will be exciting. Whoa, whoa. There's a reason the balls are the way they are. And yes, he took the rules of the game into his own hands for self benefit. And I'll always have a problem for that. And, and he knows that I'm never going to just like let that go. Totally never.

[Stugotz]

But Chris, there is nothing more fun than playing on like a 6 foot or 7 foot hoop. I mean, you feel like a Keem Elijah. You feel like Ewing.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, of course it's great. Yes. And yeah, I would have loved to throw in a smaller football in the NFL too. I'd have been just boom, boom. I mean, there's a reason, there's a, there's a size difference there. As you grow, your hands grow. This game, you need more skill, whatever else. And that goes up with the ball as well. So yeah, there is a difference there.

[Stugotz]

100% PFT with Mike Florio every day on Peacock, the unbuttoned podcast. Football night in America. Lions and Vikings coming up on Sunday night. Final question before, before we get you out of here because Mikey is right. There aren't a ton of games with a ton of consequences, but seating is still up for grabs. And I am wondering here, who would you rather face? Okay. Would you rather face the Rams or Tampa?

[Dan Le Batard]

They're both scary because of the offenses on the quarterbacks. I think right now I'd probably say bucks though. The Rams defense has become a pain in the ass. Yes, I am a little scared of the Rams offense. Right. I am. It's a few weeks in a row we saw in the past game. Cooper cup does not look the Same. They have to ride Puka Nukua too much in the past game. That scares me, but not as much as it scares me. And because they have experience and we know the Rams are playoff tested and all that, that the Bucks defense really scares me. That that's my big problem with them. I got no worries about the offense. It's their defense. It's, it's one of the worst in football. And in past defense, it's pitiful.

[Stugotz]

Right. I asked that question because the consolation prize for the team that loses Sunday night is going to Tampa to play Baker.

[Dan Le Batard]

I think I, I, I know. And that we lost because we're going to see a shootout. Well, you're going to see a shootout. That's what's going to be fun.

[Stugotz]

Yes.

[Dan Le Batard]

You know, Tampa verse Minnesota or Tampa versus Detroit is going to be a lot of big plays on the offensive side of the ball, and it'd be a fun game to watch, that's for sure.

[Stugotz]

Who do you like in that game?

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm going to take the Lions. I took the Lions. I'm just taking them because they're at home. I am, I'm going to, I'm going to say that they find a way to get this done, but, man, I'm worried about their defense. I think I took them 31, 28. I'm going Lions.

[Stugotz]

Right. Chris? I'm just saying, like Washington, the Lions or Vikings, whoever loses has had a great season, might be the second best team in the nfc, and yet Washington, in my opinion, I'd rather play the Bucks. I'd rather play the Rams at home than the Bucks. I don't want anything to do with Baker. Mayfield. Like Washington, to me, has a better matchup than a team that has three losses this season. That's not right.

[Dan Le Batard]

No, I hear you there. I mean, you're right. It's crazy what we're seeing. I mean, between Minnesota, Detroit and Philadelphia, those are three damn good football teams in the nfc. And, yeah, one of them won't even be in the NFC Championship game. So that's crazy. We could see this matchup up in the divisional round, right? There's a very good chance Detroit wins this game, Minnesota beats Tampa, and then they go on and end up playing in Detroit once again. So we'll see where it goes. There's a lot of football to be had. But, yeah, I worry about Detroit's D and they're going to have to play through their offense and be super aggressive.

[Stugotz]

All right. PFT with Mike Florio on podcast the unbuttoned podcast as well, on Peacock. Excuse me? The unbuttoned podcast as well. Football night in America. Sunday night football. Lions and Vikings. Apologies for the interrogator, man.

[Billy Gill]

Yeah, sorry.

[Dan Le Batard]

It's okay. Don't worry. I expect it. It's Billy and he's sick in the head today, so.

[Billy Gill]

Hey, you just said that you waited until like yesterday to book these tickets to Texas. What? No invite? Like what? Why don't you want to hang out with us ever?

[Dan Le Batard]

Well, you're sick and I don't want to get the.

[Billy Gill]

You didn't know that?

[Dan Le Batard]

Plague. I didn't want to. I don't want to get. You know.

[Stugotz]

I want you to invite him one time and see if he shows up.

[Billy Gill]

Go ahead.

[Stugotz]

Invite him.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah.

[Stugotz]

Right now?

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, I know. Well, I gotta sit here and watch my kids. Yeah. Yeah. So we'll see. Maybe one day I'll invite him, but this ain't the time. This is a special game. He's not special enough to be a part of this.

[Billy Gill]

This is the classic blow off. You told us that you do forever now, but during football season, it's a little hard. Maybe.

[Dan Le Batard]

I know. Well, it's a Friday night game, so I can do it. That's why I'm doing it. And it's my school and it's not you. That's really the bottom line. That's why. Okay.

[Stugotz]

Reach out to Sark after the game. A couple of sideline passes. What happened there?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, not yet.

[Billy Gill]

Almost on the hot seat. Right here's almost on the hot seat. If you blew that game, Sark, get out of town. What do you think?

[Dan Le Batard]

No, he's. There's no hot seat. Shut up. Get out.

[Stugotz]

It would have been if he lost that game.

[Billy Gill]

That's what I'm saying. He was telling. He was telling Auburn like that. That second kick was like, Aubrey, we really got to kick this in because if you miss, they're gonna fire my ass. All right. Bye, Chris. Have fun.

[Dan Le Batard]

See ya. See ya.

[Stugotz]

Thank you, buddy.

[Dan Le Batard]

I hope you don't go to dinner tonight and get those people sick. That'd be a jerk move. You're a jerk.

[Billy Gill]

I'm not sick. I'm fine.

[Dan Le Batard]

Yeah, right, Right. Okay. See you later.

[Stugotz]

All right. See you, buddy.

[Billy Gill]

Happy New Year.

[Dan Le Batard]

Happy New Year.

[Stugotz]

I mean the interrogation. Jesus Christ. I'm bad for sims.

[Dan Le Batard]

Holy crap.

[Billy Gill]

Just curious, you know.

[Dan Le Batard]

Guy wants to know what color underwear I wear too.

[Billy Gill]

What color?

[Dan Le Batard]

I'm gray or black?

[Stugotz]

Black guy.

[Billy Gill]

Ah, yeah.

[Stugotz]

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