PMS 2.0 1268 - NFL Week 17 Preview/Picks, Thursday Night Football Recap, Nick Saban, Kyle Van Noy, & AJ Hawk

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1268

Introduction

In episode 1268 of The Pat McAfee Show, titled "NFL Week 17 Preview/Picks, Thursday Night Football Recap, Nick Saban, Kyle Van Noy, & AJ Hawk," host Pat McAfee, alongside co-hosts AJ Hawk, Boston Connor, and Ty Schmidt, delve into a comprehensive analysis of the latest happenings in the NFL. The episode also features a special guest appearance by renowned college football coach Nick Saban. Released on December 27, 2024, the show promises in-depth discussions, expert insights, and the characteristic humor that Pat and his team are known for.

Thursday Night Football Recap

The episode kicks off with Pat McAfee expressing disappointment over the recent Thursday Night Football game, describing it as "absolute crop" and "dumpster football" due to the low scoring ("nine points or less was scored") and lackluster performances. He laments the decline in football's prime-time appeal and highlights a critical moment where Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Caleb Williams failed to capitalize on a promising drive, leading to their interception and eventual loss to the Seahawks (Timestamp: [00:00]-[01:07]).

NFL Week 17 Preview/Picks

Pat and his co-hosts transition into previewing Week 17 of the NFL season, discussing playoff implications and key matchups. They emphasize the significance of upcoming games, especially those involving playoff-bound teams like the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams. AJ Hawk shares his frustration with the ongoing poor performances, succinctly calling the games "absolute shite" (Timestamp: [02:19]-[05:28]).

Boston Connor introduces an amusing anecdote about a bowl game where a team’s backup quarterback disguised himself as the punter to execute a surprise play, showcasing unconventional strategies in football (Timestamp: [02:33]-[04:27]).

Discussion on Bowl Games

The conversation shifts to recent bowl games, with Pat highlighting the success and excitement brought by some of the more engaging matches. He contrasts these with the disappointing Thursday Night Football game, suggesting that high-stakes games are still capable of delivering quality entertainment (Timestamp: [04:33]-[06:02]).

Interview with Nick Saban

In a special segment, legendary college football coach Nick Saban joins the show. The discussion covers various topics, including the challenges of organizing bowl games, the importance of prioritizing certain matchups, and the dynamics of the college football playoff system.

Saban offers insightful critiques on the current playoff selection process, advocating for a more merit-based approach rather than strictly rewarding conference champions. He emphasizes the need for evaluating teams based on who they’ve beaten and their overall quality rather than just the number of wins (Timestamp: [25:42]-[32:46]).

Kyle Van Noy, a guest and NFL veteran, shares his experiences and success with the Baltimore Ravens, attributing his performance to hard work, resilience, and the support of his team. He also discusses his perspective on the evolving nature of football practices and the importance of tackling fundamentals (Timestamp: [35:05]-[43:48]).

Kyle Van Noy's Segment

Kyle provides an in-depth look into his season with the Ravens, highlighting his personal achievements, such as an impressive sack count, and his dedication to improving as a pass rusher. He touches on the importance of mentorship and the positive culture within the Ravens organization, emphasizing teamwork and continuous development (Timestamp: [44:03]-[77:46]).

He also speaks candidly about overcoming personal challenges, maintaining a strong work ethic, and the significance of his foundation, which supports foster care children. This heartfelt segment showcases Kyle's dedication both on and off the field (Timestamp: [75:33]-[85:27]).

Player Strategies and Team Dynamics

The hosts and guests discuss various strategies employed by teams, such as the Seahawks' pass-rushing techniques and the Patriots' defensive schemes. They analyze the impact of player performances on team success and upcoming playoff scenarios, providing predictions and betting insights.

Pat McAfee shares his frustration with inconsistent team performances and discusses the necessity of network flexibility in scheduling to ensure more competitive and engaging games (Timestamp: [06:01]-[17:05]).

Fan Engagement and Ratings

A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the ratings of football games, particularly the record-breaking viewership of the Netflix doubleheader. Pat challenges the traditional Nielsen ratings, questioning their accuracy and the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting, especially with the rise of streaming platforms (Timestamp: [137:36]-[141:58]).

The conversation also touches on fan experiences, memorable moments, and the importance of maintaining high engagement levels to sustain the sport’s popularity (Timestamp: [143:00]-[161:21]).

Closing Remarks and Future Outlook

As the episode nears its end, Pat McAfee and his team reflect on the season’s highs and lows, expressing optimism for the upcoming playoffs despite recent disappointments. They encourage listeners to stay healthy and engaged, promising more exciting content and sports analysis in future episodes (Timestamp: [161:43]-[174:59]).

Notable Quotes

• Pat McAfee: "When the only game is on at a time of just being absolute crop..." ([00:00])
• Boston Connor: "What happened?" ([02:34])
• Nick Saban: "There's a lot on the horizon. There's three games tomorrow for the NFL." ([05:28])
• Kyle Van Noy: "I've been able to focus on rushing the passer. It's been awesome to continue to write your story, brother." ([76:10])

Conclusion

Episode 1268 of The Pat McAfee Show delivers a blend of humor, critical analysis, and expert insights into the current state of football. From dissecting disappointing games to strategizing for the playoffs and engaging with a football legend like Nick Saban, the episode offers valuable content for avid fans. The heartfelt segments with Kyle Van Noy add depth, highlighting personal struggles and triumphs, making this episode a comprehensive listen for those seeking an all-encompassing sports discussion.

Transcript

[Pat McAfee]

Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to our Holly jolly humble, the boat, the Thunderdome on this Feel good. Friday, December 27, 2024 this program starts now. Football. It's wonderful. We're so lucky that we get to talk about it every single day. Although last night was a crowd pool, last night, for the first time since 1980, on Thursday Night Football, nine points or less was scored. You're talking about absolute crop. You're talking about dumpster football. You're talking about shite. You're talking about a little bit of a run here that football has had in prime time and when the only game is on at a time of just being absolute crop and devastating to watch and impossible to stay awake for. Because last night, if you were able to stay up till the fourth quarter, Caleb Williams actually had the boys on a roll. Got him in the first and 10 on a 40 with about two minutes left and somehow didn't gain a single yard to get them into field goal range. They were on the fringe of field goal range. That thing ends fourth. And with an interception happening live from his 40. And the Seattle Seahawks walk out of Chicago with a win and still very much in it. Keenan Allen, go fight for your quarterback here.

[AJ Hawk]

Come on.

[Pat McAfee]

Come on. Geez Louise. That cemented a 63 matchup, a 63 win for the Seattle Seahawks, and now they're very much still alive in the NFC west battle. They got the Rams next week that they will obviously be preparing for in a huge playoff implicator. But with that being said about how football. Yes, this is staring us down over there. Oh, wow. How will the LA Rams fair against the Cardinals? Team that hit or miss. Yeah, hit or miss. Eliminated. Have a chance to be good? Had a chance to be great this year. Maybe about a year out, we'll say for the Cardinals. Now, have we been saying that for a few years for the Cardinals, sure, certainly. But the way Gannon has that team operating, the way Kyler's playing, they were seemingly going this way and then they fell into the. Where the Cardinal stuff a little bit. We think next year they'll be able to, boom, bust right through that. But in this particular case, Los Angeles Rams should be able to win that game. Then it's all down to Seahawks, Rams, last week of the year. They're not the only one. There's a lot of games in week 18 that have a lot of playoff implications on the line. There's a lot of things on the horizon. There's three games tomorrow for the NFL. Oh, yeah, that's right. There's a full slate on Sunday. So whenever we say like, hey, these games have been absolute crap last night.

[AJ Hawk]

Absolute shite.

[Pat McAfee]

The worst.

[Boston Connor]

So bad.

[Pat McAfee]

Is it time for hibernation? It was for us when we were watching that game. We tried our absolute best. There was even a phenomenal bowl game happening. One half of the hammer done Cowboys. AP Ton that bowl game was 68.

[Ty Schmidt]

Ventures bowl last night.

[Pat McAfee]

Which Arkansas State won the game? Yep. Bowling Green wasn't a highlight Tone. What happened?

[Ty Schmidt]

So Bowling Green was came onto the field to punt. They trotted their punter out. But wait, was it their punter or was it their backup third string quarterback?

[Pat McAfee]

Wow.

[Ty Schmidt]

Who came on and throw an absolute. People were like, holy shit. This punter threw an absolute seed. Even the broadcast said the punter. Turns out they snuck their third string quarterback on in basically the same uniform that their punter has been wearing all season long with the high white socks and tucked in jersey. All of that. They made him look like it. He had number 18 on versus punters number 19. Normally the third string quarterback, Baron May normally, normally wears number eight all season long. So this was. This was a rouge. This was a rouge.

[Pat McAfee]

Mastercraft subterfuge. An act of subterfuge right there. This is what it was. So changes his number to be 18 because the normal punter wears 19. Puts the whole punter costume on. Wristband things, high tights. We're doing this whole thing out there. Jog's out there. And you know, I think they probably had a read on a pooch punt there. Okay. On. On the. Yep, there we go. On the pooch punt, they probably had a read that the corners would bail after a certain distance because they don't want to get a penalty. Hey, we're going to fair catch this thing. Punt. Safe. Corners bail on gunners. Okay. Just kind of. Yep. All right, let him run there. We're not going to do anything here. Yep. Let him get out of the way. Boom. That was the perfect read on them. So as soon as he bails, that ball's coming right over his shoulder. Them having the. The punter not in quarterback in and dressing them up like brilliant. Makes you think. Has anybody ever done this before? Well, allegedly due to the studying that happened from the Internet after this play went mega viral because it was a dime in bowl season, obviously this is taking place. The Cal Bears did this with Jared Goff, I guess.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Whenever Jared Goff was on the cow had him change his number to the exact number that the punter was wearing. Because in college you can have two people the same number that you can't be on the same feet or on the field at the same time. So this has been something that's taken place before. I love college ball. I love that this took place. And that was the whole highlight of the night. I mean that is the highlight for football of the night. And whenever you think about all the crop that there's been, that just tells us that water has to find its level.

[Boston Connor]

Bingo.

[AJ Hawk]

Has to.

[Pat McAfee]

You know what's on the on the horizon, boys? What's that? In the most important time of the year, we're about to have the best ball by far. Starting tomorrow with three games. All three of them have playoff implications. They're going to be bangers.

[Boston Connor]

Triple decker.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, I know on Christmas there's a couple of blowouts and Pittsburgh was in it there for a bit against Kansas City Chiefs. Inevitably they ended up pulling away and the Ravens smashed the Texans. And then you go to this game last night and it's crop and you think to yourself, why am I spending my time doing this? It's like because these three are going to be amazing. That's what the law of averages tells us. How long has that been around? Tyschment, you got into Harvard.

[AJ Hawk]

The law of averages, a long, long, long time.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom. So that means all the crop has gotten out of the way. That means everything's going to have to go. Just like this year. We were either beating the sports book or the sports book was beating us. And we thought it was going to go that way all season. It came back. Beginning of this year, crap football.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Then a great football happened. Now we're back to crap football. All I know is that that's going to have to change. And it' perfect time to change. We got college football playoffs coming up. We got the NFL playoffs coming up. We got super bowl on the horizon. We got the biggest time a year for football. And thank God these games have been so terrible. Okay? Thank God because we get them out of the way.

[AJ Hawk]

That's right.

[Boston Connor]

Bingo.

[Pat McAfee]

Just like the people that got sick. Already got the antibodies. You got it out of the way. Sure. Congrats to you getting it done over at the toxic table at Boston. Connor, how do you feel, pal? I know you're battling some demons this morning, weren't you?

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah. I feel pretty good. You know, there's nothing wrong with five, six trips to the toilet in the morning. Sometimes you're just gonna have to get that done. Get it. But I feel great. And you're talking about law of Averages. It's kind of making me think, you know, just like the Patriots, you know, they were so good for so long. Now they have a couple bad.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you're going to have to pay the piper.

[Boston Connor]

Law of averages. We're going to come right back up to where we're supposed to be, which is one of the greats of the league. And I appreciate you bringing that up, especially such a great math term which has been around since 1870, of course, as law of average.

[Pat McAfee]

That's when I started.

[Boston Connor]

Fill in the blank there.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You know, because there has to be the dark so that the light can shine. There has to be rain for the sun to be appreciated.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

There has to be shite for there to be a great football playoff push.

[AJ Hawk]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank God it's coming. Because if we gotta watch what that was and what it has been happening, never again. Can't do it. Can't do it. I went on to NFL game day morning and one of my Christmas wishes was they need better schedules and slates.

[Boston Connor]

No doubt.

[Pat McAfee]

And then I talked about how networks are scared to flex games. You know, they. Teams only get a certain amount of primetime games and then if those teams flex teams out, I think they're scared to piss off fan bases. I think they're pissed. Scared to piss off teams. I think they're scared to kind of ruffle any feathers. So teams are scared or networks don't flex as often as they could. As much as fans look ahead and go like, hey, let's get this one the hell out of here. Let's get this one the hell out of here. Then there's other contracts obviously that are there like the 4:00 time slot for CBS and for Fox. Can you necessarily get one of those out to go up to prime time? It's like, no, I get it. But there has to be an availability of a game that's worth a crop at the end of the season. Every single weekend. Has to be. Can't project injuries.

[AJ Hawk]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Can't project these types of things. But there needs to be something each week that we can look forward to that is a good game. Because what has been happening has been the, the Christmas game and the Saturday game. Those are four playoff teams. Those are supposed to be great games. Yeah. Should. Can't blame them for that. Okay. Can't blame them for that.

[AJ Hawk]

But last night, Monday night before Christmas too.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Last night happening like this. Probably crop. Probably crop.

[AJ Hawk]

I think it was the worst. Yeah. Always was going to be crap.

[Pat McAfee]

That's now granted. Could have Seen this from a mile away. Whenever Caleb season isn't going how we all thought Caleb season was going to go. Now granted, they wanted to showcase the number one overall pick there, Seahawks, obviously NFC west going to be in it. They're a team that doesn't get talked about a lot. You go back to years past couple of years ago, they had number one offense in the NFL. Nobody was really talking about them. They're always seemingly in it. They kick Pete Carroll out of the door, they're still in it. So like I could see how projection schedule wise could be a good game, but then early on on you see that it's not going to be and then you. The Chicago Bears have now lost 10 straight games and we were forced to watch them in primetime ten straight. We could see this coming. You know, we could actually see this entire crop bowl coming up. For a few months we've been able to see that this was coming and it still took place. Now Bears could have won that game, which is why football is great. Football will always be worthy of a watch. Whenever football's at its worst, it's better than watching most things. Now professional wrestling can catch it, sure. You know, professional wrestling at its finest is better than any live sport that could take place. But football, whenever it's humming is so awesome to watch. And I think that's why we all tune in. These numbers are gigantic that the NFL is getting these ratings. Obviously 24.1, 24.3 million allegedly on Netflix. Now those are self reported numbers from Netflix because they're a streaming platform. I believe Nielsen said that that's what it was. But I don't know how Nielsen would have to hack into Netflix, their game. I don't know how that entire thing works.

[Boston Connor]

They have an alleged agreement.

[Pat McAfee]

Of course they do. Yeah, all the numbers make sense nonetheless. 24 million for those two, up to like 60, some 65 million total viewers. Absolute smash, smashing success is how all parties would view that game. Then I think there was reports coming out that these have been the Highest rating since 2016 for like all these things. And we all remember what happened after 2016. 2016 was the national anthem and then the kneeling. And then I remember during that time there was a lot of people in big media that were like, it's not the national anthem that's causing the ratings to drop. And it's like out here in middle America was there were signs hanging off of people's houses. Okay. They were saying like, don't watch the NFL. Now granted, I think some good conversations came out of that entire thing. I think there was obviously good that came for that entire situation, but the ratings definitely took a hit for a long time and then they get all the way back and then the game is cropped. It's like at some point you would hope that they'll be able to match up. Like everybody loves football openly and proudly and the games kind of get to a point that are must watch. I think that's on the horizon. I think that's what we have going forward because we have way too many great players. Way too many great players. I saw this stat this morning from Hembo K by Lamar Jackson. You know what he's doing right now? What's that Historic stuff. He has the second highest quarterback passer rating in a season. Since they've been documenting the QBR that is thus far obviously has a game remaining. Number one and three are both Aaron Rodgers. And obviously you see the rush yards underneath. These are from the incomparable Hembo. Lamar's rush for 852 yards on top of having a 121.6 quarterback rating. Okay, pass the rating. Aaron Rodgers obviously one for 257. He could move. He could move.

[Boston Connor]

Scoot.

[Pat McAfee]

Aaron goes 149 and then Peyton goes for 38 yards accidentally. We don't even know how that happened. We don't even know. So whenever you think about what Lamar Jackson is doing right now, Jess Lamar in Baltimore, and then you think he's not even a favorite to win the mvp, and then you think these two are going to run into each other. Then you got Patrick Mahomes still existing. Once we get a lot of the league out, which is why I think the playoffs are going to. I think the playoffs are going to be great because it's both NFC and AFC seemingly top loaded. And then once we get all them out, we got battles coming. And I think that's why law of averages since 1870 tells us a lot of the crop we've been watching is about to be a thing of the past. And the NFL is going to ride in the off season, say we had a great season because what have you done for me lately? If this season was to end how it's going right now, all offseason, people are going to say, is the NFL going to lose its ratings? Is the NFL going to be able to withstand everything that has happened through viewership and everything? I think the NFL is going to end great. But boy, we've had to go through some tough times. Hard times, brother. Shout out to the American dream to get here.

[AJ Hawk]

Well and I think like, in the end, when you look at the playoffs, we're going to get a lot of the matchups that we wanted initially. Like if you would have been projecting at the start of the season, you know, with the potential for like Bills, Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, all that kind of stuff. And then on the NFC side there's a bunch of good stuff. But I think what I've noticed most about this year with all the shite games is it, it just underscores how important like the big market teams have to be good because this year, you, Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Bears, they all stink and they're all Niners and yeah, Niners, like all these big market teams when they stink because they should be able to flex games earlier. But like the where it's at right now, I can't. I don't, I don't think that's going to change. I don't think they're going to say, hey, you can start flexing games in week seven or week six, because like you said, like, for a lot of these games we've been able to tell for two months, like, we've been able to circle and be like, that game's gonna suck and we're just gonna have to eat it. Because when it comes, you know, hey, watching football is better than not watching football.

[Pat McAfee]

Connor. Let's remember though, there's gonna come a time where there's a lot of not watching football.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, no doubt about it.

[Pat McAfee]

Exactly. I was telling myself that last night 30 different times and you try to, but.

[AJ Hawk]

But it doesn't matter. That doesn't help. That doesn't help you.

[Pat McAfee]

Last night I'm laying there, okay. Wife passed out. Sam passed out just like. I can't do this one with you, she said.

[Boston Connor]

Makes sense.

[Pat McAfee]

Smart. Rolled. I can't do this one with you. Rolled over.

[AJ Hawk]

I get it.

[Pat McAfee]

She tapped out. TKO. Football game over. Samantha McAfee completely understand. I'm laying there watching this thing just like it's a football game. It's an NFL football game. This matters. Commercial break. Oh, should I venture somewhere else? Look around. I don't like anything else. Yeah, go back to the NFL game, I guess. Gotta get better. Gets worse.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Caleb Williams scored a touchdown last night. Sick blowing to his left, A Dunes.

[Boston Connor]

A rookie to rookie.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh my. Nobody's talking about A Dunes A, by the way, top 10 wide receiver. Nobody's really talking about his year. Just because everything kind of goes which is good for A Dunesay, I think. Yeah, I think it's good that they don't have to deal with it. But this place, this is the Caleb from college that we've been talking about. Is it going to work in the NFL? Well, when it does work, it doesn't because somebody was holding. Yeah. So this highlight came out of the game. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Also though, like in the off season when we are thinking like football, there will be an asterisk. Like, yeah, I wish there's a football game on. Except for Seattle, Chicago.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we need to remember that.

[Boston Connor]

Like that will be one that we remember as one of the shites ones because it was prime time. Like there's a few games like this at 1:00 or even, maybe even one sneaks into 4:00. But when it's prime time, when it's Amazon prime, when it's on Bezos's network.

[Pat McAfee]

That we all know we're in, we're in playoff time.

[Boston Connor]

Like the biggest game time. Yeah, exactly. And it's coming off of Christmas where we all were kind of like, why isn't there a night game? Okay, fine, we get one the next night. Maybe this will deliver. I think the over under was like damn near 50. It's like six to three in the rain, I guess.

[Pat McAfee]

Soccer. What? What are we doing? You love that game last night. I assume that was good for the world audience last night.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, that game was absolute shite.

[Pat McAfee]

I was mad at myself for staying up and watching that all night. I didn't make it.

[Ty Schmidt]

I believe the Mariners beat the White Sox or the Cubs 63 twice this year. So that's the third time that Seattle's beat the Chicago 63 this year.

[Pat McAfee]

Also, it was already written.

[Boston Connor]

It's a baseball game. We watch a baseball game is what Diggs is trying to tell you.

[Pat McAfee]

And a soccer game.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I mean a six three. Soccer can hold the phone.

[Pat McAfee]

Awesome. I'm watching that. Six shots versus three shots, actually. Now granted, there's Jason Myers knocking one through Cairo Santos. Can he answer? Yes. Almost hits the bullseye. Let's go. Through the net is three, three. Jason Myers, ball game.

[Boston Connor]

Boom. How much time's that?

[Pat McAfee]

Second quarter. Okay, second quarter. Six three.

[AJ Hawk]

Can't have it.

[Pat McAfee]

Nobody was even close to scoring either. Like, nobody was driving, nobody was doing shite. Caleb got into fringe field goal range.

[AJ Hawk]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

To tie that.

[Boston Connor]

If that thing went to overtime, I would have broke my tv. I don't want.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't.

[Boston Connor]

Let me go to bed.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank God that you're saying it was holding you hostage.

[Boston Connor]

It was holding me hostage.

[Pat McAfee]

It had you like this right here.

[Boston Connor]

If Caleb did all his cool stuff and they got another field goal and it was six, six. And I had to watch 10 minutes of overtime, which inevitably would end in triple zeros and no more points and it was six, six tie. Yeah, I would. I would have been pretty pissed. I'd probably just be at Best Buy later tonight.

[Pat McAfee]

Buy on tv because we. We stormed through that one. But maybe you get in a cold tub. I do appreciate Fitz and Sherm trying to make it entertain.

[Boston Connor]

I was.

[AJ Hawk]

We tried.

[Pat McAfee]

I do. I appreciate the effort boys trying to make that thing happen. I also appreciated a lot of their conversations they were having. A lot of, you know, sports talk combo on the pre show and on the post show. I think they do a great job. Very. You know, I don't. I don't think they're too. I like the crew. I like the Amazon crew. I think they do a good job on that particular program and I appreciate it. Fitz and sure, I'm trying to make it entertain.

[AJ Hawk]

It was nice post game too, that they were like, this game sucked. Like no one gives a about this game. We don't have to talk about this at all. Let's talk about the playoffs and what we're looking for.

[Pat McAfee]

We have ruined people's day. Yeah. Enough here.

[Ty Schmidt]

I'll tell you what it did to me. I am heavily rooting for The Rams Week 18, I can tell you that.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't want to see ox football in the playoffs.

[Ty Schmidt]

No, I don't want to see it.

[Pat McAfee]

Can't have. Give me maddie staff.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

10 times out of 10.

[Boston Connor]

Pook.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, the bowl games did deliver yesterday. I mean, pit Toledo was like six overtimes. Rutgers and K State was an absolute banger. I think like 44, 41 and then 68. Ventures bowl there was. The NFL did not come through, but the bowl games kind of did.

[Pat McAfee]

Speaking of bowl games, SeatGeek has sent over its graphic for the average resale price for each of the four quarterfinal games. Peach Bowl, 301 bucks down there. Arizona State taking on Texas. Ohio State, Oregon over there in Rose bowl, which we will be live from, which is so stupid to think about on ESPN too. 480 bucks. That's pretty good. That's pretty good price. And then Penn State, Boise. 427 down there. Fiesta Bowl. Phoenix, Arizona is a beautiful place. Penn State will fill that place up if Boise State doesn't get their people in there. Boise State will have its people in there, though. And Fiesta Bowl. Boise State has some history. Statue of Liberty, if you do recall. Happening Fiesta bowl, and then Notre Dame Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. 528 bucks, average resale price. And then semifinals tickets are going for 616 and 759, respectively. Orange Bowl bowl and the Cotton Bowl. Use PAT2 024. $30 off any ticket. Now, there are some rules that apply, and I think the rules are if it's less than 30 bucks or not, they're not paying you.

[AJ Hawk]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

There you go. Now, these tickets wouldn't obviously factor into that, but they have tickets for every live event that's taking place. Every single one. It's actually kind of mind blowing how many tickets they have to all the things. They also survived the worldwide event, live event stoppage because of how good the company is. We appreciate the hell out of SeatGeek. $30 off right now for those tickets and many other things. You know, we got six crazy nights left of Hanukkah. Bingo, you know, and I heard from Adam Schefter that they're celebrating Christmas too. Jewish. Yeah, Jewish people celebrate Christmas so we can celebrate Hanukkah. We got six more nights to buy gifts for people. Why not buy a ticket to something? And also, if you do view that particular menorah there, start on right, working left, because that's how you read Torah, without a doubt. There you go. You read Torah right to left. So one on the far right there, that's night one. Last night was night two. And guess what's left? Six more crazy nights and you could buy some tickets for somebody maybe potentially from our friends at sea.

[AJ Hawk]

Absolutely. And with those prices, you know, absolute steal for a memory for a lifetime. If you're going to buy a Hanukkah gift and you're a sports fan, I cannot emphasis emphasize this enough. Do not buy anything from fanatics.

[Pat McAfee]

What?

[AJ Hawk]

Do not buy anything from fanatics because A, you either won't get it in time or B, you're just. You're not going to get what you ordered or see, you're going to get kind of what you ordered. You're going to get some guy like, you know, if you want like a Caleb Williams jersey, they're just going to butcher the shit out of his name, spell it wrong, put the wrong number on there. So Fanatics, once again, you know, is kind of just, you know, we're talking about shite. Football.

[Boston Connor]

Whoa.

[AJ Hawk]

This is. This is just absolute shite out of Fanatics. And I'm sick and tired of seeing this.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so Fanatics is the merch company that has kind of taken over every single contract with every single league monopoly on.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

All.

[AJ Hawk]

All sports memorabilia, pretty much all jerseys, all.

[Pat McAfee]

Anything with any league, anything you buy.

[AJ Hawk]

From any team store for any of the major leagues is fulfilled by and goes through Fnatic.

[Pat McAfee]

So I would assume fanatics responds and says we have so many things. Which I think is what their statement was. We do so many fulfillments of orders. Every once in a while there's going to be a couple of mishaps. I will speak from personal experience. We had a merch store that we still do, but we used to like really push it. You know, everybody pushes their merch store that's like classic digital business. Buy some merch, buy some merch, buy some merch. And then every time we did that, there was always some sort of fulfillment nightmare. Yeah. And the only thing we heard back on the other side was the people that were pissed off that they paid for two days shipping.

[AJ Hawk]

Right.

[Pat McAfee]

And that thing got there in a week and a half. And then when it got there, it wasn't the right shirt, wasn't the right size. The merch business is kind of a nightmare. But with all that being said said, fanatics is kind of pitched to be the experts on it, which is why they've gotten every single deal, without a doubt.

[AJ Hawk]

And also, this isn't just like, like you can use like the hey, it's Christmas. Obviously they're getting slammed with orders. They're going to fulfill tens of millions of orders for this stuff. But this isn't like, this isn't. Oh, it's a Christmas issue. Like anytime you look at fanatics and people are buying stuff from them, it's, you know, that Lions jersey that says Eagles on it or it's like ironed numbers that rip off after one wash. Or it's just completely stuff that you didn't order or stuff that you order that say, is going to be there in two, two days, comes four weeks later or they just cancel it. And then a lot of the stuff I was reading saying like on top of it, obviously the quality assurance is terrible because all the shit's wrong all the time. And then the customer service is real research on this.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm just, I'm realizing that this is something. Did you, did you happen to buy something and it not come accurately? Are you saying this is kind of crap? As a sports fan and as somebody that has had jerseys before? Cuz that's a big part of like.

[Boston Connor]

Gifting one of the best ones.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, this person is a fan of this team. Yeah, we'll get him a Gift Fanatics has all of the jerseys, right?

[AJ Hawk]

All of them from every single sport, everything. So when. When the Yankees first made the World Series, before they, you know, got embarrassed, I bought, you know, like, what. Whatever hat or T shirt it was, never came. And just, you know, like, you. You wait. I waited like a month until after the World Series was over, and you get an email just like, order was not fulfilled, okay? And I, you know, I'm not gonna do the song and dance. I don't want to spend four days going through some robot to tell me, hey, you know, put an order again. We'll either refund you, we'll give you 5% in Fanatics cash. It's like, well, guess what? I don't want 5% fanatics cash, okay? I want the goddamn thing I ordered to show up when I thought it was gonna show up. It just. I don't like that this is the case because it's. It's not getting any smaller. You know what I mean? Like, it's just gonna, like, if you want to get anything associated with one of the teams that you root for, you enjoy, you have to go through them. And it feels like more often than not, or at least way more for a massive company like this, there are massive issues with the order.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. And it's not like Christmas has kind of put a magnifying glass on it. I ordered the Tyrese 317 shirt. I don't know when that never came either. And to be completely clear, I forgot I ordered it until right now.

[AJ Hawk]

And that's what they're hoping.

[Pat McAfee]

And I.

[Boston Connor]

And I never got that shirt. Dead serious.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, Tyrese 317 says pacers are going to have a bad night every once in a while, of course. And then they're going to bounce back. And in the end, they're going to be there dancing in the Eastern Conference finals because they're going to knock out the Knicks. Okay, great. Podcast roommates. Are they giving away secrets on that podcast? Pacers listening to it? Maybe. And then they're going to stare down the big bad Celtics and they're going to say, this is our conference now. Okay. Didn't look like it last night.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I don't. It hasn't really looked like it all year.

[Pat McAfee]

There's been a couple games. You see the flashes of greatness out there, and that's. Tyrese317 says flashes are going to become a full time thing whenever basketball starts to matter. We're in the middle of football. Hey, I appreciate that. Psa, right?

[AJ Hawk]

I Just don't like it. I don't. Because, like you said, we're in a good spot where, like, if I order a T shirt or something like that, like, I don't have to go crazy. It's like, whatever, okay? You just eat the 40, 50 bucks that you lose. Like, you look at a lot of these people who are, like, spending. You know, like, not. Not everyone is as fortunate around Christmas. And you're spending, like, you work your ass off, spend basically everything you earn for that paycheck. So your kid or, you know, your nieces or nephews or whatever can get something cool on Christmas morning. And then boom. What, You're a Flyers fan and you get a Minnesota Wild, you know, jersey. It's like, okay, well, that ain't cool. It's not. And then if it never gets solved, it's even less cool.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I concur completely. And, hey, you guys get figured out? Yeah. You guys get figured out for the.

[AJ Hawk]

Kids or you won't, because I've seen how Michael Rubin throws a fastball.

[Pat McAfee]

What? What?

[AJ Hawk]

I'm just saying. I'm just saying. They're running the whole sports thing.

[Pat McAfee]

This.

[AJ Hawk]

This guy looks like he's never thrown a baseball before. That kind of set off a couple, you know, triggers in my head. I don't know.

[Pat McAfee]

The guy works hard. He might be. He might be doing too much.

[AJ Hawk]

Might be spread a little too thin, maybe.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And hopefully they'll figure that out for next Christmas.

[AJ Hawk]

There you go.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, next Black Friday sales, next digital Monday. Next. Hey, our team's got a new jersey, gotta buy it situation. That happens with every team from every league all the time.

[AJ Hawk]

Right?

[Pat McAfee]

All right, well, anyways, they'll sort it.

[AJ Hawk]

I hope you want something by next Christmas. Just order it today, this week, and hopefully you'll get it.

[Pat McAfee]

Joining us now is a man who is synonymous with important football because his teams are always playing in the big games. Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest college football coach of all time, friend of the program, Alabama Jones, Nick Saban. Yeah, Coach. Coach, how you doing?

[Nick Saban]

I can tell you guys one thing. First of all, Merry Christmas. But. And happy holiday. But I am so glad that I'm not the coach of fanatics, because they just got an ass kicking like you can't believe.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yeah, that was tough. I didn't know that was happening. To be clear, we're talking about tickets. And then it feels like Ty did a little research this morning and said, enough of it. I can't do it.

[AJ Hawk]

It's not right.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I appreciate that. And they'll get. Hey, Coach, you know, they'll get better. That's what coaching does, right?

[Nick Saban]

Hopefully does right.

[Pat McAfee]

Not all the time, though.

[Nick Saban]

More stuff.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, can we clear some air, Coach? There was an ad run on Netflix for tires season two, and the star of said video is J.J. watt. And then a man I think that you just learned of, Shane Gillis. It's run there, right? This is J.J. watt, greatest defensive lineman of all time. Very famous.

[AJ Hawk]

Well, he's here to do a commercial.

[Pat McAfee]

For us and it costs a lot, so smile. Kyla. Shane.

[Ty Schmidt]

Hey, J.J. wait, do you guys know each other?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, we know each other.

[Pat McAfee]

We played football together at Bishop O'Hare Middle School.

[Kyle Van Noy]

He used to bully me all the time.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't bully you all the time. He wrote a love letter for me to our second grade teacher. That's just good, clean fun. She got investigated. Shouldn't have been writing those letters.

[AJ Hawk]

He tells customers I love them all the time.

[Boston Connor]

Shut up, dork.

[Nick Saban]

Ah, I see you're still doing it, huh, big guy?

[Pat McAfee]

I see you're still doing it.

[Boston Connor]

Doing what?

[Pat McAfee]

Being a crybaby. J.J. wah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Little J.J. wah.

[Kyle Van Noy]

That's what we used to call him. Should meet his brother, T.J. he's the man. But J.J. j.J. Was the crybaby.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you doing here, crybaby?

[Kyle Van Noy]

We don't sell tissues.

[Nick Saban]

I don't need this.

[Gumpy]

I'm out.

[Pat McAfee]

No, wait, wait.

[Nick Saban]

Send the check.

[Pat McAfee]

Where were you on that one?

[Nick Saban]

Me?

[Pat McAfee]

You gotta have my back.

[Boston Connor]

I'm not gonna defend you.

[Pat McAfee]

We both would have gotten beaten up.

[Kyle Van Noy]

I would have had him.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, okay.

[Boston Connor]

And thanks for ruining the commercial.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, so Tire Season 2 coming out. April, May, May, June. I think you got introduced to Shane Gillis. Maybe at Notre Dame. There, College Football Playoff. I feel like you thought he was actually taking a shot at your integrity, so you defended yourself. Have you done any more research on Shane and have you chatted with him or got a chance to catch up with him since then?

[Nick Saban]

Not at all. Not at all. I understand he's a comedian. Obviously, he's much more intimidated by J.J. watt than he was by me, which is understandable, and I guess you got to live with it. But, you know, we were trying to create value for players, and I think that's why we were able to recruit good players, whether it was how many degrees they got, how many guys went in the NFL, how many guys had careers that were very productive for them, and that's why we got good players. So that speaks for itself. And that's. That's all there is to it. But, you know, he was trying to be funny, which I get it. And you know, my daughter Kristen loves him. So that's kind of soothe the soul a little bit that somebody in our family likes the guy.

[Pat McAfee]

It's awesome. I think if you would have gave him one of those, especially with that hat on, I think he want to. I think he, I think you could have got him as well. Shane, I hope you and he get a chance to hang out someday. It would be hilarious. And, you know, I appreciate that. You were like, okay, I'm done with everybody saying that. This is how I went about winning too. So I think he respects it as well. Just a magical moment from the college football playoffs. Let's talk about the first round that took place. It was cold as hell. Coach. You and I both, we were freezing our asses off. And then Saturday over there in Columbus, it was cold as shit as well. It was one of those bitters, bitter cold weekends. How do you view the first round of the college football playoffs? Obviously all those games and then what are your thoughts on more warm weather climate, teams having to travel into that cold as the years roll on here? Coach?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, well, you know, I thought there were some good games, but I also thought there was some evidence that there may have been three or four better teams that they could have put in the playoffs. I guess was my take from it. I think one of the things that the committee could do is I think you and I talked about this before, but, you know, in the old days when the Sugar bowl wanted to see if they were going to pick you or the Orange bowl or the Rose bowl or Fiesta bowl or whatever, they would come watch you play. So at least they could eyeball the team and see what kind of team, you know, what you look like on the hoof, especially in the line positions, because those are critical matchups. And then they would decide how good the teams were based on that. But you got to, you know, you got to get out of the conference room to be able to do that. But I think that would be helpful in the future. You know, less emphasis on how many wins and more emphasis on who you beat. So that's my first take. Second take is if you look ahead to what's happening now, which is the next round of the playoffs, I think we have less of a chance, based on the way they seeded the team, of getting the best four teams in the final four than we did when we just picked four teams, because Oregon and Ohio State are probably one of the best Four teams in the country and they're going to play each other in a round of eight rather than in the semifinals. And that was all because we awarded conference champs buys. And they should be rewarding by putting them in the tournament, but they should get ranked relative to the quality of team they have relative to everybody else. Then you would have more good games, I think, and a fair tournament. When you get down the road to the semifinals and the finals.

[Pat McAfee]

Oregon, Ohio State, both Big Ten teams that coach Saban was talking about there. Just as everybody would probably start to pile that on, I mean, we had this discussion about the 12 team playoff. Are they going to get 12, the 12 top teams, right? Probably not, but they're going to get the top six right is what everybody was thinking. Top six is going to get in there. Now you start thinking about it is like, well, are the top four going to make it to the semifinals? I never heard you kind of phrase it that way. Like Oregon, Ohio State, everybody's considering that like this is a national championship type game that's taking place in a rematch in the Rose Bowl. I think it's good for the hype of this particular round, but whenever we go into the next week, I think everybody's going to be bummed out that one of these teams is not going to be in it. With that being said, if you're these coaches, which coach are you most excited to be? Are you most excited to be an 11 point dog out there as Boise State? Are you pumped to be Oregon who already beat Ohio State? You're getting two and a half points. Do you feel like you, you'd rather be the team that's like favored by 13, knowing that you have a better squad? What is the, what is kind of the mindset of a coach for, for all these teams? Which one would you most like to be?

[Nick Saban]

Well, I do think if you look at, you know, the gamblers records on how they pick these, you know, lines on these games, they're right more than they're wrong because they're in business. So I always rather be the favorite team. That means you got better players. So if you do a good job getting your team ready to play, you're going to have the best chance to win. But you know, one point that I never hear anybody talk about, everybody talks about what is such a great advantage to have at a bye week week, which I think it is from a health recovery, wellness of your team standpoint. But I always thought the biggest issue, and I heard you guys talking about a couple of these bowl games that happened yesterday and high scoring, you know, crazy games. When you don't play football for a long time, the one thing that it affects is your ability to tackle, which really affects your ability to play defense, which we saw no defense yesterday. None. I mean, whoever got the ball last wins. And so it's exciting for the fans. But if you're a coach, it drives you crazy because how do you manage a game when you know you can't stop the other team? But I always felt like, how do you practice over this long period of time from, you know, two, three weeks, four weeks off, and you don't want to tackle guys in practice and get your own team hurt, so you don't tackle that much. And then you get in the game and you miss a lot of tackles and you don't play the way you should play on defense. So I think that's something to probably watch. With all these teams that had buys.

[Pat McAfee]

That'S like rest or rust is always the conversation. And then you talk about being able to tackle and everything in live speed. It's almost like the preseason conversation happens in the NFL. The teams that play in the preseason are normally better tacklers at the beginning of the season than those who don't normally take three, four weeks to kind of catch up to the speed in these bowl games. Obviously you only got four quarters to figure out if you still got it. Are any of these teams. And it's been so long since I've been at a college football practice, so I apologize for even asking you, and I assume this is a stupid question. Are you tackling to ground in practices? Because the NFL has rules, certain amount of padded practices, I don't think you're allowed to do one past week 14. I think you have to do that in college ball. How does that like, is Oregon been tackling over the last two weeks, you think? And are they still doing that?

[Nick Saban]

Well, I would think not. You know, what we tried to do is try to thud in practice, which means you put yourself in position to tackle. You tackle or attempt to start to tackle the guy, high, near leg, near shoulder, thud them, wrap them, don't take them to the ground. Because if you do a study on how many people get hurt in practice, most of the time it's because somebody's on the ground. So whether you're blocking, you try not to cut, whether you're playing defense, you try to stay on your feet. But when you tackle people and thumb on the ground, you throw them into one of your players so you get hurt. So the NFL's got it right. We practiced exactly like we did when I was at the Miami Dolphins or Cleveland Browns in college, and our players learned how to tackle high. I see all these guys trying to cut. People are stepping over them. They missed tackle tackles. A guy, you know, makes a lateral cut and they miss. I'm not a big fan of cut tackling, especially in the open field. So our guys were pretty good tacklers. And we practice near, like, near shoulder. Nobody on the ground.

[Pat McAfee]

I love to hear the fundamentals being preached every single day. Stay up, stay up, stay off the ground is literally screamed at an NFL practice a thousand times. You can get cut. You don't know how to practice. You end up on the ground too much, your ass is going to be out of here. Be who you. You can afford to be obviously thought up and then let finish. This guy finish. You thought him up and put him back on.

[Nick Saban]

So you get pursuit the other guy's pursuing. Because if you're going against a scout team in practice, the front seven should stop them. So you don't get the proper rotation and leverage in the secondary unless you let the guy continue to run. And everybody keeps leverage on the ball so you don't have to make, you know, one on one tackles as much. And you can, you know, sort of, you know, mirror guys and keep leverage on two sides of the ball.

[Pat McAfee]

That's smart. And also the runner finish, you know, I mean, keep going, keep going, keep going. It's good. I feel like you're figuring out practice as football continues to evolve here. Like, hey, this the best practices. This is the best preaching. You say you never taught anybody to cut tackle. I appreciate the cut tackles because we got those big tight ends now jumping because everybody's trying to saw their knees and shins. We're getting 26060 pounders, 250 pounders leaping over people. And then we even got running backs jumping over people backwards these days. So it's pretty cool highlights, you know, so if people could keep, you know, teaching poor fundamentals, that'd be great. We'd appreciate that.

[Nick Saban]

You know, I was, you know, we had one exception. You know, we played against a big, like 260 pound back, and if you were a DB, then you try to cut the guy. But those kind of guys usually don't have a lot of lateral quickness. They can't jump cut. They're pretty straight line, so you usually don't miss them. But if you try to cut tackle like Boise State's runner Dante, I mean, you're going to miss that guy all the time.

[Pat McAfee]

He's awesome. I can't wait to watch him in a big spotlight. Hopefully these teams, Arizona State, Boise State, these teams that are from the group of five have a chance to really showcase what they've been all year. Scatter. Boo. Go bananas. You know, Genti go crazy. But obviously they're going to be, you know, this is focal point number one, and then we'll deal with everything else. They're going to be facing their toughest opponents as well. Ty has a question for you, Coach.

[AJ Hawk]

Coach, you kind of mentioned the absurdity of, you know, Oregon being the best team, you know, for a large portion of the year, and they get rewarded by having to play Ohio State. I think a lot of people, you know, after Ohio State got beat by Michigan, were kind of thinking sideways about them because when you look at their roster, they're obviously unprofessional. Unbelievable. And then Pat mentioned it. We were there in the Horseshoe, and that was about as dominating and convincing of a performance as we saw in the first round. When you look at the teams remaining and obviously they're a favorite against Oregon, do you think Ohio State, albeit being the eighth seed, is the most talented team left in the field when they play their A game?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, I think they're the most talented team. But, you know, you mentioned a game. How consistently do they play to their capabilities? I think that's, that's the consistency and performance that you're looking for to be successful. I think if they play like they played against Tennessee, they're going to have a really good chance to have a chance to win a championship. And, you know, we've kind of gotten on their sort of fans a little bit. But, you know, the, the, these Ohio State fans, you know, they got a psychotic obsession with Michigan and they need to go get therapy or something to try to get it fit because they have a chance to win the national championship. And, and here, here you are. You know, nobody's excited about their opportunity to play because they, you know, lost to Michigan, which was a tough game, and they, they lost the game probably by some of the mistakes that they made. So. So those are correctable things. But I think this is probably the most talented team. If they play to the standard and level offense, defense, they pretty much got it all.

[Pat McAfee]

I think a lot of Ohio State fans all the way back, all the way back after that Tennessee win, you know, and I think a lot of Big Ten people very pumped behind the Ohio State team for what they did to The SEC team that came on in and then Will Howard. I don't know if you saw. Obviously you didn't. Will Howard put an Instagram post up, and his caption was awesome. It was like, you know, when people ask you what happened here, tell them the north remembers. Tell them, winter game for the Volunteers. See you on Pasadena. It's like that type of confidence with how they played, how they played it. It's like, here we go for the Ohio State Buckeyes A game. This is what we're expecting. But, boy, if they drop off after that game being a possibility, it's going to get so, so loud.

[Boston Connor]

See you later.

[Nick Saban]

But to be clear, you don't want to. One of the things, Pat, that I like to bring up here is, you know, it's so hard to deal with success. And when you have a successful team, you know, success is not a continuum. And you've heard me say before, people who think what happened in the past is going to affect what happens in the future. It's just human nature. But when you have something bad happen and a criticism that they had after the Michigan game, there's a psychological motivation to go out and try to prove yourself and prove everybody wrong and. And have the disposition that you need to play great football. And they certainly did that. Now, can they continue it through the playoffs?

[Pat McAfee]

The Ohio State fans are saying, exactly, Coach. Exactly what you just said. If we weren't as harsh on this team, they wouldn't have been as ready as they were.

[Boston Connor]

No way.

[Pat McAfee]

For the Tennessee Volunteers. But with what you said on game day, I think is very accurate. It's like a team can feel if a state's behind them. And I feel like after what they did, feel like second half of that game, it just felt like, oh, Ohio, people are pumped about what this team is and how they represented the state. I think that's why Ohio people react the way they do, because it's like, that's not how we are. That's not who we are. We don't do this. Their passion is obviously something that is, you know, aggressive in some particular fashions, but that's why they are Ohio State. That's why they have the biggest, you know, facilities, and they have the roster management that they can have, and they have the alumni and the boosters in 105,000 plus every single week. It's like those things are all positive, if they are. And I think after the Tennessee game, it's very, very. I think Ohio is ready to go on a run.

[Nick Saban]

I can't Wait, you know, Pat, all the things that you said creates an expectation and a standard, and if you don't play to that expectation and the standard, you're probably going to get criticized. And you need. You need to know that before you get into Briar Patch, because that's the way it is. That's the way it was here for years, you know, at Alabama, and every time we lost a game, the dynasty was over. You know, these guys have had it. They're done. They'll never win another game, never win another championship and. But you can't be affected by external factors. You hear me say that all the time.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. I do appreciate the fact that they called for your retirement and your team being dead so many times and you coach for another 10 years after that. It was. The same thing was happening with the Patriots. Oh, yeah, they're pulling up clips from The Patriots, like 2010 people being like, tom's done. Bill's the congrats hall of Fame career. He's one enough guy. Won four more or three more Super Bowls after that, went to five. They're always expecting you to be done until your next move. And it's like Ohio State lives by that. Every single. Oregon, though, on the only undefeated team. Yeah, only undefeated team. Just waiting out there at the Rose Bowl. That's going to be a good one. Underdogs to your underdogs. They're already having a win. Undefeated. They're the Big Ten champs. Ohio State fights in Big Ten country. Oh, wow. Dan Lanning's got a lot from. So can Georgia. Georgia's in an interesting situation, obviously with how their season ends as the SEC champions. Go ahead, Tone.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Coach, obviously Carson Beck is out. Gunner Stockton is in. How does the game plan change for Kirby going into this one? Or do you think they'll run the offense as normal? Do you know anything about Gunner Stockton coming out in the recruiting process or anything like that?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, Gunner Stockton's from Raven county, which, if you don't know where that is, that's up where they made Deliverance, which is the old, you know, movie, which is where houses. So I've known this kid since he was 8 years old. I watched them all through high school. We recruited him here. You know, he was probably always wanted to go to Georgia and. But if you watch the second half of. Of of their game against Texas and the SEC championship game, they change nothing. The first two plays, the guys in there are passes. The first one incomplete. The second one a good throw and a completion. The one thing he gives Them, in addition, is he is a little better runner. I can't sit here and say he's a better thrower. But they did not change their offensive strategy at all in the second half of the Texas game. And he actually moved the ball better in the second half than he did in the first. So I think they look like they showed confidence in the kid by the way they played. They weren't trying to protect him in the second half of the game.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, he wasn't protected on that one particular hit. Lost his helmet, got bent back like Gumby, and bounced right back up the guys from the Deliverance Hills of Georgia. I didn't. That's where your lake house is. You're heading right into. Is that real?

[Nick Saban]

No. Yeah, I can take it to the house where they filmed it.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't. I'm okay. Yeah, I'd rather not.

[Nick Saban]

Demons that you bring to me. You don't want to go see my demons in my life. I can't figure that guy out.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, that was wild. I mean, we forget there's so many things that happen in that five hour run on Friday. And then the three hour o's is crazy. You're in the right in the middle of that coach. You're right in the middle of that thing.

[Nick Saban]

And I'm still trying to figure out how he did that.

[Pat McAfee]

What's wrong with that guy? You think coach legit? What do you think is wrong with that guy? I'm wondering.

[Nick Saban]

I don't know. I almost think he's got to be a little bit of a mind reader, which I never believed in, but it seems that way.

[Pat McAfee]

Freaks you out, doesn't it? It freaks me out a lot. Like, I was right in the middle of a few of his tricks. And like when he. When he tells me to close my eyes and cover my ears. I had earplugs in. I had ear pieces in. So I hear everything.

[AJ Hawk]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

When he put his hands over my ears, actually, I could hear better because it was right. The speakers were in my ear. But then as I'm sitting there, I almost get lost in the situation. And then I just. I just literally think of myself doing the. What's that coming down? And then I start thinking, wait, is it. Who's that coming down? That's the conversation I started having in my head. Okay. That's the. That's the whole thing that starts happening. So then he's like, what school did you think of? I was like, well, I didn't want to ruin it and say I didn't think of A team. I thought of a. I thought of a chant, so. But it was associated with Team Georgia. And then Herbie has the Clemson thing, and I'm like, we just ruined this guy's entire career right here on game day. It's like, thank the heavens that it's not my career that didn't ruin here, but I certainly ruined it. You know, I wasn't supposed to do that. And then he has the shirt and a 34 to 3 with the three of spades, which was on. But I don't. That was a lot of shit. That was a lot of shit, Coach. A lot to come into. One way it goes.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, way goes, you freak.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't let him in your house, though. Yeah. No, no. You don't do any of those tricks in your house. No, those are all public appearances you do with those. Right? Right, coach?

[Nick Saban]

That's right.

[Ty Schmidt]

Same as a. Same as a Ouija board. You treat O's like a Ouija board.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo.

[AJ Hawk]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

I think that's a really good call there. Connor has a question for you, coach.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Coach. How we feel about Texas. Obviously, they kind of took care of business with Clemson, but Clemson kind of made it a game there in the second half. Do you feel like they're also poised for a pretty good run? And do you feel like kind of the sec, similar to the Big Ten, kind of pulling for Ohio State now? Do you feel like Texas and Georgia are kind of the two teams the SEC is going to get behind, or is it just Texas since Georgia's won so much as of late?

[Nick Saban]

No, I think. I think Georgia knows how to compete. They played in a lot of these games before. I think that's really important from a player standpoint and a confidence standpoint that, you know, you can go win these kind of games. But the thing that impressed me most about Texas in the Clemson game is the way they ran the ball. I mean, they ran the ball, I mean, up and down the field on these guys. And I think that I've always said this. If you don't run the ball well, you have trouble in the red area. They didn't have the same issues in the red area, I think because of their ability to run the ball. Now, I don't know probably enough about Clemson's defense, but I. I think they're pretty decent, but they did a good job. They made some explosive plays. They've got explosive players. So I think Texas is one of the best four teams out there that has a chance to, you know, get in the championship game.

[Pat McAfee]

I. I Love that. Sark has had to get his boys to rally a couple of different times now, right? Lose early at home in front of the whole world. Have to rally. Now, is this team for real or not? Had an injury, obviously. Had to rally. Then they lose SEC championship, had to rally. It's like, I feel like they're callous, too. You know, I feel like they've been through some shit this year, mentally and physically, and that could be a great motivator for a team. But, you know, I. Texas and Georgia both in the quarterfinals, Ohio State, Oregon taking each other on in the same game. I'll be excited to see what the final score is for Humus. Oh, yeah. You know, that is, that is going to be the conversation of this particular 12 team playoff. If you. How was Christmas, Japan? Did you get any good gifts? Anybody gift you anything awesome out there?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, I got a new hat which, you know, I'm not willing to unveil. It's going to be a big secret. Oh, Kristen got a new hat. So.

[Pat McAfee]

Really? Who's it made out?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, I'm competing with you now with the boots and, you know, all that stuff. I'm hanging in there.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, the boots were awesome. His boots were fantastic. They. He.

[Nick Saban]

I'm talking about your boots.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, the brown ones he was wearing. Yeah, yeah, those were very nice.

[Pat McAfee]

Very nice. Those boots that he was at. Now, granted, on Friday, I saw that it was low teens. I did not go with cowboy boots. Sure. I went with, we're going into the big boot, we're going into snow boots. And then on Saturday, I put cowboy boots on. I thought you battled the cold. Well, I, I personally, I thought you battled the cold well, if it means anything.

[Nick Saban]

Yeah. Well, you noticed I ordered a freaking space heater at Notre Dame. About two segments.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. How do I keep this with me for tomorrow, too? Is what he said. As soon as that thing started. As soon as that thing started blowing, you're like, oh, yeah, this is what has been. How do I make sure I get this tomorrow? How about Mike Ruhlman, also known as Matt Rulman? Stage. Yeah. I don't know.

[AJ Hawk]

Stage director.

[Pat McAfee]

Stage director. How about him mopping that stage? Do you, do you remember how many times he did that during the show?

[Nick Saban]

And I was, I actually asked somebody, why do you do that? Why are you doing that? What is the purpose of it?

[Pat McAfee]

He wanted it to look good because they would show the CFP logo and then they would come up to the game day set and. And he, like, I'm telling you, he mopped that thing three, four times.

[AJ Hawk]

There was so much mud.

[Pat McAfee]

So much mud. Tracked all over it. Then he's the one that's in charge of like moving the heaters in places. Put the space heater at coach's feet. Let me bring this in here. Let me turn this one on. I run really hot, so normally has to keep heaters on other people other than me and Kirk. Instead, I was like, let that thing rain on me. He was the man Sweating. He was sweating. He was sweating.

[Nick Saban]

Yeah, he was. But you know what I was looking for was if Petey did his business there, how he was going to handle that.

[Pat McAfee]

You're talking about Petey Tham or Petey Herb Street? Yeah. And Pete, if Thamil dumps on stage very.

[Nick Saban]

About the dog.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, okay. Okay. Yeah, yeah, we know. You know, both Pete's obviously. Yeah. If Pete Herb street dumps on that stage in that weather, I think it's good because you can pick it up because it'd be ice cold. You know, the heated poop is the one that gets a little sloshy. I had to do a little. All right, I appreciate you.

[Ty Schmidt]

He got out both days.

[Pat McAfee]

Pete was running wild, brother. Yeah, he was running wild.

[Boston Connor]

A lot of reporting.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you hear about this? It was all over the Internet. Pete was Pete Herbstream. We're not talking about. Okay, Pete Herb Street. He was running wild on Notre Dame's campus and I think at Ohio State, same exact thing. He was down on the sideline near us during our watch along megacast thing and somebody told him, move. Who are you talking to? No, this is Pete Herbstream. I'm locked in right here. He flexed on this person. Person. It was. It was awesome to watch. What a dog. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Literally.

[Pat McAfee]

See you out in Pasadena, brother.

[Nick Saban]

All right. Look forward to it, man. Have a happy new year. I hope you had a great holiday, guys. Thanks. Appreciate you.

[Pat McAfee]

We love you, coach. Ladies and gentlemen, Coach Saban.

[Ty Schmidt]

Excited for coach's party on New Year's Eve. He's throwing at that hotel room.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It's very nice of him to front all the costs. Yeah, it's very kind of Coach Saban to do that. All his friends. Yeah, he's doing the countdown, right. He's like Ryan Seacrest. Exactly. He's doing a full on. All right, ten. All right, nine.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

I think McGee's co hosting with him. Saving McGee.

[Pat McAfee]

Saban McGee. New Year's Eve.

[Boston Connor]

That's a dream.

[Pat McAfee]

That is a dream. It's going to be tough for Pasadena. I wonder if they'll do it in that one hotel room. There's like a hotel out there that is, I don't know, from the 1400s, maybe 1200. Sure.

[Ty Schmidt]

Is that the one I showed up to and you guys had been there.

[Pat McAfee]

All day, maybe watching games.

[Boston Connor]

Was that Pasadena or was that Santa Monica?

[Ty Schmidt]

Okay, it might have been Santa Monica.

[Gumpy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You're talking about Santa Monica. Yeah. Pasadena has this hotel. It's like very, very old. Like, I think iconic. I dare I say iconic is what it is. The amount of history and everything that's there. And. And if Saban was to go right from the middle of a lot, there's like an open.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Courtyard. Courtyard in the middle of that whole thing. Now we're piecing something together. Maybe we should try to put something about Coach Saban live on New Year's Countdown. Drop the ball with Nick Saban.

[AJ Hawk]

Why not?

[Pat McAfee]

Holy hell, I'm there. Pete Thamel do a live hitter, too?

[Boston Connor]

He would a couple. Breaking news.

[Pat McAfee]

I didn't know if he was referring to Petey Thamel or Petey Herbstreak there when he's talking about dumping on stage here. You know, I know Thammel's never dumped in public, I don't think, but just the thought of him whenever he said PD is good for Thamil.

[Ty Schmidt]

Sneaky. I bet you he has quickly dropped his pants.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I could see him dropping trial on stage. No doubt. Just real quick.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't. I don't know. I think Pete eats a very healthy diet.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, no doubt.

[AJ Hawk]

Some. Sometimes a very low carb diet. Not a lot of sugar.

[Ty Schmidt]

I've never seen him eat, actually. Does he.

[Pat McAfee]

Does he.

[Boston Connor]

Does he have a pelocero?

[Pat McAfee]

He has his shoes untied, which is the most like. I was very surprised when I walked and saw the almost shoes untied too tight.

[AJ Hawk]

Can't think properly.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, thinking goes back to. Is he plugged in? He wired it.

[AJ Hawk]

I don't think he's wired in. I think he just had. He has his phone attached to his ear all day.

[Pat McAfee]

So Schefter has the NFL and he'll dabble in college football with some college basketball beef every once in a while.

[AJ Hawk]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Ian Rapaport. I think he has NFL. I don't think he really ventures out of there. Sham's NBA, but he'll dabble. If an NBA owner is a part of the NFL, he'll dabble in some NFL stuff. Pete Thammel has to know 130 assistant coaches across college, by far the vastest.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't even know if that's a word.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

The vastest amount of humans that he has to keep up with.

[AJ Hawk]

He's college basketball, too. He just. He broke the Jim Larnegan news yesterday.

[Pat McAfee]

Like, which was huge news, obviously.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. Like, he's just not Miami's coach, who they went to. I think it was a Final Four last year. Just middle of the season. This year is just like, I'm done. This transfer portal sucks. I quit.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, really?

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

So that's happening in basketball as well.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

College basketball season's almost upon us, right?

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Conference plays start, like, February 10th.

[Boston Connor]

It's been. It feels like it's been more successful early than the NBA, and maybe that's because we've been talking about a little bit, but I feel like I've watched more college.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Are we very selfish, too? It's just what we talk about. We think there's a chance.

[Boston Connor]

There's a chance.

[Ty Schmidt]

I checked yesterday. The NBA, NHL, college basketball all start February 10th.

[Pat McAfee]

I would like to say this. Oh, yeah, it does, doesn't it? February 10th is the starting day for those ones.

[Boston Connor]

And Kevin Durant acknowledged, like, the ratings.

[Pat McAfee]

Being down stuff, so that they all did kind of. LeBron did. Kevin Durant did. I think you'll hear Steph Curry do that as well. I think Adam Silver maybe gave a little bit of a, hey, boys, this is all happening under your watch. Kind of. If you want to, you know, kind of tighten back up a little bit, maybe do a little bit more interviews, maybe showcase a little bit more, maybe become a little bit more. Hey, we're a great league. I think that helps.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I think people like watching people that they like, you know, and I'm not saying those guys, we don't like them. I like them, love them. I'm just talking about the audience in the crowd. You very rarely see them do any interviews.

[Boston Connor]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

Very rarely learn anything about them other than 20 years, this guy, 18 years. It's like, let's learn a little bit.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Then they'll speak at a convention, and everybody says, oh, okay. And then that's all you hear. What's up, y'all?

[Kyle Van Noy]

It's Joe Button here to talk about Prizepix. Football season is heating up, and Prizepix is the best place to get real money sports action while watching football. With over 10 million members and billions.

[Pat McAfee]

Of dollars in awarded winnings, Prizepix has made daily fantasy sports accessible to all.

[Kyle Van Noy]

The app is really simple to use.

[Pat McAfee]

Pick two or more players across any sport, pick more or less on their projection and you could win real cash on your lineup.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Prizepix even invented the Flexplay so you can still cash out if one of.

[Pat McAfee]

Your picks doesn't hit.

[Kyle Van Noy]

On prizepix, you can mix and match players from different sports real money sports action while watching football.

[Pat McAfee]

Download the Prizepix Daily Fantasy app today and use code TPMS and get $50 instantly when you play $5. That's code TPMS on Prizepix to get 50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive the 50 bonus. It's guaranteed. Prize picks run. Your game must be present in certain states. Visit prizepix.com for restrictions and details. Family, friends, bosses, teachers, assistants the gift giving list gets longer every year. Hey, it's ESPN's Jen Latta. But you've got it covered because you're using Omaha Stakes right now. You can save on un unforgettable gifts with 50% off site wide at Omaha steaks.com plus you'll score an extra $30 off with the promo code TPMS. Nothing says comfort and joy like Omaha Steaks, the trusted name in premium quality and incredible taste. There really is something for everyone because their gifting experts at Omaha Steaks have put together thoughtfully curated gift packages featuring gourmet favorites. They offer amazing desserts like cheesecake and molten lava cakes, which would make any meal special this holiday season. Gift something memorable and meaningful, from legendary steaks to mouthwatering desserts and more. Save 50% off site wide for a limited time at Omaha Steaks.com plus our listeners get an extra $30 off with the promo code TPMS. That's 50% off at OmahaStakes.com and an extra $30 off with promo code TPMS. Minimum purchase may apply. Omaha Steaks has you covered this gift giving season. Football is wonderful. We can't thank you enough for allowing us to talk about it every day for a living. The talks to tables here at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt. Ty, how about the performance here from Boston Connor, who was dumping and puking before the show. Now he's been locked in, in affable, if you will.

[AJ Hawk]

Legendary. Absolutely legendary. I've been there before. I know how hard it is to come up here and, you know, just go. Not. Not even go through the motions. But you're thinking the entire time in your head this might be. I might put my pants in 10 seconds here.

[Pat McAfee]

You've sat in his skivvies.

[AJ Hawk]

I have, I have. And it's not fun. It's not fun. But when you go through something like that, when you make it a full hour and you.

[Pat McAfee]

You unload during a commercial break, but.

[AJ Hawk]

Slay that proverbial beast, you know, and then make it. I mean, that's what. That's what tough and gritness is all about.

[Pat McAfee]

He's got a 1/2 of the hammer done. Cowboys fresh out of Gritsburg, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Tony, have you been seeing what this man has been doing over here? Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

And you. You looked at him earlier today and you said, do you need to go home? And someone said, connor, you should go home.

[Pat McAfee]

And that's.

[Ty Schmidt]

And Connor looked at him and said, that's why no one will remember your name, I think. I don't know if it was Bone.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, remember Bones name, because Bone actually brought this.

[AJ Hawk]

He did.

[Pat McAfee]

To Boston Connor.

[Ty Schmidt]

Connor said, this is what I do.

[Pat McAfee]

Bone was actually the Paul Revere of this particular message to Boston Connors insides. Just yesterday, he was one if by land, two if by sea. I'll be over bringing this with me to Boston Connors intestines. And that's how he's living right now. So we'll remember Bones that. You didn't say that.

[Boston Connor]

I didn't say that.

[Pat McAfee]

Bo.

[Boston Connor]

And I appreciate, appreciate the sentiment you guys are putting across here, but I mean, you couldn't fit a quarter through my butt cheeks right now.

[Pat McAfee]

So he came by sea.

[Boston Connor]

What a lot of two.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. One if by land, two if. I see you've been dropping twos all over that toilet in there.

[Boston Connor]

My God. Fresh paint job. Who needs one?

[Pat McAfee]

Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, live from an attic in Ohio, he's a college football national champion for the Ohio State University, He's a Super bowl champion for the Green Bay packers, and he's former president of the state of the Ohio. Ladies and gentlemen, an absolute menace. AJ Hawk, are you okay? Lighting looks a little different. Doesn't the face look a little different today? The color?

[Gumpy]

What's. What's different? What happened?

[Pat McAfee]

Well, you look like you might be going through it a little bit as well, pal. I don't know if we're over overreacting to the filter that's currently on your handsome face. You look like you're maybe battling what Bone was carrying around town yesterday.

[Gumpy]

No, I'm actually. I feel great. I feel really good physically, mentally, everything feels good.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't know.

[Gumpy]

You know, my camera setup changes day by day with what they have given me here. But, yeah, we're figuring it out, obviously.

[Pat McAfee]

Day one of espn, you had your worst appearing face that you've ever had in the history of our show. But they have done great things for that backdrop. Those books look just as good today as they have for the last four years and that's truly a magical thing. And we think you look good as well. Just a different shade of Caucasian today. We will have. You know, not that it's a bad thing. We're just telling you how you look. Dr. Debunk might actually. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Hold on.

[AJ Hawk]

Loving it.

[Pat McAfee]

Age. Let's talk about the game last night, please.

[Gumpy]

Seahawks, Bears, amazing shootout. Great game.

[Pat McAfee]

Six to three. Jason Myers, Cairo Santos scored nine points points in the first half and no points would be scored again. It's on prime time. Week 18, 17. 17.

[Boston Connor]

Week 17, but week 18 of the Thursday Night Football all season.

[Pat McAfee]

It's the last Thursday. Yeah. It is legitimately a time where and this was big for the Seahawks to get this three point win out. Okay. Especially in the NFC west conversation, playoff implications. But that was a crap game, a shite game. And kind of the way we talked about it in the first, first hour I did at least was, you know, law of averages was founded by a mathematician in 1870. Law of averages says that, you know, everyone, it's going to have to. It's going to have to. Things are going to have to bounce back out. So if it's really crop, that means it's going to be really good sometime because that is kind of how it has to work out. Football has been crop now. College bowl games yesterday electrified. Yes. Yeah, crushing NFL football has been cropped for a lot of the time here as of late. But guess what's coming, AJ what's that? Playoff football. All the good teams are going to be playing against each other. All the bad teams that are causing these crap games, slowing teams down, being able to play okay defense, okay, enough defense that they kind of hurt the other team's performance or they just roll over instinct completely and get absolutely dominated. Those teams going to be gone. The top end of the NFL is going to be around. We got great football around the corner. Do you agree with that or do you think that's a little bit blindly optimistic?

[Gumpy]

Age No, I think first off, when you're talking about the NFL and talking about sports in general, you should be optimistic. Like why are you a sports fan if you're not blindly optimistic and like irrational for the team or teams like debut and some people have multiple teams like you should be an irrational fan to where at times you might, you might lose it and say some stupid things. But it's all in support of your squad.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And I think for the sport as a whole, as a fan, knowing it's going to get better is a beautiful thing. Especially as we're in the most important time. One of the teams has looked better than basically every other team. And on Christmas day they showcase that to the world. Yeah. 200 countries, 24.3 million person average or 24.1 million person average, 65 million total viewers. One half of those games was dominated by one particular team. And on defensive side of that team, there's an old ass man. Old man, very been around a long time. He was actually co hosting our show live from the Thunderdome. Not too long ago.

[Boston Connor]

I missed that.

[Pat McAfee]

He was taking one on one pass sets against Boston. Connor in the front yard here off the Thunderdome not too long ago, going hard was on the couch. Everybody said this guy's done. I believe some people were even calling him Keith. Yeah, people are calling him Keith Van Noy. Didn't even know his fucking name.

[Gumpy]

These people got a good ring to it though.

[Pat McAfee]

Not bad. It's almost become my go to whenever talking about this particular man. But now he's in the middle of a two year deal. He signs in April with the Baltimore Ravens, has 11 and a half sacks. What? One of the key contributors to a dominating win on Christmas day. Ladies and gentlemen, Santa Claus. Calvin Noy. How you doing, man?

[Kyle Van Noy]

It is so good to be back with my boys, bro. I hope you're doing good, but hold up, I ain't old, I'm wise and I'm experienced.

[Pat McAfee]

There we go. Yeah, he's a veteran. He's experienced, he's not old. No, he's just been in the game a long time. But he's feeling spry, looking spry. Hey, you're playing spry as well. What has it been this year? Another year in the system kind of understanding the defense, understanding the guys a little bit. What do you contribute your success this year thus far too. Great dance.

[Kyle Van Noy]

I think it's got to be Lambo, right? Is Mambo in the building?

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, geez. Well, he's not in North Carolina. He went back to college. He's general manager down there in college.

[Kyle Van Noy]

He did, he got, he got the check from Billy B. Over there. That's why he ran. He ran over there for that check. We know Lambo. Shout out to Lambo. Love Lambo. Honestly, this season's been awesome for me playing just being around a group of guys that have been there for so long that have been going through it, just trying to help out as best as possible. And then for me, you know, I've always known I could do this. You know, in the last 29 regular season games I got 20 and a half sacks. So it's something that I've always been confident in as a player. It's just been able to be put on display now. I've just been able to focus on rushing. I've played multiple positions my whole career. I've had the green dot, I've played off the ball, on the ball and now I can just focus on rushing the passer. It's been awesome. I've been watching a lot of players in the league, a lot of good edge rushers trying to steal some of their moves because they're working some players. I can't. I can't do what Myles Garrett does or T.J. watt, but I try to do my own thing, have my own rhythm, beat to my own drum and just come in and be ready to go every single game. Bring that old school mentality a little bit. I'm not shaking hands after games. I'll see you after. You know, I'll see you in the off season. I'll give you a phone call, whatever. But I'm just bringing that attitude back. I'm not trying to be your friend out there. I think people are too friendly. You know, I'm trying to just.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, and you're an old man, you know, yelling in clouds in this particular. Yeah, yep, yep. Veteran wise, doing that feels like that particular organization is a perfect place for a guy like you though legitimately after, especially after watching hard knocks. Feels like John Harbaugh in the Ravens organization want to be known as that type of team. Do you feel that from within and how do you guys feel about this particular squad this year?

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, that's, you know, you just hit it right there. They, they do enjoy bringing veteran guys in like myself. You know, they took a chance on me and you know, I told them I was going to do what I did and I feel like they've been happy with it and so it's just continue to help out the younger guys too. You know. I'm really excited for Adafe Owe who's having an awesome year. He's one sack away from joining the 10 club sack and we're having two double digit pass rushers within the organization of the Ravens for the first time since 2014 so his ass better be getting to the quarterback against the Browns. Yeah, that's for sure. And just Namdi Matabk. I know his sack numbers aren't up. I think he's had, like six taken away with flags this year, so he's doing really well. Travis Jones is coming on, Michael Pierce. And then, you know, the thing that's helped us a lot is the secondary. Secondary has been holding it down. Kyle Hamilton, he's one of one. He's an Avatar back there. I always got to give him love. I think Marlon Humphrey should be in consideration of player of the year. On defense. He's having a hell of a career and year. I think he has six picks and one being a pick six. So he's been locked down for most of the season and then got to show love for Zio. Zio was, you know, getting rocked by the media and going through it for a little bit and, you know, just bouncing back and us, you know, bouncing and staying with it and turning the page and then just clicking offensively, defensively, and special teams over these last three weeks. Three games in 11 days. We won't talk about it. We know it's BS but we did it. We went through it and we came out, and now we're leading the division, which is one of our goals.

[Pat McAfee]

Everybody that's a part of those three games in 11 days, especially this late into a season, thinks it's absolute crap and absolute shite. You guys dominated your three coming off the bye. Obviously, you guys have looked like the best team in football at this point. I mean, just so.

[Kyle Van Noy]

No, no, no, no. We can't. We gotta pump those breaks. You know, you have to. You have to always give Kansas City their respect. They're the champs.

[Pat McAfee]

Agreed.

[Kyle Van Noy]

They're 14 and 1.

[Pat McAfee]

Got it.

[Kyle Van Noy]

You know, they're the team to beat. I know. You know, everyone's kind of saying the Ravens and all that, but I'm going to stop it right there. The Kansas City Chiefs, what they're doing right now, you know, they need to get their. Their flowers. They're the number one in the afc. Patrick Bones been looking good. I don't think he's thrown a interception since November, so he's doing his thing. And so, like, you got to give them until they. Until somebody beats them. They're. They're the team to beat.

[Pat McAfee]

How many points did the Texans score?

[Kyle Van Noy]

Zero.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so they're the AFC south champs. They've won the AFC South. They're going to be. They're going to be hosting a playoff game. They're a playoff team. With how you guys performed against them, and then two weeks leading up to that, I mean, everything is just rolling for the Ravens, right? Now, but you're right. We are currently in. In what has been chief season, and they are playing their best ball as well. That's why we're setting up for a beautiful playoff picture. Go ahead, aj.

[Gumpy]

Kyle, I know when you came into the league, when you got drafted by Detroit, you were playing off the ball. I'm wondering how that experience may help you out now. Obviously, you're. You are home.

[Nick Saban]

You.

[Gumpy]

I know the Patriots brought you in. You got to rush the pass and everything, but like you said, you get to focus on rushing the passer. What's it like? What's the coordinator and the rest of the defense do to make you guys feel comfortable where you can't. Like you said, you got 11 and a half sacks, man. Like, that's a. That's a ton of sacks. Especially a guy this late in your career, how long you've been doing it? What's it like, I guess when you get to focus on getting after the quarterback every single play.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Sorry. Oh, I almost lost my headphones. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Well, you know, go play in the NBA. You might be able to. They're shooting. That's all they're doing.

[Kyle Van Noy]

No one was watching that. Beyond Christmas.

[Pat McAfee]

Bronson.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah. They might have to move to Christmas Eve. I don't think NFL is giving that back.

[Pat McAfee]

Next. Next Christmas is Thursday, Cal. Next Christmas is on Thursday.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, I don't. Yeah, that's gone Boxing Day.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Well, yeah, you move to Christmas Eve or the Boxing Day. Yeah, you know, either one.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Which is Canada.

[Pat McAfee]

Whatever the case, you have been balling this stage hand in the dirt, though. How do we feel?

[Kyle Van Noy]

No. Hell, no. I'm standing up. I'm standing up. No, hand in the dirt. Put one in there. No, no, no. Only against Boston, Connor, because, you know, he gets scared.

[Boston Connor]

Well, you got to bring more beef. I understand what you're saying.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah. I don't want to bring no beef to you, Conor. I'm good.

[Boston Connor]

Okay, we got you ready?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

He's.

[Pat McAfee]

He's bringing beef with the toilet on this particular day.

[Boston Connor]

A lot of beef. Yeah. Still bringing it.

[Pat McAfee]

AJ Talking about you only getting. You know, you only have to get to the quarterback right now, and you.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Only have to, you know, go ahead. I'm trying to avoid the Detroit talk because it kind of brings back some nightmares a little bit. Just because when I was there, the coach, my position coach, legit, looked me in my face for two years and said, we think you're a good football player, but we don't know where to put you. And so, like, that was, you know, pretty tough. And then I was able to see the former defensive coordinator. Now the Steelers got to perform against him a couple, you know, a couple weeks ago. So that was good. You know, I could just continue to prove that I'm right and the people that are in my corner, right, and those that, you know, think I'm wrong, it's kind of kick rocks type of deal. So for me, I think it helped me mature as a professional. I think it also helped my. My marriage because we had each other there, going through Detroit, going through a hard time. We got to lean on each other. So I'll always be thankful for that moment because, you know, my wife's my best friend, and we got to go through something like that together. You know, I was kind of. I'll admit it, I was depressed during that time because it was my first time in my entire life that I've had that I didn't have success in athletics. So it was kind of like, okay, how am I going to handle this, what I'm going to do? And, you know, I. I have a therapist, and she's helped me out along my whole career and just stuck with it. And it was just hard work. It wasn't easy. It didn't come overnight. And I think ultimately it's landed to where I'm at here. I think now people are seeing 11 years or 10 years of grind all of a sudden in this year, and now people think I'm a good player when, you know, back then, it was just a mindset of always feeling like I was a good player, always continue to work, and that work hasn't switched. I haven't switched up that routine. I'm still working hard, if not harder now because I have to take care of my body. But it's just that mentality that I've always had and always will have. And I hope every young player out there that's not getting their chance to stay ready, because when you do get your op, you need to take advantage of it.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank you for sharing your testimony there. Great question, AJ to lead to all of that, because, you know, the story for Caleb Williams has been like, this is the first time this guy has lost. This is the first time this guy has lost. It's like, I hate to break it to the people that are saying that, but most people that make it to the NFL, okay, have had success in their football careers quite a bit because of how good they are at football. So, like, whenever you start to lose, how you handle it, how you go about It. And like, I appreciate you saying the message to the young guys that are going through it right now. Like, hey, just keep working, keep grinding because better times are potentially ahead. That can wear on you, man. You said you got.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Oh, yeah. Oh, I'm. Oh, man. There was lots of times crying, going, driving my Ford truck, going to work. It wasn't easy to show up and I wasn't perfect. Obviously I had my issues when I was a younger player trying to figure out the professional life of football and understanding how things work and, you know, getting traded or cut and all those things and seeing other people have success and just trying to, you know, keep it, you know, it was also tough too, because at the time I, Ziggy Ansa was hooping, right. And I was the one. I taught Ziggy Onsa how to play football. I did help him learn how to play football in college. And this dude is playing and I can't see the field. And it was like, you know, what the hell's going on? And so it was a good humbling experience for me and it's helped me out in my whole career. That Chip will never, ever leave. And it's a big reason why I'm playing. I think it's different now that I've had success in the league, but the chip of always working hard and working smart. I think there's a lot of people in our, our world that works really, really hard and don't necessarily just get the stuff that they deserve. That's why I also throw in you got to work smart because there are things that you have to work smart towards and with.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I don't think a work ethic guarantees you success. You have to pick and choose the right things for you. You know, like, I don't think if I would have worked my ass off at basketball, I would have became a 6 foot 6 guy that get knocked down shots. Like if I. Just because I had a work ethic doesn't mean that that's going to work. But if you find what you can accomplish and work your ass off towards it in a focused way, normally good things are going to come. The work ethic is the most important part behind it. And also your mindset and your framing, which I think you chit chatted there about how you've had to kind of go about framing everything because any adversity can be an opportunity, right? I mean, it's an old cliche because it's a reason like, hey, are you going to let this beat you or are you going to Learn from it it and take it with you going forward. And it feels like all those things have led you to 11 half sack season on a team that's red hot. Going in to the playoffs and being a pivotal part of that. Can't wait to watch you continue to write your story, brother. You know, that's what it is. You're just continuing to write your story. And now you have a podcast, Coy in Van Noy. You got a family, you're leading a race. I mean, life is great, brother. Life is very, very great. And speaking of that, it feels like when things are going well, it goes really well for you. Tone has a question.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, Kyle, you talked about balling earlier and you know, three point shooters, they get hot, they get streaky. I saw you had, you had six sacks in your first three games and then you have four and a half sacks in your last four games. Have you noticed like since you've become and focused more on pass rushing that you get hot as a pass rusher in this game after game after game, you just feel good?

[Kyle Van Noy]

That's a really good question. Funny you bring that up because I felt like when I didn't have sacks in my four game stretch, I feel like I was rushing really, really well during that time. I just wasn't getting on the board. I mean, I felt like I rushed really well against the commanders, really well against the Broncos during that time. And I was just right there. And then it's kind of like threes and different things. Home runs, they come in bunches and it's just something that happens. And you know, there's other people that have had that same out too with how their season's gone with sacks. You know, it's been one of those things for me. I was hot early, you know, had to work through getting the slide, getting double teams. You know, teams were scheming for me a little bit different Lee and then finally, you know, broke through with that and then just continued developing. I think that's the one thing that I hold my hat on in the, in the league is I feel like I'm always trying to develop. I'm always watching what people have done prior towards me or what people are doing and having success right now in the NFL because I think it's pivotal. There's only so much you can do with the blocking schemes and offensively, it's just seeing how what works for you. And it's been awesome to continue to get better each and every week and each and every year.

[Pat McAfee]

On that note, doing film Study. Connor has a question for you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Kyle, you know one of the games you guys played against the Eagles, Lane Johnson after the game said like, you know, Roquan Smith was calling out plays like Luke Keakley and he's basically never seen that before. So is the reason you have all those sacks because Roque Quan Smith going up to you before the play like, hey, Kyle, they're going roll out to the left here. Just chase them down and get the sacker. Have you ever played with anyone like Roquan Smith? Because the stories about him right now are absurd and he's got, you know, 150 tackles on the season already.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, Roquan's the leader of the defense. Emotionally he is special. I think he's five or six way six tackles away from being the fastest or second fastest player ever to a thousand. Don't quote me on that, but I think it's something like that.

[Pat McAfee]

Ok, hashtag stat. That, that's when we just make up a stat that's close. Hashtag stat. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, somebody.

[Kyle Van Noy]

He's special though. He's similar into the born to play middle linebacker like Hightower, Dante Hightower, where they just have this intuition, this feeling similar to Ray Lewis when he played, where they just know football so well that they're able to take what they see in film, or not even watching film, but just look at what's going on, take a snap photo and be like, all right, this is the play, this is what they're doing. And it's been awesome to be a part of Roquan Smith, his career just being a little spoke in his, his wheel because you know, he's going to be a Hall of Famer in my opinion, if he continues to keep what he's doing at this high level of play that he's got. And you know, they have such an amazing core with the Ravens that I don't think it's talked about enough. You now have a young Nate Wiggins to go along. Kyle, Kyle Hamilton, Roquan Smith, you got Adafe, you got Travis Jones, Namdi. So many good players on defense as well as offense with their core. I just have a feeling that the Ravens are going to be tough to deal with. Not only the rest of this year, just years to come.

[Pat McAfee]

Zach Orr, you, you mentioned zo earlier. He's 32 or something like that. 31, yeah. Defense coordinator.

[Kyle Van Noy]

So yeah, he's younger than me.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. I bet you he says you're old ass. I bet you is what he says. Not the week.

[Kyle Van Noy]

All Right. Here you go.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no, we would never say that. Beard looks good, by the way. No grays. Yeah, no grays. Is there a little bit of salt in it?

[Kyle Van Noy]

There's a little bit on the side. You know, we gotta keep it short, though.

[Pat McAfee]

It looks good, though, you know, Playoff beer, maybe. Oh, maybe we get a playoff beer. Maybe a big one. Yeah.

[Kyle Van Noy]

N. That. That's only Julian Edelman. He looks stank with that. So I'm. I'm good on that.

[Pat McAfee]

Julian. Handsome lot, isn't he?

[Kyle Van Noy]

He is handsome, but I'm talking about when he gets that bushy beard, like, strong.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he's a powerful beard. Also. Also, happy Hanukkah. To six crazy nights left. Six crazy nights left on the menorah, obviously. Happy holidays, Mary. You see that? I know you went to byu, so this isn't your holiday, but we're selling, you know, happy holidays. Everybody says we learned a lot about this. You go right to left on this thing. You go right to left on this thing. Yeah, because that's the way.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, we're celebrating that at BYU now, too, because of the quarterback.

[Pat McAfee]

Retzloff by Jew is what they were calling him. Yeah, that's all. That was the nickname. That was the thing.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Big game.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Hey, we got a big game Saturday against Colorado. We need to get a dub, I feel.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah.

[Kyle Van Noy]

You don't think so?

[Pat McAfee]

Whoa. They're all. Everybody's playing.

[Kyle Van Noy]

You've kind of been looking.

[Pat McAfee]

No, I am not. I have. No. I love byu. You guys just got the number one basketball recruit to go to byu.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Aj. Aj. Shout out them boosters.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's that? Who's that?

[Kyle Van Noy]

I know all of them.

[Pat McAfee]

That's good relationships. Good relationships. There's good relationships to keep.

[Kyle Van Noy]

They helped me out in college, too.

[Ty Schmidt]

What?

[Pat McAfee]

Death penalty. That was before the Nil.

[Kyle Van Noy]

No, just with meals. Just with meals. Relax. Just with meals.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah, of course.

[Boston Connor]

Cheeseburger suspension.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Jim Harbaugh missed four games because of a cheeseburger. Never forget it. What a wild thing college sports was before. Everybody's talking about how wild it is now. It definitely is. How about before? Don't even think about eating that chicken nugget.

[AJ Hawk]

Don't you do it.

[Pat McAfee]

Did you pay for. Are they giving it to you?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Play sports. No way. Well, what about the pianist? That's allowed to go sell out Madison Square Garden in there and call college. They're allowed to that?

[AJ Hawk]

It's not an athlete.

[Boston Connor]

That's music.

[Pat McAfee]

Shut up. You're not allowed to do anything. Well, what about the person that does any of the art in the painting and they're in college, they're allowed to sell their painting because of their talent that they have. Are they special or.

[AJ Hawk]

Shut up.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. So just because I'm a sports person, I'm not allowed to profit off of what.

[AJ Hawk]

That's right. Shut up.

[Boston Connor]

You ain't no artist.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. And then now it's like, I do.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Have a question for you with you being a very big spokesperson with how the time slots have been with the games. Oh, yeah. How did. How do you believe those are going to switch in the future? For example, like last night's game. No offense.

[Pat McAfee]

Crap.

[Kyle Van Noy]

No offense at all. How do you think they're going to do that? Because of all the juggling. And as a player being in it now, I think it would be tough to be like, hey, you're playing Sunday, and then all of a sudden, screw you, you got a good matchup, you're playing Thursday.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, I think it would have to be a couple of weeks in advance, you know, I think that would be the case. Now, granted, you just won Saturday to Wednesday, three and 11 in the middle and just had three in 11 days. So, like, I don't want to say acting like them just forcing you guys from going one day to maybe a couple days early is out of the picture because they literally just did it. It. You know, at this point, I think they've proven that they're willing to shake up the schedule. Now, you guys knew it was going to take place, I guess looking long term at the schedule in this entire.

[Kyle Van Noy]

But we also had a bye week, too, to help gear for that other.

[Pat McAfee]

Not everybody.

[Kyle Van Noy]

And I think that was. I think that was huge for us. Just having a bye week to get mentally ready for this stretch was huge.

[Pat McAfee]

I just think that networks, they're scared to flex. Networks are like scared to flex. And I think if they had to do it a couple of weeks out so teams would be able to get their schedules in order and everything. Completely understandable. And this is. As somebody that's in the media and is a fan of the sport as opposed to a player, players are going to hate basically anything that comes out of this. You know what I mean? Like, yeah, if they add an extra game, 18 games and add an extra bye week, obviously there's going to be people pissed off about everything. But that's seemingly inevitable at some point coming down the pipe, the international games, there's going to be coming more. I think there's going to be more of those that are going to take place. And when did the buys happen around those guys? Teams got week four buys.

[Nick Saban]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Week four.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah. That's crazy. I think the Chargers had that.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Long season coming after that. So I think like the whole. How will they be able to do it? Would they do it? How can players handle it? It's like players have been having to handle shit since.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know what I mean? Like that. I'm not saying it's fair. I'm not saying it's fair to players. I'm just.

[Kyle Van Noy]

No, that's fair that we've been handling. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And they just sneak it in. You know, it's like, hey, they paid $150 million for two games. So we all like the salary cap where it is. Right. So we are going to give them two good games. That is what we are going to do. And then we are going to make this happen. It's like Amazon that being their last one. It's like, I don't know if they.

[AJ Hawk]

Have a playoff game too this year.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And hopefully it's great. Well, assume it'll be great. But I don't know if Bezos is going to love that conversation after the last Thursday Night Football game is worst game in the history of football, you know, and he's got real deep pockets. Well.

[Boston Connor]

And for the first time this year, the conversation was for a little bit. Like they had five or six Thursday night games that were unbelievable. But for them to close out on a couple terrible ones is tough.

[Pat McAfee]

What have you done for me lately? And I'll talk to you. Because you guys blew out the Texans, which is part of the problem. You know, we're kind of talking about how the NFL has kind of been the way it has. Why do you think those happen sometimes? I don't think anybody's ever been able to accurately describe why sometimes the team just doesn't show up or why a team slaughters another one. And obviously you've been in the game a long time. You're a part of a demolishing of the Texans on Christmas Day in front of the entire world. 24 point some million average. Congratulations. That's huge. Why do you think that happened? Yeah.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Not because of me. Because of the marvelous bro. Not because of me at all. Okay, so LJ's playing Grinch, bro.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what. That's what you think it is? That's what you think the difference maker is if your quarterback's unconscious, I mean.

[Kyle Van Noy]

He'S playing unreal right now. I got nothing but love for lj it's so fun to play with a player like him. He's. I'll always say he's one on one. It's. It's crazier in person, too. I don't think the TV and camera and all that does justice to how elite he is with the ball in his hand. And just him being the type of person he is, too, makes it that much better. He's such a good dude, such a smart dude, too. And just he might. He might make me go buy some grills at this rate. I know I'm. I'm. I tell people I'm from Broward because I have so many Florida teammates over my career, but he's about to make me go get some grills, too. The way he's playing, I mean, it's electric and he makes everybody else play better around him, and the way he's locked in right now. And, you know, before the game, he kept. I was. This game happened to be the locker next to him. He just kept saying, it's up, it's up, it's up, kb it's up. And I was like, yeah. After the game, I was like, yeah, boy, it's up.

[Pat McAfee]

We're way up, way up there. That touchdown right there with the new hunter in his face, let alone this one where he said he's jogging 21.25 miles an hour, the fastest.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, he always says that, and I believe that he always says that. I mean, he's looked faster in practice than he has in the game. And I think it's because he likes talking trash to the players he knows a little bit better.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, and also, you know, whenever you're with a couple friends in, a bear starts chasing you. You don't have to be the fastest, fastest one. You just can't be the slowest one. If you are the slowest one, you just have to be faster than the bear. So all Lamar has to be is faster than whoever's chasing them. So we'll find out if they can somehow put Tyreek sure at safety and have him have to chase Lamar. I think Lamar is going to get out of there, you know, whatever the case. So you're saying the reason why and.

[Kyle Van Noy]

All it is is five. Sorry to interrupt. Five more games than we can get them on the show. Remember I told you if I five.

[Pat McAfee]

What happened? What? So what? What? He's coming on. He's coming on the program. If you guys.

[Kyle Van Noy]

In five games, we gotta win five games.

[Pat McAfee]

And then you're. After the last game, you're Booking them on show. How. How's this work?

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, I said this last time.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't remember. Remind me what you said when I.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Was talking to you. He said that he would. He would come on. If we get past that last game, so.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, it's awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I did not remember that. I can't believe I didn't remember that because that would be so sweet. Not that your face is awesome in between me and aj.

[Kyle Van Noy]

No, no, no. I. I would be against wisdom. Like, it would be like.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, okay, okay, great. So we would zoom in on one the. So. I'm joking. I'm joking. I'm joking. Keith.

[Kyle Van Noy]

I'm locked in.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, Keith. Hey, that was rude. How about you being called Keith Van less than a year ago? Yeah. And then now he has 11 and a half sacks. Two year deal with the Ravens.

[Nick Saban]

Eat it.

[Pat McAfee]

And they're on an absolute run. I mean, it is a for you. Oh, my God. And then I just. Zito just told me that your name on the zoom sign in is Keith. Lower left corner shout out to you. We appreciate you doing that. We appreciate you doing that, Keith. You don't deserve any of it, but we appreciate the hell out of you. Kyle, did you get a chance to see the halftime show? I know Lamar was thinking about. What were your thoughts?

[Gumpy]

It's country.

[Kyle Van Noy]

You know, I. My wife got to see it. She was more excited about that than watching the game. She said it was electric. Post Malone showed up, too. And then I think it was dope that she highlighted her daughter. I saw the highlights of, you know, a little bit, and I think it's dope that she's putting on her daughter like, the way she is. I think the daughter is going to be a superstar.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I think. I think blue has a chance.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Kyle Van Noy]

I think blue certainly has a little bit.

[Pat McAfee]

I think blue has a chance. Yeah. They were line dancing a little bit. And then there's more information coming out about who all was on the field. I believe that is somebody's band, somebody's entire band that was joining her out there. I believe, like the first ever African American rodeo champion was out there at one point. I think there's like a bunch of little hidden gems.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Inside the entire performance. It was just, I think, reported this morning or whatever it was. And then the way they reported the numbers, they said the Beyonce bowl had the peak amount of people watching at the time was like, Wednesday on We're going to do it. I will say I think she did a couple finger guns.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, that's messed up.

[Pat McAfee]

I think she did a couple finger guns.

[Boston Connor]

That's why she can't do this here.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, this hardball tell you guys no invisible guns, no actual guns. Don't even make it think like there it's a gun. What is the conversation around that? Because Xavier Worthy. I'll know. Hold up.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, get the bat.

[Pat McAfee]

And then just everybody play cool here. Now. We did learn that that invisible gun had a silencer on it. And a banana clip. And a banana clip. Which is why I think they said it went a little bit too far. Can't be having an AR with a silencer on it in your belt, especially during football game. That was what the ref potentially saw in invisible gun. But what is the con? This was a big part of the storyline earlier in the year. Kind of disappeared. Now it's back on Christmas. Do you guys talk about it over there?

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, Pat, we just talking about trying to not get any penalties at our rate.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Oh, is that real? We haven't been the best this year with penalties, you know, so it's been a hot topic of conversation within our team of trying to do the best that we can to eliminate, eliminate the penalties. But it's, I mean, none of our. I don't think any of our players have been doing the gun thing. I, I don't get it. Like personally, like. Well, I get the, like I'm, I'm strapping you. But like as a receiver, like, what are we doing? But you know, I, I don't, I don't think it should. It doesn't do a good job of going to the younger generation. I see these seven on seven kids doing it. It looks stupid. You know, I'm, I'm all for celebration too. Like, I'm, I'm like Chad Ocho Cinco. I think it needs to be in the game. I just think you need to come up with something a little bit more clever. Shout out to the Minnesota Vikings defense. Cam bottom. I think he's leading that. They're, they're, they're making it pretty dope on celebrations this year.

[Pat McAfee]

We agree completely, wholeheartedly on Christmas showing up. Obviously didn't expect that, but a lot of great football remaining. Can't wait to watch your team continue to do its thing. We appreciate the hell out of you, Keith.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yep. Thanks, Keith. AKA Kyle Vanoy. That's how I'm gonna go now.

[Pat McAfee]

No, no, no. Kyle, Kyle, Kyle. You. Hey.

[Boston Connor]

Super bowl champ.

[Pat McAfee]

Super bowl champ. How many years now?

[Kyle Van Noy]

11 years in two time Super bowl champ.

[Pat McAfee]

You ever just Take them out and say, wow, you know what my favorite one is? The next one. Is that what you say?

[Kyle Van Noy]

No, that's Tom. You only can do that if you're getting like seven.

[Pat McAfee]

You get three. I mean, that's.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And still got another.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Oh, yeah. If I get one more.

[Pat McAfee]

You'Re retired. I'm gonna.

[Kyle Van Noy]

I'm gonna come to the show live. I'm gonna come to the show live. Flex on everybody.

[Pat McAfee]

Come on in.

[Boston Connor]

All three of them.

[Pat McAfee]

Come on in. Inflection is what we're talking about when it comes to these matchups at night. We need more flexing.

[Boston Connor]

More flexing.

[Pat McAfee]

We need these networks to bring you. Boom.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

A little bit. Just like you. Ladies and gentlemen, what year is this for you?

[Kyle Van Noy]

12 11.

[Pat McAfee]

Wow. Still bringing incredible 11 year NFL vet, two time Super bowl champion, a stallion of a story.

[Kyle Van Noy]

He's on the couch too.

[Pat McAfee]

Nobody wanted him. Nobody wanted this guy. Oh, shut up, Van Noy. That's what they said.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, that's what they said.

[Boston Connor]

BYU guy.

[Pat McAfee]

Hold on.

[Kyle Van Noy]

One more thing, too. One more thing. One more thing, Pat, before I do leave is I. I truly hope there's more GMs that take. I know it's a young man's league. I. I do hope GMs take advantage. Take advantage and give more veteran players some contracts. I know there's some players that I know that definitely could still be playing. One that comes to mind is Bryce Callahan had a hell of a career. I always think about him knowing that he could still be playing. There's so many other guys, and I hope some teams will take a couple more flyers on some guys.

[Pat McAfee]

Practice squad's kind of helping people do that, right? Because like, even vets can get on practice squad now. So it's like a tryout for like a week or two.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yes and no. It depends. All different teams are different. I just, I just think personally there's some veteran guys can sneak in there and actually do some damage personally if they get put in the right position.

[Pat McAfee]

What I was saying is, like, they opened up the practice squad for. It used to be just for young guys. First four years, then they opened it up for vets after Covid and they kind of start. I don't know if they did that with you or not over there in Baltimore, but teams have started using it as like a tryout. Like, all right, let's get two weeks in for this older old head. Okay? He's been around veteran. See if he still got it. See if he's in shape and how he fits into our thing, they get. They gave it like a two week try. I thought it was a good usage of the.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yeah, for me. For me. They said that, hey, we're going to. We. We're. You're going to be active right away. We just want to see you being in shape. And then they told me that, like the roster thing, but that also has to be trust too, because, you know, they could have said, hey, we want you to come in, and then, you know, go a different direction. So it's got to be a trust on both levels and, you know, you got to be a player and look at it and see like, okay, how's this stack up for me as well? So it just worked out great for me. The Ravens organization has been awesome to me. The management has been, you know, really good to me. Like, Joe Ortiz was awesome to me too. Who's now with the Chargers. When I was. When I was there for my first year, he was awesome. The EDC has been awesome to me. So there's so many guys that communicate at that level for the Ravens organization to make a clear plan for you. And then it was awesome to be able to execute it and actually hack, you know, they. What they're saying is actually happening. It doesn't happen everywhere.

[Pat McAfee]

Like that leads to you signing a two year deal off the couch. Phenomenal stuff. EDC, great nickname for DaCosta. He's EDC. Oi, oi, oi. That's a fantastic name. I'm happy it's working out. So are the Baltimore Ravens. Kyle, you got what the bronze. Was that what you said last game?

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yep. Browns for the hat and T shirts in the division, baby, we gotta go. That same energy. We need to turn it up a whole notch. I don't know who's playing quarterback, you know, I know Miles Garrett's still ballin over there defensively keeping them boys hungry and ready. So we gotta go though.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. One sack. We think that's good. If he gets a full sack. Not a jump on.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Hey, I will say too. I will say too. I really need one for some of this. I need one for some of this.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so for some of that for you. And $50,000 to a donation. You get a sack next Sunday. Okay? Charity.

[Kyle Van Noy]

I forgot to say, you're the man for donating to Mark Andrews, bro. That. That was badass for you to do. Mandrews doesn't do many interviews, so getting them doing an interview was dope. But I respect you doing that, especially during the holidays where it means a lot. You Know, I, I appreciate it. That whole money will go to my foundation, which is the Vanois Valor Foundation.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Kyle Van Noy]

We, we work with foster care kids because I'm actually adopted. So is my wife's dad and brother. So it hits home for us and we work with a lot of kids in foster care.

[Pat McAfee]

So man, think about your life story.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Mean a lot. So we need to get this thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, go get the sack for yourself, obviously for the donation of 50,000 to the van Noy Valiant Knights. But also like think of your story, dude. It's a good one, man. You're changing a lot of lives. You're going to inspire people forever. Especially as an old ass NFL pass rusher. We appreciate the hell out of you, Kyle. Yeah, old ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Love you guys, man. Appreciate the show.

[Pat McAfee]

So I Wonder if it's 12 or 12 and I wonder what the incentive is. I wonder what. It's gotta be 12, right? Because he's got 11 and a half probably.

[Gumpy]

If he break gets 12 or more, he's got. What's he get, you think 500K something that much?

[Pat McAfee]

I assume maybe 250,000, maybe 500,000. Maybe it's a million. It could be 12 sacks a lot in a year. 11, you know, I don't know.

[Ty Schmidt]

It's definitely career.

[Pat McAfee]

I assume. When, yeah, when they're signing him to a two year deal at this stage in April, they sign him to it, I think. I assume there was a lot of incentives to go and get it and chase it. If we win a Super bowl, if we win a playoff game, if you get this amount, 12 sacks is probably a pretty high end, leads the team.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, they probably weren't expecting. They weren't expecting 12 sacks out of him when he signed.

[Pat McAfee]

I would imagine 250,000. I wonder what other 250,000 is what it is worth. Is it 12 or more sacks?

[Ty Schmidt]

So it's. He gets 250 for 10, 12 and 14.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so hey, he gets two and a half more sacks. Hold the phone. That's 500,000. I'm not saying he's going to do that, but hey, why not?

[Boston Connor]

It's the brands.

[Pat McAfee]

Jeez.

[AJ Hawk]

Whoa, dude, come on.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, what are we talking about?

[Gumpy]

How you doing DTR?

[Boston Connor]

I'm feeling bronze.

[Pat McAfee]

10 sacks. He hit 250,000 already. So 12 sacks would have been 500,000 is what the bonus would have been, which is huge. 14 sacks would be $750,000 in bonuses and then 7 sacks plus 50% of the playing time, which has already happened. That's another 250. So if he gets two and a half sacks, that's a million dollars in bonuses.

[Boston Connor]

That's awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, that's good football, baby.

[Boston Connor]

Good for him.

[Pat McAfee]

Hey, that's very, very good for him. I appreciate that. You know, 10 sacks, you, you think, all right, we'll give you 250, get to 12, another 250. 14. Sure, whatever. What if you get 20? Sure. What if they just start give you 20 million bucks and it's like good for him. He's only getting better. He said, I'm just fully focused on rushing the passer. I've been studying other people's film. It is feel good Friday. That means that we have to pick the games age. You've been seeing the board very, very well. You need to know that as you continue to look ahead. Both of us, all of us lost last night because we took Seattle -4 and a half. So Chuck's cold streak continues. Good. Chuck is now 7 and 9 on the season against Sprout on Thursday Night Football. It's near how the season started. But Chuck, as we know, will get right back on the horse and give us some winners. It's a point. Just like how these crop games have been happening. The good is going to inevitably come. AJ's good has come because for a lot of the season he was crop at picking these games.

[AJ Hawk]

Absolute shite.

[Pat McAfee]

But then all of a sudden, over the last couple weeks, AJ seen it clearly. Very clear eyes, full hearts. AJ seemingly can't lose right now. Let's remember that as he's making the picks, he's seeing it good. But also there's a lot online for a lot of these games. Let's never forget it, aj, let's pick against the entire spread, Chargers favored by four and a half, traveling into New England at one o'clock tomorrow on a beautiful Saturday. Triple header, back to back to back, all day football only on NFL Network. Con man, what is the conversation around this game up in New England?

[Boston Connor]

The conversation predominantly right now is just about the culture and the future of the Patriots when it comes to the Gerard Mayo era, when it comes to this game in particular. Jim Harbaugh gave an awesome speech kind of about the entire thing. This is what he had to say at his press conference conference, which was awesome, which was so cool and awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

We had a little rainfall last week, one day of practice. That was great to have that. But most all of us have played in those kind of games, you know, or grew up in that kind of kind of weather. You Know, and bottom line is, I mean, these guys are young, they're healthy, and they're heart pumps warm blood, you know, pumps it from the arteries to the veins, to the tributaries, to the capillaries, throughout their whole body. You just. You just play ball. My experience, now, I might have got that in the wrong order there. It's well documented. I'm not a doctor.

[Gumpy]

But I know it's warm blood.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, the young, healthy, athletic guys are able to generate. I don't hear a thing about you guys being cold, okay? You got warm blood pumping through the tributaries and the capillaries out from there through the veins. So inside's warm. You need to deal with the outside being warm as well. If he was to go in there, though, with that Chargers team favored by 4 1/2 to put on a good display, it's going to get loud. New England.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, it might get a little loud. There has been reports, hey, Crafts are behind Gerard Mayo for sure, but we've all kind of seen the tea leaves. There's been a lot of comments from players which some of them completely backing. You know, Gerard Mayo. David Andrews said on his show, like, hey, this is going to build. There go. We're going to get better. None of us wanted to be like this. There are still guys on the team who are with the team when it was the Brady era, winning championships and stuff like that. And then there's guys like Keon White in their second year. He kind of gave an interview with Mass. Mass Live sports, I want to say, and basically said, like, yeah, look, I. First and foremost, I got to figure it out. But it's not just me, okay? There's a lot of stuff going on here and we need to all get on the same page. Coaches, players and everything. So it's not great right now. So a blowout for the Chargers. The Patriots may be losing by 14:17 at home. Primetime only game, not prime time, but it's only game on. There's not many people in the stadium. Maybe a few of the boo birds come flying out. I don't know. Again, I don't think that's going to happen. I feel great about Patriots plus four and a half. I'm completely behind the ship. And Drake May, as we all know, is so good at football. Which is why I like the Bears being in primetime, because it reminds me every single, single time they're in prime time how good Drake May is. But with that being said, if things go south, Chargers are going for a playoff spot here. Have to win for them. I mean, it could get ugly in New England, but it's a 10 o'clock local kick for the Chargers. Something to think about when you're thinking about this.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Especially with the tributaries. They might not be all the way open for that blood. AJ Are you picking up what Connor's laying down here? What's going to happen this weekend?

[Gumpy]

Yeah, I am a little bit. I was leaning Patriots to. To be honest with you. And then after seeing the hardball thing, listen to con man talk about the culture and everything going on, I'm taking Chargers minus four and a half.

[Pat McAfee]

I will ride with you as well. Going to be loud up there now. If it's close game, everything's okay, right?

[Boston Connor]

If it's competitive, I think so. I still think everything's okay, regardless, to be completely honest with you.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Yeah, but it is. There are some.

[Boston Connor]

There is a lot of noise, but you got block out the noise. You got to harness all the good stuff. You got like Drake May.

[Pat McAfee]

That's right. And Drake May is a great thing. Broncos, Bengals, Bengals favored by three and a half at home. Both these teams lurking, obviously need it. AJ how do you see it going?

[Gumpy]

Man, this Broncos defense is awesome. I love what they're doing, but I'm taking. I'm taking Joe Burrow and the Bengals. I mean, Joe's having a legit, like, MVP type year, but obviously the Bengals don't have enough wins. But give me the Bengals on this one.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Jamar Chase, Joe burrow, Broncos defense, 430 game in Cincinnati in the jungle. This was one that was certainly keeping me guessing. Both need to win. Broncos got Chiefs next week. Who's all playing? How's it playing? Broncos need to win one of the games, right? That's it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Broncos need to just win one of them.

[AJ Hawk]

I believe the Bengals.

[Pat McAfee]

Come on. We need the Bengals to win for the lurking teams to stay lurking. That's right. Okay. But I've been making picks with my lurking hopes over the last couple weeks, and it's been not great for me because it's a lot of different things that need to happen. I'm going to roll with broncos plus three and a half. Okay. Bengals minus three and a half. Bengals minus three and ahalf. Final answer. Cardinals, Rams, Broncos are getting better.

[Boston Connor]

They did just lose that heartbreaker on Thursday night.

[Pat McAfee]

That's a lot for Sean Payton to be able to pull from with a team. They don't. They don't have $43 million, their salary cap. There's no way. Yeah, they're able to make the playoffs given the Bengals minus three and a half Cardinals, Rams Rams six and a half point favorites at home in a game of the day Also kind of.

[Gumpy]

Must win man six and a half feels like so much for this game. I don't know why it is this much but give me the Rams. I think they win by a touchdown or more.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, give me the How's Kyler normally playing la Good. Oh, I remember him dapping up great.

[Boston Connor]

The the last one I remember which is definitely not the last time he played but was the playoff game where the Rams went to the ended up going to the super bowl that year they lost like 31, 2 and 7.

[Ty Schmidt]

Versus the Rams in his career.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, I'll take the Rams minus six and a half. Let's get to Sunday's games, shall we? Cowboys, Eagles who do you like? How do you like it?

[Gumpy]

Give me the Geez, give me the Eagles here -7 I will take Go.

[Boston Connor]

Ahead Jalen hurts Looks like right now it's going to be tough room to make it says Sirianna.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, give me the Cowboys.

[Pat McAfee]

Actually Mike McCarthy's got those boys playing seven points feels like a lot as well. CD shoulder is finally a thing. Give me the Philadelphia Eagles minus seven Tennessee. Oh, Mike McCarthy's gonna get blown out like that Saquon.

[Boston Connor]

He's close to the record.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Give me The Philadelphia Eagles -7 Tennessee Titans Jacksonville Jaguars Titans favorite on the road down in Duvall.

[Gumpy]

Give me the Titans minus one.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, I will agree with you there. Colts, Giants, Colts favored by seven and a half in MetLife. The Colts actually have more wins in MetLife Stadium than the Giants do this year because the Colts beat the New York jets over there. Giants are 07 at home I do believe Bruce Brown is there any reason to like this Giants team this weekend? Due to rain in the forecast, the plains planes that have been flying around Miz Life Stadium are are unable to operate. So there will be no the drones.

[AJ Hawk]

No the the cell team banners that.

[Boston Connor]

We'Ve been flying around.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh that's bringing bad bad orbs from up top.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, well there was some hope might.

[Pat McAfee]

Inspire the boys but obviously obviously it hasn't. The the tank is on some reports from players that they aren't tanking but but we are. Players can't tank. Players can't tank but coaches certainly can especially if they're comfortable with their job. Give me the Coach favored by 7 1/2 age.

[Gumpy]

Same with me. Give me Colts, Panthers, Bucks Bucks Favored.

[Pat McAfee]

By seven and a half. Gotta win.

[Gumpy]

I want the Bucks.

[Pat McAfee]

Me as well. Jets. Bills. Nine and a half favorite at home are the Buffalo Bills taking on Aaron Rodgers.

[Gumpy]

Jets. They keep it close.

[Pat McAfee]

I agree. He's got a new love in his life. I think. Bills win. Raiders. Saints. Raiders. Favored by one in New Orleans.

[Gumpy]

Give me the Raiders.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. I guess. Me too. That's sad for the Saints. It's not looking good down there. Dolphins, Browns. Six and a half.

[Gumpy]

Six and a half. Is DTR the starter for the Cleveland Browns?

[Pat McAfee]

Believe so.

[Gumpy]

Give me the Browns.

[Pat McAfee]

Give me the Dolphins. Packers. Vikings.

[Gumpy]

Packers.

[Pat McAfee]

Give me the Vikings. Falcons. Commanders.

[Gumpy]

Commanders.

[Pat McAfee]

I'll take the Commanders as well. And. And we'll continue on digital. Have a good one. We'll see you Monday. Nailed it.

[AJ Hawk]

Wow.

[Pat McAfee]

I think we got it all in there. Good for us. Holy. Was quite the run on this.

[Boston Connor]

That was unbelievable.

[Pat McAfee]

When. When we went to the Sunday graphic. I think I didn't expect that many games to be over there. Yeah. Yeah. And then as we didn't knock out the Saturday ones either. So we had to catch up quickly to where they were at. We found it quick. Yeah. Had to. Then I right in my head as I was saying Dallas Eagles. I was counting all the other games. I'm like, damn, how many other. We got a lot of games to get through here. We certainly did. I feel good about them all, but I shouldn't because I've been ice cold. AJ has been red hat out there. Jets, Bills. Aaron's got a girl.

[AJ Hawk]

He does.

[Boston Connor]

It's a whole new. Whole new ball game.

[Pat McAfee]

Britney with an eye, huh? Just like we see Josh Allen got a lady in love. Engage. See the way he's playing?

[Ty Schmidt]

He gets two touchdowns. He's the first player in NFL history to have 40 touchdowns in five straight seasons.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's that? Josh Allen. Is that good?

[AJ Hawk]

It's not bad.

[Pat McAfee]

Do you win an MVP over the last five seasons?

[Ty Schmidt]

No, you do not. Tell me about this year.

[Pat McAfee]

That's an AP voter. Did you know. And I learned this yesterday from a video from, I believe an AP voter as well. Yeah. Archer, the host of the facility on Fox Sports World released a video that he got.

[AJ Hawk]

The hell was that?

[Boston Connor]

What the hell?

[Gumpy]

I didn't know. Like it took me by surprise. I forgot the whole situation here.

[Pat McAfee]

What do you mean you forgot the whole.

[Gumpy]

That he finishes it for you. You always forget what the name of the show is. And that time he finishes that.

[Pat McAfee]

The facility. Yes, absolutely. And we enjoy that. Players leading the show is a beautiful thing. Like we're a big fan of that. We think it's good for sports to have the players telling their side. And obviously that doesn't mean journalists have to disappear. There's a world where both can coexist. Feels like the journalists kind of took over for a long time. Long, long, long time. Long time, long time. And then now more athletes and sports are starting. There's a obviously coexist, you hope in this entire thing. Acho has an AP vote is what I learned.

[AJ Hawk]

I would assume so.

[Pat McAfee]

And he basically laid out that he got an email reminding him and other voters that he thought was important to share the word with the. The public is, we're not talking about best player winning the mvp. We're talking about the most valuable player. The V is for valuable, not best. So he said, whenever you're talking about it, make sure the person you're talking to is having the same conversation you're having. Because our argument's always going to be best player is this person. Saquon's having the best season. He might beat Eric Dickerson's record. Even though Eric Dickerson's like, I hope that doesn't happen.

[Boston Connor]

He fucking better not.

[Pat McAfee]

I hope it doesn't happen. Obviously Eric Dickerson was like, I like to keep my record. A lot of people say records are made to be broken. Eric Dickerson said he's happy for Saquon. He's a big fan of Saquon. Obviously loves everything Saquon's doing. But also cool to be rushing king. Yes, very cool to be Russian King. So a lot of people are saying he's by far the best player. He's doing something that's never been done before, literally and figuratively in a massive part of the game. And Archer said, well, he's your most valuable player, though. Just wants. How come you didn't tell us about the email you got from the ap? And how much did you forget that this isn't the most best player. This is the most valuable player, AP tone, our representative in the voting thing. He's not sharing the emails with us, is he?

[Boston Connor]

No, I haven't heard anything, anything about this. And to be completely honest with you, what. What Acho said did kind of reshape what I was thinking.

[Ty Schmidt]

Hand up. I thought that majority of sports fans, NFL fans knew that the V stood for valuable.

[Boston Connor]

That was violence.

[Pat McAfee]

Could have been the most violent player, especially for trying to go old school to the jack. Condescending.

[Ty Schmidt]

That should be an award.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, should most violent players should be an award idea. Maybe you should use your AP status.

[Ty Schmidt]

And I'll send an email. It's a big email group. But no, that was on me. I thought most people knew that. Mvp the V was for how many.

[Pat McAfee]

Emails you guys getting from these people?

[Ty Schmidt]

Like basically like a group text but with emails. Group emails.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh man. We haven't been told about any of these.

[Ty Schmidt]

See the email chain on Sundays. Who you guys voting for?

[Pat McAfee]

Whoa.

[Ty Schmidt]

Did you see that play?

[Pat McAfee]

Are you serious right now? Yeah, I don't know if you're being serious right now because we have heard nothing about this at all. That was my big talk about it was my big takeaway from Macho's video. Was like how many emails tone been getting email thread. Yeah, we didn't know anything about this.

[Boston Connor]

Excuse me.

[Pat McAfee]

So you guys are in there. You're not active.

[Ty Schmidt]

Like I have to keep a a spare charger on my phone every Sunday just cuz the amount of emails turn your notifications off.

[Pat McAfee]

Pretty easy thing to do. You don't have.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well then you don't. Then you miss the emails.

[Pat McAfee]

No, you catch up with them later.

[Boston Connor]

So what do you say if you.

[Ty Schmidt]

Catch up with later in this group email, you're. You can't participate.

[Pat McAfee]

Are you. Is this real? I don't know what's real and what isn't real.

[Ty Schmidt]

Realer than real.

[Boston Connor]

Okay. There we got our.

[AJ Hawk]

There it is.

[Ty Schmidt]

Realer than the blood through.

[Pat McAfee]

The blood flowing through my veins and the capillaries. Yeah. So you guys are getting a lot of emails though. Stats and stuff.

[Ty Schmidt]

One at the beginning of the season and this one this week.

[Pat McAfee]

And it was a reminder saying hey, do you want it was the actual.

[Ty Schmidt]

We got the form.

[Gumpy]

Wait, who sent it though? Who is the who?

[Ty Schmidt]

Rob Mott. He's our leader.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay.

[Boston Connor]

Fearless.

[Pat McAfee]

Did Acho send another email letting you guys know what this email was about?

[Ty Schmidt]

He did not reply all.

[Pat McAfee]

Feels like that's something he should have done. Bingo. As Guppy just said we should do that Implore. Yeah. Ocho to reply all please into this thing. That's great. And also thank you Ocho for informing us on what happens as an AP voter because we have one on stage. He doesn't tell us anything.

[AJ Hawk]

Fucking say shit.

[Pat McAfee]

We're hanging around him all day, aren't we?

[Boston Connor]

We're all asking about the AP all.

[Pat McAfee]

Day not told a single. I have to watch archer give a minute 30 diatribe about valuable and best and then I Sweet. That is a good reminder. J.J. watt was all pissed off about this when he didn't win the mvp.

[Boston Connor]

Exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

He said, you know, he did the whole thing. That's years ago when it all takes place and it's conversation. It's like, this is a good reminder. Aren't you also, how about a reminder to our guy to tell us, hey, what the fuck's going on in the AP world? That's one thing that's not part of the job.

[Ty Schmidt]

That was on me. I hold you guys in high regard. I figured you. You would have known that that was.

[Pat McAfee]

The only thing they said in the email was, hey, the MVP is not the best.

[Ty Schmidt]

They didn't say anything in the email. They just attached the two forms for voting and he. Acho just read mvp. And then I think he might have taken that on himself to, you know, take that interpretation.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, so that was not in the. Hold on. We go from 50 emails a Sunday to potentially that email saying nothing. What is Rob Marty doing? Because we're about to say he's the. He's the head apic. Yeah. You know what I mean?

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm looking at the. The email right now, okay. It just says, happy holidays to you and your families. You know, that's nice.

[Pat McAfee]

That is very nice.

[Boston Connor]

Classy.

[Ty Schmidt]

All pro ballots are due by 5pm Eastern Monday, January 6th. And the awards are 5pm Eastern, Wednesday, January 8th. It doesn't say anything about, you know, valuable or anything like that.

[Boston Connor]

So in the form, we will receive.

[Ty Schmidt]

A separate email with snap counts. You know, make sure you know enough snap counts, stuff like that.

[Boston Connor]

Does it have a description of the award in the form that you have to.

[Ty Schmidt]

You saw it. I mean, you saw it. Acho put it on the Internet.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, I watched.

[Pat McAfee]

It wasn't in that video. I don't think I watched whole video.

[Ty Schmidt]

I'm looking at right here. It says Most valuable Player. The award honors a player who had the most valuable season.

[Pat McAfee]

So that's where. Okay, I'm thankful that there's some people in the AP that Career Coach of the Year.

[Ty Schmidt]

The award honors a coach who did the best job. In case anybody was wondering who Coach of the Year goes to.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, so it sounds like this guy.

[Ty Schmidt]

See, that's always the coach of the Year. The award honors an assistant coach who did the best job. If we're just clarifying all these, we could do this.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, sorry. One AP voter kind of explained to the world what one AP voter chose not to say, that's wondering how the.

[AJ Hawk]

Fucking sausage gets made. Some guy says, you know what? Boom. This is how it gets made.

[Ty Schmidt]

This is a long the comeback player of the year. Now, because this one was a hot topic.

[Boston Connor]

O.

[Ty Schmidt]

The spirit of the award is to honor A player who has demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury or other circumstances that led to him miss missing playing time the previous season.

[Pat McAfee]

Not a sucking. Yeah, I'm happy you guys clarified that.

[Gumpy]

What about a mental injury? What if he had had a down year because mentally he was in the dumps.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, could have. This guy couldn't read a defense defense. Mentally he was unhealthy as stopped the interpretation by you.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I feel like the. I guess not because demar didn't get hurt last year. I was like demarco with it this year because he's played so well. But he. That one didn't really believe the.

[Ty Schmidt]

I believe there's a heavy favorite for comeback player.

[Pat McAfee]

Who's that?

[Ty Schmidt]

The sports books.

[Boston Connor]

Joe Burrow.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah. Have a heavy feeling.

[Boston Connor]

Oh, really?

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. Oh, okay. You can't tell us who you're voting for, obviously. That is actually one of the rules that Rob Marty said.

[AJ Hawk]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

Don't need you saying who you're actually voting. Voting for.

[Boston Connor]

Okay. So Burrow injury. That is what we're going off of now.

[Pat McAfee]

Come back. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I have to.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Most improved could potentially be one as well.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Should make that.

[Pat McAfee]

That should be most violent player we would like to see. Most improved, best pen tosser.

[Boston Connor]

That's on me. I wouldn't win that.

[Pat McAfee]

I think you'd be close though. You. You might. You know just what Fnatic says. Fanatic says we give out 10 million orders. You get 14 wrong. Okay.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. Which would be wrong that they get way more than 14 wrong. But they could certainly say that that's.

[Pat McAfee]

What you were just saying about your pen tossing.

[Boston Connor]

It's. Anytime I have my hair elastic in my hand and I forget I have it in my hand, it blocks it. Bingo. And then I do it and I forget that I have it and then disaster.

[Pat McAfee]

AJ you hear this guy's basement and attic here earlier today?

[Gumpy]

I heard he's battling a little bit. Huh.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes.

[Gumpy]

What happened? What'd you eat? Or I guess big Debone. Just fed it right to you the other day. He gave it to you?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. See, I knew the wording from you would be interesting. No, I don't know. You know, you never know. It's that time of the year. I'm not gonna blame it on anybody.

[Gumpy]

Where you dump your pants.

[Boston Connor]

We could. We can point fingers all day.

[Pat McAfee]

I don't think you dump your pants this time of year. Just. I don't want to be like the doctor guy.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, that's true.

[Pat McAfee]

Because I'm not a doctor guy.

[AJ Hawk]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

But I don't think, like, dumping your pants is something. I don't think that's like, this time of year.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, I agree. The only time it happened to me was in February. And that was a emergency situation there. Much different.

[Pat McAfee]

Tacos?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah. Vodka.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Tacos.

[Pat McAfee]

Vodka.

[Ty Schmidt]

Tacos.

[Boston Connor]

M. Wade.

[Ty Schmidt]

Bruce Bowen.

[Pat McAfee]

Wade Bowen.

[AJ Hawk]

Wade Bowen. God damn it.

[Gumpy]

Bruce Bowen.

[Pat McAfee]

Just to be clear, Wade Bowen was incredibly, incredibly kind. Send us a guitar for me to smash after a celebration.

[Boston Connor]

Awesome.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, he said it.

[Pat McAfee]

Did he say it? I didn't know.

[Ty Schmidt]

He said.

[Gumpy]

Did the note say that? Yeah, the note said, hey, this is for you to smash.

[Pat McAfee]

Wade Bowen. If I know anything about Wade Bowen. He was excited that he was part of a celebration. Without a doubt.

[Gumpy]

I thought it was sweet.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm kind of bummed I don't have a guitar right now. Yeah. Like earlier, whenever he said Deliverance, my.

[AJ Hawk]

First thought was, there's that Wade Bowen guitar.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo. And I saw it explode right down there. How about Gunnar Stockton being from Deliverance Town, usa down in Georgia?

[Ty Schmidt]

I also saw an article recently where he's just driving around a like 1990 F150, just no AC, windows down, living his best life.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And Nick said, I've known him since he's 8 years old. He said he can move a lot better than the other guy. It's like they did better in the second half than they did in the first half. It's like, oh, Nick really likes Gunner. It sounds like he is a big fan of Gunn. Did Nick just say, feel like they might have got better? All right. With Gunner Stockton being in there? Because that is the big question. Carson Beck obviously being talked about as one of the greatest quarterbacks in college ball going to go into the NFL. The season has gone the way it's gone for Georgia and for Carson Beck. Gunner gets in there, showcases how tough he is. Boy, it's one tough dog. That's one tough dog. How about. How about Sabin saying we recruited him in Alabama? It feels like he was always going to be a dog. Guy loves the state of Georgia. It's like, what a perfect player to go in. And it's kind of how old Buddy started.

[Boston Connor]

Stetson. Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Sounds just like Stetson.

[Pat McAfee]

This is a walk on. Yeah, but he loved George raising hell.

[Ty Schmidt]

God, did he love raising hell.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what he heard.

[Ty Schmidt]

I think Gunner likes to raise a little hell, too. Based on what I'm picking.

[Gumpy]

Gunner plays with reckless abandon. He is. Does not worry about his health that is for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

People say he's a damn good dog.

[Boston Connor]

Makes him a good dog.

[Pat McAfee]

That's how. That's how he place them in Notre Dame. That's a game in. I live in Indiana, so obviously Notre Dame is in this state. It's hours away, but it's in this state. My name is Patrick McAfee. Okay? So I know a lot of Irish people. I've been told by a lot of them. You never picked Notre Dame, huh? You don't like Notre Dame. What's the thing, you know, same thing happened with Michigan last year where I just assumed that they were going to lose. And I was wrong, literally wrong the entire time. And then when it got to the point where I was wrong and knew I was wrong. Too late to pick up. Can't be. I think it was semifinals. It's like, yeah, this Michigan team is very different than what I thought they were. I thought there were a bunch of prep school kids that were going to be, you know, distracted by everything was going on with hardball. And I thought the football gods were going to punish him. That's what I thought was happening last year. And then once I realized that that was not the case and maybe everything was blown out of proportion just quite a bit. And hardball doesn't raise any. He just like up there. If his. It was like, oh, no, I've been completely wrong in reading this team. Am I going to pick him for the first time? Am I going to. That I have all year. And I was like, nah, they're fans. Fans told me not to pick. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

What a legend.

[Pat McAfee]

Do not pick our team right now. But the Irish fans have not done that. The Irish fans have been like, how come you always. How come you always pick against us? And I was thinking about this game and I'm like, you know, a team.

[Ty Schmidt]

I never pick against that one coming down the track.

[Pat McAfee]

Never. Except for Texas.

[Gumpy]

When you starting quarterback gets hurt and you're still two point favorites, that says something.

[Pat McAfee]

And like, if this was in a cold, if winter was coming for the Georgia Bulldogs and not that I think Kirby Smart doesn't have a mentally tough group, which I think is the reason why I like the Bulldog so much. Yeah, it's because I think mentally they're just dogs. Like, I think that is actually the type of players that Kirby tries to get and the. The culture that he tries to bring. Not that Freeman isn't a great coach. I love Marcus Freeman. I love him. He's Ohio State. Buckeye. That's right. I appreciate the Hell out of the way. He goes about his business. If this game was in the cold, I would be starting to lean a different way. But my early indications are, who's that coming down? I mean, I thought about it out of nowhere whenever O was doing a thing. Who do you. I love the way the Georgia Bulldogs operate. I just. I love their team. I love bloody Tuesdays. I love their. I love everything about the way they go about doing what they do. But there's Notre Dame team also. They're a physical ball.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, he got some injuries, though, too.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. D lineman, right? Yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Bradley Mills is out for the year. And then Jeremiah Love, he. There was a bit of a situation there where he wasn't getting that many carries.

[AJ Hawk]

Well, Samuel said he was just trying to stay warm.

[Ty Schmidt]

Also said that about tennis shirt.

[AJ Hawk]

That was bad intel.

[Pat McAfee]

We couldn't get a camera on that situation because cameraman was shooting up in the upper deck.

[AJ Hawk]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Thank God that was happening.

[Boston Connor]

Good B roll.

[Pat McAfee]

Great beat. Never used it.

[Gumpy]

No.

[Pat McAfee]

Just like the crane at the Big Ten championships. Yeah, they haven't used a shot yet. Can we dock all these things, please, God, so we can see this game? Paid a lot of money for this. Want to watch Penn State Nittany Lions take on Oregon Ducks? You heard Nick Saban earlier, AJ Talk about physicality. You know, tackling, tackling, tackling.

[Gumpy]

That's a big deal, man. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

After.

[Gumpy]

After a layoff, like, you just don't know as a coach. I mean, obviously you'll find out very quickly in the game, but you just don't know exactly if your team is going to be rusty like you. I think it just, it heightens the fact that, hey, say that the offense comes out against you and you miss a few tackles early. You don't have the proper leverage. You make, like, kind of like day one mistakes. Things that happen in the first couple games, that's when coaches start getting worried and buttholes get kind of tight on the sidelines.

[Pat McAfee]

That's where being in warm climate helps, though. You know, if you're missing tackles and it's cold like that is, you will.

[Gumpy]

Continue to miss tackles.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you're not getting better. Like, I think the warm helps because your entire body doesn't hurt every single hit if you haven't done it for a while. You know, in wrestling, they're call it ring rust. You know, where your body hasn't been in the ring in a while, they take a couple bumps and then you're sore for like four or five days. Football, same exact thing. That's why training camp, the first week is hell for everybody because their bodies are getting beat the back into the thing. You get two, three weeks off, four weeks off. That resets an entire cycle. I don't know how.

[Gumpy]

There's a rhythm. There's a rhythm to it. There's a rhythm to the season that you kind of get into. But these guys also, these college teams are having two buys during the season that didn't happen like, like when I was in college, we didn't have any buys, so we just boom, straight through.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And these coaches and facilities are at an advanced level. Whenever you have all the metrics and everything. I'd be worried though, if I didn't play for four, three, four weeks.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, for sure.

[Pat McAfee]

I'd be very. I would be for sure.

[Gumpy]

You always were coming out of bowl practice, coaches always were. They were always very, like, anxious. Not. I don't know if nervous is the right word, but leading up to that game, like, as you got closer to like, okay, I think we're ready. We've done everything we possibly can. But. But let's see once we get out there, if we still are the team we were four weeks ago.

[Pat McAfee]

A lot. Speaking of four weeks ago, a lot of people are pitching that just because you won a championship doesn't mean you get to buy. So that means teams that didn't win the championships would get buys. That means they're not even playing in their conference championship game. So that's another week, 10 days ahead of that. So that's like over a month before your last game. And then bang, congratulations, you're playing in the biggest one you got. I'm not saying that hasn't been how it. It's been since beginning of college ball, but it's like, that's a lot to manage. That's a lot to manage. Whenever you talk about the physicality of sport. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

And like Georgia being the only team in the second round that had a buy, being favored. Like, you assume those teams that, you know, like Arizona State, who is rolling, if they do get blown out or killed, there will be a conversation like, yeah, the bye week actually just took the wind out of our sails because we finished the season so hot.

[AJ Hawk]

Well, especially this year too. Like, all these teams who played last week, they beat the. Out of who they played. So, like, they're coming into these games rolling it. It's not really like, oh, they squeaked by kinda, you know, it's like back in the, you know, the NFL when like, you'd get that six seed who would get hot? And then, like, if you're a fan, like the number one seed, it's like, oh, well, we. We're rusty coming into this game, and this team looks as good as they have all year.

[Ty Schmidt]

I also didn't realize, or I did realize, but I. How soon, like, conference championships weren't a thing until, like, the mid-90s. So there is a world where, you know, they could go back to just.

[Pat McAfee]

Not having conferences the other day. Right. Who cares about the conference championship? Who cares?

[Gumpy]

There's no Big Ten championship. When I played.

[Pat McAfee]

The SEC loves it down there. They do the sec.

[Gumpy]

It is a big deal.

[Ty Schmidt]

It is different, but you do it like the NFL. Like, I mean, you. You win your division, you don't have a division championship game at the end of the year. It's just based off of your entire season.

[AJ Hawk]

And it.

[Pat McAfee]

How much money are they making these.

[AJ Hawk]

Well, that. It made sense, too, when there was like, you know, and all the. There was like, the north and the south or the east and the west or whatever. But, like, now it's just. It's just one division. There aren't two sides anymore.

[Boston Connor]

And the money thing, I mean, the. Maybe you can just say it's based on the teams that were in it, but, like, the tickets to the Big Ten championship.

[Pat McAfee]

20 bucks. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Like, I mean, the SEC sponsorship, though. Yeah, sponsorship.

[Pat McAfee]

Dr. Pepper. How?

[Gumpy]

Bad stuff.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know, TV deal.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, we have.

[AJ Hawk]

The CBS is paying for that game.

[Pat McAfee]

And I think it's become very clear that college football is the number two sport in the United States of America. Yes. Number two by far. Yeah. But it's been a fact for years now, but now it's like, being understood, like, the NFL is number one. College football is the number two sport in the United States of America. And then we'll fall down.

[Boston Connor]

It's a battle for three at this point.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo. Yeah. The NHL has chance.

[Boston Connor]

They're going. I love watching it. ESPN plus makes it so much easier.

[Pat McAfee]

They have a chance. Now. The NBA, I think, is acknowledging their issue, though, you know, and I think that's big for the NBA now. Those numbers, obviously monstrous and awesome for college ball. TNT and MOX pulling an average of 6.4 million viewers for something that's huge. Think about what is on tnt, where they try to put people together to make a big number. Think about golf, you know, think about everything that they've tried to do to make a big number, create a big number. Put all these stars together to do something, whether it was the NBA and maybe the Inside the NBA show. Those are biggest stars. Shaq, biggest star on Charles Barkley, biggest star. I mean, you're talking LeBron, everybody. They're trying to put that thing together. To average 6.4 million viewers between the SMU must mustangs in the Penn State Ninny Lions, obviously both very good football teams and everything like that. Penn State has a huge alumni and base and SMU has their own. But that's the sport drawing that, that's like college football drawing these eyes as opposed to necessarily the stars. And then 8.6 million for the same thing against an NFL game. It's like that is huge for anything, let alone football first football crime, you know, like this is happening at the same time as professional football. Take it. But it's like college ball is awesome.

[Ty Schmidt]

And those, those, those two TNT games, like those weren't just any NFL games. That was Chiefs, Texans and Steelers, Ravens.

[Pat McAfee]

Like those were big fan bases.

[Ty Schmidt]

Big fan bases they're going up against there now.

[Pat McAfee]

Not really college fan bases though.

[Ty Schmidt]

No. But if those NFL games weren't on.

[Pat McAfee]

They'Ll definitely be watching.

[Ty Schmidt]

Those are football fan base.

[Pat McAfee]

And I saw some people saying that they messed this up and you can't be doing it. It's like Christmas on Wednesday is not going to happen. So next year, whenever Christmas is on Thursday, the Saturday is going to be wide open. So that College Football playoff slate is going to be gigantic. The NFL can kind of pick and choose what it wants to go. Once again, pecking order number one in the entire thing.

[Ty Schmidt]

This episode is brought to you by Lifelock. The holidays mean more travel, more shopping.

[AJ Hawk]

More time online, and more personal info.

[Ty Schmidt]

In places that could expose you to identity theft. That's why Lifelock monitors millions of data points every second. If your identity is stolen, their US based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Get more holiday fun and less holiday worry with Lifelock.

[AJ Hawk]

Save up to 40% your first year.

[Ty Schmidt]

Visit lifelock.com podcast terms apply when it comes to towing.

[Boston Connor]

Seeing is believing.

[Pat McAfee]

That's why Chevy Truck's advanced camera offers up to eight available cameras for 14 unique views.

[Boston Connor]

So you can focus on the view that really matters. Chevrolet Together, let's drive. Learn more about chevy [e-mail] safety or driver assistance features are no substitute for the driver's responsibility to operate the vehicle in a safe manner. Read the vehicle owner's manual for important.

[Pat McAfee]

Feature limitations and information. I just saw a tweet from somebody I don't know. Mike Mulvihil, insights and analytics at Fox TV he says for what it's worth, widely reported reach of 65 million for the historic record shattering Netflix doubleheader is down 20% from last year's 81.4 million for Christmas games on CBS and Fox. Obviously the record breaking 65 million viewers on a streaming platform as as opposed to bunny ears that is available everywhere. But I think what Michael Mulvihil wanted people to know is, hey, Linear, still got. Still got the juice. Yeah, still got the juice. You know, everybody thinks tomorrow's here, but when is it actually going to get here when it's all just streaming platforms. I actually had to think about that a lot when I was trying to decide what we were going to do with our program, you know, because we were just a streaming show. And then I wanted to go to a network to get a lot of help. You know, like, booking would be cool to help with us. I'm getting sued by people like every three weeks seemingly on this. It'd be nice to have a network help us there and then like production on site at places and being able to go live without us having to put together a full Zito production and rental a space and yada yada, yada. So going to a network was a decision that was like, would like a tag team partner, you know, has all of it happened? No, I would say no. But like, there has been a lot of benefit. But one of the other thoughts was like, linear TV still matters a lot and like, when will it not matter? Is that 5 years? Is that 10 years? Is that 20 years from now? When does linear TV stop mattering? People think it's like happening next week. I don't, I don't think that's true at all. I don't, I don't think that's true at all. But when is that day? I think the day is inevitable. But when is it?

[AJ Hawk]

I don't think it's going to be until it's kids who are growing up who never had tv, who just had like, you know, we all grew up having TV and like our kids will have tv. I mean, it's going to be closer to like Netflix and stuff like that. But, you know, like, we always assume, like, why everybody has Netflix. Like, no, they don't, but everyone can plug either the bunny ears in or just something straight from their wall and get CBS and Fox. Like, I think it'll be another. I mean they're obviously going to keep going towards this, but it's going to be another 20, 25 years before there is no cable.

[Pat McAfee]

How do they calculate YouTube TV numbers for linear ratings? Because obviously there's a lot of linear channels on there. When it's a four box or three.

[AJ Hawk]

Box, I have no idea. That's a good question.

[Boston Connor]

Like, I think you get one for each, don't you? Because if you click into it, you can rewind that specific box.

[Pat McAfee]

But YouTube TV knows the exact amount of people that are watching everything. Nielsen is just a projection, right? Nielsen, old school. Nielsen used to be just a projection of the people that have the black box and don't have the black box. And then per capita for every person that has the black box. What is that math? To equate what they. It's an interesting system they've been using for ratings that has been controlling a lot of money for a long time. This whole. Well, we think because this amount of black boxes in there, we'll multiply that by this amount. And then how many people are watching in each home? Total audience delivered. Math equation as well. It's like, has anybody ever really known. Has anybody ever.

[Gumpy]

Huge impact on everything too. Think of like all those you hear actors talk about when they were first on a show like Friends or whatever. Like, oh, it got killed. We had terrible ratings. I don't know Friends did or not. But I have heard like actors talk about. And then eventually the ratings coming. Oh, then we're doing a six number. Whatever. They talk about the number that they're getting. And that depends on if you get picked up for another season. Season. Like it's. It's crazy who is. Who's at the top controlling it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. But now all the self report. YouTube Also, like Netflix has partnered with Nielsen. So I don't know what kind of racket Nielsen is running, but they seem to have a monopoly on this thing because Prime. Right. Did self reporting whenever they were doing Thursday Night Football there for. Yeah. And I don't know if Nielsen's teamed up with prime as well. But like they could have technically said.

[Gumpy]

And whatever they want.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo. Because people could have been on prime shopping their phone number. That was like whenever we did the NFL over in London, I went and spoke at like the kickoff thing. Cool. To be asked to do it downtown London. They shut down a very important road.

[Ty Schmidt]

Beale Street, Peccadilly.

[Pat McAfee]

That's in Memphis. Walking in Memphis. That's what they're doing. That's Beale Street. I don't think it was Beale street in London, but an important street. I don't know what. It was cool to be asked to be a part of, especially as a punter felt it was honored. I go out there and speak, you know, I got the microphone, so I'm literally looking out at the crowd. I'm like, oh, it's a pretty good crowd. Pretty good crowd. Pretty good crowd. It was a pretty crowd for a Saturday, you know. Yeah, that's what I. That's how I took it. Then I was told like two days later, 750,000 people were at that thing. I'm like, that was not 700. What I was looking at was not 750,000 or whatever. I think they just counted every human that was walking in London at the time in which the celebration was. I legitimately.

[Gumpy]

So many people. That is so many people.

[Pat McAfee]

That's why, like, I forget the number. They said some ridiculous number and I was actually standing on the stage looking at the crowd. Had been in front of crowds before. Pretty good sized crowds, you know, thousands of people I've been in front of. So I was like, ah, this is pretty. This is a good crowd. Like, good for the NFL getting. I was actually excited to hear what the number was, which is why I like looked into it. And then the number they said, I was like, okay, is the WWE announcing who. Who's doing the. Who's doing the. The numbers in this entire thing. So I like, prime could have done that, you know, cuz like anybody that's on there, I think they said 11 million at one point and it was like 13 million. Yeah. And I forget how the number went steady.

[Boston Connor]

Like 2 million.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, but that's them saying it. It's like, how long did the person watch? What did they watch? What matters? What doesn't matter. I'm intrigued on how you figure out what has interest and what doesn't have interests going forward. Because on the Internet, usually there's a scoreboard. Like in YouTube on X, there's a scoreboard. Instagram. Even though you can take off the scoreboard, there's a scoreboard. All these things have scoreboards. But these platforms and streaming services, just like tv, it's all kind of like, you know, kind of like what we say it is that. You're not going to believe this, but Amazon also has a partnership with Nielsen. Not for everything, though. Select programming. And one of those things is Thursday Night Football on Prime Video.

[Ty Schmidt]

Does Nielsen get paid to report?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Who is Nielsen?

[Pat McAfee]

So much power.

[Ty Schmidt]

Liam is his first name.

[Gumpy]

Oh, yeah, he died.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, no, no.

[Boston Connor]

Died.

[AJ Hawk]

No, no, he's alive.

[Gumpy]

I'm thinking the guy from Naked Gun.

[Pat McAfee]

Holy.

[AJ Hawk]

Leslie Nielsen.

[Pat McAfee]

Leslie, rest in peace.

[Ty Schmidt]

Is there any tie to Cisco and.

[AJ Hawk]

Eaver for Nielsen, Siskel and E. Probably they're dead.

[Gumpy]

E, right.

[Boston Connor]

E V E R Cisco and Beaver and they're reincarnated.

[Pat McAfee]

Music with our own Debo Siskel, Ebert and Debo.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, yeah. Bones got his own ranking system.

[Pat McAfee]

Bone deserves to be a voter for some country music.

[AJ Hawk]

CMAs.

[Boston Connor]

How many bones?

[Gumpy]

So he's just Die hard country guy.

[Pat McAfee]

Is that Die Hard? No idea. Die Hard.

[Boston Connor]

Neither did we.

[Pat McAfee]

He takes a stance, too. He's not happy about it. He's not happy about it. You know, he's not happy about it. He just likes. He likes people paying their respects to country music.

[AJ Hawk]

Exactly.

[Boston Connor]

Authenticity.

[Pat McAfee]

He's an. Whoa. It's not a bad song, actually. He's Tone Diggs. You want to do a giveaway?

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, absolutely, brother.

[Pat McAfee]

AP Tone obviously, like, big time.

[AJ Hawk]

Kind of his Super Bowl, Right?

[Pat McAfee]

Valuable.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

How would we have best ever known.

[AJ Hawk]

If Acho didn't do that video?

[Pat McAfee]

He was trying to inform sports people. I was.

[Kyle Van Noy]

I didn't know.

[Pat McAfee]

I told you guys earlier today. He said some people make a video. You watch 10 seconds, you say, okay, I'm out of here. Probably me. People watch my videos. They give me. Ocho starts talking. It's hard to exit.

[AJ Hawk]

It is.

[Pat McAfee]

It's hard to exit.

[Boston Connor]

Good orator.

[Pat McAfee]

Especially when it's like a happy birthday to himself. And he shows like a house.

[Boston Connor]

See Gump.

[Pat McAfee]

There's. Gump's taking a shot.

[Gumpy]

Gump seems to. Yeah, Gump seems to be taking a few shots, actually.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's Gump. That's gumpy football.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, that is gumpy football out there. Tone, what will you attempt to do, you think at this point?

[Ty Schmidt]

Anything. Basketball.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay. So it won't be dunking. All right. A.J. was hoping for a. Duncan's not shooting a holiday. Duncan dunk. He said anything.

[Gumpy]

Maybe drop stuff from the block and dunk.

[Pat McAfee]

He said anything with a basketball. I do believe I did. Do you want to throw a football?

[Ty Schmidt]

I will throw a football.

[AJ Hawk]

Fire pigs.

[Pat McAfee]

You gotta throw it into the hoop, though. I think the Jasmine square is too big, don't you? I mean, it is too easy.

[Boston Connor]

And Tony played.

[Gumpy]

You guys were playing every day, right?

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. In peewee football.

[Boston Connor]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Diggs was quarterback and he also catcher. Yeah, he forget he was catcher for a number one team in a state.

[Boston Connor]

Country. I thought.

[Pat McAfee]

Where were you guys in the country? Do you remember what you were ranked in the country? A lot of microphones.

[Ty Schmidt]

24.

[Pat McAfee]

24 in country. Holy.

[Gumpy]

The Mustangs were Mustangs.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. It was a big deal. Big Talking point.

[Gumpy]

Nice.

[Pat McAfee]

I think you guys ran Neil Walker right in playoffs.

[Ty Schmidt]

Is that that year we played Neil Walker? Well, he would. He didn't play in the game right before the playoffs. He had got into. He was raising some hell. The night before Classic. We ran into Central, I believe, or Mount Lebo. One of those.

[Boston Connor]

They went Big Mountain, Mount Lebo.

[Pat McAfee]

They were seeing the baseball.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, they go.

[Pat McAfee]

That team was seeing the baseball. That was. You guys had a great year. That was a fun year to follow along with. I want to let you know that I enjoyed that was most. I enjoyed baseball my entire life was that year with them. Yeah. One one mic. Front's off. Nick doesn't want you to talk. Talk about it.

[Boston Connor]

Nothing like it. Like games when your hometown teams like your hometown high school has a great team and you're not on it, you just get to go and cheer. It is so much fun.

[Pat McAfee]

I almost got beat up at a couple of those games because I did.

[Ty Schmidt]

That for volleyball for.

[Nick Saban]

For past.

[Pat McAfee]

Bingo. Yeah, good. We had good time. We had a good team. Basketball too, but same exact thing. We. We would go.

[Boston Connor]

So fun.

[Pat McAfee]

The ending of that baseball season was not supposed to happen the way it ended, though. Just like the volleyball season. I guess I almost got my ass beat at one of those games. I happened upon the wrong guy from the other school and he did not like me going into that game. I guess. I don't know how he knew I was going to be there. Geez Louise. He had friends. That was some of my best talking I've ever done in my life. Wait, you're fighting right here. Is that what we're going to do?

[AJ Hawk]

Let's do it.

[Pat McAfee]

He said, not just me. And then he had two friends pop.

[Boston Connor]

Up and was like, where'd they come from?

[Pat McAfee]

All my friends are playing in this game. Let's. All right. I guess we're going to do this. Is this. Is this. I had to back. I had to. I had to. Really. I'd really do some song a day. I'll see you after the game. Obviously. Dance away. That would have been bad day for old B. Those guys were mad. I've never seen them that mad.

[AJ Hawk]

That baseball game, I think we made.

[Pat McAfee]

Up since then though. I want to let you boys know you had me there for a little bit. You had me. You had me on my heels. You knew it. You saw it. You had me on my heels there. You caught me in a moment. Hockey game. I mean, that was deck hockey. Those are just brawls in the parking lot. You're signing up for?

[AJ Hawk]

Well, you got Joe Hadley trying to kill guys out there stands, and it was crazy.

[Pat McAfee]

Supporting your friends was really dangerous back in the day in eastern or western Pennsylvania, the east hills of Pittsburgh.

[Ty Schmidt]

Well, we supported aggressively.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we were very supportive. We were very supportive. Those deck hockey. Do you guys have ball hockey in Ohio?

[Gumpy]

No, I played a little roller hockey with. With my blades on, but we never had, like, the official deck hockey thing like you guys.

[Pat McAfee]

That would have been awesome. I think there's different. Roller hockey is one, ball hockey is another. And then obviously ice hockey is the one that those of us who can't skater afford.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

The real hotbeds were Boston, Jersey, Pittsburgh, and Philly. So a lot of scumbag cities would.

[Boston Connor]

Get together and just brawl on the weekends.

[Pat McAfee]

You would. You. Would you go to one of those games and be like, all right, not playing today, but going to leave here with.

[Gumpy]

Where would you play, though? Where would they play?

[Pat McAfee]

Literally, the Pen Hills deck was. You would drive up a hill and then you go down into a valley, back into a corner, and it was like, literally just trapped. You're just trapped in this area. And the only way out was one walkway into a parking lot.

[Ty Schmidt]

Kind of like the Rose bowl setup.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, it was exactly like the Rose bowl setup. Just kind of white trashy because it's deck hockey. So you go down in there and it's like, who knows how you're getting out of here.

[Ty Schmidt]

It was outdoor, too. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. And Joey Hum, though haddlebags was always doing something that would at least give a ooh from you, but it's somebody else's friend that just got hit on the other side. And then there's the. It's like, all right, here we go. Phil's ice hockey team. Geez. The Plum Mustangs. Phil was a goon out there. I mean, Phil's just laying people out, so obviously I'm punching the boards. People are pissed off about that. I'll see you outside. Oh, great. Everybody was seeing me out. Side never ends. It was hard to support your friends back then. I wonder if it's like that now. No, guarantee it.

[Gumpy]

I mean, that's back when you used to meet. Dude, hey, like, what's going on? Oh, well, you know, Timmy's meeting Jimmy. They're fighting at the woods at 5pm like, that was legit happening on a consistent basis.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, everybody stands around.

[Gumpy]

Everyone comes around and watches.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, those are good old days. Did you hear they were shooting them in Rova Mall? Just not allegedly shooting in the Robo mall. Shut it down. That was our mall we hung out at.

[Ty Schmidt]

It's another Tuesday.

[Pat McAfee]

Big brawls at the Monrovo mall.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

I mean, it was all it was. Every time you left the house, there was a chance you were gonna get into it. Boy, what a different time. What a different time.

[AJ Hawk]

Bus stop brawls in grade school. Yeah, that was just non stop.

[Pat McAfee]

Working the jab young is a good move, working the jab because inevitably it's gonna get. You're gonna get held apart. So getting a couple. Couple good shots in so you don't leave empty handed, if you will, is a good play. But if you run into a big. Like the older dudes used to get it, that cocky was big with the older guys being there. And that was like last generation was still there waiting on us to kind of get through. That was when you would have a potential problem. That was when it's like these guys got reach, experience and a grizzled veteran jaw. Yeah, yeah.

[Ty Schmidt]

And they got a six.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. That's how you got back when you were like 14, 15. You start playing in the upper leagues against like the over 30 and like 25 year olds and 30 year old dudes. These guys are roofers during the day.

[Boston Connor]

Jobs and families and taking their aggression.

[Pat McAfee]

Out on you when you run by them.

[Boston Connor]

They didn't like it.

[Pat McAfee]

They'll hack you. Oh, look at the little. All right, can you tell me when we're playing this team again? I'm not gonna come. Good luck. I'm not gonna come support this anyways. On that note, it's nice to be able to support ten right now. It is, isn't it?

[Boston Connor]

Let's go. Tone.

[Pat McAfee]

Telling All I want you to do is put that football into this hoop. Now. It is a Diggs Christmas today.

[AJ Hawk]

It is.

[Pat McAfee]

It is a very paisan Christmas here in Indianapolis, Indiana. And I'm sure the people that live here could notice there's a couple more Italians in town. The deji is have made their way to Indianapolis to celebrate Christmas and coaches here. And I know coach would say, hey, Tone, you spit in that pig skin, put it in that basketball hoop right over there. Bison grazi. 50 people, $500. Wow. God, on this feel good Friday to only do it for yourself. Do it for Christmas. Do it for Jesus Christ. Do it for the Italian. Oh, man. And the touch seem to be real. He's not wearing any shoes. He's got the no show socks on. Looks cool. We can see them right now. They are showing off. Merry Christmas to the de Julios. Merry Christmas to the Italians. And Merry Christmas to the 35 people that win 500 when Tone Diggs puts this ball.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, you're seeing it.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

This is the one.

[Gumpy]

Weird release, though. What an awkward release. That's good.

[Pat McAfee]

What are you talking about?

[Gumpy]

Very, like, nonchalant with it. Very casual release.

[Pat McAfee]

Casual release. He said he's throwing it like a loaf of bread is what he's saying. Casual.

[Ty Schmidt]

People say it's an effort. Phillips Thrower, A.J.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, that's what.

[Gumpy]

Hey, I'm seeing it firsthand.

[Pat McAfee]

You gotta remember this guy's pop time.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah. Best in the state.

[Pat McAfee]

Led the 24th team in the country at one point. In baseball, Tone also a fantastic quarterback. Back in the day when I played for the Plum Young football team, sure, Tone Diggs was spinning it all over the yard. Caught an outpass from town, took that thing to the crib. See, you only played like four weeks. Some of the best times I've ever had. And Tone led the team. Tone led the team. I played safety back there. Tone was linebacker, doing his thing. He was quarterback. I played a little running back. Had me an offensive line the first week because I was a big guy that could move. Didn't love that move. Sure, sure. Didn't love that.

[Boston Connor]

Classic.

[Pat McAfee]

But I can move. I move some bodies. I think I got there on like a Friday. First game was Saturday because of my size. They put pads on me, put me at offensive line.

[AJ Hawk]

You play tackle, son.

[Pat McAfee]

It's the middle soccer season. Obviously doing pretty good at soccer. Soccer at this time. Pretty good. Pretty good soccer. So we had Plum Young football practice. Was not what it was called.

[AJ Hawk]

Sure.

[Pat McAfee]

Plum football practice. I think that was like. I don't know if it was Tuesdays or Thursdays or Mondays and Wednesdays. Whatever it was.

[Ty Schmidt]

I thought we were every day.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, Mondays, Wednesdays I was able to make because I had Tuesday, Thursday, soccer. So it was Monday, Wednesday, and then Friday was like a practice, weigh in type thing. And I get there on Friday because I was at a baseball field, I think in the football. Football field was on the other side. Walk over there they go, hey, you want to play football? My friends are playing on too, but sure, they put pads on me. I'm the biggest guy. I'm just blocking people, you know, pass set. You don't really have to be that good at that age. Put me in a game next day. Then on Monday we start running sprints and I'm, you know, move your soccer.

[Gumpy]

You're in soccer shape. Yeah, you're good.

[Pat McAfee]

I'm moving and Coach Napolitano, I believe, alongside coach De Gilio. Super Italian operation. Obviously. He goes, we get this guy a ball. I play running back, wide receiver. I was safety, punt returner, kick returner for like three, four weeks. Then I took a shot, hit some concrete, skinned up my entire leg. And the soccer team was like, what are we.

[AJ Hawk]

What are you doing?

[Boston Connor]

No more of this.

[Pat McAfee]

How we should have played football. I think no, soccer ended up working out very well for me long term. But that team had hope. We were a good team.

[Ty Schmidt]

Great team.

[Pat McAfee]

That was where I met the Quay. Qu was a dog. Dog Qu's in jail right now. I found that out because Oz the Mentalist told me to think of a teammate's name from way back in the day, any sport. And I thought the Quay. Cuz the Quay used to drive me to a lot of these practices with his brother D Rob and his whole family. And I just immediately thought, o ain't gonna guess this one, buddy. Good luck. And he goes, oh, interesting name. That's what I said. I was like, yes. He goes, is there a Q in this name? And I'm like, this motherfucker. He's like, duckway? Yep. It was Daquay, wasn't it? I'm like, how the do you know? So then I looked up to Quay. I was in jail. I don't know if he did what he they're saying he did, but they certainly said he did some serious stuff. Okay, De, if you're watching, I don't know if you can be, but had some nice fond memories of, you know what it was like way back in the day. He was a dog. De Quay, the Rob was a beast too. You remember Da Rob? Great football player. Used to hear him. The Rob with a over the Plum Mustangs.

[AJ Hawk]

Great name, great names.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. The Robin De Quay.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And the dad was dumb, man.

[Boston Connor]

That's not his name, the guy.

[Pat McAfee]

But he was, he was the guy. He was a good guy. Now, ladies and gentlemen, former two sport athlete for the Plum Mustangs, D1 athlete for the Duquesne Dukes, a man who was pop time rival Jason Kendall's in the city of Pittsburgh. Can he become a guy that can win 30 people 500. All he's got to do, Connor, is.

[Boston Connor]

What put that football on that hoop right over there.

[Pat McAfee]

Right over there. Huh? How are you doing right now?

[Boston Connor]

I got a shit so bad. I'm doing good.

[Pat McAfee]

If you make this shot, show ends 30 people win 500. Conor's pants stay clean. All you gotta do is put that ball into that hoop. Right over there. Tone. Do it for the people. Do it for Conor. Do it for his pants. Show goes on and we take the tractor. Another round, another round, another round. Last ball here, Toe.

[Boston Connor]

I mean AP voter. Throw the Duke.

[Pat McAfee]

Now people are talking about Reuben throwing that fastball and.

[Gumpy]

Oh, whose people? Who's doing that?

[Pat McAfee]

Ty. Ty. Mostly Ty. I don't know if you heard the first hour. Ty was. Oh yeah, had a little bit of a festivus for fanatics. You know, a little bit of an airing of grievances for everything he's seen and been a part of. But he said that this was the moment that he knew.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, the next one's worse.

[Gumpy]

I mean it is throwing. He's throwing gas a little bit. Looks pretty fast.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, he's. Yeah, eight feet away.

[Pat McAfee]

He don't have time to work on his throw. Obviously. He's got businesses to maintain.

[Boston Connor]

I don't know how you do that.

[AJ Hawk]

Don't run a. A billion dollar sports company then if you throw a baseball like that.

[Pat McAfee]

Okay, well he'll get better at throwing the baseball and fanatics understands. I think that is a tough thing to get better at.

[Gumpy]

Born with that. You're kind of born with that. You know, I think a little bit.

[Pat McAfee]

No, his work ethic. Obvious. Fanatics is going to get better. We assume.

[AJ Hawk]

Wasn't he all time quarterback on the beach at the white party with you know, Tommy's team and the other guys too.

[Pat McAfee]

Who are the other guys?

[AJ Hawk]

I remember he said who's who? Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Remember they had funny shirts. One guy had a cool shirt too.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, Drew can't go deep. You ever seen him running those? He. He always wears those Jesus sandals.

[Boston Connor]

He can move.

[Pat McAfee]

He can move. He's much more athletic than I think anybody gives him credit for.

[Boston Connor]

He was a big dude. He was running around with Reuben in full Patriots pads.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, with the Jesus sandals.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Drew ski was wide open.

[Boston Connor]

Look good.

[Pat McAfee]

He did look good. Tell him why don't you look good for the program?

[Nick Saban]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

There's Drew. Look at moving. Yeah. Well, Ruben. Reuben got the angle on him. He's in cleats. Full cleats. I don't know. To be clear. Very.

[Boston Connor]

That's Ruben. That's not Edelman.

[Gumpy]

Are you sure that's not jewels?

[Boston Connor]

Like jewels. We sure care.

[Pat McAfee]

You're right. I don't.

[Gumpy]

I just assume it is jewels. Okay, that's a thought.

[Pat McAfee]

I just assumed it was Reuben run out one more time. I mean jus is keeping up with Julian Adam in there.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

That's crazy.

[Gumpy]

Look at that. Gate on, Jules. Arm pump, knee drive. That's pretty.

[Pat McAfee]

Fanatics is going to get better as well. Fanatics is going to get better. We don't know about the throw. Could potentially. But fanatics will get better because they understand that sports fans are very passionate. Sports fans invest everything they have into some of these things. And a jersey can change a life.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Literally can change the future. But when it shows up with the wrong city, wrong name hole in it.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, exactly. Numbers peeling off.

[Boston Connor]

Numbers switch.

[Pat McAfee]

People are going to complain. Yeah, that's just how it goes whenever you're dealing with people's money. Speaking of people's money, why don't you make 25 people $500, Richard Jones. All you gotta do is put that football into that hoop right over there.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, that was the one.

[Boston Connor]

Had a lot of good throws.

[Gumpy]

He's all the good throw, the Duke. I remember telling. Running through that he. I know you can't hear me, but he remember when he ran through the blaster when you guys went to the Colts training camp, like, he looked legit. He looked explosive.

[Pat McAfee]

AJ Brought up the great time of when you ran through the blaster at the Colts training camp. You remember that drop shoulder?

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, brought. Brought the.

[Pat McAfee]

Brought.

[Gumpy]

I'm serious, though. I'm not messing around.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. You could tell the guy played football before. He had met that device before. There's some people that show up at a football practice and they go, this will be fun. And they have no idea what's coming.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, they don't know.

[Nick Saban]

You gotta.

[Pat McAfee]

You need.

[Gumpy]

You need to gain some speed before you get into that thing.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, people that try to push the sled too, they're like, oh, I'll push the sled here. And that thing turn up and sideways. It's like, nope, you are not gonna be pushing that. And you need a little bit more leverage on that. Same with the blaster. And he. He was nothing short of impressed on. He said, think about how athletic you are. Think about how tough. Tough you are. Think about how cool you are. Think about how great this the Julia Christmas is going to be with coaching. The pepperoni is Mikey.

[AJ Hawk]

Oh, Mikey, the rolls.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, my God. So much paisan. How about the pastries? Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Pumpkin rolls.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, my.

[AJ Hawk]

No pepper.

[Pat McAfee]

I remember when we used to get those at the office. We used to coach. We don't know where they be. That's way off. All right. Nobody wins one more tone. Dead big study, people.

[Boston Connor]

Holy.

[Pat McAfee]

Best attempt with the Russell Wilson endorsing fitness. That's because Russell Wilson ace his quarterback.

[AJ Hawk]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

Speaking of quarterbacks, you can talk about that. Fade away there. Anthony Richardson has missed practice for a second straight day with a back foot injury. Sorry boys that we don't know was. Don't worry about Tone. You did great.

[Boston Connor]

Baby Tone.

[Pat McAfee]

Anthony Richardson was seen in practice today standing watching the quarterbacks throw pat and go during the open media portion. He's potentially at for his third game missing this year of an injury. But with the what I saw at practice, the video that I saw from James Boyd I believe of the athletic. He's great. He's very good.

[AJ Hawk]

Romeoville kid.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, him, he's very good. He gets all the shit. Like he asks all the questions that everybody has. So I'm very appreciative of the work that he has done. He had video of practice. Anthony Richardson wearing his five red jersey standing in the middle of the field while Patton goes happening with Sam and Flacco. He's standing out there in the middle of the field. If it's a back injury, they wouldn't have him standing in the cold in the middle. Right. Because the back can flare up any time and the fact that he's standing foot you think would be okay. There's something else he could be doing. So maybe they're just resting him going in but missing fast Friday is certainly a decision and we might be seeing Colts without Anthony Richardson this weekend in the Colts are very much still lurking lurking in this entire playoff picture. I'll be kind of optimistic about it because of what he's doing there in practice but certainly something to keep an eye on. Also Jalen Hurts misses another practice and basically everybody is reporting. It seems like a long shot that Jalen Hurts is going to be back for the Philadelphia Eagles. Obviously they are still in conversation of number one overall seed. The Philadelphia Eagles are on this historic record breaking type season. There's been a lot of drama but that's Philadelphia Eagle football. He gets a concussion. Last two weeks ago Kenny Pick or last week Kenny Pickett comes in, he also gets hurt. So Jalen Hurts still missed in practice, still in the protocol. Certainly alarming age. Certainly alarming.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, certainly alarming. But I mean just figure out what the regular rest like the rest of the season, the regular season, get your head feeling right heading into the playoffs. Obviously we know it's pivotal but yeah, you would hope he would get back in the lineup now but I'm sure they'd be very, very cautious with this return.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I yeah. And then you think about like the Kansas City Chiefs. We talked about this before we went live. They've already locked down number one overall seed home field advantage. I assume there's some escalators and contracts and streaks that can continue, especially in the middle of what they're in the middle of. But these last two weeks, how do they treat it? And the boys brought up preseason.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, exactly. The Chiefs play their guys in preseason, you know, every single game. Who knows if they're going to play the entire game against the Broncos. And I'm not sure if it's on the road or at home, but either way, you would assume most of the starters, the ones who aren't banged up. Like Schefter mentioned. Chris Jones, like, he is a little banged up, didn't play on Christmas. He's probably not going to, like, push it to go. But the guys that aren't banged up like the normal dudes, they're probably going to play, you know, the first half. I would assume maybe a quarter. Like, I. I would guess more so that they would want to play, especially if there are escalators for some guys like that need to get 90 catches or 100, like, whatever the hell it's supposed to be.

[Pat McAfee]

I watched an awesome couple plays get drawn up for Dallas Clark to get some catches because he needed, like, two, and then I think Reggie needed one. They're playing running back. We're running a little wheel here. Don't you worry about it. Bang, pow, poem. And then we're getting out of here. Those are the things that you earn, by the way, if you earn the number one overall seed and earn the opportunity to make those decisions. They're not easy ones, though, because everything we've been talking about with college football, like, if you rest guys and then they come back in their crop, well, that's poor. Why would you ever do that? And then if you play guys and they get hurt, well, why would you ever do that? It's like, you know, never. Never a definitive answer on how this works out.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, it's a good problem to have, I guess, but it is. It is something you have to address. I've done it both. When I was in Green Bay, obviously, I had Aaron Rodgers, the quarterback. We won a lot of games, so we had times where the last game or so. I know there's times when Aaron didn't really play the last game in the regular season. We go in with a buy, and then all of a sudden, boom, we get beat in the first round of the playoffs. The year we won the super bowl, we squeaked our way into the Playoffs by winning our last two regular season games and then won three games on the road to get to the Super Bowl. So, yeah, it doesn't. There's no, like, exact way to do it. There's many different ways.

[Pat McAfee]

And then you think about that, like, that Baltimore Ravens team, the way they're talking, they. They're. They have to win because they had so many losses early. They're playing for their seating, for their road, for everything. And it's like, I think they like it that they have no other option, you know, because there's not even a conversation of whether or not they should wrestle more. It's like, nah, we're trying to get a hat this Sunday. Let's keep it rolling and play the games in front of us. It's an added distraction. Whether. Whether it's a good one or not is certainly a conversation, but it's certainly an added decision that has to be made.

[AJ Hawk]

It was a couple years ago when the Packers. It was the year. Bakhtiari was kind of like Willy Woney all year with his knee. He played the last week of the season against the Lions and then wasn't available first weekend of the playoffs against the Niners, and it killed him. It was like it was the reason they lost the game pretty much.

[Pat McAfee]

It's crazy because if you do, you're bad. If you don't, you're bad. If you end up pointing. Nobody remembers any of it exactly. Like, we rested starters last two weeks because we had number one seed locked up in my rookie season. I say we because I just so happened to wear a uniform on that team. I didn't make any decision or was the reason why we won or lost any games or super bowl, which is cool with me. A lot of people get blamed for us losing that Super Bowl. I'm not one of them. So it's a lot better than wish we would have won it. That would have been great. But my name's kept out of the car, and that's how it should be as a punter. But I remember if we would have lost that first game, everybody would have just killed Bill Polian for wrestling. Why would you slow down this team? But instead, we win, we win, we go all the way to the Super Bowl. Then we lose to Drew Brees after having a lead at halftime in the Saints. And it's like, I don't think anybody looked back on the last two games of the season as a reason for why we lost the Super Bowl. So as long as you make it, nobody will care what you do. But if you lose before you get there, everybody's judging you. And even though you're the number one overall seed or could have been the one over se overall seed. Let's get this guy the out of here. Maybe not Andre, though. Andre might have earned up the love for K. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Plus you're just looking for a reason at that point like that. It's not. There's. There's no. Usually it's just cuz the other team won the game.

[Pat McAfee]

I hope these games get better, though.

[AJ Hawk]

They will. Playoffs are going to be awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

I think they will.

[Boston Connor]

I mean, Bengals, Broncos, going to be a great.

[Gumpy]

Good on good. We'll be fine.

[Pat McAfee]

All right, let's get the hell out of here. Let's have a great weekend, boys.

[AJ Hawk]

Hell yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Everybody stay healthy.

[Gumpy]

Friday. What a weird Friday.

[Boston Connor]

So weird.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, we had a weekend already in the middle of the week. Cuz we're lazy. Yeah, it's weird.

[Gumpy]

No, it's cuz old jc we're celebrating.

[Pat McAfee]

Great haircut on Monday.

[Boston Connor]

Jesus Christ.

[Gumpy]

Yeah, yeah, that's what I meant.

[Pat McAfee]

My big pop. Yeah, yeah. Big, big pop out of May. All right. It was. Been a lot of fun. Yeah, it is weird. Yesterday I was going to bed and it felt like it was going to be a two, you know, Monday Night Football. Yeah, exactly. And we had prime time football.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah. So it was hard not to do that. We want to let everybody know. We'll miss you too. We'll miss you too.

[AJ Hawk]

That's right.

[Pat McAfee]

I feel like psa maybe for those at home. Let's be loading up on the vitamins this weekend. Okay. Let's start getting. Combating whatever is certainly coming for our office was Deboned, the first one to bring it in here potentially. And I've been saying it's definitely his fault. We're all gonna get it, but the world, I think, is potentially getting it right now, that season, whatever it is. So let's make sure we're vitamin D up. Let's make sure we're taking care of ourselves. Let's make sure we're washing our hands. Let's make sure we're not making eye contact with people. Yeah, let's go back and do it all. It's not handshake. Let's do six. No, I'm joking. I think you're gonna get it whether you like it or not.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

That's the time of year we're in. Let's hope that we don't get the bad version of it. And to our friends that are currently Going through any type of sickness. Obviously we're not talking about real ones. We're talking about like the seasonal that comes and goes. We apologize that you're 24. 48 hours are going to suck. Yeah. And they are going to suck. Yep. You're just kind of putting on a.

[AJ Hawk]

Day and a half fluids. A lot of fluids.

[Boston Connor]

Water.

[Pat McAfee]

Hydrate.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

And wash your hands.

[AJ Hawk]

Yes, yes.

[Boston Connor]

Sanitize.

[Pat McAfee]

Guys, let's wash our hands.

[Boston Connor]

Emergency.

[Pat McAfee]

Let's wash our hands.

[Nick Saban]

Emergency is good.

[Pat McAfee]

But then there's people that'll come out and say it's actually terrible for you. Yeah. I'm not even.

[Gumpy]

No matter what you do.

[Pat McAfee]

We know too much. Stupid. We know too much. This person, very qualified on subject at hand saying this. This person, very qualified on subject at hand saying the direct opposite. And all it is is a difference of one scroll or two scrolls. So what do I know?

[AJ Hawk]

What are you going to do?

[Gumpy]

That's life.

[Pat McAfee]

That's life. It is, isn't it?

[AJ Hawk]

It is.

[Pat McAfee]

We're lucky to have this life, aren't we?

[AJ Hawk]

Hell yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Cuz it could be different. You know where we could be? Where? Dead.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

In the ground. It's true. Or in a raised one. Or in an urn.

[AJ Hawk]

Yes. Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

You know. Or unfound. Most people are dead out in area.

[Ty Schmidt]

Found how marked Mausoleum would be choice.

[Pat McAfee]

That's what you want to do. You want to be the one that's in the big thing. Look at me.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yep. Down there in New Orleans. All that. Yeah. Oh yeah. Because flood, flooding, sea level. Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

Your honor. Show said.

[Pat McAfee]

And it's just up. What's that? That's cemetery. All above ground. That's wild. Think about just the way it is.

[Boston Connor]

There's dust and bones.

[Pat McAfee]

We're not in there. We're not in the ground. Ground. We're still here. We have life. Let's never forget it. Let's enjoy it. Let's enjoy it. Let's remember how lucky we are to have it. And let's have a great weekend. We got football tomorrow. All day. What? We got football Sunday. All day What? Then we're back for an overreaction Monday. It's going to be epic.

[AJ Hawk]

Next week is going to be awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Rose Bowl.

[AJ Hawk]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

Wednesday.

[AJ Hawk]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

January 1, 2025. Core files. Oregon, Ohio State, live in Pasadena, California, 5pm Eastern. We're going to be on the sideline for it. Yep. Next week's going to be awesome.

[AJ Hawk]

Yes.

[Boston Connor]

New Year's Eve, Boise State, Penn State.

[Pat McAfee]

Next week's going to be awesome. Football is awesome. Let's Go, boys. Let's have a weekend. Hot damn. All right. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change their life. We're in this thing together. Shout out to door. Dash. You saw them pop up a couple sometimes. Obviously the time is right. To doordash. Anything that you need, anytime. Okay. Whatever you need. However you need it, Doordash can get it to you. It says get all your game day faves delivered every single day. It's not just game day faves. You can obviously get pizza. You can order pizza.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah, exactly.

[Pat McAfee]

On doordash, which is phenomenal.

[Gumpy]

Any day.

[Pat McAfee]

You can order any food, any restaurant on doordash, but also you can get anything that you need. You know, you need like a. Like a heating pad that could show up.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Toothbrush, cold medicine.

[AJ Hawk]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Anything. Doordash.

[Gumpy]

Pepto Bismol.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Pepto, which everybody knows what it does, of course. Guy experienced Pepto Bismol for the first time this morning. Connor, what's this do?

[Gumpy]

Should help you.

[Boston Connor]

Wasn't sure if it was a holder. I forget the other word I'm looking for.

[AJ Hawk]

Not a laxative.

[Boston Connor]

There you go.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, he said a couple. Cover up your. Or am I getting rid of. Hold it in. Less shite, not more shite.

[Ty Schmidt]

Yeah, you don't want the more sh.

[Boston Connor]

It passed. So I feel. I feel okay right now.

[Pat McAfee]

Good for you.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Boston Connor]

I was very pumped about it, actually.

[Pat McAfee]

Congratulations on what you've done today.

[Boston Connor]

Hey, we got it done.

[Pat McAfee]

You did? Yeah, we did.

[Boston Connor]

Hell, yeah.

[AJ Hawk]

Still bringing it.

[Pat McAfee]

Still bringing it.

[Boston Connor]

About to bring it again.

[Gumpy]

Don't dump in your. Don't dump in your car on the way home.

[Boston Connor]

That's always a concern.

[AJ Hawk]

Boom.

[Pat McAfee]

Boom. That's five of them. We had somebody that we knew puke all over an airplane bathroom recently. And a terminal.

[AJ Hawk]

Yep.

[Boston Connor]

Then leave and say, who the fuck did that? That's disgusting.

[Pat McAfee]

Gee even followed up with an ew. Ew. Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Who was this?

[Pat McAfee]

We'll tell you about it. Be your friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. Life. We're in this thing together. Even that person that puked all over an airplane bathroom and all over an airplane airport's terminal. Oh.

[Boston Connor]

Middle of it.

[Pat McAfee]

Could have been a dump, I guess.

[Ty Schmidt]

Merry Christmas.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Merry Christmas.

[Pat McAfee]

What I'd rather have. That was Bruce Brown. He cleaned up the wall.

[AJ Hawk]

He said he didn't let the flight attendants handle the rest.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, Crevices.

[Pat McAfee]

Couldn't do crevices on the floor. It's going to be tough with the toilet paper that they have, but didn't have his toothbrush. I'll try to clean up. Exactly. Try to clean up this wall for you. And he came out. Who did that?

[Boston Connor]

Oh, my God.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah.

[Gumpy]

Did he try to puke into the toilet?

[Pat McAfee]

Well, he's dumping, you see, so.

[Gumpy]

Oh, it was pu. He was taking a dump and then he just puked all over the wall.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, I think he was trying to get it into the sink maybe. But instead, you know, you got to do a little free throw there.

[Boston Connor]

Two, four, flood.

[Pat McAfee]

I was doing the old puke. Puking the mouth on the way too. So it could have been way worse to be. To be fair.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Caught.

[Pat McAfee]

Caught the worst of it early. Oh, did you say you spit it out?

[Ty Schmidt]

It could have been all over the last row.

[Boston Connor]

Yeah, you know, baby birded somebody.

[Pat McAfee]

Yeah, you just kind of catch it.

[Boston Connor]

And then, you know, go to hold it.

[Ty Schmidt]

Oh, hold on.

[Pat McAfee]

What if somebody would have been here? What if that red, red lights lit up there for the bathroom? Oh, it would have been game over.

[Boston Connor]

Open up the hatch.

[Pat McAfee]

What you do? Did you spit it into the toilet?

[Boston Connor]

No, I, I literally painted the entire wall.

[Pat McAfee]

I think the toilet seat was down, so it was just everywhere but the toilet. That is a nightmare.

[Gumpy]

Yes.

[Pat McAfee]

Public space, commercial plane, bathroom. Worst one. You're on a stage. When you walk in, you actually put a light on. Coming to the stage now, person, it's peeing or dumping. We shall see. Count the. Exactly. I didn't even get the door locked.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Behind me at first, so it was just wide open.

[Pat McAfee]

Full chaos happening in there. Still green. Still green. But we all saw him walk in there.

[AJ Hawk]

Gotta go right to sleep after that because three minutes later someone's walking in there and going, what the. And then everyone knows. Yeah, everyone knows it's you.

[Boston Connor]

Oh.

[Pat McAfee]

Not only there though, he was able to get off the plane without doing any further damage. And immediately upon exiting the plane, getting into the airport's turn terminal. Also one more time. Let's take the tractor. Another round. All over the ground.

[Boston Connor]

Merry Christmas.

[Pat McAfee]

Merry Christmas.

[AJ Hawk]

Happy, happy holidays.

[Gumpy]

Did you try to find like a trash can or a toilet?

[Pat McAfee]

I was walking to the terminal bathroom.

[Boston Connor]

And there was actually a.

[Pat McAfee]

A nice looking dad with two daughters taking his daughters to the men's room as. As I guess you do. Don't go in there. Don't go in there. So it was like dodging a couple. Land mine's on the way.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Last thing you obviously want to do, puke on a.

[Pat McAfee]

On a little girl. We're happy you got through it.

[AJ Hawk]

And a baby.

[Boston Connor]

Bruce. Bruce.

[Gumpy]

Job Bruce, Good job.

[Pat McAfee]

Your antibodies are about to kick in now. You earned them, boy. You earned your stripes this year.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Yep.

[Pat McAfee]

Airplane. Bathroom nightmare. Everybody's. Is that guy okay? Comes out. No. No, that guy's not okay.

[AJ Hawk]

Sweating profusely.

[Gumpy]

That probably smells puke. Smells horrible.

[Pat McAfee]

So bad. Him going to the bathroom. Everybody noticing a little. Oh, my God. They wanted it.

[Gumpy]

Did you think about grabbing the barf bag? I guess I've never used that.

[Pat McAfee]

Oh, yeah. In your seat. First thing I checked when I sat down. No, no barf bag. That's the problem. I thought about asking. Just trying to draw no attention. Just real quick. If you're puking into that, you're starting. Stomach is tightening up. And I don't know if they got a barf bag for what was happening on the other end either. Right, Bob? I mean, yeah, that is a concern. Yeah. That's what. Because when you puke, you're getting, like, an ab work. Oh.

[AJ Hawk]

Things are also, like, incredibly small. Like, if you actually don't feel good and you're puking, you are filling that up. And then it's just.

[Pat McAfee]

Well, you can't grab the neighbors then.

[Boston Connor]

Get one of your two bags.

[AJ Hawk]

Get one here.

[Pat McAfee]

I have seen somebody take neighbors. Same row I was in, guy puking into his reaches across the aisle to the other person. I was in for a number two. That's pretty impressive. Felt so bad for that guy. You never know if it's a hangover or motion sickness. Yeah. The plane. Or if they just want to spread their love to society like Bruce did.

[AJ Hawk]

Yeah.

[Pat McAfee]

Way to go, Bruce. Embarrassed at all? No, you couldn't feel embarrassed because you felt so terrible. Horrible. I honestly kind of felt like a. Like a beast just getting through it all and getting. Getting home proud. Perspective the whole time. I was like, damn, I'm a tank right now. But that obviously didn't really work out. I'm a dog.

[Boston Connor]

Beast, dog.

[Pat McAfee]

People be embarrassed by that. Hell, no. I filled it up.

[Boston Connor]

You do that. You try that. I'm a dog. That's awesome.

[Pat McAfee]

Spraying the bathroom wall. All right, It's. Get out of here. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. We're in this thing together. Including people that are spraying bathrooms. Especially those people. Think about those people. He's a little bit of an arrogant one of those guys. Not a lot of people feel that way. A lot of people embarrassed for the whole thing. Not their fault. It's the time of year. We'll see you on Monday. We're in a sing together team on. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

[Boston Connor]

Merry Christmas.

[AJ Hawk]

Happy holidays.

[Pat McAfee]

Happy Hanukkah.

[Ty Schmidt]

Happy holidays.

[Boston Connor]

Happy Hanukkah.

[Pat McAfee]

Yes. Right to left like you read Torah every night. I did get a video from Shefty last night lighting the Hanukkah with his family and saying the blessings while doing the lighting. I needed the captions. I didn't know what all you saying but it sounded like he was saying it. He was.

[Ty Schmidt]

He was saying it.

[Pat McAfee]

He was saying it. No doubt he was saying it. Age still saying.

[Gumpy]

I believe it.

[AJ Hawk]

Still saying it.

[Pat McAfee]

Did he drop the maybe?

[AJ Hawk]

Maybe.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Okay, well.

[Gumpy]

Chaotic Christmas time. Shefty's got a lot going on Christmas holidays, you know, holiday season.

[Pat McAfee]

He was a big part of it though. They were celebrating him in the video that I saw.

[AJ Hawk]

They were.

[Pat McAfee]

Cuz he was kind of upselling it, saying they don't like me poo pooing a bit. He was. That wasn't the case at all. They were celebrating him. That's how I hope you all feel this weekend. Team on me. Team on three. 1, 2, 3. Team goodbye. From ESPN podcast and Omaha Productions.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Coach is a new, groundbreaking educational football podcast hosted by NFL legends Bill Belichick, Matt Patricia and Michael Lombardi. In each episode, the coaches break down game changing situations and front office management tactics, sharing insights from decades of coaching.

[Pat McAfee]

Experience and opening up the Bill Belichick.

[Kyle Van Noy]

Encyclopedia of football knowledge created by football legends for football fans. New episodes of Coach Drop Weekly. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.