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The Pat McAfee Show
PMS 2.0 1470 - NFL Week 15 Preview/Picks, TNF Recap, John Cena LIVE in the ThunderDome, Texas A&M Head Coach Mike Elko, & AJ Hawk
02:51:18
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- [00:00]
Host
Hello beautiful people and welcome to our humble abode, the Thunderdome, on this magical Feel Good Friday, December 12, 2025. This program begins now. Football is insane. And week 15 kicked off in a spectacular fashion with a massive fourth quarter comeback for the Atlanta Falcons to get a huge win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers are looking in the mirrors this morning saying what the hell happened to us? We were supposed to go to the playoffs. We were supposed to win the NFC state. Now they're on a little bit of a slide. And for the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins when they're playing the Buccaneers, boy do they ball out. Kyle Pitts went crazy. Kirk Cousins gets a dub. Raheem Morris is yelling at the camera afterwards and everybody from Tampa is thinking to themselves, we suck. We are ass. We need to maybe start this entire thing over. Week 15 kicks off in a spectacular fashion. The Sunday slate is going to be absolutely majestic. Army versus Navy, obviously a special day for our entire country. And then tomorrow night, Saturday night's main event on NBC. John Cena will have his final match as a WWE superstar. He will be joining us in about 10 to 15 minutes live in studio. And I want to let you know those jorts have been walking around this facility for the last 20, 30 minutes and he is a special individual with a special aura and every single time you talk to him, you want to tell him like, hey, you're John Cena. Let's never ever forget that. And all John Cena says is, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm just lucky to be here. I'm just lucky to be here. So for our conversation with him, it's going to be a lot of us letting him know who the hell he is and him responding to us on who we should maybe strive to be a little bit more like him. He's got a tough one in Gunther tomorrow night as all eyes are in Washington D.C. to watch the never seen 17 time champion wrap up his illustrious greatest of all time career with the wwe. So special Friday here in the Thunderdome. The talks at tables here at Boston corner at ty Schmidt. Big one this weekend for the Patriots. Conor Huge 1/2 of the hammer done Cowboys AP tones head is floating above something right here as we see Tone last night. Nobody on this particular stage or maybe even in the country thought that the Falcons were going to be able to do what they did last night. What was the percentage of bets on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night as favorites of four and a half points?
- [02:19]
Tone
65%. So it was another one of those that falls in the category of getting 60% or more of the of the bets on the public. And that was another loss and another start to a week of potential losing for the public. But just kind of how it's been. And Big Mike said it best yesterday. In these rivalry games you never know.
- [02:36]
Con Man
What'S going to happen.
- [02:36]
Host
Yeah, division game, that's all points. And obviously the Atlanta Falcons needed one. They get one. The Bucks need something to change. Let's go to last night, con man. Special game. We thought it might have been shite. We might have thought it was ass. Turns out this was an electrifying finish. Somebody needs to tell Al Michaels.
- [02:51]
Con Man
Yeah, incredible. Christmas came early, you know. And yes, someone should probably let Al. No, but let's go right to Kyle Pitts. It was all about the pits. Prime time performance if you ask me. This was his first touchdown. Wide open. Probably should maybe cover him. I don't know about that. He continues to ball out. And when I say continues, I mean right here. Bang. Touchdown number two. And let me just say Kyle Pitts probably earned himself 30, 40, $50 million last night, let alone his incredible dance moves. But then the second half, the Bucks kind of pull away. It's okay. You know what, that was cute. Atlanta. Chris Godwin's back. Yep, we'll take that. He also got an octopus this game. It's 2014-26. He gets the two point conversion along with the touchdown. You don't see that area very often. That's fantastic.
- [03:36]
Host
28 14, fourth quarter, two scores, 14 point spread. Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a good spot. Right, con man.
- [03:42]
Con Man
Yes, sir. And not to get lost in the Pitts performance, Bijan Robinson once again goes over 80 yards rushing, over 80 yards receiving. This was his touchdown of the night. Gets him to 28, 20. They go for two. They don't get it, unfortunately. So at this point too you're thinking, okay, you know. Once again, LA and A falling a.
- [04:01]
Host
Little short, they choose to go for two. This is the new statistics thing. They don't get the first one. They're down eight. Still the one score game.
- [04:09]
Con Man
Still one score game. And guess what? They get the ball back. Huge interception by Alford and who else? Kyle Pitts with his third of the night. Now his butt came down and his elbow came down. But inbounds, elbow out of bounds. But they call it a touchdown on the field. Huge call. Because in the review, as you see.
- [04:27]
Ty
Here.
- [04:29]
Con Man
I don't know. Yeah, the other, the other angle from the. Yeah, right here does make you think, okay, he's definitely in but then the other, the other angle, if you will, makes you think, I don't know, not so sure. But either way, hey, that's a touchdown. They go for two again. Down 28, 26. They don't get it.
- [04:46]
Host
28, 26, they were down 14. They scored two touchdowns, one for two, twice. They're still losing.
- [04:52]
Con Man
Yeah.
- [04:52]
Host
Okay, so it's 28, 26 games over, right? Tampa Bay Buccaneers got to put this thing away. The Falcons don't even have any timeouts at this point.
- [04:58]
Con Man
That's what you would think. Hey, run the ball. Don't have to, you know, get cute. Don't have to throw the ball. Turns out they do throw the ball before the two minute warning hits. The Falcons get the ball back and Kirk Cousins does what Kirk Cousins does. He drives down the field. He fumbles the ball, gets it back, but he drives down the field. 3rd and 28. They convert 4th and 14 to get here. Zane Gonzalez, 43 yard game winner, takes the soul out of Tampa Bay post game. And we're not going to run it because Todd Bowles is just laced with profanity now, I guess. But he was dropping F bombs left and right. Everybody basically on Tampa Bay sideline has no idea what the hell just happened. Zane Gonzalez comes through for Atlanta. Atlanta really not fighting for much aside from pride. And you know, they get the job done. Raheem Morris might have saved his job ruining Tampa Bay season. Carolina moves to first into the NFC South. The Bucks now out of the playoff race. It was quite a night for Atlanta, quite a devastation for Tampa.
- [05:58]
Host
I don't know if they're out of the playoff race. They still have a chance to win the NFC South.
- [06:01]
Con Man
Excuse me, playoff picture.
- [06:02]
Host
They have to play the Carolina Panthers a couple different times. The Bucs do. But if you look at this Bucks collapse from where they were to where they are now, let alone the 14 point collapse in the fourth quarter last night. Slick Field 2. Good job on Zane Gonzalez getting the plant foot down and getting a good kick. Congrats to him. Bucs percentage to win the NFC South. When they were 5 and 1, it was 80%. When they were 6 and 2, it was 90%. Now they're at 55%. But they got to play the Carolina Panthers. Panthers twice. So you're talking about a lot of battles down the line here with a struggling Buccaneers team in a hot Carolina Panthers team. Carolina Mike, I believe is still doing his 150,000 thing. He was performing at the Big Lob music Christmas party the other day. He's having shows. Feels like the Panthers are up and to the right, the Bucks are down and to the left. Here's Tristan Wurfs after the game talking about being up 14. Losing to the Saints last. We lose to the Saints last week and now we do this.
- [06:52]
John Cena
I mean, we lost the two in.
- [06:54]
Coach Mike Elko
10 saints and we lost to.
- [06:55]
Con Man
I don't even know what the record is at home.
- [06:59]
Host
Up two scores.
- [07:06]
John Cena
Yeah, I don't, I don't, I don't really. I don't know.
- [07:09]
Host
That was fucking insane. At a loss for words. Calling it insane. None of them expected to lose that game, especially whenever they go for two on both their touchdowns. And you're up two. Falcons have no timeouts. You mentioned it before the two minute warning. Bucks throw it, stop the clock, incompletion. Then the two minute warning comes. All of a sudden, Kirk Cousins gets the ball back. He literally has two minute drill, no timeouts. Down two. Kirk Cousins been there, done that. Now Todd Bowes defense, Bucs defense. You think maybe be able to get a stop? Kirk Cousins says, I don't think so. We're going to march right down his field. We're going to kick a field goal to win this game. In your building, in your face, in the middle of your playoff run. I can't say enough about this Atlanta Falcons team responding to everything that was being said about them. Kirk responding to everything that was said about them and getting a huge win in an electrifying game on Thursday, Thursday Night Football in which we thought it could have been an ass game. And on the flip side, when it comes to the Bucs, it's like, what the hell is going on with the Buccaneers? You got Todd Bowles and you said profanity lace postgame. It was like, yeah, he was very much most energy or most emotion I've ever seen Todd Bowles have was after the game in his interview. But I think a lot of Bucs fans are like, where's that during the game? Whenever it's kind of all unraveling and you're just on the sideline. Feels like Todd Bowles thing is like I'm always like this. I'm always like this. Baker Mayfield, obviously we've seen him up, we've seen him down, we've seen him had great run this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team and now we're kind of watching it fall off. Here's some stats from Hembo. Baker Mayfield with Bucs after week nine through 2023, 2024 after week nine 125 win loss record now here in 2025, 15 down the stretch. Obviously, it's not just Baker. It's a lot of things. Mike Evans was back off of injury last night. He has a huge night. He was seen on the sideline losing his mind as well. This Buccaneers team, I don't think anybody knows what's going on, but I know Buccaneers fans are saying everything needs changed immediately. Tone.
- [08:57]
Tone
So they had start, obviously the. The five one, the six and two. And then, you know, everyone kind of rode off the last month or so because of injuries. And then last night everyone came back basically. You know, Mike, you had Evans, you had Godwin, you had a booka, you had McMillan. Like, you had everyone that you. All your weapons that you had in the beginning of the year, you had finally, for the first time, back again. And everyone thought that would fix it. And for three quarters it did fix it. But also Baker, first nine weeks, 16 touchdowns, two interceptions. The last five weeks, six touchdowns, five interceptions. So it's kind of come off the rails here over.
- [09:28]
Host
So maybe they're learning their offense. Maybe people know what they're having or maybe they're just not playing good ball down the stretch here. If we were going through like the box score of how many yards were gained and everything like that, the Falcons winning a game with 19 penalties for 125, now there was false starts and there was ugly football that they were calling these refs also. Hey, now is not a good time for you refs to be ass, okay? You guys are starting to like be in the middle of a negotiation with the NFL and the NFL is starting to release some information on what the current deal is like. You know, we're not even allowed to talk to these refs from February until May because the union says we're not allowed to talk to them. There's just no confidence contact rule from the NFL to any of the refs for those three months. You know, they don't really speak to the media afterwards because they don't have to because that's in the contract in the NFL. So we're looking to change that. We're looking for offseason training, some offseason conversation. We're looking for a little accountability. This refs union is not one primetime games. The refs can't be making mistakes. Feels like they were a topic of the conversation last night. Now, some of these very real. We're not saying that that isn't the case. 19 for 125 is a lot of penalties to win a game. Buccaneers still looking at it all saying, how did this happen?
- [10:30]
Ty
Yeah, no, I, I think Connor hit the nail on the head too. Because if the Falcons were to lose that game last night and you lose that with 19 penalties, like that's the kind of thing where people point to and say, okay, this guy's message isn't getting through. This team's undisciplined. I understand, you know, penalties are also on the players. You can't just put it all on the coach. But large largely in part that is like that, that's on coaching. You know, hey, we got to make sure we're disciplined, we're doing the right things. So not only does Raheem Morris potentially save his job last night, but now people are like. And granted it might just be against the Bucks, but does Kirk Cousins like is he all of a sudden, maybe it's not in Atlanta, but is he get a shot to go play quarterback somewhere next year?
- [11:09]
Host
Because remember last year he was ass.
- [11:11]
Ty
Yep.
- [11:11]
Host
So Penix comes in this year. There are some games that weren't great. Now on prime time has a two minute drive to lead the Falcons back to beat the Bucks as five and a half point dogs. Five point dogs. Kirk Cousins all of a sudden can spin. He's putting in spots. And in Kyle Pitts, you mentioned him earning 30, 40, 50 million. Whenever he was drafted out of Florida we thought this was the, this guy's special. Whenever we saw him in college, we said this guy was special. Then he got to the NFL. Obviously some turnover in coaching, turnover in offense, turnover in quarterback, you name it. There's a lot of excuses that Kyle Pitts can certainly put out for why it hasn't gone necessarily perfect since day one. They have figured it out the last couple weeks, last three weeks for Kyle Pitts historic three touchdowns last night on primetime. Good for him. And I'd like to see what Kyle Pitts career looks like going forward because maybe he did flip a switch and become a guy. And Kirk is obviously pumped for that. Raheem Morris, him yelling at that camera. That was quite, I feel like that was a big moment for him, for his life, for his future. Yeah, all day, all day. Call game, call that, call that ball game, call G, whatever it is. I like that he's doing it. I think him and Coach Tomlin pretty tight. Coach Tomlin has a scene where he's looking at the camera, talking his shit. Not only the kiss, but in the past there's been this one. So Raheem immediately afterwards celebrating with the boys and then going where the hell is this camera at? All These people have been trying to call for my job. Why don't we go ahead and do a little bit of that? Love the moxie out of Atlanta doesn't mean that they have anything really to go for the Lombardi this year, but to save a culture, potentially save their team, good for them. Now, let's look at the weekend slate. We got big games this week. Huge, huge, huge games this weekend. You stay right there across the top. Obviously, Browns and Bears is going to be a storyline. Everybody's going to talk about Khalid Williams, as Coach McCarthy would say, and Shedor Sanders storyline. Jets Jags 13.5-point spread for the Jags. Congrats to them earning that. And then Bills pats. This is it. Yeah, this. I mean, this is. This is what we've been waiting for in the AFC East. This is what we've been waiting for with this particular Patriots team. Can they do it against the big bad wolf? Can they, in meaningful games as dogs get a huge win over the MVP and the Buffalo Bills to be the actual kings of the AFC East. We get to learn a lot this weekend about your team, Con man.
- [13:20]
Con Man
Yeah, this is the feeling you've kind of been searching for as a Patriots fan. To get this back again on a Friday, thinking like, wow, on Sunday there's a chance, one, you can go win the division. But two, just kind of what you've already done this whole entire year. The whole conversation for the Patriots all year has been schedule, schedule, schedule from the outside, not from the inside. But still, people have been saying that it is a chance to go out there and prove like, okay, as home underdogs, which is very interesting, but as home dogs off of a bye with Mike Vrabel, who's 6 and oh, off a bye. It's one of the. Not including the playoffs, it's one of those things that you do. Kind of just can't believe we're here. Can't believe we're playing meaningful football in December in the division. So excited. Just can't wait to see it.
- [14:01]
Host
To hang a banner up there.
- [14:02]
Con Man
No, we don't hang banners.
- [14:03]
Host
What?
- [14:04]
Con Man
The only banners we hang are Super Bowls. We don't give a shit about the division like Bills fans. We don't give a shit about winning the conference like Bills fans, even though they really haven't done it. Don't really care about those. We only care about that number one spot. And that's why immediately after that game, I'm throwing on a Packers jersey for that Packers Broncos slate.
- [14:21]
Host
Okay, so Packers, Broncos, obviously, gigantic as the packers head into Denver as two and a half point favorites. Good for you, Ty. This is a huge game for the AFC standings. If the Patriots get a win and the Broncos get a loss, that changes the trajectory of the playoffs entirely. And for the packers, this could be continuing, stacking momentum into the most important time of the year.
- [14:39]
Ty
Yeah, without a doubt. And, you know, a lot of people are saying right now, hey, is this a potential, you know, super bowl preview? I don't know about that, but yeah. I mean, this is a. A massive test for the Packers. Everyone knows how good the Broncos D is. And then you talk about, you know, the. The kind of playoff picture in the AFC with the Broncos being at the top. Like, the packers are still right there in the NFC for home field advantage. We know how important home field advantage is, especially if you're a Packers fan. And things would have to go through Lambeau and you have to play a team like the Rams, you know, or one of these warm weather teams, if you will, like. So there. There's a lot at stake there. And now it's kind of all eyes on. Is Josh Jacobs going to play? Because he had another mri. It came back clean. But there still is a thought that he might not play Sunday because they have a couple massive games behind this one.
- [15:26]
Host
Josh Jacobs is a dog. Let's assume that he's out. Chargers, Chiefs. Obviously gigantic for the AFC West. 76% of the bets are on the Chargers getting five and a half, even though the Chiefs are favored at home. Tough night for Herbert even after the win. Got a lot of bad pub. Do the Chargers continue to grow? And I guess Jim Harbaugh could feel some sort of way with what happened with Michigan. I mean, there's a lot of negative vibes coming off a Chargers primetime win in the Chiefs. Talk about negative vibes.
- [15:53]
Ty
Yeah.
- [15:53]
Host
Trav, man.
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Tone
Yeah. It's going to be all right, man.
- [15:55]
Host
Travis Kelsey down in the dumps. I don't like he's human. Exclamation point.
- [16:00]
Ty
Yeah, exactly.
- [16:01]
Con Man
Not anymore. Flip that upside down.
- [16:03]
Host
Well, that's what the Texans defense can do to people. I think we need to remember that. But, Travis, you need to know we love you. We appreciate you, and I do appreciate that you are bummed out at this stage of your career, stage of everything, with how the team is performing and how you're putting a lot of onus onto yourself. We respect and appreciate that. On his new Heights podcast, it was.
- [16:20]
Ty
Not no doom and gloom. I felt bummed out.
- [16:22]
Host
I was bummed, super bummed out. When I'm bummed out, I watch New Heights and I say, hey, Trav, Jason, why don't you make me feel good? Then I see this clip and it's like, how do I cheer up Trav? Somebody needs to cheer up Trav over there because of what's going on. Obviously not the year they had hoped thus far. Still five and a half point favorites over the Chargers at home. And then obviously Vikings, Cowboys on Sunday night Football, Lions, Rams taking place, Colts, Seahawks, Chance arena hurt.
- [16:53]
Con Man
Here we go.
- [16:53]
Ty
That's perfect.
- [16:54]
Host
That's what Phil Rivers wants.
- [16:56]
Ty
That's perfect.
- [16:56]
Host
44 years old. Yeah, right. Don't you worry about a damn thing. Phil Rivers is ready to ball. All right, as we pivot away from the NFL, let's turn to the greatest of all time conversation. There's a man that is currently in the Thunderdome who's going to walk his way up to this stage, who is considered the greatest of all time in something that is now a global phenomenon. Professional wrestling is something that has shaped my life. I think it's shaped a lot of people's lives. When I was growing up and I would turn it on, I would see these superheroes of humans doing things that I never could have fathomed. And it gave me hope and inspiration on what I could be in the future. Athletics, a little bit of entertainment, some shit talk and some magic all happening in front of me. Thank you for taking me away from my life and being entertained for a couple hours. This man, 23 years of that. This man, actual superhero. I think he had 2% body fat for 23 some years. Showed up every single day. He's just a dude from Mass up there who's worked his ass off so that he can be called the greatest of all time. And he didn't do it for himself. He did it for literally everybody around him. Every single time or every single question you ask him, you're gonna hear the most humble answer of all time. He might be the greatest thespian out there. Okay. Might be the greatest thespian out there. We have no idea what his acting career will hold. We have no idea what his business acumen is going forward and everything else. But we do know he's going to be a success story. We do know that he's going to be awesome. And we do know that tomorrow night is his last ever match in the wwe. He'll be taking on Gunther on Peacock at Saturday night's main event in Washington D.C. ladies and gentlemen, the never seen 17, John Cena. Yeah. Where's Stu? Where's Stu?
- [18:48]
Tone
Hey.
- [18:50]
Host
Yeah, you're there. Unless.
- [18:52]
Con Man
Unless you're you standing between us.
- [18:54]
Host
Hold on, hold on. We gotta wait, though.
- [18:55]
Ty
Yep.
- [18:56]
Host
Your time is up. My time is now. You can't see me. My time is now.
- [19:04]
John Cena
Pick up. Go Coffee.
- [19:06]
Host
I do love that. Okay, man, where's that from?
- [19:08]
John Cena
I gotta shout out. Amberson Coffee and Grocer right here in Indy. Man, this is one of the best coffee joints I've been to. This is a to go. They give you the glass mason jar. This is a cup of get up in a glass mason jar.
- [19:19]
Host
Okay. Okay. So let's talk a little bit about your history.
- [19:23]
John Cena
Okay. History. That's just a cold transition.
- [19:25]
Host
Ovw. No, it's not gonna be a cold transition. That might be a cold war. Keep it warm. OVW In Louisville. Okay. Is obviously where a lot of this whole thing started. Rip Rogers, trainer, lives in Indianapolis. From Indianapolis, India has been a great hub for professional wrestling for a long time. How often have you been through our city and how did you know about this place? It feels like you were very familiar with it. You actually yelled at me for not knowing what this place.
- [19:48]
John Cena
I just informed you that you got a quite a good coffee shop. You're like, oh, man, we got good coffee in the back. I was like, man, coffee Forward places is Amberson Coffee Grocer. They will change the way you view coffee.
- [19:59]
Host
But it feels like you've been through the city a lot.
- [20:01]
John Cena
I certainly have. Over the past two decades, especially over the past year, we came to Indy twice. So being able to do two runs here, that was extremely special. And later on in my career, I guess, these last half decade or so, you know, I've been around the world more than 10 times, but I haven't seen anything but the inside of arenas and airports. So, you know, I kind of changed up my philosophy of like, arrive early enough to experience something. I like a good cafe because it allows you to, you know, I like to have a coffee there and maybe some breakfast there. It allows you to see people coming into work. You get a decent view of.
- [20:41]
Host
The.
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John Cena
City or people around the city. And then I try to stay for at least a meal afterwards to try to. At least. If I'm only in a place for a day, I want to actually see it. I just don't want to see the inside of the arenas that look pretty much identical and the inside of an airport is kind of identical as well.
- [20:56]
Host
Yeah, you want to experience the town a little bit that you've been in so frequently you've lived this, you know, professional wrestlers. Obviously people know you guys are on the road a lot and it's talked about as the old school days, but I think people aren't fully. You've been living a rock star life on the road for like 20 some years.
- [21:11]
John Cena
Traveling entertainer's life. I don't know how rock stars live. I don't want to think for them.
- [21:18]
Host
A traveling entertainer.
- [21:19]
John Cena
I've been on the traveling road show for about 23 years now. And we're hanging it up tomorrow.
- [21:22]
Host
Okay.
- [21:23]
John Cena
I can't wear this for one more. I know I got one more day to wear this. I just wanted to bring the jorts out one more time.
- [21:28]
Host
Well, they look amazing.
- [21:29]
John Cena
The actual uniform for tomorrow too. I'm very excited.
- [21:31]
Host
Usa. Usa. Usa.
- [21:34]
John Cena
Got a lot of. A lot of Easter eggs on here. A lot of. A lot of stuff that's important to me, so.
- [21:38]
Host
Well, you've been very important to the business that you've been a part of as a traveling entertainer for all these years. So I talked to Michael Cole, who I know is obviously good friends of yours as well, and he talks about wanting to retire sometime. And this guy's been on the road for 30 years. I'm like, I don't think your body will let you ever kind of step away from this type of busyness or this type of hectic or chaos type schedule. Do you think about that? Have you thought about that? Obviously you've experienced life without the wwe. You've gone away to do some movies. This last time is now tour. You had 30 some jobs, which obviously was a conversation about maybe having 200 at some point, but you had 30 something. Have you thought about that? How life changes, how the schedule changes.
- [22:17]
John Cena
You put a lot into. There you are nonstop. You just wanted to talk about the projections for the tour, the idea, the actuality. Talk about like, are you ready for life to change? Bingo.
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Host
That's the one.
- [22:28]
John Cena
This is just my perspective and only my perspective. I think if you get into something with the understanding that it will be forever, that might be. That might be your mindset. I'm here on borrowed time. I got defensively signed in Orange county because of the WCW WF wars. I was retained in OVW because I could be an entertaining personality to help the talent more prosperous than me fall down. They kept me around in WWE when I made my debut and failed with ruthless aggression. I'm. I'm used to or I've known what it's like to walk that razor's edge. To face my mortality. And I've also a tried and true lesson that I have learned through this business, through mentorship and actual. The business unfolding in front of my eyes is everyone is replaceable. Everyone. So when you ask me if I'm set for the next chapter in my life without this thing that's been important to me for 23 years, my answer is yes, because this is something that I do, but it doesn't define me as a human being. I am John Cena, WWE Superstar, until the bell rings at the end of the match tomorrow night. And then my. My role changes. But I still. I'm still alive. I can still find curiosity in life. I can still hopefully aspire to do. Do good things and. And. And earn a. Earn a good life and feel fulfilled.
- [23:53]
Host
Yeah, you definitely will. I mean, we're going to dive into your acting and how great of an actor.
- [23:57]
John Cena
It also doesn't need to be monetized. I heard you say before, man, who knows what his business acumen will be? Who cares?
- [24:02]
Host
Well, I'm just saying, if you decide to start investing in companies, I don't know what you're doing.
- [24:05]
John Cena
Who cares?
- [24:06]
Host
You got a big brain. You got a big brain.
- [24:08]
John Cena
I just want to always keep a childlike imagination and curiosity, and as long as that happens, I'm square, man.
- [24:15]
Host
Okay, well, I love to hear that. And we will talk about your acting, which is seemingly the next step, at least at this stage and already a current step. You are so good at it. You are. It's outrageous how good of an actor you are, man.
- [24:26]
John Cena
That coffee's good.
- [24:27]
Host
You're a better actor than that. Coffee is good. You're not gonna want to hear that. But just everything that you've done. Ricky Stanicki. Not supposed to. To be that good. Ferdinand.
- [24:35]
John Cena
Ferdinand. Right out.
- [24:36]
Host
Not supposed to be.
- [24:36]
John Cena
That's how we met.
- [24:37]
Host
Bingo. First thing I ever said to you is like, I don't know if anybody's ever said this to you, but you.
- [24:41]
John Cena
Crushed it in Ferdinand, and no one had ever said that to me.
- [24:44]
Host
Peacemaker.
- [24:45]
Con Man
Nobody. So good.
- [24:46]
Host
You're just everything you're in. You are great. So the next step is obviously gonna be great. We can't wait to watch it. But the chaos of the life schedule, I'm excited to see kind of how you navigate it all now. Hustle, loyalty, respect. Never give up. These have been things that you've been a part of the John Cena character, literally since the beginning. Have you done much reflection on career throughout this entire process?
- [25:04]
John Cena
Remember how I told You. There are Easter eggs on the shirt.
- [25:06]
Host
Yeah.
- [25:07]
John Cena
This is never give up. And my words of what that means to me, I'm duking the. I'm giving you all a spoiler. This is hustle, loyalty and respect. And in my words, what that means to me. So those essentially are like core pillars or core values of my life. And they haven't really faltered over 23 years. I wasn't the same person I am yesterday. I was certainly not the same person I was in 2004. 2010. We evolve, we grow. My core values of persistence, hard work, seeking, longing, connection, and just respect for those who have given you opportunity and respect for the room around you that has not faltered. So for me to be able to sneak that in on the final final, which is also a nice piece of inside baseball to those who get it. Michael Cole will get it. Like I said, there's a ton of Easter eggs on this, but a lot of them are selfish. So I took some real estate for me on this one. I hope you don't mind.
- [26:05]
Host
Yeah, no problem. Three losers will love it. And you don't have to apologize to me at all for absolutely anything. That's another Easter egg. I do believe if I was to drop that accurately. But do you look. You've looked back on your career a lot.
- [26:17]
John Cena
No, not at all. My eyes are focused on tomorrow night, Saturday night's main event. We got a hell of a program. I'm honored to share the ring with someone who considers the mat a sacred place, whose moniker given to him is the Ring General because he commands the best out of his opponents. I know it's not going to be a walkthrough. Probably going to be some strikes. You'll probably hear some from the mezzanine section way up there. I'm really excited to have such a hungry competitor and such a build match, which has tons of anticipation. I'm also excited that we get to glimpse at the future of the business. You know, Javon, Ev Obafemi, Leon Slater, Sol Roka, all going to be on the card against main event WWE current Superstars. So this is. This is a program with a bunch of eyes on it that's going to allow me to bow out, but I'm going to earn my way out because Gunther ain't going to go down lightly. And at the same time, it's going to provide opportunity for the future of the business. So I'll. I'll look in the rear view tomorrow or I'll look in the rear view on Sunday. But right now it's it's the night before a game, man. I'm focused on Saturday.
- [27:22]
Host
I think Gunther is the perfect opponent for you. But that was obviously something that I couldn't imagine the decision being made. And obviously he earned it through the the Last Time Is now tournament. And he was the one who, in the ring, earned the opportunity to be your final WWE match. Every match that you've had on this run has obviously been either highly scrutinized or highly loved. I mean, the AJ Styles thing getting added in is what everybody thinks, allegedly. Who knows what's real, what isn't? With the business? Dish business, you never know. But all of these decisions getting made and all the things that you're hearing, I mean, let alone the heel turn and everything like that, you seemingly do always have that whatever's good, whatever's good, whatever's good for the business, whatever's good, whatever you think mindset. Have you had that your entire run? Who was the one that basically said, like, hey, your mindset should be like this? And how have you maintained that? Because as soon as you walked in here, I got mad at you because I heard the Chris Van Vliet interview where you said, after you gave the AJ Styles, by Alicia, who's incredible, what she does, the intro, you said, I apologize because I went into business for myself and everything like that.
- [28:27]
John Cena
Yeah, the apology was by choice. I was forced by no one. It's something I had to do.
- [28:32]
Host
I know. And I got so mad at you for saying, you're John Cena. You don't have to apologize to anybody.
- [28:36]
Ty
Okay.
- [28:36]
John Cena
No, no. I just. I didn't feel right. I had. Had I asked permission to do it, I'm more than likely I would have been allowed or certainly I would have. I would have taken. I'm always in search for a good explanation. Somebody says no, and then gives me a good explanation. Well, that's no. If someone has a suggestion and gives me a good explanation, that's fine. And a lot of my creative path and just adapting to the cards that are dealt is because they get dealt with a good explanation. And I don't really care about. And I said this on Chris as well, like, yeah, we can sit here and chatter about what could have been, or we can react to what is, and we can go like hell to make what is great. And what I love about the whole year now, this is something we can reflect on. The whole year was an intentional year. Long story. Some moments folks liked, some moments they hated. Some moments wished it'd pan out different. But that's. That's like a microcosm of someone's existence. You know, as we go through 23 years of John Cena, the WWE, man, I wish some moments were different. I wish you had this opponent more because of the magic you had. Why did they ever book you in this angle? Why did you ever do that? This, it is a microcosm for what I've done. I love the fact that at least through it all, again, a small microcosm of my reality. Fans loved it and hated it. Just like me. Let's Go Cena. Cena sucks. This last year has been like a compacted version of let's Go Cena. Cena sucks. And then the realization of, like, it's almost not me. It's like all of us, we're all just kind of getting all of our emotions out and I'm getting way too deep. And I. I never put a lot of focus on, man, what could have been. If somebody chooses to bail or we no longer have this option, that's fine. The easiest indicator of this, and this happens all the time, is injury. And injury is easy because it's inarguable. Hey, this person is on the trajectory to be the man. Blown out knee. We're going to have to have them forfeit their spot. Somebody's going to have to jump. Nobody complains about that. What if somebody's burnt out?
- [30:42]
Host
Oh, I'll tell you what.
- [30:43]
John Cena
What if somebody just can't bid for us? But let's move. Let's move forward, man. Let's move forward. And I. I love the fact that, like, there's been so many pivots. Aj, that was a pivot. You know, Brock was a pivot post WrestleMania, all that stuff. Pivot because of the pivot. I got Randy, I got Punk. I got to work with Logan in a singles match because of the pivot. I got done. I got aj, I got Ron Cena, I got Sami Zayn, I got Cody at SummerSlam, like, because of pivots. I got all these great moments. Never once was I like. But it could have been this. Yo, look what we got.
- [31:21]
Host
Going into it. Going into it, you had a thought of what it was, obviously, whenever it's getting pitched. And now that we're at the end of it, I'm talking about this tour. I'm not talking about your entire career.
- [31:31]
Con Man
Yeah.
- [31:32]
John Cena
By the way, probably this same.
- [31:34]
Host
Yeah. I guess life as. I mean, we get deeper into that if you want to, but going into.
- [31:38]
John Cena
This last time, don't wade into the water. You don't want to be in.
- [31:40]
Host
Yeah, well, I smoke a little bit. I can get in there. The last time is now tour, though. Whenever you sign up for it, that's a big emotional decision, I would assume, you know, chapter of your life. Hey, we're actually declaring that this is going to be the last run now that we're at the end.
- [31:53]
John Cena
We talked about that, too. This is it. I mean, tomorrow night, this is it. That, like, I am not coming back. And I. I understand. You only have the data before me that you go on. No wrestler retires. Right. That changes with me. Whether it all changes and everybody else after me retires and decides not to come back, that's fine. What I urge fans out there, please watch tomorrow and give yourself the closure that you need. Because my biggest concern is people are like, oh, no, he's gonna parlay it into Wrestlemania, or this match would be great.
- [32:28]
Host
Great.
- [32:29]
John Cena
No, tomorrow night is it. And if you don't believe me, if you're not ready to take that on, you may not get the closure you want. And I just urge fans when they watch tomorrow to, like, let it all out and understand that that's it. I've come to grips with it. I have. I look. I look forward to tomorrow with such a positive attitude and so much excitement about, like, making that run one more time.
- [32:54]
Host
Time.
- [32:55]
John Cena
But that's the last time. And I think that's important to say because the data before me suggests that that's not a permanent thing. Man, I've been called a lot of stuff, but very rarely am I called a liar. And I promise you, I'm a man of my word on this one.
- [33:09]
Host
Yeah. It feels like you are taking the integrity aspect of saying, this is my last time. I'm not lying to you. And it's not just you. It's a lot of traveling entertainers.
- [33:17]
John Cena
And I also don't. I don't. I don't mind the perspective that other folks have. They're. They're entitled to that. If I could just use a couple seconds of valuable airtime and say, like, yo, at least get the closure you need. I'm good with it. I'll be fine. But I ain't coming back.
- [33:32]
Host
Okay. And you're going first tomorrow. I heard you said that.
- [33:34]
John Cena
That is Pizzagate, homie.
- [33:36]
Host
What? What?
- [33:37]
Ty
What?
- [33:38]
John Cena
I was on Jimmy Kimmel. I said, I'm ending the show. I said, I normally go to bed early, but I'm gonna have to stay up late for this one. I guess people didn't read between the Tea leaves. Like, we're. We're laughing last. And by the way.
- [33:50]
Host
By the way, John Cena's final match is going last.
- [33:53]
Con Man
Excuse me.
- [33:54]
John Cena
Yeah, I. I don't know how the. The rumor started. I. I think there's. I think some folks with credibility like to kick a hornet's nest every once in a while and get people chattering. And I. I understand we're in the age of information, so what's going to keep my attention. You're not last.
- [34:09]
Con Man
Sure.
- [34:09]
John Cena
That'll keep my attention for a few hot clicks. I don't even know how that started. It's difficult to conceptualize that. Again, I don't make the menu at. And if, Gosh, if I show up tomorrow and they want me to go on first, well, that's what I'm gonna do. But we are last at this point.
- [34:23]
Ty
Okay.
- [34:23]
Host
As you should be. Cannot wait for the entire show. Available on Peacock tomorrow, Saturday night's main event. But what I was leading into there.
- [34:30]
John Cena
Was the idea that I had about the tour and the actuality.
- [34:33]
Host
Yeah. And also, we're here now, like, we're at it. And you said you'll be doing a reflection thing on Sunday and all of that, but now we are at the point where it's kind of over. You're a heel for the first time ever. Okay.
- [34:44]
John Cena
Yeah.
- [34:45]
Host
I'm sure you thought about that numerous times, whether you're traveling or on the road, what it would be like if you were a heel, obviously celebrating and enjoying cities for the last time. It's like now or the day before the final time. And your vibes about this last time is now entire tour good. You said you think you crushed it because of the pivots and everything like that. So when you lay your head down tonight and you think about it all, and I know reflections for Sunday, but when you think about it all, you're going to say, we done good here. This is a good piece of business. And you think you respected professional wrestling and your career with what has happened in this last time Is now tour a great question.
- [35:20]
John Cena
I think there are so many metrics, because it's opinionative. Am I entertained or not? So if you look at the collective data. Right. My goal in life is anyone that bets on me. If you bet a buck on me, I want to give you back 10, because I know you'll give me another buck and I get another chance. Every piece of good work is only a way to get you another opportunity. Opportunity. I'm not perfect with that ratio, but from an analytic Company standpoint, I'd like to think we delivered from a talent to talent standpoint. I'd like to think I delivered from an audience participation standpoint. We had lots of folks show up, and whether the noise was bad or good, I know what apathy sounds like because I heard that real early on in my career a whole lot. I didn't hear a lot of apathy. So you got consistent chatter. Return business, and the company's happy. The fans seem interested. I think the whole story of what this is is yet to be told. But we're here now. So as we go into the last one, I think not only with black and white analytics and just emotional instinct, I know I couldn't have given anything else, man. I've given everything I've had creatively, physically. Like I said, I'm waking up in the middle of the night and my wife's like, oh, yeah, are you okay? I'm like, no. I got this idea for a sp. Write it down.
- [36:42]
Host
Or I got.
- [36:42]
John Cena
I got to remember to say this in the promo. Or I got to remember to suggest somebody else say this. Like, I've been 100% in. So what I do know is after tomorrow, I have nothing left to give. But I'd like to think that all parties included can say like, yeah, man, it was a wild ride.
- [37:01]
Host
Yeah, you done good, John.
- [37:02]
John Cena
It was a wild ride.
- [37:03]
Ty
Done good.
- [37:04]
John Cena
Thanks. Appreciate you. Right. For one. One cup of coffee to another. I have to go. Cups. Yours is bigger than mine.
- [37:10]
Host
Yeah, it looks like you got a glass of coffee and I got a cup of coffee. But that's a scene of difference, baby. That's a scene of difference. I think you've done a great job and that whole reality.
- [37:20]
John Cena
But that's okay. People to think otherwise is okay. Like, that's.
- [37:23]
Host
No, I understand that, but you're talking about. You're talking about the reality of the business is a huge deal, you know, like me having the opportunity to work in WWE for a little bit and getting to see it and then seeing what people have to deal with. Well, actually, it was somebody got sick in a city, just something as small as somebody got sick or a flight.
- [37:41]
John Cena
Got delivered that got my first match. Undertaker was sick. He couldn't make the shot. So Kurt Angle calls out a dude from ruthless aggression. I had to get my hair cut at 3:30, came back in and wrestled a gold medalist.
- [37:52]
Con Man
You on smackdown?
- [37:53]
Host
Yeah. Me on smackdown is because everybody was stuck in Saudi. So I got a chance to commentate in Buffalo. I get a call that says, like, hey, everybody's stuck in Saudi Arabia. Could you get to Buffalo tonight? Absolutely. I said I could. Definitely. Could I at that time?
- [38:07]
Ty
No, we'll find out.
- [38:08]
Host
I have no idea. But I said yes, absolutely, I can get there.
- [38:11]
John Cena
Yes.
- [38:11]
Con Man
To figure it out. Yeah.
- [38:12]
John Cena
And, and if you do good work, it'll get you another chance. It might not get you where you want to be. Like, like you had mentioned, I had an idea about what I thought this year would be. And the, the people who, who own the entity that I'm pitching, their response is like, I like the idea. We just want to do it this way. Just because it's my idea doesn't mean it's a, a good idea. I gotta be able to adapt if I want to do the thing. I kind of, I kind of gotta be collaborative. And I think a lot of times in entertainment, especially with Star Driven Entertainment, we lose the idea that, like, it is us doing this. We are only as good as our collaboration. Your effing John Cena is a testament to.
- [38:50]
Host
That's why I kept it going this morning.
- [38:52]
John Cena
Yo, that is a testament to everybody I've ever danced with. Absolutely. Because I'm a collaborator. I'm not anything without them. And that includes the people in the stadium because you, you. Let's go to D.C. tomorrow and don't let anybody in. You see how, you see how Covid time, brother. You see how raucous that match is? So we're all doing it together. That's why I say, like, tomorrow isn't about me stepping down. It's about like sports entertainment closing a chapter and also opening another one at the same time. It's that last page of the chapter that folds into the next one. You get to see the future. But we're also closing the this 25 year thing and taking a look at the next ride.
- [39:32]
Host
Yeah, but you'll be remembered then. Now nobody remembers anybody.
- [39:36]
John Cena
No, nobody remembers anybody. By the way, that's. That's not the way it should be. Tomorrow should happen. People should be excited and emote. January comes, I need you looking at the Rumble and I need you looking at WrestleMania, because that means you're excited about the business. And in actuality, if you're excited about the business and the superstar in it, that makes every accomplishment meaningful, which makes a number like 17 meaningful, which brings me up casually in conversation when somebody's chasing down 17 and when somebody gets 18, that's how it all supposed to work. But if they're still thinking about me in January, which is two weeks away, from tomorrow, we gotta focus on what is. You know what I'm saying? I appreciate it. I appreciate the respect. But the utmost respect is. Is to look forward and look at the future of where we're gonna go.
- [40:25]
Host
I understand that, and I respect that. And I think you signed an ambassador deal with the wwe. So obviously the WWE still very much wants John Cena to be a part of the family will forever. Cause you're fucking John Cena. Okay? So as you need to remember forever.
- [40:39]
John Cena
In a different role.
- [40:40]
Host
Yeah. Before the boys ask their questions for you, final one for me is can you tell me about Stu a little bit? I obviously know Stu. Everybody that's been in WWE knows Stu. So you're talking about dancing partners. What a perfect tag team partner for you.
- [40:51]
John Cena
So, first of all, you hear me say this a lot. Nobody does it alone. Honestly, all these memorable moments that we have, I have. There's a partner attached and more partners attached. I'm talking about, like, Dega Catering, who feeds us all the folks behind the scenes. I was told not to break the fourth wall, not to. Not to talk to the camera. So I said, fuck it. I'll talk to the cameraman, and I can look right over the lens, and Stu's there. And we got a whole crew of camera folks and people that make this live event look the way it does, a whole TV TR of folks that shoot the cuts and make our stuff a lot better than it is. And my conversation with Stu, who's an individual I care deeply for, is also a conversation with what I call the truck. Everybody in that room over there making sure we all look good. And every time I say, let's go to work, those men and women have already been hard at work making the show awesome before the first bump is even taken. So Stu is kind of a conduit to my conversation, not only to the audience out there, because I'm stealing a way to break the fourth wall, but it's also me talking to folks that I care about who never, ever, ever get to be in the center of a ring and have the audience go, fantastic. But without them, we are worthless.
- [42:13]
Host
Yeah.
- [42:13]
John Cena
You know what I'm saying?
- [42:14]
Host
The WWE crew is the greatest.
- [42:15]
John Cena
It is the greatest.
- [42:16]
Host
They are the greatest people. And a lot of them. You talk about traveling entertainers, a lot of them have been on the road for 30 years.
- [42:23]
John Cena
Do it because it is what they love to do. Because they're not getting applause, man. They're not getting any of that. They just show up and. And hustle like, you're talking about pre.
- [42:33]
Host
Show routines to keep, keep the body loose now. Cuz that's how long they've been around. You're talking about prepping before the thing that all the camera people, the people in the truck, the lighting, the every.
- [42:42]
John Cena
I mean just the, the time, the greatest people, dude, the time under tension I've spent with these people over 25 years. Like man, I. I know them. They're. We're all. It's a family business like you. You spend so much time around to know him.
- [42:55]
Host
What if Stu tomorrow just punches you in the face? Oh, from the camera says, you know what? Actually I'm sick of this today still my go.
- [43:03]
John Cena
If he throws a Ohio right and he connects, I'm going to tell him I've been with him 25 years. He hasn't learned to work and punch.
- [43:11]
Host
You are a good punch.
- [43:12]
John Cena
I taught you nothing.
- [43:13]
Host
Hey, nobody talks about the old scene of punch.
- [43:16]
John Cena
Nothing.
- [43:17]
Host
All right, let's the boys have some. Go ahead, con man. Boston Connor.
- [43:20]
Con Man
Yeah, John, speaking of too, I, I love the last fit. I'm hoping that maybe it's because you're, you know, rushing the passer for Patriots on Sunday after your match.
- [43:28]
John Cena
You can look through whatever lens you want to, my friend. I'm glad you like the style.
- [43:31]
Con Man
Yeah, perfect. All right, well then I'm gonna just hold on to that hope until one o' clock on Sunday. But speaking of, you know, Stu and Michael Cole and kind of the tribute videos, like, what do you feel when you see stuff like that? Because a lot of it is awesome. All the old clips of you wrestling is incredible. And Michael Call, Michael Cole is on the call for damn near all of them. And you know, what does he mean to you? Just as a person, let alone, alone an announcer. And when you do see all of these people who you've danced with in your terms, and also people that you haven't even them reaching out, like what, what does that kind of evoke out of you? Just because you know, all the accolades, the 17 and everything, it is incredible. But just what about the relationships and what that means to you?
- [44:11]
John Cena
So the relationship with each individual here is they're all different. I think what I take away most, most from all this is again, we did this together. And I understand exactly how lucky I am. I am like one of, if not the luckiest human being on the face of the earth. Very rarely does life hand us a lottery ticket. I've been getting lottery ticket after lottery ticket after lottery ticket.
- [44:38]
Host
Amen, brother. Save us.
- [44:40]
John Cena
So now every ticket is simply a chance to work harder. When I see something like that, this I think when I begin to reflect on two and a half decades, the thing that I want to, I guess, be validated and the thing that I always struggle with is did I do enough? Did I reach enough people? Did I use my opportunity correctly? Did I make the most of this lottery ticket or stack of lottery tickets that you've handed me? Because I'm a fan, I'm an observer of life. I've seen people waste them and I've seen people. And there's no better feeling. You want to root for the folks who use their lottery tickets. When I see something like this, it says that we shared a lot of moments and that there's mutual respect from especially people who are kind of apprehensive and even in the face of the show who respect the business will give me a second of their time. It means the world to see all this because it means hopefully I did okay with my lottery tickets.
- [45:44]
Host
Yeah, I think you did, buddy. And you gave lottery tickets to a lot of people. That's because you're John. Okay?
- [45:52]
John Cena
So you need a business does, man.
- [45:54]
Host
Two and a half decades into this and we are living the luckiest life of all time. But it does feel as if everybody in this business, old school and new school, all appreciate you. You've gone through a lot of different generations here, iterations of professional wrestling from when it was still kind of viewed as carney side, not really thing to mainstream, to out kind of public favor, to struggling with tickets, to now being the biggest it's ever been financially and tickets wise and globally and everything like that. Your thoughts on the current state of the business? I know you said if you want to pay the ultimate respect to me, you continue to watch and look forward to what the next generation is. You're trying to put over a lot of NXT talent. And whenever Sol Ruka's flip stunner is or flip cutter off the corner is insane. I think she did off the top rope too. People are going to lose their mind. Javon Evans is. Is outrageous. He is outrageous. Oba is insane. I mean presence. Yes, he certainly is. So I appreciate the fact that you are utilizing your last platform, your last big one to put over the future of the business. But the business has changed mightily since you got into it. Sure, there is a different world, different time from the unreal situation going on with Netflix, which I think you and I kind of viewed it the same. I don't want to say I'm Old school in this business. But I didn't necessarily love the thought of what unreal it was coming from.
- [47:14]
John Cena
The guy who filmed me backstage just, you know, just kept filming all the time. I'm like, yo, man, that was Foxy.
- [47:20]
Host
That was Bugsy.
- [47:22]
John Cena
Is there any like, hey, where's this going?
- [47:24]
Host
Yeah, man. Yeah.
- [47:26]
John Cena
So I don't know. I don't know.
- [47:27]
Host
Yeah, I appreciate it.
- [47:28]
John Cena
I don't know.
- [47:29]
Host
Did you ever see that film anywhere? Okay. Anyways, on that note, we protect this business. So. But with the unreal, with the streaming platforms, with how global it is, like, how do you feel about the state of the business and what do you think about the future of it? Whenever it comes to creative stars of the future, what's going to happen? Like, how long can the WWE continue to do this? How long can wrestling continue to do this in your eyes with the current state of everything?
- [47:51]
John Cena
So I honestly believe that live entertainment has a strong future. We don't know what the advent of new technologies will bring, but man, I think humans want to see humans do stuff. And I think WWE and sports entertainment's in a real good spot. I think people like getting together in groups and the more we do this all day, the more maybe we want to get together in an arena or stadium and just emote, enlighten our backpacks a little bit. I think WWE is in a great spot to do that. The talent roster is deep. I mean, we used to look to the bullpen. It used to be a only a couple guys on the bench. Now we got people elbowing for spots like we are deep. And it has never been a better time if you're one of the active participants. It's never been a better time to be a WWE Superstar. You get paid the most it's ever seen. To train, you get paid the most. Numbers that I couldn't even think about. The guys are making now to draw money. I mean, it is. You can make a vocation out of it in a short period of time. It's approaching that athlete's window where if you do your five year deal, if you do the small three year deal and then an extra one, gosh, you will never know want. And it used to be more incentivized. I think they're taking better care of the talent. But who's to say if that is good or bad? I prefer to be incentivized. I prefer to go out there and create interest. But I don't know because I've never been on the other model. We're working Less events. I prefer to get that in Season Groove, but I don't know the alternative. And I love the create more demand, which creates more excitement. Like everything has a good explanation behind it. I'm not the biggest fan of Unreal and I've told the producers of Unreal that. But I also say, hey, just because I don't like it doesn't mean it isn't right. The business, the consumer wants more and they want to show behind the scenes. So they're just going off of what they know and we're trying to give the consumer what they want episode. So who's really wrong? And I'm excited for season two. So who's really wrong? But just because it makes me feel uncomfortable if it's a success, maybe I got to look in the mirror and ask myself, okay, what about me doesn't feel comfortable with this? There's what I love about to answer. Never been a better time than right now. There have been the golden era, the boom of the attitude era. This is like, like sustained, incredible growth through all platforms and expansion and more content and allowing people to get out there and do what they do. There's never been a better time. The way we recruit is different with the NIL program. So we can get people who maybe didn't, you know, you didn't love wrestling all your life, but you can be drawn into it and fall in love with it as a second mountain, you know, it is incredible. And what I love about it most, as I was always taught in the business, especially when I started gaining traction, swing big, do not be afraid to swing big. And just because I personally don't get a lot of the swings, when I hear a comment like I'm old school, what I hear is, I don't want to adapt. That's all I hear. I like the way it was and I don't want to adapt. And if you want to look deeper into that, you can be like, okay, well, really what I'm saying is like, I like discipline or I like coaching this way and I'm not accustomed to this way of how we're doing it. I get all that. We can dig deeper on everything. But when I hear somebody say I'm old school, it's they just don't want to adapt. They like what was. So it's time to move on. As far as being in the business, never been a better time. But here's the kicker. The biggest challenge now is on the business. Business is on the the men and women out there performing because, boy, have have they had some large shoes to fill? You know, we. We got to keep growing and we got to keep prospering. And I don't know if a lot of folks have seen hard times. A lot of folks have seen a house 12% filled. You know what I'm saying? So having gone through that, you feel great about where you're leaving the place. But the kids now, they don't know shows that aren't so. And they don't know, you know, selective noise and like, again, 10% draw of an arena. But they got. It's their, it's their lottery ticket. Their lottery ticket is like, best time ever. Work hard to keep it up. So I'm interested to see where it goes. I mean, consumer chatter is an all time high. Engagement's at an all time high. We're in a real good spot. I'm excited for the future.
- [52:14]
Host
Yeah, you've done a great job with your time. And the baton is obviously well carried whenever you were carrying it. Excited to see the next generation of superstars take it to the next level. That's always the goal for this business. Ty has a question for your next business.
- [52:27]
Con Man
Yeah.
- [52:27]
Ty
In terms of your acting career, I read an article, I think it was earlier this week, and it was maybe one you did with Variety or Vanity Fair or something like that. And it was when you were. I don't remember if it was 12 rounds or the Marine or whatever it was, but you were filming over in Australia. Didn't really love the experience, you know, because it was a lot of, hey, we need you here by this time. And then you get there and then you just wait. And I think you talked either your business partner or someone, and the decision was basically made like, hey, we're done with this for now, right? You know, at some point in that.
- [52:54]
John Cena
I want you to finish the thought because I want to jump in a bunch here, but I want to hear you.
- [52:57]
Ty
And this might go back to what we were talking about a little bit earlier with who knows what if whether that's accurate or not. But so then you, you have that hiatus where you're not acting and it's. It's all WWE for a while. At what point did you. If, if that is true, at what point in your career when you are established one of the biggest superstars in the history of professional wrestling, at what point did it go off or is like, you know what, maybe I do want to tip. Dip my toes back into acting and. And I want to kind of go in full bore with this, knowing that you had it made in the shade in wwe. Like you didn't have to do that, but it was something that maybe you found like a new passion for. You're like, you know what, I actually could be really good at this.
- [53:35]
John Cena
So the statement is great. The question is great. A lot of what I'm hearing, the way you describe your question is, it was my choice. It was not at all. I did the Marine as a young 20 something super superstar who went from going from city to city with audiences and arenas chanting your name and going bonkers. Like, while I was in Australia filming the Marine, all I thought about was wrestling. So my passion wasn't in it. I was uninvested. And in doing so, I was also unprofessional, which made me unreliable. Then I kept doing movies. And the reason I did the Marine and did 12 rounds and did all these movies was a business. WWE films was supposed to make us movie stars. So more people go through the turnstiles, which means more noise and more excitement. And we needed that at that point. I didn't do movies because I wanted to do the craft. I did movies to sell more tickets. So something's gonna suffer. Yes, we might sell more tickets, but the movies are gonna suffer. Cause I wish I was in Nassau Coliseum or Rosemont Horizon, not on a movie set twiddling my thumbs, waiting for them to blow some something up. My mind was elsewhere. I, I, I wasn't present. So when you say, oh, you know, you and your business partner said, we're not doing this anymore. No, my best friend and, and manager, I can't even call him manager because I don't like the term. He's my best friend, Dan Boehm, who, who's been side by side with me for over two decades. I looked at him and said, after doing a bunch of shitty movies and said, yo, we're, we're never going to do movies again. And this is the guy whose job is to hunt for film. He turned to me and said, no, we're not, but don't worry about it, we're gonna find another way. And we did. I started hosting live shows, I started hosting game shows, I started doing cameos on TV shows, little quick hits. I read the news stuff to keep me engaged, to keep my skills sharp. Just why I want to be an ambassador for the wwe. I don't want to lose the pulse. I want to keep that sharp because there's power, passion there. And then I got a lottery ticket, somebody wanted me to come and audition, and I was a Little older, a little wiser. And finally I said, hey, man, if you say yes to this, we talked about this off camera. I want to be an actor. All right? Put the same passion and elbow grease beside it as when you said, I want to be a wrestler. What did I do when I said I want to be a wrestler? Back in Kentuckiana, I bought as many tapes I as I could. I invested in my appearance. I kept myself lean, strong, always looking to improve, go extra practice, put that amount of effort into this and just.
- [56:15]
Con Man
See where it goes.
- [56:16]
John Cena
And do that over repeated amounts. And the law of compounding interest should. Should yield. But I didn't say, like, time to get back in the movie biz. No, somebody bet on me and I approached it with the passion to give him 10 bucks bucks back. And that happened. So somebody else bet on me and I tried to give him 10 bucks back. And like I said, I ain't perfect. But nowadays if you, you're like, yo, man, we could do this over zoom. No, we do a face to face.
- [56:42]
Host
No, the fact that you flew all the way out here the day before your last, we are very thankful. We are obviously very thankful for. But when I was being told you were going to fly out here, I was telling WWE people, I was like, no, just tell them he doesn't have. And you're like, no, we're definitely doing it.
- [56:55]
John Cena
Yeah, because I want to. I want to be good for you guys. I want to be good for the show. I want to be good for our show. You're an advocate for the business. Hell, you're a coworker. You know what I'm saying? So again, y' all gave me an opportunity and I'm just trying to give you back 10, you know what I'm saying? So did. But I learned from my mistakes early on of like, your heart wasn't in it. And if you try to put as much effort as you put into this thing that you truly love, then love it. Love what you now do. Don't a lot of New Year's resolutions gonna be, I wanna get in shape, fucking do it. One foot in front of the other, and start grinding like, I wanna eat more healthy, do it. I wanna drink less, do it. Like, you gotta approach it with passion and commitment. And I didn't have that. And I can say that cause I got a lottery ticket. And honestly, without that ticket, I would still say that. Like, that's where I missed, but from my fitness, it was a huge takeaway of like, man, you got a chance to do something. Let's see where it goes. And I'm not gonna be perfect. I'm gonna make bad movies.
- [57:55]
Host
Like, I doubt it.
- [57:56]
John Cena
No, man, I don't think you are. Just like, I'm gonna have bad matches this whole year is. Hey, this is great. This sucked. This is awesome. Why is he booked in this? It happens. It happens, man. But if you give all you can, I at least have, like, the sleep is sound. I've done all I can. The sleep wasn't sound. Cause I. I knew my heart was elsewhere. That's a great question, but do you understand how, like, for sure, you're like, oh, man. And then you just said, I'm not doing this anymore. And then you just said, like, I'm doing it again. Nah, it was not like that.
- [58:25]
Host
Well, we want to let you know that whatever lottery ticket brought you into whatever business, we're thankful for it because we've enjoyed the hell out of watching you. Thank you for your commitment to our entertainment.
- [58:33]
John Cena
What a cup of coffee.
- [58:34]
Host
Great glass of coffee that you had there, but also incredible run in one particular business that we all love. Can't wait to see whatever you do next. Can't wait to watch tomorrow night on Peacock.
- [58:44]
John Cena
That's what we're here for. Please, please watch tomorrow night.
- [58:48]
Host
For the love of everything holy. Tomorrow night, Cena will dance for one final time with Guenther.
- [58:56]
John Cena
Let's almost go to work.
- [58:57]
Host
Hey, I want to let you know you can wrestle. You can wrestle for one more night.
- [59:05]
AJ Hawk
After that.
- [59:06]
Host
I cannot.
- [59:07]
John Cena
You are all right. I cannot after that.
- [59:08]
Host
Ladies and gentlemen, the Goat, John Cena. Thank you, guys.
- [59:13]
John Cena
Thank you guys.
- [59:14]
Host
Appreciate it.
- [59:18]
John Cena
This is Joe Button checking in. This holiday season, everybody is out here stressing, shopping, rapping, cooking. But me, I'm trying to kick back, watch some sports and go green on my Prizepics lineups. Right now, Prize Picks is getting into the festive spirit where new users get $50 instantly in lineups. When you play your first $5, it's real simple to play. Pick two or more players, pick more or less on their stat projections and you could win big. Real, real simple, real quick. I'm talking two minutes tops. Faster than heating up leftovers. Mix and match players from any sport so you don't miss any of the hard hitting daily Fantasy action with prizepix available in 45 states including California, Texas, Florida and Georgia.
- [59:59]
Host
Download the Prizepix app today and use code TPMS and get $50 instantly in site credits. When you play $5, that's code TPMS on prizepix to get $50 instantly in site credits when you play $5 win or lose, you'll get 50 bucks in site credits for just playing. Guaranteed Prize Picks it's good to be.
- [60:14]
John Cena
Right Must be present in certain states. Visit prizepix.com for restrictions and details.
- [60:18]
Host
This is Arc Raiders, a multiplayer extraction adventure where most of humanity shelters underground. But Raiders rise to the surface in search of something greater in the Rust Belt. Every run is pressure. Every decision is a play call. Face the relentless machines of Ark and rival Raiders chasing the same prize. Push forward or extract while you're ahead. Team up, trust no one. Arc Raiders is available now available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S and PC Rate A T for teen. Welcome back to our hub of the boat, the Thunderdome on this magical John Cena Feel Good Friday, December 12, 2025 Our tour of the program begins now. Football had a massive night last night as NFL Week 15 kicked off in the NFC south as the Falcons game got an unpredictable win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are in an interesting spot with an opportunity to still win the NFC south, but certainly down on their luck as Kirk Cousins and Kyle Pitts and Bijon Robinson and Raheem Morris, in a defense that was able to get stops whenever they need it, get a huge win on Thursday Night Football as Week 15 of the NFL slate is going to prove to be electrifying. We just got done with a conversation literally about 35, 45 seconds ago with the greatest of all time, Johnson Cena, who flew all the way out here to have a conversation with us the day before his final match tomorrow night against Gunther. Saturday night's main event live only on Peacock for one final time, we get a chance to watch the John Cena Show. The dude's a beast. The dude's a stud. He's everything you think he is. You know, it's almost like a Tim Tebow type thing.
- [61:57]
Tone
Yeah, it is.
- [61:58]
Host
It's like you see him on tv, you wonder what it's like. Is this gimmick is his character. I know that's his name. I know it's his WWE name. And then every conversation we've had with him today, both or everybody basically has all gone in a similar fashion. It's always John Cena and he's special. The run has been special. What he has done for that business is special. And tomorrow night it wraps up. I can't thank him enough for doing that. The talks tables here at Boston, Connor at Ty Schmidt, 1/2 of the hammer done Cowboys AP Tone is here. And joining us live from Anatican, Ohio, is a college football national champion, super bowl champion, Ryder cup winner, Lazer gentlemen, AJ Hawker. Hawker.
- [62:36]
Con Man
What's up, dude?
- [62:37]
AJ Hawk
Cena was great, man.
- [62:38]
Ty
What?
- [62:38]
Con Man
He.
- [62:39]
AJ Hawk
He gives you 10 back every time you give him one or he gives you one. Yeah, he. I've heard him do it around a couple different other podcasts. I understood. I understood what he meant. But yeah, I. He's like a. He's an inspirational dude, man, for sure.
- [62:50]
Host
Certainly inspirational. But also like his work ethic and the way he views life and how appreciative he is of everything is certainly warranted of massive praise. And I mean, maybe we should have had the Miz on to join us for this entire thing, but tomorrow night's gonna be special and we can't thank him enough. And how about this? How about this? I got this bad boy's gonna be in the studio for a while.
- [63:11]
John Cena
Oh, my God.
- [63:12]
Host
Yeah, yeah. You know, and D Bone came his pants earlier. It was pretty cool to watch.
- [63:16]
AJ Hawk
Yeah, I heard, I heard.
- [63:17]
Host
Yeah, it was pretty cool. Little moment had to get a little wiped on, you know, in the pants area because of what he did whenever he saw John Cena walk in. And we're obviously incredibly thankful for all of it. And tomorrow night we will all watch Army Navy tomorrow. Last night though, AJ Week 15 kicked off. We both were on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because there was so much in front of the Tampa Bay Buccane. Mike Evans was coming back. He's going to have a good night, right? They have to win. Well, he did have a good night. They had a good night and they lose. Tristan Wurfs, all pro tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after the game, was basically speechless about how insane it was that they lost the game, that they had a 14 point lead in the fourth quarter. And so AJ your takeaway from last night. What are your thoughts on where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are right now, where the Atlanta Falcons are right now, and the Carolina Panthers. Carolina Panthers might be hosting a playoff game this year.
- [64:05]
AJ Hawk
Yeah, it's pretty quick, the turnaround that. That happened in Carolina, but I. I take it more from. I give the Falcons credit for winning this game, going out and finding a way to win now the Bucks. I don't know what's. What exactly is happening with them. It's a. It's a weird situation, what we've seen, especially the second half of the year for them, but we should have known, like, of course Kirk's got that magic left in him. Of course Kirk's going to lead him back when they need a drive. 4th down, big 3rd down conversions all the time. Like yeah, Kirk still can show some of that Kirk magic. And obviously it doesn't hurt that Kyle Pitts has a game. Game is life.
- [64:33]
Host
Yeah, Kyle Pitts has the game that we all would hope that Kyle Pitts would have. Whenever he's playing his best ball, we hope we will continue to see that because he is special. I mean they even had a Sills has a catch there. He had a drop touchdown. Earlier in the game they had 19 penalties for 125 yards. Obviously there was not a clean game. The field was slick as hell. I mean you're talking about potential ugliness. Potential ugliness. And the Atlanta Falcons just kept fighting, kept fighting, kept fighting, get back, hit a game winning field goal. A lot of people not happy that Al Michaels just kind of said. And it goes in. People in Charlotte are happy. It was a 14 point comeback. Obviously a huge swing of momentum goes through the Atlanta Falcons at the end of that game. An improbable dub. Look how happy their team is in the NFC south playoff race is now in complete turmoil. People weren't thrilled with Al Michael's lack of emotion there late and how big of a game. That was a meaningful football season.
- [65:24]
Con Man
Yeah, maybe Al Michaels was just shocked too. And also just because the Atlanta Falcons are kind of playing for nothing. So I can can sort of see Al Michaels point but at the same time, Al, just a little juice maybe if you can go to the third and 28. Foxy. A lot of Falcons fans on the Internet, and I tend to agree with them, are saying the Falcons have kind of made up for the 28.3blown victory in the super bowl because of this. Because not only did this happen, Kirk Cousins also fumbled the ball on first down and Ty goes to the runner, I suppose. And they end up recovering, covering the ball at the same time as the. As the Bucks do. And it was a very quick vita ve. Of course, smart guy. Hey, I know that's our boss. Game's over. But Kirk right here fumble and then, you know, he falls on it. Does anybody fall on it? But they immediately call it Atlanta. Like maybe this is the turning of a page of the Atlanta kind of curse. We talk about it with the, with the Panthers. You know, the Panthers are almost cursed.
- [66:21]
Ty
Pause.
- [66:21]
Host
And then 28 three is right there.
- [66:22]
Con Man
Right there it is right there. And it is one of those cool things like they come back down 14, they have a third and 28 on their final drive this. I mean even a fourth and 14, we're kind of. That was kind of a casual. Yeah, they converted a 4th and 14. Like Kirk Cousins.
- [66:41]
Host
No timeouts.
- [66:41]
Con Man
No, no timeouts to Mr. Sills, who respectfully isn't. As if he was. Kyle Pitts, the fourth overall pick, Mountaineer high school quarterback legend, basically changed the rules of high school football. But again, like a lot of the things that happened for the Falcons team on this drive were miraculous. Like it is almost. Hey, if next year The Falcons go 12 and five and win the division. Feels like we're looking back at this game as when everything changed for him.
- [67:09]
Host
Yeah, you never know what's going to break a curse. And if it is a third and 28 and it says 28, 3 on the bottom and 28 is on the other team on the other team side and three is on your side like it is there at the bottom. 3, 28. And then obviously on the screen there different. But yeah, maybe last night was the breaking of the curse. Shout out to Kirk for doing that for Atlanta. They paid him a lot of money, you know, so him breaking that curse is obviously at least. The least he could do on his way out. Tone, the public lost again.
- [67:36]
Tone
Yes, they did.
- [67:37]
Host
That's what we've continued to do this season. We've had one winning weekend where 60% of the bets or more has won. Is that accurate?
- [67:45]
Tone
Yeah, it was a couple, two or three weeks ago. That happened every. Every other weekend. The public lost.
- [67:49]
Host
Okay. So we start out Owen 1 as 65.
- [67:52]
Ty
We're in a hole.
- [67:53]
Host
Yeah. Okay. And we're gonna come back.
- [67:55]
Tone
But I, I was just looking it up. The Bucks are still the favorites to win the NFC South. They're minus 130 to the. I believe it's plus 110 for the Carolina Panthers. Now, I don't know if that's only because the. The Panthers are only two point favorites going into New Orleans. A good football team. Plus they have to play the Panthers two times. So yes, last night sucked. You would rather get that win so that your odds are even better to win the division. But they are not, not dead yet. Obviously with two games still left against.
- [68:19]
Host
The NFC south is going to be the division that everybody points to for changing the playoff rules.
- [68:23]
Con Man
Ty?
- [68:24]
Ty
Yeah, without a doubt. And I think someone mentioned it before the show, you know, like. And it could ultimately it could be them screwing over the Lions who are the team that proposed in the offseason. Hey, we need to do away with this. If a team is, you know, 8 and 9 or 9 and 8, and we have another team in the NFC who goes 11 and 6. Like that team needs to get in. There's a very good chance that one of these teams who is 11 and 6 is potentially going to get screwed over and miss the playoffs because of the NFC South.
- [68:50]
Host
Yeah. And people are going to be mad. They're getting a home playoff game.
- [68:53]
Ty
Yep.
- [68:53]
Host
You know, and other teams have to go. We go from potential one seed to five seed, and now all of a sudden, this team has this. It's like, yeah, that's how the rules are. Win your division, maybe you'll be a little bit better.
- [69:02]
Ty
Exactly.
- [69:02]
Host
And they're like, well, if we're in the AFC south, any of us could have won this division. Well, it's like, well, you're not. So let's live in reality, okay? Let's not live in a fairy tale land. Speaking of reality, next weekend, the College Football Playoff will kick off. Friday night. Oklahoma, Alabama, Saturday at noon, Miami will travel to College Station. Kyle Field will be hosting a College Football Playoff game as Texas A and M, short into Elko's tenure, is now one of the teams still vying for a national championship. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is the man who is the leader of that Aggie football team, a man who's had incredible quotes this year. I mean, just a professional press conference.
- [69:46]
Con Man
So good.
- [69:46]
Host
Amongst many other things. Ladies and gentlemen, friend of the program, a man who will see us on the sideline as we do a field pass for his home playoff game live on ESPN2, the head coach of Texas A and M's football team, Mike Elko.
- [70:00]
Con Man
Yeah.
- [70:02]
Host
How are you, Mike? All right, before we get going, Pat.
- [70:04]
Coach Mike Elko
How much does it cost to get you on my team as the hype guy?
- [70:07]
Host
Okay. I would love to be the hype guy for the Texas A and M Maggies. I think you guys do have money down there, so I think we could do. Yeah, I think we can.
- [70:14]
Coach Mike Elko
I think we can put a good package together for you. For sure.
- [70:17]
Host
I'm open to anything. Send a pitch deck. Would love to get down there. Love the cowboy boots down there. Last time I went down there, I was gifted cowboy boots, and I was gifted some hats. I mean, I love your town down there, College Station. Let's talk about it. Hosting a playoff game. Obviously, this is the dream. Whenever you take the job, but now that you're here, how does it feel down there? How does the community feel? And what do you think people are going to see if they're potentially watching Texas A and M in not in prime time because it's noon game, but you did it in a prime position where it hasn't been for a long time.
- [70:45]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, the energy obviously is real. I think this is what this program and this town has been waiting for. The chance to get to host playoff football first time in the playoffs. And you've been here, you've seen the electricity in Kyle Field when this place is rocking. And Saturday morning when this thing kicks kicks off, there's going to be 108,000 strong with the 12th man and it's going to be a wild scene for sure.
- [71:06]
Host
Okay, so tell me about your team in its. I don't want to say readiness for the game, but I guess readiness would be a good call. The Texas loss, obviously not great. And you're trying to run professional press conference. Your line is one of the greatest of all time. I appreciate that. You are certainly irritated because you're supposed to be in that moment and I like that you talk some shit in it all. But how does the team feel and how. What is your vibe of what the locker room is like as well? We head in to the most important game of the season.
- [71:33]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, I think guys are fired up. I think obviously it is hard to run the table and never have a misstep. I think that's the world we live in today in college football. And you know, unfortunately for us it happened in the last game with a chance to go to Atlanta on the line and against our rival. And that's not what you want, but you know, at some point that was going to happen. And so in our minds we feel like we got it out of the way. We feel like we've recentered, we float focused. Obviously the goal has been to go and compete for a national championship. That kind of became a reality as the year moved on and now it's the time to go get it. And so, you know, we're excited to have Miami in here.
- [72:07]
Host
Go ahead, AJ Coach.
- [72:09]
AJ Hawk
You guys, you feel like you're battle tested. When I think of your team and like the. The season you guys had, you win plenty of games on the road and at home, like close games. You could win any different way, I guess. Is that something you actually think about when you review the season? How it all went to where, how you could be prepared headed into these, you know, the biggest games of the season, facing some of the best, best teams obviously.
- [72:29]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, I know you guys are Midwest guys, but I think anytime you make it through the SEC season, you are battle test different Venues, you play in the different teams that you've got to play. You don't survive the SEC gauntlet and qualify for the playoffs without feeling as though your team is ready to go compete. Now, obviously, the teams that you're playing in the playoffs are really talented as well, and that's not lost on me, but certainly feel like we're ready and we're ready to go.
- [72:55]
Host
You were the only undefeated team in the SEC remaining. Go ahead, Con man.
- [72:58]
Con Man
Yeah, Coach. Of course you're in the college football playoffs, so nothing else matters. But do you almost feel disrespected that you're the number seven seed? I mean, you guys were in the top three for the better part of most of the year. Is there any thought of, like, hey, these. These people, these committees, you know, the country, they don't even respect you as a football team.
- [73:17]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, I mean, honestly, we don't have time for that. We got a really good Miami team coming in. We're in. That's all you want it. You know, I think there'll be conversation in the off season, and we've talked a lot about this, about processes and what this whole thing needs to look like moving forward, but right now, the only focus is the fact that we're in. We've got a chance to go compete for a title, and we got Miami coming in here next weekend.
- [73:39]
Host
You make the move from Duke to Texas A and M. And we all knew the story going into the change at coaching for the Aggies. They spent a lot of money to move on from the coach. So we just assume in the modern era that we're in. Okay, Texas A and M is obviously going to be able to keep up with everybody. You have proven that. You have a couple wide receivers that obviously come in and do huge things for you. Can you tell me a little bit about this offense and how special it's become with Marcel and Marcel mode at quarterback? Not even really talked about for Heisman, by the way. Not even really talked about Verin at all.
- [74:10]
Coach Mike Elko
No, I. I think, listen, we need. We knew we had to get more dynamic. You know, we got into the back stretch last year, and we felt like one of the things we had to do on offense was become a more explosive, more more dynamic offense. That helps. That happens in the SEC with talent. I mean, that's the only way it happens. And so obviously, the growth of Marcel has been a huge part of it. Him becoming a much better pocket passer, him being able to push the ball downfield even more consistently as the year Went on, but then going out and getting weapons. And so Casey Concepcion has been phenomenal, just won the Paul Horning Award and has been extremely explosive for us all year. Mario Craver is a kid who could take it the distance whenever you put the ball in his hands. And then Ashton Bethel, Roman and Terry Bussey have kind of provided tremendous support and have made their explosive plays throughout the year as well. And so it's a huge part of what you have to do to be successful, you know, at this stage.
- [75:00]
Host
Right.
- [75:00]
Coach Mike Elko
When you get to this part of the year, you got to have explosive playmakers on offense to have a chance to win.
- [75:05]
Host
Let's talk about the other side, which you are notorious for having a great. Your defense is kind of ass. The early. Right. Was that what it was? Is that how we would reflect upon your defense now at this stage of the season?
- [75:16]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, till I threw a chair. And I think when I threw a chair.
- [75:20]
Host
So is that what happened? Honestly, what do you think happened with the defense? Because you guys. Because every. Every week on game day, I don't know if you heard or pay attention to it, but I was like, hey, Texas A and M is real. Like, I was told that Mike Elko is unbelievable football coach. They have the money, they did the right things. They have huge wins. Why is nobody else talking about Texas A and M? It was basically all year I was like this from jump. You were our hype guy.
- [75:42]
Coach Mike Elko
I know.
- [75:42]
Host
That's why I'm trying to get you on. On the train, put a pitch deck together. Okay. I would definitely watch it. I got a lot of jobs, but I will certainly add another one if I could. And I love your team. I love your town, I love your. I love everything about what you have going on. But everybody pointed out, well, the defense is ass. The defense is ass. Like, that's all the stats that were kind of getting thrown into my. Into my face. And then towards middle of the year, almost maybe 40% through the season, you guys turned. You said you threw a chair and change. But what was the actual change, you think on the defensive side? Because I think people were holding that against you in rankings and conversation for a long, large portion. Yeah, I think we didn't play the.
- [76:16]
Coach Mike Elko
First two games the way way we would have wanted to, and I think that just has impacted our overall stats. I think, you know, whatever it was about the first two games, I didn't think we were on. Then we went up to Notre Dame and played a really explosive. And got into a shootout. And coming out of those first Three games. I just think statistically we weren't where we believed we could be. And I think, you know, we had some really strong conversations in our building. The kids took it personal and I think over the last nine games we have been much more consistent with what we've done on defense and we've got a really good pass rush. We lead the country in third down defense. I think we put ourselves in position again going into the playoffs to feel confident that we can make a run at this thing.
- [76:55]
Host
Yeah, I think you lead the country in sacks as well. Home field advantage will certainly help that. Ty has a question for you.
- [77:01]
Ty
Yeah, Coach, I've never been to Kyle Field, but we will be there. Well, we're coming, we're coming. Yeah, I'll be there next week. But listen, I don't know about what things were like when, you know, Bear Bryant was coaching there with the Junction Boys and Pat.
- [77:15]
Host
Me neither.
- [77:15]
Ty
Yeah, exactly. But Pat mentioned it like home field advantage in college football is a very, very real thing. And everyone talks about A and M and Kyle Field being one of the truest home field advantages in the sport. Do you anticipate it to maybe be the craziest environment it's ever been inside there with this being a playoff game? Like, what have, have you thought at all about what you expect it to feel and look like inside there next week?
- [77:41]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, it's going to be wild. I would certainly anticipate it'll be as loud and crazy as it's been. I've been part of some moments in this stadium that will be hard to duplicate. But playoff football in Kyle Field, this place will be rocking. This place will behind us and for sure it impacts the game. And when you talk about crowd noise and how loud it will be in here, it certainly is going to have an impact on the game for sure.
- [78:06]
Host
Are you going to be. How do you feel? Run on it. Because it's going to be my first time being on the field watching you run the boys onto the field as the. Hey, Are you, Are you. We ready for the sprint out with the boys? How do you feel at this stage? Primetime football? Playoff football?
- [78:26]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah. You know, you got to, you got to bring a little bit of swag to it when you go out there. But no, it's. It's a cool, it's a cool feeling. It really is. It's when you get down to the bottom of that tunnel and the beat drops on power and the play starts bouncing and as you're walking down, you can almost feel the stadium shaking. It's just, it is, it's a really special environment. It's a special place. Our fan base is extremely passionate and it certainly will be that Saturday for sure. What I want to see is you rocking. I want to see if you have the ability to keep up with the beat when the beat drop.
- [78:55]
Host
Hey, don't you worry about that. Okay. You know, I got that. Just know as you could probably, probably assume, we are going to have the biggest, most outrageous cowboy hats on on that side for sure. Yeah.
- [79:05]
Coach Mike Elko
As you should. As you should.
- [79:07]
Host
Cowboy boots, rocking. I mean, pleated pants. We're going to do the entire thing out there. We're going to try to buy in to the Aggie culture. I think the boys are going to try to go to the Midnight Yell too, the night before to try to kind of experience it all. I have to do game day early, so I'm not going to be able to make it. You know, that's something.
- [79:21]
Coach Mike Elko
No, I, I think it'll be good.
- [79:23]
Host
That you guys do that.
- [79:24]
Coach Mike Elko
I think it'll give you a different perspective really on what it is. I, I, you know, I think when you get in here and you feel this place and you feel the passion behind it, I think it kind of explains a little bit more what this place is really about. And I think if you go out and you experience what Midnight Yell actually is and what it actually feels like, I think you're going to get a greater appreciation of what Texas A and M football and what this culture really is about.
- [79:47]
Host
It's a special place down there, man. I, we didn't, we didn't do game day down there once this year.
- [79:53]
Coach Mike Elko
No. Saturday.
- [79:54]
Host
I want to let you, I had.
- [79:55]
Coach Mike Elko
We, I had to get to the playoffs to get you down.
- [79:58]
Host
I was pitching a lot behind the scene. My words mean nothing with these people. I don't know if you've kept up publicly with my disputes with these people, but I, I, I love. Because your, your people show up for us every time and your people are very appreciative of game day being there. Yeah, we were down there twice last year. Both times very, very thankful that we were there. Very, very appreciative in a love ball, which I can't wait for the entire world to see. Now, with success, obviously comes some adversity. Go ahead, Tone.
- [80:26]
Tone
Yeah, Coach. Obviously Colin Klein is going to go back to K State to be the head coach and then your DC is going to Kentucky. You're calling the play. So that's a little bit different. But also, you know, there's Ohio State's losing a coordinator. Oregon's losing both coordinators. JMU and Tain have head coaches and entire staffs going places. How is it just juggling your coordinators, going to different jobs, potentially doing two different jobs right now during the playoffs, and you guys obviously not being the only team dealing with that in the playoffs.
- [80:54]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, I mean, I think obviously if you look around the landscape of the playoff teams, it's not ideal. And, and I don't know what a solution would be because you got a lot of different things coming together when you put this football calendar. But it's a problem. Like you said, everybody's dealing with it. Oregon's dealing with it, we're dealing with it. Ohio State's deal dealing with it. It just. It is what it is. And so, you know, I'm thankful that we got really good people in this building, people that are committed to doing the job here until the job's finished and, you know, happy for the opportunities that the guys on our staff are getting. There's certainly a reason why we've had the success that we've had for sure. And so, you know, but I am, I am also thankful that they're committed to doing what we got to do to finish this job.
- [81:33]
Host
All right. Yeah. Fix the entire college football schedule, please. If the floor is yours to fix every problem that college football has. Can you go full screen on him, please? Floor is yours, Elko. Go ahead and fix the entire. Thank you. No, yeah.
- [81:48]
Coach Mike Elko
It starts with.
- [81:48]
Host
It starts with tv. Right.
- [81:50]
Coach Mike Elko
We got to figure that part of it out. All the coaches, academic calendars, and it's not a good mix. And it just is what it is. I do think. I do think the people are working. I do think we're trying to do the things that make it make the most sense. I do think having the portal closed right now is. Is a really good thing. We made that adjustment this year. I think at least. At least now the kids can focus on just playing ball and don't have to worry about all of that noise, which was not the case a year ago. I think each year we're trying to get this thing a little bit better and, and credit to the people in charge for that. But obviously still some things we can, we can clean up and fix.
- [82:24]
Host
Yeah, certainly Texas A and M, having all the resources, having that stadium and this guy's big ass brain is the head coach. They're in a good spot for the long haul. Coach Elko's like, yeah, let's certain. Certainly make it Better, but let's not change it entirely. You know, we got some really good stuff going down here. Go ahead, A.J. go ahead, A.J.
- [82:42]
AJ Hawk
Yeah, Coach, you mentioned your. Your third down defense. Obviously best in the country. Is that, was that an emphasis coming into this year? Is it something that you changed up throughout the year? I would imagine those third down periods in practice could get pretty lively at times when you, when you watch what your team does on Saturdays. Like, what is. Like what has the process been for third down for your defense?
- [83:00]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, I think it's always been an emphasis. I think it's something, you know, as a defensive coordinator, we've, we've been pretty consistently good at over the years. You know, I think we do some different things to attack protections and impact quarterbacks, and obviously we've got some really talented players and that. That's a big piece of it. You mix in some really talented rushers with some different looks and a home crowd that can really impact the game, and that's a really good recipe for success.
- [83:26]
Host
All right, Coach. Well, good luck as you continue to prepare for the biggest game of the year. We'll be down there. I think we're going to annoy you for like, A.J. i don't know if you even know this, you know, so normally when we do these field pass games, we don't get a chance to talk to the coaches, but since we have a relationship with both coaches of the team here, I think we're going to annoy you next week with maybe like a 10 minute zoom to kind of get an idea on where your team is and then maybe a little insight so we can call the game better. We appreciate you for that and your hospitality as we try to make something that isn't shit next week. Well, I wish you luck with that.
- [83:58]
Coach Mike Elko
Pat, because I think. I think if you could do better than that, I think that'll be a good thing for college football.
- [84:05]
Host
Hey, I like the way you're thinking. All right. Tell the boys we said congrats on a hell of a year and good luck the rest of the way. And we appreciate the hell out of you, coach.
- [84:13]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah, for sure. Appreciate you guys having me on.
- [84:15]
Host
You think if you were to fight Crystal Ball.
- [84:21]
Con Man
See you, coach.
- [84:22]
Host
See you, coach. See you later, man.
- [84:24]
AJ Hawk
He gets it.
- [84:25]
Host
I mean, there was something he had going on there. I like yesterday, Coach, Crystal Ball, whenever he was on and you asked about some of the talk about or whatever, he goes, we say no comment to this type. All right, Coach Elko, if you're going to fight Mario I'm not talking. All right, I'm going to get out. We'll get out of him at some point. That's a huge game, man.
- [84:40]
Ty
Huge.
- [84:40]
Host
That is a huge, huge game. Obviously, Alabama, Oklahoma, to kick the entire thing off is sweet on Friday night. Can't wait to get there. Can't wait to get out there to Norman. It's a wonderful football town. Just an absolutely wonderful football place. College game day will be there and then one and a half point favorite Alabama will try to continue the ride or will old beautiful Oklahoma do their thing? And then overnight we travel down to College station from Miami vs Texas A&M. Tulane in Ole Miss. JMU, Oregon, college football throwing absolute heat the first weekend of cfp.
- [85:17]
Con Man
It's also awesome too, because last year, you know, we kind of followed Ohio State the whole time. And now winner of this game will go to play Ohio State. Like, we know Ohio State pretty damn well because of the four games we followed last year, let alone the Big Ten title game. We just went to like seeing now the team that they might play up close and personal and be able to just know, like, okay, hey, this guy's going to be covering Jeremiah Smith, who we just watched. You know, like, even those things will be really cool. And it'll be a huge test too, for, you know, A and M, just their first ever playoff.
- [85:47]
Host
And I don't want to give away too much, but I think you could probably expect to hear and see us standing on that beautiful grass over there at the road.
- [85:56]
Tone
Tradition.
- [85:58]
Host
You probably see that now. Once again, just like John Cena was mentioning, like, we're not supposed to be doing these things. We understand that it is outrageous that we get the opportunity to do that. The actual call with Fowler and Herb street and team will certainly be on ABC and on espn. But us getting an opportunity to kind of call the game in our own way, from our own perspective on the sideline of these people. Massive, historic, huge implication. Games is so stupid. We're so thankful and we can't wait to get down there next week. ESPN2 that that's going to be. I mean, Miami A and M. Yeah.
- [86:31]
Con Man
Let alone. I've never.
- [86:32]
AJ Hawk
I've never been to A and M. I know you have, but. Yeah, I can't wait.
- [86:35]
Host
It's way out there. You know, it is. It is out there. Like you are traveling Texas, Texas. You know, you're going, you're going out there, but then you got people to just live by, you know, like, it is a football community. It is a football place. 100 some thousand. They love America down there. Yeah. The biggest United States of America flag that I've ever seen flies right outside of Kyle Field. Then they got 200American flags flying on top of that thing, and everybody is all in on all of it.
- [87:04]
Ty
Yeah, I was just like, I mean, I've never been there either. Extremely excited to go and. And obviously any one of these home teams could make a. The case, but Texas A and M will have as good of an argument as anyone with saying like, hey, we have the best home field advantage of any team in this first round like that. You know, obviously Miami's not bitching and whining because they got in about draw or anything like that, but boy, what a tough place to have to go and play. Right off the rip at Texas A.
- [87:31]
Host
And M, we were asked, hey, where do you want to call? Where do you want to. To kind of do the field pass? And we're like, well, anywhere would be sick. I mean, Austin's outrageous. Obviously.
- [87:39]
Coach Mike Elko
That is.
- [87:39]
Host
That is a cool place. Oklahoma. Sweet Ole Miss. I've heard nothing but great things about that. And then Kyle Fields there and we started chatting about it. And every time I'd came back from college game day at Texas A and M, I told the boys, I'm like, hey, that place is just like, it's a special place. Kind of felt it with Texas Tech this year too, you know, kind of felt it with Texas Tech, where I've talked to you guys. So getting the opportunity to go there and I think for the boys to. To get a chance to experience something I've experienced a couple of times, obviously very special. But the whole first round is going to have great environments, which is why everybody thinks like, hey, one of the biggest parts of college football is the environment. Why don't we try to make that multiple round, another round of that multiple rounds. Well, the weather is the weather. It's like, well, NFL teams are doing it. So what is the. What's the biggest issue here? We don't really see what the issue is. We would like more of what college football. Football is, which is the environment, which is the pageantry, which is the student sections, which is everything like that. So us getting a chance in the first round, obviously, good beggars can't be choosers, but let's go ahead and get another round of that. You don't think Texas Tech deserves to have a home game?
- [88:43]
Ty
Exactly.
- [88:44]
Host
Indiana doesn't. Indiana has a home playoff game, but instead they win the Big Ten for the first time since the World War II era. And then now you can't have a home game because you have to buy that. It's like, that doesn't make sense really, in theory. Let alone Jordan, Georgia, and Ohio State.
- [88:57]
Ty
Yeah. Not only do you not get a home game, you have. You have to go to what is, like, geographically the farthest place away from where you are, but also just to what we were talking about. Like, how sweet would it be for Texas A M? Gets a home game first round, and it's, you know, gonna be 75 and sunny down there. And then you turn around and you have to go to Ohio State, and it's. It's negative temperatures with the wind chill. Like, that's football. That's playoff football. That. That would just be awesome. It's probably not going to happen because, you know, all these. These Bulls, like, they obviously want 16.
- [89:26]
Con Man
Maybe.
- [89:26]
Ty
Well, maybe. But it needs to get done.
- [89:28]
John Cena
You're right, though.
- [89:29]
Host
Let's go to the NFL. There's an updated story that certainly came out of nowhere and was pretty scary, I think, for a little bit. TJ Watt ended up in a hospital. Then TJ Watt ended up getting surgery. TJ Watt ended up having a little bit of, you know, medical scare that his whole family. Bert Lawton said that TJ Watt was currently in hospital. JJ Watt gave a full update on everything yesterday. TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility. Recovery timeline is still tbd, but all went well and he's being released from the hospital today. He and his family are very appreciative of everyone's kind words and well wishes. Obviously, J.J. a part of the family, but he's talking about his immediate family. It's like, this was scary and came out of nowhere, I think. Dry needling session at the facility. TJ is just trying to prepare for this continued playoff run that they have massive game, and all of a sudden, he's ending up at the hospital getting an emergency surgery. We called JJ yesterday. I called JJ off air. I'm like, hey, what the hell is going on? And I think JJ was a little bit like, yeah, like, this is a very. This comes out of nowhere. This is a very serious thing. So we're happy to hear he's okay. But Monday night, I don't think anybody at the this point is expecting TJ to play. But, man, this is just like the reality of perspective, that everything can change just like this. You have no idea what's going to happen in this life age.
- [90:57]
AJ Hawk
Yeah, I, I wasn't sure what like when I heard that he was in the hospital. Yeah. Obviously very worried and think I. I'm honestly somewhat relieved that it was something that happened to him instead of like, oh, they. Something popped up or they found something like he's going to play again. We don't know when that may be, but I'm sure it's been a very scary, what, 24, 48 hours for these guys.
- [91:13]
Host
Yeah. And then there's obviously I don't want to just immediately go to what football. But football wise, there's a lot of stats with TJ Playing for the Steelers and TJ not playing for the Steelers. And the Steelers need every single game down the stretch. And this just popping up on a Wednesday. Obviously terrible for TJ and for the Watts as a whole, but for the Pittsburgh Steelers, this is not good news either. Here's A Hembo Stat. 1 in 11 win loss, including playoffs. Whenever the TJ is not playing, they allow 27 points per game and 380 yards per game, 26 touchdowns, seven interceptions with a 70.8 QBR win in TJ Watts not on the field. Things didn't look great for the Pittsburgh Steelers to potentially win in Lombardi without TJ Watt. We can't even get into that conversation.
- [91:55]
Tone
Napy Tone no, we can't. Obviously very, very happy he's okay and who cares about him playing on the field right now? But the 1 in 11 when you lose or when you're not playing with one of the best defensive players in football, especially him in the way that the defense is created around him, they. They are not good with without him. And it's a huge game for the Dolphins coming in Monday night and to try to keep that lead in the AFC North. So yes, it's going to be very, very hard without him. Have no idea how long it's going to take for him to get back or even if he will be back this season, but just glad he's all right.
- [92:27]
Host
Out of nowhere, age out of nowhere, dry needling means he was trying to get like treatment. Like that's what he. He was choosing to go focus on ball, focus on his career, focus on getting better. I've done this hundreds of times, thousands of times. Maybe this just kind of standard operating procedure and then boom. Something I don't know, I don't want.
- [92:47]
Tone
What is it? Have you guys ever done it?
- [92:48]
Con Man
Acupuncture, A.J.
- [92:49]
Host
Have you done it? I don't think I know what it is. Yeah, I've had it.
- [92:52]
AJ Hawk
I don't love it. It's like. Yeah, it's like acupuncture needles, but they kind of like jab them a little bit and go a little bit deeper. I don't know how. How far you have to go to actually hit a lung, though. That's. That feels like. That's pretty deep.
- [93:02]
Host
Yeah. Because I think the immediate reaction is something with of lot a long. It must have been the Tyrod Taylor golf tee incident where maybe he was getting a shot that was able to get there. Dry needling to get to a long. I don't know. I have no idea. But I'm happy he's okay. That has to be very scary situation out of nowhere. I'm gonna go get better today. Well, I guess he's super more jacked. I'm gonna go get better today. I'm gonna go do what I've been doing for since the beginning of my career, football career. Go in there walking. Hey, how's everybody doing? Got a playoff push coming. It's going to do the dry needling. It's going to hurt. You need to go to the hospital. Yeah, I do. I can't. I'm in. Oh, you have emergency surgery happening. It's like, quick. How life can kind of just unravel like that. Happy as hell. He's okay.
- [93:47]
Ty
Yeah. Anytime, like the terms emergency surgery and you, like, need to be rushed to the hospital. Like, I think it's. It's just human nature to always assume the worst anyway, so I can only imagine not only his family, you know, but like, Steelers fans. Yesterday, you see this. It's like this. This could be anything. Is this guy ever going to play for the Steelers again? And luckily, it wasn't that serious. But, yeah, I mean, you mentioned it. How. How many times does he probably do this during the year? Like, how many. How many does he.
- [94:13]
Con Man
I don't know, age?
- [94:13]
Host
That's a good question. Dry needling dudes are normally like once a week, right? They are twice a week.
- [94:18]
Con Man
Yeah.
- [94:18]
AJ Hawk
I don't know. I can't see anyone getting it more than once or twice a week. But, yeah, I'm sure it's definitely a weekly thing for a lot of people.
- [94:24]
Host
But I don't want to say dry needling dudes, but whenever I say that, I mean, like, there's dudes that do do certain things. Like if he is a dry needling dude, which I would assume he is a dry needling dude, that's a part of the weekly recovery process. There's people that do the. What you guys Just mentioned acupuncture. Acupuncture. There's people, pliability, all this stuff. There's people that have their own way. If you're a dry needling dude, I think you're probably doing that every single week. So that's just standard operating procedure for tj. Once again, we don't know unless he added this to his kind of routine this week, which is certainly possible. I'm not saying it isn't, but it feels like this is probably just a part of his standard process. Getting ready for a game and then it coming out of nowhere. Scary.
- [95:05]
Con Man
Yeah, so scary. And to Ty's point, like, that was what we were kind of speculating just after. You know, as a Patriots fan, there's been multiple players over the last two, three years who've had blood clots and they come out of nowhere and then those guys are out for an entire year. So, like, of course we're talking about Monday and everything and even the week after and how important it is. But like, my initial thought was, hopefully he's not out next year. You know, like this, this is one of those things, to your point, like, it does give you a little bit perspective and how quickly everything does just change.
- [95:36]
Host
Speaking of everything changing, sometimes to be great, you got to get the oldest guy in the league.
- [95:47]
AJ Hawk
Bracket.
- [95:49]
Host
50 hours, 49 minutes, 7 seconds from now. Yeah, Philip Rivers is correct.
- [95:56]
Con Man
We think it's correct. It'll be 48 at 4.
- [95:59]
AJ Hawk
25 more clips. Man, we got some zip on the. Zip on the ball.
- [96:04]
Host
Yeah, we got zip on the ball. And also he doesn't look like the big tub of Lord like everybody had been saying.
- [96:10]
Ty
That is true.
- [96:10]
Host
Early in the week, people saw his neck and his face and they're like, wow, this guy a complete fatso. There's no way his 44 year old body is going to be able to hold all the blubber he's got. He's going to be even less active than he. A lot of people say. A lot of people are saying that. And I see him, I'm like, am I missing something? I don't think he looks that abnormal to what Phil Rivers looks like. He looks exactly like what Phil Rivers has looked like. And just like it says right there, he has been on a relentless pursuit of greatness for 20 plus years and now he has the opportunity to do it as a football 44 year old with a team that's still trying to win a damn Super Bowl. I mean, that is very evident that that is what the Colts are trying to Do. We're not quitting on the season. We're not giving up. We're going to try and go for it. In 50 hours, 48 minutes and 3 seconds, we are going to see if Phil river still got it. This is a highly anticipated snap, this first one from Phil.
- [97:00]
AJ Hawk
AJ it really is. What do you think? If they throw him off, you run like design QB draw first play of the game just to keep the defense on their toes and let Phil like Phil wants to let him know, hey, I still, I got in my legs, buddy. I'm faster now than I was before.
- [97:12]
Host
So when this news was announced, obviously there was people laughing in the face.
- [97:17]
Con Man
Of the Colts still doing it now.
- [97:19]
Host
Really?
- [97:19]
Con Man
Yeah, a lot of people. Oh yeah. The books are for me.
- [97:23]
Host
What?
- [97:24]
Con Man
The books.
- [97:26]
Host
The books are certainly.
- [97:27]
John Cena
What's the line?
- [97:29]
Host
It's big. It's the biggest of the weekend. It's biggest of the weekend. I, I believe it's okay. It was at 14 yesterday. It's back to. That's because people are seeing these videos from Romeo and from Kevin Bowen and Anthony Calhoun and James Boyd from these. They're seeing him spin it and they're like, wait a minute. The books are like we need to go ahead and drop that back down maybe. Thirteen and a half point spread is the biggest spread of the weekend. Colts still in it. Seahawks obviously, we know very much in it. To have a two score spread like this is pretty disrespectful to a team that still can go on and win the damn super bowl in week 15.
- [98:05]
Ty
Do you think they're that? I mean I. It's the NFL so everyone, you know, like even when teams suck and they come in other t like a team like the Seahawks, if they're playing a team who has two wins, they're not thinking like oh we're just going to run through these guys and beat the out of them. Do you think though there might be like a little bit of like are they got Phil Rivers like we're going to and just kind of going in Way, way overconfident or do you think that's not Donald?
- [98:29]
Host
My issue with McDonald's is he looks like a full size psycho.
- [98:32]
Ty
He's a psychopath.
- [98:32]
Con Man
Yeah.
- [98:33]
AJ Hawk
A full term in the best way. He is.
- [98:35]
Host
Yes. This is a compliment, not a bad thing.
- [98:37]
AJ Hawk
Yes.
- [98:38]
Host
I'm saying that as somebody that has watched him on the sideline and he's.
- [98:42]
AJ Hawk
You're gonna heat him up. They're gonna heat Phil up early, I.
- [98:44]
Host
Would imagine and they're gonna be throwing bodies at his. I mean, he. They're gonna be diving at his feet. He's gonna be. That ball's gonna be out and then there's gonna be two, three. Because who knows how long it's gonna take for him to get up. It might be a delay of game.
- [98:56]
Ty
Yeah, you're right.
- [98:56]
Host
You know, we're not 100% sure all of that. But age, the more I see, the more I like and around the building, it's not like, hey, yeah, we're mailing in in here. We got a grandpa around the building. It's like he can execute the offense. He knows the offense better than every anybody in the building. He's very comfortable. He's seen every defense. Now, AQ Shipley, I didn't love this earlier in the week. He talked about and I think debut as well. Seattle's defense is showing stuff that is never, never been seen before. It's like, well, I guess if you're 44 and have seen everything, if you've never seen something before, that's not good if they're adding new wrinkles to just NFL defenses. But it's like the last time I saw Phil Rivers play football, he knew what he was doing and the offense was moving. That was a half a decade ago before COVID That was half a decade ago now. Would that change with time? Potentially. But I'm excited to watch Phil and yeah, I've been on roller coaster alongside the. The news. The Rivers roller coaster has certainly been something. I like that the Colts went for it and I hope Phil goes for 275. I hope he goes for 275.
- [100:01]
Con Man
I think that's know it is over under us.
- [100:02]
Host
Three touchdowns.
- [100:03]
Con Man
What's that do you know? It is over under us.
- [100:05]
Coach Mike Elko
It.
- [100:06]
Con Man
It is. And I've been. I just said. I've been laughing. It's disrespectful. Okay. Talking about a guy who's a semi semifinalist in the hall of Fame believes over under is 151 yards.
- [100:16]
Host
Okay, so an easy bet, right? I mean, that's pretty easy. Overall, they're going to win outright.
- [100:21]
Ty
I really think they're going to.
- [100:23]
Con Man
Don't do this. Don't do this to this guy. Okay? You guys aren't.
- [100:27]
Ty
This isn't for him. This is for me. I'm convincing myself that they're. But I literally no one, no one is giving them a chance to win.
- [100:35]
Host
What are you talking about?
- [100:35]
Con Man
No one who?
- [100:36]
Ty
Anyone who's not a Colts fan who wants to go in and say like, hey, the playoffs are still on the Super Bowl. Still on. Like, they're still talking about it on a lot of, like, morning shows about how this is, like, gross negligence that this guy's playing on Sunday. Like, this is. This is not okay.
- [100:50]
Host
Are you seeing this? Like, are they seeing the same thing we're seeing?
- [100:54]
Tone
Scott's going to get a tattoo.
- [100:56]
Host
Yeah, I saw that. Somebody will tattoo the number 17 on ash cheek if the Colts get a win with Phil Rivers a quarterback.
- [101:04]
Ty
Right. Bart Scott said that this morning.
- [101:07]
AJ Hawk
And any of the remaining games.
- [101:09]
Ty
No, no, this weekend.
- [101:10]
AJ Hawk
Just this.
- [101:11]
Con Man
Okay. I mean, they just beat. We just watched the Falcons beat the Bucks last night and they put up 29 points in the cel. Kelsey Hawks just went into Atlanta, flew all the way across the country and beat the ever loving out of the Falcons. Not.
- [101:24]
Host
So your angle isn't what Tone just said with anything being possible. Your angle is, hey, we just saw a team beat the Bucks and that team just got obliterated by the team that you're about to play. And it does feel like the Seattle Seahawks team, even though they're incredible and they're on their way to a potential super bowl, we all believe they're not really talked about much or celebrated much because they're so far away. So they can't even get to the point of, like, being too cocky about it. Like, they're just always under the radar. Sam Darnold's been in the league a long time, got paid a lot of money. Jackson Smith and Jigba might be the best wide receiver in ball. Their defense might be the best defense in ball. And nobody really talks about them that often. Phil Rivers, because they're so far away. Because they're so far away. So they. They never really get to the point where it's like being arrogant or maybe not focused. Like every game is like a game for them to prove themselves. That is definitely what McDonald thinks, especially with their fans kind of turning on them like a year and a half.
- [102:17]
Ty
Ago and the Rams in their division.
- [102:20]
Host
So, yeah, they're the five seed.
- [102:21]
Con Man
They're not.
- [102:22]
Host
So it's going to be tough, I guess, for the Seahawks to overlook it.
- [102:24]
Tone
I was concerned about the Colts defense.
- [102:26]
John Cena
Yeah.
- [102:27]
Host
But Forrest Buckner was put into his window to return, which is gigantic for the Indianapolis Colts. I don't think he's playing this weekend. We need him. You know, they have that T.J. watt stat about what the Steelers are with and without T.J. watt. I don't know what the Colts are with or without DeForest Buckner. But I Colts defensive season with without. With 20.1 points per game without him, an extra touchdown with him, only 87 yards rushing. Without him, an extra 50 yards rush or 40 yards.
- [102:57]
Con Man
Damn.
- [102:58]
Host
And then the QBR is about 50 whenever he's in. 58.6 when he's not in. And that's not just this year. Years past when DeForest Buckner's not playing. Not good. It's just not good. And he hasn't been playing because he has a freaking neck injury. And obviously we'd like him to be healthy. But yeah, Sam Darnold and that offense have been very good. And we don't have Mooney and we don't have sauce and that hurts.
- [103:17]
Con Man
Still feel good about the 13 and a half. I will say that that is a ton of points. Is the NFL.
- [103:22]
Tone
I mean Brady Cook is starting this weekend and everyone. If you're not a, you know, college football fan, you're like, who the hell is Brady Cook? And I believe it's. He's got a better spread than. Than the Colts.
- [103:32]
Ty
He fumbled his first snap last week.
- [103:35]
Host
And the Houston Texans with the Cardinals. The Cardinals routinely lose games by 20 plus points.
- [103:42]
Ty
Correct?
- [103:43]
Host
Houston Routinely.
- [103:45]
Con Man
Routinely.
- [103:45]
Host
I mean that is routinely what they do. The Arizona Cardinals. And they're playing against the best defense maybe in the history of the league. Maybe in the history of the history of the league. And you're playing against a defense that has new heights with a completely different vibe. Now, one of my favorite shows in the history of shows. Travis is bummed out. You got Patrick Mahomes giving press conferences, but I don't know if we have any. This is what Houston Texans just did to the Kansas City Chiefs. Their spread against the Arizona Cardinals. The Houston Texans less than the Colts might have an MVP Cal running back semifinals all them of F quarterback against the Seattle Seahawks.
- [104:20]
Con Man
Cardinals just lost by 28.
- [104:21]
Host
Routinely lose by 20 plus points. Shorter spread than Colts and Seahawks. So. Yeah. Hey, Phil.
- [104:30]
AJ Hawk
Stack the chips.
- [104:30]
Ty
Keep.
- [104:31]
AJ Hawk
Keep stacking the chips, Phil. Phil knows all you got to do.
- [104:33]
Host
Phil. That gum.
- [104:34]
Con Man
You know, Gunner's probably texting him. Hey, dad. They're telling me you're. You're some dumb hick, some piece of.
- [104:42]
Ty
What.
- [104:43]
Con Man
What are you doing playing Raiders, Phil? Phil is out there to prove it. Not to us. To his family.
- [104:48]
Host
Yeah, and I'm okay with whoever he's proven it to. Just know. Phil, I have all the confidence in the world in you. On this particular feel good Friday. I think you're going to do great. Now could that change by Monday, after what I see. Sure, sure, sure. Could that change for sure. But also, that could get amplified, brother. That could certainly get amplified because I like our guys.
- [105:09]
Con Man
And Riley might say something, Phil might do something that Riley hasn't seen yet. And all of a sudden, Riley Leonard becomes a better quarterback.
- [105:16]
Host
So I was thinking about a Riley Leonard package, you know, that we might have because he's so damn mobile. But that would involve Phil getting off the field and then getting back on.
- [105:25]
AJ Hawk
Might take a minute, Might take a little bit.
- [105:26]
Host
Yeah. So I don't know if we're going to have any of that, but I just want to let Phil know I love you. I appreciate you taking a shot on the Colts at this stage of your life, and I can't wait to watch. Let's talk about the Philadelphia Eagles.
- [105:36]
Ty
They.
- [105:36]
Host
They're battling. They took that positivity rabbit out of the locker room. Yeah, that's tough. I mean, anytime you got to take a positivity anything out of something because you think it's affecting you in a negative way, you're really reaching. I don't like what I'm hearing out of Philadelphia.
- [105:48]
Ty
Me neither. But their schedule down the stretch. Here, they play the Raiders and the Commanders twice, and I can't remember who the other team is, but it doesn't matter. Like, they're going to beat the shit. Probably you would assume that they will beat the shit out of the Raiders this. This weekend and out of the Commanders both times. And they'll kind of have an opportunity to get right here going in the playoffs. But can they beat any of the truly elite teams in the nfc? That remains to be seen.
- [106:14]
Host
The Eagles story, fascinating just in the history.
- [106:18]
AJ Hawk
I don't get it. I don't get it.
- [106:20]
Host
Me neither, dude. Locker room dynamics, though, are always something.
- [106:23]
AJ Hawk
Is there. Could you point to. There's no way you could like, point to one thing. Could you point to a couple things? It is like what?
- [106:29]
Host
I don't know. We're not in there, so we don't know what has happened. You know, like, I don't know what the locker room. Because that positivity Rabbit, being in the locker room.
- [106:38]
Con Man
Yeah.
- [106:38]
Host
As opposed to in the cafeteria, is a message in of itself. Like, hey, this locker room needs a little bit more positivity. It's like, do they win too much? Everybody gets too full of themselves and then all of a sudden there's no real bonding or chemistry. Is that what happens? Did something happen amongst teammates? Was something said? Is there, you know, like all that type of stuff? I Just don't fully know because we're not in there. But I am worried about this Philadelphia Eagles team.
- [107:01]
Ty
Well, that's what's interesting too is they're on Hard Knocks right now with the in season stuff and I understand that that's selective and you know, we're not seeing all of that. But like it, it seems kind of chipper, like around their facility. Like it doesn't seem like the sky is falling. They're making tongue in cheek and cheek jokes about that. Like they understand it, but it doesn't. Like, I feel like we would still be able to maybe tell a little bit. Like, oh, wow, like that was a weird interaction. These guys, you can tell these guys don't really like each other. It doesn't really feel like that. And again, that's just what they're choosing to show us. But I still feel like we would be able to tell if things were really, really different. It doesn't seem that way.
- [107:37]
Host
And let's go to the Sunday slate one final time. We'll be making all of our picks against this spread after the show ends here on ESPN as we continue digitally. Are we still on TikTok? That's kind of a thing that changes every day. We either get banned or attacked on there. We get a lot of reported attacks from people.
- [107:55]
Con Man
Wonder why.
- [107:56]
Host
I don't know. You think it's China Report?
- [107:58]
AJ Hawk
Do people report it or robots? AI reports it.
- [108:02]
Host
I don't think it's people. I think it's hating folks, you know, and we know, we know they are through and through. It's a great Sunday slate for week 15. We are in a great position for ball. All three time slots have magical football games. And then obviously Phil Rivers taking his first snap in five years is going to be must watch there at 425. Let's talk a little bit about sports happening around the world before we dive into the picks. Have you seen this free diver? This Croatian Freediver? I didn't know possible. He stayed underwater for 29 minutes. What?
- [108:39]
AJ Hawk
Oh, I. I didn't know if this was real or not.
- [108:41]
Host
@ Mizz TV. You think it's fake? You think me on TV is.
- [108:45]
AJ Hawk
Fake? I've been watching some of these free.
- [108:47]
Ty
Divers. The.
- [108:48]
AJ Hawk
Guy. I've been watching this guy that trains people to hold their breath for 10 minutes, which I thought was nuts. 29 is.
- [108:52]
Host
Crazy. Yeah, this could be AI. This could be a complete fugaz. We don't. We have not back checked it, but it showed up in my algo and I saw it 29 minutes. I. I heard. I heard like, three, five minutes is a big deal. Yeah. 10 minutes is a big deal. 29 minutes underwater seconds. Sounds like an insane thing. So the fact that this is happening, congrats to him. We hope that this is just what future humans can do. I don't really know how you get to that point. I remember when David Blaine held his breath for like, six or seven minutes or something like that, and it was an absurd feat. Now we know that there's actual fish walking amongst.
- [109:30]
Ty
Us. It seems like, yeah, this is ridiculous. And I didn't think anyone. I mean, TC basically held his breath, I think, for like, 10 to 12 minutes when he was filming the last Mission Impossible. I just figured that was higher than any human will ever be able to reach. So for this guy to go for 29 minutes, I would venture to guess that TC is in the pool right.
- [109:48]
Host
Now. Okay. TC's not in space. I heard what.
- [109:51]
Ty
Happened. Yeah. Basically, he said, hey.
- [109:53]
Con Man
I.
- [109:53]
Ty
We're. I. I would need favors from the government in order to do this, because I believe part of it was that they were going to shoot on the International Space Station. TC was going to do a spacewalk. Turns out you can't just go up. You can't just go up and do that. You kind of need the be. Okay, maybe from the present. And I think TC just. He said, you know what? I'm trying to make movies here. I don't want to get politics involved. I don't feel comfortable asking for any favors. So he's gonna figure out a way he just might not be doing a spacewalk on the space.
- [110:20]
Host
Station. Yeah. Because next movie that he was shooting was supposed to be space.
- [110:23]
Ty
Movie. Yes. This thing has been in development for a while, and it was basically like, hey, this thing is full. Go tc. When he, like, wants to do something, he's gonna do it. And guess what? He wants to go to space and he wants to fix the Hubble telescope. But, yeah, it's not happening as of right.
- [110:39]
Host
Now. He'll get it.
- [110:40]
Ty
Done. Yeah, he.
- [110:40]
Host
Will. Assume they'll all get it done. Let's go to some fun social media. Do you see the Texans? Do you see the.
- [110:45]
AJ Hawk
Texans? No. What happened? The fun social.
- [110:48]
Host
Media. Fun social media comic there, owner of the Texans, was trying to get a high five from C.J. stroud after the game, and C.J. just kind of missed him. So high five and Everybody pack. Cal McNair, owner of the team. CJ. Thank you for doing that. Okay, Gets caught on there. Cal McNair. A couple days later, still holding his hand up once he's starting quarterback, to maybe give him a high five because of how much he loves what CJ has done for him, he walks through the facility. Hi, Hi. Not saying hi. Not saying hi. Not saying hi. Just want a high five here. Gets all the way through it, and inevitably finishes off with a high five from C.J. stroud. And I'll tell you what, special stuff happening in Houston. You got the owner walking around like this for content and content purposes.
- [111:35]
Ty
Only. Ty, this is unbelievable. This. I mean, you hit the nail on the head. This is fun social media. This is great. And you know what? Even him still wearing the coat from being in Kansas City, just. And. And this is the guy everyone was calling Tommy Boy a couple years ago when things were bad. They're like, hey, Cal McNair, this guy's a big dumb. He. He is big Tom Callahan's son, essentially. Are we sure about that? Because this is genius, this fun social media kind of stuff. And wow, what a.
- [112:00]
Host
Moment. And allegedly it was his idea to do.
- [112:03]
Ty
It. I don't doubt.
- [112:04]
Host
It. He said, listen, aren't we in a content driven world? There's a reason why I'm in this seat and you guys are in your seat. Have we not thought about me maybe finishing the high five here? How do we go about getting that? They make the video shout out to the Texans doing it. Right. And also CJ Stroud and the Texans, they might win a Super.
- [112:20]
John Cena
Bowl.
- [112:20]
AJ Hawk
Yeah. We think that defense. And if CJ can get hot and that offense gets hot with that defense, anything is possible.
- [112:26]
Host
Absolutely. Isn't it crazy? This year we're judging off the defenses. Like, hey, does the offense have enough to be able to beat one of these defenses, is the question. As opposed to, like, hey, can the defense get a stop in a certain spot, which has been years past. Now it's like, can the offense have success against the other team Defense? Crazy kind of iteration of football right now that we're kind of.
- [112:50]
Con Man
Watching. Well, it feels like that's kind of the first sign of the cyclical nature of football. Not, not only the running backs having more yards in the top five than the receivers, but also just how important now defense has been like the last, what, five, six years running the ball. And offense has become much more prevalent. But now it is like, hey, what is your trenches? What? The Eagles were kind of the one last year that showed this. What's your D line? What's your O line? And that is the separator now between These good and great teams, you know, you look at the number one and two seeds across the board. The Rams, unbelievable. The packers, unbelievable. The Patriots and the Broncos, their highest paid players are on their D and O line. It's awesome to see, especially as one of those teams, but also too, you know, who has a young quarterback. Quarterback who, you know, has a young deal that or a rookie deal rather. And where, you know, teams can spend.
- [113:42]
Host
Elsewhere. Yeah. Going forward, I guess. He has a big conversation. We got some breaking news here out of Michigan, Sharon Moore. We have video of him showing up to his arraignment today. Obviously, the story of him being fired for cause due to an inappropriate relationship with a staffer happens the other day. Then afterwards he gets arrested. Now we know what the truth charges are and now we have seen him in court. Here's him sitting for the arraignment today. It is a video of him sitting, wearing a white. I mean, this is not where you want to.
- [114:13]
Ty
Be. Oh.
- [114:14]
Host
Jesus. This is not where you want to be. Obviously this is a moment that is not great for Sharon Moore and obviously there's victims in this entire thing. So we are pulling for all parties. But this will continue to move forward. As he was arraigned today, I believe there's three different charges that he has been charged with. Breaking and entering, stalking, and then something else in the entirety of it all. All of them carry years in jail and fines alongside of it. So Sharon Moore today versus one week ago, certainly vastly different. And once again, perspective. Anything you do in the dark will come to the light and things can change very quickly. That is something that I think we all can remember from this.
- [114:53]
AJ Hawk
Story. Yeah, I mean, I don't know. We'll figure out everything, I guess in the coming, coming months of what's going on. But, man, yeah, just what a different life that guy has right now than he did a couple, just a couple days ago. And Michigan's in shambles trying to figure out what to do with the head coach.
- [115:07]
Host
Position. Now, Jon Gruden would be a home run. Right. We all think, and I know Portnoy is pushing for it very hard. I saw Portnoy posted something from Jon Gruden's maybe high school days where he said his dream was to be the head coach at the University of Michigan. And Portman is like, it's. The time is now. I mean, we're sitting in the middle of it. I know there's a couple other names that have been floated. I think Pete Thamel mentioned Braum. Braum would be I mean, there's a couple. That would be like a Matt Campbell type hire. Yeah, Matt Campbell gets hired to Penn State. Everybody that knows Ball is like, that's a. That's a really good hire from the situation you're in. And even if you weren't in the current situation, that's a good hire. Braum would kind of be something similar in that aspect. Tommy Reese, offense coordinator for the Cleveland Browns. I believe his name has been mentioned. His name was mentioned for every head coaching job that's kind of come up as of late. Minter's name's been there. Michigan's got to figure it out. But until then, the Ohio State people say, ha ha, it's great to be a Buckeye. Is that how you guys are viewing it right.
- [116:01]
AJ Hawk
Now? Yeah, it's always great to be a Buckeye, whatever is going on in Michigan. And so, yeah, you know, Sherrod Moore, that's. That's a tough look, man. It sucks for.
- [116:09]
Host
Him. Is again, I think I heard you say. And obviously the 126th army versus Navy game is happening tomorrow. Shout out to. To the troops. Shout out to America. Who's favored? What's a quick.
- [116:22]
Con Man
Breakdown? Con man of that game, I believe Navy is favored. They won last year. This game is at M and T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. And if you remember, Blake Horvath, he. He is very motivated as always. And I'm. I'm going Navy. Fuck.
- [116:37]
Host
It. Okay, so you have yet to receive your Navy merch. I hope you get it someday soon. Shout to.
- [116:44]
Ty
Army.
- [116:45]
Host
Army. Navy. Shouts all of you for allowing us to do this for a living. We're back on overreaction Monday. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. See you then. Okay. You didn't want to make a pick or you just threw it in there at the end? Just want to let people.
- [116:57]
Con Man
Know. I mean, we just went to Parris island and the Marines are within the Navy, so I feel like it would be pretty wrong to.
- [117:02]
Host
Not. Yeah, the Navy beat Army. Is that what you're.
- [117:05]
Con Man
Saying?
- [117:06]
Host
Yes. What's army.
- [117:08]
Con Man
Saying? Probably go army beat.
- [117:10]
Host
Navy. Blake Horvath last year tweeted us to talk after the big time win.
- [117:15]
Con Man
For Navy because of.
- [117:16]
Host
Monkin. Yeah, I guess we do still have a football program, cuz Monket on our show said, does Navy even have a football team? And Horvath's like, that's cute. Let's go ahead and get the win and then let's go ahead and talk a little about a couple yinzers on Navy as well as we look ahead to this game.
- [117:29]
Tone
Yeah. Horvath is back at quarterback. Heiden Reich, I believe he's number 22, is the wide receiver from Pittsburgh, and Texa is Tech. CZA is the fullback for Navy. So there's. Yes, there's a Pittsburgh connection there. Minus six is the spread. 38 and a half is the total. Fun fact. 16 straight years it went under. Okay. 16 straight years it went under. And then the last three has been a push and two overs. So not sure what's going to happen there, but for a long, long time, it was like a guaranteed under.
- [118:00]
Host
Game. Yeah. And Underdogs have covered 10 of the last 14, eight of the last 11, three to last four, six points. A lot of points, man. Especially with Army Navy, you know, and Hembo Green, he said this is the greatest rivalry in college ball. That was their kind of take on it all. AJ Your thoughts on Army Navy being so special to college football and kind of having its own weekend alongside the.
- [118:21]
Con Man
Heisman. I.
- [118:22]
AJ Hawk
Like. Yeah. I like the fact that it's kind of a standalone situation. First off, these unis are unbelievable. I got a good buddy, AJ Hensel, who played for army, who lives by me. He's a lawyer now, so he's. I'm pulling for army for his sake. But obviously I understand the whole situation. Both sides appreciate the boys from Parris island, the boys and girls. But it's, I think, the pageantry surrounding this game, I've never been there. It's one of those things that I think you. I absolutely need to go to. I need to take my kids.
- [118:47]
Host
Not doing game day there. We. We didn't do it last year either. We did it two years ago. I.
- [118:52]
AJ Hawk
Think. I was there. Didn't Bill come.
- [118:53]
Con Man
On.
- [118:53]
Host
Yeah. Belichick came on. And I'm going to say it feels we people want us to do it. I. I want game day to do it. I say us as if I have any. And what those people decide with game day. But I would like. It was kind of weird doing it, you know, because forcing the people to stand behind us while there's. It's a. I understand wanting to celebrate and make it a. A bigger deal. And having college game day there certainly does that. And I'm very lucky to be a part of a show that does that. So maybe instead of doing the standard game day outside, it's like maybe on the sideline for like an hour leading up to it, as opposed to a full game day thing, because it is. You turn around and you're like, don't stand here like, you guys, there's a lot of shit going on today. What's.
- [119:37]
Tone
That? Was it the.
- [119:37]
Host
Cadets? Cadets and I think the other side too. Just in general, like, even the vets that are standing there. It's like a weird. It was kind of like a weird feeling doing it just from my own perspective, I think obviously the vets that aren't there or you know, the alumni of army or Navy watch game day and they like kind of get a sense of through there. So I appreciate that and I understand that. So I think if there was like an hour kickoff show inside the stadium as opposed to doing like a full game day outside is probably the right answer in my eyes personally, because we should draw a little bit more spotlight to this game because this is everything that's good with America. There's everything good ball and everything like that. But I would just like to say from my perspective, the game day was kind of like, man, you guys are Army, Navy is a huge day. Like the amount of this thing that happens, the amount of catching up that happens, the amount of everything that happens. And then for them to feel obligated almost to stand outside, it's like it was just a. It was a weird. I was very appreciative, very thankful to be there, honored to be there, but also like very much like, ah, I don't know if this is the right thing that it's supposed to.
- [120:41]
Ty
Be. Well, and like by nature of it being the only game on that day, if you don't count, you know, one double A playoffs and D2 and D3 and all that kind of stuff, and almost gets overshadowed a little bit because you're going to talk about that game but you're not going to talk about it for three hours. So naturally you start looking ahead to the playoff games and you know, those games obviously. And then you start looking ahead to like the Heisman and things like that. And it seems like Army Navy itself, like it kind of comes back full circle when you make the picks, but it almost ends up not being the story of the.
- [121:11]
Tone
Day. And I don't know if I love it or not, but there is a bowl game Saturday.
- [121:13]
Ty
Night. N who gives a. Who was in.
- [121:15]
Tone
It? Boys in.
- [121:16]
Ty
Washington. Okay, is that still the Gron pool or.
- [121:20]
Host
The. The Gronk beach party? I don't.
- [121:22]
Con Man
Know. It might be the GR beach party bowl, but I mean, is anybody watching anything aside from Saturday night main.
- [121:27]
Host
Event? Yeah, I'll be.
- [121:28]
Ty
On. Good.
- [121:29]
Host
Point. For John Cena's last hurrah. He'll be getting last, by the way. Who would have.
- [121:32]
Tone
Thought? Yeah, well that'll be at what.
- [121:34]
Host
Midnight? No, no, no, no.
- [121:36]
AJ Hawk
No. You believe it's his last.
- [121:38]
John Cena
Time. You believe.
- [121:38]
Host
Him. I'll tell you what, he, he took an angle with me that I, I didn't expect off air. And then he kind of mentioned it on air. I'm like, brother, wrestling never. You're never retired. Cuz there might come a time where the John Cena character is needed back or wanted back. And there's an entire thing like that is kind of a part of the wrestling business. And chasing the dragon of going through the curtain and all that shit has been a part of the wrestling world literally since the beginning of the wrestling world. So like retirements aren't real in wrestling. Wrestling is like a real conversation and a real statement that is made. And he even acknowledged that. But then he said like, I don't think I'm a liar though. Do you think I'm a liar? And I was like, holy shit, I didn't. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I was not calling you a liar. He goes, yeah, I'm just kind of questioning my integrity here. And I'm like, that is not what I meant to do. I did not mean to do that because. And he explained it here, I think even more so. And he was also explaining to me again, like, I know you can only go off what has happened happen in wrestling. Your retirements are not real. I mean that's just like a real thing. Especially with a business opportunity that pops up or you know, like, hey, Saudi Arabia wants to have a match where you are going to make whatever the money is for amount of 20 minutes of work, like just sound decision making process. Maybe you do think about doing that. And then he went into a full speech about money and about like, is that what's driving decision? Decision making? Is that what you think I'm. So now you're questioning my mor. I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm not saying that I'm not doing that. But he is very steadfast on like, no, yeah, I don't want to be the guy that says it's done and then I come back because then I'm a liar. And then what was the purpose of this entire thing if I end up coming back later? And I'll tell you, he is way too humble for who he is. He's fucking John Cena Cena. And he has no idea that that's the case, I think, which is obviously a good thing, not a bad Thing, which is why his character and he is who he is. But it's like, I do think this is it for John. I do. I legitimately think this is it for.
- [123:35]
Ty
John. Well, and a lot of those guys, like, no disrespect to them, but, like, Cena is a. He's a legitimate, like a list movie star now, you know, like, he has his next thing lined up and, you know, he kind of said to us, he was like, hey, if I don't commit to that and kind of put everything I have into that the way I did with wrestling that I. When I first started, like, I'm not going to be successful at it. So I could see that because like we said, and the fans do it too. Like when we were in Philadelphia. Philadelphia, we went ape when Undertaker and Cena and all those guys came out. Like, it was the best part of the night. But at a certain point, like, those people are always going to be asking for that. So it's like, if you do it a few times, then you kind of do sign yourself up for like, oh, boy. Like, am I expected to do this every single year at WrestleMania? I could see, you know, not wanting to do that.
- [124:20]
Host
Either. He's special, human. He's so.
- [124:23]
Ty
Jacked.
- [124:24]
Host
Yeah. So.
- [124:25]
AJ Hawk
Huge. So has been.
- [124:27]
Host
Forever. Work ethic. Insane. Let's go to work.
- [124:31]
AJ Hawk
Stu.
- [124:34]
Host
Nice. He did that on the way.
- [124:36]
Ty
Out. He.
- [124:37]
Con Man
Did. Never forget.
- [124:39]
Host
It. Yeah, right out the door there. He gets ch. Goes into the locker room, comes out. Change, you know, to travel. He looks at us. Somebody was up on the screen, maybe you. I don't know who it was. He looks at us and he goes. And he walks right down the.
- [124:50]
Con Man
Hallway.
- [124:52]
Host
Chill. What a moment. Yeah, that was a real moment right there. He's.
- [124:55]
AJ Hawk
Awesome. Check out D.
- [124:56]
Host
Bone. Let's talk about the Heisman tomorrow. Well, we already know he's exploded all over himself. He has. He can't sweat right now because all the moisture in his body has exploded through his penis. He has. He's come seven to eight different times. Casino is.
- [125:12]
Ty
Here. Balls weigh 50 pounds over and over.
- [125:14]
Host
Again. So let's talk about Heisman tomorrow. There has become a clear odds on fear favorite in Fernando Mendoza. Minus 1800 to win this thing. That means everybody knows who's winning at this point.
- [125:26]
Tone
Tone. Yeah, you would assume so. And like I said, going into the Big Ten championship, it was kind of between him, Pavia and Julian saying he won the Big Ten championship. So that kind of automatically knocks out saying, so it's between him and Pavia and Then he has that huge throw down the sideline to Charlie Becker, and everyone was tweeting about it's his Heisman moment, stuff like that, because, you know, there is. Everyone's watching it. That's the last thing everyone sees before they turn in their ballots and stuff like that. So then his odds jump tremendously. And, and yeah, it's, it's highly expected that he will be your.
- [125:56]
Host
Heisman. I appreciate that he, he is who he is. I thought he had an incredible performance on our show. Not, not that I, I judge how people do on our show, but I certainly appreciate that he came on, obviously, a new. And I think the response from a lot of people that maybe didn't know a lot about him was like, this dude's awesome. I don't think a lot of people knew that he was awesome. He was being accused of reading AI answers in interviews because maybe he was too robotic. People were saying about him. And then he comes on our program and he's pretty wide open, I think, because he knows us pretty well. He understands the program and has followed for a long time from my understanding. Fernando has. So the way he plays, the way he talks about getting hit, the way he views football, the plays he has made, everything about him screams Heisman, I think, and somebody that they would want to be a part of their fraternity forever. But also number one overall pick. This guy, like, what a wild transfer from Cal to Bloomington, Indiana, takes the Hoosiers on this ride and also changed the trajectory of his.
- [126:55]
AJ Hawk
Life. AJ yeah, Imagine this guy's. Imagine he's going to win the Heisman. Most likely. His speech is going to be like, it's going to be perfect. It's going to be emotional. It's going to be, be inspirational. It's going to be authentic to him. Like, yeah, I, I, yeah, it's, it's impossible to root against this guy. I think he just, him and a lot of the guys on the team, when you hear him speak, they got something special going over there. I'm a huge fan of Mendoza. I always will.
- [127:18]
Host
Be. I had a lot of Ohio people attack me because I had a hole in my jeans and I was chanting for the Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium. You know, a lot of people call me a douchebag from.
- [127:27]
AJ Hawk
Ohio. What's the hole in your jeans about? What do you mean about.
- [127:29]
Host
That? Well, I was wearing holy jeans as if I thought I was some Abercrombie or Fitz model. That's what Ohio people are saying, you know, classical. I'm from Pittsburgh I understand how Ohio people are. There were some people talking shit to me, calling me a douchebag, all these types of things on the Internet and in real life for this particular moment. But it also felt as if the Ohio State people kind of have respect for Indiana. Yeah. Didn't it feel like that, A.J. i don't know. You'd be around it a little bit more than.
- [127:54]
AJ Hawk
Me. I think they definitely do. Yeah. I don't hear, like, Indiana slander. I don't hear anyone talk like, yeah, but I think they respect who they are and how good of a team they.
- [128:02]
Host
Are. I think they appreciated how tough they were. Like, I think that is what Ohio State people. And I'm not saying that Ohio State people are immediately going to respect a team that's tough, because if Ishigan's tough, Ohio State's not going to respect them. But I think from my understanding, from what I have witnessed, and it might just be through you and the other people I know from Ohio that have talked about it, but it feels like Ohio State's like, Indiana is a good football team. Like, we got. Yeah. Obviously shouldn't have lost that game. We should. We need to win those games. But I don't think it's like a Ohio State hates Indiana. I think Ohio State's like, yeah, we lost to a really good football team in Indiana, and now we're in the college football.
- [128:35]
Con Man
Playoffs. Well, and it wasn't like a shootout. It was a. It was a gritty, physical game. Like, and to your point, if that was something where, you know, they were dancing around and maybe it was a blowout and it was a very pretty game from Indiana, that'd be one thing. But they shut down Ohio State's offense. And nobody has really done that. Actually, nobody has done that since the college football playoffs started last year. And when you talk about their defense, too, like, the Hoosiers took punches the first play of the game, Mendoza got fucking blasted, and he bounced back and continued to play. And it feels like that is something Ohio people will look at and say, like, okay, respect. You talk how you talk whatever. You got killed. You came back in the game and you stepped up in the biggest.
- [129:19]
Host
Moment. It's good. Good football. Good football. Yeah. And that's all we're looking for, good football. Play the game. Right. Represent the game. Right. Respect the game. And let's enjoy the hell out of this season. All right, let's take a break, and then let's make our picks on the other side, as your connection is getting a little sticky over there as you were starting to compliment Indiana. As you know, managing maintenance, repair and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Granger has your back. From professional grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery, they're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities. Call 1-800-GRAINGER Click grainger.com or just stop.
- [130:10]
John Cena
By. Hey, Ryan Reynolds here wishing you a very happy half off holiday because right now Mint Mobile is offering offering you the gift of 50% off unlimited. To be clear, that's half price, not half the service. Mint is still premium unlimited wireless for a great price. So that means a half.
- [130:30]
Host
Day. Yeah. Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch upfront.
- [130:34]
Ty
Payment of $45 for 3 month plan.
- [130:35]
Host
Equivalent to $15 per month required new customer offer for first 3 months only. Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy taxes and fees extra. See mintmobile.com. Football A is magical. That's AJ Hawk the toxic tables here at Boss of Connor and at Ty Schmidt. 1/2 of the hammer done Cowboys AP Tone is here, all the boys in the back and obviously the Thunderdome is alive. We're very thankful for John Cena stopping by the ThunderDome in the first hour as he just sits one sleep away from his last match ever in the WWE as he takes on Gunther tomorrow night at Saturday night's main event. Only available on Pico. Now we're about to get into our picks but AJ, we would be remiss if we didn't pick this one. Cena Gunther one on one Washington D.C. in the final final for John Cena's legendary goat like career. Now he's taken on the ring genre. Gunther, who I've been in the ring with and I'll tell you what brother, he's a problem. He's strong, he's tough, and whenever that chop hits your chest, it's not only your sternum that hurts and your body that hurts. Your eardrums blow out because the smack is so damn menacing that your entire body can't help but to collapse. John Cena's obviously been in battles before, but I don't know if he knows what he's into with this Austrian monster in Gunther. Aj who do you like? How do you like it? First let's get some of the numbers. Tone, what Is the percentage of bets on who for this particular their match.
- [132:12]
Tone
Up. A A crazy 85 is on John.
- [132:16]
Host
Cena.
- [132:17]
Ty
Wow. But it makes.
- [132:18]
Tone
Sense. He is, he is minus 300 to win this match. He's a heavy.
- [132:22]
Host
Favorite. The odds have been moving though in this particular one. He obviously ends here as a heavy favorite, just like Fernando Mendoza for the Heisman. But it wasn't always that way when we were looking ahead to this match.
- [132:31]
Ty
Ty. No, it wasn't. And I think one of the reasons that it might be moving in the other direction towards Gunter is because a lot of people are speculating that the Kabuki will Warriors might interfere with this match. And somehow they've been raising a lot of hell over there. So we'll see. But that could be why things are kind of moving back in the direction of.
- [132:46]
Host
Guenther. So obviously you bring up the Kabuki Warriors. Last time we saw Cena in a ring, Raquel Rodriguez gave him the Tejada bomb. Then he got the pop rocks from Roxanne Perez. He got kicked in the balls by Liv Morgan. So obviously a lot happened. Dominik Mysterio becomes the Intercontinental champion. But Con man, when you talk about not only the odds shifting, has that changed your mindset on who's going to win this and what do you think the strategies.
- [133:08]
Con Man
Are? I think you always have to look at the odd. I would take the over on chops. I think that's my biggest thing is Gunther especially is going to have to hammer him. I mean this is the Goats, the never seen 17 champion. He will be going for his final bid and he has all the motivation in the world. But Gunther also playing spoiler. I mean he is Austrian, he's not American, so he doesn't respect anything that is true and real and patriotic. So I take over Trotsk because that's going to be his strategy. As far as Cena goes, I'm in. I think he's just, he's flying off pure emotion. Who knows about sleep tonight? I don't see any in Cena's future. So being well rested, does that matter as much? I don't think so hard to go against Cena, but the safe bet here is just pain. Yeah, almost that it's just pain. It's just pure pain delivered from, from Gunther pain.
- [134:02]
Host
Perspective. What do you mean you almost got.
- [134:04]
Con Man
It? I almost had, I, I, I had the perfect bow and I completely pissed on it. So I'm actually incredibly, incredibly mad at myself right now. I don't really want to get into.
- [134:15]
Host
It. But you're saying pure pain's on the.
- [134:17]
Con Man
Way? Pain's on the way.
- [134:18]
Tone
Man. I think Gunter.
- [134:19]
Host
Wins. All right, Tone. Picking.
- [134:21]
Ty
Gunther. Ty, I'm not going against.
- [134:23]
Host
Cena. He's with 88% of the bets, is what Tone.
- [134:26]
Con Man
Says. Con man, I'm taking Cena in a.
- [134:30]
AJ Hawk
Landslide. Aj, I'd have to roll Cena, but I think it's a possibility that for the business, Cena finds a way to just let Guther have this one. I think it's.
- [134:41]
Host
Possible. Do you think the last time is now he's going to let something happen for somebody else? He's leaving it all out there and he never gives.
- [134:49]
Tone
Up. He wants to put over the business more than anything. It's not about John Cena. It's about.
- [134:53]
AJ Hawk
Business. That's what he said today. I mean, he's a humble.
- [134:55]
Tone
Champion. He wants to springboard the most violent champion of all time into the next.
- [134:58]
Host
Stratosphere. And that's why you're taking Gunter. Well, how about showcasing to the next generation that if you work your ass off and you become the goat, you win? Yeah, that'd be cool. Wouldn't that be a cool.
- [135:09]
Ty
Thing? That would.
- [135:10]
Host
Be. And that's what it's going to be. Give me John.
- [135:12]
Ty
Cena. Hell.
- [135:13]
AJ Hawk
Yeah. Yeah, I'll take Cena, too. Give me.
- [135:14]
Host
Cena. Big fight, John. I mean, no problems. I'm excited to see who all shows up. Now, I thought it was potentially on NBC because maybe Peacock would want John Cena's final thing on NBC. You know, the Peacock company would want the linear one to maybe get a little bit of a boost. You know, we got John Cena's final.
- [135:33]
John Cena
Match. What is on.
- [135:34]
Host
It? It's strictly on Peacock, which means there's no hard.
- [135:38]
Ty
Out. Ah, there you have it.
- [135:40]
Host
Peacock. There's no hard.
- [135:41]
Ty
Out.
- [135:41]
AJ Hawk
Right? So for us, this match could be two hours.
- [135:44]
Host
Long. Not just this match. Who knows this card? Not just the card, but who knows all the, you know, the shits that could come with John Cena's final match? You know, who's gonna want to say thank you to John Cena, who's gonna want to come see John Cena? You know, like that type of stuff, those. Those types of conversations. There's a chance that no hard out is definitely for the best of all parties, but also provides a lot of opportunity for tonight being. Or tomorrow night being awesome. So congrats to John Cena. Get a big time win on his way out. That's what he.
- [136:17]
Con Man
Does.
- [136:17]
Tone
Boy. John, the wall I believe is on NBC at 8pm let's.
- [136:22]
Ty
Go. They also have the Shrek the Halls Christmas.
- [136:25]
Con Man
Special.
- [136:26]
Host
Yes. You're not going to be watching that, though. You already.
- [136:29]
Con Man
Said. I got multiple TVs and Shrek the Halls will be one of.
- [136:31]
Host
Them. Yeah. Pure pain, though, is on the.
- [136:33]
AJ Hawk
Way. Per square.
- [136:35]
Con Man
Inch. That's going to haunt me for the whole.
- [136:37]
Tone
Weekend. And.
- [136:38]
Host
Snl. Oh.
- [136:41]
AJ Hawk
Yeah. SN now. What's he.
- [136:46]
Tone
Doing? Hopefully it's not an indication of things to.
- [136:48]
Con Man
Come. I'm so.
- [136:50]
Host
Serious. Yeah, I know. We were.
- [136:51]
Con Man
Watching. Yeah. Until one.
- [136:53]
Host
O'.
- [136:53]
Con Man
Clock. I'm going to be thinking about that. Two.
- [136:58]
Host
Minutes. Please don't. It was great. You. You actually sang. I was so Close, man. Maybe my favorite take you've ever had. Con man. Thank you for the break.
- [137:09]
Coach Mike Elko
Down.
- [137:09]
Host
Yeah. Over on Chops. Good part. That's good prop bet. That's good prop bet. All right, let's get to our bets. Week 15. Oh, Mendoza's one of the.
- [137:18]
Con Man
Heisman.
- [137:20]
Host
Yeah.
- [137:20]
AJ Hawk
Yeah. That's what I'm.
- [137:21]
Ty
Saying.
- [137:21]
Con Man
Yeah. They shouldn't have odds on it because it kind of ruins the whole.
- [137:24]
Host
Thing. Yeah, it kind of does. It makes us know what's going to happen before a time. But we can look ahead to Mendoza's speech, which I think we all.
- [137:32]
Ty
Think.
- [137:33]
Host
Army. Navy, Navy favored by 6. 8. AJ you'll.
- [137:36]
AJ Hawk
Take. I'm going to take army on this.
- [137:38]
Host
One. Army plus six. I'll take Navy. I'll take Navy minus six. Just strictly because, you know, we got to represent for America on both sides. If you would have taken Navy there, I would have taken.
- [137:47]
Con Man
Navy. It's in Baltimore. Kind of a home.
- [137:52]
Ty
Game.
- [137:52]
Host
Backyard. Oh, boys. Six points. A lot of.
- [137:58]
AJ Hawk
Points. Man, those helmets. Both helmets are.
- [138:00]
Tone
Sweet. Obviously they both played Air Force this year and they both won by three points against Air Force. I don't know if that means anything to.
- [138:05]
Host
You. Six points, a lot of.
- [138:06]
Tone
Points. Fun fact. I believe I saw it yesterday on the Internet. I think each helmet, each Navy helmet takes three hours to.
- [138:13]
Host
Paint. Yeah, I saw.
- [138:14]
John Cena
The. The painting of.
- [138:15]
Host
Insane. Yeah. Very nice. It's going to be special. The flyovers always. Yeah. The pregame festivities are awesome. Six points, a lot of points. Army plus six. Navy wins. I'm on your side there, aj. I, I Six points is. Feels like a lot of.
- [138:31]
Con Man
Points.
- [138:31]
Host
Underdogs. Yeah. And the trends are this is going to be a close game. Snow, right? We.
- [138:36]
Ty
Assume. Yeah. I don't know for sure, but I would.
- [138:39]
Host
Assume. Feels.
- [138:39]
Ty
Cold.
- [138:40]
Host
Yeah. Yeah. This one feels close. Does it? It feels like it's coming down to the.
- [138:44]
Tone
End. High of 43, low of 30. No precipitation, so just, you know, a nice cloudy Baltimore.
- [138:50]
Host
Day. All right, I'll take Army plus six. Navy wins, though. Congrats to them. All right, let's go to the Sunday slate. AJ Last night we were both wrong. So that means we're 0 and 0 going into Sunday. Shout out to to both of us. Browns, Bears. Bears favored by seven and a half at home, over under 38 and a half. Shador Sanders, Caleb Williams, Khalid Williams, depending upon who you listen to. AJ who do you like? How do you like.
- [139:13]
AJ Hawk
It? Obviously, I was thinking Bears early, like I think everyone is. But you know what? For whatever reason, I think the Browns find a way to keep this one close. Give me the.
- [139:20]
Host
Browns. How cold is it now? What's the weather? This one's about to be.
- [139:23]
Con Man
Historic. Yeah, 10 degrees and I believe we got a 15 degree wind chill. Might get down to now. Negative.
- [139:28]
Host
Five. Yeah, it feels like negative four at kickoff is what it.
- [139:32]
Tone
Says.
- [139:32]
Host
Chili. Yeah, that is a.
- [139:33]
AJ Hawk
Chilly. Who knows how this game goes then? You know that who's. Who handles this the.
- [139:37]
Host
Best. It feels like negative four. And then there's Gus coming. Yeah, it's literally just a mental toughness game. That is. That is all this one is. I like where Ben Johnson's team is. I like them -7 and a half. Even though I could see Miles Garrett getting a couple congrats to him on his record. I think Shador Sanders is going to do well again. I think he's going to throw for a bunch of yards. Continue that car conversation, but give me the Chicago Bears. I like them. Fresh off a loss to the packers. Jets, Jags. AJ Jags favored by 13 and a half at home. Congrats to Jacksonville Jaguars having the opportunity to be favored by this much in meaningful football season. Such quick turnaround for Liam and the boys. Anything we need to know about this particular.
- [140:14]
Tone
Game? Brady Cook is the starting quarterback for the jets because Ty Rod and Justin Fields are.
- [140:20]
Ty
Hurt. And if you watched him last week, no disrespect to him, but this is one of those things where it's like if you're a 13 and a half, lot of points. But if you play pick the jets and they end up get beat by 35, which they definitely could, you're going to be kicking yourself come.
- [140:32]
Host
Monday. AJ who do you.
- [140:33]
AJ Hawk
Like? Well, with that being said, I guess I'll take the Jag. I minus.
- [140:37]
Ty
13. It was.
- [140:38]
Host
Ugly. Me too, brother. Okay, I'll take the Jags as well. Bills at Patriots. Bills favored in Foxborough against the number one seed New England Patriots. Whole new team in New England. Drake May's a bonafide superstar. Odds on favor to win the damn mvp. Mike Vrabel has always won when he was a head coach in the buck. Buffalo Bills are fresh off a Josh Allen MVP in the snow masterpiece late comeback to beat the Cincinnati Bengals. Connor, any final thoughts that we should think.
- [141:07]
Con Man
About? 95% chance of snow on Sunday in Gillette. It will be a snow game. It is a hat and T shirt game. I believe it's the only one first one of the season. Patriots win, they win the division. They are officially in the playoffs. I am not completely sure as far as injury report goes I know our third string running back is pretty probably out. Christian Benford, starting corner superstar for the Bills. Actually a guy who had the pick six against the Bengals. He popped up on the injury report. I believe he had a boot for a toe injury. Starting left guard Jared Wilson for the New England Patriots who's been out past couple weeks with an ankle. He will be back at left guard which is massive. I mean this is just kind of a throw everything out blood ball time.
- [141:48]
Host
Baby. Has Drake may play in the snow game.
- [141:50]
Con Man
Yet? I don't believe so, not this year. He might have had one late last year in the snow but I'm not sure. Nothing with stakes like this for.
- [141:59]
Host
Sure. Let's go into the deets, shall we? Hand size please on Drake and then obviously compare it to big hand Josh.
- [142:04]
Tone
Allen. Drake made nine and an eighth is his hand size. Josh Allen is ten and an eighth for his hand. He's got an inch bigger.
- [142:10]
Host
Hands. What's a standard for big hand quarterbacks to be over 9 inches is that kind of the.
- [142:16]
AJ Hawk
Thing? I think anything over nine is considered.
- [142:17]
Con Man
Good.
- [142:18]
Tone
Right. Coming out of that draft because this is how I found it or whatever. Penix had ten and a half, Bonix was ten and an eighth, Caleb nine and three quarters. Drake May nine and eighth JJ McCarthy nine. So I don't know what that does for you but that's just kind of what the coming out of that.
- [142:30]
Host
Draft was because Josh Allen in the snow we all just see him do special things and it's because he has massive hands. He's an athlete, he can move. Drake may we just assume going to be good in a similar.
- [142:40]
Ty
Situation. Yeah. Just for context, what were Kenny Pickett's hand size? Because that was the big.
- [142:43]
Host
Thing. No, no. Can we actually get it.
- [142:46]
Ty
Though? Yeah, yeah, let's because that was the whole thing was like, hey, this guy's hands are way too small. So if his are, you know, eight and something and then I guess but eight and a half. Okay, so there you have it. So yeah, no big.
- [142:55]
Host
Deal. All right, let's move along. Who are you picking, AJ The Beals or the.
- [142:59]
AJ Hawk
Patriots? You know what, I'm going to go with the Buffalo Beals on this.
- [143:03]
Host
One. I will take the New England Patriots. Even though there's a lot of unknowns and we know how special Josh Allen can be in the snow. I like the Patriots team a lot. Not that I don't like the Beals, love the Bills. They've been very good to us. But I just like maybe it's because Connor and me following along with this story so of closely to it. They're a good football team. They're a very fucking good football team. The New England Patriots and.
- [143:24]
Tone
Vrabel. Connor said the beginning of the show off of a buy in the regular season is 6 and oh ATS.
- [143:30]
Host
And straight up getting points at home. I'll take the New England Patriots. Cardinals. Texans. Texans -9 and a half. I've already talked about how disrespectful it is to the Colts for what this spread is. So everybody knows I'm on the Texans. How about you, A.J. yep. Give me the Texas Raiders Eagles. Eagles favored by 11 and a half at home. Taking on a Raiders team that has just been very fast. Who's playing quarterback for the.
- [143:52]
Tone
Raiders? Last week it was Geno and then Kenneth Pickett came in. He threw an absolute dart and he will be your starting quarterback. And a. It's not a revenge game. It's kind of like a commemorative game since he was the super bowl winning quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles last.
- [144:04]
Host
Year. Kenny Pickett, last person to touch the ball during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl. A kickoff, it'll be 29. It'll feel like it's 19 degrees precipitation probability 5%. So we don't have to worry about any of the hand stuff with the football. Not that Kenny Picket ever has anyways. He played a pit in one ACC championship. He's from New Jersey. It's the bad weather. AJ who do you like? How do you like it in this one? 11 and a half. It's a lot of.
- [144:28]
AJ Hawk
Points. Yeah, 11 and a half feels like a bunch. Especially like I don't feel great about where the Eagles are right now, but I don't feel very good about the Raiders either. So give me the Eagles right here. Minus eleven and a.
- [144:38]
Host
Half. All right, I'll take the Raiders plus eleven and a half, even though I don't think they win the game ever. Two and a half favorites are the Baltimore Ravens taking on the Cincinnati Bengals. Bengals. Interesting situation, especially with Joey B. Saying, it.
- [144:52]
Con Man
Sucks. I didn't want to be around.
- [144:53]
Host
Anymore. I ain't playing playoff football. So what is the purpose of playing? It's a kid's game, okay? We get paid a lot of money to do this. I certainly love it, but, I mean, what do we play it for? There's a chance this is where Joey Burrow is at. Yeah, yeah, there's a chance. What's that.
- [145:07]
Tone
Pal? They. If they went out, which their schedule is not bad, there's a chance they could still make the playoffs, so they still have. Have something to play.
- [145:14]
Ty
For. And if they lose, they're eliminated. And this could be the last time you ever see Joe Burrow in.
- [145:19]
Tone
A Bengals jersey, or ever, any jersey, at.
- [145:21]
Host
Kickoff. Yeah, because he was talking. And then all the Andrew Luck comparisons came, and we all saw what happened there. At kickoff, it'll feel like it's one degree. Sheesh. Okay, Lamar Jackson and Baltimore Ravens. They've looked very interested this year.
- [145:32]
Ty
Right? Yeah, very much.
- [145:33]
Host
So. Man, interested is kind of a word that could describe the Baltimore Ravens. Have they been, I don't know.
- [145:38]
Ty
Juiced up, ready to go, excited to play in every.
- [145:40]
Tone
Game? I think this is Joe's first home game since he's been.
- [145:43]
Host
Back. Two and a half point favorites in Cincinnati. AJ who do you like? How do you like.
- [145:47]
AJ Hawk
It? I like the Cincinnati Bengals here. Now I know T. Who else out? T. Higgins is out. Anyone else out? Bengals. I don't. Trey's continue to be out. Okay, yeah. Give me the Bengals at home here. I think Joe is. Joe's doing rope a dope, letting people letting them think that he's, like, all down the dump. So, you know, what is football? What is.
- [146:09]
John Cena
Life?
- [146:10]
AJ Hawk
Boom. He goes, puts up five.
- [146:11]
Host
Touchdowns. Joe's got a. A fool. I love football. I am football.
- [146:14]
Ty
Week.
- [146:14]
AJ Hawk
Yeah.
- [146:15]
Host
Yeah. I like Joey B. In the Bengals as well. That's crazy to say about this Ravens team, by the way. Just in my head, I just saw the stats of Lamar for the last, what, four or five games or whatever it is. It's just not.
- [146:29]
Ty
Good.
- [146:29]
AJ Hawk
Bad.
- [146:29]
Con Man
Yeah. And everybody's. Everybody's hurt at this point, but it looks as though he's. He's hurt. He's playing.
- [146:36]
Host
Injured. Give me the Bengals. It's going to feel like it's one degree at kickoff. Chase away Chargers Chiefs in the home of the Chief favored by five and a half with 76% of the bets on the Chargers. Obviously after the huge primetime win, there was a lot of things that happened with Justin Herbert. Obviously with everything that happened in Michigan, we assume Harbaugh's got a little bit of this going on. So there's a lot of negative potentially surrounding the Chargers. Even though first rush off a win in the Chiefs. There's a lot of bum that mindset. What are your thoughts on the game, AJ who do you like? How do you like.
- [147:13]
AJ Hawk
It? Man, I may be stupid but I, I've. I got to pick the Chiefs here. I don't know. It's crazy to me that. Is this a big. It feels like a big line, right? Is that because Justin Herbert the hand, the whole situation coming off the surgery. Is that why the Chiefs are favored by this.
- [147:26]
Host
Much? It's a lot of points, man. It's division.
- [147:28]
AJ Hawk
Game. Yeah. For real. But I'm still taking them. So yeah, I'm going to go against Big Mike's judgment and give me the.
- [147:34]
Host
Chiefs. All right. I'll take the Chargers plus five and a half. Washington Commanders New York Giants Giants favored by two and a half at home.
- [147:42]
Ty
Congratulations.
- [147:43]
Con Man
Yeah.
- [147:43]
Host
Okay. Snaps a 21 game underdog streak. Wow.
- [147:50]
Ty
Congratulations.
- [147:51]
Con Man
Huge. That's a big.
- [147:52]
Host
Deal. How about Mara just a couple years ago was sick of telling his billionaire friends about why his team sucks and for the first time in 21 games his team sucks, isn't expected to lose. Good for him. Hey, congrats to you guys and.
- [148:03]
Tone
Mark. This is a must watch.
- [148:04]
Host
Game. Anything we need to know about this game that potentially would inform us on why you guys are favorites? Bruce? No, not.
- [148:10]
AJ Hawk
Really. I mean the commies just got boat raced but yeah. Not, not a ton to play.
- [148:16]
Host
For or really care about here. It's just pure.
- [148:18]
AJ Hawk
Pride. Rivalry matchup in the.
- [148:20]
Con Man
Division. Win it for the gaffer, you know.
- [148:22]
Host
Shit. Let's go get one done. Yeah, let's do. We're picking first. Yeah, let's do it. A.J. did that get it over the hump for you to pick the Giants or are you going to take the commanders getting points like I.
- [148:33]
AJ Hawk
Am? Who are the starting quarterbacks in this.
- [148:35]
Ty
Game?
- [148:36]
Tone
Dart.
- [148:36]
Con Man
Mariota. Yeah, Mariota.
- [148:37]
AJ Hawk
Dark. Yep. Okay, give me the New York Giants. I like them at home. Oh, I.
- [148:43]
Ty
Do. Mike Kafka did say on Hard Knocks we're going to win out. You guys aren't coming to to do that. Get the out of here. So I don't know Message.
- [148:54]
Con Man
Landed. Remember, they showed 2 and 10 on the board before the Patriots game. Look at this. This sucks. We're done with this. And then they. They lost the path, but they just had a buy, so now they're 2 and 11. And they did it again. Put the record up. They said, nuh this.
- [149:12]
Host
Guys. We can actually do it this.
- [149:13]
Ty
Week. Now, on the flip side, it kind of cut to the guys in the meeting room, and they looked very disinterested and kind of like they didn't.
- [149:22]
Host
Care what he had to say. Oh, really? Like, yeah, we.
- [149:24]
Ty
Are. Yeah, we.
- [149:25]
Host
Suck.
- [149:25]
Ty
You're. You're going to be gone, you know.
- [149:27]
Con Man
Fourth. Got to stand up there in the last.
- [149:29]
Host
Month. So give me Mariota. Give me Mario. Without Zach Ertz, right? Because of.
- [149:34]
Con Man
The. Oh.
- [149:34]
Host
Yeah. For Zach. We appreciate your contribution to sports, and if you come back from this, that'd be insane, but that's. That looked nasty. We hope you're okay in the future. Let's go. Colts, Seahawks. Biggest spread of the weekend. Somehow, Seahawks favored by 13 and a half at home. Chance of precipitation is Phil Rivers. He's 49 hours, 41 minutes and 6 seconds away from making his first start in five years. His first playing time in five years. Is there anything else we need to know about this game other than old man Phillip Rivers is.
- [150:09]
Con Man
Returning? Nope, that's.
- [150:11]
Host
It. AJ Hawk. Who do you like? How do you like.
- [150:14]
AJ Hawk
Them? You know, from the minute I heard that Phil Rivers was signing with the Colts, I was very positive on it. I said, it's a great idea. Why not? We got to figure it out. Let's find a way. So I'm going to stick with that. I'm taking the Colts here, obviously. Colts plus 13 and a half. I think if you have Colts Moneyline, that's not a bad situation.
- [150:31]
Host
Either. You're speaking from my brain. Jeez Louise, I love that. Thank you, A.J. you got my shirt on for Couf, Andy. Okay. I love that Amazon's looking out for both of us and you're saying my words out of your brain. I love where we're at. We're seeing the field the same way. Give me the Indianapolis Colts plus 13 and a half. I think it was plus 14.
- [150:49]
Ty
Yesterday. It.
- [150:50]
Host
Was. We'll take the plus 14 as well, right, A.J. won't.
- [150:53]
AJ Hawk
We? Yes, we will. We will take it all.
- [150:55]
Host
Day. Titans, Niners. Niners favored by 12 and a half at home. Titans. I don't know, man. Just really about.
- [151:02]
Tone
Anything. Well, I don't know if you heard, but Cam Ward was being A negative Nancy on the team playing after with her.
- [151:06]
Host
Win. I heard that was taken out of context. I heard that Cam Ward was basically like, yeah, it's cool, man, we won. But also like, what are we doing.
- [151:13]
Ty
Here? We.
- [151:14]
Con Man
Suck. We're fucking 2 and.
- [151:15]
Host
11. Then I heard somebody who's the team comedian who has good relationship with everybody said, hey, it's hard to win this league. Let's make sure we enjoy this. I don't care what the hell Cam Ward said. Cam Ward thought he's.
- [151:24]
Coach Mike Elko
Rookie. You don't.
- [151:25]
Tone
Know. I saw there's truth in every.
- [151:28]
Host
Joke. That's also maybe team comedians a shit talker. Naturally, we know Cam Ward's a shit talker as well. So that's just a little shit talk, I think. And I like the Cam Ward's like, they are hot. Hey, let's not have a parade because we won again. Let's make sure we understand there's still things to do which maybe bodes well for the future of the Titans. If anybody in positions of power can make a good decision one time, that's all we.
- [151:49]
Con Man
Need.
- [151:49]
Ty
Tbd. That's asking a.
- [151:50]
Tone
Lot. It's gonna shock you. I looked it up yesterday. The Titans after a win this year. Oh, and.
- [151:54]
Con Man
One.
- [151:54]
Host
What? We don't have a lot to pull from. We don't have a lot to pull from. Is there any NER stats that we have here other than the fact that they're just much better football team than the Tennessee.
- [152:05]
Con Man
Titans? Oh, I bet there are. I. I don't have them at the helm, especially because stats today were a lot of opinions. But I do think it did.
- [152:13]
Host
Feel like a mail in on the.
- [152:14]
Con Man
Stats. Yeah, it's ridiculous, but Bob Sala against rookie quarterbacks. Can't imagine rookie quarterback backs do too well against guy like.
- [152:22]
Host
That. All right, A.J. who do you like? How do you like.
- [152:25]
AJ Hawk
It? I was leaning Tennessee when we started this, but I'm going to flip and take San Francisco minus 12 and a.
- [152:32]
Host
Half. Yeah, I had the same exact trajectory as you on this particular pick. Give me the Niners. Green Bay favored by two and a half heading into number one seed, Denver Broncos. Now, obviously the Broncos defense, he's stout. Bo Nix is able to get the job done on the offensive side. And for the Green Bay Packers. You want to talk about a stout defense, that's a smothering defense that they have. Halfley's name is now up for basically every single job. Mike is doing things we've never seen of. And it's not just him. It's the entire squad. On the offensive side, it's Toyota Thon. Jordan Love is about to go absolutely bonkers. Ty, anything we should think about before making this.
- [153:11]
Ty
Pick? No. You kind of mentioned it when we talk talked about this in the first hour. Josh Jacobs did have another MRI just to make sure he didn't do anything to his knee and it came back clean. But there is a thought that maybe he won't play Sunday. I think he, he's playing Sunday. So at this point that's kind of, that's kind of the only.
- [153:27]
Host
Thing. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said that running back Josh Jacobs will practice today in a limited fashion. It sounds like he's feeling pretty good, lafleur added. They will have to see how he feels after the workout. LaFleur said there we didn't have hear it exactly. Josh Jacobs tell us he's playing.
- [153:42]
Ty
This game that I mean, you know, this is a massive game. I can't see there being any way he sits this.
- [153:47]
Host
Out. AJ who do you like and why is it the.
- [153:50]
AJ Hawk
Packers? I tell you what I mean, the fact that the packers are favorites going into Denver when they are such a good team in a tough place to play at Mile High, that says a lot about what these odds makers, I guess, believe the packers are. I think the packers win this. I'm taking the the packers here minus two and a half on the road in Denver. We know, we know the impact Micah has. Even if he's not making the tackle, we know what he can do. And the rest of that defense is very, very good around him. And Jordan Love's going to hit a few deep balls over the top.
- [154:15]
Host
Too. I don't like what my brain just did. I don't like it. I was on the packers there and I might end up still being on the Packer, but in my brain I saw Jordan Love backing up like this and doing one of these and for some reason Broncos are on the other side of.
- [154:33]
Ty
It. There's a chance. I mean, he threw a pick. He threw a pick early against the Bears last week and then kind of recalculated and just absolutely shredded.
- [154:42]
Host
Him. No, that's old Jordan. That's not this.
- [154:44]
Ty
Jordan. I was gonna say he's, I mean that would be. He's been playing so good over like the last four weeks and I, I would guess that's why the line is what it is because ultimately the books just are a little bit more confident in Jordan Love than they are.
- [154:56]
Host
Bonix. I'll take the Green Bay Pack what were you gonna.
- [154:58]
Con Man
Say? Yeah, exactly what he said. Like, if you look at the. The teams and how the Broncos have beat them, like, it. It hasn't been impressed. They haven't had like an impressive.
- [155:08]
Host
Win.
- [155:08]
Con Man
Yes. This point yet. And we talked about this yesterday to someone who called you. The Patriots get a lot of gruff for their strength of schedule. And no one's really talking about how the Broncos have the second easiest schedule, but they haven't beaten anybody handily really.
- [155:22]
Host
Yet. Okay. I like the packers minus two and a half. I don't know why my brain did that, though, because my brain was just trying to. Hey, checks and balances here, you know.
- [155:30]
Ty
Every. Every.
- [155:30]
Con Man
Stone. And he played Bo. To his credit. He does step up in big.
- [155:34]
Ty
Game. He.
- [155:34]
Con Man
Does. He.
- [155:34]
Host
Does. I like Jordan too. After his interview, which once again, I can change the way I think about somebody entirely from one conversation. I liked Jordan. Love coming into our convo with him earlier this week. I love love.
- [155:46]
Ty
Now.
- [155:47]
Host
Boom. Detroit Lions. I used to love them. What happened? Well, fell out. Mostly because we have zero relationships with the team, but also because they don't look the same this year as they did last year. No, they don't. I fell in love with them last year, in the year past because they were tough, they were fun, they were exciting, they were electrifying. And mcdc was giving us a sound bite every single week. Where have those been? They got bad.
- [156:11]
Coach Mike Elko
Honestly. Good.
- [156:12]
Host
Question. He's focused on the offense. That's why Applebee's commercial was ass bad. Press conferences have been ass bad. What are they contributing to sports all of a sudden? The locker room sell bellies have been worse than they normally are, I'd.
- [156:26]
Ty
Say. Oh.
- [156:26]
Host
No. Jameer Gibbs is really the only redeeming.
- [156:29]
Ty
Him. And Jack.
- [156:29]
Host
Campbell. Yeah, the offense is playing great. I'll give mcdc a lot of credit there. And they're gonna have to score a million points in this game. But I will say the defense has not been. If you guys remember Brian Branch out with that Achilles injury, Kirby Joseph was supposed to come back. He's been out for a million games. Well, he had a setback, so he's out for the regular season. And Terry and Arnold, another starter out for the season. So that second banged up and that's not good against Matthew Stafford. Do they have the amort revenge game every time Matthew Stafford's playing the Detroit Lions? Do they have the a mortal chamber thing in Detroit for all these players or did Matt only get introduced to that in la? Great point. We need that also. Let's look into the turf. I think you brought that point up to me. That turf seems to be a problem because we have injuries two years in a row now and it's not looking good. Yeah, nobody ever talks about Detroit's turf. Who knows? And I'm not saying all the injuries are there. Just natural thought whenever we hear about a team having a. A lot of injuries, like what's going on there that maybe isn't where else and maybe it's just on misfortune or whatever. But on that note, the immortal people, I think have tried to get in touch with.
- [157:28]
Tone
Us.
- [157:29]
Host
Seriously. There's a chance we get one of those trailers in.
- [157:31]
Ty
Here. That would be awesome.
- [157:32]
Host
Yeah. We're living forever. Our haters are going to be mad when we are alive forever. And they are.
- [157:37]
Tone
Not. We're all going to be able to dunk.
- [157:38]
Host
Again. Again. You were able to.
- [157:40]
John Cena
Dunk.
- [157:41]
Host
Yeah. And mutable, huh? No, no, I know you weren't. That's what I'm saying. Like what? Dunking? Are you referring to high school, brother? High school?
- [157:51]
Tone
What?
- [157:52]
Con Man
Basketball. You're dunking in high.
- [157:54]
Tone
School. What are we talking about? Tennis.
- [157:55]
Host
Ball. But I had no. I honestly, I'm gonna be 100 serious right now. I had no idea you had.
- [158:01]
Tone
Ever. Tennis ball.
- [158:02]
Host
Counts. I mean, I'm saying with the tennis ball, you were.
- [158:05]
John Cena
Able.
- [158:05]
Host
Yeah. I didn't know you had that type of explosion.
- [158:08]
AJ Hawk
Anymore. I bet you still.
- [158:09]
Host
Can. You're more of a savvy player. I almost thought. I didn't know you were like an.
- [158:12]
Tone
Explosive. Not.
- [158:13]
Con Man
Anymore. Still.
- [158:16]
Host
Savvy. I didn't know you could get the tennis ball in. That's even a good feat for you. Yeah. For.
- [158:20]
John Cena
Anybody. Yeah.
- [158:21]
Con Man
Yeah. I couldn't touch a rim. Kidding.
- [158:23]
Host
Me.
- [158:24]
Con Man
Never. Not even close.
- [158:26]
Host
Brother. But you got AJ Dylan on the.
- [158:28]
Con Man
Sideline. I was a savvy basketball.
- [158:31]
Host
Player.
- [158:31]
Con Man
More. More of a.
- [158:32]
Host
Stock. Dude, could you smack the backboard when you were doing a.
- [158:34]
Con Man
Layup? The bar bottom, the.
- [158:37]
John Cena
Rubber. The rubber.
- [158:38]
Host
Part. That was the best. Smacking.
- [158:39]
Con Man
Rubber. I mean, I. Look, no one was picking me to dunk the ball, you know, they were picking me to pass the.
- [158:46]
Host
Ball. I know, but for a guy that in my eyes, is a good athlete. I think you are a good athlete. After watching you do all different sporting styles, I think you are a good athlete. You're the first good athlete that I've ever met that has not been.
- [158:57]
Con Man
Able to touch, like rim jumping. And I'm. And I mean this seriously, like, basketball was probably my. One of my better sports growing Up. But yes, like jumping has just never been my.
- [159:06]
Coach Mike Elko
Thing.
- [159:06]
Host
Connor. Connor can throw, Connor can shoot. Conor can do. Conor, you're like real.
- [159:10]
Con Man
Athlete. Oh yeah. I can skate like if. If we go across the board in sports, I can do them all. Just jumping no matter what has never been my.
- [159:19]
Host
Thing. Dancing though, you're not.
- [159:20]
Con Man
Bad. I.
- [159:21]
Ty
Can.
- [159:21]
Con Man
Yeah. Again, on the.
- [159:22]
Host
Ground. Ten.
- [159:24]
Con Man
Toes. Yeah, exactly two.
- [159:25]
Host
Feet. You gassing up that drummer the other night, I. I still would not be able to ever.
- [159:30]
Con Man
Okay. I mean he was a talent. I mean he might have been a cocky son of.
- [159:35]
Tone
A. Is that when he owned.
- [159:36]
Host
Tabittle? We were at a. Oh, that was crazy age. I don't. This might have been the reason why Indiana won, to be honest. At halftime, Indiana's band was doing their thing first. Tabittle was walking in front of us, our suite. And I don't know how many people are on.
- [159:52]
Con Man
That. Too.
- [159:52]
Host
Many. Maybe a.
- [159:53]
Tone
Thousand. A.
- [159:54]
AJ Hawk
Lot. A.
- [159:54]
Host
Lot. He got every other one of them. So 500 then they'll say if there's a thousand. 800. He got four. 400 of them. They would walk and they would have no idea. And they go. He turned and go hey. To biddle. To biddle. And Ohio state band would look and he'd go on the field to biddle. And then he. It was funny. They were pissed. They were.
- [160:11]
Con Man
Not. I. I laughed every other time I did.
- [160:13]
Host
It. Tobiddo and the Indiana band put on good show at halftime. How come nobody was saying that about the Big 12 championship? What's that all.
- [160:21]
Ty
About? I don't know. I thought John party brought the house down, but apparently not everybody thought.
- [160:25]
Host
Came out the of the.
- [160:26]
John Cena
Ground. Give this guy some.
- [160:28]
Ty
Credit. He had three different.
- [160:29]
Host
Stages. Three stages. Pyro and fireworks. This guy had a clean shave, sweet.
- [160:35]
Ty
Jacket. That been the problem, huh? That might have been the problem. He should have maybe grown a beard. Because I saw a lot of people saying who the is this wobble body? Oh, it's dirt on my boots guy. And he doesn't have any dirt on his boots. Those things look brand.
- [160:48]
Host
New. Well, that's cuz he was in Jerry world and they gave him a full thing. I don't think it was fair the way that people are talking about Mr. Party because I agree. I will say this. I thought it was great and it might be a little dirt on my boots.
- [161:02]
Con Man
Banger. Stage can't be the. Can't be the.
- [161:04]
Host
Star. Well, that.
- [161:05]
Con Man
Was. Can't be going after. Like the stage was.
- [161:07]
Host
Cool. Like stage was.
- [161:09]
Con Man
Cool. Stage was cool. But that can't be the one. Like Jack White and Eminem, who. We didn't. I don't even remember the.
- [161:15]
Host
Stage. I remember the setup of the fans very close, which I thought was a smart idea for the optics to. To have that many hands whenever they zoomed out and we're like, oh, that's only.
- [161:23]
Ty
That. Nobody down.
- [161:24]
Host
There. Then the cheerleaders were in there. I thought maybe that was interesting because trying to utilize all that space is difficult on a football field. So I think they're always trying to balance that. I think Eminem had the right idea.
- [161:33]
Tone
Though. Wasn't there an.
- [161:33]
Host
Igloo? Everybody tight in here? That was a couple years ago for Jack Harlow. It wasn't great. John Party. I thought you did great, dude. Gumpy and I really enjoyed it. We were in transit. Gumpy and I were in transit. And we're standing in airport watching. Watching said performance. Little bit of sound, certainly static sound out here. This guy pops up out of the ground on the stage. We're like Big 12 bringing it. And then we see the jack of the party. We're like, holy shit. Sings a song, walks a hundred yards to another stage. There's firework as pyro and he's absolutely, you know, getting on that thing. And me and Gumpy are like, is this the. This should be super bowl halftime, maybe. Did we hear it entirely? I mean, we weren't plugged in like some people were. Gumpy sends one. Party's kind of doing it here or whatever. Because we were so impressed. Literally, stop what we were doing to watch it. We're like, wow, what a show. Then I retweet, double down. This production's outrageous. And then we got a thousand people telling us how.
- [162:33]
Ty
Terrible. Some mean things about him. Mean, mean.
- [162:36]
Host
Things. I didn't like it. Not at all. Were you listening to it on mute? I mean, well. And I didn't want to respond, but kind.
- [162:42]
Con Man
Of. I mean, yeah, it.
- [162:44]
Host
Was. Maybe we didn't hear it as clearly, but. Party. We thought you did good, baby. John O. He's hating fox or dookie, dude. Don't ever forget it. Yeah, he's.
- [162:53]
Tone
Jacket. So.
- [162:54]
Ty
Cool. Yeah, he should. He's done dirt on my boots every time. Cuz there was a point during his first song, he was up and he was like, God, ain't nobody care that I'm up here right now. And he starts hard to.
- [163:05]
Host
Play. How y' all.
- [163:06]
Ty
Doing? Big 12, which, you know that. That never really plays, but yes, it.
- [163:11]
Host
Does. What are you talking about? Always. What are they supposed to.
- [163:13]
Ty
Say, what's.
- [163:17]
Con Man
Up? Guess.
- [163:18]
Ty
What? I got some dirt on my boots. I mean, that. Guess.
- [163:22]
AJ Hawk
What?
- [163:22]
Ty
Right. Every 70,000 on.
- [163:24]
Con Man
There.
- [163:25]
Host
Yeah. Yeah, even. And then when it's over, hey, you know what I was thinking the other day? I just look down.
- [163:30]
Ty
Here. Oh, Got a little dirt on my.
- [163:33]
Con Man
Boo. Or point someone out. Hey, is that some. Hold on. You got a little dirt on your.
- [163:41]
Host
Boo. Yeah, so.
- [163:42]
Con Man
Remix. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
- [163:43]
Host
Yeah. Here at the Big 12, we all kind of got a little dirt on our.
- [163:48]
Ty
Booze.
- [163:49]
Host
Yeah. I mean, but he's a.
- [163:52]
Ty
Artist. He.
- [163:52]
Host
Is. So why don't we have a little respect for everything he put into.
- [163:55]
Con Man
That. No.
- [163:55]
Tone
Doubt. Absolute showman to.
- [163:57]
Host
Boot.
- [163:57]
Con Man
Amen. To.
- [163:58]
Host
Boot. Thank you, Party for the show. And we apologize for, I guess, just throwing you into the sun with our particular setup on our little portion of the Internet. But it was. There wasn't one. No, I mean, we're scrolling. We got on a plane. Phone goes in pocket. Send that tweet. I fucking doubled down. Absolutely. Phone in pocket. Let's walk the plane, get on plane, sit down on plane. Okay. We're going through the whole thing. Let's check phone before we take off. Geez, Gumps, are you reading? Holy. This guy's trending right now. They haven't said one good thing about this.
- [164:33]
Ty
Guy.
- [164:33]
Host
Gu. Have you seen this? And Gumpy goes, it does appear as if we were a little off on our judgment of party's performance or something like that. He. It was a great show.
- [164:42]
Ty
Though. You kid.
- [164:42]
John Cena
Me. Look.
- [164:43]
Host
At. It's unbelievable. Gassing up the crowd, the mat. Leflore bump. I mean, look at all the band on the entire. I mean, they did.
- [164:50]
Con Man
Everything. Bub.
- [164:51]
Ty
Party. I was going to say people left in droves, too. They were borderline stampeding towards the concession stands when he came out. I know. I'm just saying it's not fair. You'd think people would be like, well, actually, I'm going to just. Or piss my pants because parties out there. But they.
- [165:05]
Host
Didn'T. Big 12, great job on halftime alongside party. Also, Big 10. What you guys did to Lucas Oil Stadium made it awesome. I mean, like taking over these NFL things and making them college atmospheres. You certainly did a good job. Let's get back to the Sunday slate, shall we? We both on the Packers. We're all on the.
- [165:21]
John Cena
Rams.
- [165:22]
Host
Yep. Me as well. I. Man, I don't like that, though. It feels like it's the same old Lions. I got to give mcdc a little credit here, cuz he's Unlocked. JMO Gibbs is having one of the best years ever. Golf's numbers are actually incredible if you look at them. And St Brown's doing St Brown things and that's without Leaporta and without Rag now and some of the, you know. So MC DC is doing a good job. Only way we this game is if it's a shootout we have to win 42, 35 or so. But isn't that what the Rams want to. The Rams aren't scared of that either. And that's the problem. And that's the problem with our banged up defense. It's Stafford will probably throw for.
- [165:56]
Con Man
353Ts is what happens when you win a bunch of games. Schedule gets very, very hard indeed. And when you lose a few, when you run into the Rams late into the season, that's when it becomes a huge.
- [166:07]
Host
Problem. 75% of the bets are on the lines this and maybe we're seeing wrong 65 last night. You like the lines? Yeah. How.
- [166:14]
Ty
Come? I don't know. I just feel like they, they have to win this week. I think people have kind of written them off and act like they're like, you know, 6 and 7 or like they're 8 and 5 still like this team is very good. They play in a very tough division. And I don't know, I, I don't want to say that the Rams are due for a stinker because that's definitely not the case. But I could see this being like a big, you know, Hutch statement game as.
- [166:36]
Host
Well. Six points. A lot of points.
- [166:38]
Ty
Man. Yeah, I guess I don't know if they're going to win, but I think they'll.
- [166:41]
Host
Cover. A.J. final.
- [166:44]
AJ Hawk
Answer. LA.
- [166:46]
Host
Rams. I'll do the same. Panthers. Saints. Panthers favored by 2 1/2 in New Orleans. New Orleans fresh off a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina Panthers can still win the NFC South. Potentially should win NFC south with what is happening down there and host a home playoff game. Bryce Young, Shock. Who do you like? How do you like.
- [167:12]
AJ Hawk
It? AJ I'm a little surprised the. The Panthers. Well, I guess I thought they might be favored by more than two and a half going into this game. I know it's a tough place to play down in New Orleans, but give me the Carolina Panthers. I think Bryce Young lights it.
- [167:26]
Host
Up. I'll do the same. Minnesota Vikings. Dallas Cowboys Sunday Night Football. Five and a half points spread. Dallas Cowboys favored at home. Tell me a little bit about nine in the Vikings. Any pieces of information that need to be.
- [167:39]
Tone
Heard. They're Coming off a. A blowout win last week, you know, nine had a. A efficient game, if you will. Didn't throw for a ton of.
- [167:45]
Host
Yards, but 128 point.
- [167:47]
Tone
Something. Yeah, very, very efficient. He was nine of 10 to start the game. But I heard someone say today, like, if the Dallas Cowboys don't win by 40, they're. They're the laughing stock of the.
- [167:56]
Host
NFL. Who said.
- [167:57]
Tone
That?
- [167:58]
Host
Stephen. Stephen A said.
- [167:59]
John Cena
That?
- [167:59]
Host
Yep. Well, he's always got that little thing going on with the Dallas Cowboys. Minnesota Vikings have it all, man, don't they? They got it.
- [168:07]
Tone
All. Except Ben Ginke. If you throw a quick screen his way, he's gonna pick it off and take it the other.
- [168:13]
Con Man
Direction. Cowboys still.
- [168:14]
Host
In. AJ who do you like? How do you like.
- [168:17]
AJ Hawk
It? Man, five and a half feels like a lot, but I like this Cowboys.
- [168:21]
John Cena
Team. I really.
- [168:22]
AJ Hawk
Do. And I don't know if the Vikings offense will score enough to keep up. So give me the Cowboys at.
- [168:26]
Host
Home. I'll take the Dallas Cowboys as well, minus five and a half. As we wrapped up the Sunday slate there with our picks, we hope you have an incredible weekend. We hope you have the greatest weekend of your life. And remember, anything you want is available because of our friends at door.
- [168:41]
Ty
Dash. Hell.
- [168:41]
Host
Yeah. Win every week with door dash streaks. You know, you can save up $250 a season when you order on game days. And obviously this QR code will make your life easier. And this pizza right here will not be delivered because this pizza is on a graphic. But any pizza that's around you can be delivered to you. And it's not just pizza. You can get local steaks, Chinese food, fast food, healthy food. You get smoothies or shakes or burgers or pants. T shirt.
- [169:12]
John Cena
Medicine.
- [169:13]
Host
What? Cleaning supplies, towels, anything. With our friends at doordash, Shout out to doordash. Shout out to all of you for allowing us to do this for a living. We appreciate the hell out of you in the back. Great work this week, boys. The gdp, graphic design boys. Good work this.
- [169:31]
Con Man
Week. Good work.
- [169:31]
Host
Boys. Congrats to.
- [169:33]
Ty
Debone. Yeah, what a.
- [169:35]
Host
Day. Yeah, he's in the middle of a hair transition, too. Yeah, so he had to take a photo in the middle of an new haircut with his hero, John Cena. So I'll be excited to see how we view that photo four or five years from now. You know, it's like wedding photos that happen whenever somebody's in a different stage. Here he is right here. This is obviously a magical moment for.
- [169:56]
AJ Hawk
Deebone. Bone's a Big dude.
- [169:59]
Host
Bone. Yeah, he's offensive lineman. National champion offensive lineman.
- [170:02]
Coach Mike Elko
Yeah.
- [170:02]
Host
Yeah. He's gigantic guy. A lot of people saying his legs are like pogo sticks and stuff. Just know that he's a great athlete. Debone is a great athlete and he's current U ball champion. And he had a chance, obviously, to meet his hero in John Cena. And he kicked ass this week, as did Dirty, as did Talk, as did Bill, as did Mitt Zito. We appreciate the hell out of you, Tim McAfee. Great work this week. AP Tone. Way to go. Thank you. Toxic table. Way to go, boy. A.J. way, way go. Hey, you watching around the World Way go, you guys. Oh, yeah. Another week of doing this as a.
- [170:40]
Con Man
Job. Hell.
- [170:41]
Host
Yeah. Hell, yeah. Crazy. That's right. Your time is up. Time is now. His time is up tomorrow night. Yeah, it is.
- [171:01]
Con Man
Sad.
- [171:02]
Host
Damn. It's the dawn of a new day. And let's remember that we have no idea what it'll bring. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. Let's try to enjoy this life. Team on me. Team on three. We'll see you on Monday. One, two, three.
- [171:19]
John Cena
Team.
- [171:20]
Host
Goodbye, Monster Energy. Everybody knows White Monster Zero Ultra. That's the. That's the og it kicked off this whole zero sugar energy drink thing, but Ultra is a whole lineup now. You've got Strawberry Dreams, Blue Hawaiian Sunrise, and Vice Guava. And they all bring the Monster Energy.
- [171:40]
John Cena
Punch. So if you've been living in.
- [171:41]
Host
The white can branch out. Ultra's got a flavor for every vibe, and every Single1 is zero sugar tap the banner to learn more. The NBA is happening Christmas.
- [171:53]
John Cena
Day. Five.
- [171:56]
Host
Games. One unforgettable, incredible.
- [171:58]
John Cena
Lineup. That's what Christmas is all.
- [172:00]
Host
About. Buckets for breakfast, breakaways for.
- [172:03]
John Cena
Dessert. It's the holiday tradition, Christmas all day with star power from across the.
- [172:08]
AJ Hawk
Globe. The stars, they are going to.
- [172:10]
John Cena
Be out the best.
- [172:11]
Host
Gift. You don't even have to unwrap.
- [172:13]
John Cena
It. We want to say Merry Christmas.
- [172:15]
Host
And happy New Year NBA. Christmas Day begins at noon Eastern on ABC and.