Happy Half Hour Episode 87: Sunday Is Saturday

Augusta Stone, and Darren Gannon. That's right, it's that time of the week. It's the Happy half Hour podcast with your friends Darren, Augusta and Kristen. We are recording this on Wednesday morning, which is actually Thursday morning because Sunday is Saturday, and that has thrown me for a loop completely. And it's the shortest day of the year and it's freezing so how are we all doing? I didn't even realize it was the shortest day of the year. I know.

Darren Bliss, his heart is struggling with the with the days of the week. We've we had a good few conversations about it yesterday. Darren, You've got to bless your heart already yeah, and I need it to be blessed. It is very needed. When football coaches start saying started talking about the schedule and they say, all right, Wednesday's Thursday. Uh, and then Tuesday is going to be a Monday and

what what what day is it? Actually now they were you know, I published a story yesterday with a transaction saying Andre Roberts was activated Wednesday, and it ghost It's like there Tuesday, it's in the future, you know, in the future Panthers dot com. It's not just an app and a source of all your news for your favorite

football team. It's a time machine. I completely agree. This has thrown me off more so than the Thursday game because it's just one day, is off right, Everything on a short week is truncated, but this everything is just one day. But then some of your meetings that are normally on a certain day are still on those days. So I've I've had to write everything down this week. Um. But I did ask Steve Wilkes as far as the short week. I was like, does that it's one day shorter, right,

everyone we're playing on Saturday. Does that affect recovery time? And he was like not really like it seems like the football side is dealing with this a little bit better than the original side, right and and thankfully so, because they've got the jobs and everybody's concerned about because it's it is just a thing in terms of I think with this roster. I remember which trip was one of the road trips we came back from, and Wilkes had had the guys go straight back into the stadium

to begin the process. Thursday was the short week Sunday before, and so the recovery time is a huge deal for these guys, and and if they are one short, that is something they can make up by being intentional with other things. But yeah, it just throws us for a loop, especially with you know, major religious holidays coming up the end of the week that I'm not nearly prepared for. Me same, isn't that all of us again in the

in the digital offices? Um, all right, well, let's let's go back to I mean, it started out so fun and and uh warm, let's let's go back to the game that was that was less so with the Steelers game. Let's just kind of have a little post mortem on it if we can. Uh, Darren, I got we were your biggest takeaways from that game. Basically, what happened was two things happened. Number One, the Steelers did to the

Panthers what the Panthers been to another people. And number two, you got Mike Tomlin by Mike Tomlin, and he's great at this job, and he had his guys ready. They're kind of messy right now. The Steelers aren't classic Steelers teams that are played in the way we're used to seeing them play. But this guy has been coaching for sixteen years. Uh, this is this If he can't steer him out of the skin, and when out will be his first losing season in sixteen years. So you kind

of know what you were getting. And they just sort of walked in and punched him in the mouth. And all these guys around here were a little bit shocked. I mean, Bradley Bozeman Sunday Night was on the verge of tears because they're just so unaccustomed to that happening to them. They're the ones used to punching people in the mouth lately, and to have it done to them.

I mean, I went back and looked at some of the tape with some of the guys downstairs the other day, and when you see it on film, a lot of it's just getting physically whipped and a lot of it's just getting beat to a spot, having your head in the wrong place, and an offensive line that had become the identity of a team was suddenly a liability. And when that happens, that like shakes the foundation of everything

the team's trying to do in that moment. And then the Steelers come out of halftime and take the ball and basically spend the entire third quarter with the ball, and I was about that, Yeah, close to twelve minute drive and the third quarter there it's hard to win the other team has the ball for an entire quarter, I guess. So what were some of your biggest takeaways from this game? Kind Of like Darren said, I think it was just deflating, especially at certain points, um like

where Darren left off, But that that drive. I talked with a lot of the defense about it, and and they had a very like somber tone, I think, especially with how things had been trending so upwards since Cincinnati, it was one of those things where, I mean things were just they were going well, and in that drive, I mean third down after third down after third down. I think they converted five third hounds on that one drive and ended up in getting a touchdown even though

there was the penalty. And I was just looking back and I was like, I mean, it says they went like nye yards, but they actually went more because they were It was just it was it was that that was They talk a lot on the other side of the ball about demoralizing, and I felt like, I mean, it's perfectly put that it was what the Panthers had been doing to other teams. It was almost like that's

what happened to the Panthers at home. But what's crazy y about it is that even though that game, you know, was deflating and in that locker room afterward it felt really bad, about two hours later, Panthers still controlled their own destiny. We wrote about it on Panthers dot com. Bucks lost to the Bengals and and it was one of those things where it was like, well, actually, I mean not to throw it, throw it out, but you can move forward, you know, you can move forward, win

it all, and it's you're in the same place. It's it's fascinating. I was just I was just thinking about that. I started laughing. So when I got home from talking about, you know, um, the Bucks Bengals game. When I got home from our game, of course, you know, knowing that that game was on and that did have a huge part um in um in how good or bad that day was going to end? Right, um? So I got home and um, I asked my husband, I said, we got to, you know, turn on this game. Is it

on TV? And he said, yeah, it's on, but the Bucks are up seventeen to nothing and I went, oh, no, you know that's oh, this is not going to be good. And then slowly as we watched, the tide really really turns. So you know, it's a it was a weird week in the NFL all around, but as you said, Panthers are still in charge of their own destiny. Yeah. And the amazing thing about this trashy little neighborhood that we

live in called the NFC. So what you're going to say after that, it's somebody's going to win this division. It's possible that somebody could win this division at six and eleven, oddly enough, But you know the reason immediately after that game, I mean that game last Sunday, I don't want to say it felt like a funeral. That's extreme, but it was super deflating for those guys because they had build a little momentum. The Seattle game was a

big turning point. You had finally gone on the road beating a playoff level team, beating a good team, period, and it's what they needed. And then to come back with that, it's like it took some of that away. Now they've got an opportunity this week again Detroit. Is I keep having to check myself because things that don't make any sense are actually true now, Like the Detroit Lions are really good. Yes, they're one of the hottest teams in the NFL, won five of the last six.

Jared Goff suddenly can't turn the ball over. Um, and they're playing really well. They've got um, they've got one of those bright young minds and Ben Johnson calling plays for him and and that's the kind of people everybody seem to want this time of year. But it's going to be fascinating to see if they can, if they can get a win. And I almost used the phrase steal a win against the Lions, which again sounds insane because it's the Lions were talking about Yeah, that game

looks different on the schedule. When the schedule comes out or even in the preseason, you go okay, right, you know, and then to look, there could be one of the toughest games in this last stretch, which you know, Steve didn't want players talking about playoffs. But if you beat the Lions, you're effectively going to Tampa next week to play for the division title basically, you know, at least thematically,

if not math radically. And it's it's just alarming to think about with all the twists and turns of this season. So I mean, I'm kind of curious to go out to practice today Wednesday. Hey, I gotta rise. I could not have. I've already forgotten. Its Wednesday, and they're gonna be in full pads for the last time this season, and that's gonna be I want to watch this practice because that's where you'll kind of get a sense of

where they're at. I mean, I've seen enough of these things where teams kind of you hate to say it, but check out a little bit and it's not the same intensity. But we talked the other week prior to the Seattle game, I was like that practice in the bubble that day that was different. He told us that on this podcast you couldn't just tell and so I'm kind of curious to see what it looks like when we go out there today. I imagine they're going to be as ramped up as as they can be this

time of year. But it's um yeah, it's obviously a huge game for a lot of people for a lot of reasons. And I do think that's interesting. I want to go back to that because I asked Wilkes of out putting on the pads, you know, and and Augustie wrote a great article on Panthers dot com about the logistics of all of it, and they only have Darren, as you said, one more padded practice. Um So I

talked to him. I said, well, okay, when you have a game where you don't do the things that you're known for that have become your identity, how do you get back to that in a week that's short by one day? And that was one of the first things he said, was was putting on the pads for the last time. So Augusta, what what is he trying to do to get these guys back to what they know

they can be. I found it interesting because he was he was explaining himself in that press conference, like, I don't know if that was it was the first week since he had gotten here that they had not been in full pads. At one point he was like, I don't want to say that was why. You know, this was last week. Yeah, yes, coming off of a long Seattle trip exactly. It was like between Seattle and Pittsburgh.

That was the first one. And and he was like in his press conference on Monday, I didn't want it to be like, I don't think that's why necessarily, But I think it's going back to basics. That's one thing he's talked about a lot that I find really interesting. It's like fundamentals, not doing the most but doing the little things and everything, kind of like back to square

one and perfecting that. And so it's like, if we go back to basics, go back to what like since since Wilkes had gotten here, what the Panthers had done. And I also find it interesting and I want to ask about this, but putting the pads on Wednesday, if we're talking about the days of the week thing, Wednesday

is a Thursday. He had moved it from Thursday under rule to Wednesday here, which Tuesday would have been Wednesday, so you know what I mean, Like it's in the day of the week the same, but it is different game prep because we have been doing it the way that we had been here. It would have been Tuesday versus Saturday. Wait a minute, right there a Thursday night football game tonight? I mean, no, is there? It's Wednesday.

We are at the point where we are so loopy and confused if anyone can follow us in our if Thursday Night football happened on a Wednesday, because it's a short week for everybody because of Christmas, that would have thrown. That would have just caused the head to just launch right off, so you wouldn't be capable of it now. I would have to end the podcast right now if that was the case. But yeah, I think that's interesting, and I haven't had the opportunity to ask about that

because it just clicked. But this is later in the week. Then they've had full pads practice since Wilkes has been here. He moved it up, So I wonder if that is really just a get it in their head physical game, not as many days to turn around, go back out there kind of thing. You know, Coop just hit me. So that is that that is some of the things that they are trying to get right on a on a short week. Now something else that is also going

to be a challenge. Not just the fact that the Lions are on a hot streak and they're playing great football right now. Um, it's also going to be potentially the coldest game in Panthers history. And Augusta. I'm looking over at your computer and you have a weather chart. I mean it's like got bay ends of wind. Um. And I'll tell you what. It doesn't look good for me out there from that chart. What have you? You said?

You've become an expert on this game. So if you're coming to the game, Um, what can you expect from our weather person? So cold? So cold? So um, I'm looking at this from weather brown horrible. So the teens are in red, not blue or purple, but red, which looks so much more intimidating than if it were blue. So the whole Carolinas is just red. This is the wind shills expected at one pm Saturday, Okay, seventeen degrees

around our little area in Charlotte. So I mean, if it's not cold enough, just cold, the windshill is going to be ridiculous, but it is on pace to be the coldest home game in the history, which would be above the eighth coldest ever no matter where the Panthers have gone, according to the long list of the coldest games everywhere, which I also have pulled up here because

weather expert. Yeah, so here's all of them. The other the coldest game at the at the Bank America Stadium in the in the history eight it was thirty at kickoff. They're expecting it to be colder than that. So its my friends who cover the Packers. They kind of point and laugh when I start talking about cold weather. Uh,

and everything is relative. I mean, yes, there are a lot of field eights at this great post earlier this week that showed some of the temperatures that are going to be on Saturday kickoffs across the country, and most of them are colder than than the Panthers. But for you know, the southern people here, it's it's cold. We don't spend time up there, right. We chose to live

here people. I'll tell you what. I lived for two years in Chicago and three years in Connecticut, and um, I'm glad that the coldest game is going to be in the you know, twenties or thirties. Oh and I mean listen, I I looking at that chart. I was at the NFC Championship game in Green Bay and nine when it was three and I don't ever, I don't ever want to experience Arian's three again in my life. That's not enough degrees. It should be manymore than three

anytime I'm outdoors ever. But yeah, I mean it is. It is a factor. And I do think not everything has to be about football, but when you think about the way this game sets up, I mean, the Lions are a throat around team. Jared Goff is a guy who's He's not Kenny Pickett, but he's got his hands are on the smaller side. So and he traditionally has not played well in cold weather, now does he? I I don't know. This is a whole different situation than

when he was playing in l A before. Um, you know, the Lions play their games in a comfortable seventy degrees inside of Ford Field. I don't know if it's going to become an issue, but if you think about it from a football perspective, because of the way the Lions operate offense versus what the Carolina Panthers want to do, which turn around and hand it to beond tape form and thirty five times. You would think if the weather is an advantage to anyone, it would be an advantage

to the home team. And it's weird to say the Lions aren't as used to play an in cold weather. It's Carolina Panthers. But this may be true, and this it is the truth. But don't you also just feel like, from what we know about Dan Campbell, he's got them out there with like ice packs strapped to their you know, the pads today or something, just trying to get them ready for the cold weather. Like there's something I can't

wait to find out if he did something crazy. But you're right, Dan Campbell is probably out there in shore to like Ben McAdoo, Yes, absolutely, and like a tank top. Right absolutely. But yeah, I asked Steve Folks, I said, is the weather a factor or is it not a factor? And he said, no, it's not you know, which is what you gotta say, right, It's yes, That's exactly what

he said in AUGUSTA. If if you've been listening to this this podcast every week, AUGUSTA has always said that about you know, Wilkes will say, here are the it's, and we can't focus on that, And that's what he said. It's the it this week is is the weather and we can't let that distract us. He'll bring up it's all the time. I did want to have a shout to to when I was at practice yesterday, Um a bunch of heaters where out players were going putting their

gloves under and putting their helmets under them. But I had a chance to speak with Cuba Hubbard, who is from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Uh Kenny, our photographer, and I were just you know, having some some quick small chie in between drills about how cold it was, and he goes, y'all look up what it is at home for me right now. So I looked it up. It was negative when chill's negative forty, they're not getting out

of the negatives until Friday at Cuba's hometown. So I know of anybody on the roster who isn't going to care um if that's what he grew up, and I think it's northern Canada. Oh my goodness, Oh my goodness. I was like, yeah, you know what you're right, because I don't think I've ever even experienced sub zero negative. I was shocked. I can't imagine. I cannot imagine. Yep, that was an interesting part of my day. All right, Well, before we say goodbye, I want to do a little something. Um.

I've been thinking about this a lot. What are the definitive big three holiday rankings? For you? So I just want to end on this and I would love to have anybody tweet these in Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween? Where did they rank for you? This is easy for me, It's easy. It's easy for Darren's. Darren's taking a stretch taking his glasses off. So August, if it's easy for you, where are you going? I like Thanksgiving the most, less pressure, love the food. Halloween's fun and que I've never been

a Christmas s gal controversially, but that was easy. Yeah, Chris, Christmas is I hate you hate to say the birth of Jesus Christ is second to anything, but um, but

here we are. I have always and I think it's partially because of the job I'm in, and and Christmas always falls it just endo football season, and it it always feels like you don't get to spend as much time doing the stuff you really want to do, because you spend all the time doing the stuff that you got to do, and it's so Christmas always been kind of tough. From that same point, I love Thanksgiving. I'm a sucker for it. I am not into Halloween at all.

Halloween can just kind of I think once you're once you're past the age of like six or seven, you know, small children, I'll give you eight, nine, ten, maybe whatever, But until you know, once you're past the small child trick or treating phase, I think Halloween can just go away. No, I'm not into the whole inflatable yard decoration. So did you? So did you? But where did you go thank Christmas and Thanksgiving? What did the ultimate I think I'm going

Thanksgiving one. I think I'm going thanks Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving has been a riser for me. I'm still gonna go Christmas first. But I think also because working in this job, you know, typically you have to choose, at least working for a network. Now football schedule is different, but working for networks in my in my past life, you have to choose one or the other right Thanksgiving or Christmas. I would usually choose ChRI sans to fly across the country and see

my family. So a lot of Thanksgivings I didn't just not participating in. Right, this year, I got to go to the family Thanksgiving, and it does feel like it really sets the mood for the holiday season. It's kind of more Christmas Eve than Christmas right, because it's like the start of like you could, you could turn on the Christmas music at a certain point. I feel like Darren's gonna judge me for that one, but you could.

So I think I'm still gonna go Christmas one. I'll go Thanksgiving to but you know, check with me next year. We'll see if that rises to the top. And then I'm Halloween, Matt, what's your list? Probably exactly what Darren said, and for the same reasons. Wow Hall for me, But like thanks I didn't know that there would be such a three out of four potentially Thanksgiving number one. See, I think part of the reason usually gets bumped to

the underrated. With Thanksgiving. You get the gratitude without the pressure of all the stuff that's got to come with it, you know. And and again, there's nothing I enjoy better than going or thinking about what the perfect gift for so and so is going to be or that kind of thing. But but then the going and doing it it comes complex. I always think I'm gonna I'm like, this is the year that I'm going to get on

top of everything early. And I'll tell you what I was doing last night on December twenty is my husband. I were frantically ordering stuff off Amazon. So you know I'm with you on that one. Well, everyone, let us know your list. So I think we've got some pretty good lists here, but i'd be interested if you got any like Halloween number one. Folks. I know a few of them. My best friend from high school is a Halloween all year round kind of yeah. She says it

all the time. Keeps like pumpkins out, loves a spooky decker like in July. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, Like right now, I need to know more about that. We'll ask him about that next week. Thanks for listening, everyone, We'll see you next week on The Happy Half Hour Podcast