2023 Conference Championship Preview AND Jim Harbaugh Lands with the Chargers

They around the NFL podcast taking applications for Mark's next pet team.

From the Chris Westling podcast studio. It's around the NFL AFC NFC Championship Game preview edition. How about that? Dan Hans is here with heroes, Mark Sessler, Rag Rosenthal. Boys, I'm looking at this. I'm looking. I'm looking and Mark, I know you got you like new things. You always like something new, sure like any like not a takedown, just the reality. No, but it's a reality. Many humans would agree. So if we get Baltimore and San Francisco at the end of this weekend, that's a rematch of

We also are getting a rematch of thirty eight to six, the classic Ravens beat down from Week eight Ravens Lions. If that happened, just saying from this, we don't that was tough that that does not count as as a remiss.

Week eight feels so far away. But yeah, so the Lions are the nubie here now. The Chiefs are the old guard. The Chiefs are if you are somebody that don't wants something fresh. And as much as I love Patrick Mahomes and obviously Chiefs, Kingdom loves Patrick Mahomes, and

I think the Lions are the great hope of newness. Don't try to sell me on any of the other three teams. And I like, you know, the intro talked about my pet teams or this way, and Ravens haven't even been in this week and you have a Ravens fetish and I acknowledge that, like I have a different relationship.

I get it.

But you're saying new for a long time. I was at the Niners Ravens Super Bowl and it felt like two days ago to me.

We I we were just there. The lights, you know, the whole thing went out.

We we we It feels like we've been doing this show a long time. We have never had a Ravens Conference Championship preview here.

Wow, first time.

But I did write the NFL dot com when the article when the electricity went.

Out you did the blackout store. Yeah, it was like you write this, It's like, I don't what's happening is is? How is you know why you were the super because I wrote the Beyonce halftime show article. Right, just people getting banged left and right. We're all about to die. Who's on this one? Just off? All right? I'll never forget that. And by the way, Jim Harbaugh was the coach back then for the Niners, and he's going to be coming up in conversation a little bit later today.

My dad's first Super Bowl as well, was it shared it?

Were you frightened for your dad? I generally it was assigning articles to you and me. He was not concerned about his I wasn't.

I figured, oh, this is weird, but it'll probably work out.

I'm optimist. This is such a greg outlook, but it's not a big deal.

It was definitely a big deal, but I was like, well, this will probably get fixed hopefully.

Yeah, well it did.

I think it's as someone that lived in New Orleans shout out to Entergy a lot of power in New Orleans all the time, so it almost it felt for why would.

You give him a shout out? Then they're the worst. They're the worst. And guess what. There will be a super Bowl in New Orleans next year, but there hasn't been one since that game, and that's a there's a reason why, because you know it's the best place for a super Bowl for to get punished and get sent to the the rubber room, as it were, just like Jerro World. By the way, all right, let's get on track here. We got a lot to get to. We have guests coming up in a little bit. James Palmer,

We've got two guests, We've got news at the back end. It's oh, it's it's gonna be Oh, it's a slam dunk. Going over an hour anyway.

First game, three pm, Eastern CBS Nance Romo Wolf sent and you hear our boy mad Dog. Get after Roma, mad Dog, I would say, I think you said it. Well.

When mad Dog is right, he's right when he gets onto something and he feels his passion in his heart starts to flare up.

There's no one else like him. What are you talking about, though, get out so mad Dog.

He went after Tony Romo, who dropped a attempted to drop a historical nugget about the and like an old Steelers moment, and Romo the old still the immaculate reception reception, but it was like the Holy Roller all this other hafen.

Like, just make it clear. So he says, immaculate reception on the ball that gets tapped out of bounds by the tight end on the first play from scrimmage, which is the wrong reference because the macular reception was a totally different play with franc o'harris, which I would imagine Romo rose, but he the Raiders was the Holy road Roller when the ball was knocked forward and scored a touchdown and the rule was changed. Anyway, Russo is fired up about that.

Russo goes absolutely crazy, and they're go find like female hosts, you know, stationed about seven yards behind him, just watching him up like David Letterman, like up against the King.

Absolutely nuts. They're just watching him like a tail is growing out from above his butt. Just mad dog anyway. So Romo didn't get demoted though, So that's good. He's got this game. Had the Super Bowl too, got Patrick Mahomes again, Tracy Woolson, now listen to this. They also got Evan Washburn on the sideline, who you know is Patrick Bateman but well adjusted. And then Feeley this, why not Chiefs at Ravens? How about that Mahomes v. Lamar

If Mahomes is the Jordan and he kind of is that, you have to I know many teams couldn't do this. You have to get past it. Or if he's Brady, if they're the Patriots, you have to get past him. And I think of some Patriots years like six when the Colts finally got past the Patriots, or even I forget which year it was where they didn't have an offensive line and Stephen Jackson was the running back.

Might have been.

Fifteen where the Bronco or thirteen when the Bronco's barely got bad. Those were bad Patriots teams and then they got to the playoffs and suddenly they were great Patriots.

But like gone down with Bagot.

In the same way that we were talking about this Chief's offense if we were doing a podcast back then, they weren't the same Patriots all season and then it's almost like you get to the playoffs and it's like, oh, yeah, this is this is how we feel alive again. This is how we do what we do, this is how

Yeah, And I you know, we're looking at a Ravens team that, against playoff teams from this season, has put up thirty points on offense per game allowed, just seventeen. They they're like, they're these sort of polar opposite of these like the Dolphins. We've talked about teams that like go up against winning teams and like what's special about them vanishes, Like the Ravens seem to become more embellished, more special when they go up against the best competition.

And I think you're right.

This is like this is a huge test of Lamar Jackson, a huge test of the in hire team to get over a Chiefs team that kind of feels like when they get challenged theoretically in the playoffs like this, like everything that we thought was a weakness of yours goes away.

They became a completely different offense the last two weeks.

I really do trust the Ravens, though, in this situation at home, to be the best version of themselves. And I think that's an unbeatable team right now. That is an unbeatable team. They put it on the Niners like the Texans a week ago. We're talking about a team that completely separated the Cleveland Browns defense. The Ravens made them look like a team that had barely played all season.

Yeah, And that's why it's kind of almost frustrating to watch the Chiefs from one perspective is because the NFL in football in general, doesn't feel like like the type of sport you could just flip the switch and turn it on in the playoffs and all their scheme, their scheming was not effective on offense all season. They were

Make Yeah, I think that's that's fair. And now the extra rest they got, they've got really two weeks of rest. I think you could see it last week on the offensive line in particular, but before we kind of moved to the Ravens offense. Like the reason I trust this Ravens defense at least slow the Chiefs down here compared to where they've been the last couple weeks is the middle of the field. All these teams attack you at off ball linebacker and they attack your safeties and they

The middle of the field.

So I think the Ravens are uniquely flexible enough to handle that. I do think for the Chiefs they have to be encouraged at least that the offensive line on the interior, especially Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith and Toney were dominant. I mean, they won them that game. They made the Bills look like their little playthings, like it was a college team they were going up against. And I know Mattabike and and Michael Pierce like they're big guys up front, and that's a tougher matchup for them.

Yeah, I don't think you have Joe Toney in this game necessarily.

That is also a big problem. Yeah, that's a big loss.

That's one of the more that's one of the toughest linemen in the entire league, and he's been a foundational piece for them. I really think that when they played the Bills, part of their success was that you played a banged up Bills defense and like someone like aj Klein got completely exposed, right, and the Ravens come in with Rokwan Smith. You know, the trade last year I think was one of the best NFL trades of the last five years. It completely changed their's why we did Yeah.

We need for multiple reasons. It's almost like everyone benefited. It's almost like that's why we did it.

Last point focus, but as an emergency pod. We were kind of ahead of it with no we were.

We absolutely were, and like, but I welcome society, and so is Patrick Queen also because he I think it changed someone's career trajectory there, because I think Queen was sort of trending down. They didn't pick up his fifth year option, right.

But I probably is his last few days with the Ravens here.

It might be, but the.

Two of them together have been completely unstoppable, and they are the second best team in the league against tight ends. And so if you are this is different than last week when when Kelsey revived. Looking Kelsey, Now you're going against a different defense that if you can take Kelsey out of this, you are putting those Chiefs wide receivers into a situation where they've got to perform, And I just don't know if I trust that. It's like the Chiefs are not have to find a different way to win.

And you're on the road.

I don't care about the road things so much with Mahomes, but it's like this defense has not been broken months in a row.

Marlon three is also returning to practice. The Weakens would be the cornerbacks. I mean they're out there throwing Marlon Hunt, but not against this group of wide receivers. Yeah, that's all I'd say. So Marlon Humphrey, their best cornerback is returning. But yeah it's Brandon Stevens, Arthur Malett and Ronald Darby wasn't even on the team halfway to He's bounced around. So like if you could buy time in theory, that's the weakness. But Humphrey, you're returning.

Would be big. That would be big. Also returning would be big. Mark Andrews so he was a full participant in practice on Wednesday. He's coming back from that gnarly ankle injury that's kept him out for a couple of months now. Very interesting to see if this is a thing, if he's gonna really have a role in the offense. I would imagine if he does play, you know, it would be a limited number of snaps. But as we know, and as we've been talking about, Isaiah likely has really

I like the one I saw that that he runs like he's dealing with trauma.

So so you have the twenty eight days later defense against the running back who runs with trauma. And what will Kansas City's offense be able to do against this defense? Because it's a step up from Buffalo anyone else. You said, you run like you bite people. M I kind of like that to switch. By the way, what do they like? What do the zombies do? That's what they they That's what they would they would they would do that, they would bite you.

The thing that was most surprising last week, though, was that the Chiefs defense got kind of worked like that looked like an old school Chiefs defense.

I know they came up big and they made Buffalo work.

For these touchdowns and everything, but it was one of their worst games of the season without going to place. They they got dominated for the most part for three quarters, and then they came up with some big plays. So I'm very curious, like, are they going to be a little more disciplined, because one thing I saw in that game was they kept getting past Josh Allen and then Josh Allen just kept running forward, and like, what is the worst thing that you can do against Lamar Jackson

Let him run the ball.

I think they almost have to kind of dare Baltimore to throw the ball deep, deep, into the outside. And if he beats you that way, and he had a number of good throws to the outside last week and deep and they worked, then maybe you just deal with it because otherwise, like they will just pick you apart offensively.

I mean, I also say they survived like an incredible game by Josh Allen. So yes, Lamar Jackson's gonna have his moments and they can still survive. They haven't a left more than twenty seven points in a game all year, And like I do trust this defense more than any other Chiefs defense we've seen. And like I guess you're gonna have to allow Lamar Jackson to have his moments.

But you got to just try. You got to be better than you were. I'm putting that up right now. I'm happy to be stand corrected on this one, but I'm putting the casey defense in the bucket of all these other defenses that I was told were great, and they get lit up in a huge spot. They already got beat up last week, and then the Ravens. I would not be surprised that the Ravens have their way. That said that said, there is the Mahomes component of everything.

Hey, they asked for it, and they got what they asked for.

But he said it this day done.

All right. And with that said, let's welcome in our guest, because that's of Patrick Mahomes that these guys the great ones, they're always looking for a new challenge. It's like James Palmer in his personal life. Uh. And for Patrick Mahomes right now, it is this idea of being doubted, being on the road, being viewed as the guy. Let's get them out of here so we get some fresh blood in James Palmer. Welcome to the show. How are you, buddy.

I'm good, guys. I'm glad we're starting with this because I've gotten a lot of heat on the Twitters and the exes about this. Patrick Mahomes playing on the road. If you bring this up, the Chiefs Kingdom will attack you, like nobody's business.

What's got the fired up.

I don't just think of it as a storyline, because this.

Is what I know.

But this is what they say. Hey, guys. They go, well, oh, that's Super Bowl in Tampa. That wasn't a road game.

Well that was a home.

Game for Tampa. I was like, well, well listen, guys, that went terribly wrong, like your offense could not function. I was in that stadium. It was half full. I was in some sort of box with the girl from Pitch Perfect and the guy from Pitch Perfect was his name Adam Divine of some sort.

I think, wow.

And there were very few of us watching. I don't I don't understand why they were so angry.

We don't need to just bringing this, but we don't need to talk about the COVID Super Bowl. James, like, the COVID Super Bowl was in the middle of a global health catastrophe. So let's just throw that out as an opinion or an example of anything.

Come on, Yeah, I get the weekend Walls by himself.

It was weird, Adam divine though, nice hang for you during a strange Super Bowl event.

And the difference of one of the many differences, like at that point, their offensive line is falling up, and you've been covering this team all year and one reason, I don't think anyone should have been digging any dirt on them.

As rough as the offense has looked.

It's like, the fact is it's still Mahomes with Andy Reid and the best defense he's ever had, and their offensive line playing outstanding. And I guess that was If you have Mahomes and an offensive line, I don't care

Yeah, and it's great.

It's a massive step up from the walking wounded they faced at that game. I was in Buffalo I mean, this group is far and away different than that Buffalo group that they figured out a way to put eleven guys on the field. I think this group is completely different. If Joe Toney can't play, and talking to people that I know that are in the know in Kansas City, it's going to be a long, long stretch for him

Makes it go.

So I do think that interior has been a big part of some of the success that they've struggled through some of this guys. I do think they've just tried to help out their offensive line a bunch. I heard you guys talking about in a number of tight ends that they've been putting out there. You haven't heard Donovan Smith's name at the left tackle spots since he's returned from the neck injury. I think you know, the body was benefiting from getting off those legs for a couple

It's just make and it makes sense.

They have the receiver spots. Yeah, it's it's better for us. Yeah, they thought they were playing too many players, honestly, rotating too many receivers. Nobody was getting in a rhythm, and that kind of those two injuries happening. They feel like that's actually benefited the offense.

All right, So let's go off of that, because right now, cut to Kansas City, sixty feet below the complex. You've got Andy Reid surrounded by like six boxes of Chinese food cooking up some sort of trick play.

They love to do this on a weekly basis.

Well, right, so, like you're talking about like two players are better not being part of the offense on some level. You got your your Kelsey's your obvious guys, what's the X factor? Like I want you to predict a guy that we're going to be talking about Sunday night that we were not expecting last week was MVS. It's like these guys have been hot and cold all year what's the trick, what's the happening, what's thee like the secret sauce individual that they're building around.

James, before you answer that question, Before you answer that question, I'm curious since you brought it up, because I didn't know about this underground bunker. Yeah, the guy that delivers the Chinese food, does he get access down like an elevator shaft or is Andy have to go up to?

No?

No, that's a middleman, a middleman obviously, who knows you got codes? You got handprints, an intermediary little option scam.

Yeah yeah, yeah, okay, good optical scan for Chinese food. All right.

I had to take yesterday the elevators weren't working and I had to take the Taylor Swift path, the underground path to get to uh, to get to where it needs to be. So these things are are a big, big HAPs. I'm not sure if that the delivery guy and Taylor ever have cross paths down there in the you know, the secret bunker?

Uh?

Have you crossed path but with Taylor through all this, James, but Taylor.

Yeah, a number of times I got some free jeans because of one of my encounters with.

Wow. All right, we're going to get to the X men. Let's know, ye, no, tell me about him now, Well, you know.

If if you, if you are lucky enough to get to get a primo spot to do the video of Taylor, which I've done it by accident a couple of times. I was trying to get Josh Allen and then all of a sudden she walked by, and then and then my video goes viral, and then she was wearing a pair of jeans, and the company hit me up on the GRAM and was like, hey, can we use your video?

We want a profile.

She's wearing our jeans, And I said, uh, sure, I guess this is the world I'm not a part of.

I guess in the video.

And then they said then they said, uh, what what size are you? We'll send me some cloth. And so that's that's how this world works, I guess.

Yeah, moderately disappointing. So I thought maybe Taylor was the source of the jeans, but it was the Okay, it's still cool though. Sure all right now to Mark's uh.

Well, no, I mean it's you know, you can go in any direction you want at this point.

Yeah, yeah, now we've we've derailed Listen, I do think I don't know if they have that player, Mark, I really don't. And when you say like a secret sauce, it might be like what teams have used against them. I mean, I thought Joe Brady had a brilliant game plan for what he was working with with the Buffalo Bills, and it was keeping Patrick Mahomes on the offense off

I gotta say I've seen that.

I know I've seen Clyde Edwards Hilaire taken out of mothballs the last couple of weeks and have a little more juice that I can remember him seeing he's a couple of weeks away from being a free agent four years after you know, taking.

Him in the first round, maybe making blitz.

Maybe he'll be the surpris or maybe maybe it's on defense. I was shocked last week Samari Connor, who I wasn't familiar with a fourth round rookie showed up and he made a lot of plays for that defense as as an injury replacement.

I was like, man, they did it again.

They found another mid round guy in the secondary who's like this is kind of how Lagerius Sneed became a guy suddenly in the playoffs as a rookie. He was doing things. And then Jamari Connor was awesome just defensively. Uh, talking to them this week, like what have they talked about being the keys because because one thing that it struck me watching the Ravens game, they made pretty huge lineup changes that no one really was talking about. Like

And Odell Beckham was benched.

I know he started the game, but Rashad Bateman kind of became their second receiver. Nelson Aguilar is the guy in three receiver sets and Beckham only played about twenty snaps in that game to forty five for Bateman. I think they see Bateman having a little higher upside. So the Ravens actually rolled out some different stuff in their playoff game what does the Chiefs defense talked about wanting to stop.

Greg?

I think it really is, how can you confuse Lamar pre snap? I mean, and that's really going to be Spags' biggest, biggest goal, And it's because they have and I've talked to Trent McDuffie about this, who and this is going to be a big part of this game. I think him blitzing from that corner spot. When I talk to people in Buffalo prepping for that game, they were like, we think he's the best blitzing corner in football. That's

You saw right through that, James. Actually people don't realize it. We have the box get four percent smaller every minute it's a bit of a weird power play. We do it. Yeah, guess yes, you picked up on it. I like that. It's like Willie Wonka. Yes, you've said it all, James, and I will say one more thing before we say goodbye. You've dealt with some weather stuff the last couple of weeks.

I get the slicker out listen. In Buffalo, that was like all the talk in the postgame locker room.

It wasn't like we won.

It was like everybody on the Chiefs team was like, what's the temperature in Baltimore? Like that's all the guys care about that? Can we get out of the frigid temperatures?

All right? Buddy, Well, thank you so much for stopping by and giving us the info, and hopefully we'll see in Vegas in a couple weeks.

Guys, this is real nice.

This has been a guest. That hair is going to stay perfect. James. I love that man. James Palmer Gold see you guys. Very nice love James JP one of the good guys.

Quality head of hair. There's no question the hair. That's just the way it is.

You know what, hair respects hair, He's got it. You're referring to yourself respecting him. Okay, let's let's make the pick. Let's pick this game. Uh, it's it's for me. It's the easier of the two games. I think this is the Ravens moment. I think I think Baltimore, like I said, uh, survived the whatever butterflies there might have been and any kind of demons from their early their past with Lamar in the playoffs by really kind of burying the Texans

I'm with you. I like the Ravens to win. I like the Ravens to win by more than three and a half. I do think it'll be close, though, I mean, can you just imagine the Chiefs getting blown out? I guess I just can't do it, like because it never happens. I know that happened in the Super Bowler Bowl.

Another defense.

Find other great defense in Tampa Bay that got after the even like even this regular season where they were this lesser version and they lost a lot of games, like all of them were close, except for that one Broncos game.

Like, I just think they will be in it. I think they will make the Ravens earn it. There is something about this Ravens that as the game goes on, they just get heavier and heavier and stronger. So I wouldn't surprise me if the Ravens are loose, like heady into the fourth quarter or something like that, that it's a tight game, but that the Ravens do pull away. Let's go low scoring game twenty four to seventeen.

I think the Joe Toney injury.

If you point to that Super Bowl, what was the like the core reason the Kansas City. Yeah, they were just a different team without without in that case that we sure tackles, but the two ny injury is huge. That said, I'm going to go against the grain here against you guys. I think the Kansas City Chiefs are not the better team holistically, but I think they have this something about them where they don't care where they're playing,

Hey, listen, keep picking against the Ravens. You might be right one day.

I mean, I would say, if you're listening to this and I picked your team to win, you are doomed.

Don't even witness the game.

I like it though it's a three and a half way. I don't like it when we're on the same side.

Yeah, I just did. I want to go get it. What camps their respect? I like Baltimore thirty one twenty That's where I'll go with Ravens.

By the way, the money line there is minus one two.

All right, We're gonna take a break and when we get back. We're going to talk about the other big game this weekend and hit some big news and the coaching carousel rankings. All right, we'll be right back, all right, welcome back. Who it is Championships Sunday this weekend and we are excited to talk these two big games. Mark update on the de Giorno front anything? And have you heard from the ever since we talked about them again on the last show the Pizza Giant. Did they connect with you? No?

Radio silence? I think it's you know, a bit of a psychological tug of war. Accept that, and so my move is to stay in, you know, silent and wait and see what they do.

But you did hear from a shadowy league figure.

As I understand, I was told that my attempt to complain about not receiving product or literally just side money from the company was out of place because per our contract us reading these ads.

There's literally how we get paid. That's what I guess.

I was out of place, and I apologize, not only but to okay that individual.

Yeah, no, no, not to You're not wrong, you know why? Because yes, the money is one thing, but how about a couple of thes in here? I don't think that would be so hard A couple. Uh what do they call? And they what are this? What's their specialty? Mark? What? I know they have some Well, they have a wide range of specialties. Just like I'm just asking for one Toyota grand Highlander. Like I'm not asking for like ten or or a million dollars, not a sack of money. Right,

Me and I hope you're right, because it'd be one of the great football stories we've had since we started.

Imagine the Lions in the super Bowl in two weeks. What a five that would be.

And it wouldn't just be Hayd Detroit's back. That would be a great story. Anyways, it's this particular team and the way they do it, And I just think they have to attack San Francisco when the Lions have the ball, like that's the mismatch. They have to be special. Jared Goff made a lot of great throws last week, like he has to be even greater. They won up front last week. I thought the Packers won up front last week.

And to me, that's Sewell and that's Gibbs. Can that combo just come at you over and over again.

Yes, like they were built when they you know, this whole operation began. The priority was put on offensive line, and we're gonna win in a way that you.

Know matches what Detroit's about.

Jackson out is a big deal, Frank Ragnow is your center is dealing with an ankle injury, a toe injury, a knee injury, and a back injury. So even if he somehow the Crans get in there, he finished the game though, so he probably, but that I mean, these guys at this point you're dealing with like there's no part of your body that's not hurting. But I love what they did last week. And I know it was against the Bucks defense. It's a different situation against the Niners.

They had two other ten play touchdown drives.

They had another scoring drive that was sixty five plus yards long marches keeping the ball out of the hands of the Niners. And I think they can win by just simply doing and being who they.

Are, like the way that they were built. Is a good opponent for the Niners.

And to me this a little bit, this game is one where unlike the one we just talked about, it moves beyond for me, like next gen stats and all the numbers and all the compiled figures and facts like the Detroit Lions just feel like this kind of sports team that you look back on, like baseball teams from certain teams from the seventies and eighties that captured the city.

He did californ game, like literally it is his home.

And it's like something about this Lions team feels like a team of destiny to me, and I I think that the way that we look at the Bills is the way I look at Shanahan and the Niners just a little bit.

There.

There's every reason to think that they're the better team in multiple levels, but like there is pressure on the Niners because their postseason journey has been rough and tumble. Shanahan has this deal, he's he's seven and three in the playoffs, I believe with the Niners, but they have lost in big moments and it's like there's just I think that I could see their butts getting tight if the Lions hanging around there in that third quarter, early fourth quarter, I think I.

Like it, Like your passion, Mark, you think about the game too, because the Lions are this levable underdog within the context of this game right now, but it's the Niners are weird in the sense that they are this goliath right but their quarterback is I don't know if you heard this, mister irrelevant, Like, I think we're so used to it now that we're sleeping on The guy that was the last pick in the draft last year could be going to the super Bowl if he if

Yeah, last week was concerning because he wasn't seeing the field well. To me, he's pretty consistent in who he is. He's aggressive, he's not a game manager. He's gonna go for it, and he did last week. Like rewatching it, it wasn't quite as bad as I remembered, but it was particularly bad in the in the three drives before the game winning drive. And there's another world. The Packers had the ball three times through No you know, party

Is they throw a lot at them, They're willing to give up some big plays.

They hope to make some big plays and enforce some turnovers and hopefully that'll work. And you get Burt if Debo's in the game, and maybe you don't get if Debo's not in the game, Well that's.

A huge So that's so big. And what you know, like how healthy will Deebo Samuel be? That is we've they've been so different. I think last week obviously we know by now the Deebo Samuel was baked heavily into the game plan. That affected what happened against the Packers because they had to shift and use different players. If I'm the Lions, though, Aiden Hutchinson is the one guy

We'll see, maybe it's sunny. We don't have the latest update. What's the weather on the weather corner? Yeah, love this weather corner. Maybe well, we're running out of time, weather, give us a little drop for weather corner in post Eric the producer. Right now looks like seventy three seventy three am clouds pm sun, only a six percent chance of precipitation. So the small brock hands probably not going to be an issue. That sounds more like borrow. It's some change.

Goff has sort of famously struggled in the rain and in inclement weather.

That's true too.

Another small hands guy. I mean, this is this is ridiculous. That's calling him small hands guy. In the scheme of things, it's compared to like the average, it's all relative.

It is all relative. Speaking of Jared Goff, we had. This is again it's being positioned as David versus Goliath on some level, but it's not quite that. The Lions have a lot of big time players. Lines had a huge year. They're in the NFC title game for a reason. This is a fun little back and forth between golf and a reporter. I think something wires get crossed a little bit here. This was enjoyable.

Guy's got a lot of got a lot of really good players, obviously.

Maybe oh thank you, I said thank you.

Maybe that you though as the superstars, like.

All right, never mind, I mean guys like same Brown was first team All Pro.

So right, so.

Sorry, continue, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

That's a great way to kind of have some fun. Also, by the way, show that you're loose like there's Jared. He's in a different chair of he's ready, he is ready for this game, but also pointing out, yeah, stop looking at us like we can't match up on any level to the mighty San Francisco team. We got studs on this team, including a first team All Pro at our offensive line at number one wide receiver. We're ready.

You're wrong, right, And I think games i've been I think he's the second best running back in the league right now, I think And it wasn't even referring to him like so that's I would get Gibbs as a monster. Sewell is right there with Trent Williams as like the best tackles in the NFL. Sam Laporta was second team All Pro as a freaking rookie.

It was a really well lang Well made point.

I think by golf, because they are extremely talented, they're cohesaid that they've been together well and you mentioned it's a different golf. You're right, But he's also different on the field, like he was different in in LA. I don't think it like they should feel bad about getting rid of Jared Goff, obviously because of the results, but also because of the way he's playing. But the way he's playing now, and you give credit to Ben Johnson, but you mostly give credit to Jared Goff. He I

Uh.

They're obviously better against the blitz. That's coaching and that's Jared Goff. But they're great against the blitz that used to be as bad thing. And there's more outside throws. Think of some of his most impressive throws last week. One of them was like deep into the outside to Reynolds, another one to Saint Brown, Like that was not something you saw Jared Goff doing. So he is a legitimately better quarterback. He is a top ten quarterback, eight quarterback,

I buzzed up against that. I would have to kind of go through it, but certainly on the fringe of the top ten, which is again looking where he was when they Los Angeles dumped him to where he is now. I want to talk to someone who knows all about this team. Oh yeah, she knows everything. Yeah, I mean, but she is a Michigan native who has a chance

Well, let's just hope I don't get the last time. I don't I don't make any headlines like the last time.

Oh well, don't worry about that. I believe that was exercise from the show. How are you?

I'm great. I just got back from Detroit. It was really special.

We had Colleen on the show on Wednesday, and she obviously spent that game with you and said it was a very special experience to be there with someone that was It meant that much to them the game, it meant so much to me. Why did it mean so much to you as a Michigan native.

Well number one, I'm the daughter of a General Motors employee for his entire career, and in no way, like the whole thing just got blown to shreds. It wasn't great. It was sad, and you know, especially my dad has a lot of pride, you know, this GM American muscle all that, and to see it take this big hit felt so like very parallel to the Lions having recently

Very Cynthia there, Wow, you were getting.

So much, but you had it. You had it.

You had that moment in Detroit, Like, now does it feel like it's a little no house money or now this is the biggest game of your your fan life.

It feels a little like kind of as it's kind of both because I wasn't expecting to win two home games, to have two home games, let alone to win two home games but it's it feels like there's this opportunity now and it's like we're please, like Jordan Levin is a great yet like wait till because this division is gonna get better, like like let's just like like capitalize

Don't even have that. Wow, that's wild.

But a lot, I mean, to be fair, a lot of teams, it's not that's not a normal thing. But like you know, I'm sure Andy Reid has like well let.

Me just com through.

That's okay, but like you know, some some people don't have that luxury.

I want to ask you somebody because like my first growing up on the East Coast, my first kind of concept of Michigan and Detroit was that Michael Moore documentary Roger, which you said, your dad is attached to GM and it painted a very bleak picture of what was happening to that part of the country, and it always kind of colored my thought of what the Lions were and their fans, and like, this is happening now and you're you know, you're drenched in analytics and like it's how

Well, there's a couple of things. Thank god, I do all of my coding blind, Like I don't know which. I mean, I can probably guess if I were to look into it, but I do it all blind because that's the only way you can do it. You have to just you name it weird things that mean nothing to you. So then that pops out and you're like, darn it, it's the Niners because they are in terms

So what was the album? Book? People you talk to in.

These days with moriar?

Multiple books?

Yeah, but I like the.

World on him. I was like, I'm so happy to meet you. I'm sorry, but I want to take shots with somebody. I'm like, I can't find my friends yet. So he was like, that's great. We should all be so happy because they were all trying to be serious. You know, I wasn't gonna ask any questions. I just wanted to see Dan Campbell's energy album. Sure, yeah, no, No, he was great. He was great. They were all great to me. No one was mad at me for saying that.

That Mitch actually texted me is like Cynthia can comport herself.

With that girl. So lack of professionalism right there.

So your your study, your models say this is a close game, but but everything as much as you don't want it to be. The analytics tells that the Niners are the team that escapes and gets to Vegas.

Yeah, I'm not happy about it.

Like how much is the last four weeks?

Because that's where I don't think it's as unique as it feels that, like the Chiefs often suddenly found itself, or that the Packers suddenly to me looked like they were they had a chance to win the Super Bowls.

It feels crazy, but they could have.

Won that game.

They won the next game, And so how much is it? Like you you take all the numbers from the season, but then you just look at like the last three week because that is how sometimes Super Bowls are decided.

So my models weight recency a little bit more so because all of the coaches tend to watch about four weeks of film heading into games, I overweight the most recent four weeks of data just a little bit, so they count as extra if you will, right, So you're looking at that My bigger problem in this matchup, there's two things that really stand out are the biggest things that the lines have to overcome. One, their O line is banged up, there's no two ways about it. They're

Guy, like against Armstead who's healthy. Finally, Hargrave ran Law played well last week against their strength.

That's a problem. The other problem is Jared Goff is awesome at throwing in breaking routes.

Right.

We saw Jordan Love show us kind of the formula to upset the Niners, which is outside of the numbers passes. That is not what this Lion's team. Doesn't mean they can't do it. It's just saying it's a lower probability because we haven't seen them do it as frequently, not to say they can't, just to say it's harder to imagine that happening. And then, lastly, the best area of the defense in the back is the middle third of

Last game, I do love that angle like that to me is one of the most intriguing things, like Ben Johnson versus Kyle Shanahan. If you were going to power rank play callers in the NFL right now, certainly McVeigh and McDaniel would be in that mix. But this might be the top two battle of the play callers against

Thirty three to thirty could be the rout I.

Actually do as a So I'm taking my analytics hat off here for a second and putting my fan hat on. And I'm actually really glad it's not the Packers, to be fair, because that Packer team coming into Detroit on Thanksgiving, that just I understand. You know, I know you your your gripes with the defensive coordator. We got it, Greg, like but but you know, like the.

The only show where my.

Get very annoyed with me no check out debut on Friday.

But but the truth is, there's something about teams that know each other and it just makes it closer, right like your Ravens. Think about it. For the Ravens, you felt like maybe the Browns had a better chance of knocking them off than perhaps another opponent would. Right, So because of that knowledge of each other, it just and and the poetry of the stupid Packers being alliance would have been terrible.

You have to worry about it. You're in the on that. How do you factor in?

Because like I think one thing I love and how you could make the Niners in a close game late when they're thinking about their playoff history, uh, you know, concerned about themselves, like the Dan Campbell aggressive nature of all things, Like I love that?

Do you how do you fact I want to come. I've always said I want.

To come see whatever is happening like this, you know motherboard that.

I just want to know what it looks like.

Like how do you like enter Dan Campbell's aggressiveness into your computer system?

Just like that?

Actually, don't go behind the curtain.

No, No, you can come and you till you want. You just have to come to my house because I can't lift all this stuff and bring it elsewhere.

The incredible amount of their you've.

Moved out of the boudoir, you know, it's not the the the in fact, the the like the main like house of the computer still in the boudoir, but the screens are not.

It's multiple rooms now. It's going theology's turning into a robit fortress now, and I'm.

Really just trying to get it as close to the router as possible and then he can plug it. It's really not that way. Actually, as we speak, it's cleaning my house. That's why I had to leave it, and that's why I came into the office exactly.

It's just it's basically the entire thing is just a ruma.

The good news about Dan Campbell is that he has a regular cadence to his aggressive play collar nature, which means it's not to say we can accurately predict it, but it's probably likely that they have plays on the play sheet that there are specifically for certain situations. So it's less about like he's not like we think of it as this gamble, like he's rolling it. I don't really think he's rolling the dice as much as it seems.

Well, they're telling the refs ahead of time, and the refs are not comprehending.

Apparently, I don't want.

To talk about that. But it didn't matter, it did It ended up not matter.

Justice was served in the end, right, baldell. I let's let's pick the game, and Cynthia, I'm gonna save you for last, even though I know you now have to go potentially against the room, but which we shouldn't do. Yeah, but it's compelling. It's a tough setch for you. Mark get us going.

I why I've kept asking these questions about the human conditions, condition versus technology, Like I have long had a Shanahan, you know, fascination, and I can't help but root for the Niners in many situations. But in this situation, not only am I picking the Lions to win in overtime thirty four to thirty one, but.

I'm locking them up. You take it to the bank, and my lock.

Record tells you that's that's uh. There's a lot of viability to that. I'm indued me in last place.

If this doesn't go your way, you're flirting with going winless in the playoffs, So we you're due. I'll put it that way.

I have chosen from what happens right in here in the center of the world, like over and over and serve you.

But it's gonna serve me this time. I know this is one of these days, though, one of these days. I do think there is a path here. I think James Jamison Williams has been getting better every week. Maybe he gets some big bus like that play where Laporta is on the outside and a mon Ras on the inside. Laporte is a weak, healthier I feel like it works every single time, where laport is essentially like they know what's coming, the defenses know what coming, they can't stop it,

Interesting, you're rooting for the Lions. Absolutely, you're locking the Niners.

Yeah, yeah, I'm rooting against my own rooting interest right now.

I do believe they're the safest pick of the weekend.

And I'll say the same thing. I want the Lions to win, thank you. I want people like Cynthia. I want Cynthia I appreciate, and I want Parry Sanders to be happy. And I want Marshall Mathers to be happy. I want Kirk Gibson to be happy, Alan Trammel, Bu Whittaker. I want everyone connected to Michigan sports to be happy.

Leiah Coca Leya Coca. Isn't that Sue's best friend? I don't know who he's best friends with anyway. But however, what about Big Sean, Big Sean?

No, he doesn't need it, Big Sean, I can't give him the love that he wants.

Big Sean's been on Dan's radar that I got a.

Big issue with Big Sean standing on the shoulder of giants put it that way. But that's a whole other conversation. It is.

What about Bob Seeger love seg Okay, yes, just make sure against the wind YEP that's what we're gonna have to do.

What a Heartland rocker that Sieger is? That said I'm gonna pick the Niners. And as much as I do have reservations about Purdy, I'm nervous about this game. I can't go off on Purdy and then not have the same reservations about GoF who can get cooked up by a defense and start making some funky decisions himself. And because of that, I do think San Francisco is just the better team. I don't know if they cover, but I think they win. Let's go, Let's go twenty seven

Okay, all right, So while I told you that, look, any good analytics professional will tell you the math gives a five point win to the Niners. However, sometimes, much like the Eagles at the end of the Super Bowl, you have to take the low probability play. And there is no way on God's green Earth that I am going to have any audio or video of me ever not picking my lines in this situation. God knows that we won't be back here very It's not it's not a sure thing.

This is your time, this is your moment.

Sypia upset Lions twenty seven twenty six.

Love it. You're gonna go. You're gonna get home, and all your doors, the locks will be changed. The lights don't work.

I feel like this is like the script of a romantic comedy or something. At the very end, she after years, she finally goes against the model. Right as she's like a matrimony. She found her guy. It also is coming for together.

Hey, listen, you want to know the weird connections here? Are you ready?

Okay?

Number one, I stayed in the hotel at the Renaissance Center, which is where my dad worked. That's where GM's headquartered, right on Center this week. Number two, my first marathon was in Detroit. You know who was in town that weekend, The Tampa Bay Bucks. I ate a sausage with tailgaters before the Bucks game after my marathon. That was my very first marathon.

Number two.

Number three, I get my dog Gordy. How Gordy introduces me to my fiance. Gordy did so. It's all about Detroit sports. That's really all that matters.

I love it.

I've been to that. I went to that two thousand and four when the the upstart, the Pistons who didn't have like one star, they had like a few Rip Hamilton with the with the thing on his face, you know, the whole to and you know who they beat They beat the Lake Show exactly, and I was there. So sometimes Michigan gets the best of California.

Yeah, the flashy playboys from California will tick a dirt nap. Yeah, you know, I'm from a coal town.

I oh, you'll get there next. What I can't imagine what's going to happen when the Jets are in this position?

Yeah, weekend? Tell me? Tell me? What would I think? It would be a human victory for all of us.

You're gonna cry. I mean, I'm telling you. I most certainly. I was like, is this for real?

That's why I am. I'm really I'm hoping. I'm hoping Cynthias that it happens. Okay, I'm hoping it happened.

I know people literally it was so funny in this bar that we're in. It's so loud, and people were walking in with Bucks jerseys on and and Michigan. This is this is who Lions fans are. For the first second, they're like, boo okay, you want to beer? Boo okay, what I want to beer? Anyone?

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The crown is yours, Cynthia. Do you want to stick around to do a little news before we go? You know it all right? By the way, check out, let's check in on the lock standings. By the way. Oh why why should we just where we're at? Oh? The Westling brothers, they're holding tight for second place. Look at Rosenthal, she's stealing with this on a weekly basis.

Does he have that smug little picture with a little crown in this show?

Now that's oh god, that's how many graphics do you have.

Of he's got out? He's got this PM Eastern work.

He's got this smug little headugine and then it has this little tiny this has this little tiny crown that comes.

And you just look like, I don't crown.

I can't imagine that would be back to back back. Can we say, let's see the second half standings too while we're here? Oh wow, you created these? Well look at the trophy too. You gotta check this out. Is on the fashund That's an impressive trophy.

Just to let you know, by the way, I like you're looking at my score thinking this person doesn't belong in the building, But like.

Here a the standing the best doucer and Greg tied at seven and two. The second half title Wesling. Let me get through the podcast the Westling Brothers. They don't even get the right spelling on their last name anymore. They're four and five and Sesta three and six. The reverse show Himan at three and six.

He's just waiting.

I am ready to pounce when the time is right, which could be two seasons.

Yeah pounds. Oh yeah.

It's funny because someone a birdie from the NFL research department contacted me during that because you had said second half standard since week nine, and they pointed out that you were two games behind since week nine, so you you've adjusted even the cuttings.

Wait what that he was actually two games behind?

He is, But someone was like, like, to be fair, he had said after week and actually your two games up.

Since they reached out you out of pocket.

They just came not really my sources, but uh.

They reached out.

Told to me it wasn't really the NFL reason. This is what well, this is what you need to know. I mean, if I said week nine that I misspoke.

It is at the midway, second half of that season.

No, the season with the trust me, I have this all figured out, the regular season plus the playoffs twenty two. Okay, that's good.

Congrats to the Bears they won the NFC North and Raiders are your AFC West champions.

It's not gonna work well with Greg on this. He's not gonna You have no idea how well it's working. It's driving him. All right, let's get to the news. Uh, Cynthia a lot going on, a lot. All right, let's take a break and then we'll hit the news. D welcome back. It is the AFC NFC Championship game preview. See they're used to it, you're not. We just went through both games, picked both games, and we're excited to watch how it all unfolds. But with Cynthia Freeland still

I sometimes you got to take the lower probability outcome, buddy, I love it.

I'm just saying that Adan's not gonna be happy. That's when you get home. The machine will let you know. I picture various highly dangerous circumstances involving cutlery, and you know, all of a sudden, a meat cleaver goes flying by. I've your machine has those like in the cartoons of the metal tubes with the hands that can do things.

Right the final twenty minutes of like two thousand and one Space Odyssey where like the entire operation turns against you rental apartment.

So yep, they'll be careful. I'm just saying, head on a swivel. Let's get to the news, and we'll start with the big one. Obviously, Jim Harbaugh is indeed coming back to the NFL. How about that the Los Angeles Chargers, And I got to give the Charges a little bit of credit here, Cynthia, because everything I've been led to believe about the Charges is that in the end they're gonna cut a corner and they're not gonna go all in and and and they'll just continue to exist as

Yeah, there's a few things that I really like about this. But I have to give a nice little shout out to the Chargers social because that whole like evoking like signs of like the pope, them picking new pope was really funny.

So coming from the coming that.

Was really good. That was really good.

They're feeling themselves.

As they should. Yes, I mean I feel not that it was a foregone conclusion. I think they went through the process and they did the things that they needed to do to make sure and vet that this was the right choice. But I feel like this was their goal all along and they wanted to kind of make sure they were doing the right thing. To me, this is a huge difference maker. I think Justin Herbert will now have some stability. A five year contract is hopefully

I think it's it's going to be really interesting to watch the team building side of this because we we're gonna get the Harbaugh offense, and that's their tight end room is gonna change vastly, Like they're gonna want to be big sets, heavy sets, and like their running back room is going to change. And it's like, I think what Justin Herbert has been asked to do through multiple

You know, when we when we started the show.

Harbaugh was, you know, phasing out of the Niners, and by the time he left, people weren't that unhappy to see him go, Like it came and went, and that's fine, that's NFL coaching.

But it's like, where will we be three years from now? That's all.

That's my only concern with the Harball experience a little bit. But otherwise, the Chargers have an identity.

The people he did. He did.

The people that weren't happy to see him go, though, I think were primarily his general manager Trent Balk and his boss Jed York, like where he got into these battles with them. I don't think the players were, like maybe they they got sick of it.

What he went after.

But it's just hard to argue with the guy that's been successful literally everywhere that there's there's no exception to him hitting like a home run essentially in every single spot, and it's always with quarterbacks. As a justin Herbert fan, I'm really excited even if he brings in Greg Roman, and it's like, I don't love Greg Roman if he's the play caller, but maybe he'll have a different role.

So I just gotta if he brings to Joe Berry right.

Give some credence. Pep Hamilton's available. Does he have a history with Joe Berry?

I don't know.

I'm just David Shaw's around. No, then I won't be happy a gero. Everro all of those guys have coached with Harbaugh before, and so you have to assume he is getting personnel say and or control will be involved in the GM higher, so that it's all something to watch. But in a way that even though they have Herbert, I still think Harbaugh will break through in a bigger way here in Los Angeles and it'll be really great for them just as a as an organization.

The Home Run Higher, it's a no brainer. It's when we started the NFL, That's when he came in in twenty eleven, during the lockout season, we went through his whole career. He disappears now he's back. I just feel like football is a weirder, more interesting place with Jim Harbaugh back in the NFL. I'm excited. You know who else is excited? This is one of the best missives I've ever seen released in terms of the passion jumping off the page. Here's Dean Spanos, who you know, we

Can I just sound am one for Michigan sports. It's kind of lost in the shuffle that most of these lines, a lot of these Lions fans are Michigan fans too, and they got a title there and they got to be very happy that Minnesota and Denver weren't interested in Jim Harbaugh over the last two years. Then it also lost the time. I think that made it work. I'm just saying, but they got their title, they got that.

Well.

The one thing I will point out is if Jim Harbaugh, what we see how he's evolved as a coach over these years at Michigan, I will say it's probably even not as evident for us what he is capable of doing, because all of the time that you have to spend recruiting your guys and then keeping them and then making sure they're happy going to go in the transfer portal, and then making sure that they get paid enough for this, and I like all of that's now taken off bye bye.

Well, that job changed during his time, and he was ready to go for a couple of years, and now finally it lined up.

Now actually devoting his time to coaching, we'll probably see even more of how he's evolved than we would have.

Tough spot for Antonio Pierce. You got Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, and Andy Reid twice.

I love Antonio. I will, I will, I will punch anyone for I don't know. I won't actually punch anyone, but I will go to the map for him, because yes, I'll pop sham paper. No, he's he's a really great leader, really great leader. I've known him for a long time. He's like those guys will run through a wall for him. And it's not even a joke.

You could tell that. I mean they changed dam invention. All right, Another big hire here. The Panthers are expected to hire Bucks offensive coordinator Dave Canalis.

Callas Canalis, not like so hard with the A, but like canals Canals.

Canal, it's actually Canalos. Dave. I'm gonna say, Dave, you say his last Nallie. Dave can Alice is the new head coach of the Panthers. Uh. He is formerly of the Buccaneers, the offensive coordinator. There. Rap sheet had this on Thursday, like the higher Cynthia because of it makes sense, right, He's a guy that's respected. He got Baker coached up and turned him into someone that thinks faster, plays faster, and that's what Bryce Young needs to do. Right.

Yeah, I mean here's the thing. He doesn't have a long track on.

Dave, just begin to make she's just begun to make her point.

She did, he said one year as an OC. I don't have a huge lengthy track record for him, So there's a little bit more of unknown here. And the unknown factor he did figure out. I know that Todd Bowles like was banging his head against the while trying to figure out a run game for like several years now, and he figured out maybe it's short passes to running back, but that's still is a proxy for a run game. So he's had some things to figure out and some

It's a meteoric rise. He was just a QB coach, That's what I'm saying. Yeah, Attal and even then didn't have a ton of experience doing that and did a great job with Gino. And you can see some similarities between Geno and and Baker in terms of getting the

They just stuck.

They stuck with it. They stuck with it, and eventually it got to the point where it was like okay instead of just being bad. And then you go from that and they were frustrated as late as like week eighteen in that game where and I think that's unfair.

Well, I think it like, yeah, you like you did this with Gino Smith, he did this with Baker Mayfield, two guys that were on the out career wise. I don't know this organization stands out to me other than others because it's just like, cool, you took the job. But I think other candidates would have looked a little sideways at the ownership, the whole structure there, the way that things have happened, and so what is his power structure?

How much?

And you know, part of it is you have to, like you said, you have to convince ownership that you can bring the right staff.

I don't even know if that conversation happened. We don't know.

You know, what's inddressing is he worked with Dan Morgan for seven years. I didn't eve think about that because he was a receivers coach, forever in Seattle and Dan Morgan was in Seattle in the front office, so they have a working relationship. That's what it comes down. And sometimes like just people that you've worked to.

Get gress well.

I will say the thing about Dan Morgan that's interesting is despite not doing TV, he has a John Lynch like personality. If I had to like say, kind of what he acts like like former player, really good communicator. I got a chance to talk to him pretty extensively, So great communicator, understands kind of what they're looking for. So in that regard, I think the communication will be great. But again, to me, this comes down to who's your OC, who's your DC, who are you, how are you, what's

What do you like?

Because so he became an OC and he's calling his own place, and there's a lot of narrative around like when you have to do that for the first time in a season or in a game, or in a critical moment in a game, it's like your head is spinning and that comes to experience. Like but for him to go from where he was a couple of years ago to be now the head coach and forget all the personality business, but like, just to manage a game like that leap to me, seems there's no proof he can do that.

Well.

The biggest concern is to me and Morgan might be a Lynch type and be a good leader and have a good nose for talent, and this guy might work. But the guy they're answering to, there's man if I'm Dave, no canalis Uh, first call I'm making before I take the job is like Frank Reich, like what so what am I getting into here? Like You're not do That's what I would do.

I'm saying, why are you looking for negative things?

I guess I got to be a realist.

And I would call anyone who works for David Tepper's hedge fund and be like, how did you make so much money? Because that's gonna be what he wants to talk to me about, is whatever that translates to, because I need to figure out how to speak his language. Because this guy isn't like a lot of the other I'm just saying, is a billionaire.

There's only there's only thirty two of these jobs, so we shouldn't be surprised that, you know, Canalis or anybody else.

You've pert you nailed it.

Is jumping is jumping toward it. I would just be very very nervous anybody that organization.

Better not to know, Like maybe maybe it's better not.

To waste to look at it like Frank, which.

Had come off of an exit very recently, so maybe it's better not to be like, Hey, this is all new to me, this will be fun.

Why not this guy's gonna ruin my life.

It's not going to ruin it.

It's like a little heads up by the way.

You you get paid if you don't make it through a year or two any but the dream.

Is to be a head coach. I would just say, if I've never been a head coach before, you never know.

To get south to you, and that is a very.

Entering a healthy situation.

Think about it. Okay, well go get therapy. I mean we all do. We don't necessarily work at the healthiest place. I go to therapy every week, Like let's just go with that. So but but look like better help, better help ye one option one option A great A great one. Actually I really like better help. But the reality is is, you know, you're in the NFC South. People get pretty happy when you get w's. So if you you're in a thing, I hear all that.

I think it's.

That's really like kind of overlooked in the like it's tough for any human to not take a one thousand if.

You wanted to hire as your as your general manager. Heck yeah, like I mean, but also like roll the dice, like have faith in yourself, especially in a division that's did anyone really want to win that division this year? I mean the Bucks made it far like it just felt like we were kind of like this one. No one thought that that was going to happen. So that's a good spot to be in.

I hope. Listen, if you have one of the thirty two chairs, it's a good spot.

If you have one of the thirty two chairs in a down division. It's even better spot some you.

Know, some coaches. Quiet is for real. But yeah, some coaches I would imagine out there would passing this job for the reasons that I'm illustrating we're pointing out. Sure, but not Dave. Though not speaking of Dave, I won't say who it was, but just threw that name out there, but someone that works in the newsroom that's known to be a Panthers fan historically. One year his favorite team

I mean, he's also been a multiple time guest of the show, so right, listen, please show please.

I didn't hear about that, though, I have to figure it out.

Though he didn't mean you I mentioned left him that night.

I don't recall that. Yeah, hend that time. Maybe I'm conflating.

I don't want someone that's going to be with me when things are down. Let me know, fine, whatever kick me when I'm down makes it easier with this good call.

Tempted In coming back, this person texted me Panthers now have a sneaky hot HC and Dave Canalis he is hot? U m dash analyis I don't I'm gonna be as with you?

Wow?

He is.

But you know what I've noticed, like the nice now like unattractive dumpy head coaches are not being hired as head coaches anymore.

That Wayne Fonx isn't getting hired anymore. They're being dismissed not to go after Wayne, but you know.

You just leave him alone this way out of this.

That's a good uh connection, because I believe was canallics I know is Mexican American, so he's one of the first Latino had coaches in the history of the sport. And Wayne Fonce isn't he as well?

My crazy I don't know, man, We're gonna to check out the old family tree on that one. Let's move on. Vic Fangio is playing a little hot potato because he is now going from Miami, where he is out as their DC is now locked in. Is it official yet?

But he's the If it's not, the reporting is yes, okay, so happening.

Yeah, So there you go, Fangio, who is a well known figure in this realm. Remember we were throwing flowers at the feet of the Dolphins for getting Fangio with you.

Whoever gets that job, give him to someone without less experience. That's a good defense. They got a lot of pieces there.

So Vic, it didn't work out Miami. But Philly's like, you got to be better than our last guy and the other guy that we booted upstairs but kept the camera on him. He humiliated the guy for a couple of months. Anyway, Fangio to Philly thoughts, it's unique that it happened this late. I want to know the backstory.

My guy tells me that Vic vondiode, and I know there's all these reports that he wasn't getting along with some of the players, and I don't know if there was any conflict with the coaching stuff all that. Like, I believe all that, but I still am guessing because of the timing and everything.

It's like he just.

Wanted to go to Philadelphia and he got his way, and he got his way out and that and they wanted to hire him last year. They would have hired him last year if not for this whole confusing setup that they couldn't hire him because he had come in for the Super Bowl and they had to do all the interview. It was all this stuff with Jonathan gand and they lost the draft pick because of it. And

And it's good for the Eagles.

Yeah, it came so close to happening before, and that's what he wanted. And it's like you kind of look back at like the earlier week cleaning out of everyone in Philadelphia. They must have known, like this is, we've got this guy in our back pocket and he's proven. I would say, you're also walking into a situation where if things go south on Nick Sirianni, you know over the first couple of months next year, it's like, all right, we'll see how long that coaching stuff lasts.

But I mean fit found you at this age, Go do what you want to do. He could be the UH interim coaching by October. You never know.

When I look at this, I think Mike McDaniel's kind of reshaping and retooling. He's not the only person to exit Miami right now. So if you're not happy, don't force someone to be there. You know, like, like, it's not like he's going to be.

Like he never seems happy, right Mark, You've had nice interest. I wouldn't belabored, I said.

I told him that, like when the Niners went to the Super Bowl, you have these like rooms where you go in interview and they's sitting alone at a table, and I thought, well, there's no one else there. I can talk to the defensive coordinator. And I know this is not holistically who he is. But he couldn't have been grumpier or more agitated that I had sat down to visit with him and wanted me gone as quickly as a human could be gone.

So I was like, ask him if it was a must win game.

I well, I did not.

I asked, you know, I asked pertinent question, one pertinent question. So this is not working out, and like I don't want to force the remate a journalistic decision to I mean to pursue, you know, someone else and move away from mister sunshine.

Yeah, sovon Davon Holland their safety. There was a bunch of little social media posts from Dolphins players seeming to celebrate, not as much as the Bucks did, where they did like a dance that their coach got fired before the game, which I've never seen that in sports.

That was amazing.

Wednesday night, Uh, Javon Holland did a video where he kicked rocks and uh, which is like go kick rocks.

Uh fo.

But in case anyone didn't understand it his to get that guy like his dad is coaching his dad, who's a coach, Like retweeted and said everyone loves the iPhone, but no one wants the iPhone one point zero hashtag upgrade.

It was like whoa they did?

They were in fans hold on no fond Joe, But uh as a good coach and I think they did a good job defensively this year.

Little some red flags there by the way.

But but if it's not working, I think it's smart to cut ties fast, right, you know, like like let him go it seems like a win win here. He seems to be happier and more near his family paying a higher tax bracket than they're happier down there figuring out someone new, this is a really attractive job if I'm a young defensive coordinator or someone that's like maybe like on my way up that this, I'm like, somebody get me to Miami. Like that's a great that's a

Finally, in the news, here we go, what is it? Congratulations Greg for all your moral grand style grand standing when we talk about the hot butts and all pious always getting on me for celebrating guys losing their job. Joe Berry is out kind Bay. So there you go. Do do a little dance, Greggie, you got the DC canned.

I'm hardly a unique on the island that they uniquely.

You've you've called for everyone's head who's gotten fired this year. I've on game deview you have you're you're like.

About calling for you talk about criticized, you.

Talk about that standing for.

For the lock of the week, his personality, you know what.

His standing for. He's one hundred percent on this guy's getting.

Cant wow, Greg, what's more predictions?

Your predictions?

You can seen this coming from for Joe Barry.

That's not the way she put it. You called for heads to wow anyway, Joe Barry is out just a human man. Let's bring this. Let's bring this everybody.

I want to know what gy your out standers doing there, like, like I think there's a couple of things here, Like we'll see if they can.

Get I say, make him the DC.

Wouldn't it be great?

What I do?

Uh?

Cynthia, you're a gem. Good luck to you this weekend. What's your fans? You work in the game? What? Uh? You know?

I'm going to watch from home. I need my emotional support dog with me at all times, not the dog with you, and I will not have any social media on This is very nice.

So you're recently engaged in and so does your partner he is he.

Not a linesman, he's from New Jersey.

Do you do you want him in your realm when this is happening or do you just have to do this on your own?

It's a dangerous place to be. Maybe.

Well he's pretty supportive about it. He's like very chill. So he's got a nicer. Yeah, he's like surfer but like also a banker. It's kind of a strange mixed surf and banker. Surfer, banker, banker, you know. And so he's kind also a crime fighter at night, yes, also, but he goes about it early, so you have to fight crime like between the hours of like five to seven because he works.

Sure, a dusk crime fighter.

Dusk crime fighter.

That really where all the crime goes down in the big city. Yes, all right, well enjoy that. And like I said, head on swivel with the rumba coming to get me. We'll be back on Sunday. It is the big one. It is Championship Sunday. So we'll recap those games and until then, you know what you gotta do. The call