Fearless Predictions & Hallmark Holidays with Conor Orr

The Around the NFL podcast, next week's ten to fifty one club beating has.

Been moved Dune ten fifty five unacceptable from the Chris Wesley podcast studio. It's Around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansi's heroes here, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sessler.

And I kid you not. Got another screenshot.

Today from the woman to my right of her GPS navigation and what does it say? Exactly ten fifty one, ten to fifty one club.

Every time every week.

It's so consistent at this point, no matter what time I try to leave my house, every time I do leave, I'm arriving at ten fifty one.

I love all the nicknames that you have, but the woman to my right is my new favorite.

Yeah, what's an act?

We have to be fonted that way?

Tell me the yes.

Yes, we this was our for the third time in two weeks because of Mark.

We had picture day this morning. Yes, I think it's a blessing.

I mean, the butterfly effect of Sestog going to see his dentist named Krentist is still affecting the entire cur.

My son to the dentist. I'd I myself didn't just schedule a dentist appointment out of thin air during a foot a shoot.

No, Mark, I'm loving this look. It's giving a little Ryan Fitzpatrick like. It's like I'm I like to have fun. I can party, I'm going to go to an island, but I'm also here for business and I love it.

You would think that that's a compliment.

It's super fun.

No, Like, I literally was like trying to imagine a period of my adult existence where I less wanted, like official photos that are going into the company, you know, photo Bank, apparently for all time, like of me too.

No, it's even more ominous. It was these photos need to be taken for marketing reasons.

Why is that ominous? It's marketing?

What does that mean? I don't like it's so all encompassing.

Yeah, I feel like you'll have the same breadth as our last pictures, which I feel like didn't have a lot of pop.

I can't remember. And then making a big impact.

And Greg going down there meaning nothing matters.

Again, do you do photos?

I do like the Mark a lot. Mark became the change he wanted to see for years. On this show he complained about male fashion, and now he's leading the way.

Everybody eventually turns. I thought our photographer was very encouraging. I'd say that she kept telling us we looks great. It was obviously it's great.

There's always a through line too, like when all of a sudden a grown man's fashion changes, there's usually something or someone behind it.

Well, we've seen that on the multiple times.

Just LEVI when he shows up that that is a timeline changer. Yeah, I suggested because we did a group shot and I said, I know what's gonna happen here. Greg's gonna do the Greg outfit, which is like bomber jacket and T shirt, it's not a Bomber. And then and then Mark is going to do the Mark outfit, which is like Oxford collared shirt and blazer. And then whatever I wear is going to make the other person, you know, standalone. So if I do something Gregy like

I'm the cool guy of the group.

So I had to reach out to the group and say maybe we should coordinate to be similarly casual.

But typically you did it after we were already here.

Amazing, that's the most that's ever happened.

Right, what ed, it's too late, we were already here.

What do you mean you said the thirty minutes before we.

Got there, Greg, And I understand you have to drive further.

You have an immense responsibility. Yes, we understand that, and you fulfilled it today with your questions.

And I'm looking at him right now, Oh my god, he's in the studio. It was Ryan fitzpatrick Flamingo album.

I'm into it.

Just feel comfortable and.

I'll tak once again. It's so good to have Greg here, life coach. If only Greg could always be around to tell us the way things should be seen.

We all have different opinion.

You you you said it while we were on the way here.

Though at that point it's too late. I would have changed if.

Tugboat could have just showed up as tugboat.

Would you have worn would you have gone in a different.

I brought both because we also have your first area. Yeah, you're versatile.

You made a change actually after the great did because.

I had to pay on my original photos because I was too sweaty for the first round way this time.

Yeah, and they had a fan, which was nice, common man rankings plunging speak of behavior. Yes, you have to be the most annoying person I've ever met.

Happy holidays, everybody. Let's get to the show. Let's start with fearless predictions of the rest of the regular season. All right, so this is pretty straightforward, Connie, Right, the final three weeks of the regular season. Let's throw out some fearless ask predictions about what's gonna happen. How will this all play out? And this season especially, it's gonna be difficult because it's a weird season.

I'll get us going. It has to be regular season, yes, okay, turning on a dime here, what did I write? I don't know. I created something different, but I can still use it.

I mean, yeah, some of mine encapsulate what's going to happen at the very end of the regular season.

But that's fine.

Did anybody prepare for the show today? I did? I did. I've already adjusted. Yeah, my entries.

All right, here we go, fearless predictions for the final three weeks.

Of the regular season. I was laid out in my text yesterday. I'll start here.

Buffalo Bills are going to win the AFC East I don't think they lose again m.

Is at Chargers.

Home, Patriots at Dolphins, and then the Dolphins have so they're eight and six and the Dolphins are obviously ten and four, so they got two games, but their schedule is a little trickier. They have they look at it here home Dallas at Baltimore in Buffalo. So I do think that the Bills and Dolphins fans are going to be annoyed, but I do just trust the Bills and I did trying to figure out this, you know, how to look at these last three weeks not to get

Basically, they just you're pick predicting the Dolphins winning Week eighteen. I mean the Bills win in Week eighteen because very likely. I don't think it's a hot take is for the division. Because of the Bills schedule, they're playing Patsy's that have just given up basically until then and if you're a Dolphins fan and you have home Cowboys at Ravens, you'd be happy with one in one. I mean, of course, you want to be two and zero, and it's not

I feel like the Bills went on this crazy journey where like everything felt kind of lost about ten days ago, fourteen days ago, where like the coaches offering up nine to eleven takes you know, not sort of problematic, and like it felt like the Bills I was in twenty nineteen, but it was well no, but it was brought up now and like how to respond to it. And there was also like a heat seeking think piece about the fact that no one in the organization kind of believes

No, I am down on the Dolphins. But it's not because it's not really because I like the Jets. It's because they've been tested multiple times this year and failed them against big opponents, and now they have another big crucible situation here.

And I'm just curious.

But even if they lost both Dallas and Baltimore games and Buffalo wins twice, it still comes down to Week eighteen.

Very like I don't know what the they can they have now numbers for all this stuff. It's like the odds that that game is for the division is very high, is very high.

Well.

I first was kind of turned on to this when Steve Kornaki did on Sunday Night Football at his board and he was talking about the Bills and the Dolphins and the rest of the way, and he does such a good job, Like I just love Kornaki so much, by the way, I wish that I could have him in studio every week doing all of the different permutations of everything.

But with the Bills, they're playing their best football right now.

The fact that they were able to run the ball the way that they did, I couldn't believe my eyes watching it. And we'll get into it a little bit. Yeah, we preview the Chargers game coming up. We'll probably talk a little bit more about the Bill's side of things anyway. But the thing that's going to be a problem for the Bills coming down to the end are the tiebreaker scenarios like those losses that they had, the losses against the Broncos and the Bengals that could get them.

They got to keep winning, all right, fearless prediction calling.

Okay, So for my fearless prediction, I was looking at the fact that I think that the Rams will finish ahead of the Seahawks. Even after the Seahawks coming through with the huge win against the Eagles, they're both seven and seven, and when you look at their schedules, the Rams have the Saints, the Giants, and then they finish

Now they should be able to win all of those games.

But if the Rams end up winning the same number of games as the Seahawks, they have the tiebreaker because they swept Seattle already, so they just need to finish with the same number of wins and then they'll finish ahead of Seattle.

Unless it's like a four weight die true, then you're then it just it's thrown up. It's like it could be it's conference record, which yeah, I gotta have to look, it would depend I guess what happened. They're common opponents, you get deep into it. Rams just got to keep winning. Seattle has a little more, little more margin for air with that schedule. I do worry about County on the forty nine ers resting people in Week eighteen.

You just can't. You just don't know. And that's that.

Look, the Rams played the forty nine ers pretty well in that first matchup, like they'd look like very even teams until the end when the bottom fell out. I think the Rams would be up for that game, but they'd be a pretty big under.

I am all about like I'm very anti seven playoff teams in each conference, which I mentioned on Monday Night. It's very annoying to me. They don't really belong in the playoffs. Most of these like later slots. But it all matters which team it is. And I'm so pro Rams over Seattle getting in there. And I think also it starts like Thursday night, I feel like the Niners are not it.

They could both get in there too. Well that's pop. Yeah, we'll see.

But like the Niners to me don't feel like a team that's gonna sit everyone in Week eighteen, no matter what. I just don't feel like a shantlet's like hands you know what.

I would say that, But then this is also a team whose season got ruined last year, because.

That's what you're going. I just mean, like the the old like Peyton Manning Colts were like, we just sit the entire team, then you will lose a playoff game the week later. I don't know if they know right now. You know it's gonna be for so many reasons.

The Christmas Night game against the Ravens, both in terms of top of the conference, but also it could make a huge difference in the NFC at the bottom of the conference because if the Niners lose that game, much more likely chance that January seventh matters for them.

None of the playoffs. Guys, all right, GREGI fearless.

Yeah, it has to be fearless. So let's go Jags don't make the playoffs. That the Jags continue this free fall and just fall all the way out of it. And this is less about Lawrence. Right now, we're not practicing. We tape on Wednesday, we'll have more for you Thursday and everything. So it might be beth this week that they could be underdogs at Tampa. It's less about the schedule because they do have the Panthers next week at Tennessee,

That's another receiver for them.

Their offensive lines got issues, the defense is bad, like the running game is bad. I just they just feel like a team that maybe wants to collapse. And I don't know if it'll be Houston that steps in they got their own quarterback injury, or Indianapolis or both, who knows, But I just the Jaguars just feel like a team that maybe they haven't hit their bottom yet.

It's gonna keep getting more. It's weird because it and we talked about it on Sunday night. But like Christian Kirk, who's not someone I think about that often, like him not being in the lineup.

That's a lie I think all the time.

I mean often is high up. But like he like his absence has meant so much to like they're swoon like I think, and to lose a Jones, like they're just not a team that's exciting right now. They feel for this the work.

They gotta lose at Tampa, right They're gonna be Carolina at home, So that's you're gonna probably.

I mean the NFL Carolina has been in these games lately. I mean it is in the game again in the game against Tampa, because it's the NFL, Like they just literally won a game and they were in the game late against Tampa.

This can happen the.

Cover Lawrence is playing. They are not losing in the pit. Probably at home, I wouldn't think. I mean, we'll reassess the society and the world we live in if that happens, that would be one of the biggest upsets. But you're right, you never know. And then at Tennessee, it's not like a killer schedule. They have to lose what two of three?

You probably have to lose the Tennessee game.

Yes, I like a bonus.

Again, I don't know how it's gonna happen. It just feels like this is in there, it's in their vibes.

Right now, what's going on over there?

Well, it's covered, it's covered. We're good there. Okay.

So if the Jags don't do what you just predicted, and they do make the playoffs, I predict just as like a little adjacent one, that Jake Browning and the Bengals end up beating them in the playoffs and knocking them out.

If they make it. Well, that's a very like that.

If we're going fearless. It just popped in my head. All right, geez, I enjoyed it.

I like it. If that happens.

Eric Ray's circle back on that circle back, let's cut that one. Amazing all right, beerless prediction mark it.

First of all, I have no laptops, so I don't know what to do with my physical body starting, but I would say that it is a like a bloody cood ata to get. I'm always going for chain poking underneath this. This is what I'm Yeah, I didn't see it. I think you saw that. I didn't see that. I love it. Talked with Gunzo about that the other night. But it is a bloody cud a toad and go forth and not have your topic ripped away by one of the previous three entries. So I did that happen

Lucky that the Oh great, I'm bloody.

Yeah. So the Chiefs, right, I think there's been a lot of consternation about frustration like that the Chiefs will somehow just slide into the number one seed because of everyone else kind of not handling their business. I predict they will not number one. I'll start there like, that's not totally fearless. But mathematically they play the Raiders. I think something weird might happen on Christmas Day there, they play the Bengals. I'm all in on Jake Browning right now.

You know, it seems from the outside that they really care for each other.

Mark, so now you're now you're rooting right for them. It's what I sense it's not what I want. Wait, so what was the first part of it? Well, so it actually goes in reverse order. They Taylor Swift and Fact Kelsey, or let's say they like like maybe it's like not a breakup, but they take a break. The classic like, we're taking a break, it's a there's a reporting, there's reporting around that they're taking a bit of a break. And then the Chiefs like flat line until was literally.

She went to Foxborough, Massachusetts four days ago.

I've done a total one to eighty. Nobody goes to fox and now I love them. Now I'm totally on boring.

I was completely but I also do I do too, so I'm not. I'm actually not. So how does that affect their the chief I think it's just it's people can't like it from a ven diagrement. People can't separate the fact that it might have nothing to do with

And you were worried one of us, we're gonna step on that one, right.

I mean, they're very they are very unlikely to get the number one seed just because they're two games back with three to play.

Despite this, I know, but haven't you heard people just say like, Oh, I'm just so worried they're gonna get it, Like this is our biggest worry that the Chiefs like, that's our biggest problem.

All right, I have a couple of quick ones. We'll just throw out. Anybody else can throw them out too. I think the Steelers have already won for the final time this season. You look at their schedule and the way they're playing and what's going on in that building right now, none of it feels good. And Mark, you'll like this one. Brock Purdy will be the prohibitive favorite favorite for MVP by close of business week eighteen.

I like that, and I think he'll be.

And I'm just gonna back this up because I did some Niners single season passing record research and this is a team with the history.

Is rich, very real rich.

He will be the QB one by the end of the season. This is why he's gonna definitely win it. He'll be QB one of a number one seed, and he'll own that forty nine or single season records for passing tds, breaking Steve Young's thirty six and ninety eight yards, breaking Jeff Garcia's forty two, seventy eight and two thousand passer rating. That's Young again, one twelve point eight ninety four yards per attempt some guy named Joe Montana point

No drama in that conference. There was this year back in two thousand and three that Peyton Manning and Steve McNair tied by voters count for they both they won co MVP and pardon me, was wishing like, why can't you just hoist up teammate co MVPs. Yeah, like Brock Purty and CMC.

Problems That would take the coordination of like fifty different voters.

Well, right, they're splitting the vote, so they're taking votes away from each other but also the fact that when you go back to two thousand, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and Tom Brady are the only three quarterbacks that have had a higher passer rating than brock Party through fifteen weeks.

I think it's all.

It's getting to the point where it's staring us in their face, like all his numbers in the team success. So it's going to really take, like again, a coordinated like decision. And amongst the football riders.

Well or does Lamar vastly outplays them in a road win on Sunday?

But Lamar has like sixteen touchdown passes this year.

I'm just saying, and his MVP though, well, he's actually that.

This is this is why it's curious because I saw someone tweet out today it's like, Okay, now it's down to a three man race for MVP by the odds, Pretty, Lamar and CMC.

CMC's second.

And it's just funny because like last week, it was a two man race. So if you you know, between Dak and Pretty, so if you accept that it could change from a two man race to a three man race in one week where now one of the men that was there, we could go is no longer there like it can absolutely flip back. Now, that's why Fearless

Yeah, there's definitely path where he steals the spotlight in the game.

I agree with you because like resting, yards and touchdowns matter a lot, like Allen and Lamar's value yeah add a lot.

That just it's such a lesser overall body of work to me than when he actually won MVP Lamar.

Jackson and he's he passed. He looks better than his numbers are even. I mean, he's he's eighth and QBR Lamar, he's he's seventeenth and touchdown passes fifteenth in yards pass.

How does that add up to MVP? Well, I'm saying it doesn't That's what I'm saying. But you've added a.

Lot of times you've looked at, yeah, the MVPs, and sometimes.

You gotta have to nail those counting stats. Also.

Yeah, with these voters, it's not just what right McCaffrey has A has a better chance if he was going to do it, if it like Party's saying, Gopher McCaffrey. If McCaffrey had an insane ending and ends up with twenty five hundred yards and twenty eight touchdowns and Party like struggles against the Ravens, but they win anyways, Like there are different routes, but they're all small needles to thread, and Party's probably.

I think Lamar's only chance, Greg is if he absolutely goes nuts in that game, like yeah, nuts.

The best game of and the week after against Miami, like you, they've got a lot of big but the.

Christmas game with all the eyeballs against the big team like that is, Yes, that is his only chance. It's kind of a Hail Mary everbody else want to throw out anymore before we move one.

It's it's more of a reckless prediction than a fearless prediction because I'm.

Not I believe in this this is insane.

But the Bears will finish strong, so strong against the Cardinals, the Falcons and the Packers that they end up sticking with justin fields and trading away the Panthers pick of course, Joe Flacco.

Panthers pick.

Yeah, they'll trade down to get more assets so they can build around. But the strong finish is why it's regular season because against those three.

Yeah, that work.

And if they could tread down to like two or three, and then it's they'll get Marvin here, Recklass, Greg Well mine was connected in these again, are sort of like he's just on the edge of the regulations that Tomlin will not be the coach after this long losing streak, that you're predicting that they lose great games to the season. That it's like a mutual type of thing, and that Kyle Shanahan, and this is something Hayden Winks, who's worked

It one time. Well, so I'm completely with over, like Shane Steike and you know, it was great, but it's like a six to it. No, but you're problem, You're like, I'm with you, Like I mean, like I think he's third in terms of odds right now, right like third or fourth, and like, uh it. But the problem is it's a narrative driven award. I think the.

Narrative will change the next three weeks. Well, this is gonna start bubbling.

Up that's fine, but like Belichick should have won it sixteen times, and it's like I am with you on Shanahan, but it always seems to one.

Yet no, no, that's part of you know, he hasn't gotten one that helps.

But it's good. But like I think voters think of like a stike In or a Right or like a even a Stefanski or like like damike o Ryan's like it's like team was a disaster, team is now success. I'm with you on narrative.

I do think the narrative though maybe the next three weeks, if they keep driving bombs, is going to turn into like, oh my god. I know they lost three games, but this is literally one of the greatest teams and greatest offenses we've ever seen.

What helps her, then he wins the narrat and it helps the thirty.

One other teams are unimpressive. There aren't learn like three dominant teams.

There's I think similar I agree with you that I think they finished strong, and I think that is a big conversation as the playoffs begin.

It's just one of the best teams ever.

Because all the pop the hood analytics stats back up that this team is performing, especially on obviously on a level that's rarely been a cheap.

And they survived unlike most teams like the Trey Lance trade up to get Trey Lance, which is a disaster, like most teams like GM and coach float away. After all that that feel save their ass exactly, But it's like something happened and they did a nice job.

They picked them last in the draft, but they did pick them all right, Mark closed this out.

So I did this exercise in correctly. I have like a playoff one got it's one line, but what do you got? Joe Flacco, yes, beats Greg's little darling Lamar Jackson in the playoffs, kind of flipping. He's a big man.

So when he came near us, he did, he came near us in London.

But like, wow, I just think that will happen, and it's like football makes no sense at that point and it's kind of beautiful all at once, but that somehow Joe Flacco, the Browns quarterback, beats the Ravens in the playoffs with Lamar Jackson who probably will be you know, second and m VP vote.

I'm with you. I'm in the stars.

I told you I had a vision this morning you did of Flaco beating the Dolphins in the playoffs.

I just think something weird is ahead and that's not you know, attachments.

So well, I think, what do you mean? I think we can accept that deep in the subconscious. Maybe there's a little bit of Brown's attachment of the freaking Browns beating the team you hate the most.

To the point we can't be like Joe Flack was on this really weird like personal.

Jet up with something's weird, it's.

Gonna happen, and like Lamar Jackson feels like the perfect victim.

Wait ends well in the Browns defense taking care of the Ravens.

I could see that which happened.

What if they beat the Dolphins in round one and then Lamar in round two? Well, we got to open up some type of business, yes, because we would have.

We would have. We are seers at that.

Point and mahomes in round three and suddenly we're in Las Vegas and it's Joe Flacca who shaved the beer this week.

I don't know if that Oh, I hate that, actually loved it. I hate that. Why? I mean, he looks goods because Gonza told us.

Then, I mean, like everyone can do what they want.

I have no judgment. It's just I think that he looks better.

Well, he also has you know, he's we talked about the sneak, nice jaw, and then you'd realize in person.

All right, well Mark, good luck with that fearless prediction. All right, let's uh.

By the way, I.

Don't even think we mentioned it. Coming up after the break, we got connor Or.

I'm so excited.

It's the connor Or Holiday Special.

He talks about his favorite Hallmark films of the year, and I cannot wait.

He's excited.

Before we do that, let's just get caught up on a couple of things in the news.

Oh.

There he is, seventy two year old Pete Carroll in the Seahawks locker room after that dramatic Monday night win at home, and he's he's correct about that.

Also that you win that game in the fourth quarter. It looks like he did like a nineteen fifties newsboy with his hat backwards, like you know, throwing the newspaper at people's door on his bicycle.

There's a there's more to that clip and credit at the Seahawks Twitter on that, because awesome inside you I love the postgame locker room stuff the team sent out at.

The very end of it, He's just like, I'm so pumped. I'm just so pumped.

Maybe we could get that as a drop eric going forward, because also like pretty out of breath when he was like continuing to talk, and I was starting to worry a little bit about him.

But well, we were like Dan and I believe nightow when they beat the Broncos in the Super Bowl, we were in the postgame locker room, and if I'm not mistaken, it was Pete Carroll up on top of the lockers. Somehow he had climbed the ladder was up on top of the weren't there, But that was well, I wouldn't know you went to either a winning or losing locker room. And I walked in there and was like, I thought that was like Harrol up on the locker room, like shot.

Basically, yeah, imagine Pete climbing up there.

He's awesome.

Latter, on the other side, they didn't just climb out and always but in many ways a man too. For myself, I'll speak for myself to model myself after, because he is sucking the marrow out of life. He knows that's life right there in the locker room. He's seventy two years old. He knows the end is closer to the beginning and that there's nothing better in life than that moment right there, and he is gonna like enjoy it as much as he possibly can.

He's the man.

He hasn't all figured out.

He does, he really, he really does. On the other side of the spectrum is is the Chargers. By the way, this fell into the black hole, the ATM black hole, because it occurred on Friday morning and we haven't really had a chance to talk about it. But the Chargers got rid of their head coach, Brendan Staley and their gym. Yeah us go, and I thought we needed to put a put a stop to this free fall, this black hole.

So they have a new head coach.

His name is Giff or Jeff Smith, and he is the interim coach for the final three games. He's and this is what he looks like and this is what he sounds like. And he met with the media for the first time. Well that's what he looks like. But here is a gift on.

The Charge the older John Harbaal Yep.

I've been in this game a while and uh there's always new things that come up. And uh I've been around a lot of great coaches through the years, and uh, you just roll with it. You give to these players, you give to this organization.

Have been of a vibe.

It's like an uncle or somebody like a Sessler family reunion. See a little bit right, just like.

Yeah, vaguely like German European roots. So yes, so hey, perfect time for a quick segment. I like to call getting to know Jeff Smith all right.

Jeff Smith born October twelf nineteen sixty eight American football coach, interim head coach and outside linebackers coach at the Chargers. He previously served as an assistant coach for the Titans and Bills. As I said twenty sixteen, he was hired by Mike McCoy. He's a survivor. A native of Mableton, Georgia, Smith played defensive end at Georgia Southern University. A three time Mark Countum All American, Gregie, this is for you in nineteen ninety nine, Smith was hired as the defensive

Yeah, he was on that.

Stat was so nice. I love a family man.

He's on that staff. I was working at student television back then. That was you can cross under.

Maybe you know you did you speak to him? Did you now spend now?

I was very rarely in the in the locker room, Giffsmith and it's the hard gea and Patrick Claybohn suggested that should just be his nickname.

Har G.

I thought that his name was Griff this whole time. In my head I was calling him correct.

I'm sure it's not Jeff, Is it is?

I just I don't know that.

I don't know my data didn't getting anything up on that on that end my research.

Uh, you know what's funny?

On that third that Thursday night blowout was so bad with the Chargers. I actually did treat it like they were getting fired right, because I had never seen a game where it seemed it was more so, I was like, because we're not going to be back till Sunday, let's look back a little on this daily thing because it looked like it was all over then and maybe Gift Smith turns it around. I am curious did Kellen Moore turn down the job? People speculated about that that he didn't.

Yeah, the same thing over And finally, one last bit of research here. These are two comments from the Chargers sub reddit. He looks like that one dude from the water Boy and I know what he's talking. I know he's talking about one of those Sandler cronies and and he Another person wrote, uh, Gift Smith or Jiff Smith looked suspiciously like my father. Some guy had a personal now that would happen. What a revelation that would be. And that is another edition of getting to know Jeff Smith.

Here's what Blank had to say.

And I think that you know, through this part of the season, it's been mixed, quite honestly, and that's what I think, that's what the coach would say, you know, and he's just author is a.

Very amazing Wait a second.

Very looks himself very critically, so he's not. You know, he comes from a beautiful family that that you know, has great values and those values and his leadership as best he can. So I you know, we'll see how the season plays out and go from there.

What a non answer.

Also, that was a PBS interview Public Broadcasting.

They're all in sweaters and you know the year is it?

I don't know the whole team, But digging that one up, how many shows are using PBS Broadcasting and the Georgia Public Broadcasting.

Why why would he go in the in the world do we live in? Media wise, you go and drop this bomb on silver Fox had asked him the question.

Maybe he would only answer questions from that particular journalist very curious.

Maybe it's probably not, but maybe it's one of those things that was set up ahead of time to promote something different and it just falls in this week the schedule.

I don't know. And by the way, the translation out is he gone, yes, Well, when you quickly divert to he's got a beautiful family, beautiful family, great value, beautiful X valuable. Yeah, like all those things.

Very critical of himself.

They have cults at Bears, at Saints.

Certainly they could improve and win two out of three of those games and then I think you would have a job.

But even if he even if another Smith gets let go, it's very it's very important that home Depot and FedEx from main corporate partners.

So this is to be handled well, I'd agree with you.

I'm surprised that there's not a branded segment for the the Arthur's here.

That's a good quest, that's a good point.

That's something that maybe next week, next.

Week finally in the news. You know, Tommy DeVito, this situation is.

Listen.

I don't know. I don't know everything, Greg, but I could tell when something's going on. That's Sean Stillado, the agent.

I'm met him on Faturday night.

I texted you know who? I texted, Yeah, we got a lot, Mike g I texted him this morning. I said, Sean Stillado, you know this guy, like, have you ever heard of this guy before?

You know? On background? I said, on background?

He said, I it's on background.

Then you know, and he said, you've let violate, but let the insider finish the sentence. He said, I've known him for twenty years and you could put that on record.

Now, that's all he said. I can't. I can't divulge anything else.

But I my first instinct from that Monday night game was this guy better be on the up and up. He better be up first thing in the morning. He better be working in DeVito's best interests. And what happens at that little pizzeria in Morristown They win a Monday night and Stillado renegs on a deal an appearance. He said, no, Tommy was gonna come for ten thousand dollars.

No. Now, now the deals.

To twenty thousand, and de Vito is so horrified that he went to the pizza shop yesterday free of charge did the appearance.

That's good damage control.

And critically and part of my prediction. The lotto has been relieved of his marketing duties now connected WHOA okay, but wait, he's still the contract agent, correct, which I don't see an extension coming anytime soon for DeVito. But Tommy is already, as I said, someone's going to be in his ear like Hey, there is now a new person, business person in charge of his money affairs.

That new person is Max Lapzelter, and Max has been working with him from the jump doing marketing.

So I feel like.

That was also just a way to give Stilado a little bit of a like cover because Max has been doing his more marketing from the jump.

So maybe Stillado secured that deal.

And then Slado said that there was never a contract signed, so how can they renig on a contract that didn't exist before.

So I got a lot of questions about this guy.

And you and you met him, what was your impression of You got a lot of information too, I got it.

I was so excited to meet Stillato because Garif Folo, having known him from for so long, was like, you know who's going to be at the game tonight. When we all jumped in the car to go over to Broncos and Lions, I was like, who uh, he's like Sewan Stillato and I was like, you got you got to get me in front of this guy and so he I thought that he was going to be all decked out in his fedora and no, uh uh? When was this was on Saturday night the triple Header indocary.

On the sideline when they showed him at when why why.

Was the camera but that was on that was Monday night or Sunday night.

Why was he there at that?

Because he has other he has other players, like a lot of fringe players. But yeah, he was there, and he had Jason and like a cool hat and like a Gucci scarf, like totally.

Dip you know who you were? Like out of sight unseen? Did he?

I mean, I have no idea. I didn't say do you know who I am?

That's a good way to introduce yourself.

But he was very nice. You took a picture.

He had a lovely diamond encrusted Italian horn, which I found amazing.

But yeah, he he was very nice.

I think all you.

Really need to know is that if you go to his website and click the about section, there are pictures of Sean running shirtless doing resistance training with frosted tips, that those are the photos he choose.

Can that present himself?

He looks like Ben Stiller in what role?

Was that?

When Ben Stiller had the frosted tips.

In and he was Berry Tan looks in shape?

Was he?

I mean, he certainly looks he wasn't frosted in Zulander. I know that dodgeball.

Maybe it was done at all.

Maybe. H all right, that's what's happening in the news.

Let's take a break and when we return, let's see around the NFL Holiday Special with Connor or.

I'm so freaking I.

Love the kind of the hip hop Christmas themes.

That's good, bed.

Yeah it is uh as we tape this December twentieth, it is smack dab in the middle of the holiday season.

Honkkah in the rear view. Christmas just ahead, Honica.

Is over for rap bro it is the lights are out.

Sorry, Greg, Yeah, we don't you know that.

We don't celebrate on He did reveal there's no manor in the house, which surprised me.

But there'll be one.

You guys don't I guess I don't share enough of myself.

But now, well, we've never been invited to your house, so there's a start house.

We have a house. I was not reading. Greg lived here this whole time. Yeah, no idea.

I was not raised religious, and that surprised. Never had any manora in either house. When I was very young, I actually had one, and then we just sort of ignored my mom and then.

Always a little bit of jealousy for the kids that celebrated Christmas, and because you kind of clean it up and your kids could have been in that bucket, but you.

We were sort of were those kids, and both me and my brother were like, let's just do Christmas.

It's way better. But like literally from like a from a hardcore religious angle, yes, you cannot celebrate both as a kid. You can because your parents. You cannot be both.

Right, none of the people and cannot be here Christian.

Is this the theology podcast is to say, like like trust from I'm more saying technically from.

A PFF PFF spiritual if you were like a PFF spirituality site, like you can't be both, Like as a kid have all the gifts, you can't be.

Both right, you can be either of them, can be neither. Hey what is PFF? Just like like there's no feeling, it's just hardcore numbers, technical side of things, rankings, right, you can't be both and it's just like but it's like, oh, I'm gonna get gifts on like twelve days and a bunch of what and a birthday probably in there.

Sourism is really and that's the evil of it all.

Yeah, I think our guest comes is coming up, would agree, right, what if your your dad was like born in Nazi Germany?

And then they were like there is no god, my god? So Grega, why are you? We can't argue you. You're right, but I'm just why is that not valid?

You know? And then completely theology was invalid?

Greg All right, bring that hip hop Santa because Nazi Germany just came up. All right, welcome back, Fresh Start Holiday Special And here's our guess.

This is the show right here?

What a mess is there?

Are you kidding me what I'm saying?

The first holiday special to drop a Nazi reference and Connor, you were here for it.

How am I supposed to follow that?

I don't know. Hey buddy, Hi everybody, Hey bud.

This is my favorite time of year, my favorite segment. It's the best to see you, Connor.

It is Connor. I miss you, guys, miss you too. And you're wearing your Christmas sweatshirt and you're looking fresh and clean with the shaved head, and you you perform a valuable service both in terms of personally because you are a friend, Connor, and I love that you are so open and passionate about Hallmark Christmas movies, and we're talking about months in Evans. I'll get a text some Connor like, here are the Here are the ones that are I'm kind of heat seeking on that are coming

Because it's not an exaggeration. You guys watch.

These movies all throughout the December and November.

Right starting November one, we go full Hallmark outside of Monday night, Thursday night, and Sunday night. So and then even if we have a bad Thursday night game, we'll also do laptop football.

And then we'll do big.

Screen, big screen Hallmark, Big screen.

Hallmark one hundred percent.

And I think the reason I do it, I actually I had this reaffirmed this year. So we were at a neighbor's house and everyone's just talking about like what kind of what shows that they were watching, and you know, someone was like, yeah, did you see the ending of Ozarks? Like yeah, it turns out, you know, in order to be successful you have to murder everybody, and like, you know, the family unit is dead and we're all individual creatures of our own destiny. And and oh did you see

Know, I know exactly what you mean.

Why are we not purging ourselves like mentally and going on like a Hallmark fast And you know, because okay, yes, what the Ozarks is telling you is true. But also you might be in need of a romantic partner. You might go to a snow covered small town and you might meet a hot mailman and fall in love like over a.

Couple of hot chocolate. Like that is as possible.

As like, oh, the overwhelming sorrow and sadness and realities of and harshness of the world. Like let's let's zoom in on you know, hey, look at this. Here's this teacher and here's this guy who like fell into her at the at the coffee store and now they just they love each other and they love Christmas.

What's the problem with.

That, Well, I feel like because that guy's actually leading a double life and nobody knows it and they don't show it on Hallmark.

Well, there's nothing wrong with that. I hate that.

That's part of the problem.

That's what that's why why I am the problem, Connor. Connor.

So what you're saying, Connor, and I love this theory, is that because all that bleakness sells, especially in prestige drama. So in a way, you can look at these Hallmark movies and say, oh, they're trash and they're overly sunny, But to you, it's a balancing of the cultural scales that really helps us as a society not become so cold and broken like Connie.

Here, it is it is. It is a mental vegetable.

It is, it is, it is.

It is health for your brain.

It is showing yourself the other side of the coin, because there's always a silver lining, and Hallmark, to me is the is the permanent silver lining.

It's what I love.

You should hang out with my dad because my dad asks me on a weekly basis, maybe sometimes more when I'm going to go and work at the Hallmark channel, and I just keep telling him that's not how it works, and Hallmark isn't really like a network like a NFL, and.

He is still really he's gonna die on that, although the idea of.

A pregame like halftime in postgame coverage of these films films will be incredible, Uh, Connor, Let's let's start with the one that I watched.

It is The Santa Summit, released this year. Here is the.

Trailer The Santa Summit.

Not the thing with all the Santas. Absolutely thing with all the Santas.

I am in three best friends. I need my way, ladies, one unforgettable adventure.

Something I just want the most amazing guy. If you two are meant to share something special, you will find you. How are we going to find her? You don't even know what she looks like today. It's the only chance I get.

To find her.

What is it about the holidays?

It just puts throw means in the air.

The Santa Summit?

Alright, So this is starring Hunter King, Amy Groening.

Ben Halsworth is the hotty Hunter King, yes, and Stephanie sie as the cynic and who gets her heart warmed?

Is the is the film? Progresses?

Connor, your takeaways from the Santa Summit.

I don't know if you've.

Ever seen Do you ever see the movie Project X?

Is that a Hallmark movie?

No?

No, So the Project X was like it came out when I was in college, and it was like the it was like the epic party movie where it's just so over the top and like it was like a massive house party that just basically got out of control. This is the Hallmark equivalent of Project X, where I would say, like they're taking all of Christmas, They're turning it up to one hundred and then they're just like blasting you confetti gun style in the space with it. And I love I love everything about it, like I

Right, he's a contractor with his brother, correct, Is that correct?

Yeah?

And and it's it's interesting I thought the takeaway from this movie again because everything is it's through a different lens of very. The world is actually a perfect place. So Santa Summit is a takeoff of Santa Con, which is a broadly reviled tradition at least in New York. I don't know if it's everyone, Okay, And it's where everyone essentially dresses up in Santa and goes bar hopping and gets hammered.

Run into these groups before. And so here's the interesting thing, Connor about this.

They took this, this widely known to be kind of a debaucherous event, Santa con and made it Santa Summit and stripped away anything that would be kind of lecherous or out of bounds, even to the point where they never use the word beer once. They refer to let's drink cider and hot chocolate. And my god, Connor, the drinks, the symbolk nature of the drinks in this, let's get into that.

Like I mean, at every single place they have like a cookie platter and then like a massive cup of like apple juice with like chocolate and cinnamon just poured into it, and like each each entree must have had like fifty eight grams of sugar in like enough to fill like a ducking donuts cup.

So everyone has diabetes.

Yeah, but that's the thing.

It's like it's it's just it's what you need sometimes, you know, Like I want to do that, Like so just a little diabetes.

Having only seen the you know, the trailer, which was I like the gleam in the post by the way that I know that kind of screened to me. It's just great to be an adult if you're white. It's great to be a white person. That what the film. That's not what the movie's about.

In fact, there's an a woman who's like a best friend who learns the value of Christmas. There's another man of unknorn, unknown European ancestry that turns out to be a love interest as well.

So it's really it's all over the map.

Okay, well yeah, and you once again what the cynics connor all around?

I mean, wow, I'm surprised Mark took it there. But he just doesn't know. The Hallmark channel doesn't see race, you know, not at all.

That person.

You know, everybody was wearing sand of beards, so they fell in love with who was on the inside before you got to see them underneath the underneath the Santa Beard.

It's like love is blind without without trying to become famous.

I like that.

Yes, And so the final first of all, how many Hallmark cards would you give it?

Out of ten? Uh?

This was solid, Like I would say a seven point five.

It was really good, all right, And that's.

My wife's favorite of the season too, wow.

And oh really And in one sentence summary for people that still aren't sold, I would.

Just say, like all Hallmark movies are kind of you could summarize in the same way that Christmas is awesome and it's going to change your life and so and you know it's going to happen this year. This is the year that Christmas is going to change your life.

Connor, have you ever seen Cross Country Christmas? That is also a Hallmark classic. I tried to watch the movie that you guys are talking about last night, wasn't available, so I just turned on the Hallmark channel.

I started thirteen minutes in Rachel Lee Cook. Isn't it for anyone?

Who is good for her?

A fan of She's all that she was?

Yes, played the classic role of the nerd who's that? Yeah exactly, Then like the the hot guy comes in and shows her how pretty she actually is by taking off her glasses.

So yeah.

In this one Patriarchy, it's.

Two friends from high school. They grew up together.

They meet on a it's like trains, planes and Automobiles and then I only watched for ten minutes before I had to turn it off.

But it seemed like a really nice movie.

Your husband, when we got together on Friday, he said, there's no way she's gonna watch what she said she's gonna watch. I said no, she said she would watch it right, And you said she doesn't have the ability to stay focused and watch the whole thing.

And I must say, your husband knows you well.

I tried multiple times with your login yes to get multiple movies.

This is how login hall marked in. This is how important the project is for me.

I got a trial of some app that I've never heard of to access the films that Connor's talking about. Let's one more this spinning out knowing that this one is called Holiday Hotline. This is just like a quick clip from it, Holiday Hotline.

Let's talk turkey.

WHOA, I have a twenty pound turkey and it's frozen solid.

I can help you just have to trust me.

He's on the line and really love it if you can come over Holiday Hotline.

We want wait a minute, hold on, can I just say what they're hot? We want to explain.

We have to explain a terrible job that did a terrible job of explaining why this movie wait.

Mark wanted to say one thing, it's a cultural thing about ads in general. Whenever they have there's all these ads where like someone's at a call center and it's always like a nine and a half out of ten, like answering the phone. It's like I actually worked in a call center one time, and it's like these are law typically lost individuals. They're not the hottest people that you'd see on the street if you're you work in a call center. It was like a striking individual.

This is the again, this is a heightened reality.

Mark, all right, this is the place where the call center. That's just my initial for the outliers that.

We got a bunch of mister Potters and Ebony's or scrooges here. Connor, let's get into it. Holiday hotline. First of all, first questions, Holiday hotlines do they exist anymore?

Go ahead, Connor, I I mean I hope so they do.

This guy, it really helped this guy, and so the guys, the guys, the guys is dead right, wants to.

Uh yeah, Mark, so maybe you should apologize.

But he he's he's learning to make a turkey for his daughter, and so he calls the Turkey hotline and falls in love with the woman who's helping him to prepare the turkey right.

As Mark said, is a stone cold fox. Simultaneous simultaneously that's good.

Starts falling in love with his new neighbor in the apartment complex, and confusing he finds out at the very end, Dan, Yeah, everybody the same person.

Yes, amazing, amazing this one. I'm gonna give it a nine based on the log time.

I like it. I like it. And what did you learn? What did you learn from this one? Connor? In terms of the holiday season and the idea of joy?

Oh my gosh, I mean just just everything, like like like love is right around the corner constantly, and maybe maybe you're just down on your luck. And then this beautiful chef arrives from England and wants to, uh, you know, fill the void left in your life by a dead spouse.

And we have a lot of UK listeners.

There's a scene in this where they're at a Christmas They're at like some type of shop and he says, I'm gonna let everybody know who you are. I'm British, honey, I don't like to be the center of attention. And I was like, I didn't know that about British people. I guess I learned something there.

They do celebrate Christmas in Europe. That's true. Oh my god, great, I have a question because like I like everyone that says, you know, what was that? That was your sponse there? Well, no, that's like that's true. But like they so when we act like everyone's like, oh, my favorite Christmas movie is die Hard, which just annoys me. But like, truly, if you looked at Christmas movies, the full span like eyeswad shut would be mine. It is littered with Christmas symbol

I mean I I would honestly give this a nine out of ten again, because you're in suspense the whole time. And how is he gonna find out? Because here's the thing. The woman is British but she uses an American accent on the Turkey hotline. How is he gonna feel when he finds out? Is he gonna feel tricked? Is he gonna feel happy?

You know?

And and there's this whole drama where she's worried that he's actually in love with the woman on the phone and not her and so but that the same person.

So it's and why was she hiding her British accent switching? Fair question? Why was she code switching?

She was?

I think she was just tired of the grind, Like she came to America for a fresh start, and she wanted to Uh, she wanted to experience the greatest country on earth.

Unbelievable.

Well, Christmas is your drug? Connor? And man are you?

Connor, of course, is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated but also connestly Obvious Love.

Wait, what's your sweatshirt?

Say? Uh?

It says I want Hippopotamus for Christmas?

Great?

Oh yeah, that's a song. I know that one? All right? Uh?

Connor, before you go, you are involved with the Greater Newer Holiday Fund.

Let's talk about it.

Yes, so, I'm very lucky.

I'm the chairperson for the campaign this year, and the Greater Newer Holiday Fund supports ten really amazing social service agencies around the state of New Jersey. We deal with homelessness, mental health, food and security, all sorts of things, you know, full spectrum, trying to help you people, especially around the holidays. Budgets for charities get really low, and so we collect funds and we distribute it to needy social service agencies

Awesome about that, Colly, No, I'm back here. Yeah, what you got? Mark? What you got? What's Stanley Kubrick film supersedes that he is a wonderful person and I like he changed the way I feel about the holiday season.

My heart is warm.

You're the best.

That's what I'm here for.

Love you, Connor, Hey, do you have a fearless prediction for the last three weeks of the regular season.

Oh wow, fearless prediction or a hallmark.

I think that the Rams will go two rounds in the playoffs.

I like that. You like that. That's pretty great.

I like it a lot. Connor, You're the best, buddy. Merry Christmas.

Go take another hit of Christmas, buddy.

All day.

Great appearance, maybe the best or holiday special appearance yet.

At least right.

I really liked what he's getting out there, dialed in because I'm watching it with the wife on Saturday, and I'm saying, this is so ridiculous.

It's so sweet. It's just over the top. But he's right.

That counteracts the Jason Bateman programming that everyone else is hard lining into their system all the time.

I'm not gonna lie, So I wasn't happy watching it.

I'm like, this is so dumb, this is stupid.

Whatever.

And then I go into the kitchen to grab something and I'm still watching from the kitchen just to see what happens next.

M All right, before we go, we have one more bit of business to hit Week sixteen.

Let's do a preview speed round.

How much time do we put on the clock.

I think it was three minutes last week?

All right, three minutes starting with Thursday Night Football, which Colleen, this is a good one too. You are the anchor, of course, of the coverage for NFL Network, So why don't you tee us up on this one?

Okay?

A lot of playoff implications in this one. Saints Rams, they both have seven to seven records, Rams holding on for the final wildcard spot.

They are in the seventh seed right now. The Saints, they're trying to win the division. They're tied with the Bucks.

They're obviously still in the wildcard mix as well. I'm wondering if Chris a Lave is going to be available this Week's like it?

Yes, Derek Carr, he had.

One of his best games last week against Tommy Devido and the Giants. He had three touchdowns without Chris a Lava and Ryan Ramcheck and their past defense was really really good.

Eric waiting to know when to start.

Oh, we're doing.

There we go. That was for you, Eric, because I could tell Eric back there. It's like spent pouring down. Want to start at.

She doesn't take a breast, It's insane. She's downloading in field. She has a lot of research here. I'm looking right at it all right, keep going he's actually British, by the did.

Anyone prepare for the show?

I did right here Sono passing yo at three sacks for him against the Giants, and Tommy DeVito do Mario Lotta has got it done. Stellato in a big spot. I got a lot of questions about Stilado. Obviously, the Rams too, they have the pieces to outscore the Saints. Puka and Akua has been unbelievable this year, but now everyone is healthy, Stafford, Cooper, Cup, Kyen Williams and Puka.

With all of them, they're kind of like a little bit of a superpower. So I think they definitely have the pieces to outscore the Saints.

Here, this is greg This is a good segue from Connor just now saying they're gonna win what at least one playoff game round too.

Multiple you had something about the Rams, didn't you, and your predictions make it.

They have to win this game, though, Yeah, are we?

Because I don't want us to fall into the trap that we've been falling into all season and these five hundred teams that get a little hot. But in the same time, Gregy, this the Rams have been kind of consistent in a lot of ways different than these other five hundred teams.

Yeah, the defense isn't going to be great and so the games are going to be close. They're playing hard, but the offense has been a top ten offense all year and now they're healthy and they're leaning towards top five. But to do all this, they have to win this game. The playoff leverage, which is what the analytics guys like to say, is outrageous. In this game, the Rams are like two thirds likely to make the playoffs if they win,

Is oh yeah, that's right, this is your Christmas.

This might be at the game with the family, right, Roger Goodell is father Christmas.

To me, that is exciting to tell you.

But you're picking the family like the Ramilly You're going with the family.

Well I'm picking them too, fair, But all right, you better win just to make us happy.

All right.

The Saturday game Bengals Steelers.

I got ane of that.

Preview, Scott Free, I got you on this one. Here we go Bengals at Steelers. This is a game I said in my Fearless prediction, I think the Steelers are done winning. I think there are seven to ten outfit and there's a lot of drama. That said, if Mark there was a last ditch effort here from Pittsburgh to kind of pull it together, it would probably be in this spot at home against a division rival, knowing your season in a lot of ways is on the line.

Hm, I feel like a couple of weeks ago we'd say that have this like quarterback problem, but they've got a quarterback solution and it's changed the way we think about Zach Taylor and the entire team. And they're kind

I loved Jake Browning.

I'm a book historically. No, I'm saying like, it's like you would like be you'd be aligned to think like I want bad things to happen in the Bengals, and I feel differently about this team. I kind of find them fascinating and watchable.

I think Jake Browning is low key funny.

Like when he was interviewed afterwards on the field, they asked him just like I think it was just a good generic like how do you feel right now? Whatever, and he was like, I honestly don't even remember what happened.

I'm so tired. And I was like, that's the most relatable quote.

I've heard quarterbacks get tired. I'm sure they do. That's it is a high physical and mental toll.

He also had you know, some spicy you know video takes, yelling at the camera the team camera like oh.

Yeah, you know, bet, you're glad you cut me now.

Vikings and I do worry in terms of them like making the plants or winning PLANF games. Their defense hasn't really looked any better lately in particular, and then they.

Lose DJ Reader.

This is a matchup though, that they lost with Jake Browning just three weeks ago sixteen to ten, sort of since this transformation happened. And I like watch the Steelers defense. They're so disorganized. They're getting out coached every week. I mean, Shane Stike and made them look terrible. Their back seven on defense is so bad. Uh, and their offensive line hasn't looked great lately either. So I do think the

Do we have that Jake Browning sound?

Well, I hear that Browning looking scrambling to the right, Browning towing down field.

It is pot the Bengals get burnt on third.

Down and nine at the staff the place, but the right footed get right.

It is.

I think after we made the field goal to win the game, I screamed at a camera and said they never should have cut me.

Oh my god.

Yeah, I mean you can't say that I love him, you kind of you just wait until you win and then don't look like an idiot.

Beer. Oh my god, I love that guy. That is Bengals Twitter from the Jungle. The second part of my fearless prediction was that Jake Browning would morph into free agencies number one signing. He will become someone else's starter. Will that be a mistake, We'll see, but that like he will become the off season story and someone will make them anoint him like the number one, like highest biggest story free agent signing. Is he a free agent? Yes? I looked it up before the show because I can't

He is an exclusive rights free agent, so it will be locked up for another couple of years with the Bengals.

Well, we'll see what happens, all right. Finally, Greg, No, that's okay, that's still very possible.

We need did that that it could happen. I'm just saying they could have cut him, and then I mean it could probably aren't going to cut him. That seemed very foolhardy.

To cut him. He may be better than Joe Burrow. We don't know that would be a big story too. Well, Greg, the second Saturday game.

I mean Chargers Bills, let's start the clock right away. This is the one which should just have more time on Rams Saints. That's like the big that's like an early playoff game. This is just Saturday night.

Sounds like somebody wants to be on the Thursday Night Show with Mark and I. Right, come on on, buddy, No, I'll be cut us. I'll be stuck in traffic. Sorry, honey, I gotta go. We're taping the Thursday Night Show.

I hope Bill's fans show up the bus and make this an atmosphere. Eleven and a half points is how much they're favored by. That doesn't feel like enough, does it. This run heavy team, and I know you get the like dead coach bounce and everything, but James Cook is now one of the best running backs in the league, which I apologize to Sean McDermott for getting on him for changing offensive cordators, because what they've done with Joe

But who are we kidding?

East and Stick versus Sean McDermott, who's been cooking up some great schemes and Ed Oliver has been playing really great up front. Eleven and a half does not feel like enough. This feels like a Saturday night Bill's party.

Get me no, I don't want to do that, Okay, James. I was going to say it's Hyperbolee Greg about James Cook, but look at I mean, week to week he has been as good as any running back in the league lately, all around.

I mean in terms of like yards over you'll expect it, like the total performance just by the numbers. I think he had the number one I think it was on Football Outsiders or Aaron Shott where they're at, was the number one running back performance of the year against the drops.

The drops too, I'll.

That drop when if he's running like these crazy angle they're.

Having him do like wide receiver at.

The touchdown catch he had like kind of backhanded, was a sneaky, hard catch.

And he did drop another touchdown. To be fair, that's to be fair.

Their often in past year. I say it's a huge add to them. What was that that offense didn't have like the running back. And I think Latavius Murray's actually been pretty good too, like kind of under the radar, just like he's helped in and like they've got balance on offense where they didn't have a running game before.

Do you know that in England? Would they pointed out that they celebrate Christmas?

I was suggesting that's probably the fact, did you know? It certainly is.

Yeah, we're in a lot of ways descendants of you know, England.

We didn't invoke well.

So I will say that they say Happy Christmas, Happy Christmas.

That's on them. Just throw it out there. It feels lesser than Mary. I feel like we got the edge on that one. Mary. It's happy with you. Come at us, Mary, Mary, what's the reasoning? Mary? By the way, the Charge got married.

The Chargers have been but their their owner it spoke this week and said like everyone's been calling us cheap.

We're not going to be cheap.

There is no uh, there's no you know, boundaries to what we're willing to compege.

It almost felt like we would go after a Bill Belch.

I don't know what the point of that was exactly, because they was hearing a lot of change.

And every conversation's like, obviously not the Chargers. Belichick would never go there. They couldn't afford them, they won't deal. It's like they're probably trying to say, stop the narrative, like you could bring him here. Also, it would be a good interesting marriage. You know.

There's like thirty teams, thirty one teams that basically own their stadium, and there's one that like rents.

It so that pays one dollar for it.

I don't it just seemed like in such a weird place as an organization. All right, it's just kind of sad.

I don't know.

Good app Hey, Connie, you've said it all, thank you, did you and we've talked about you. You lost your dog and you said Christmas is canceled. Yeah, Christmas come back. You got a tree up at the house.

We don't have any decorations up I know.

The first part of a Hallmark Christmas movie.

You know what, You're right, because I usually have the.

House Amazon truck guy comes yea, and what that complicates, Yes, the dog happens.

The previous Christmas there was the dog bite. Maybe maybe a dog is involved. A dog shows up and warms your heart.

If you just ruined John's present for Colleen, that's gonna be bad.

Greg.

Maybe I do need to get John a.

Puppy there we go or or you know, and we're not doing we're not doing gifts either this year.

So there's no gifts, there's no decorations. I've sort of opted out of.

It's really dark thame not now bridget having a great Christmas?

Probably.

Yeah, all dogs do go to heaven, they.

Say, I'm trying to get there. We'll see. I listened to Christmas music for like five minutes yesterday.

I picked up my beloved Captain one year ago this weekend, so you can and we have actually have great resources that we learned during that process. You do want to do that.

It's the rescue dog. Yeah, all right, we'll see.

Now that would be there would be something to that. The Christmas you assisting, you assisting that would be a nice kind of part of the memory that did it happened? Who made it happen? But it's not that the wiki, Pa, there's a headshot of me to the right, earlier photo.

Maybe the dog.

Saves background, the name of the.

Hall man, it's like name of the dog, blah, background.

Just this whole thing, like a minute ago, Greg, at this point, you did not. At this point you did photo, you did not.

Far right, index right, just like a quick bio background on our relationship and the connection of history.

Right, this has nothing to do with it.

Also at this point, I challenge any podcasts out there. By the way, we've been nominated for something called the Sports Podcast Awards over in the UK. You can go on their website and vote for us. I fought we found this out, but I challenged this is separate to the wait what I challenged any other podcasts out there to come as strong with their holiday spectacular as let's.

Get holiday music to close things out? And were you in person and you hosted this.

Was during the pandemic, so it was on zoom, but I hosted them one year.

I would love to know how much Wait, but it's wait, you think they paid her is it?

Is it in the UK? It seems like it's from the UK.

Is a lot of UK, a lot of UK pods at UK.

If we don't win, that would be do you think they do? You think they paid Colleen five grand? No? Way ten high.

I don't even remember.

I'm going to go back and look, I'm gonna go money is No.

I just did it because I wanted to do it.

Twenty five hundred all right sports podcast group dot com vote for around the NFL, over all these other jokers.

Right, that's it.

Everyone says it's like an honor to be nominated. No, we're gonna go negative. We're running a negative campaign against God bless football cannot win.

You know who's on that? That guy, Stu Gootts guy is on it. We have a little score to settle with that guy. Well, let's let them understand.

That's the one the year I was hosting it.

Well, isn't that nice?

Weber had to say, Oh, yeah, this is a little chance for revenge.

He made it Sessler. I mean, how about that guy? Who is that guy? He's a top ten football insider. That's a chance for revenge, it is. I don't I don't feel like revenge oriented against Stu Gott's necessarily. I think it was like kind of a self reminder that, you know, other people in the industry have no idea exists.

If you would like peace broker between the two sides, I will gladly step up.

Where's that holiday music?

Where's Connor? I need Christmas?

But there would be something full circle, I think it would be.

It would be just like.

The dog entering the Gonzo household. You taken out Stu Gotts at the award show.

There's a Christmas element to that, you know. I'm looking at these.

Our friend Hannah Wilkes for her Huddle also nominated and I was. I was a guest on that, so maybe you have two chances to win if you're not going to go.

Speaking of wiki pages, not off Greg has already demanded that he has a section of their wiki page.

It's not off brand that Greg pulls boats away from our actual show because he appeared on arrival show the prize. Wow. Merry Christmas to everybody.

We'll be back on Thursday with our week sixteen preview in Bulk Connie, thank.

You as always, so great to see you guys.

Everybody happy holidays. He the call