July Mega Q&A

Welcome to the solid Verbal. I'm that for me.

I'm a man, I'm forty. I've heard so many players say, well, I want to be happy. You want to be happy for a day? Edith state is that?

Whoo whoom? And then and Tye, welcome back to the Solid Verbal, boys and girls, my name is ty hilden Brandt, joining me as always over there in beautiful New York City. My man, the birthday boy Dan Rubinstein, sir, Happy birthday.

How are you? Thank you? I don't know if we have we ever recorded on either one of our birthdays.

Oh, we totally have, totally have.

When did we do this? I think we did it last year for.

My birthday on November twenty third.

And was it a good show? I mean it was late in the scene. Probably have probably hit a wall by them.

Yeah, yeah, it usually happens around the first week in November. We hit that wall.

This is true.

Yeah, So what did you do anything exciting for your birthday? Really?

I ate food that I wanted to eat, which is kind of the same thing I do every year. I mean, I hung out with the solid Baby, which is the first time I got to do that. So that was great. I prepared for this show. I took a train ride and I rode in a car and I just had a great day ty, and it's continuing as we do the show right now.

Well, excellent, welcome one and all for coming to our wonderful podcast here where we talk about college football today on the Solid Verb. Well, we're going to be doing a mega Q and A show, So here is the gests. What is today's date, July twenty fifth. We should know this, it's your birthday. Yeah, today is in effect our last mega Q and A before we officially dive into actual college football.

Can you believe it? Yeah? You enunciated that incredibly. Well, thank you.

Actual college football is coming your way. Next week, we're going to start up with our previews, and of course, as you know, after our previews we start talking about games. We're gonna have our fantasy things live shows coming up. Wink weink, nudge nudge. If you haven't already, tickets are going like hotcakes. Go to Solid rebletickets dot com Slash Texas if you'd like to be in the studio audience for our wonderful show that we're planning in Dallas, Texas,

Yeah.

And then the next morning, like we're the Kiss World Tour, hopping on the bird, flying cross country or halfway across the country to DC doing a show Union Stage, seven thirty pm, August the eighteenth. It's a Sunday night, two

Yeah, our list is growing. It's like we're recording an album and we well, we brought it to you, Rick Rubin, are four hundred and fourteen tracks. We got to narrow this down. And if we don't make the DC show because of some sort of travel issue, which we're not anticipating, the weather looks great right now. It will be an improv show with Jake Ruden and I'm trying to think of a Nats player right now, Max, Max Scherzer. Yeah, they will be doing they'll be doing improv comedy, which

Tie, hashtag tenders with ties. So Solidverbaltickets dot com, slash Texas is your link if you want to buy tickets to that Dallas show. Soliverbaltickets dot com, slash DC. If you're going to be in the DC metro area and we'd like to stop on buy Union stage. We're very excited. We're planning. It's going to be an awesome, if not hectic weekend. Taylor are beloved producer who has done our reverbs for many years now, he will be in toe with us both in Dallas and in his hometown of DC.

I like it. I like the enthusiasm. May I ask you a question before we get into please anything?

Yes?

Have you taken anything from I laugh as I say this from any of the media days. Is there anything that jumped out to you impact twelves taking the championship game to Vegas eventually once they build that stadium. Yeah, I think LSU. There's a bunch of stadiums that might start selling alcohol, but LSU is one of them. Anything at all. On the preseason All Conference Teams on what coaches had to say, Chris Peterson said, I don't know, is there anything that really stood out to you?

The Vegas thing stood out to me a little bit, Okay, And I'm not you know, to be honest, I'm not sure why. Right, It's just like another place. And obviously there's a whole industry built around gambling in Las Vegas, which makes it a bit unique, but otherwise it's just sort of any other place. The fact that they would have a game there shouldn't be a big deal, and probably isn't a big deal, but at the same time,

I saw that it was what eleven Mountain time or even ten o'clock.

Yeah, it's very early.

That is early. That to me, I mean that's a lot.

Yeah, that to me stood out a little bit because we're always talking on this show, and I know you spoke at length about the fact that the Pack twelve needs to be a little bit more front stage center, needs to be a little bit more self aware about the fact that the time zone puts them at a distinct disadvantage.

Nine am Pacific time kickoffs, so nine am local for most of the schools, so that's noon Eastern, which is when college football has begun, just not Pack twelve football. So that's I mean, that's a little kid soccer kickoff time as long as there are orange slices. I guess that's that's a lot to ask. I mean, what is this the body clock they're just steering fully into it, right, because that's the excuse that I guess was given about Stateford with who they lose to Northwestern and an ugly

Like?

No, we had last year? Ah, it's a big stadium.

Half sixty five thousands of a big stadium. You can thirty k It's not big compared to Michigan or Tennessee.

But you're attracting more people to Vegas and Santa Clara.

Absolutely, but in a place that doesn't have any kind of deep college football culture. I mean, no disrespect to UNLV. Sixty five thousands of that's a that's a pretty heavy li It's easy.

It's easy to get to, hotels are reasonable. People want to go to there, right. You know it's going to be warmer than it is in eastern Washington, northern California and the desert. So I understand the move more so, I just you know, I have complicated feelings about conference championship games and the PAC twelve going Away from Home sites, it's all it's all fine.

All right, So here is the deal on today's show.

Yeah, congratulations, Skippy, you've got.

Mail, You've got mail on the Solid Verbal. We're doing our best to pay homage to those of you who wrote into Solid Verbal at gmail dot com, those of you who posted on Facebook, on Twitter, on Reddit, on Instagram, on friendster, lord knows wherever else. It's our last MEGAQ and A before we actually get into real hard college football content. Dan, m hm. Can we just come to an agreement here before we start? Always and this is this is entirely selfish of me. Okay, can we come

Wow? Yeah, definitely? Okay.

Who wants no Ties day job whatever? Who wants not going there? Whatever happens happens on this show. I'm not cutting any out.

Okay, that's fair.

If you're confident with that, so am I.

Yeah, If you're confident with everybody knowing that Tie is an executive at Cradle Jones, then I am too. Sounds good to me.

All right, where do you want to go first?

Here? Let's start with the question that lives atop our document here, Okay, which is more realistic, more realistic, not likely, more realistic Michigan going undefeated this year or Ohio State losing three games. That's from Andrew.

This is an incredibly interesting question. Thank you, Andrew. I thought long and hard about this one, and here here's the dilemma that I have. The dilemma is that it's really hard to be undefeated. I don't care who you are. You could have the easiest schedule in college football and still very very difficult to go twelve and zero. But then you look at Ohio State's roster and there's just so much talent. I know that Urban Meyer is no

There's just so much talent there.

Obviously, the Big Tenniece is pretty good, and you know there could be a couple teams that sneak up on the buck Eyes. But if I'm picking the more realistic of the two, I am almost inclined to go to twelve In oh Michigan.

I'm going to go the opposite way. Was Maryland excuse me? Was Ohio State a sneeze and a half away from losing to Maryland? Yes? And Penn State? Yes? How many losses would that have given them in the regular season last year? Two?

More?

Three?

Right?

Yeah, they lose to Purdue, right, So it's three total, And that's what this question is asking. So it's not unrealistic that Ohio State loses three games last season with what we presume to be a better quarterback and at different parts of this defense, even though he missed the majority of the year, Nick Bosa the line, it's a little bit better. So I think it is Ohio State losing. It's easier to lose games than it is to go undefeated, right, generally, Yes,

Absolutely, right, absolutely, and especially on the Ohio State side of things. So everyone knows about justin fields being starting, no, no, no, no different team, okay, But Ohio State and Michigan are sort of like the inverse of one another. If you look at their returning talent, Ohio State has a lot of turnover on defense and it's going to take them a little bit, presumably to figure out who goes where. Clearly they've recruited very well over the last five years.

I look at the mission schedule.

Michigan schedule I think is a little bit harder than Ohio States this year. Obviously they've got that Notre Dame game. You look at the way it lays out, Otherwise it is a little bit harder. I still feel a little bit comfortable, more comfortable if I'm picking between the two going Michigan in this particular scenario.

Okay, I'm curious. I'm still curious about Michigan. There's a lot of questions to me about but I'm saying the more realistic one is to me Ohio State losing those games. They lost what six games the year before? Urban Meyer shout up, Luke Fickel, all right. On that similar note, what is the most intriguing G five versus P five matchup? This year? Also from Andrew shout out Andrew Good.

Questions, Well, I guess Army isn't technically a G five, but can we include.

Them in this question? Army a G five, they're an independent, but.

Yeah, not technically a.

Yeah, non power five. Power five talked a lot. We've talked a lot about Army. Michigan.

Yeah, that game is again keyword intriguing. That game's intriguing to me.

All right, get away from Michigan. I'll go I'll run through some of these.

I've got another one here, but go ahead, run through some other options.

Fresno State, USC new quarterback, Fresno State, USC new offense, Ole, Miss Memphis. If you like shootouts, that's interesting.

That one's intrigument I thought about that one.

U QB for all Miss. I assume Brady White for the four hundred and eleventh year for Memphis, Florida State, Boise State.

That's the one I have tone setter. By the way, according to our friend Bill Connolly, Boise State will be favored in that game. It's a neutral cider ish ish in Jacksonville at TIAA Creft Stadium or something of the ILK.

Okay, yeah, I don't know if the line you're supposed to take medication for Tiaa Crefts. It could be true.

Yeah, according to Bill's numbers, Boise would be a one point six point favorite in that game. I think by the time it kicks off, obviously, Florida State is probably gonna be more of the hometown favorite. But that that's the one that I have circled here as the most intriguing.

Got Lincoln Riley and Dana holgo to Houston, Oklahoma. We have Cincinnati, Ohio State. What will Justin Fields look like presumably Justin Fields against a very very good Cincinnati defense, Washington State, Houston Mother Holgerson, Leech. So we got all sorts of the air Raid disciples and the actual Leach Stanford UCF Wimbush.

That could be interesting. Yeah, I could see.

I'm State North Carolina app State I believe is winless since they became an FBS team against Power five programs and UCF pitt which do not watch the highlights from last year. It is ugly. My answer is in terms of storylines, in terms of tone setting, for the rest of the season, it's still gonna be Florida Stateise State, even though I thought last year Boise stateed Oklahoma State was gonna matter a lot more than it actually ended

Okay, sure enough, Okay, Yeah, a couple interesting ones in here.

I think there's a lot of storylines in that game that are interesting. Okay, pick a question, Dan, I'm gonna go to ed with two d's. I love this.

Will Auburn Oregon be a game to find a contender for the year or another version of Auburn Washington from last year that doesn't hold up as the year progresses. Do you remember previewing that Auburn Washington game from yeah, last season. I actually went back and looked at my document, okay to get my thoughts at the time, and look, Washington coming into the season seemed like a slam dunk coming out of.

The Pac twelve.

Yeah, and Auburn was a little bit of an unknown quantity, but we knew Jared Stidham was coming back, and you know, I think in hindsight, maybe we expected a little bit more from the running game. But by and large, this seemed at the time, I think, to be a little bit more of a high profile, higher profile matchup than what Auburn Oregon looks to be this season. Is that fair to say?

Yeah? I think so, because of there was a storyline entering the season of like, Washington needs to win this game, right, This set the tone.

This was going to be twelve, They're way to achieve that validity as an elite team.

They were representing the conference in a way that was put on them that it was a little bit different than other years, not necessarily fairly, and so game was closed. There was that non call at the end that I think Jake Browning was abused on that play uh too late and it affected things. But ultimately, yes, Ed is right. This game all did not Washington wins the Pac twelve to make it to the Rose Bowl, but didn't matter

For the question itself is a bit flawed because the game last year was starting from a different point than the game this year. The expectations going into the game are different, and I think that influence is at least how I feel about it. It's a really good non conference matchup. I don't think we're going to be finding a contender. I don't think that going into the game. I don't think that coming out of the game. But

Oregon looking completely inept on the road at all points last season and barely backed into the Bowl win that would I don't even know what the score was, seven, six, ten, seven, something ridiculous. So just want I want competence from Oregon on the road, and I want to see how much control the new quarterback for Auburn has in this offense. Because it's somebody new, it's Gatewood, it's Nicks, whoever, whoever it is, we'll have a sort of a tough time I think with this Oregon defense.

Daniel, this comes from happy ombre hombre. Yeah, if you were unable to watch the game you've been waiting for all season live, but we're able to listen on the radio, would you tune in or would you wait to watch the game later on DVD. Again, that's from Happy Happy Ombre.

We may be the right I think you meant DVR, but I like the idea that it's DVD. Oh did I say DVD, I mean DV. Here you go, here's your digital video disc. Same difference.

Yeah, we may be the wrong people to ask on this because, as you know, we do a show very early Sunday mornings. We have to pay attention to everything. We're always, I think in this mode where we need to try and follow the action live. If we don't see it live, it makes it hard.

We have to the fact we have weddings, we have events that we need to go to that happen to coincide with games that we've been looking forward to for a long time. We're real people, but only in a sense, right, So what is it too? Is it listening to the radio and you know, hearing what happens live as it's happening, or holding out, abstaining maybe turning your phone off, listening to music or podcast that kind of thing.

I've never been able to do that.

Yeah, I think that radio's the answer.

Radio is the answer. And Dan, I listened to a lot of games in the radio. I talk about it to the course of a season. I actually like listening to some of the team specific broadcasts. It gives you a flair for the game, insight into the game that you wouldn't get watching some of the national commentators do it.

Yep.

So I've got no issue with listening to a game on the radio. Granted it's not like watching it on TV, so you can see with your own eyes what's going on.

But there is engrossing in its own way.

There's an art to that radio broadcast that I don't feel like I'm being deprived if I have to listen as opposed to view.

I'm with you. I'm with you. Travis wants to know can Kentucky use a running back by committee to get the same results as where they were with Benny Snell last year or better? How much of a leap forward will Terry Wilson have with or make with the passing game this year?

It's okay, it's a good question because again we talked about it on the Dude Show. Yeah, that offense was very rush heavy, for sure. They ran a lot. They had Benny Snell. He was a fourth round pick, went to the Steelers. Obviously, very very talented this season. Now without him, it's obviously, as Travis said, more of a running back by committee, and I think the offense as a whole is going to be a little bit more balanced. So Terry Wilson's going to have more opportunities, presumably to

They are going to need to do Eddie Grant in this offensive staff figure out a way to manufacture yards in a sort of indirect e facy way. Because Terry Wilson on third downs last year. I look this up in preparation for Travis. I care about Travis on third downs. The number one hundred quarterback in the nation on third downs had a rating of about one hundred and twenty.

Not good at all, not great.

No, Terry Wilson was not listed in the top one hundred, so I had to dig and look up situational stats about Terry Wilson. He hit, he was at about one oh six, So they need to get to a lot more third and two's so that he's just dumping stuff off or he's making plays with his legs, because any notion of him developed being significantly as a passer would be almost too much to ask for. That is probably not going

Daniel let's go to lamb to slam.

Yeah, I went to high school with this guy. That's not true.

Better season, Shaye Patterson or Justin Herbert.

Oh Man, this's a marriage question for me.

How do you feel here?

I think it's Justin Herbert. I think there's going to be a bit of a push pull for Michigan in terms of philosophy on offense, where I think Jim Harbaugh is saying all the right things in June, July, March, Oh, yeah, we're looking to evolve, We're turning fully full control to Josh Gaddis. But it feels a little bit like Lebron saying like, oh, I'm gonna play center now, I'm not going to dribble the ball up, I'm not going to run fast breaks anymore. And then come February, Lebron has

So I'm going Herbert, that's a fair assessment. I'm gonna go shape Patterson. As you'll find once we get into our actual team and conference previews. I'm very high on Michigan this year. Yeah, and I think he stands to benefit from an improvement elsewhere on offense. I think another year in that system will help him dramatically. And if Michigan does what I think, it's going to be hard not to answer Shape Patterson to this question. He's a

For give me, Shay. Let's get away from pure Michigan for God's sakes. This comes to us from coach oh Is Lord, whoa coach?

Oh? Is this actually maybe Ed Orzron asking this question?

Not coach O is actually the handle of coach Orgeron, similar to LSU with Joe Burrow. What teams are just one piece away from breakout years? And what pieces do they need? And then he wants us to talk about LSU's new locker room, which I guess we can for a few seconds, but I don't know if that college football is necessarily a one piece away unless it's quarterback, and so do you have teams that right now, they appear to be in pretty good shape, but at quarterback

Like I feel like we've done full episodes on Florida being this team for the last three seasons. Now, if they get better quarterback play, they might party team.

Part of it is quarterback slash coordinator. Right, It's hard to say like it's just on the quarterback skill set, but let's say one piece in saying that it's offense and quarterback philosophy and the actual talent under center. Right, I think Penn State isn't that Penn State this year could fall into that category. Sean Their offense took a big tumble back last year. Sean Cliff was incredible.

Yeah, you starting quarterback, former Blue Chipper, but not Trace McSorley. Not the windiest quarterback in program history. So sure, I think that's a fair assessment. There'll be a bit of a bit of a recalibration on the Penn State side of things.

What about Mississippi state. I think they're definitely winning more games last year.

But one piece would you classify them as one piece away?

I would classify them as having a Nick Fitzgerald problem last season, yes for sure. Yeah, their defense in his mundy, even though they lose what they lose to the NFL significant players up the middle of that defense. Even this year, they've brought back an enough talent on both sides of the ball that if you were to tell me again, if Tommy Stevens hits that or whoever ends up starting the Danny Etling line, then they are going to be a very dangerous team.

He does say one piece away from breakout years, so that's a lower bar.

I think Iowa was an offensive coordinator away from being a nine to ten win consistent team. Sure, yeah, LSU he mentioned Auburn is interesting because they should have another really good defense. I think Utah is an offensive coordinator away, and I don't think it's Andy Ludwig. I think Troy Taylor's fine, but I think, yeah, I think.

You an interesting answer at quarterback.

TCU is definitely an interesting answer.

There are a couple other questions in here that involve TCU, but TCU I think falls into this category as well.

By the way, Troy Taylor is the form offensive coordinator of Utah. I meant to say Tyler hunt Lake because it's very confusing to keep every name correct. Other teams that are just I think Cal and I like Bo Baldwin, but I think it's a quarterback issue for Cal and it's maybe it's more just four pieces on offense for Cal. But I thought, I think they're that away from a breakthrough. All right, I'm trying to think. And then Kentucky that's that's the way to tie it all together.

Let's go to Walker.

Did you want to mention the LSU locker room? Did you say picture?

He said, I saw they've got beds in there or fold out beds, sleep pods.

Yeah, I'll say what I say to my wife. You want to want to go to our sleep pod.

Real quick, Here's what I'll say about that.

Okay.

The best part about the new LSU locker room is the hype video that LSU made, I think in conjunction with whatever architecture firm designed it. Right, If you could find that, and I'm sure you can out on YouTube or two or wherever, go and watch that. They are really shooting sunshine into that new locker room.

The new locker room is unquestionably excellent looking, and it is very cool to see those players who work very hard for LSU be very happy and very excited about their new locker room. But as you and I were talking about this, there is that whiff of are we just quarantining football players so they never have to deal with anybody outside of themselves?

I made a Google reference too, right, so this is like the google Plex never leave.

Yeah, it's like weird luxurious football house arrest. At least they.

Get paid at the Google Plex.

They do get paid at the Google Plex handsomely. But yeah, there is like that strange feeling where it's just like, we have so much money. Look at all these donations we're spending on sleep pods. These players are never gonna have to leave and grow as humans around up other people. It's strange. It's strange, Walker happy for the people.

What under the radar Week one matchup do you find to be the most intriguing? Okay, UCLA Cincinnati initially caught my eye, he said, under the radar. Under the radar, Yeah, you're two of Chip versus the Cincinnati team. Trying to deal with an unfamiliar expectation going into the year. But additionally, I'm digging FIU two Lane and the Toledo Kentucky games. FIU two Lane and Toledo Kentucky would not be something that will Jason Candle action. So we already mentioned Boise

But they're always You could just say they're gonna be pretty good and be right every year.

Northwestern is probably gonna be pretty good. There it is Northwestern Stanford. There was that weird bodyclock game a couple of years ago. Yeah, Stanford lost. I have real questions about Stanford this year.

Same and this could be like a couple of pieces on defense, but in terms of offense, there's a lot to be a little bit wary of.

So those are my two answers. Boy C, Florida State, Northwestern Stanford. Anything else that I'm missing outside of once you got here FIU two lane.

Yeah, there's a few things here. I think Eastern Washington at Washington even though no Bo Baldwin, o Vernon Adams every year, no guy Ja Gubrut. Every year, Eastern Washington puts the fear of life into a decent Pac twelve team. There's that we mentioned ole Miss Memphis. We got Rich Rod calling plays for ole Miss. We've got all sorts of fun storylines in this game. I think South Carolina, North Carolina, the premiere of Mac Brown. The game generally

Let's go to someone else named Daniel. Yeah, what are your favorite non marching band college football related songs? For example, Sandstorm at South Carolina, Answer Sandman at Virginia Tech, Zombiation Penn State, Neck at LSU, Country Roads at West Virginia, jump Around at Wisconsin, etc.

Etc. Dan, I've been in the stadium for a number of these, yes, as have I. I've been in the stadium for West Virginia. I've been in the stadium for jump Around. I think Texas now does jump around as well. It's kind of lame that they're doing that interesting. I have not been in the stadium. Oregon's been doing this for a few years now. They do shout Okay, it's because of Animal House and that's a good time.

Ah. I think, I think is going to be jump around, isn't it?

Jump Around is fun, But there's something that is more enjoyable to me about country Roads. And I couldn't put my finger on it until I randomly went to the West Virginia Bar in Manhattan and New York City, New York City. As soon as halftime began, the bar mutes the TV and they blast the hell out of this and the entire bar sang it. And so by the extension of the West Virginia fandom to this random bar, sold me on just how fun it is to sing with a bunch of West Virginia fans instead of just

All right, I'm gonna go jump around. That's pretty cool. Let's go to you, Andy, He says, our recruiting rankings biased gosh towards recruits who commit to blue blood schools.

Very good question.

We've done a number of shows here on recruiting over the years. Yeah, I would say Andy that you're close.

You're close. I think the answer is sort of but sort of.

What I was going to say is it's not so much where the recruits are committing, but rather who is showing interest in the recruits that tends to influence the star ranking. So, for example, if you are Toledo showing interest in a quarterback, it might not have as much pull as if let's say Ohio State, We're interested in the same quarterback. Then all of a sudden people are paying attention. That sound right to you, Yeah, I okay.

Alabama's offering a guy because there are more data points that say, oh, he is this dude. So I think that's where the confusion rests a little bit. But if it happens a week before signing day and we've had all of these data points for however many years, and all of a sudden, outside linebacker committed to Toledo this whole time as a three star suddenly gets a Notre Dame offer,

So we're sort of on the same page here. I think, yeah, okay.

Yeah, it's complicated, and it's not just a favoring of the blue bloods in that other than the fact that, like you know, top players want to play for the schools that prove that they can develop them and that have invested in them, whether it's facilities and academics whatever. You know, it's an investment begets investment kind of thing.

Abbott writes in everyone knows Fluti's Hail Mary and the play between cal Stanford. Yeah, what play from the past five years will be in the same historic category twenty five years from now? Again, that's right.

So he specifically says five years because the kick six was twenty.

The kick six was six years ago. That's right, right, So I went back, I looked at this. I think there's an obvious answer. Okay, I don't know if you were able to find one.

What's your obvious answer?

Answer is tua's past to win the national championship over.

Yeah, that was like the NC State tippin' in nineteen eighty whatever. To win the national championship winning it on a single play is pretty significant. I think that's right, because if you go back, you have you know, Vince Young run running it into the corner of the end zone. You have all these plays. You have Michael Crabtree's play obviously has withstood the test of time against Texas. So there are the number of players number of plays. I

Yeah, I mean that was goofy, and there's questions about whether it was legal, but sure.

I think Oklahoma States giving the who is it? Central Michigan That to me is still funny the end of that game with the hail Mary. But yeah, that's probably the answer. That's probably too.

We've got a question here, how would you fix college football's attendance problem?

I got another one by the way that they still show. Oh please please not to mention Michigan even more than we already have, but Michigan State's the botched punt to win. Oh yeah, that's right, that's still anytime you start looking at bigger moments between those two schools, are, you know, with Michigan State games or Michigan games that's inevitably played for sure. Sorry Abbott, who I think is a Michigan fan. How would you fix attendance better parking? Next question?

Yeah, I was gonna say, how about cheaper tickets? That would help?

Yeah? Yes, and no, I mean the secondary market kind of pushes things. But it's it's another lowder question.

It's a loaded question, yeah, and it's one we've been talking about for a couple of years now. The underlying reason for asking this question is because the tendance is down across college football. Just as many people go into games, aren't as many students interested in going to the games. And you know, you can blame cell phones and ticket prices and lord knows whatever else for it. I don't think there's one answer to this question. I you know,

Think everybody put their cell phones in I know, like what comedians do.

I know you put them in a lock box and then you got I just think and I'm with you, Okay, I don't agree with that. I just think the direction we're headed is one that needs to include more of a mixed media experience in order to attract people.

Yeah, I mean there. You can point to a number of things that have heard it right. The TV experience is better, you know, watching games from home in general, smokers or less. You can get a pizza oven for a couple hundred bucks. If that's what you're interested in. You can use your own bathroom. The stadium experiences aren't great.

Let me pause you for a second. Yeah, I'll take this question in a slightly different direction because I know it's a point of contention between you and I. Yeah, why do you feel that the college football Playoff has hurt attendance?

Because everything is suddenly through the lens of am I one of the four best teams? And that starts I've probably done since the end of last season, and I'm just talking about the interviews in which I've been asked this. Sure, I've probably done twenty five interviews where I've been asked to pick my final four as a twenty nineteen season. Yeah.

Fair, That's totally fair.

And it's the answer that like, no matter what I say, it doesn't mean anything, both because I'm dumb and because it's March and we're looking at college football through this lens where suddenly, if you're a Minnesota fan, if you're a San Diego State fan, if you are a UTSA fan, if you are a Florida State fan, and you are five and three, well why am I going to these games?

Format, a three loss team is still in the conversation.

That's not that they're in the conversation, it's that they don't feel like they're part of college football in the same way. I don't know if you're if you're a top team power if you are an upper half of a Power five conference team. And it's not not even just the playoff, but so much attention has gone to the playoff that it everything else feels a little bit devalued.

I am. I will grant you that a lot of attention has gone to the Playoff. I don't know if more attention has gone to the playoff than went to the BCS or than went to some of the top teams in the old ball format. Yeah, I think it's about the same. If you lose three games, you're not going to be in that conversation. I don't care what system you've got in the postseason.

Well, listen, if you have these four teams in the whatever games, the rotating games in the semi finals. Sure, if you're saying, well, keep it local with you. If you're a Penn State fan, does going to you know, Michigan. Michigan went to what They went to the Peach Bowl last year, They went to the Orange Bowl a couple of years ago. They lost to Florida State. Those games

Right, But you just contradicted yourself by saying even though you're not going to win the national championship. It's the same difference.

No, but I'm saying if going to the Orange Bowl now doesn't mean anything, I don't know, it's und You're not.

I'm always going to disagree on this point. We're always going to disagree on this point.

Now, I'm telling you, I don't. I don't.

I don't totally disagree with the fact that the playoff to some degree may have hurt college boo ball or collegeo ball attendants. They're trying to make it a thing or not in our case, downloads towards the latter half of the season. Yeah, let's be transparent. It happens. Yeah, Okay, I don't doubt that for one second. I just don't know if the playoff has had such an outsized effect as you might think, Well.

Guess what happens. Standpoint, guess what happens either way, if the experience of going to a game is not as fun because maybe the stakes don't seem as important, or maybe you don't care about stakes. It gets cold by the end of the year, it gets very so especially up here, really sure here, especially up here, it gets

More college football is on TV now than ever, sure, and I think that before anything else has had the most impact. I don't like going to games.

Can I say that.

On a college football show? No?

No, you can say that I like going to games, and I think I like tailgates more than games, which is the least surprising thing I've said on the show. I like going to games.

I like the emotion, but I like, I love the atmosphere, right, I love the atmosphere way more than I actually like watching the football game. Yeah, maybe my viewpoint is a bit slanted. Given we got to do this every Sunday morning. Sure, you know we have to pay attention to the game. We actually have to watch it and get a feel for what's going on. But yeah, a lot going to write in.

I don't know.

It's a very loaded question.

Well, I want to go to the other thing. Go ahead, go ahead. If you're an Arkansas fan, go to Arkansas fan Arkansas games every year. Some years you're good, some years you're not that good. Some years are terrible, some years you're pretty damn exciting. Whatever the case is, you have your natural the variance of Arkansas success. Suddenly, more and more games are on TV. It's not necessarily that you was like, well, Arkansas is not having a good year, I might as well just watch this game at home.

We've seen that trend. We've had people right in say, you know, we used to go to games, Now we just have people over at the house. We do a big tailgate like at the house.

Yeah, it's a thing. It's the thing that.

People do, all right, Daniel, This comes from Mike. It is addressed specifically to you. Oh, since it's your first season watching with the solid for baby. Oh yeah, what strategies do you have in place to enjoy the games? Whilst english of him fulfilling your fatherly duties, he says, as a father of three year old twins myself, I could say the first two years were easy, but I am wondering how to tackle this season myself. Thank you, Mike.

Yeah? Work in college football and do so before you met your wife, so you can say Saturdays a workday. I in all honesty, if you are what is it three year old twins? Yeah, that's a handful. That is a definite handful. You are going to have to pick and choose. It's just watching from twelve Eastern to midnight or whatever. It's more than anybody can handle, unless they can say I have to watch all of these it is for what I do so you're picking and choosing.

This is why the window of opportunity is so vital. Yes, on the show, you know he started it as a bit of a gag, but as time we're on. It was apparent this is actually a useful this is this is a thing that has a bit that has utility on the show.

But little kids throw a wrench in that.

Little kids, you throw a wrench in that.

You're right, The window of opportunity is great if you are just if you're dating somebody, if you're married, and maybe they're not interested in college football, but you're super interested. You're like, well, why don't we like, I'll do a bunch of grocery shopping between three and four thirty. I don't really care about what's happening between then, or you know, we have this this party, so I'm going to go. And that's fine. The windows great at you know, seven

I apologize, he writes in let me read this off here.

He says, oh, this is never mind. This is from this is a guy named Will who we forgot to write his name in it's right under Mike. But Will wants to.

Know what would it take to get tied to reveal his mysterious day job? Yeah?

What would it take? And I'm saying, you're still there and you're revealing it. Probably every single time we turned the recorder off at the live show, somebody.

Asks that is, without fail, the number one question that we get asked every live show. When we hit stop on the recorder, somebody gets to microphone, this is what's a mysterious day job?

Yeah?

To him, I don't know if you could put a price in this, Dan, it's a money thing. I don't think you could put a price on it, is what I'm saying. I don't think it's a money thing.

Have you been told explicitly not to mention it? Or is this just an ongoing gag to get people just riled up and as they have been for like a decade.

Can I be honest? Yeah, I can't answer this question.

You mother effort. Okay, nobody has told you or somebody has told you I can't.

I cannot answer this question. You really can't say that I cannot answer this question.

Oh my gosh, time do you think you would get in trouble?

I you can't. You can push all you want. I can't answer. I haven't answered the question in twelve years. I'm not going to answer it now.

I'm not saying I'm not saying answer the question. I'm saying, would you get in trouble if you were to reveal it? Would you be called into an office? Potentially? WHOA?

Okay, I cannot reveal sources.

And here's my final question, yea is it more you or is it more external? Is it you covering for your making?

If? Very comfortable, now we agree to know edits, which is why I mean I used to you and I don't appreciate being put on the.

Spot like this. I used to ask you questions like if a hall would actress move to your hometown, what would your strategy be if she moved to like your call to sack?

I ever had to answer you for that question?

Did I I know? Not? Nothing that really satisfied me.

No.

I think I used Charlie's Theren as the example. All right, next question, since Ty is now in, he's in a wad, he's in a ball o.

Wow, thank you?

Yeah, so yeah, Parker wants to know. I think he's part of the Frogs or Frogs O War clan okayu site. Tc is getting a lot of hype conditional on a big if, as in, do they have a quarterback? How big is that if? And are you buying stock on the Frogs? Is a dark horse for this fall? Oh no, I assume it means dark horse big twelve contender.

Brother Parker. Yeah, he says big if?

How big?

And if are we talking here? Are we talking size seventy two font or size three hundred and seventy two font? Because for me, as somebody who has recently divorced on TCU, it feels like it's about five hundred and ninety two point funt such a huge if.

They added like a like seven dudes. You ever like drive by a house that has eleven cars, but they're all like Toyota turcells.

Yeah, they've got options. There's one in the neighborhood here. Sure, I'm sure I have one near my parents' house. For like, if they got eleven cars worth a combined twelve hundred dollars. Yeah, so yeah, Cavante Turpin is gone. He gets in trouble. They saw the Jalen Rager.

They've recruited, well, they've done a very good job identifying guys on defense, as they always do. They've got two really good looking tackles, but the inside of their line isn't great. Terrus Anderson's there. Let's say they get a B plus out of whoever starts at quarterback. Sure is TCU pushing double ditch? They got some land mines on the schedule they got to do, I believe early.

Yeah, early, not the easiest schedule pushing double digits.

They could get. So if I gave you, if I said me, maybe, Okay, So if I gave you an over under of eight and a half with.

B plus quarterback play, see, I'm the worst because I jinx TCU, Like you really don't want to ask me this question, Parker, I would go over. I always go over on TCU. That's my problem. I went over last year. I bet actual US currency on the over. I think it was seven and a half last year. Okay, whatever it was last year, I bet the over and I lost.

All right, let's go. How many of these quarterbacks are you worried about? Arkansas, Pine Bluff? Whoever? It is? No, Okay, Purdue and the cinularity Purdue always always. I'm not that worried about him. Smu No, not terribly worried about their offense. New quarterback Ben Hicks gone Kansas. No worried about their offense. Brock Party at Iowa State. Names definitely, definitely worried. At Kansas State, you're one of the Chris Climbing experiment experiment.

I don't know if I'm worried, but I think they'll be pretty.

I think I saw the Chris climb and experience play jazz fusion knitting factory. At Kansas State. It's tricky. Texas Texas and Sam Ellinger one of the best probably eight quarterbacks twelve quarterbacks in the country. Sure, at Oklahoma State, I think there's reasonable worry there.

Quarterback is usually a position of strength and still one.

Pretty good new coordinator could be Drew Brown, Spencer Sanders, who knows Baylor Charlie Brewers fine, but that's at home. Texas Tech new coach, new coordinator Alan Bowman, we know has a pretty impressive ceiling. When healthy. British comedy legend, Sure, British comedy legend. In Oklahoma, West Virginia. There are some serious land Mines.

I don't know.

I don't think they're winning nine games this year.

Nine I think is the upper limit.

I think they're winning eight. I think they're going eight and four to seven to five because they look pretty ugly at times. Last year. I think they lost five of six in the middle of the season. Oh here, this is a good one, Nebraska. This is from literally just some guys. How this person? Nebraska is getting a lot of hype this preseason from four and eight to Big ten West front runner or in Dan ro Loobski's case, playoff contender wow Orlosky said that do you like Dan Rolovsky?

So all right, so pause for a second. I want to go back to something that you raised there.

Do do Do Do Do Do Do do Thank you. M hmm.

Here's whey I stand in the playoff. We're gonna talk more about it as we get into our team previews and conference previews and all that jazz. I've said it before, We've been saying it all summer. I don't think anyone's coming out of the PAC twelve. Wow, if you don't think it, you know you feel the same. You don't think anyone's coming out either. I don't know if you

See Notre Dame. Does Notre Dame fall into the one piece.

Away, No, No, they don't fall into that ketch.

Book is pretty good. Yeah, he's not a Terry Wilson Garber's type.

Okay, So If you're ruling out Notre Dame and the PAC twelve, that means that, by process of elimination, you have four conferences to pick from. I'm picking Clemson in the ACC. I am shocker picking Alabama in the SEC. I am again picking Let's see, who do we want in the Big twelve? Oklahoma, We'll go Oklahoma again?

Want to be a man? Why don't you be a man?

And I'm gonna go Miss Michigan in the Big ten. Those are my fourth playoff teams.

Okay.

I don't know if you've had a chance to think about this or not, but no, I just don't care. That's where I stand. So his question, though specifically second year leaps, he's talking specifically about Nebraska. I don't think Nebraska is a playoff contender. Nebraska's gonna need a lot of help on defense. I don't think their defense is far enough along yet. But I do like the moxie here. Maybe Maxi's the wrong word. I like being old mister Worlowski in going Nebraska?

Where do you? Where do you stand on?

This? Is there?

Anighteen? What is that?

What do you?

What do you you like that? Dan Rolovski's being bold or that, or you're being bold and think that they're making a big leap this year.

No, I like that he's being bold saying playoff contender. Do you think Nebraska's making I think they could challenge for the Big Ten West. But they're not a playoff contender yet.

So the hype is not necessarily because people think. It's not entirely because people think Nebraska is all a sudden really good because they hung with good teams last year. It's because Scott Frost himself goes undefeated two years ago at UCF and went to Nebraska. So there is all

All right, Dan, we've got about five minutes left here.

We have as much time as we want this media. We could do a three hour show, Joe, we could be Joe's Rogan and to a very long show. Five minutes here, Dan, Capital twenty two question about post college casual attire.

Great question, thank you, sir.

And I think my answer is the same for all of his sub questions exactly, He says, the situation is you're attending a non celebratory dinner and a relatively nice sit down restaurant. Call it two steps above a Chili's or an Applebee's. What is your go to outfit outfit style for the following situations? So nowhere with a buzzer to alert you that your table is ready?

Correct? Okay, dinner with a small group of fen of friends no significant others involved be a first date. See dinner with the significant other, d dinner with the significant other's family for the first time. I'm gonna be honest here, Okay. So the one that I need a little bit more clarity on is dinner with these small group of friends no significant others.

So is this just like a dude's gathering? Is that what that is?

Uh?

Yeah, I mean it doesn't have to be only dudes, but yeah, sure, I gathering of buds.

I think that might be the only of these four situations where I would not wear a collared shirt, or would at least consider not wearing a collar.

Two steps above a Chili's applebeas, what do you consider two steps above a Chili's applebas of Paul Fleming's Chang's I think that's one step. I think that's one step.

Yeah, I'm not sure actually, but I think I probably go collar in all four situations.

Yeah, the question it's also important to know, well, what time of year is this?

What time of year is this? Yeah, I don't know if it's if.

It's dead summer in Arizona. I think you're answering this question a little bit differently then, if it's October in Louth, Minnesota.

What I would say here in eastern Pennsylvania, since that's what I'm familiar with. Yeah, if it's I think any of the first two okay, and it's let's say July twenty fifth, I go short sleeve shirt with collar and a pair of.

Polo type shirt or a button down short Yeah, and a pair of shorts. I consider, Wait the first two minute, you'd wear a pair of shorts on your first eight maybe?

Maybe?

Oh got me?

Maybe me otherwise though, smoking jazz cigarettes otherwise though, I think I go long pants.

Yeah, well you gotta be okay, I'll be more specific. You weren't a collar, you're probably if it's we'll call it sixty five degrees, so not too hot, not too cold. It's sixty five degrees. Chinos and a button down or a short sleeve, button down, long sleeve, rolled up the sleeves, whatever she knows. I think are the move because you can dress mobby, you can dress them down whatever I would opt for, slim or skinny fit. This is not to say wearing like painted on pants, because I think

At the end of it, my favorite part of this question is the conary.

At the end, he says, I know.

Mid twenties new adult, new adult fashion. Yeah, I heard that before, has been discussed on the show in years past. But a refresher would be great for some of your recent graduate listeners. Thanks. Yeah, guys, congratulations to you, sir or madam. If you are a new college grads.

And get your pants hemmed so they flatter you, it costs like five bucks out of the cleaner. We have a question here, Dan.

Yeah, have you guys ever considered video streaming on the podcast on YouTube?

We have, and we sort of did a long time ago, but that was when we were doing it for a company. So let's let's pull back some onions onion layers here.

Yeah, let's see that.

Let's I'm turning the lights down low. We live. If we were to do this in the same place we live, about an hour and a half apart ish, Yeah, depending on traffic. Ish.

Yeah.

I'd love to set something up in New Jersey. I love the state of New Jersey. I love the opportunities in New Jersey. I'd love to set up a little solidbal studio and get things going time. Meanwhile, we've talked about this, I know, I know, so we could do it. Isn't there like an MLB network show that every day they're just in a different location.

Is that the one with Kevin the War?

Yeah? I think I think that's right in Chris Rose, who does it every day. They're in a different location. I forget what it's called, but it's I think it's you ready for it.

Intentional wall, intentional talk.

I think it's intentional talk. I hate that name.

It is so bad.

It would not be terribly difficult to do from different places and split screen it. Tye has an advantage in that he could set up his studio to look like a presentable TV place where I record in a walk in closet is a little more difficult. I have a little bit of a wall set up now in my bedroom thanks to the Solid Baby for shooting some video stuff like I did last year for Sports Illustrated, and we'll see about this fall. But it's a little bit more difficult on my end. And the places that do

And let me let me also bookend that by saying that you know, we've announced some of our live shows. Yeah, and again. Solider will take us dot Com, slash Texas, slash DC if you want to get in on those, Yeah, we do. With some other stuff cooking in the Oven.

We do. There's stuff coming out hopefully soon.

But we're excited about what's to come. I don't know if video will be a component of that. Probably not.

The places that do a really good job with that also have a longer season, or like if you're doing a political podcast every day, every week, whatever, people are interested. People are most interested for three and a half four months of a twelve month year with college football. So to invest that kind of time and only doing it, you know, once a week for fifteen weeks, I think you need a lot more time to build up an

In week eight, Daniel, we have a question here from JJ Turp. Okay, what meals are you looking forward to on your DC slash Dallas Live show weekend?

So my first thought when we locked in the Dallas state was like, oh, we got to go to pecn Lodge. I don't think there would be a bigger mistake than filling my gullet with barbecue before trying to do a lot of show our performance. Yeah, so I'm gonna go pretty light. Just you know, this is no chakra. I'll probably find Mexican or something in Dallas. There's there's good Mexican options d C. I don't know the food is well in d C. But I've long wanted to get

See, I usually just trust in you to pick out food.

Oh, we'll do well, We'll do well. I think we already are are pal Jane Cooston, who is a DC local already. I don't know if she's planning on just kidnapping us in a van and making us eat different things old school style. I think so something like that. So I might be just trusting her and you might just be trusting me. But either way, we will keep you posted. Do you I think we have Do we have a wrinkle as well that we are going to announce the next couple of weeks about the trip to Texas?

So state there are some things that are happening to give too much away? Yeah, okay, Joshua, do you have a secret grilled cheese grill? I can't even talk. Do you have a secret grilled cheese recipe?

No white bread, butter, American cheese, maybe a little cheddar.

I've always been fascinated by the people who put tomato on the grilled cheese.

Oh not for me.

I know that's not for you. It's not really for me either, And I like tomatoes.

How about this. Anything thicker than bacon on a grilled cheese is no longer grilled cheese. It then just becomes a melt of whatever that meat is. Like you see grilled cheese chocs and like we put short rib. We've got this giant short rib on our grilled cheese. Like, no, it's a short melt. It's not a grilled cheese. Cheese is not the star.

All right, that's not that hot to take. I have a final question for you. Yeah, I need to get from you your message for humanity on your birthday, this being July twenty fifth, Be.

Good to each other. Eat less sugar, exercise, making sure you don't push yourself too hard, but you know, move around, go outside and take more walks. Listen to more podcasts, Drink more water, sleep more, Drink more water. Oh my gosh, so inspirational here. Literally every day do I send my wife an email saying, Hey, how's the day going. Go drink a ton of water, because people just forget they're busy during the day and they're not wetting down the

Internet? Yeah, Internet habits of the nineteen nineties, that sort.

Of Internet habits of the nineteen nineties. We do a special off topic show with ESPN's Bill Barnwell. And you should be if you're an NFL fan at all, you should be reading Bill Barnwell, you should be listening to the Bill Barnwell podcast hot Terrific totally. We have locked in a date for this year's Off topic Bill Barnwell Extravaganza. It's coming in the next month or so, before the season. Darren, I have one other thing I'd like to point out here.

The solid verbal family, Okay, the solid pop I've talked about it for a couple of weeks now, but the soft Puppy people have been asking me. I've been getting emails. I've been kept awake at night by Yeah, the pinging of my phone. People wanting more info in the Solid puppy.

Yeah on Meredith Bierra, Yeah, Baira.

Barro, the twelve twelve week old samoyed pup.

Okay, everything go well in dog ownership world.

It's going wonderfully. Yeah, Okay, got the solid pup. We're gonna find a way to incorporate her into the podcast, provided she doesn't eat the microphone. I'm gonna figure something out. Man.

Solid baby would definitely try to eat the microphone.

Yeah, we're gonna try and figure something out for this coming football season. You know how they have like those cutesy things sometime to see online where you got to treat in one hand and treating the other and the treating the right hand is Alabama, the right is Zellousy, that sort of thing. I have now advanced to the wise old age where I can do those sorts of things thanks to my Solid pup. Wow.

Okay, so we're gonna be posting us a video. We can do better than that. We can we can be more creative. Ye the one hand, of.

Course, we can't. But I'm just saying generally speaking. You know, you know you know how pet owners get into this. As a new pet owner, I'm looking forward to incorporating our new pupp into.

So are you Are you feeling good about this about the pet ownership thing, solid for puppy?

Absolutely?

You going on walks?

Going on? Why I'm gonna actually go on a walk after we get done recording here solo or with the solid wife Kate, solid wife Kate will be with me too, okay, Leish definitely, Yeah, she's still likes yet we've got her to uh do a bunch of tricks, sit down, roll over, well not roll over. She can show us her belly same which is body train, getting there, getting there? Okay there, Yeah, we're working on it though.

How's the shedding.

No shedding yet, that's a good part. Not yet eventually, yeah, but not yet. Sleeping where sleeping downstairs in a crate wakes up every morning at about five oh five.

And it's staying that way. It's not gonna be a bed situation, not gonna be like in bed with you. All right, that's good. Lay down that law. Can we have a question that we fought to the death over regarding a pet and bed. You were just like, here's my solution be as passive aggressive as you possibly can.

That's right, Yeah, avoid confrontation wherever.

But it was like avoid confrontation. We have people write in about that, like, what is ty I think we had? We had our friend Andy Walls, any Wall, I remember that's be an adult and talk here.

Since then, she probably thinks less of me.

Your response to anyone was like, I hear you, but you could leave notes. It was great. It was such a view into your soul that picking like the battle for the Syhawk Trophy would never give us. Oh my god.

Okay, well, thank you to everyone who wrote in. We've got six pages of questions here. Yeah that quite frankly are amazing. Soliverbleotgmail dot com apologies if we didn't get to yours. We're gonna try and do our best over the course of the next weeks and months to get to all the questions that come in, but as you know, it's pretty hard. Also, don't forget to follow us on Facebook,

Cannot recommend it enough. Big things planned.

We're excited. We started talking about fantasy things selections this past week, didn't we m hm.

We did. I'm pumped, all right, all right, that's all I got.

Dan Rubinstein one final time, Happy birthday to you.

Sir, Thank you, drink more water.

Enjoy the rest of your evening to everyone out there. Enjoy the rest of your week, all of your weekend. We will be back next week, same time, same place, slightly different topics, Still college football. Let's start talking about the twenty nineteen season. For that guy over there, my good friend Dan Rubinstein, for myself, Tie Hildebrand. We will talk to you all soon. In the meantime, stay soft, Heyce.