Gearing Up For The World Cup with Tim Howard

He's a former US national team goalkeeper. He knows everything that you might not and he'll give us the scoop, right so we can bet on some matches. So I'm really looking forward to that. But first, the King returned to his kingdom. Jerry Ferrara, you went to madithon Square Garden for a Knicks game for the first time in three years. You're up on the JumboTron on Gucci Road. Tell me all the details. Oh, Olivia, it was good

to be back. You know. I had been back to New York a couple of times in the last three years, but usually it's been with the kids. So this was the first time in three years that both my wife and I went to New York with no children, and I actually remembered all the stuff I used to do, particularly in the morning time, before having kids. And also it was arguably the greatest weather situation. It was like seventy degrees in New York. Yes, I went to a

Knicks game. I also went to the bet MGM headquarters in Jersey City, which was incredible, and we'll talk about that for a little bit. But yes, I was emotional going back to Madison Square Guarden for the first time in for you, So, I actually found it to be an emotional experience. Now, you know, when you're out of game and you see the celebrities thrown up on the JumboTron, and they usually cut a couple of people out, you know what I mean, like whoever you're sitting next to?

So who were you sitting next to? And are they mad? I was. It was weird too, because people rotated. I was sitting next to Tiesto, Tiesto and uh my right at one point, but then he moved. Was Fat Joe, who's like in New York City obviously a Knicks icon and it was like him and Jada kiss and it

was it was great. Uh, it's a weird thing. If you want to talk about it now, we could dive right into the experience because now that everything you're about to hear is gonna sound super like, whoa, you're big time, all right? Well trust I am not big time, And just trust when I'm saying these things that this is by far the coolest thing that I've ever had the chance to do because of my career choice. This is

the best thing that's happened. It goes like financial stability and this experience I'm about to talk about right now. So you roll up to this Knicks game as a quote air quote celeb and you go in through like a v I p entrance and there's the sweet where you get to eat some food before the game, and everyone's rolling in and it's kind of like a party. It's a lot of fun. This all sounds great, but I'm there to watch an NBA game, So I'm staring,

like waiting. You don't have your tickets yet. They come bring the tickets to so I'm waiting. I'm like, okay, it's six thirty six forty five tip offs at seven thirty. I love the warm ups. I want to get down there, so I finally get my tickets. My wife and I run to our seats, and of course it's like that

celebro that's amazing. And my buddy Ben Lyons and I'll share this picture on social took a picture the whole celebrity row empty except for me and my wife sitting there, and arguably my wife had the biggest fumble of all time and the history of courtside experience. I said to her, I said, look, it's been three years. I don't know if any of these players know who the hell I am.

But in the event that one of them do discreetly snag a little video if there's an if there's an exchange while they're warming up, yeah, and she's usually to go with this, And sure enough, who comes over. R J. Barrett comes strolling over and he calls me by my power name. He says, hey, Proctor and I stand up, and we were we're embracing Olivia. We're hugging at center court. I'm my head's on his shoulder and we have this great exchange. I talked to him for a bit, shook hands,

he went out, great. I sat down and I said to brethe Hey, Brease, send me that video when you can, and she's She's just sitting there like, uh, yeah, I didn't get it. You didn't get it. She's like, no, I didn't. I just I paused, and I was like, actually listening to what you guys were saying. She didn't get that moment of r J and I embracing at center court, fumble whispering sweet nothings? Can you give him a little priggy massage? But look, no, there's no proof.

So I don't know if I believe you exactly. I could a hundred percent be line, but I will share the video of me sitting courtside with Brie, and entire celebrity row is empty. People don't start strolling into like seven minutes to go in the first quarter, which is absurd to me. We're here to watch basketball, I know. Look, I was an NBA wife for a while and I

didn't even get to the games early. My husband would be starting and you know, he would text me, Hey, I think I'm starting tonight, you know, like an hour before the game. I'm like, oh crap. We live in l A. And I can't get the staples in an hour. So um no, it's it's uncommon to get to games on time. Yeah, same thing. At halftime, everyone goes back up to that really amazing sweet and it is an amazing sweet breathe knows the deal. We go up down the water, use the bathroom, right back down to the

floor for the water. Did I say water? Water's code for wine or whatever it is, beverage of choice, down a quick charity and hit back. Yeah. I was trying, you know, I was trying to. But the JumboTron is is arguably the coolest thing that could ever have. And I'm sure people aren't crazy when they saw you. They know you're such a New York guy. I got a nice pop. I'm not gonna lie. They show a clip usually before and you always wonder, God, this is gonna

be like silence? Am I gonna get a boo? And it was a good pop. I never quite know what to do. They tell you the wave and them I I do like a clap. We've you don't know really what to do. That's a good Yeah. Some people just like stare and then you're kind of like, come on, dude, interact. But some people do comedy bits really quickly. Yeah, So anyway, what we're talking about, Like, I still have to pinch

myself that these things still happen to me. Okay, should we get to some NFL Yes, yes, because there's a lot to talk about. Oh my gosh, we've got to hash out a few things that happened last weekend before we look forward. Everyone is saying we may have seen one of the best games ever played. Now I think

that might be recently biased. I don't know. Vikings give the Bills their second straight loss, overtime thriller, one of the best catches I think we've ever seen, justin Jefferson's acrobatics on fourth and eighteen the games on the line, cornerback Cam Lewis basically had it is all over him. It's just amazing. Every time I keep seeing a replay of it, like on Twitter or something, I still stop

what I'm doing to watch. It's incredible. And the ball was actually overthrown a bit like I mean, it was just crazy. What do you think of that catch? And was it one of the best games we've ever seen? You know what I first thought about when that catch was made? Ironically, my first thought was not only is this an amazing game and and it is one of

the best regular season NFL games. And I know that's the whole why a you're saying regular season because if that happened in the playoffs, that legitimately would be like that. It would be the best playoff game I think we've ever seen. But the first thoughts that went through my head were, was there ever a more beneficial even trade in the history of sports. Maybe that was Stefon Diggs to the Bills for the draft pick which becomes Justin Jefferson.

They essentially traded Stefon Diggs for Justin Jefferson. Jefferson was obviously amazing in the game, sort of overshadows Digs, who had twelve catches for a hundred and eighties something yards and just a monster game from Digs as well. So that went through my mind of wow, that trade. There's

no winner or loser. You can maybe say, all right, Jefferson's younger, so slight edge to the Vikings, But somehow, to Olivia, I feel like that was the outcome, that that was right because I know the fumble is ridiculous. I get it, the fumble is absolutely ridiculous, but Kirk Cousins not getting in on fourth and goal from the

half inch line is ridiculous. That's something that probably has a one percent chance of happening, of him not getting in from twelve inches outside of the goal line, and then the fumble that it probably has a point one chance of happening. But I still, I somehow felt like the outcome was the proper outcome, if that makes any sense. No, I know what you mean to your point about the trade and the pick of Justin Jefferson. Have you seen

the video. It's the zoom video of the NFL draft when Jalen Reagor was taken one pick before Justin Jefferson. It's the Vikings like draft room because everything was still covidy, so everyone was on zoom and there faces when it's announced that they took Jalen Reagor ahead of Justin Jefferson and they all cannot believe it. And I have a friend of mine who's actually was on that staff. Now she's on the Denver Broncos, but I can see her name on the zoom part and it's really cool to see,

and I've asked her about it. I said that moment must have been pretty neat she said, we we could not believe Justin Jefferson was available, and man that that's a great moment though to bring up that trade, and ironically, Jalen Reagor's now on the Vikings. Yes, talk about living

in the upside down. Yeah, it's it and not to you know, I feel like it's kind of a cheap shot at Jalen, But yeah, Justin Jefferson in the history of Vikings receivers, which you know, he's quickly risen to probably the third greatest Viking sever of all time, and who knows what happens after he's done. It just was

a crazy week in general, so that game. But I do feel like, and I know we'll get into this, I do feel like this was storyline wise, like a slight correction to some of the crazy things that like that we've seen happen. Teams are sort of getting their act together that we expected more from, and you just wonder is it too late? Is I guess the question I was left with after this week, is it too

late for these teams that are getting their act together late? Well, like one of those teams I think you're talking about Miami Dolphins maybe or Tampa Bay San fran not Green Bay. I hate to be a hater, but I kind of think Green Bay that was a feel good win. But I don't know if it does much for him. I don't know. Er See, I'm more talking about the Green Bay the cult, the you know that sort of thing. I feel like the Dolphins are further enough ahead of

the pack and they're on a wind streak. I do feel like I do think it's over for your Packers for the most part, but I do think this is something to build off of. And now they have the Thursday night game, which I hope Peter has his say single game parlay on because this is a big one. They're playing a Titans team that's banged up. But somehow, when is all these games, Rabel has to get Coach

of the Year consideration. He just has to at this point, because I really do think he's They're winning games by toughness, depth, and him out just getting this team ready to go because they have injuries all over the place. Packers win this Thursday again, I'm not I pronounced them dead two weeks ago. I think that they're doing the w w E thing where you think they're dead and they just

sort of the undertaker rises up there. Maybe a little life there, although I don't know if Christian Watson gonna have three touchdowns ever, again, one game boy, I was. I was excited to see that for him. I've mentioned him on the show before, I covered him a lot in college and met him in person. He's an awesome kid. You know. He had such a tough start of his season with that drop. Everyone won't let him forget that drop. But with the Packers Titans Thursday night, I'm planning on going.

I'm flying back to the States this week and I was looking up the weather as I'm packing, and the high is going to be twenty nine. I think so favors the Packers. It does. It does because what I like what I saw last week against the Cowboys. The Packers finally ran the damn ball of plays were runs, which is the highest rate ever with Aaron Rodgers. Think about that all these years, highest percentage of run plays in this Dallas defense, which has been so strong, gave

up the most yards and points of the season. So there's a lot for the Packers to feel good about. But with the Titans, I mean, I'm kind of surprised, honestly that Tennessee's and underdog. There are two and a half point underdog on a short week after an emotional win for the Packers. I just I worry that Tennessee will come in here guns blazing. So keep an eye on that line. It's been moving. It was one point a couple of days ago. But yeah, that Titans defense

is good. Derrick Henry is scary um and Mike Brabowl has won five Yeah, Derrick Herry defy not someone you want to tackle when it's twenty degrees. So edge maybe to the Titans on that. But I think the Packers are such a public team, right, everyone knows Aaron Rodgers. It's such a public bet team. It is on a crazy You're right that their favored after one win, after snapping up ridiculous losing streak there now back to being favorites. That is pretty weird. Yeah, and remember they have the

Eagles the next week, so I kind of worry. I'm not saying they're gonna look forward, but they can't afford to have any kind of letdown. And yeah, it'll be a good one. I'm looking forward to to go into that one. So okay, you think the Packers it may be too little too late. Who else I think so, because I think, yeah, with them, I just think now they're gonna come up on the hardest part of your

schedule for too little too late. It's probably too little too late for the Cults, you would imagine, although with that division, who knows. And if they get a little help from the Packers this week with the you know, beating the Titans, that may help them. But I just think they're too far behind. They lost those two games when they benched Matt Ryan, which I still was just so clear about, like what is this team trying to do? Cults?

Are you trying to take and just like you're throwing in a towel or do you you just you put the other quarterback in because you could move around a little more. I mean, I know it wasn't pretty with Matt Ryan. I do love anytime there's a coaching change in her own coach whatever, you always seem to get that little pop from a team totally. So maybe that's what it was, right, Maybe that's what we saw one week pop, although it's certainly Jeff Saturday probably came in

there and was like, why isn't Matt Ryan playing. Are we trying to wit for trying? The women got playing that Ryan? Yeah? No, that's what I think. And hey, Matt Ryan looked good. I mean, and I want to get more to this. This is going to be my unleashed coming up a little bit. Yep, yep, But I wanted to ask before and leash, were you, like everyone else, a big hater of this higher because to me it almost kind of seemed like ted Lasso ish, like hiring

someone who really has no business in that role. And maybe it's just a clear we're tanking thing. And then Jeff Saturday is like, not so fast, and why are we having our veteran accomplished quarterbacks set out And let's just correct that first. I mean, were you a hater? No,

definitely wasn't a hater. I certainly understand the point. I think Bill Hour was the one who was really out in front of us of just saying like, there's other candidates who have real coaching experience that maybe should have gotten that shot. I totally respect that and agree with that. But on the flip side, the coaching part of football is so hard. Look around, Look how many Dennis Allen

is struggling. Josh Daniel is stru in Vegas, is struggle, Like there's so many struggling coaches, and then there's so many young coaches who are coming up, like Gable Sirianni, who are amazing. I think it's a crapshoot. So I don't think rolling the dice, especially on the year where if you did end up losing a lot of games through the cult, probably not the worst thing in the world if you have a really really nice draft pick. So I did, I did. I wasn't hating on it.

I certainly understand the more qualified coach. Jeff Saturday Pro Bowl, Super Bowl winner played with Peyton that was the game, and he talks about football every single week, and you knew he was gonna be good at giving speeches. He's like a polished guy. So no, it was not eating on it at all. Well again, I'll get to that in my Unleashed. A big one we haven't touched on yet was the Monday night game and you are feeling very confident because you were one of the few people

I think who had Commander's money line. Tell me about your decision there. Okay, this is an easy one. This is a throwback to a previous episode, This is so proud. As I was leaving the bet MGM offices in Jersey City right as I got onto the tunnel. So I'm back in New York and I'm looking at the lines, and I switched my account back over to New York,

because that's what you gotta do. I get a phone call from who, my sports emergency contact, Max Greenfield, and he thinks the same way as I. We think of these things as television shows. Football is a television show, So what would be a really interesting plot twist in our NFL television show. I know MGM must love this because this is probably what they want emotional betters like me doing. So he just says, look, man, there's no

way the Eagles are going undefeated. Everyone was penciling them in. I think the Commanders are good. That spread his way off. He's Max is the one who told me, and Max I'm talking to if you're listening, he said we should bet on the Commanders. I looked at it, said I love it. Let's do it, and we bet the money line. But here's where I screwed up almost and then to

shore it up. We liked them so much we did the money line for a little bit, and we were going to do the points because either way we felt like it was gonna be a close game. Maybe they lose a nail buyer, so we can hedge a little bit by taking the points. Cut to last night's game washed great, we were I'm so proud. It's his proudest moment ever. He's so happy, right, I didn't even know this the whole entire time. Instead of clicking the point

spread for the Commanders, I accidentally clicked over. As you saw, I think I sent you the bet slip. So the whole time we're watching the game thinking we have commander's money line and the Commander's points, and we had Commander's money line and the over was gratefully hit. I almost screwed us out of an amazing commander's victory. Who are now getting Chase Um back? And I'm on, I know last year he didn't finish up so well, and but still at one point was dominant in his rookie campaign.

Can we say the NFC East is just loaded at this point? Fair to say? Fair? Yeah? I was looking the overclosed at forty three and a half. It kept dropping closer to game time and can you believe this one of bets on the total coming from the state of Pennsylvania. We're on the over, so a lot of people catching it on that final score one Monday night thriller.

I I still I'm very proud of you, Jerry. That was This is one of the reasons to host this show, that you can come on and brag about your good play. Eagles were an eleven point favorite, by the way, but sixty six percent of bets were on the Commanders, but just of the money. So interesting night for for all the bettors out there. Yeah, Max Greenfield gets all the credit. I cannot take credit. And in our text he says, Jerry, thank you for supporting me. No one has ever supported

me like you just did. I just supported his vision. Commanders was Max Greenfield's vision. I was just a supporter and a vehicle to support that division. But all that was fun last night. Do you think because the news of the Commanders being up for sale had anything to do with that? Like, do you think that inspired something? I certainly think so. And look, whatever your feelings are about Ron Rivera as a coach, if you just look at his history, they've never been terrible and everyone has

sort of written him off as terrible. I think something happened when Carson Wentz left the lineup and Taylor Heienek came in. Whatever you think of Taylor Heiink's talent, you know, that could be a separate discussion. But one thing is the team is playing hard for him. They have weapons, They have two really good running backs. They have a bona fide number one wide receiver does not get a lot of credit because his number, he doesn't do the twelve for one ninety with a one armed catch all

the time. He Terry McLaurin is great, and uh everyone counting them out. This was by far a look at terrible spot for the Eagles because they were probably looking ahead, and great spot for the Commanders because everyone was probably looking as well. For the Eagles, their season win total is eight and a half, so win Monday night would have put them over. I know a lot of people took that bet. They were kind of preseason Darling's I feel like everyone was loving the Eagles preseason. Um, they'll

have to wait another week. And like we mentioned, they faced the Colts, which should be a win. It should, But what do you think I don't know. Oh listen, if Jeff Saturday and Matt Ryan of Saving Private Ryan is back in play for the Cults with Matt Ryan and they win this game, talking heads on every network their hEDS are going to explode. Is to be exploding talking heads of Jeff Saturday's two and oh with a win against everyone's Super Bowl Darling Philadelphia Eagles, forget it.

People will lose their minds. And that's the TV show part of the NFL that very well could happen. Okay, so now one more thing. I've got to get your opinion on the Bills. I think people are over acting a bit. They've lost two in a row, they dropped a third in the n f C East. They started six and one. Of course, here's what I think the problem is when I watched this team is they're not finishing games. They're being too aggressive, and they're asking too

much of Josh Allen. Like he had the three turnovers we're in the fourth quarter and overtime. Obviously those were so costly they led to scores or they ended the game for him. But like, where was Devin Singletary at the end. He was having such a nice game and then they just turn off the taps. It's a great point.

He was having a nice game, and that really has been what has happened so much too really really good teams obviously, and in the NFL as a whole is who has enough of a running game to run this clock out with this leads. Actually, what the Giants have been doing so well is either hanging close in games with the running game or when getting the lead, just controlling the clock and the tempo and the tone with the running game. The Bills got away from it for

whatever reason, who knows why. And Josh Allen is a great You look, we saw a little bit of like the three year Josh Allen three four years ago where you saw the amazing play mixed the turnover. You gotta start thinking about that elbow, and you know, I'm sure he wouldn't be out there if he couldn't play. I just think he chalked it up to Look, the guy had a bad game, maybe at two bad games back. His red zone play in the last two games has

been really really bad. But you know, a cure is all playing the Browns and that's who they have on the schedule next week and after that the Lions on Thursday night and then Patriots and then Jets. I mean they should go at least three and one in that stretch, you would think. Although the Lion talking, we talked about my bets and I had an amazing parlay that was like stamped as a winner until it wasn't. I think

I was all over the Steelers. Another great spot for a team, and I did all the research with the Steelers. Tomlin off a by is like ten five and one? Is it just twelve and four? I just think when Tomlin has time to prepare, regardless of the team he has, that team deserves your money as a bat. If he has two weeks to prepare for a team, whether it's Week one opening up or off of by, you got t J. Watt back cause havoc. That's I'm saying somebody.

The Steelers might be that other team we were talking about earlier that can they kind of position themselves to get there too, t J. Watt healthy playing makes all the difference in the world. I don't know. It might be a long shot, But back to my original point. I had Steelers, I had Dolphins, I had the Bears, and I had the Bills, all money lines. So at one point this ticket was stamped. Every team was leading by two scores in the fourth quarter and the Bears.

What happened there was just disgusting. That was absolutely terrible. That one hurt. That one hurt. Also why that Bills Vikings game is kind of in my mind? Now, what do we think of the Vikings moving forward from a betting perspect Because they've won seventh straight by one possession, that they are now eight in one, their best start in thirteen years, YadA, YadA, YadA. But I mean eight and one, they could be God, what could what could their worst record be right now? I I think could

probably be five and four. I think, if if not worse. I mean, they were in a seven teen point whole in the third quarter and like you said, it felt like the right team one. It did. But I sure get a little gunshy betting those Vikings moving forward. It's hard I think for the Vikings bet wise going forward. Obviously, you might just have to be willing to lay the odds and bet the money line because for them, the cover, you're just what you're doing to your heart is probably

not good for your health. Yeah, it's just them to cover is always going to be an adventure, but them to win. They've figured out ways to win. And uh, you know, I love the Hockinson trade. Loved because I have him in fantasy. Begrudgingly that I'm still in fantasy. When he was with the Lions and they just never looked at him at all unless I'm on Ross and

Brown was out Goff never looked at Hockinson. And when he did get looks, he would produce that was that might go back to be one of the biggest moves of the year. That Hockinson trade is seven another weapon. Now, Yeah, incredible trade, perfect timing, everything good, mostly good for Hockinson. At the end of the day, imagine that call from your agent. You're like, hell, yeah, yeah, that looks like a fun team plane. If you're gonna say, hey, what's the best team plane, you know, I mean, it's the

only one we're really seeing. But then flight, Yeah, that's like a fun flight back from Buffalo. I'm sure that's probably the best flight maybe back from Buffalo. So Hockinson and the Vikings they have the Cowboys next. We will preview that game later in the show with Peter Andrew, but it is time to unleaks all right, Jerry, I told you my Unleashed was going to be about Jeff Saturday and the Colts, and I already mentioned it kind

of felt like a ted Lasso hiring. And if you don't watch ted Lasso, it's basically a team in the Premier League soccer is trying to tank and for a lot of reasons, if you don't watch ted Lasso, you shouldn't be listening to this any longer. You should go to your TV right now and watch ted Lasso. It's the best show ever. But it felt like that because it felt like kind of a hail Mary pass that you're not even thinking they'll get caught. But this week

he proved otherwise. And I thought someone who kind of summed it up well was Dan Rulovsky, ESPN analyst. We've had him on the show. That's a great episode if you want to go back a couple of months. But I loved his tweet. He said, what a disrespectful, embarrassing, entitled, unproven, inexperienced win by Jeff Saturday. Of course he's punching back to all the pundits who are criticizing the move. In fact, Bill Cower said it's a disgrace to the coaching profession.

So you know a lot of people thought it was like they were trying to do the wrong thing here, trying to tank the bench, Matt Ryan, the whole thing. Like I said, with Matt Ryan, I love putting him back in. You know, why do you bring in this guy who's a veteran who's accomplished and benching for Sam Ellinger? Like it was a very bold decision. I think outsiders, which deep Saturday at this point was an outsider was like,

what are you doing? Like, you know, he may struggle a bit, but ultimately he's your best chance to win. And he had a great day, a touchdown, no interceptions. Maybe more surprising, Matt Ryan rushed for thirty eight in a touchdown as well, so that was the most he's ever rushed I think ever thirty eight yards. So the final scoring drive to that Matt Ryan lad was really impressive. One of the better games of the day of the weekend, and I think it was a really feel good moment.

We mentioned earlier. It might just be a little spark that a struggling team needed, but overall, I don't think it was a horrible higher because if it's someone just to kind of get you through, get you to the finish line. What an inspirational, excitable person. And I thought, for someone who speak so much about the NFL and has been in locker rooms, been in film rooms, been around equipment staff, he knows how to lead men, which are his works exactly, And I think it's kind of

a feel good thing for the NFL. And I don't hate the higher In fact, I kind of like it. You know what I like about it. He was just on TV two weeks ago talking trash about the Raiders and then he's coaching against the Raiders two weeks later, So talk about putting your money where your mouth is. I love it for that. So good, that's a good unleashed I have one if you're interested. I'm kind of starting to get a little repetitive, and I have a

different spin on it. Mine is I went off last week about Tyreek Hill and how he should get some m v P consideration, which he won't, but I said

he should get at least one vote. We're in some dangerous territory with the NFL awards, particularly the m v P, because the way I see it, there's like two and a half good quarterbacks in the entire NFL right now, and it's Patrick Well, it's it's it's Josh Allen when he has a full U c L you know, like that, like I am taking off some points because he's hurt, and then speaking of her, it's Jalen hurts really and

who just lost the commanders. So what I'm getting at is, if we really don't start opening up this award or opening up our eyes to say this cannot be just a quarterback award. I think Offensive Player of the Year.

Let that be the quarterback award instead of taking every receiver, every tight end, every running back and basically saying you guys are out for m v P and obviously defensive players are out, which I'm fine with for the most part, because justin Jefferson, if he doesn't deserve m v P talk real m v P t off, not like, hey, he's like the seventh highest odds that I don't know what we're doing here. He made a fourth down catch that's one of just the best catches in general that

you'll ever see, regardless of circumstances. He did that on fourth down. How does Kirk Cousins have better m VP ods than Justin Jefferson. When Justin Jefferson made that catch on a bad pass, so I really do I did it about Tyreek and now I'm doing about Justin Jefferson. We have to rethink this guy's make the quarterback position, the player of the Year award or were else. We're gonna see Matt pat Mahomes nine years in r L is what's going to happen, and we're gonna get so

bored that we're gonna get so bored of it. Then that's where we're gonna start to see like, oh, I guess we could, uh, you know, sort of make the case for Kirk Cousins. No, we should make the case for Justin Jefferson. I'm with you, especially when you boil it down to that play. The receiving end of that play was what made it good, unleashed very good. Okay, let's switch gears from football to football. I'm here in London and things have been gearing up for the World

Cup since I mean I got here in August. Every bihar and restaurant has all these signs, Darry, book your table now for the matches. Blah blah. It is life over here which has been really fun to absorb. But as this is a very American listenership, I assume on this podcast we realize sometimes we need some help when it comes to soccer. It's also very fun to bed onto. So to help get you ready, we've got an interview

with former US men's national team goalkeeper Tim Howard. He helped lead the US men's team to the round of sixteen twice and has a World Cup record of sixteen saves in a single game. Oh my gosh, let's bring in Tim Howard. All right, I'm very excited to bring in the person who was the last to play goalkeeper for the US men's national team in the World Cup,

most wins of any goalkeeper in US men's history. He bought all of America to their feet, the Secretary of Defense, Tim Howard, thank you so much for taking the time and being here. It is my pleasure. I appreciate you. So I can't wait to talk about the World Cup. But I do want to ask you something. I'm a big football guy. I've been ranting and raving all year on this show about how NFL kickers are just driving me nuts. They're ruining all my bets, they're ruining in

the playoffs scenarios. I gotta tell me, like, if a team gave you a call right now said hey too, could you come just we need you for like a playoff run, No chance. My buddy, My buddy is a kicker in the NFL, and and he says to me, like I asked him dumb questions, right, and I'm just like, what changes Like He's like, well, He's like, bro, the variables change, win changes in the second half, and he's like the coach will asked me, how how long can I kick? You know how far? And I'm like, that's

not the job I want. Man, goalkeeper was bad enough. The kicker, no chick. Well, you know it gets me about it is you know, we we took the extra point, which used to be something we never really thought about because it was an automatic thing, and the NFL just thought, hey, let's move this back and make it more complicated. I just don't understand We're trying to promote an offense and

let's make it more difficult. So that's my own personal beef. Now, I don't know what your feelings are for this kind of time a year, you know, the World Cup set to begin, and do you just get a rush of memories because we all do as fans who watched you all those years. Just all those memories, the chills come back. You know, what are your thoughts as it's getting ready to go, Well, Jerry's interesting, right, Like, I'm forty three

years old. Now this is the first time I can actually sit back and be a fan, drink beers, enjoy it. Like missed the tragic miss of two thousand eighteen. I was part of that team, went to three World Cups prior to that, and then every World Cup before then. I was just this kid like with stars and I was like, maybe I could do that one day, Maybe I could do that when day one day. So this is the first time that I've ever gone. I don't

want to do it. I've done it. I just want to enjoy the boys and cheer them on and drink beers and go crazy and live the highs and lows, which you know is going to happen over the next month. Yeah. So look, there's so many memories to talk about. Obviously, the thing that always stood out for me it was

almost like a single head. I know you're playing a team sport, but single handedly you had us all we we were just screaming, and you know, not to say underdog mentality, but you really get the sense that you you guys all believe right, Like when you're going on a run like that, what are you guys saying in between these games? Because you're kind of shocking everybody in the way, but you're probably not shocking yourselves. You guys know how talented you were? No we we we were.

I was a talented group and was a fourteen And I think that what ends up happening is you just

you start to get a rhythm. You know, you get a rhythm going in going into the World Cup in regards training and games, and then you know, you get all the nerves and you play well in the first game, you get that dramatic winner against Ghana, and then like it kind of snowballs and it really is over the course of the tournament you begin to gain momentum, and Jerry, you know what it's like when you are playing really well. You don't ask questions. You don't go back to the

hotel and go why do replace the wall? You just go, I like this feeling, I'm gonna bottle it whatever I for dinner night before and I eat that again, like you don't question it, right, it's just this momentum. And then with even within games, even within the ninety minutes of games, you go through these spells where yeah, okay, you're defending for your life and you're making some blocks and you get a few chances, you're like, we're in thing,

and so now your momentum grows. Even within the ninety minutes. It's fun to be a part of what it's going. Well, you kind of mentioned not necessarily superstitions, but yeah, I'm with you. Even like I even go back to high school basketball, like if a guy was on a heater, like, don't even look at them, just let him go. Uh, were you or anyone other think was there superstitions going? As a fan, I'm superstitious if I'm sitting on a certain spot in the couch and you guys go up one, Oh,

I can't leave this spot on the couch. So do you guys have you guys have superstitions going? I'm very superstitious. As a team, I don't think we had many, and I don't know if you find a ton within teams, but individually, yeah, individually, there's a ton of superstitions you know, the way the way a guy warms up, what playlist he's listening to, what do he eats for his meal? For me, I was always a right hand, right foot

dominant kind of guy. So I was always put my right sock on, my right glove on before you know time, I right shoot, all that kind of stuff. Or so yeah, it's it's again, it's whatever works. Yeah, I I as a fan, I do the same things. I can only imagine what it's like when you're playing in the world up of like, yeah, I gotta I've actually driven like out of my way to go get like the hat that I needed to get because the un for sure.

So I always wanted to ask you this if I ever had the chance to, because it's just so fascinating to me. If you're playing, you know, you're playing a game of your life, but it's you know, your team is just not scoring, Like what's going through your mind when like, you know you're on point and the team's playing well, you just can't. Are you in your minds and just score? Just get me one and it's over, or you just you're in a different zone of I

gotta do my job. No, that's right there, are times where a lot of times where I'm like, we you know, you can feel the momentum of the game against you. You're thinking this, this Levey is gonna break at some point, like we have to get one and you and you can relay that message, like, you know, either get everybody back and let's defend for this next five or ten minutes, or hey, we have to try and expose ourselves and get a goal because this isn't feeling like it's gonna

end well, so keep pushing forward. But you can relay that message, you know, through communication, and it does happen quite a lot. You know, we're just talking football at the top. I'm a basketball we're talking off air that we're both Knicks fans, so we have a little bit of a tortured history with that. And you know, we'll talk about flopping in soccer. I think flopping in basketball has actually gotten way worse. I mean soccer, it could be almost comical, but I don't know, you watch a

lot of basketball. Has basketball caught up the soccer in that regard at all? No, not not really, but you see it way more. I mean, I mean the gone of the days of the mid nineties and the Pistons, and and and the Bulls where and Nick that tough nixt team that could never quite get over to hunt. But you have to earn everything, and so flopping got into the game. I'm a big proponent of it. And here's why. I have a job to do. You have a job to do. You know what has a job

to do, the referees. So I'm a big fan of always trying to get an edge playing on that line of not cheating, but playing on that line of is this fare or is it not? And let the referee handle it. And if it's a flop, it's a flop. If it's a tech, you get a tech, and if you do it too many times, you get you know, get tossed out. It's the same as the yellow card

and soccer. I've always been a proponent of if you're in the penalty area and you feel contact, go down, if it's a dive, the refere is gonna give you a yellow card. Now you gotta put the rest of the game, and you gotta be careful. I think the reward far outweighs, you know, the negativity, So I'm I'm okay with it. Referees have a job to do. Yeah, and sometimes they do it really well, and uh sometimes

you could pool them quite off. Any other sports for you coming up, like or if there's another sport you could have played? I know, I know, obviously you've had such an amazing career, so it's hard to think of you playing another sport. But I'm what I love about athletes at your level. It's like, yeah, you hear you see we all watch what you do on the biggest stage. But it's like, yeah, oh yeah, you're also like an unbelievable basketball players just didn't have the time to do it,

you know. Or is it just always soccer for you? Wos was my first love still is? I mean, you know, I'm a season ticket holder down in Memphish for the Grizzlies, um because my kids are down there and I love it. My best friend is the assistant GM in Minnesota Timberwolves, so I'm like, yeah, I'm all in. That's all. I could watch basketball all day. I love it, you know. That's that's that's my first love. I just love the It's just so fast, you know, when you're goal keep

you sit back there for ninety minutes. It's like it's a bit boring. We're US ball coming up playing It was like up and down offense defense transition. I loved it. Okay, we're gonna we're gonna talk some World Cup now with if that's all right with you, and I'll let you get back to to what you got going on. So you know, we are a batting show. But I don't ever really ask people to make their picks if they're

not comfortable with that, you know. But just looking at odds and obviously the favorites, and it's no big surprise, you know, Brazil right now is a plus four hundred favorite, Argentina's plus five hundred, Rance plus six hundred. So of those three, is there one that you would say this team would maybe have the most to do to get there? Yeah, oddly enough, with those three teams, I'm going to dissect them very quickly just so I can lead to who I want to win the World Cup and because that's

where I was going to after. Yeah, so Brazil. Brazil is a favorite, right But again I talked about playing in World Cups, missing a World Cup, watching World Cups. Brazil's always just some dominant They've got these like names in every position, like oh, my god, these guys. This Brazil team doesn't feel as dominant to me. Now, bite my tongue. That's blasphemous, right, It just doesn't feel it

doesn't have the same gravitas as past teams. Yet they are the favorite because on merit they are really really good and they're incredibly deep, you know, in terms of positions, and you need that to go through seven games, you know, the World Cup. But they don't overawe me. That doesn't mean they won't win. I think they probably are the favorites. France, who have been incredible over the last World Cup Euros that that's like they've been dominant. They've got a couple

of injuries and I think their key injuries. Can they be overcome Yes, because they have brilliant players. I just think the injuries are going to hinder them a little bit. And also the problem there is when you've been a group of players that's so dominant, right. It's why the Golden State Warriors are amazing, is it's hard to repeat. It's hard to keep doing it because you know, you know what it takes to climbing the mountain top and then you get in that tough moment and You're like,

I really want to dig deep again. I've done this. Brazil, on the other hand, is different because they continually churn out new generations, right, so these aren't the same players that have won anything, right, they haven't won that the massive prize yet, so these are all new. It's gonna be fresh for me. It's Argentina. And here's why I think certain certain stories need an ending, and they need a fairytale ending. The end usually doesn't end well for

for most people, actors, athletes, anybody. And then put Messi. I mean, you talk about the greatest player possibly in the history. I know there's a list of call at four between Pele, Marridonna, Ronaldo and Messi, but he's arguably the greatest player of all time. And like to go out with the World Cup victory for Argentina, a country, by the way, which only ever measures him against Maradonna, and Maridonna won the World Cup. So it's a god figure with a godlike figure, and can he bring that,

let let that playing field level. It's a story for me that I just think it would cap this generation. So yeah, what you know, I mentioned odds to you and all that stuff, and I always say on the show, like with my betting, and I bet for entertainment. I'm by no means a pro, but I just like the storyline. I'm an emotional better in the way like and maybe it's because I'm an actor in the right her and I try to like see the story as a script.

Like even with that, you know, with that Commander's Eagles game last week, I had I was big on the Commanders because I just like everyone penciled the Eagles and to go undefeated. Why that's only happened twice, and I just felt like it was a fall asleep game. So I'm with you on on the storyline part of it, and I know the world's gonna be watching that maybe thinking the same thing. Let's shift to good old USA here for a minute, because you know, and the first game,

the first games are so important. Who you draw England that went against Ghana? So can the US beat Wales in that first game? It's a tough draw for the first game, and you know, what do you see, Like what's their path to victory in that first game? They can go either way. I think they can get out of the group, and I think they could also not. And that's not me being on defense. I'll tell you what I think in a group format, four points can

get you out of the group. Not guarantee you get a group, but it could get you out of the group five but four points and get you out of the group. And we've seen that the course of time. I like the way that the group is laid out. Because the England game, I don't I don't think they get anything from the game. I don't think they win the Engla okay, but you need motivation to go into

that last game against Iran. If the US can take a draw or win three points or one point against Wales, which I think is very possible, then that allows them to go into the England game play well, keep the goal difference down, not feel like they have to win, but come out of that with motivation saying, hey, we if we win this game against Iran, we go through, right or we have a really good likelihood of going through.

Because I've been a part of teams where you get to that last game, it's like, well, we need a miracle to happen and we have to win by eight and the other teams have to lose by twenty. You know, it's just it's just crazy scenarios. So I like the matchup of I think the most evenly matchup in the group is actually Wales in USA, So I'm excited about it. And again it's that first you know, you'll never be more motivated than you will for first the first game in the World Cup, so you know that is on

our side. Is there a group that sticks out to you like that's that that's a hell group? Right? There? Is there one that just stinks out to you? Or is it all all gonna be just tough no matter

what group here? Well, I think that you know, there's always there's always this, you know, the common theme in the World Cup of like the group of death, and I don't think that there's you know, from listening to a few people talking kind of going over the groups, there doesn't seem to really be that one stile there's always a standout group and there's there may be one or two, but nothing nothing like we've really seen in

the past. And so you know, again I look at certain groups where I think there could be some upsets there and I don't really get that feeling with this World Cup. For me, the US is always the pre eminent focus and I look at everybody because of how many US players have gone over to England and and done that. There's that there's that massive battle between US and England, which literally all of America is waiting for. So that's the exciting one for me. Yeah, it's always

hard to believe. And you really sit down and think about like the history of the world, like only eight, you know, only eight countries of one a World Cup, you know, so you start looking at teams, you know, Germany, Brazil, all Spain. It's almost like it's gonna happen at some point. I feel like we might get we might get close this year, you know. I like what you said about Argentina, and I think that would be a really interesting team to be the ninth, the ninth country to do it.

I wouldn't be doing my job of it. And I ask you, is there a goalkeeper that's like standing out? I mean with you know, you know the goalkeepers obviously, is there one that just like this guy gets hot to really carry this team for the US or at the World Cup in general. At the word we can go US or World both. But if if it's not US, I feel free to go somewhere else, No, I think I think that you know, to answer the question directly, I think Tibo Courtois for for Belgium. He is someone

who that this is Belgium's golden generation. They should have won things. They haven't. They probably stumbled, but they're brilliant. They're brilliant. Now that this team has is really seasoned, the young players that we played against into those fourteen and our veterans that they want everything in the world except the World Cup. So like now it's time for

them to really put the right foot forward. And Courtois is a goalkeeper, played at Chelsea, highly touted, played it, plays it real Madrid, and it was a while where he was just kind of steady for world class cookie just kind of steady, wasn't doing anything that was just that just blew your mind. And he started to come into that now and he started to mature into that.

And I really look at Belgian think if they're the dark horse, if they're really really able to fulfill their full potential, he's going to have to have absolutely monumental tournment and he's capable of it. Yeah. We talked about storylines, you know, and your sort of storyline and You're You're run is arguably my favorite ever, but that would be a situation where it could be a similar sort of run. I love it. I can't wait, like I'm kind of counting down the days. But you really caught me off.

Are talking about the Knicks, and I didn't I knew you like the basketball, didn't know if you were like Knicks. I didn't factor you for a Nets guy, because I I don't know how people just moved to New York, like I like the Nets. Let's let's do two minutes on the Nick. Shall we fool with that? Just try to take every advantage while I ad for my sins. I grew up in New Jersey. It was the old Brendan Burner and the Nets. It was the old Nets stuff. It was the old Derrek Coleman net like they weren't

good so like tea. Yeah, and you know what I always say, So for you growing up in Jersey. Of course, if you're a Nets fan, that totally makes sense. You could follow the teams. I always try to ask people, you know, like, what would you do if you were a Brooklyn Dodgers fan back in the day and then they just moved to l a so because I fall in love with the franchise, so I would have probably stuck with the l A Dodgers. I could see myself

doing that. But if you have no if you lived in New York and rooted for the Knicks and then they become the Brooklyn Nets and you just switch over because now they got Katie and Ben Simmons and Kyrie, that was always weird, but you could have did it because you're a Jersey guy for sure. Our New York Knicks, who you know, they're now seven and seven when we're taping this, and I still believe I still think there's like a path to again. I just want some playoff games.

I want to talk about playoff games the same way

we're talking about the World Cup. But we're in that danger zone of you know, you're not going to be quite a playoff team, but you're not gonna be the worst team in the league, so you can do you have any feelings on what you've seen through fifteen games in the next I was reading today about about Tims being on the hot seat, which is maybe unfair, but it's also New York, so that that there's you know, everything goes or anything goes and I was at the

Orlando Magic game early in the season, and uh really like Julius Randall against seeing him live, and of course I've seen him before, but you know, I think Jayalen Brunson adds an incredible dynamic at the point guard position, and I feel like the next always have to have a dynamic point guard. You know, it upsets me, It hurts my heart. I will say that the greatest place to play in the world was New York, the greatest arena to play in the world. I didn't say that.

Jordan's said that. Kobe said that it's the greatest place to play in the world. And with the money that gets thrown around the NBA that the Knicks have also thrown around with free agency, with big threes and and guys getting their summer basketball buddies to come sign free agents, it's baffling to me, utterly baffle. And I know all the reasons, you can tell me all the reasons. I know. I'm it's baffling that we don't have a I don't know Jerry called a top twenty player in the NBA.

Is that is that too much of rendy? More than that, like, how do how do we think it's more at this point. Yeah, yeah, it's more so like how it hurts it hurts my heart. Yeah, I'm completely with you. I always say that's why I think people, you know, people always get a little hard on Mellow when he was here and there wasn't a whole lot of success, And I get that, but I always pushed back a little bit because I say, and this is kind of a great question to end on.

I say, Mellow accepted the challenge now because he was a top ten player at that moment when he came here. And you've played on some of the biggest stages in the world. You can't even basketball is a global sport. You've played on the biggest stages in the world. You know, as an athlete, you know what comes of that, and coming to play at Madison Square Card and you're saying, I want to play on the biggest stage in basketball

and everything that comes with it. I'm going to be the guy that you could look at first good or bad. And I imagine for you, you know, like I said, you've played on the biggest stage ever. There's probably some guys that don't love being on the biggest stage in the world. They love to play, but you know it doesn't not everyone. I say, I mean, I'm with you.

I don't accept the criticism of Mellow. He came to the Knicks, he won a scoring title by the way, he literally single handedly put the team on his big, broad shoulders, and like, that's not on him that the team wasn't built around him enough to have success. And so look, I understand the question. The question is, and that's right, and I think it's for as we we build up these players to be herculean, to be bigger

than they are. And sometimes there is there's a psyche involved that says, like, not everybody can be Derek Jeter in handle New York the way Derek Jeter hand in New York, right, And so it's a tough place, and there's some more comfortable places where you can be a superstar, bring some of your buddies and not have the scrutiny of always being on the back page. Like I get that, I get that. But for me, if you're a competitive athlete, warrior, New York is the place you want to be winner, lose,

succeed or fail. That's what you want to be. I always say, yeah, I think a champion ship with the Knicks is worth three anywhere else. In my opinion, I think if you get one for the Knicks, that's basically three with any other thing. I I love that we just talked Nicks and I have I have you here and like I we only did like fifteen minutes on the World Cup. That's probably bad for me. But where will you be watching? Like what will be your this? You get to kind of sit back, like you said,

you know, are you gonna be watching? What's going to be your process of just Yeah, I'm doing a couple of watch parties in the city at a few bars, so and that'd be that'll be fun because it's all be just us to the gills. It's gonna be wild, and we're gonna don't wear your nicest clothes because it will be beer spilled on. You want to score. So that's pretty cool. I think the first game, I'm not sure where we're all. I'll I'll be in front of my television on the couch. I'm just not sure what

city is. Wow, listen if I show up at one of these watch parties and I'm telling the bounces like I just talked to Tim, like last week you gotta like they'll let me in, right, We'll do it old school. We'll get you around the side door. Don't worry. Well, listen, I can't thank you enough for taking the time. We're really excited to talk to you. I hope you'll maybe come back on one of these days. If you get more time, you can talk Nick. Obviously we could recap

some World Cup stuff, but uh yeah, go Usa. Thank you for taking the time anytime you want me on him man, thank you. Appreciate you guys. Yeah, yeah, Okay, I'm loving where I'm at an entrage right now because dear you guys are finally trying to go to Can. And you know what I keep noticing in the show, no one can agree on the pronunciation. Everyone's calling it con cans can. Was that ever discussed, like everyone just called this or is that kind of a part of

the joke. Well, it became part of the joke, but legitimately, no one knew how to pronounce it. Is it con as it can? We really didn't know. Everyone said it different. We you know now, you know now, but that we even it a beat with Snoop. I don't remember the Snoop cameo where we run into the restaurant and he says like, hey, congratulations on Can or is it con and we're like, nobody knows that? And Metayana that we

were saying like Medeon. We screwed that one up for I don't know how many months before someone actually correct us, like it's like metayan or metajane. So yeah, but no, we still I still honestly don't quite know how to pronounce its can. The reason I know this is I was studying abroad in college and I went to a city in France called con c a e n Ah, they wouldn't name two, and I was like, oh my god the rest of my life, I'm never going to

forget that. It's Can Film Festival. Anyways, it's really interesting with the you guys are trying to leave l A X and there's a terrorist threat and all that. I was trying to think based on what year it was, was that happening in real life? No, so that was I guess that was probably two thousand eight. So if you really think back, we were, you know, five six years removed from nine eleven, but still like when you went to an airport and I guess when you're still

going to an airport. You know, Obviously people have their thoughts, so that's sort of came from that. But they just really needed a reason for us to get delete at the air but they wanted to make us getting to can as difficult as possible, and I guess that was the easiest way where it wasn't just war, wasn't so solvable, you know, so and to add a little bit of for sure. So that's the one you're up to. Huh yeah,

and uh so you guys are headed out. And then one other part that happened in the episode before this is when you pick up these girls and you're supposed to have this amazing weed, but you guys get pulled over and there's one girl who you like, aren't messing with and you you guys are like sparring in the car and it was cracking me up. Like the lines in that scene were very, very funny, but I was just I was just laughing. And then you get pulled

over and he says, what's that smell? And you have to get out of the car and he says, throw it down the sewer and then I'll let you go. And you're like, oh man, because you had gotten these girls right, and so you dropped down the sewer. You get back in the car, and then you go back and you had left it on a ledge. I mean, I just I love this scene. I love when it's like you just your scene that girl, I mean woman, I mean back then, I feel like we were all kids,

boys and girls because we were so young. She was great, she and it really I don't know if that was like as really as scripted, how hard we were like going at each other. I think she just brought that to the table and I rolled with it and became a cool dynamic. Look any time my character did anything with weed, I think that always just clicked for people. And um, yeah, like the grabbing it off the ledge, the cop pull in your me getting on the ground

like what are you gonna shoot me? Right? It just was all of that time. It was a lot of It was a lot of fun to shoot that one. So you saw us trying to get the can right. You saw that episode, So you saw how we got the can right with Kanye? Is that you up to that? I got we gotta stop this, Let's see all right,

Well let's stop here. I'd just ruined the whole episode. No, Well, no, now I know what I'm doing tonight and I oh, man, I bet can you just now that you've mentioned that he's coming, can you just say, do you have a Kanye story? All I'll say about it? And God, I can't believe I'm spoiling the upisode for you. And look, obviously he is widely talked about. This was you know, a solid twelve years ago. So this is whatever your stanzas are on Kanye. Not trying to do that right now.

All I'll say is what was really cool about that episode with him coming on is his song The Good Life, which is one of my favorite so that he's ever made. You know, we debuted it on the show. It is the closing credits the show. So the first time people hear the song for the most part is on on Entourage, which I thought was pretty cool back then, back in that day before the Spotify's and all that stuff. That's how that song was initially released. So there you go.

I I totally I guess we don't have to do Entourage next week because I just did it right now. Well, I mean, how was he on set? And he was huge at this time? He was great. I wouldn't say he was. He was he he was just like it was. He was still very much on the ascent. You know. He hadn't like leveled out to have that thirty for you. He was on the way up. But he was. He was great. He was happy to be there. He was cool to work with, was down the play around with

the scenes and poke a little fun with him. So it was a great experience. Twelve years ago. Oh that's awesome. Don't worry. You're not gonna get canceled for enjoying a little time with Kanye. But just say again twelve years ago. Okay, well that gives me a lot to look forward to. I'll watch tonight and then next week we might even revisit this a little bit more. But yeah, good episode,

good week of it. Okay, it's everyone's favorite segment where we bring in bet MG him betting expert Peter Andrew, who's looking very sharp today. I may add a nice cable net sweater. His hair is all done. Nice. Are you going on a date? After this? Where are you going? No date? The big bosses are in town today, so I gotta look somewhat presented. I can't be wearing my normal hat or making fun of Olivia wearing Niners gear and so looking for it's usually in Niners jersey. Yeah,

so you're looking really good today. I should be wearing after that, after that big dub that I was a part of their in in San Francis, a big win. Boys look good in the second half. So I'm in a good mood today. You like Jimmy G leading this team, don't you. I think I've said it before. Jimmy more capable to lead this team now, Trey, We'll see you in the future. I don't know, but for now it's Jimmy G's team. He's got the weapons for sure. Okay,

let's look back at your picks from last week. I always want you to do the honors before we look ahead to Thursday night. Let's go over your picks from last week. Yeah, so the teaser let me down on a couple of different legs. Um, So the big one last week losing the tea are Eagles huge upset. I mean, it was obviously great for the book, bad for the picks. So the teaser failed me. But I did tell everybody Vikings plus six and a half close to Game of

the Year. I mean, incredible game, back and forth, the the catches, the fumble at the one, Josh Allen just didn't look right. He obviously took a big hit off the interception, So we we want a couple of bucks there. We were down a few units, but I think we're trending in the right direction had that single bat. I'm gonna say it again, I feel good about this one game parlay this week. One of these days it's gonna hit. We're gonna make all our money back that it hasn't

hit from these one unit plays. I think this is the one this week. Are thes Are the Packers back? We're seeing him on Thursday. Olivia is trying to contain herself because they got one win. Are the Packers back? And how much does that factor into your your parlay? Is what I'd love to hear. They're kind of back, but I haven't put the result in this and we'll get into second. And also I've kind of faded the Cowboys because they just didn't look good. Packers like the Bucks,

there's chances for them slip in. I mean, we all know the Bucks are going to win the division now, it's just it's a guarantee based off the way that division goes, and there's obviously still slots for the Packers to come back. I think there maybe a game or two out of the last wild card spot right with the Commanders, So they're right there in the thick of things. They're not going to catch the bikes, but there's plenty of wide open spots, especially with some big injuries in

the NFL, rams are likely out of it. Cards do not look good. So and the NFC Beast has three out of four teams in right now. We'll see if that sustains too. Yeah, let's let's get into this Thursday night one game parlay, because as I'm looking at it, first, you have a couple of rushing props with Aaron Jones, who is all faithful. I mean, gotta love Aaron Jones.

You have any time touchdown and over fifty four and a half yards, and last week he had I'm looking that up right now on the fifty four and a half, I like that. I think what the stats are is if he gets over eighteen rush, she's a game. He's guaranteed over a hundred yards. That's just been the case all season long. If last week's not an indicator, there, I don't know what is and he's done this against

some pretty formidable teams. Do we did against the Bills a couple of weeks back to So just give him the ball, let them run play action, let Rogers do his thing. But I took him so over fifty four and a half, and I took him to score any time. I think they run their offense around him, and they're starting to realize that's what they need to do. I think with that said, Rogers over to twenty four and a half in terms of passing yards, I think it does open up the play action. You're starting to see

some of these targets come to play Watson specifically. You know, I don't know if they win, and that's why I didn't put that into one game parlay, but I like them to keep this close. And then speaking of old faithful Derrick Henry, so anytime touchdown over seventy nine and a half yards, again, that's going to be under his average.

So I took an alternate line there. So between those five things plus seven hundred, so that's a one unit play ten dollars returns eighty including the stake there um, So I feel good keeping in in kind of the workhorses, and then just Roger's getting back to normal juniors thing. I think a pretty easy target there. That was his exact passing number last week, and he only attempted twenty passes. It felt like watching the game, it felt like he barely threw it, you know what I mean. It was

it was sixty percent run plays, which was fantastic. That's what Packer fans like to see. All right, what else you got? So gone with? Now my usual teaser here first one really really like this. I've teased down the under forty six and a half too, under fifty two and a half in the Lions Giants game. So Giants have only hit that total once this season. Every other game has been under that amount. I think actually most of them have been under the forty six amount too.

I just don't think you're going to see lots of points in that game. Lions have stabilized from the early part of the season where they were scoring and giving up thirty five game. They are looking way better than they did those first three or four games of the year where it was so volatile. So under fifty two and a half there, Ravens coming off of bye I've teased that down from minus twelve to minus six, essentially

a touchdown game. Panthers look really, really bad their last game against the Bengals, so like Baltimore, they're at home, and then I'm sticking with the Vikings. So instead of plus one, I'm actually moving them to plus seven playing the Cowboys playing at home again. This is a little bit of a fade on the Cowboys. But you see how good this Vikings team can be just going into Buffalo beating the Bills. Got a little bit of luck with a couple of those plays, but they're a really

strong team. They are starting to get this from every angle. I think the Hawkinson trade, obviously we've talked about it's huge, justin Jefferson just doing his thing, and then that two pronged attack with Cook and Madison. I think I'm gonna be riding them for quite a bit until they say show me otherwise. Um. So that one's like like always plus one sixties. So those are six point teasers, are alternate lines, if you will, and that's a five unit

play to win one thirty. Yeah. I think the Vikings are probably one of the best teaser teams going forward because I just don't think. I think every game is gonna be close. So if you're just whatever side you want to be on, just expect get as many points as possible and just trust it will probably be a three to four point game. You have four units left, and I'm wondering what you're doing, because we got a single game. We gotta we gotta tease. Usually you go individual,

what are you doing with these last four years? So I'm changing it up a little bit, a little bit of chalk with the bikes there. So I'm doing a regular parlay money line parlay here. I'm taking first the two favorites Chiefs. Chiefs are minus playing in l A against the Chargers, a Chargers team that's really really beaten up. Niners didn't look good in the first half, but I think they controlled their attack in the second half. So Chiefs to win. Maybe a close game, maybe a shootout,

but I think they come out on top. Niners going to Mexico City their minus three fifty at the Cards, another team that's just in a really bad spot. Kyler Murray out. We'll see if he comes back next next week. They're playing a third string at quarterback this week, which was interesting. Still managed to get the dub and then I'm taking We just talked about Vikings plus a hundred,

so they're technically the dog in this game. I think that line probably flips as you get closer to game time and they become a one point favorite, so hopefully get this early, get the extra little value. This is plus two forty four, so it's forty two win around one, so um rounding up from I think seventy two exactly, but all three teams playing for legitimate playoff spots. Niners could take first place in division, Chiefs obviously looking to take advantage of the Bill skid a little bit, and

Vikings just looking for that top spot. So going into the second half of the season, I think a lot of those teams still fighting for something really really important. For sure. They always say there are two seasons in the NFL pre and post Thanksgiving, so we're kind of rounding out that first season. So it's interesting to see everyone form that identity like, who are we in this first half? Obviously numerically it's not exactly half, but this is this is a fun part of the season, all right,

Thanks so much, Peter. That was a lot of fun, good picks. I think we stand behind you on all of them, as we always do a lot of solidarity on the show. Great episode this week, Jerry, Yeah, that you know. I feel like the theme was like, let's stick by each other's picks, let's back each other up, and everyone else is picking apart picks and why and yelling at each other of why that's not gonna work.

Let's I'm stand behind Pete just like I stayed behind Max Greenfield, and I'll always stand behind you and bet and support you. Olivia. Uh So, yeah, that's a good one. I can't wait to see what the NFL script writes for us next week. Oh. I mean we have the easiest job in the world. Like it's it's a reality show and we just get to talk about it the next week. I mean, this is This season has been one for the books. Don't forget to watch all of

our former interviews from past episodes. They're all up on YouTube, so it's really fun to watch those ones back. A lot of them are super evergreen and you can share them with your friends. Make sure you subscribe, share the show, make sure your friends are listening, and you can have fun with us every week. Thanks for listening guys,