Super Bowl Roundup with Kevin Harlan

It was awesome. I didn't want it to end because then you go back to the reality of also knowing that this is the last game of the season, and I want to crawl into a moment of darkness and retreat now on Sundays, though only Sundays, because I don't know what else to do with myself now that football has gone. You know there's someone else who might join you in this darkness retreat. Literally, as those out there are listening to this, Aaron Rodgers is in some dark

hole which is really dismal. So Darry I heard he might film it, and as our resident, like Hollywood guy, do you think that would be must watch TV? First of all, for me, it would be. But doesn't that contradict everything you're doing. You're supposed to be in darkness with no phones, and like they're gonna have to put lights up and to film it. Otherwise it's gonna be like those old cartoons when cartoon characters would close their eyes in the dark and open them and you only

see the eyes, Like we're not gonna see anything. So I don't think that's gonna happen. That's probably a rumor, but I would definitely watch it for sure. Well, the fact that he dangled it out there, I think he already probably has a deal with someone to film this.

But I was thinking too, you and I both do a lot of on camera work, and you know that red light is blinking there, even if they don't have a flash or whatever, like if they have it in night vision, you know that red light in that cameras blinking. And he's like probably miked up. I mean, the whole thing does seem to contradict the purpose. So I'm not not really I still wouldn't want to do that myself, even knowing that there's civilization with me and a camera

and all that stuff. But look, I would definitely watch it, but I think it takes away from what he's trying to do. Maybe just recap it can't you just recap it on the podcast and I'd listen to that, just recap us what you went through. He's only getting two meals a day. That's where he lost me as well, Like I have three snacks a day. Might I say too,

I'm very excited to talk to your dad. We've talked about your dad this season because you know, we got the whole Kevin Garnett story with the big ticket nickname and all that, which was awesome. But also acting has always been my dream, but more of a dream I realized when I was like a teen, But my childhood dream was to do exactly what your father's done for his entire career. That was my childhood. Yes, oh you

know it's not too late. Uh not too late, uh no, but definitely a little late to chase new dreams that I probably would get paid four cents for while I'm doing a local high school game, you know, kind of breaking myself in so but yeah, I just broadcast and and calling games and and the stuff that he's done in his career. That's what I wanted to do when I was a kid. So I'm very excited to have him on. Well, like I mentioned, he just did the Super Bowl. I got to see him in Phoenix. That

was really fun. You just missed him. If you had stayed a couple of days later, we could have all hung out. But now talk about a quick turnaround. He's doing the NBA All Star Game this weekend on T n T. He is. He is a renaissance man. Really, he's so busy. But yeah, obviously a lot to talk with him about the Super Bowl. I can't wait, and

then he heads to Utah, so that'll be fun. You can talk to him about Team Lebron, First Team Janice, and the new draft format of the All Star Game, which I think is pretty cool, MVP odds, and what to look for in the second half of the NBA season, including the new look Sons with Katie. We didn't really get to talk about this since, but what's your first reaction to some of the trades we saw? You know, it was so weird because and you and I we we we had the chance we talked about in a

live show. We had the chance to play a little goal, right. I actually snuck away while we were in Arizona to play another couple of holes with my buddy John just Stromski and I took the shuttle back from the golf course to the hotel. Was only a few miles and the woman driving we had it was a it's a ten minute drive. We had a ten minute sons conversation, like in depth about you know, she was going deep about what the Suns needed to do. This is obviously

before the trade. And then I end up leaving that night and when I landed back in Ohio and I raced home, my kids are already asleep and I'm just in bed with my phone quiet, and then boom, the trade broke, like as because I landed at midnight and the trade broke at night. So I was just thinking about that woman. I'm like, oh my gosh, she's got to be awake freaking out that the Suns have Katie. What a trade deadline? Just when I was saying, oh, maybe the NFL has caught up to all the offseason

transactional stuff. No, the NBA did the hold my beer because that was a crazy trade deadline. It really was. It felt like any time, especially when you're in an airport and you walk by a TV, you know, and you're like, oh, WHOA Like I feel like they're kept being news and talk about a weird week for news and other sports to come out because there's so much focus on the Super Bowl. But I think pretty well received.

I think people are excited. Yeah, and look, I already was having these debates with friends and group chats when Kyrie got traded to Dallas, Like, I'm not trying to be a Kyrie apologist, Like whatever, whatever you think of everyone's tied to their opinion. As a basketball player on the court, you have to respect what the guy could do.

I just look at it, like, there's no way you could just absolve the Nets organization and all this right, Like, there's just all right, get you could say Kyrie tank the team and Katie's so wishy washy about where he wants to be and James Harden doesn't work. But fine, agree, there is no way the organization doesn't get some of the blame for having those three and you know they only played thirteen games together and not making it work. I'm with you, Yeah, there's a there's something foulk I

think who's left through the smoke in the ashes? Ben Simmons and look and a lot of really good wings that are you know, the Knicks finally beat the nets for the first time in five years the other night. It feels like and then nets are fun. When you see every players like six eight and can shoot threes, it's pretty fun. Yeah, there might be something there. Have

you ever been to an All Star Game? No? And I almost went last year because it was in Cleveland, But of course when it was in Cleveland last year, I had to go to l A. I've just never been. The only thing I ever went in l at the only thing I had the pleasure of doing. I did play in the Celebrity Game one year in l A. So I was there for that part, but didn't go to any of the other festivities. It's such a tough thing for me because I enjoy it so much on television.

But yeah, I should have went when I was in l A. I should have took on. I should have took on more. No, I've never been to any of it. You you must have been to so much of it, right, Yeah, I mean growing up we went every year is forever. My dad just did the Saturday Night, which I kind of think is the better. It's awesome, of course, honest. And now since Marv Albert has retired, my dad now does the Sunday Night game, and I don't know which

one he prefers. We can ask him, but I do know he got to kick out of doing the dunk contest and the views on that I think are way higher than the All Star Game. How many uh, like do you know off the top of your head when he started with the dunk contest, like I'm it was, was he like the Vince Carter one? Did he call that one? So? Yeah, I know he had done it

a long time. Yeah, so we saw some of the legendary when the dunk contest was the dunk honestly, not a bad time to get out if I'm your dad, because the dunk contest, I have ideas of how to fix it, but it's a little rough. It's a little rough. Definitely asked him his opinion on that, and you pitch him your idea. Maybe he can shoot that one up the ladder. No. I remember as a kid, we'd always go and I have pictures of myself like awkward years, like kind of gap tooth and bangs, and I've horrible

pictures of my evolution at various Solid Star games. But we always got to like see celebrities because they're always courtside, and I texted my family and I said, everyone, shoot me your best like All Star Game celebrity story because I'm trying to remember this for the podcast because I knew we were gonna talk about it today. And some of the responses, I mean, I was laughing out loud. One was from my sister, she said, uh, when I was filling up the bucket of ice in the hotel

with Tiger Woods. One was when I went to the bathroom with Brittany Murphy rest in Peace and sat next to Ashton Kutcher, Jack Nicholson. We always got to see. Um. What else when Charles Barkley told my sister's then fiance he was going to hire someone to kill him if he heard her. Um, my other sister, when in Chicago, was sitting right behind the basket when Derrick Rose broke his leg. Oh gosh. Um, Benny the Bull, Chicago's mascot, once picked up my sister, through him, over her, over

his shoulder and ran around the court. And this is a very shy sister, so very more to I mean, the All Star Game has always kind of been our family's like thing. And believe me, going to school that Monday, probably skipping Monday, going Tuesday. Um, we always had a lot of stories. So I love the NBA All Star Game. It's nostalgic. Okay, before we tie a beaut on the Super Bowl and we're gonna break it down a little bit. I've got to know your bets because we talked so

much about it on the show last week. So what hit? What did you actually end up playing? Nothing hit? For me when I say nothing, absolutely nothing hit because you had the Eagles. I told you I had the Eagles tied to every Oh. I did hit the oh. I'm sorry. I hit the over over So I mean, but Dad did not recoup enough of my losses. I did the Hassan Reddick bet. I just wish I would have known I didn't have a single sack. I'm not saying I

would have changed any of my bets. But the biggest information for a better that anyone could have gotten after Mahomes is like all right, his ankles superhuman was the fact that it's going to be one of the worst grass surfaces ever played on in the history of the Super Bowls. That would have maybe influenced my that a little bit, because the Eagles, to me are a motion driven misdirection kind of team. But yeah, that stood out for me when I like Hassan red it was the

worst field he's ever played on. Now from the losing team, that's easy to say. Of course, no chief they said it was the worst field. But oddly enough, I remember the report like several Eagles were changing their cleats. No Chiefs changed their cleats, which which was surprising. Do you have a conspiracy theory you want to air out? No conspiracy theory, I just that would have been very pertinent information.

But no, I lost. I lost everything. But the big disappointment was I had my long shot lotto ticket parlay right with a bunch of and I had the first leg of it was Ken gain Well. First touchdown of the game I had and he you know, the elbow down on the inch line. I had the gain Well, I had the Tony touchdown. I had a Kelsey touchdown and it wouldn't have hit anyway because I think I still the last leg was Dalla got it to score. But oh my gosh, what I have been on pins

and kneel. It was like some ridiculous fifty to win, like fourteen grand Oh gosh, And I mean for a long shot. You almost got it. How did you do? I did really well. We had the Chiefs everywhere. I don't really no, no, it gets better. I had Eagles up at halftime, Chiefs win. That was one. I had Chief's money line. And the problematic part is I placed my bet when I was in Arizona knowing that I couldn't cash out, you know once I got to London

because I left before the game. I left Saturday before the game Sunday, so I can't cash out until I get back in the States. Even though I placed it on the bed MGM map in Arizona. I can't do anything until I get back in the States, which isn't over a month. I can't remember what my parlay. Oh, you can't even look. You can't look. I can't see it. It won't let me log in. I know two of them hit, though, and I did three legs, and I

cannot remember the third leg. One was Kelsey anytime touchdown and one was Hurts over ten and a half rushing attempt. So both hit. Yeah, And I'm texting my brother in law's I know, I was showing him. I was all proud and like, how do you like my proleg and I'm texting him, do you remember what my third leg?

But he doesn't remember. So I'm telling you when I touched down in the States, I'm firing up the app and I'm either going to be celebrating or not because I'm worried I took the game under because I was talking about that all week. Remember, I was like, oh, the game under. You were talking under, but the over became such the popular beat. I don't know if you

would have done that, but I don't know. I'm pretty stupid good on you because that's the narrative of the game, which we did discuss even with Peter in the live show. Eagles first half was the bat Really, you could take Eagles for the game. It's easy to say now, but the Eagles you called Eagles first half Mahomes and the Chiefs firing back in the second half, and that was

that was the story of the game. So I think, what is so brilliant about Patrick Mahomes Despite the injury he played less than nine minutes in the first half, and then in the second half. He scored on every second half possession, just one in completion which was a throwaway, and all in all, he had thirty eight points scored in twenty four minutes on the field. Thirty eight points in twenty four minutes on the field. I mean, I was so concerned. I went to bed at halftime because

it was two am in London. I had just gotten back here and all that we were tired. We watched Rihanna and called it a day and I was like, man, this doesn't look good. Chiefs are gonna lose. The Eagles look hot. Patrick Mahomes are keeping him out the field. And then I woke up, but I roll over. My husband was up before me, and I said, what happened? He said, Chiefs one jeeves. We were so excited. It's a weird way to watch a game. But I think as everyone's so mad about the holding call, I think

they need to be a little bit more realistic. As good as the Eagles looked, and you can certainly agree that those are the two best teams in the NFL, and it was a perfect matchup that Hurts had a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. They had a their run game which was vaunted. Everyone all season was all about their run game. Was I mean, they had a huge special teams gaff and then the holding call. That's not why they lost the game. So I'm kind

of sick of people saying that. And Sirianni even to his credits, said that. To post game he said, you know, talk right, you could talk about that, but he's like, there's a lot of reasons why we didn't win this game. First half went according to plan. But yes, when you look at the mistakes Eagles mistakes, they had two which led to touchdowns. The Chiefs really only had one mistake. It was a missed field goal, which we all knew was gonna happen, especially me. We all knew there was

a joint that was going to happen. So that was really the only Chiefs misfire. Both defenses did not look good at all, but the Eagles defense bottom lot just did nothing. Zero. So when you talk about the reasons why the Chiefs, obviously Mahomes gets so much of the cred, but you have to talk about the Chief's offensive line, you have to talk about Eric b Enemy and Andy Reid in the play calling because it was I mean, the Eagles didn't even have a chance to sack Mahomes.

That ball is coming out so quick, and the and the run game. They were able to run the game and the Eagles couldn't run the ball and made two mistakes. Now, as far as the holding penalty and respect to Bradberry, and Bradbery is getting a lot of respect for owning it and not getting into like a twitter bat. But as far as the call itself, I've gotten into arguments with Bree about this in the exact same way that

the fans are with the refs. Okay, for instance, Bree could say something to me, you know you've been working a lot. You know it could really be helpful, is if you maybe just uh, can you cook more dinners? That would be really helpful for me. Okay, so I go cook a great dinner, all this stuff. She was outside with the kids, and then she'll say, you know, you really shouldn't have cooked so long. It was a beautiful day outside and should have came out. What I'm

getting at is you can't say you gotta call. You can't call that in the Super Bowl in that moment. But then then the Giants are playing the Commanders and what was a playoff game there was a non call, and fans are saying, you can't know what you're not gonna call it because it's the end of the game. You can't have it both ways. I have no problems with the call. It just was a bummer that that's how the game ended. It just was am I I agree, And I think what pisses me off is when people say, oh,

come on, let him play. It's the final minutes of the Super Bowl. When you say let him play, that only favors one side. And I agree, it would have been great to see the ball in Jalen Hurts hands one more time. I agree, it felt like the Divisional round game last year Bill's Chiefs that you would have loved to see Josh Allen with another chance, but it

didn't end up that way. Coin toss, remember. But I feel like when people are like, just let him play, it's the Super Bowl, let him play, It's like, that's not the rule and the rule and it's not situational refee.

And you know, Olson, I think made a great observation early in the first half where there was a few I think there was one or to delay a game penalties on the Eagles where they did not opt to take the time out, and Olson astute Lee said, you know, clearly like the time outs mean more to Serianny than the holding place because they're able to move the ball fine.

But there was another delay. There was another delay of game situation and they had to call a time out, and that was a time out that they definitely could have used when basically when they were kneeling on the ball for the field goal. So so many things cost them the game. And bottom line is the Chiefs from start to finish played a better game on both sides of the ball, and they deserve to win that game. Call or no call. So what do you think about this,

because now I've seen this come out. Is Bill Belichick he would always knowing what color jerseys his opponent was wearing, He'd have his receivers were the same color gloves. Have you heard this? So the Chiefs were wearing white, Eagles were wearing black gloves, which just makes everything that much

more noticeable. And I've seen it come out now that Bill Belichick always told his defenders where white gloves if your opponents were in a white jersey, And for the sake of you might even if you get one call from it, I guess they don't call you on one. But I think that's pretty interesting and something that was overlooked, and if Bill Belichick would do it, I don't think it's I don't think it's crazy. I would do anything

Bill Belichick would do. But yeah, I was certainly disappointed, like, wow, this is how the game is gonna end. But yeah, I just the Chiefs. Where was Miles Sanders? Seriously? Where was Miles Sanders? Gain Well? And you didn't you don't have any bets on his over I did. No, That's why I'm asking where where was Miles Sanders? You know Gainwell five? You have a couple of passes here there Almost I would be touchdown. But the Eagles are a running team. Okay, last thing I think we could wrap up.

They're gonna change this fourth and short quarterback sneak role right where you could rugby. It's so dangerous. It's so dangerous. It's also a quarterback is going to break his neck or break his back. Like it's not gonna end. Well, I don't know. That's a that's just a dumb play. I get it. Stop it. If you can't stop it, it's a dumb play. One more thing that I think is worth mentioning is Jacksonville played the Eagles. Recently, and there were a couple of plays that the chief seemed

to have stolen from the Jaguars. Head coach with Jaguars Doug Peterson, close close friend to Andy Reid fired by the Eagles. You got to think that at some point in the last two weeks someone picked up the phone and said, yo, Andy, look at where the Eagles defense is going to fake you out here? And they took advantage on the same exact play. No proof, I have

no proof. I'm just saying, no, you do have proof, because didn't didn't The Eagles have Fangio working on helping them with a defensive plane against the Chiefs when he's not not affiliated with the team. That's enough proof for me to say. Everyone's talking super Bowl, yes, like and a coach like Andy Reid who probably has a lot of friends, a lot of friends. No one dislikes Andy. Well, I think in general, great super Bowl. We've got to talk about Rihanna a little bit because that is what

everyone was talking about. And then I didn't know this until this week, but did you know that the halftime performer isn't paid a single penny? The NFL doesn't pay them. In fact, sometimes they pay for their own theatric, staging, lighting, cup dancers, all of it. They pay for it themselves because it ends up like multiplying in dividends, usually in

merch or ticket sales or music sales or whatever. In fact, with Rihanna, you know her little makeup touch up that drove fenty beauty sales up over eight and as if she didn't have a large enough following, she gained one point five million Instagram followers in twenty four hours, three million overall. I don't know how many she has, but she gained three million Instagram followers since her Super Bowl performance.

In her music sales skyrocketed, and she also did a multimillion dollar deal with Apple, the sponsor of the halftime show, to document the whole process. So the money Rihanna made from this what fifteen minutes is out of this world. I enjoyed the halftime show, yeah, Brie and I watched it. Love Rihanna. Awesome. I just had one thought. I know

everybody was freaky as she pregnant. She wasn't, like, first of all, she'll tell us when she wants to tell us, like relax, But I did start thinking if she was pregnant, and you know confirmed, it was confirmed later. I didn't love her floating on that stage. Yes, I was like, get her down. I was nervous. I was nervous. I

was that thing was wobbly. I was nervous. Now you did see there was like almost a pole that she was attached to, and then one of the backup dancers did come and so she was attached to something fixed on it. But still I'm still very nervous. I didn't love it when she was, you know, sixty ft suspended in the air. I just I was. I found myself nervous. But it was fun. It was fun show. It was fun show. Agreed. It was the most watched Super Bowl

in six years, with million viewers. It was the third most watch TV show ever, obviously behind Entourage, which we will talk about later the show. Because I have been watching, I have been watching. Okay, Well, the Chiefs are already the favorite to win it all again next year at plus six hundred, Bengals right behind them at plus eight fifty. Honestly, Bengals Chiefs, I think is going to be our big matchup and big rivalry for the next handful of years,

and I'm really looking forward to and then the bills. Look, it's a f C. The top three teams bills are plus nine hundred. But speaking of the Chiefs, I think it's only right that we give the final word to Travis Kelsey. He said no one believed in the Chiefs, and for sure no one on the Fox pregame show did. But I believed in the Chiefs, and I also believe you're getting our audible of the week. Looks man one are y'all and said the Jeans are gonna take it

home this year. Not a single one feel that feeling. And on top of that, next time the Chiefs say something, what's some respect on it? All? Right? Obviously the Kelsey story was so amazing, so it's nice to put a bow on that one and give the final word to Travis. But now it's time for us to have the final word, and that means it's time to unleak. It's time to unleaf. So, as someone who spent a lot of time on football sidelines, something I always look at pregames, especially in a wet game,

rainy game, snowy game, are the receivers cleats. Usually that's why I pay the most attention to and receivers, gloves, quarterbacks, cleets, everything because I always want to see if they're going to make a shift after they warm up. And as we mentioned earlier, a lot of the Eagles players did. Jalen Hurts switched his whole shoe at halftime. And if you don't know, the cleats on the shoe can be different lengths, so you can put in different length of cleat.

But Jalen switched his whole shoe at halftime. And a lot of players saying it was a horrible field. You already mentioned that as on Reddick said it was the worst field he's ever played on. But look, the NFL paid eight hundred thousand dollars for this field and it was like a Bermuda hybrid grass. It was supposed to be the creme de la creme. So apparently the NFL spent two years preparing this grass. It was like a

Bermuda hybrid. It was growing and locally in Phoenix to be perfect for Phoenix conditions at a local sod farm. It was installed two weeks before the game in Jerry. Every day for those two weeks they rolled it out to get the proper amount of sunlight and then rolled it back. That's a process that takes an hour each way. And the man in charge of this field is a ninety four year old nicknamed the Sad Father, George Toma.

Have you heard of this guy? I have now I have, yes. Well, he's prepared the field for every single Super Bowl and several World Series, thirty seven Pro Bowls. He actually worked for the Chiefs for a long time. He worked for the Royals. So Kansas City guy. I believe he's from Kansas City. And the fact that all this money, all this time, all this effort, you have, like the king

of this subject put his handprints all over it. I cannot figure out why the field was so bad and the slickness of it and the changing of the cleats and everything we mentioned, and kickers kicking and sliding. A J. Brown had a big slip, like it was really really bad. And the fact that that is now a conversation after the NFL put like everything they could into the perfect field. This should have been like the Bentley of fields, and it was so bad. And apparently the NFL is going

to donate it to a local high school. I don't even know if they want it. I don't know if you don't want it to pass. We'll pass, Uh so many things, Olivia Ada on Lee. That's an awesome unleashed. I keep coming back to the number eight grand like that. To me, that sounds like an awful lot of money. But for the NFL, the field of the Super Bowl, shouldn't it number be like eight million? Am I missing? Like I know, how do you get how do you

spend more money on grass? Just maybe you need more people to roll maybe need to roll it out twice a day. And I don't know. I don't know. And also the other thing that stuck out and you're amazing unleast is all respect to the pod Father, you don't do it for that long. We being the goat, You're the goat. Everyone has a hiccup. Thirty seven Pro Bowls. We really were investing that much money in the field of thirty seven Pro Bowls Like that to me is a red flag. And I think that high schools like

we're good. Yeah, we we have this cheap astro turf that the kids seem to like, we're gonna stick with that. We're good, So mine is gonna stick more with the music of the Super Bowl. I am not a country guy. I'm just not you never listened to it. If you asked me to name as many country music artists as I possibly could, I think I could get to three off. Yes and no, sorry, no disrespect. I grew up in New York. It was hip hop. It was like certain rock and roll, but mainly hip hop and whatever. It's

some classics. I didn't know who Chris Stapleton was. No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry to say. And this is by no means a knock on Chris Tables and this is a knock on me. I did not know who the man was. I do not keep tabs. Also, the kids have me so far behind on any current artists in general. But needless to say, I now have Chris Stapleton in my Spotify and he's on rotation, he's in a he's in a playlist now. And that goes back to your Rihanna point. He I don't think he got paid for

that either. He probably got millions of dopes like me who maybe didn't weren't familiar with his music and now are and he's brilliant. He's awesome. So, Chris Stapleton, you got a new fan right here. Wow, one of many I'm sure now that, in fact, was our highlight. Sam and are huge Chris Stapleton fans. You know his song Tennessee Whiskey never Olivia. I never heard it in my life. If I heard it on country fans like that song come on exactly great. But I'm not trying to listen

country fans hardcore. I'm not trying to. I'm not saying your music is bad. I it's just it's just not for me. All good. I respect it. I'm not gonna walk into a bar if they're playing country musical be like, change this now, I'll roll with it. I just I'm not playing on my own time, that's all. But Chris stapleson wow, his anthem, Oh, We've listened to it like five times. I loved his aunt's great anthem, Let's go ahead and bring in our guest. He just called the

super Bowl on Sunday for Westwood one Radio. He's a two time National Sportscaster of the Year and a thirty four time Father of the Year. Kevin Harland, I only say that because your oldest kid is thirty four, not that she wants reminding, but you're an old pro at being a dad. So look besides seeing me and Wolfie. What was your highlight of Super Bowl weekend? Well, that was number one. Number two. You guys had the first two slots for sure. We had all of our kids

down there, so that was fun. Live and Jerry, it's so nice to be on with you, and I've enjoyed so many of these that I've watched over the weeks that you two have got great chemistry and it's it's really a privilege to be on with you today. It's always an honor to the Super Bowl just because it's the It's what everything in our NFL season leads up to. And to get a chance to do the final game and kind of put a bow on the season was great.

The game was spectacular for about fifty eight minutes. The last two dragged along with the penalty and kind of a field goal, and I went back and I was watching with my wife the kick. Usually when you take a lead in the Super Bowl with about eight seconds left in the game, there is total craziness on that sideline and on the field with congratulations all around, and

but that was very subdued. I was kind of surprised, actually, I think they felt the Chiefs that even with a three point lead and eight seconds left that you could never exhale, and they didn't, you know, they held him at the end and then they exploded and then we

saw the celebration. So I think we had the two best teams in football this past season eat the two number one seeds, fourteen win teams, and so we had the game we wanted, We had the matchup that we certainly wanted, and I think we had the season we wanted to. There were some terrific moments in this past season, so all in all, I think a very highly entertaining

past season in the NFL. So you said that it wasn't like the biggest reaction when he kicked out field goal, but you call in the game, I mean, you know it wasn't a hard field goal, But did it cross your mind, because it crossed my mind as a fan, like, No, he just missed one, and this is there no longer give me. I don't think there's ever a give me with a kick anymore with what we've been witnessing this year. No,

not at all. And a very good point. Yeah, he had missed I think a forty five yard earlier in the game, and he had had a career low season in terms of field goal made percentage, and he did not have a great season. What was interesting about that, Jerry, is that he began this season. The team began the season against Arizona beat him handily, but he slipped on the grass in that game and was out then for

the next four weeks. And I think he'd be the first to tell you that he never really kind of regained his whatever it was, and he left training camp with and entered the season with and certainly carried over from previous seasons. He did not have a very good year and missed many extra points. Now this is even shorter than an extra point the game winner, the twenty seven yard or I don't think you take anything for granted in the Super Bowl. On top of that, two

more things. He is usually a kickoff guy that goes eleven yards back angles to the ball and then kicks it. Because of that game Week one, he had shortened his run up in every game to just five yards because

he was afraid of slipping again. And in that game this past Sunday, there were many complaints by the players about poor field conditions, So you never know, right in a field goal, extra point you never know what's going to happen, and sure enough it had to be the good plant, the good hold, the good app and certainly the kick through which it was. And so they got the three point win, and that was the key, that

was the difference in the game. But at halftime it was a ten point game and Philly was on top. And I worked with Kurt Warner, the Hall of Fame quarterback, and he said he and I had talked all week long leading to the game. We had the best first half team in the league in Philadelphia, and it wasn't even close in the point differential. How good they were over the second place Chiefs by like fifty or sixty

points all cumulatively all season long. And then we had the best come from behind team in football, the Chiefs and their quarterback Patrick Mahomes. So we got exactly kind of has we saw it beforehand, and a thrilling end on the last three point game and the crowning of a second Super Bowl for the Chiefs in the last four years. You had Mike Golic and Laura Oakman on the sideline for your Westwood One broadcast. What were they saying about the field? Because as we've talked about earlier

in the show. It took two years to grow. It was an eight hundred thousand dollar field that was handled with the utmost care by the sod father himself. Yes, yeah, you had the note, and I used that during the broadcast. Somewhere along the line. I used the fact that George Toma, who is like ninety three living ninety four years and

is from ironically enough, Kansas City. That's where he began in his career as a young groundskeeper for the old Kansas City Athletics and before they were the Kansas City A's who became the Oakland Ays were soon to become. I guess the Las Vegas Athletics, the Las Vegas A's aces maybe with the with the being in Vegas. He had handled every single Super Bowl field preparation, all fifty seven of them, which to me is remarkable. They stuck with the same guy. So you're right, Olivia, he had

under his auspices, under his watch. He was the guy that that watched the growing of this field, the maintaining of this field, and everything else. Now people said it was inside and the gissing of Rihanna's halftime, different things that were going on during the week, but a lot of it that the tray was still outside a good

portion of the week. So anyway, my point is is that even with a guy that has done at fifty seven times and I think they did try a new blend of grass and what the combination was I think was in the story that that Livy said, it really met with with the thumbs down. So Oklahoma State has been at the forefront of developing a grass that is going to be universally used in the NFL Eventually. I think the players want to get rid of artificial surfaces.

Players don't want any more plastic grass, even though it may be more cushion e and have more resilience to it. They would like to have players real grass, and they've got a brand that they're kind of zeroing in on, but that was not used for the Super Bowl. So it's an ongoing story and it will be looked at. But for whatever reason, the grass was very slick in our sideline report. As Olivia mentioned, they brought this up during during the game and during pregames and guys are slipping,

changing their cleats, getting longer cleats. Livia has done countless games on the sidelines so she is very adept at finding who the equipment people are, where they keep this this group of extra shoepairs or extra cleats that they can literally screw in and screw out. It's a pretty significant process, but a part of the armor that these guys were a tool they need during the game and

they all were switching their cleats. Jerry, are you gonna start calling me living now, because for those who don't know that is me, I am living that I feel like is reserved for your father. I would never I would never try to know. I'll stick you can please use you can use it, okay, if I have your father's blessing, use it and uh in good health. We talked about this a few weeks ago when Olivia did the sideline with the Jaguars game, and I kind of

got her perspective of that. And you know, I'm a father now of two little so I just I just found myself since that moment, wondering like that just has to be the coolest feeling in the world, Like you're doing what you love and then you've got your daughter in the building doing what you like. Has this got to have been the most fulfilling thing as a parent,

and we've done it before. We've done several games before, stretching back for or five years, so the experience wasn't new, but the feeling always feels new when you throw it down to her. It is a it hasn't happened before in an NFL game and a national broadcast, so there is that singularity to it. But you know, you almost go from boy, I hope my daughter or son does

the best they can. Two, we've got a seasoned pro on the sideline who has covered multiple big games, done a ton of national TV, does a show like this which is seen all over the world, and is the consummate professional. So that part, while it may have been in the back of my mind back in two in sixteen, I think when we did the Monday night game at lambeau Field, the moment she opens her mouth and begins

to talk and and gives us great information. She's as good as anybody out there in my opinion, and I have a pretty significant opinion on the business, and I've been in it so long and kind of knows what it takes to be what you need to be, and she has always been that. She has always answered the bell and continues to just amaze me with her preparation,

her work, ethic, her ploise, just everything she does. Now she's a mom and wife and living in another country, so you know, these are things that just amazed me. Probably more than when she opens her mouth and and reports from the field, is the fact that she can tie all these things together so seamlessly, which I think for the normal person seems like an avalanche of worry and concern, and she just doesn't blink. And it's that's so incredibly impressive to are her mom and me. We

love all we we've got four kids. We're proud of all of them. But clearly, when someone follows into your profession and does what she does, it resonates for sure. Jerry, I know that wasn't in our show notes. You don't have to go asking that. No, I want to know, I told I really found myself looking at my two year old, I'm like, well, I don't think I want you to be actors, but maybe we can figure you know something one day, maybe we'll write a movie together

or something. Because I just thought it was really cool. We could get back to the regularly schedule questions though, Sorry, I just had to go there. I think I know the answer to this question, but I might be wrong because I loved your call when the Chiefs won and we can insert it right here. Trailing at ten at the halftime stop twenty four four team. They go on to win thirty five one. Again spectacular in every way in the red and gold can be flying in the air.

The Chiefs are Super Bowl champions. Did you have something ready or was it disorganic? No? It was organic, And uh, I mean when you go back and listen, I wish I would have said thousand different things. Um, you don't want to be too long because you know, you know, you want to kind of get to the point, and we want to get down to the sideline because they've got the players ready to interview, so you can't be that long, you know. And the game kind of ended

oddly because the penalty was really now the focus. The field goal had won it, but there was this massive comeback clearly, and so that deserved to mention. Jalen Hurts outplayed Patrick Mahomes. Jalen Hurts had a much better day than Mahomes. Ma Homes won the game and came back and did what he had to do in the second half, so you know that kind of I thought about that, but I thought, like I said, I could go back

and rewrite it, and but no, I I didn't. And our executive producer, who has done thirty three of these, uh you know, said, you know, Kurt lay out at the end, so that we can get this final call in so that they could use it twenty years from now and know exactly what happened come from behind when down by ten at a half time to win Super Bowl fifty seven, and then the other stories kind of, you know, trickle out from that statement. I guess I could have mentioned Mahomes, but really what he did in

the game wasn't as impressive as Hurts. You could have picked a couple other people that may have been in that conversation for player of the game. Uh, not that he has to be mentioned in the final call, but you don't know. And I make notes on the fight up here to Wisconsin after the game because everything is fresh in my mind about the call and how I

prepared or what I need to do to tweak. And I do this after every game, but did this after that game and thought maybe it would be good to have two or three thoughts and then and then whatever thought without actually follow in the script makes sense, come out and say it. But I really wasn't thinking about Mahomes's performance in the comeback. I thought of it as a team come back. As the Chiefs came back as a team, they scored defensively, they got a special teams

point that that that won the game. And so you kind of go down that road. And there have been sometimes where I felt, oh, it's clear cut, Carmelo Anthony and Syracuse, you know, win the Final four, win the national championship. There might be something dominant. But in that particular moment, I guess I just thought, let's just get the big wide, let's widen the lens. And they came back from a half point at ten point episode at half time, and they were they were able to win.

You know, I think you would be the perfect person they asked us too, because you know, knowing the Chiefs like you do, but also being in the stadiums and feeling the crowds and everything surrounding that. You know, I loved rivalries. I think rivalries what keeps these sports going. Okay, I really do, and I've been a part, like I'm a Yankee fans. I've seen the Yankee Red Sox stuff.

Nix and Nick's nineties had some good rivalries now just rivals with themselves pretty and maybe they're or going to their front office at times. But to me, it feels like the best rivalry in football is Kansas City. And you could almost insert several teams, right, So if we're trying to find that team to go with the Chiefs, and maybe it could be an NFC, like you said, the Eagles, But who is the biggest rival now for the Chiefs, that's a great question. I would say, if

it's not Buffalo, it's Incinnati. And if it's not the Bengals, it's the Bills. And I think they are all connected with these three young quarterbacks who are really dynamic and have got long future, successful futures and a lot of trophies ahead of all three of them, Mahomes has stepped out and kind of taking the leading man. He's had

the best overall team. People were predicting the Buffalo was going to be that team, and then they had some injuries and for whatever reason, they couldn't really capture you know, whatever it was they had, you know, and it came down to they lost at home and the playoffs, and after beaten you know, Kansas City last year, and and and and having a successful game this year against him in the regular season, I think people just kind of thought the Bills are the team to watch, and that

will be the team too to really count on people like new entrance to a story. So I think people were hoping, yeah, let's get the Bills. We had the Bengals last year. Let's let's let's get some of these other teams in there, and let's see if they can, you know, capture our imagination. But Mahomes and the Chiefs are showing that they are very special outfit. You know they are. He is an incredible quarterback, is tough as they come. And I think Burrow is the same way.

And I definitely think that Herbert justin Herbert out with the Los Angeles Chargers, Josh Allen with the Bills, like these are the four quarterbacks you want to watch, and they're all gonna be right there at the end. I think of every season for the next seven, eight, nine, ten years, and that's gonna build these rivalries as you talk about. So you could put the chief in there

against a lot of teams in the NFC. I'd say Dak Prescott, but they've not really gotten near the finish line, and so that makes them you could say Jones with the Giants, I think you can insert Jalen Hurts. But listen, the Eagles just lost their two coordinators tow head coaching jobs in the league. They have eight team free agents this year. It's gonna be hard for them to be what they were this past season. And but Hurts clearly proved he now is in that conversation of great young

quarterbacks will more emerge in the NFC. They may, and but Hurts right now probably is the head of the back, maybe even ahead of Dak Prescott of Dallas, who everyone I think is kind of penciled in. Rodgers is thirty nine, and go right on down the list. But but Hurt showed a lot. He was second in the m v P and he should have been. He was terrific. He was speaking of NFC quarterbacks. I know you still have friends with the Packers and you're close to the situation

and probably have your own opinion. What do you think would make sense for both sides, for Aaron and the Packers moving forward? Well, Packers are a strong team, and they've got a lot of great parts. They were just young at a position where Rogers is demanding a lot.

I think his performance is still there. They've still got all pros on their offensive line, They've got emerging players on offense, They've got a great to attack it at running back, they've got playmakers on defense, a young secondary that has definitely arrived. If it were me, and of course it isn't, but I would like to think, let's do something unique. Let's finish with the team I started with I've got and let me commit to two years.

Let me not just go into a dark room and drink some weird tea and let me let's not let's not do that stuff. Let's commit and say, you know what, I still feel like I'm at the top of my game, which he does. He says that he feels that I think he is. Let's give this two hard years and

let's really just work on this. I think the Packers have then got to figure out do we bring him back for two years, stunt the growth of this other kid we've got backing him up, who we think is going to be our placement, or do we stick with the guy who's going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer, one of the top ten quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, who has publicly come out and said, you've got my two year guarantee right now, I'm coming back, and we can really plan it and plot it just

like that. You may have to go all in on a on a free agent and overspend, you know, to appease me, but that that will be a part of our two year window. I guess that it's the romantic in me that thinks, boy, wouldn't it be great if he began with the Packers and ended with the Packers and maybe got to a second Super Bowl, which is to me mind boggling that as great as his career

has been, he's only been to one. Now, if they trade him to whoever, let's say the Jets or whoever has been rumored, and there have been a lot of teams rumored. Now he goes let's say, to the Jets, he has to learn a new system or they've got to get used to him. He's in a new market. I mean, like I just I just see it being cumbersome and not you know, what it needs to be

for him. So I have no idea. You know, he's just come out of this period where he's wanted this this this time to himself, which we all respect, and he makes, you know, knowing all these things, he shares a lot of information with the rest of the world, including this. So we'll have to see what happens. But I would love to see him stay, and I guess that would be not only my hope but my my best.

Guess right now, now, can I selfishly and try to smoothly transition us to basketball, because as I love the NFL, this has been an unbelievable season, and I guess the NFL is my number one sports shore because it's just

you only get you know, sevent games. Well it's only because I am an NBA guy, but I will even admit that, like, you know, by this point in the season, although I'm very excited about my knicks, I'm laboring a little bit with some of the I'm not watching as many games, but the All Star break and the All Star weekend is always like, Okay, this is the moment we can all regroup our fandom and then we're gonna

come back. I mean, I've been on the wrong side of these second half of the season things with the Knicks, But I feel good this year. But what kemel and ask you is you've had, you know, the opportunity to do Saturday Night and the Sunday game, which I think is just the cool like the coolest thing ever. Like, I guess, take me through it if you had to shoot, not if you had to choose. But what's it like doing Sunday Night, Sunday Game or Saturday Night Because I'm

a Saturday Night guy. I'm not gonna lie, I'm a Saturday guy. Well, I did the game last year and enjoyed it. But when you're watching the game, the hype for the game is definitely greater than the game, and you get a feel of that because they've had to rig it so that there are little games within the games to get to a certain point. The game has had a hard time standing on its own. The players don't play defense, and it really is kind of like a an exaggerated practice where you've got a lot of

spectacular shooting, you've got some dunks. But the thing that makes the dunks and the shooting so great is when there's a little competition there to challenge the shot or challenge the dunk and that challenge just is not there. I mean, I said courtside last year and watched in Cleveland when they celebrated the first seventy five years of the league with the greatest name this league has ever put out, and then you go to the game and the game is kind of like, you know, because it

really is. It's like it's like an exaggerated practice, a

glorified practice. The Saturday thing is interesting because it is all individual and you're out there for the whole world to see your three point shooting, your dunk abilities, your your ability to maneuver around a a obstacle course, and so it has kind of a uniqueness because the individual skills that perhaps that player possesses are right there on center stage, and I guess the player feels like, I don't want to embarrass myself, which I think has been

a problem with the slam dunk. I think the players, the great ones, don't want to get in a slam dunk deal and screw up because they want what is in people's minds that they're this incredible I flying, you know, trapeze artist, you know, throwing down the ball. Kobe was in it. We've had Michael Jordan's in it. Dr j has been in it, but Lebron has not, and some of the other Dominique Wilkens was in it the Human Highlight film, but a lot of these young kids refused

to be in it. I'd love to see John Morand in it, who I think would be unbelievable. He's not in it. So I'm kind of torn by the weekend. It's great to get the NBA family together, and because I've watched it for so long with a great sea courtside, I know what these guys can do, and I know they're very proud of what they can do. But for whatever reason, on that weekend, I think there's probably the concern I don't want to get hurt, and I totally

get it. So the game kind of leaves you thinking, I mean, they scored one hundred and sixty points, but there they had to juice the game in the fourth quarter to make it competitive so that we, you know, think for the first three quarters it really is just kind of a it's it's it's a glorified practice. And so I'm back to doing Saturdays and we'll enjoy it.

I enjoy what these guys can do. Every once in a while, and we saw it last year with Steph Curry in the In the game, you'll get like what he get sixteen threes or some ridiculous number like that, and you're thinking, oh my god, this kid is like just unbelievable. He's not gonna play this year, and and some other big names aren't. Zion is not going to play this year. I'd love to see Zion Williamson and his slam dunk contest. I think it would be remarkable,

but we don't get it. And that's it kind of leaves fans thinking. But they're the build up for it is like this month, the voting and the mund and the advertisement, you would think, like, holy smokes, like this is gonna be like just mind blowing, and it usually ends up just you make it one player. But it's not the kind of competition. You should hear the old players talk about the guys that used to play in

this game. Wow, yeah, yeah, they're that and everything else worse than they they'll use the word kind of disgrace. They'll they'll say these things that that just should not be associated with the NBA. It's it's a great game with incredible players, that's where everybody loves the playoffs because they mean so much. The playoffs mean so much, and reputations are carved in the playoffs. Reputations are not carved on All Star weekend. Reputations are carved in the playoffs.

And then you see things that you've been waiting all the season to see, you know, and that is worth the price of admission, for sure. There's nothing like playoff basketball. It's so much to be courtside for those of the All Star games that you have called what is your favorite slam dunk contest winner? Just dunk in general that's been in the contest because there's been some fun ones. Robinson, Nate Robinson, who is just a little guy, has done

some big, big time things. He's he won a couple of years through, maybe three years in a row, if I'm not mistaken, I know too. Um, this stuff kind of gets fuzzy because it's all, you know, just exhibition. It's not, you know, much better on playoff questions and regular season questions, stuff that that matters. But but Nate Robinson, as small as he was to leap that high, you know, a man matt small should not fly that high. And he did and has and he was fun to watch.

You know what really stands out, quite honestly about that that's interesting with you that you bring that up is are the guys that don't make the shot and they try it like thirteen Team Jerry? Is that not it's heartbreaking, it's you're anxious here. You feel like you want to look away, Like it's like you can see a crash coming right and you think, oh my gosh, I gotta

look away here, I can't watch anymore. And then you've got like I'm with Charles and Draymond Green is going to join us this year, Reggie Miller and the and the trash talk that these guys did. These players they can't get this dunk to go down because they're trying to do you know, fifteen worlds in a spin and then a you know, knock it off their head and have kids. I mean that they do all this stuff, yes, costumes and stickers on the backboard, and it is it

is amazing what they come up with. But this is the stuff like that practice they're screwing around, dreaming up and they come up with all this. So the ingenuity is great. The diagram. So let's go from A to B and B to C and C twod it's like, Wow,

if you can pull this off, it'll be marvelous. But a lot of times they have trouble pulling it off because you've got, you know, millions of people watching a full building, and and the biggest name players sit in courtside right there, right in front of you, you know, right there. Yes, yes, no, no, it's it's right there. I have two pitches for the dunk contest that I

think just stand perspect One. I totally appreciate, like you said, John Moran doesn't want to be out there missing ten dunks that could really hurt everything he's got going off the court, and no one wants to get hurt. There are some amazing almost professional dunkers, guys who are on Instagram and social media who are dunking a hundred and fifty times a day, practicing these crazy dunks that are not in an NBA season. I think you still opened it up to any young player like a Jericho Sims.

You want great and then you bring in four dunkers, guys who have just been dunking forever. And I think you got to bring back the point five in the scoring system because now I don't know what the fifty is anymore because some the fifties are just thrown around so easily. I think we bring back the point five, we could get the forty nine and a half, and I think that all out. That's my pitch to revamp. If I work for the NBA to revamp the dunk contest,

I love that. In fact, what they should do is take these YouTubers and put them on the screen so we can all see what they've done and and get us lathered up right for for what For what these prowers could do. The problem is those pros could could never do that because they haven't practice. They have not practiced, and they don't want to be embarrassed. That's one of the big that's one of the big things. They do not want to be embarrassed. And I get it, you

know what. I respect that. And they say, the only thing that gets me going is competition. And in the heat of a game, where I don't think about what I'm gonna do, it just comes like Olivia uses were organically, it just happens because it happens, and I'm in that frame of mind, and that's when it means something and is pure and not orchestrated, not pre thought, not planned, And I get all that that that is that has

a lot of validity to it. But if we had something that had the point five like you talked about, it would make the voting a little bit different because every dunk is not a ten. I mean, it just isn't. It just is not. But the guys that are grading feel like, well, it's not a nine, but as good best I saw tonight. So I'll put up a plaquer that says ten. Right. So so Jerry, your thought is as well as well taken. I I think that that

would be a great addition. I know you were a little busy this week, but there is a huge trade. Kevin Durant is now a Phoenix Sun and they instantly become a top contender. What were your initial thoughts on this trade when he first saw it and then as

it simmered a little bit. Well, I've always thought that Phoenix was a young team that could be good for a long time with the cord that they had minus Chris Paul who's thirty six thirty seven years old, who's on the clock in his window is closing, But as long as he was around and still a voice in the locker room and a leader around the floor, they were going to be an interesting and they'll put another guard in there some other day, but the core would

be together, right. They cam Johnson, They had mcel Bridges who was a phenomenal young player, and that was part of their big foundation with Devin Booker and Ayton who's

in the middle. But boy, they went all in with draft choices, young core, foundational pieces and got got Durant and they just had the team sell and the new owner came in there and I guess he wanted to make a splash and he certainly did for an offense injured superstar who was in his mid thirties but was having an m v P type season when he was injured and made the nets, you know, really really good. So that's one of those things you got to look at yourself in the mirror and say, am I sacrificing

the future for the present? And clearly they are, so it is kind of what it is. And then we had Kyrie go to Dallas and the Mavericks and they traded some wonderful pieces around Don Chech that made that team a Western Conference final team a season ago. But you need two superstars on a team to win a title, and that was the thinking in Phoenix because they get a couple of Durant with Booker, who was first team All NBA last season and a four time All Star.

And oh, by the way, we've got Chris Paul, you know, at the controls at the steering wheel. And then for Kyrie, a superstar and his talented guard. As this league has ever seen, it's just been up here, which has been a little bit like law Off Kilder clearly as we've seen with his history. You pair him with Don Chitch. Now you've got two superstars there too. So you need a Robin for a batman, you need you need two

superstars at the least to make a run. And that's kind of what what those teams thought they had to do. So I love it when teams do this because it gets the league talking. They'll be fascinating studies to see. And my guess is for a half season that it will be successful. The long term will be sacrifice, but for a half season this is gonna be fascinating to watch. I agree with you on the playoff part of it, too.

That's why I was such a big and maybe it's also too because I know the Nicks were never going to qualify for regular playoffs for a while. I'm such a fan of a play in, and like when we talk about the West and I was just looking we could potentially, I mean, there's gonna be a lot of movement, but the play in as of right now in the West goes New Orleans and hopefully they get Zion back, Minnesota go Olden State, and then we have Utah hanging

on for dear life. I don't imagine if they stick there with the late like if the Lakers sneak in like a Pelican's Warriors Timberwolves Lakers plan, that's going to be as good as any first round kind of thing going on. I just love the play and I was wondering your thoughts on the plan. You are so right. It is it's almost like sudden death and some circumstances

in that mix. It is so you've got a shortened window, You've got credible, incredible urgency to win and win now, and you cannot say, well, we'll make it a five or seven game series. That does not happen in this situation. So it is either sudden death or maybe you fall after a loss and you can get another chance. But man, you are on the clock, and that is the way people love it when you are fighting for your life.

You see incredible basketball now with the Angelo Russell joining the Lakers, healthy Lebron and a healthy A D, that is a team I would not want to face. I think they would be an incredible out And I think all they're thinking right now is let's creep back in and then we will will accelerate. I mean they're trying. I mean they're trying to win. They want to better their position, but they've got to get in that little grouping there that play and as you're talking about, so

we need to really you're so right, Jerry. We need to look at the conference leaders as the top six, the certain six, and when we're talking, here are the teams as of the day that are in. Here are the teams that are on the bubble or in the playoffs, and it will resemble I think the best thing the NBA has done with this is it resembles the n c A Tournament, which is right around the corner, and people love it for that reason alone. You're playing till

the death. You're playing to the blast second. There is no tomorrow. If we don't win, we are gone. That's what makes that tournament so great, both in the NBA and in the n c A, the college tournament. And you know, you can't ask as a fan, or a broadcaster or or anybody more than a chance to to lay it all on the line for one game. And that's what we get with those two scenarios. Jerry, doesn't that remind you of the pump up speech I give

you before we record every podcast Tomorrow? I think we're a top six seed though you definitely or that's exactly you don't have to worry about playing in at all. I gotta ask you one question in the East too, because the other night Boston without their all stars, nearly beat the Bucks, took them overtime. Who do you see coming out of the East when you think about those two teams, especially, well, what I'm looking I get to do the East Finals so that I cannot wait. I

cannot wait. I think any of these teams, I don't know what's going to happen to Brooklyn. Now they've reconstituted their team, but they're still strong. They're a solid team. Nix. I saw him the other night, the Knicks, and they played the Nets. I'm a big bibbot O fan. Anyway, their coach, I love Julius. He Randall works as hard as any player, and he know he's got to right. He knows he's got this team on his shoulder. But I love some of the kids on their team, and

so I'm watching them with interest. But the usual suspects. You're right, Philly, Boston, Milwaukee, Miami is so well coach, you've got to include them, the Nets, the Knicks. I know we're gonna have some other teams creep in there, but I guess my my view is on that grouping right now. Milwaukee made a great move. We're talking about trades and the moves before the deadline. They got Jay Crowder.

They needed a defensive wing, and they needed a guy that could shoot the three, and they got the added bonus of a guy who's been in big playoff games, played in some recent finals. He knows the world that that is and he just strengthens their bench evermore. And when Bobby Portis comes back. I don't think Porters played the other night. I don't think he's back. Yet when porter and he was, he's been out for like two

or three weeks. I don't think he's back. So when Portis is back, now they've got their bench, which is gonna be just like hold on to your huts. It's gonna be phenomenal. I like, and Middleton has come back. Middleton has missed two big sections. He missed twenty games early on, then eighteen games he had a thumb injury, had knee sorenus. Now he's back. They're working in back in slowly. They gotta watch his minutes. Man, is he's

an all star. He's an all Star caliber player. And you put them with the honest who's I still think the single best, most exciting player in the league to do what he's doing at his size is he dribbles like a guard. He moves like a forward. He shoots like a marksman outside from three. He's developed that part of his game. And then he moves like when he goes through a lane, he gives you eight. He moves like every joint in his body right, He's like he's

just like he's like a plastic man. He's like he's like so angular and he's like doing all this stuff like I don't I can't process him. So the East is gonna be dynamite and the West will be good if Kyrie and Durant stay healthy. But that is the big if, if they can't stay healthy, and if Lebron and a d can stay healthy. So there's a lot of unknown in the West, but the East seems to be intact and it's going to be a fight to

the finish. It's gonna be marvelous. The things your brain holds onto and you remember everything, it's no wonder why at the dinner table sometimes you have no idea what we're talking about. Your brain is holding so much information from sports. But you guys are too though. I know

Exaccho what you do, you too do to prepare. So now that football is over and you're you're so immersed in football, this NBA well, first way that the nt A Tournament, and we got to get through that before we get to the playoffs, which you're looking forward to. You I've done twenty five years of those, and I love the tournament in every way. That first day when those eight teams come out to practice and it is a long day, and it is it is a that first day that we broadcast, we do eight teams in

four games, all in one twelve hour period. It's, uh, you know, physically it's hard. Mentally it's it's excruciating, and you're just trying to get the names of the team's right and the names of the kids right because you see so much but fans those kids to get there. That could be the last college game they ever played, and so, like I was saying before, they play with such gusto and it means so much, and that's that is just a blast to be a part of. For a lot of them, it's the last time they play

organized basketball. It's sure is your husband played in two final fours. That just does not happen. That just does not happen. So when you play in the tournament, it's like a life altering experience. If you can make it with a couple of wins and become you know, a story that is something that in your wildest imagination you

can't process. And then if you're lucky to make it through all of that, including the regular season and your conferences tournament thing, now you've made it to a final four or in Elite eight, you think, boy, have I been blessed more than I deserve. And I look at the ys of those kids, and that's how they feel.

They feel like I am living a dream that hundreds of thousands of kids over all these years and all these leagues and all these games and teams and from high school just think their parents took them from from when they're just little guys and gals, you know, at five and six years old, to practice and all the times they shot baskets in their backyard, you know, on their on their own driveway, and and then for them to make it there that almost because the NBA is

so nebulous and so like unrealistic, to make it into that tournament and to work your way through the tournament. That really is the dream of all college, of all all kids who play basketball, is can I make it into that tournament and be as something, you know, part of something that is so much bigger than me and something that just funnels all my hopes and dreams into one three week area and and that is so fun to be a part of. To watch that, well, I

can't wait to hear you. Sorry, And I'm going to give you a little prediction. It's a homework. Do do do it with my guy Jericho Sims. I've watched next game. There's times where he looks like he could take a coin off the top of the backboard. So I know the big guys don't always fare well, but just I'm just calling it now, keep a good eye on my man Jericho Sims. That may come out in our broadcast. There's a matter of fact they made that made that

may slip out there a little bit. That'll be a shameless plug and and uh and and bring you out into the uh into the national consciousness on that Saturday night platform. I'm gonna keep that in mind. Yeah, if you can plug you know, this week I was on the bed MGM Unleashed podcast. They have two amazing hosts. That'd be that'd be good. But last time, Jerry, you don't know this. Last time I said to Dad, oh, you should slip this in the broadcast a regular season game.

He said, b E t MGM spelled out the whole thing. So I think now he's got it. Dad. We have taken up too much of your time, and I know my mother is probably wanting you back to join her for lunch or something. So thank you so much. As you've seen it's got dark here in London. Since we've been here, it has It is amazing. I feel like we're family, Jerry, because we see you in Olivia every

week with this great show. And to hear her talk about you and how much he's enjoyed being with you and co hosting this and being a pro with you is very gratifying for a father. So I enjoy you both very much. And I'll be watching and I'll be listening and enjoying. All right. You know when you hear

that music, we are about to dig into entreage. So Jerry, I'm season seven, episode two, and what I've seen so far is your business has taken off, which has been really fun to see all the cars with Turtle and the license weight. I'm curious, do you have any of those license plates? And have you ever put one of them on your own car? Great question and also great idea.

I don't have one. I wish I did. And I'm known for taking things from the set that I think we'll just hey like like I had like years ago. I wore a giant jersey on the show that said Turtle on the back. I have that jersey. I took a lot of the jersey I have, like the Kevin Garnett McDonald's all American jersey that I wore. But no, that would have been a great light. That would have been great to take. What a great idea. No, I

didn't do it like an idiot. I should have. You know, you still can just next time you register a car. It's just not the same, like to know that that's where that came from. You know, it would have been great if it was like the actual from the set. I like stuff like that. So if you did do it, though, would you not like being recognized that much? Because I'm sure people know now that, like you live in Cleveland and they'd see you driving. I definitely wouldn't put it

on my car. I would probably like frame it and hang it somewhere back there in the office wall of fame. I don't or give it to my mom, who is literally the biggest collector of Entourage merchandise you've ever seen. I don't know why she buys it. I tell her, Mom, I can get you some of that stuff for free. She still buys it. And you go. You walk in the house, you asked for a cup of coffee, You're

getting served with an Entourage coffee mug. You want a shot of tequila, You're getting an Entourage shot glass coming at you. Nice. We've never learned. We do know your real name is Sal Salvatore, right, we don't know why Turtle, Like, what is the reason for the nickname? I could honestly say it has never been answered. I've asked Doug Ellen numerous times. He said, I have no idea. I just thought it was a funny nick name. So I don't

have a great answer for that. There is a great answer for why the character's name is Sal, if you want that. So years ago one of my best childhood friends unfortunately passed away when he was about twenty two years old. Okay, and in my mind when I was even auditioning for Turtle, not that my friend was exactly like Turtle, but there's definitely more things I pulled like I was playing a version of that, like fun loving guy, love to party, just like he was that guy. A

little bit. I told Doug maybe, like in season three, as a joke, you know, if Turn ever gets a real name, I'd love it to be after my friend Sal. That's who I'm playing. Doug said, yeah, yeah, sure, we'll figure out when we get there. Never discussed it again. When I got that script with Jamie Lynn where I tell her my name, I had no idea it was coming. So I was reading the script. I get to that part and I froze and I dropped the script and I was like like crippled for a second because I

couldn't believe he did that as a gesture. And to this day, my friend's family like any time, Like the character's name is sal Assante, which is my friend's name. It's in like the television Hall of Fame in a way. So it's the coolest thing that anyone's ever done for me. Wow. Okay, that's heavy. Did you tear up when you actually went to film it? Oh? I was so. I was like shaking that day and I even, uh, you're gonna get to an episode or maybe it is the episode. Is

the turtle character's credit card canceled? Yet it's not. It's happening right now. So I have that credit card. I don't know if it's in my wallet, but it says it's a fake credit card that says saltatur Sante on it, and I kept it. I usually keep it in my wallet. Yes, Oh, my god. Okay, that's gonna make me cry still earlier. That's a that's an amazing story. Okay, I'm loving Entourage. We're having fun with it. Season seven. I'm liking so far.

You've kind of given me. The warning still stands. You haven't gotten there yet. The warning still stands more to come. Okay, you two both have beef with Miles Sanders, and he really kept both from winning some money. So I hope you don't run into him in the streets somewhere. But Pete, walk us through what you lost with Miles Sanders not scoring a touchdown. Yeah. So we had a great day in terms of picks, and we'll get to those in

a second. But I had a seventy five to one shot one game parlay that would have net out a couple of grand on a fifty bet, and Miles Sanders anytime touchdown was the only thing that missed. So I had Kelsey anytime hurts, anytime, a bunch of different overs. I achieved money. Line in there. Miles Sanders the one guy who let me down, and I think he let

the world down because he had a superport performance. It could have been a Miles Sanders anything anything anytime that like, give us anything at any time, give us anything like a two yards maybe it would have been great. Your prop pick was over thirteen and a half longest rush attempt and he didn't even come close to that. I think he had a six yeard run. How was it? Yeah, Jerry,

what was your other prop pick? It was Bucker under one and a half field goal attempts and he only had one, which was the game winner, and he missed he joinked that other one. So you know, yeah, Sanders just didn't show up. It was tough. Overall, you did all right at the Super Bowl, Yes, yeah, I mean, first of all, great week with you guys, right, We got a little dolphin, We had a great dinner, you get to meet some of the bed MGM team. But

as for the picks, did pretty well. So gained well over nineteen and a half rushing yards, Pacheco rushing receiving over sixty and one and a half. I don't think he even had reception yards. I think he just didn't all rushing had a great game. Davante Smith over twenty three and a half longest reception hit actually was stuck at twenty three for a while. And I was nervous, and then he had that forty five yard or that

he broke away. I gave the little pick at the end two of over sixty one and a half receiving yards, that number had weirdly gone down. He hit that by forty fifty yards. The only thing we lost was well, not the Reddick flyer that we took, but Kelsey over six and a half receptions. I think he ended the six. But they didn't need him. I mean they he obviously had a couple of big plays, but everybody else was working. The refs were working at for him too, and they

were using pretty much every weapon. So can I ask you roughly, you know how the book? How did the book do? Like roughly? Like dead neutral? So okay, all right, yeah it was a so let me break it down. So I think the result was good for us in

terms of the Eagles losing. But when every prop hit, so I mean almost every single anytime touchdown score hit that someone would probably besides Miles Sanders, that obviously hurts us because then you start to factor in all those one game parlays that people had, so anybody had eats and Kelsey touchdown and the next thing. Um, that's what balanced the book out. But but overall it was a very much probably would have been not so great exactly. So this was I think this was the result we wanted.

Gives gives all of our customers a couple of bucks going into the week, so it's a good thing. And yeah, now we pivot to two NBA and NHL and March Madness and next golf. We got golf. We got golf real quick. With the promo that you were telling us about last week, the prop bet challenge, what was the takeaway from that? I mean, not that anyone's counting, but both of mine hit, So you were the only one

where both of your props hit. I think I'm telling I was like fire, Jerry went olive, guys like Kevin Garnett, I think one zero percent. So we had a really great turn out. We have two amazing winners, one in Ohio and one in Ontario. So they're being contacted today, which is amazing. They both are thousand dollars richer, which is me wow, it's not um, it is confirmed, not Jerry. No insider trading here. But we're thrilled, thrilled, and we

had a great turn out. A lot of adoptions, so it's great to see and great to have two customers a hundred thousand dollars richer. I know the lines aren't out for the All Star Game this weekend in the NBA, but what are some things that are fun that people can bet on once they do come out? Take the over? It's like the game Take the over. Obviously you got all the the three point contests, the slamdown contests, so I think that's where most of the fun will lie.

The game is depends how you look at it. I mean, it's a pretty non appealing game for three quarters, and I think everybody turns it up a notch coming into the fourth. But when in doubt, I think just always take the over. The defense lacks the year and year, you know year, and your end just continues to drop. So I think safe that is just take the over there. So do you start looking at NFL next season? Now?

I know I have a lot of friends who their work for next season starts like right at the buzzer of the game. So have you given that a look? And are you bringing anything for us today with that? Yeah? Yeah, So I think it starts a little bit day after Super Bowl, and then probably the next iteration of it is after the draft, when you actually start to see teams form a little bit more. For me, it's great value right now. So you look at teams that either

have a great team that have been priced weirdly. Maybe they have a great team, they're missing a piece and the anticipation this year is that they will get that piece. So if I start with the Jets only five to one, they have a pretty good team. They obviously have offensive and defensive rookies of the year in Sauce Gardner and Karatt Wilson, so they have weapons, Robert Salo's defense, ken Ball.

They're missing a quarterback. I think all the rumors around the world are is it Derek Carr, Is it Aaron Rodgers? They're going to get someone. They also have the I think the tenth or thirteenth overall pick this year, so they have a fairly high pick in the draft. So you start putting all that together to one, then you get Aaron Rodgers drops the fifteen or twelve to one,

something like that. I'm still yeah, I saw that, and it definitely was puzzling at first, but you just broke it down elegantly because I do think that, yeah, they're the quarterback away, but we're still talking about very experienced head coach, very young team. You know, maybe if it's Rogers, I get you think it drops that low. If it's Rogers, get hit, it gets like twelve or fifteen to one, Like it it was Derek Carr. I think you can

put it up forty to one if it's Derek Carr. Yeah, it might go the other ways, right, But I think to your point, there's still the Jets. It's still an inexperienced coach. I think it's pure value. So you just have to look at it in that sense that you're getting something that will eventually change value in a couple of weeks or a couple of months. I'm gonna keep an eye on that. I just refused to put money on the Jet to win the Super Bowl as a Giants fan. I just refused. Okay, what else? What else?

Is one of these three? You'll love? So Jets one, Dolphins thirty to one, another intriguing one. They have a very very well built out team, especially on the offensive side. I think there's just a lot of question marks around to uh, his health, where does he go? Does he stay committed to football. With all the injuries, the scary injuries.

He had again the team that if they decided to roll the dice and make a big splash from from a quarterback point of view, they're probably a favorite in the in the a f C. What splash could that be? I'm thinking of that. I'm with you on that because they're their roster on both sides of the ball is really really strong and really like, if it's a healthy toa and we know where you know, then yes, I think that that's a thirty to one. I think you'd

be a fool not to sprinkle a little bit. But in the event that it's not to h you know, I don't know. I've never heard anything about Rogers to Miami, right, Jimmy G Like, what who's the I think you have to consider the money. Obviously, they're paying to rekill what thirty million a year, so their budget, their budget is not the same as the Jets or someone else. Brady as an example, would have been a great offer. I

think you're not a low value. He doesn't retire. He comes in playing with you, rekaill, playing with lots of weapons. But to your point, well, he's not there. It's it's probably a guy like Jimmy g is probably someone that can run an offense. I hope, I really do. I hope it's. I feel for the guy. I feel for

the guy. I just I think there's probably a lot of concerns in Miami and you probably need to be at least bringing the backup because obviously as they went down the depth chart, that's when there's their season kind of turned for the worst. All Right, where's this one that I'm gonna like? Because so far those are okay? I'm with you on the fins, But where's the one I'm gonna like a lot? So your Seattle Seahawks, Yes, Si, that is a crazy price for a team that made

the playoffs are only getting better. They're probably going to re up Chino. But I think there's an important piece to all this. They got a lot back for Russell Wilson last year, including a top five pick, so they're gonna be drafting I think twice in the first picks of the draft this year. They're going to get a skilled playmaker. They have some money to spend. Again, do I think the Seahawks are gonna win the Super Bowl?

Probably not. But that's a that's a jerry for our a lottery tickets, specially the Yeah, maybe they trade they could trade up with two picks. They could they could trade back. They could do a lot with those picks. And to me, like, no disrespect to your Niners, who are still the team to beat in that division, but definitely an unstable quarterback position for right now. I mean, we love Pertie, you know we're waiting on Lance. But I do think the Rams might have a little bit

to say. I just can't imagine McVeigh just go like coming back for another year of what we just witnessed, because I don't think you would be down for that. So, but I don't know what division is wide open to me still a little bit. All three of those teams to me have a chance to obviously make the playoffs

and make it make somewhat of a run. The Cardinals have zero shot there in turmoil with Kyler out for at least what at least probably half the year, Kingsbury out, I mean that team yeah, full rebuilders, right, So Seahawks one, I think again, they do a good job in the draft, they do a good job in free agency. That number goes to fifty. That number goes the forty, it probably

never goes to one. But um, with Pete Carroll and the way you coached that team, a team that was supposed to win what four and a half games, I think you sprinkle a little on that one. Love it, love it. Hope they get Gino back to get a non exclusive tag coming up, that's like next week February twenty one is when they can start negotiating that. He could become a free agent March fifteen if they don't. So that's something to watch too before you make that bet.

I think yeah, totally. But as far as golf tournaments coming up this weekend, what do you like? So Genesis is this weekend exciting tournament at Riviera in California. So I'll start with the Cali guys. So Max Homa he won right absolutely, if you haven't seen from a couple of seasons ago, he's one of those guys that's firing on all cylinders. He's instituted himself, is probably a top fifteen golfer. Like I said, he won the tournament two

years ago. Means a lot to him, especially this is kind of Tiger's tournament him growing up such a huge Tiger fan. He's twenty two one. That's a great price for a guy who's won only two years ago. And I think four out of six of Max's PGA Tour wins actually happened in the state of California, so something about going home. He loves to win and loves to show up, So Homa two one, I think is a

great beat. You can also sprinkle some top five, top ten bets that we haven't bet him gym as well, But I think taking him out right and then playing a little bit of the hedge team as things get closer into the weekend is is kind of my route. And then I'm gonna take three guys here that all looked really good, especially at TPC Scots Now last weekend at the Waste Management start with Justin Thomas sixteen to one, especially on the back half of the round probably Saturday

and Sunday. He was driving the ball as good as anyone, and he is a top five golfer. He has a great short game. I think he's played well at Rivera but in the past, so sixteen to one again seems like a fairly aggressive price. I had probably looked at him in somewhere around ten to one, so again a value picked there with j T. A little home cooking for me with my guy, Kegan Bradley six to one, a guy who was in the top ten for most of TPC Scottsdale, most of the waste management first two

three days looked really good. He's always had concerns around his potter and was putting really really well. So again a six one flyer I think makes lots of sense. And then the pick that makes no sense to me, Scottie Scheffler, is only ten to one. This guy does nothing but win, and even last week he looked really bad in this last round on Sunday and still managed

to win by a couple of strokes. By far, the best golfer right now has been for the last probably eight to ten months, and I expect him to just continue to pump out top five finishes and he'll be there at the end of this at Riviera. So ten to one when he probably should be somewhere around five or six to one, I think makes a lot of logical sense. He'll fix some of the kinks that he had where he had a poor round on Sunday, and he'll be backfiring this weekend. To me, this is like

the beginning of golf season. You know, the Super Bowl ends, we get the Waste Management Phoenix Open, and now we go right into the California kind of swing, which takes us right into the Master, so golf season to start. Look, I'm excited because Tiger Woods is playing. I know that just is the best thing for golf that could happen, of course, but realistically we haven't seen him play a non major and two years, three years, so I don't think we could really put any I think he's a

ten thousand to one or something to win whatever. But bet MGM does have some interesting Round one Tiger Woods specials that I want to throw at you guys. I find a few of these really interesting. First one is bogey free, which is plus twenty two hundred. I think he's gonna make a bogie. Let's just say, I think he's gonna make a bogie, eagle or birdie the first hole minus two. I'm gonna stay away on that. The ones I like a lot to make an eagle plus

seven hundred. This is still Tiger Woods. We might get a lot of bogies, but he always kind of bounces back and then to me, what I mean four or more birdie's plus one twenty. I think that's a great bet. And then to shoot and this is again there is only round one to shoot seven year lower plus one forty. I think those are some strong I gotta have a little tiger Woods action on this, on this tournament. I just have to have it. Yeah, totally. I think the

last three make a ton of sense to me. You probably show concerns from him if he makes the cut going into at Her in Sunday, when his body starts wearing down a little bit. But first round he's gonna be driving the ball. Well, he's gonna have eagle doble holes where he's driving into or you know, hitting the green into. So I love that. I think the birdie one is my favorite out of all those, because to your point, he's gonna pump out birdies. He's gonna hit

bogies and birdies, bogeis and berries. But all he needs to do is go to three under to hit you know, sixty nine are better. So that's not a crazy ask, especially early in the round, especially at one of his tournaments. So I love those first three probably like you would stay away from the first two of bogey free and eagling the Bertie or eagle in the first hole. Let's I think historically the first tea box has been some of those ones that have been like WHOA, where did

that drive? Later in his career, not early in his career. You know, I think the first tea box has always been not necessarily a carry over from the range. Pete, you had a great year. I thought, all in all, you started off the football season it was a little rough in places, but you got you got real hot, and I thought you finished strong. All in all, I would say you were a playoff team. I don't think you won the Super Bowl this year, but I think you were a strong playoff team. You might have even

gotten out of the first round. First of all, it's a wee. It's not an eye here. You guys carried me. We had a couple of blips. We had to Jerry. I always think of this like turning point of the season, where it is I had to put that big Chalky that was like my we hired Jeff Saturday kind of game. And we have four biggest favorites of the week. Yeah, but you gotta listen. You gotta hit the bottom sometimes to work your way up. I think I just made that up, but it really did help me to just

getting out that first one out of the way. Then we started hitting one game parlays. We started having plus ten unit weeks. So big credit to you guys for keeping me keep me up there, all right, Pete. It's always a pleasure. It's even more fun in person. So we hope we can do this all again soon. Yeah, absolutely, guys, take care, all right. Fun, So you guys, the big thing is our bet MGM unleashed YouTube page. If you're

not following it, you should subscribes. You can watch all of our interviews, which are really I think more fun to watch than listen to. And then make sure that you're seeing all of our shorts because of course we're on Instagram and Twitter at bet MGM. But make sure you also check out our YouTube page to seem much more content from the show. Jerry, you got anything that, Yeah, go take a look at the YouTube page, and you know, just sign our football. It was a great, great season.

I'm gonna miss you every Sunday. Now. I'm going to be at the playground this Sunday at one o'clock probably is the weather gets warmer, so r I P the Sunday's l O L. He thinks we're done talking about football all right. Thanks everyone for joining