Transcript of Ryan Whitney, Stephan Jenkins From Third Eyed Blind, Week 17 Picks And Preview + Someone Slept In Again

Hey, Pardon My Take listeners. You can find every episode on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube Prime. Members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. Cracker Barrel is home to all the More country anytime. That means buttermilk pancakes whenever you want them, homemade classics like chicken and dumplings and a country store full of fun finds. Swing by and visit Cracker barrel today on today's Part of My Take presented by DraftKings NFL Week 17. We've got a twofer for the people. We got a Ryan Whitney, the number one guest in Pardon My Take history. Awesome time with him doing our NHL preview a little bit early. Also we taped it last week so there might have been I don't think there's any takes that are out of that are cold takes. Although he didn't expect the Bears to beat the Packers I would assume. But but we're going to talk some NHL with him. Then we have Third Eye Blind lead singer Steven Jenkins in studio. Was really fun interview. This is. We say it all the time but like having the platform and ability to do these type of interviews. Guys that we listen to as kids, guys that you know have been making music for a really long time.

Really cool. Also stay tuned for that one because PFT and Steven Jenkins got a little nerdy on the music side that I loved. Absolutely loved it. So we're going to Talk some week 17. We have our best bets. We have Hot Seat, Cool Throne. We have guys on chicks. Then we're going to send everyone off for Christmas vacation and we will next see you on Monday after week 17. It is all brought to you by our friends at Game time. The NFL is in full swing. Tailgates pack stands at buzz before kickoff. But getting in nightmare cues, price jumps, getting logged out mid click. All you want is to be there. Beer in hand, losing your voice with the crowd. The Game Time app gives the advantage back to fans. It's the hack for unlocking amazing tickets and experiences in a few taps. It's incredibly easy to use. The Game Time guarantee means you can Trust you'll get 100% authentic tickets on time and at the best price. Plus fees are always included. So what you see is what you pay. We're looking at tickets. Who's got one?

Patriots and Jets.

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Okay, so go to Game Time right now. Take the guess we're going to buying NFL tickets with Game Time. Download the Game Time app, create an account. Use code PM for $20 off your first purchase terms. Apply again. Create an account redeem code PMT for $20 off. Download the GameTime app today. Okay, let's go. Welcome to part of my take, presented by DraftKings. The crown is yours. Today is Wednesday, December 24, or Tuesday, December 23. I don't know when this podcast is being released. We're doing a little bit out of order today this week. So we are sitting here. It's Monday morning, right after we recorded the Sunday night podcast. We're taping early because we want everyone to have an actual vacation here for Christmas. Phil Rivers, how did he do on Monday Night Football?

I think he was beautiful. I think he was perfect.

I think I laddered it and I probably lost again.

I think he was perfect, and I don't necessarily mean that they won the game or that he played well, but Philip Rivers is just. He's perfect.

We all had fun.

Yeah. This is a moment, especially around the holidays, you know, if you have a loved one in your family, maybe they're getting up there in the years, cherish every moment that you have with them. Yeah. And that's what I did with Philip Rivers last night.

Okay. So we're. We're going to do, like, a fork in the road if the Colts win. Oh, man. The AFC playoff picture really got interesting because the Colts are still technically alive.

That somewhere Jim Ursay is smiling down with his finger on the scale, making sure the Colts get in, baby. Wow.

And, man, Niners now the path to the one seeds no longer there.

That's a tough break for them.

Yeah.

And for anyone that has a future on them.

Yep.

Now, if they. If they lost, congratulations on everybody in the AFC for getting into the playoffs and clinching.

Yes.

You basically got to watch Philip Rivers, which was fun, lose on Monday night. And then you all got in. The Bills got in. The Chargers got in. The Jaguars got in. Yep. I believe the Texans got in. I don't know if the Texans officially got in. I think they might still have to win one more.

We're in.

We're in playoff, you know. Yeah. They're at 98. I'm gonna say the Texans got in. Everyone got in.

Congrats.

Congrats to everyone who getting got in.

Every good team in the AFC is now in the playoffs.

Yeah. So we. So we were thinking about the schedule, these next two, because Christmas being on a Thursday is a little weird. We didn't really think that anyone would listen to, like, a Wednesday Christmas Eve podcast. So we're releasing this a little early on Tuesday for the people. We got some two Great interviews. But we also wanted everyone to be able to get an actual break because we'll be back for week 17 Sunday night. We'll be in studio. The turnaround, though, was tough.

Turnaround was tough.

We were in this studio seven hours ago, recording.

I just. I made a list of things that happened in the last 12 hours, and I walked in the gambling cave. I was like, does anybody have any news?

Yeah. Any.

Because I'm looking for the news right now. I do have a couple things. And we're going to announce the Low man trophy finalist today. Oh, so very, very special event for part of my take. We got to figure out when we're going to stream the awards, how we're going to do that. I think it would be good to do during the next round of the College Football Playoff. I love that we could do that at halftime of one of the games.

For New Year's Day.

For maybe on New Year's Day, we could announce the award. But again, we announced this late in the season because we respect the Army Navy game.

Yep.

Which features a lot of fullbacks. Every other award out there, they do it before the game. They do their finalists before the game. Disrespectful to the troops. Not us. Not this podcast.

Nope.

But, yeah, there's not. Not a whole lot that's shaken out. Some updates, some cleanup on some injuries and scenarios and things like that that have happened. But we'll. We'll make it work.

How's everyone feeling about the turnaround? Bad. So I would like to say this, Hank, can I get a little bit of credit? We did. Advisors this morning. Did not mention that you slept through. Advisors really did not mention it. One second. Not a. I don't even believe that.

And I wouldn't.

I wouldn't have been mad if you did.

No, I didn't.

That. That. That. That is. It was bad, obviously. I. I slept in. We were up late. We shot something this morning. The worst. The worst part is that I almost wish I had just slept in.

Miss everything.

No, no, no, no, no, no. Not that. But the reason I didn't even. I. I Woke up at 4am Mega Day. Might have killed me.

Yeah. Took a lot out of all.

Especially for you.

Walked into me.

We haven't really done this.

We haven't really done this this year.

Yeah.

Like, for whatever reason, I think it's probably the ice cream machine and all the, like, Reese's sponsorships and stuff walked in on Saturday and there was, I don't know what, 200 worth of candy hand Up.

Hand up. I'm gonna say biggest bag of Swedish.

Fish you've ever seen. The biggest bag of gummy bears you've ever seen. Sour watermelons. Sour everything. Every type of candy.

This is an all time super bowl weekend. Yeah. Can I just say that? Hand up. This is because this has happened probably, I don't know, 25 times in my life where I am gearing up for a diet and then the couple weeks before I just go so hard in unhealthiness just to bulk up to the point where I can lose weight fast. I am in that phase. Yes. I think the actual order was $225 worth of candy. So.

And I, I obviously can't help myself. I was just. And, and we were here Saturday and Sunday. We had a seven gallon bag of Swedish fish. I think I probably took down two of those gallons myself. And I woke up at 4, 4, 5 o' clock in the morning on Monday and I was having a dream where someone I was talking to was like, they're not going to make it. Their tooth really hurts. That person was just me.

Like I got out of bed, it.

Was like my, my right. Too much pain. I couldn't go back to sleep. I finally went back to sleep at like 6, woke up at 9. My alarm was going off. My alarm went off for two hours. So I missed the recording this morning. I barely made it in time for this and my tooth still really hurts. I don't know what I'm gonna do about that because I'm going out of the country in like three days and I don't know. I'm trying to gage.

It's.

It's still early and I kind of feel like I just woke up and I don't want to take Advil again. Trying to gage if I can make.

It out through or not.

A toothache is, is the worst.

But I feel like you can get.

A filling by the time you have.

To leave, like tomorrow.

Yes.

Oh, Memes sounds like he's got a couple emergency. Yeah, yeah.

You go to the dentist.

Okay.

Hank.

And if they say no, then there's.

No, there's no harm in asking if.

You can get a feeling in the next few days.

Do you have a dentist?

Nope.

Okay. That's fine. You don't need. You just call a dentist.

Lots of dentists out there.

All right. Yeah.

What does this mean for. For no naps? Sounds like maybe there was a nap.

Was that technically a nap?

No, I don't know. I don't really.

This.

That's this is.

No, you're in a way better mood than I thought because when you slept in, it was like, oh, no. I. So. Oh, he's got. He's got the cream. The oil cream.

So I. I have this. It is. It was in my backpack. It's toothache. Pain relief or a gel.

Gel. Yeah. It numbs up.

Designed for you.

The.

So the, The. The events that transpired this morning, we had advisors at 8:30 in the morning. Again, it was a quick turnaround and I got in at 8 and I didn't see you here. And I was like, oh, that's weird. Usually here first. And then 8:30 came around and Jacob called you to see where you were. He said you didn't pick up. I was like, he definitely is still asleep. I'm just. We're just not. We're gonna pretend it didn't happen. We're just gonna move on and do advisors and. Yeah, that sucks. The tooth part.

That's honor.

I mean, that's one of those. I obviously, I. I slept in. I was expecting to have gotten roasted on that show. I wouldn't have been mad if I had.

No.

But that.

Mention it once. Christmas spirit.

I still think you're, like, fucking with me.

You can get. Go get Quigs, go get Quicksilver, get Quake to verify.

There's gotta be.

Swear to God. I actually am kind of shocked at myself. I don't really know what I was thinking other than Jerry, but that Jerry.

Loves to hop on board with that.

I don't think Jerry said anything because I didn't. I didn't make a. I wasn't like. I said, oh, is Hank here? And Jacob said, oh, I called Hank, but he didn't pick up. And then I put two and two together. I said, let's just do the show because we're on a tight schedule. But yeah, you. You hadn't done that in a while.

I. I'd like to say credit to Big Cat for not bringing it up on the advisor. So no one's going to know about it.

Correct.

So this is. This will be our little.

I don't.

I don't like.

I. I don't think. It's not something I'm trying to hide from. I feel ashamed about it. I feel bad. It's.

It's.

It's not good.

Do you know who the real winner is here?

Obama.

Obama? No. Our boy Zach. He was walking around like the of the walk. He was like, oh, Hank's not here. Oh, he must have slept in.

Zach, how many alarms did we have this morning?

Nobody likes that feeling, Alexa. The alarm, me, the traditional iPhone and the bomb.

You had four. You went quite alarm this morning.

Yeah. Unfortunately, the second bomb went off.

I was in the shower full of.

Shampoo, so I just tracked soap and water through my apartment to turn it off because I did get a noise complaint for that. Oh, you got it. Sorry, Jerry. Oh, here's Jerry. Jerry, what happened? Put on the headphones, Jerry. We just taped Advisors. Did I at any point bring up Hank sleeping in?

No, not once.

Why? Did you. Someone else? No, we, it's crazy. We did not.

What do we think we're rats?

Yeah. We're not rats. Well, no, I, we don't say nothing.

When you leave the office to play nine. We don't say nothing.

We ain't no rats.

What are we doing here?

We would never do that. No, when you got, when you go on tour with Billy Strings, you don't say nothing.

Nothing.

All right. Yeah, I just, I, I, I, I.

Assumed I had gotten, I'm actually shocked at myself.

Like I, I, I might have to go to the doctor and be like, what's wrong? You didn't, you didn't say anything. I mean, we're talking about it right now.

Yeah.

No. Well, that was a joke. Yeah.

Yeah. You were just so out of it this morning.

I was a little out of it. Yeah. I was. I did not have my best performance.

You're good, Hank.

Relax. Cool. You. And also, you missed the. I think stu told a 25 minute story that went absolutely nowhere. Could be more nowhere.

It was a nowhere story, Jerry. Well, we got you here.

You want to talk about the Steelers, Soupy?

We can do Steelers preview, Steelers, Browns preview. Let's do it. Okay. So, Jerry, you are saying that you're thinking Soupy. So I told Dan this morning, I'm thinking two playoffs.

He's saying minimum of two playoffs. Minimum two playoff wins right now.

Okay. And listen, I mean, can you say Rogers has been pretty damn good this year?

Yes. The last three weeks especially, he's been really.

Yeah, he's dialed in, I think. Adam Thielen, mvs, those are difference makers.

Yeah.

To him at least. Adam Thielen has been a difference maker for the Steelers and for the Vikings. And the Vikings haven't lost since they, they got rid of him. Steelers haven't lost since they got fair. Also, can we talk about Scotty Miller taking over that game as well?

Yeah, Yeah.

I mean, that's the big three right there, right now. Jerry, what was going through your head at the end of the Lions Steelers game when the referees were having a little tea party out on the field for like 10 minutes before they announced anything, I thought they were. I thought they were trying to figure out a way to how do we make the Lions win this game?

And they. And they couldn't.

They're like, no bad ideas.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. They realized we were out of options.

Yeah, they realized after, like, five minutes, hey, it is what it is. Steelers just got to win.

Those are the rules.

Did they get you when they started out by saying it is a touchdown on the field when they opened up with that? Yeah, but they. Yes, but they also got all the fans as well. Yeah, I know.

It's bullshit.

Yeah.

They should have announced it like that.

Yeah. They didn't know what they were doing, but, yeah, I figured they were just trying to figure out a way, hey, let's see how we can give this game to them. Yeah. And then we can't do it. So Steelers win. And Jerry, the. The. The Steelers right now, they. They look good. I've been on this. I mean, they look great.

Let's face.

They look great. I've been on the Steelers side all season long. Yeah. I said before the season started, this is the year they're going to win a playoff game. The defense, especially has looked really good for the last couple of weeks. What do you think about that? I. Yeah, they have. The last couple of weeks, the last three games, they have looked really good. Different team.

Something change? Do they do, like a new scheme or something?

What are we doing a new coordinator now? Same. Same coordinator, same coach. What's different? Because it feels like they, you know, guys are tackling. I think that's the difference. Guys are tack. Guys are flying. Putting hat on the ball. Flying around out there. Flying around.

Yes.

Dialing it up correct. Yes. Playing with her hair on fire.

Yes. Oh, yeah.

All these things all over the field. When's TJ coming back? So I had some leaked text messages from a nurse. I don't know if they're real or not. Sounds hippo.

Okay. Yeah, but. But the nurse didn't message me.

They messaged this other person, then forwarded the text to me. Allegedly, he's done for the year.

Allegedly.

I don't believe it, though. I think it was a scam. I think somebody's trying to scam me in fake text messages to make me, like, panic. Okay.

Rapaport did say he's expected to play again this season.

I think it was always going to be a pipe dream that he would Come back as early as the Lions game. Yeah. I mean, you punctured your lung. He probably got stitches in his lung. It sounds pretty serious. Yeah.

I mean, definitely. We want to take care of his health first. I mean, football second. We want to make sure he's all right.

Have you figured out how that happened?

Yeah.

Do you put the needle too far down? No, but it seems like that'd be very hard to do with the. With, like, acupuncture needles. So did you see Mark Caboli's report? No.

No.

So he's a, you know, little Pittsburgh insider.

He said there's a lot more to the story.

I don't know what that means. Oh, I think there. There could be. Because if you've ever had acupuncture done, it feels impossible to get that needle deep enough to, like, up your lung.

Yeah, but he was just. It's Caboli. What did I say Mark? Yeah.

Wait, did you say that?

I started looking up Mark Bully. No, he. No, I said Caboli. Yeah, he didn't say it. He said it so quick. If you. If you don't know his name. And I know his name.

Bully.

You said Mark Bully. I said Mark Bully. What a great name that would be. Imagine you were Mark Bully. He is a bully.

Have you ever seen him?

How do you spell K, A, B, O, L, Y?

Are you nervous about Shador? Me? Yeah.

No.

I mean, what's there to be nervous about?

I mean, I like him.

I don't got nothing against the guy, you know? Yeah, he threw for 300 the other week. Yeah. I mean, he's good.

Listen, I'm on 350. I like shoulders.

Well, it's more than. How much was.

It was like, a lot.

Right.

364.

He's in the 364.

Andrew Filiponi is the one who tweeted it. Okay. So we're going to get to the bottom of it.

Yeah, we'll get to the bottom.

You're going to win this game. You're going to win the AFC North.

And that's it.

And that's it. And then you're in. And then sit. Everyone Week 18.

Exactly.

Just chill out. Then we got a home playoff game, and Max is trying to spell another name.

I'm done.

We're done.

We're done.

We're done. We're done with trying to find Filipone.

Tweeted it.

I'll send the tweet if you need it. There's more to the story. I don't know what that means. Kaboli Said it. Hopefully not. It's a little early in the morning for letters for Max.

Yeah.

Yeah, sorry.

Either way, Jerry, good win.

Thank you.

Because it got the Bears and the 49ers into the playoffs.

Correct. I got one last question about the game. What's going to happen with dk? And where do you stand on the DK situation? Listen, I think it's. I think it should be a fine and one game suspension.

What about for the. For the fan?

For. For DK Metcalfe?

Okay. You can't do that.

You know what I mean? You just.

You just can't do that.

That is just because it's like a split allegiances thing for you.

You.

You love the Steelers.

Yes.

But you also love the. You are a fan that would approach an athlete with a jersey and then get upset with them if the interaction didn't go.

So would you go government name, though?

That's what.

That's what he did.

He just.

Government named me.

What do you mean?

Would I go government name?

DK. He got. He called DK's government.

That's what it was.

Yeah.

DK said that?

Yeah.

I mean, that. That's pretty crazy. I don't know if DK said that.

The fan said that.

Fans.

The fan said so.

Yeah. I don't. I think the fan might have said.

Something worse with the Darius. Yeah. I don't think that Kaylin would.

That you're. You're friends with him, Eric. Would that make him that upset? Yeah, I don't know. No, I haven't. Me and dk, well, you guys taxed. I've been at odds he got a new number.

Oh, okay.

Yeah. New number. Yeah. Jerry's been asking me for his number for about.

No, no, I got.

I got my number that I needed.

No response. But yeah, you texted dk.

No, Rogers, because remember. Remember what went down last year, which is you told me, big cat, that Aaron told you that he changed his number. So then finally I felt comfortable sending Aaron's number to Jerry because I thought he had changed his number. And so I sent Aaron Rodgers number to Jerry.

So maybe he did now.

And then you told me, wait, he actually was just lying to me. That's his real number. And then I'm like, well, Jerry's got it now.

Yeah. Which definitely probably happened.

Yeah.

I only texted him one time and that was it.

I didn't let it go past that.

Yeah, I did text. Yeah. Rogers does not. He doesn't text back because I text him thank you last night and nothing. Nothing. Yeah.

Yeah, it Goes dark, you know, what are you gonna do?

Yeah. Then we'll see him in Tahoe and be like, I changed my number. Just kidding.

Yeah. So extend Mike Tomlin. You know, honestly, I still don't think so.

Oh, I don't.

Even if.

Even if he wins a playoff game.

Or two, I don't. The thing is, I don't trust him to develop a quarterback. We gotta draft a quarterback.

If not, Raji, though, might stay for another year. I know he said it was his last year, but what do you think.

If he wins, if. If this team goes to the AFC.

Championship game, I think he'll come back. I think he has to. I think you have to come back. You gotta try one more year. One more year. He doesn't.

I know he can't move, but like, he still got it.

He looks good.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay. Thank you, Jerry. And again, nothing was said on advisors. Nothing was said.

Nothing.

We're not.

We're not rats. Hank.

Yeah. That's quicks.

Keep going.

Playing footage.

Yeah.

Yeah.

There won't be any footage of us saying it. Good job, Jerry. Okay, should we do. Let's do our weekend preview. Let's talk some games and then we'll do hot seat. Cool throne. Before we do that. DraftKings. We also have some bets.

We.

By the way, boys, we. We win over on our touchdown.

We did.

We gotta. We gotta pick up. We gotta pick that up. So. DraftKings. The holidays are heating up on pick six. DraftKings newest.

Give it to the booth.

Yeah, we should give it to the booth. That's a good call. We put our faces on the graphic, but give it to the booth.

Their bodies booth.

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Ends December 2nd at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Terms@pick6.draftkings.com promos Weekend preview is brought to you by our friends at Uber Eats. This episode is brought to you by UberEats, reminding fans that if football coincidentally makes you hungry, you can get game day deals on wings, burgers, beers, chips and more all season long, all on UberEats. You'll love being able to get all your personal favorite game day foods delivered on Uber Eats so that you never miss a play. When football makes you hungry, get game day deals all season long only on Uber Eats. Guys, we're by the way, this Week 17 Sunday. That will be my last day before I start the diet. So we gotta go super. I think we, I think we start on that Sunday. On that Sunday Max.

That's insane.

That's insane.

There's so many Super Bowls we have.

So if I get Max list of.

Food that we ate this weekend would make.

Would make a grown man.

We gotta go. One more thing.

You know this feeling that you have right now, disgusted with what you ate yesterday? That's the feeling that will kick start you into a diet after we do one more super Sunday, Correct.

Yeah.

Well, you can't start it on the Sunday match. That's insane.

You cannot start it on Sunday because.

Then you're going to start out day one of your diet by breaking your diet.

Yeah.

I'm setting you up for success here.

All right. Yeah. Okay. Let's, let's talk some, some games. Let's talk some playoffs. We have the updated playoff picture, Hank, by the way, you have a. Right now, according to ESPN, you have a 39.8% chance at getting the 1 seed and the Broncos have a 36.2%. I would assume that's because of who the Broncos play. They have the Chiefs.

They had a 7% chance going into Sunday or Sunday. So that's crazy.

Yeah. So the, and the Patriots have the Dolphins and Jets. They'll be heavy favorites in both games. So there's a chance. Big chance. There's a. You have the best chance right now.

Go Chargers.

You have the. You have the best chance. Yeah. If the Chargers win on Saturday, that will be huge because that means they're going to try for week 18 to potentially win the AFC West.

And memes is going to be thinking spoiler.

You could spoil memes names tweeted 60 to nothing.

You can't.

Yeah.

Brady Cook couldn't score a touchdown against the Saints. Yeah, that's true. Saints playing good defense, though. Sure. Saints are the hottest team in the NFL. And then on the NFC side, it's a 47.6% chance for the Seahawks. And then the two. The second and third highest chances for the one seed are actually the Niners and the Rams.

Yeah, Niners are a little bit above the Rams right now.

Yep.

And we don't know what happened Monday Night Football.

Yeah, the bears are 11.4% because like I was saying, it's kind of tricky for the Bears considering the fact that they have to win out. And part of winning out would then mean the Niners are not going to try in week 18.

Yeah, there's a lot of that. A lot of the what if scenarios.

Yeah. Week 18 again, is going to be. It's gonna be a rough one.

How does this work, by the way?

Pfd.

Do I just eat it?

You should put it on your tooth.

Oh, yeah, you just. You put it right. You squeeze it onto your tooth.

Thank you.

Let's do. We're gonna do the preview a little different today because again, it's Monday morning, so we're gonna. Let's do. We're not gonna go game by game. Some of these games kind of stink. But let's do this. If you had to pick one of the three games on Thursday that you're most excited for, it's not. It's not great preseason. It looked great. Commit Cowboys commanders. I mean, that would have been a. You know, Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons heading into the playoffs. Jaden Daniels. Can he do it again? Year two.

Yeah.

Lions, Vikings, the two teams that won, what, 14 and 15 games last year. And then Broncos, Chiefs, passing of the torch. Will the Broncos be able to take down the Chiefs? They're one game back in the AFC West. These were all the headlines in our heads.

Yeah.

In August when we saw the schedule. They're no longer there. When the only team that is fight. I mean, the Broncos are fighting for the one seed, but the Lions are on. They're on. They're. They're basically dead. They will be playing for something the other teams have nothing to play for.

Yeah. This looked like the best slate ever when it came out.

Yep.

And now it Looks like dog shit. I. I'm still excited to watch the. The Cowboys commanders.

I'm excited for any football.

I'm excited for football and I think that I don't know what the commanders are going to do with the Josh Johnson situation. We might get Sam Hartman who does look a little bit like baby Jesus on Christmas day. Just seeing a new guy in the uniform would be fun. Yeah. And yeah, I'm not really excited about any of the games. I'm going to watch them because it's football. It's going to be on tv therefore I have to look at it. I guess I'm a little interested to see what. What the Chiefs look like. Ola Dukin.

Yeah.

With a full or not even full week with Ola Duke with five days to prepare.

Holy.

Four days to.

Four days to prepare.

Yeah. The Lions. I think the Lions are probably going to be the hungriest team.

Yeah, they have to. So the Lions have to win their last two games. The packers have to lose their last two games for the Lions to be in the playoffs.

Yeah, they have a shot at it still kind of. But it's good that they're playing before all those other games.

Yep.

So we get to see the Lions trying full strength and then Max Brosmer.

And Max Ross probably.

Or dine.

Yeah. So do we have an update on that? I don't know.

I just looked up. There's no update. Yeah, I don't think that anyone's had time to do anything too early.

Okay. I'll just throw out some things that you can just take whatever you want. Jared Goff is 8 and 1 against spread against the Vikings as the lions quarterback. These two teams last year, remember they played in week 18 and said we'll see in two weeks. Yep. Thinking they'd be in the playoffs. And now the bottom team is the NFC North. This just shows how the NFL is such a year to year league where if you're good one year you can easily be bad the next year. Josh Johnson is Marshawn Lynch's cousin.

He is?

Yep. He also learned all the players names last time he was on the Redskins by using Madden. I remember that old article and Ola Duken.

We got Ola Duke.

And we got Ola Duke.

Do we have any fun facts about Ola Duken?

He was selected by the Steelers in the seventh round. So he's a seventh rounder. He played at South Dakota State. He had a very good year there and he's actually had like a kind of a tough. He went Samford South Florida, South Dakota State, Sanford, South Florida, seventh round practice squad, Chiefs. So I like that old Duke and he seems like he's got some grit.

Okay, so here's the list of teams that Josh Johnson has played for. He started his career in 2008. I saw a stat that he's thrown an interception to the Eagles in three different decades.

That's incredible.

He played for The Bucks, the 49ers, the Sacramento Mountain Lions, the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, 49ers, Bengals again. Jets, Colts, Bills, Ravens, Giants, Texans, Raiders, San Diego Fleet, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Wildcats, 49ers, Jets, Ravens, Broncos, 49ers, Ravens, Commanders. That's the story of Josh Johnson.

Wow.

He's been everywhere.

You can't tell the story of football without Josh Johnson.

No.

In fact, Josh Johnson is probably the most valuable guy to know for Immaculate grid.

Mm. Yeah. He played for. Yeah. Just when in doubt, always gets Josh Johnson.

Yep.

Okay, let's go to Saturday because this actually is a good game. Texans are Chargers. Chargers are still playing for the AFC West. Texans are still playing for seating in the AFC South. Two good teams, playoff teams. The Chargers, it's just like they don't get respect and they're a good team.

So they were playing like third, fourth string tackles against the Cowboys and they did very, very well against them. They. They showed up. The Cowboys didn't get a lot of pressure on Justin Herbert, which is kind of against the story of what the. The Chargers have been dealing with all season long. No quarterback has ever been sacked 50 plus times and won more than 11 games in a season. The Chargers have 11 wins and Herbert's been sacked 49 times. So he's one away from that. They should do a celebration on the field next time he gets sacked. You're the first quarterback to ever get sacked this much and win this many games, Justin.

Yeah.

Stop the game form like you would for Miles Garrett to celebrate that. But yeah, the. The Chargers. I think their. Their scenarios are. Do we. Does Shane know the scenarios?

Because I didn't even know they were alive in the AFC West.

Is a massive Chargers fan and he.

Not a lot.

No.

He knew they were alive. He just didn't know that they control their own destiny.

So he did not know any of the scenarios. You have to know the scenarios. Although I do appreciate like the we're taking it one game at a time mentality. That's for the players, the fans. You have to be prepared.

He said playoff math too confusing for me to comprehend. I just look at playoff picture and do mental math.

Yeah. He just hopes for wins.

He just stares at the standings and does the mental math behind it.

Yeah, it's, it's the mental math.

Isn't that crazy?

And the tiebreaker is they've already beaten the Broncos.

So if they beat him again, it's obvious.

It's an obvious tiebreaker. Yes.

It's another two guys on the bus. Maybe it's like.

It's not like you have to go through strength of schedule and if you, you beat a team and you don't know how they like, it's, it's easy.

Very easy.

Yeah. Big cats on the left and thinking about scenarios and doom and gloom. And we got Shane on the right being happy, being like, nice, we won. Yeah.

So Shane no longer doom and gloom, which is nice. Being in.

What's up, Shane? Walk us through the scenarios.

I don't, I don't know the scenarios.

But you realize that if you win out, you're. You win the AFC west because you've beaten the Broncos once already.

Well, the thing was I thought the.

Broncos had a lose out and we.

Had a win out.

No, they have three losses. You have four laws.

I get that. I understand that now.

I just. Once, once I'm looking at the playoff predictor and there's like double digit wins and stuff. My mind just. It's the, it's anything over 10. The double digits. Yeah.

Both have double digit wins.

Yeah.

But then that's quadruple digits. Then it's just, it's a lot of digits.

The playoff math is never.

I'm not a playoff math guy. I just look at the chart.

I've never been questioned about the playoff picture. Do you think that Justin Herbert should be in the MVP conversation? Not like historically how the award's gone.

I think of if you look at like players who are most like the most valuable players to their teams, I.

Think he's, he might, he might be.

The most valuable player because if you.

Don'T have Justin Herbert, the Chargers are like a four or five win team. Yeah. By that metric I would say Justin Herbert and Josh Allen probably the two front runners.

Yeah.

Yeah. Harbaugh said he's MVP caliber. He's doing things game after game that are reserved for only the best that are in the game and have ever played the game. He also said you were the best ball club that he's ever coached.

Do you know what the definition of a ball club is?

I think it's pretty self explanatory.

I agree.

Yeah.

Good. Sounds like you got it.

Don't overthink this one.

Chargers have won seven of last eight.

Yeah.

If you walked around and asked people if that's the truth, they would be like, I feel like they mix in a couple losses. No, they've. They've been really, really good.

Yeah. Fully bolted.

Fully bolted. Fully bolted.

Bolted.

Boys, do you feel good about this game? The only problem with this game is your offensive line versus the Texans defensive line is a significant mismatch.

No, it's. It's going to be.

I actually wouldn't put it. I wouldn't judge Jim Harbaugh if he's like, hey, we're actually going to sit Justin Herbert for this game.

Yeah. Yeah.

Like, we really want to win in the playoffs and we feel like we can beat anyone, but we have to keep them healthy and this is not going to be a fun game.

Also, the Texans win. That felt like a loss against the Raiders. That's, that's not good for the Chargers.

No, they're coming off a loss. They're coming off loss, win.

Yeah.

And then like last year's playoff game.

They had like a, a pressure rate.

Of like 65, 70%.

And that was with Joe Alton, Rashawn Slater. That's right.

So two digit numbers.

Justin Herbert might get murdered. Yeah. Like, I'm not confident at all going to this game. Okay, well, your defense playing really well.

Shane, do you think that. That Justin Herbert should take Madison Beer's last name if they get married?

I think maybe hyphen it. Herbert Beer.

Yeah. Yeah, I like that. I do too.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you, Shane. Appreciate it. Let's go. I like the text. No, I think I like the Chargers in that game.

Let's see, what's the one and a half? One and a half.

Not getting enough respect. Here's a game Saturday night that again, we thought was going to be a consequential game, but it's. I don't know where the Ravens are at mentally. Ravens plus two and a half at the packers over under 40 and a half. I think the Ravens are on big time. Quit watch.

Yeah. Lamar Jackson said we're going to do a little MRI on Monday.

Oh, a little one.

So he's gonna. Yeah, just stop by the imaging office real quick for a standing meeting that he has on Mondays. He's got an appointment that he has now.

It's a little MRI like my kids have. You know, I get them different toys and one of them is like the doctor's set. And I think there actually is a little thing that says mri. On it.

No, it's actually the board game Operation.

Okay.

And he's gonna put that down.

A little tiny MRI and then try.

To fix his funny bone. I have a theory about. About Lamar. He's dealt with some stomach issues, as we know. He's always kind of banged up. Do you think Lamar Jackson has radiation poisoning from all the MRIs? Too many MRIs and all the X rays you could. You should only get so many per year.

Yeah.

That would mess with your insides. It might be like Chernobyl.

He has a lot of MRIs.

Three Mile Islands.

But he's also getting a little MRI.

This time it's full because he's probably not supposed to get the full MRI anymore.

Doesn't it feel like the Ravens are in quit watch.

Yes, it does.

And that there the. The decision for John Harbaugh not to run Derrick Henry in the last 1250. So he scored a touchdown to go up 2413 on the Patriots. And then he never touched the ball again. That one made no sense.

I agree.

That's. And. And I've seen some of the feedback from our show on Monday. Ravens fans are very much in the camp. It's time to move on. Yeah.

And. And Harbaugh even admitted that it wasn't like a performance thing with Henry. It was just a mistake that he made.

Yeah.

He said he should have been in there. Yeah. That's on you. And I thought that we got through this, John. I thought that it was like you get Derek Henry because he's the biggest guy on the sidelines. So you can't forget about him and you can't forget to run the ball. And he did it again. But yeah, I think. I think Ravens fans are. They're. They're receptive to memes offer.

Yeah. But they're gonna. It's more Harbaugh. I think Harbaugh is going to be gone.

Yeah.

Feels.

I. I don't think that you can have both of them back. When you have a superstar quarterback that is your franchise and you have a long tenured head coach and they seem to not be seeing eye to eye. That's going to mess everything up inside that locker room. And I think one's got to go.

There are now a couple teams where you could point to and say, did they. Did they screw this up by letting this guy walk out the door? The. The big one would be the Bucks letting Liam Cohen walk out the door. Just fire Todd Bowles and make him head coach. But there's a sneaky one in. In. In John Harbaugh and Mike McDonald.

Yeah.

Because Mike McDonald's been very good coach and that might have been the move.

So the Ravens. I can't remember the last time this late in the season that the Ravens had a losing record.

Yeah. Was there. What was the year when Stu Huntley came in? I mean, Lamar's been hurt a lot and they're just always so weird.

Yeah.

I don't really understand it. I don't understand it. I think the packers are going to win this game. I really do. Because I just think the Ravens, like, they. They don't. That was. That was a last gas. We've been waiting all year for the Ravens to show up and I just think maybe they're not that good of a team. Is that fair to say?

They seem broken.

Yeah. They all year would be like, watch out for the Ravens. Watch out for the Ravens. Maybe. Maybe we're good.

It was 20, 21. They went 8 and 9 and they finished last in the AFC north that year.

Yeah.

At 8, 9.

Yeah. Okay, Sunday. Do we have games? So just looking at Sunday, there's a couple. There's a couple games that are going to be good throughout the course of the day. There's also some games that are really nothing but the big game. Well, actually, let's do early slate first. There's. Is there any games you guys want to talk about early slate? Besides Tyler Schuck being Tyler Shock? Jags, Colts, Jags, Colts.

Although if the Colts lose, it doesn't mean anything.

Doesn't mean anything. Jags, though, trying to break the. I think it's. Teams are.07 after playing a mile high, so they have to try to sort of win that. Jags are playing for a lot.

They're playing for everything. And Trevor Lawrence right now is maybe in the MVP conversation if they get the one seed. Yep, he's playing that good. He's playing as good as any quarterback in the NFL right now.

Yeah. The big. The big games, though, I would say are because the. This is the only one that self regrabs the Bucks, Dolphins and the Seahawks Panthers. So if the Panthers beat the Seahawks, they're in. The Bucks need to. Oh, wait, no, if. I think it's actually just if the Bucks win. As long as the Bucks win.

They're not.

They're still playing in week 18. The. The Seahawks obviously are playing heavily for the one seed. Do you guys want to talk about patriots? Just 60. Nothing. You think that's a meme said 60 to nothing memes. Yeah. So then that's a Good bet to take the Patriots minus 12 and a half. I would never bet against Jets. But also good. Oh, 60 to nothing. Six nothing.

Do we know the weather?

Snow. It's going to be warmish, coldish with snow and clear skies. I wish Tyrod was playing. Muck it up a little, Hank. I agree.

If you had to pick one of these games, which one would be the more devastating one to lose? The jets or the Dolphins?

If you lose to the Jets.

Yeah, the Jets. I've said a lot of things. I forget what I said about if we lost the jets this year, but I've said a lot of things about the Jets.

I feel like you've been respectful enough of the Dolphins. Just going back to the days when the Dolphins would always steal one.

We lose. We've lost the Dolphins Week 18, like 10 times in my life somehow. So that wouldn't be. That would be less surprising. The jets would be more devastating.

Yeah, memes.

But week 18, if it's Freddy Cook, the Chargers win on Saturday and then somehow beat the Broncos. Week 18, we lose the Dolphins.

That would be to not get the one see dagger. That would be devastated.

But the Dolphins are also a way.

Better team game then the Jets.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's pretty much memes.

Are you going to get an interception? The jets don't have a. They don't. They don't have an interception this year. We got to get one.

That'd be. That'd be as good as a win. Okay, one pick. One pick.

Okay.

We were watching the game in the studio and I was just.

I was just cheering for an interception the entire game.

You got to get a pick this year. I kind of also like inventing new ways, new stats for sucking. So. That's true. That is kind of a fun one to when people. Hopefully someday when the jets are good and you have to explain to someone, like, imagine if the jets are just a dynasty in 20 years from now and you have to explain to people, hey, this is how bad it was. It would be nice to have the we went an entire season without an interception stat. Or like we went two seasons without an interception. Oh, you're thinking next year too. Yeah, this is. There's no evidence.

Have a carryover so that. That way you can start saying like how. How many days it's been since your last interception.

The 49ers just set this record and we just broke it. Yeah.

I mean you're.

It's this current 49ers team.

You've got two. You're locked in on two separate first overall picks.

Yeah.

In the draft and in the football season.

Yeah.

You can do it, Memes. You can do it. Have you come. Did you come close last weekend?

No, we got shocked. Got shocked up.

I mean, I would say that if the jets get a pick against Drake May, it's like. Yeah, that's a win for the Jets.

Yeah. Drake may bust. Yeah.

Can I say something about Tyler Shuck?

Yeah, please. He should win Rookie of the year. I agree. His right now he's second. He's second in odds on DK at plus 370. Ted McMillan is minus 250.

If Tyler Schuck ends the year on.

This winning streak, it has to be Tyler Shuck. Yeah. If he ends the year six and three as a starter, it has to be. He plays the Saints this week, the Titans and then.

Or he plays the Titans. He's on the Saints.

He plays the Titans this week and then the Falcons next week. He could Easily finish.

Finish 6 and 3. In which case he has to be.

The rookie of the year.

I agree with you. I agree. Has to be. Has to be. You got to root against the Panthers. To me, like, if the Panthers make the playoffs, I know it's a. Ted. All right, that's. That's a good point. Yeah.

Tech kind of disappeared for a little bit, but he might be back. That was a great game.

Yeah. You know what Max you need? It's gonna. It's all going to come down to if the Bucks and Panthers play Sunday night football week 18. Why then I would want the Bucks to win. Yeah. And you need Tet not to have any big plays because if he scores a big touchdown week 18 in front of the country, that's. That's it. You know how these awards work.

Yeah, but this is one of those games that he could get some nice fat stats.

If we had a vote, it'd be for Tyler Shuck.

For Shock. Yeah.

Big time offensive rookie of the year is. It's kind of one of those ones you forget. Remember a buka?

I do.

That was crazy.

What a hot start. If we're still kind of talking about the Pats and the Jets. Hank, I was. I was so happy for you last night when Drake May broke the barrier.

I was happy for you. That was a sharp bet.

Thank you. I, I did reach out to your coach, Mike Vrabel and I said Hank had a big day today. Congrats on the win. He was very excited about drake may having 300 yards passing. Do you have any words for Hank and Variable got back to me. He said, hank, do you believe yes?

Yeah, he does.

Do you believe yes? Yes.

Yes. What do you say? Yes, parentheses I love you, coach.

And should I tell him about the sleeping in?

I wouldn't. I wouldn't bring it up.

That's not really your show or your business.

I wouldn't bring it up.

No naps.

I wouldn't bring that up.

Also, it wasn't a nap. You're. You're. This is your new thing.

This is. This is my show. And why was.

I was on time for this show.

But. No. Well, no, you weren't.

I was.

No. We were going to record right after the meeting.

Yeah. You're about 30 minutes late. It's fine. I'm not mad about it. I've been late.

The meeting ran early.

It was scheduled.

It was scheduled for 30 minutes.

We did have a company meeting this morning where Dave addressed barstool sports and it lasted 3 minutes, 36 seconds.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Did you call in for it?

Yeah.

The best line from the meeting was, I appreciate everyone who worked hard this year, and if you didn't work hard, I don't appreciate you.

So, Hank, it was scheduled for 30 minutes. He says, yes, I believe. Yeah. Anything else?

And no way did I nap.

No. No.

I should. I. I should tell him about that. I don't want to hide anything from him. This is accountability. Open locker room say, all right, P.

S. I might have napped, but that's gonna be gone in 20, 26.

Okay. That's when the playoffs are.

Even though it wasn't nap.

You were up for two hours, though. Yeah. I think that hits nap.

I don't know. I don't know.

Did you.

I never got out. Did you ever turn on a light besides the bathroom? No.

Okay, then maybe that's not a nap. I think if you turn on a light, then it becomes a nap.

Yeah. Turn on light if you took a shower. That sort of thing.

Yeah.

Do not do that.

Okay. The afternoon games. We have two afternoon games. And they're actually both very important for different reasons. The. The first one is very important. Giants at Raiders. This is the number one pick Bowl. This is a toilet bowl. I like this. This is going to decide where these teams draft. It's weird, too, because the Giants, if the Giants get the number one pick, is there. There's no world that they don't. They keep Jackson dart, right?

Yes.

Right?

Yes.

Are you sure?

Yes. But it. Unless it's a new gm.

That's what I'm saying. If you have the Number one pick and you're a new GM that gets hired. Or is there a chance you pick your own guy?

I don't think so, because I think one of the things they'll ask anybody that wants to be the gm, what do you think about Jackson Dart? And they're going to be looking for somebody that is attracted to the position because of Jackson Dart now because they want to change it.

Also, the person can just lie and say, I love Jackson Dart.

That is true.

I would keep Jackson Dart. I'm just. I'm just wondering because it does take a little of the luster out. It would be a lot more fun if this game was Giants, Raiders. Both teams are looking to draft a quarterback. We can look back in 10 years and be like, that game was actually the most important game for Butterfly effect future of the NFL.

Well, what might happen is the Giants might beat the Raiders. They get the first overall pick, they don't want to take a quarterback, and then they make the Raiders trade them something to move up to the first overall pick.

Wait, no, it'd be the other way around. Raiders.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. So Raiders beat the Giants, and then the Giants have first overall pick, and then they get. And then they make the Raiders give them another draft pick to move up. Yeah. Max Crosby and make defensive line insane.

They should just. They should just do a chop. They should do. Isn't that a poker thing where they just agree before the game, hey, let's just tie this game. No, wait, no. That would actually keep the Giants so. No, they need to do a chop where the Giants say, hey, whatever happens, we're not going to take a quarterback.

Yeah. A tie is as good as a loss for the Giants in a good way.

And the Raiders can say, hey, whatever happens, we're not going to take. We're going to take a quarterback.

I also kind of like the idea of going into a draft season where you don't know who the number one pick is going to be. Yeah. Like, the New York Giants are open for business.

Yeah. And then the other one, Eagles at Bills. Max, how are you feeling? On paper, this game should be super exciting, but there's just, like, not that much to play for. There's. So, yeah, I kind of agree because I was. I was actually going through the feeling of I was getting all hyped up for the 49ers. And then once the Bears officially clinched yes, obviously the one seed still would be awesome. But it definitely. There takes a little pressure off. You're like, hey, the important games are Coming up.

And like, I know that you. You want to get the two seed.

But it's not like I need to get to like, it would be nice, but it's not something that I'm going to like, really stress about. So why would you guys play Lane Johnson and Jalen Carter? I think I do like the idea of, you know, getting them back into the mix, and I think they want to play people this week and then rest next week.

Got it.

Makes sense. So it's in case something does happen, you got. You have a little bit more breathing room to get healthy for the playoffs. So I get that.

Max, how did you feel at the start of the season about picking up Jordan Davis's fifth year?

I was leaning towards we should probably do it.

He just.

He got a lot more expensive this.

Year and you got to bring him back.

He's been so fucking good.

Yeah, Howie.

Howie. Fucking how he did it again. Yeah.

I think you gotta. You gotta want to win this game. You gotta really try. This is a great measuring stick.

Could be a snow game too.

Yeah.

Should be awesome.

That would be fun. Bring back Shady.

It is weird. We only have two games in the afternoon on Sunday. Schedule makers. That's crazy. Crazy, right? That's. Yeah, we're gonna.

We're gonna need to find some obscure sports.

Yeah. And then bears 49ers Sunday Night Football. I'm excited for the game, but it does feel a little different now that the Bears are in because I had been playing for the last month a doomsday scenario of The Bears winning 11 games and not getting in, but they are officially in. Pft, you. I know you asked this on Sunday, but I found out the answer for you. Luther Burden was the one who dubbed Caleb Williams the Iceman.

Okay.

All right. So it was given in the locker room house.

I like that.

I like that.

This is a good nickname. I didn't want to hate it, but I needed to find out if you. Because if Caleb had started calling himself the Iceman, I would had some questions about that. But that's great that it came from his teammate.

Now, the last bear to be named the Iceman because there was one previously, was Red Grange, but it was because he literally delivered ice as his job, which is so perfect. He was the Wheaton Iceman. Also the Galloping Ghost, which is what he's known more for. He would deliver 75 pound blocks of ice to every home, working every summer during his high school and college years. So that was why he was the Iceman.

I love that. That's A perfect old NFL story.

Yeah.

What did you do? I. I drove an ice truck.

How did you get the name Iceman? Well, I literally delivered ice.

Joey Bosa would like to drive an ice truck too. I think.

Yeah, he would.

But. Yeah, the. I. I don't know. I don't know about this game because we haven't seen the Niners play in Monday Night Football yet. But they need to figure out a way to get after the quarterback.

Maybe.

Maybe Monday night cured them of that. Maybe they finally get some sacks in on Philip Rivers.

I do.

We're able to. To tune that defense up.

That would be my take on the. The Bears Niners game is the. I kind of like the over because I don't know if either team can get to the quarterback.

Yeah.

Because the Bears struggle with it as well.

Although I've been impressed watching Montez sweat.

Yeah. And Grady Jarrett's been playing very well. Which, like, he was. You know, there was a time where it was like, oh, why did we sign him? He's washed. He's. He's been picking it up.

I, I know people won't believe me, but I've really enjoyed watching this Bears team. They're fun.

They are.

And I. Football, I find myself rooting for him. The city is so much more fun when the Bears are good.

It's buzzing. Right.

Everybody's in a great mood. The city is 100% buzzing.

It makes winter not feel as bad.

Yeah.

Yeah. So that will be Sunday football. We will be streaming. We're gonna stream Sunday. And we will stream Sunday football. I guess we can also see if there's a change in any of the, like, playoffs and everything. If things get a little clearer and the game is even less consequential. Maybe we won't. I don't know.

We'll.

We'll let everyone know. But that was our weekend preview. Week 17. We're at. We're at the tail end. This is right when I'm just like, just fast forward to the playoffs.

Yeah.

Because there's really not a lot.

I'm really glad that we don't have to record anything on Christmas.

Yeah.

Because we talked about doing that if it was going to be the Cowboys and the Commanders and both teams were good at the start of the year.

When the schedule came out. We were. Our plan was like, we got to record something because there. This might be in. In the playoffs kind of game.

Yeah. Thankfully nobody gives a. About this game.

No, it's. It's actually a really good point. I remember having that Conversation. Doing an update of those. Christmas. Yeah, it would have been. Would have been something. Okay, let's do our best bet. Best bets. Do we have Jerry's fantasy minute? Did he send it? I don't think he did. I I that up.

No naps.

I that up. No, I didn't text.

Come on, Jerry.

I didn't text him to figure it out. Jerry. One o' clock last night.

That's tough, man.

Asking him.

That's tough.

And so that was all my fault.

Wake up, Jerry.

There's a good chance we get it by the time we edit. Yeah. Yes.

Show.

All right, I'm gonna call him real quick, but then we'll put it in.

We'll put it in.

We'll put it in. Hey, you're live on the air right now, so don't say anything up like you did last time.

Well, I. I never said anything messed up.

Hey, let me.

Let me call you from my landline, okay?

What? Okay, I have a wired. I have a wired phone.

This is like my WI Fi phone.

How old? What? Why? You sound fine. Let me just call you. I'll call you in a second. Wait, but, you know, I was gonna say you. You don't. You could send the fantasy minute. Just as long as Max gets it by, like, tomorrow morning. Yeah, I was sort of sitting down.

And working on it.

Any ideas, like, what I should do? I was thinking of doing maybe like, a Christmas Carol or something. Is it gonna air? Oh, yeah.

Christmas Carol.

I love that. Sorry, you're cutting out. I told you I have a landline. I'm gonna call you right back. Hold on one second.

Who has a landline?

I didn't know they still existed.

What does he pay, like, $60 a month for a landline?

I actually didn't know you could get one.

That's insane.

I would love to hear what his answering machine is. Yeah, probably a sing along for that.

Oh, we should just. We should just randomly prank call his house.

Yeah.

All right, I'm getting it. Hey.

Yeah?

Do you hear the sound quality? No. It's actually way worse. No, that's not possible. It's got to be better.

Are you in a walkie talkie?

Sounds like you're in a submari.

Really?

Yes.

Oh, I have a landline.

Just in case I have to do, like, media stuff on the phone or stuff.

Well, you can use your phone for that.

Yeah, but then I have to go to, like, a park area where there's better WI fi. I just don't get WI fi at my house. I don't have 5G in my house. Okay. All right. Yeah. So A Christmas Carol will be great.

Yeah.

I'm gonna try to come up with something. How are the vibes there? Everybody on, like, Cloud 9? Everyone's good. I can't get over how much worse this worse. It's so much wor. That is crazy. All right. Are we gonna make this fantasy finals? We need. We.

We.

We need some points out of Juwan Jennings. You know, it's so funny. I didn't want to say anything. I'm so. It's.

It's just.

It's occupying my everything, guys. It's occupying my soul. Everywhere I walk, my wife. I've been like, yesterday we got into.

A fight, and.

I was upset with her, and she was like, what's going on? Are you not going to make this.

Stupid part of my take?

Fantasy finals. And she was right. I was on edge yesterday because this is occupying every fiber of my being. We need a night out of Juwan tonight.

Jerry, do you remember what happened last year in our semifinals? I think it came down to Monday Night Football, didn't it?

It came down to Monday Night Football, and it came down to them not. Remember we needed one less than a point, and we needed the extra point, and they went for two.

Yeah.

Yeah. Green Bay. Yeah.

We can't have that again.

All right, so just sending out good, good vibes to Juwan. How do you say it? Is it Juwan? Yeah. Jawan. It's nuts. This phone sucks so bad.

It is kind of crazy.

Really? Are you sure? Yes. You'll hear it back and played in the. In the show. All right, Jerry, we love you. Thank you. And we'll see you later, okay? All right, everyone, except. Pft.

Thanks, Jerry.

Hang up.

Yeah, it's a Jerry. Have yourself a Jerry. Little Christmas.

Yeah. I don't need the music memes. I don't need the music. Just start the clock.

Hanky to the world, the Pats have come. Let the eggs out of that fucking blue tent.

May finally hit 300. It's a stat that no one cares about. It's all in your head like Tiffany Gomez. It's all in your head, like Tiffany Gomez. It's all in your head, like the Hanky toy and Tiffany Gomez.

Maxie, Maxie, you have no O line.

Your team does whatever AJ wants, and you'll always be dysfunctional. Big cats thinking soupy. Big cats thinking soupy.

You should have never won that game.

I need to bring you down to reality now that Netflix is paying you.

Maybe you can finally afford to get Electric Avenue back.

Sleep in hanky.

Peace.

Happy holidays. Awls. Love you. That was. That was terrible phone.

It was awful.

The fact that he has a landline is just so funny. Only Jerry. Okay, let's do our best bets.

As an adult, have you ever had a landline?

No.

I think I had. Absolutely. I think I might have had one in my college apartment.

Nope.

My first one.

Nope. That's also not real adult.

Yeah.

Yeah. No, there's no way.

I've had a good point as a real adult. As a real boy, I've only had cell phones.

Should we get land lights?

It's kind of.

Nope.

Kind of prestige.

Maybe one for the. For the studio.

I think.

Be sick.

I think a red.

We would never use it. But what if we gave, like, just certain people the number, but you can call at any time.

Yeah.

The hotline.

If you have a red phone, it does add an element of mystery to it.

I also am thinking about, like, when my kids get to the cell phone age and trying to resist that, like giving them a landline, being like, you can still talk to your friends.

Yeah.

Being that guy.

They'll love that.

Yeah, they'll definitely be so pumped about that.

Okay, where are the apps?

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We are.

We are. We just have never come up with a. We're never coming up with a punishment.

Yeah. I've pretty much resigned to the fact that I'm gonna lose and then we're gonna pick the punishment after. It's obvious I'm gonna lose. It's gonna be really bad. That's all right. That's just how it goes.

No, here's what I'm gonna say is I think we should all agree right now that we need to extend the competition through the divisional round. So that way we've bought ourselves some more time to pick a punishment and.

We'Re just gonna not do it. Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But we've. That's officially. Officially through divisional round. So it's not going to end next, you know, in two weeks.

My favorite weekend of the year.

Not a lot of games. You got to pick one, but one or two. No, you got to pick two over under. There's eight. There's eight different.

There's. Yeah, there's more than enough. What if we extended it to. You have to pick two. One has to be either an over under or a spread, and the other can be prop. That's. That's priced at about minus 110.

But we have enough. We have enough games. We have enough games. Yeah.

Okay.

There's four. You're gonna end up picking something you don't.

Yeah.

If you go last, that would be. That'll be tough.

Yeah.

We can also just. We. You know, what we can do is for the playoffs, too, if there's any. PFT or. Sorry. Max and I could be ahead of every. Like, to the point where we're safe and then we'll just stay out of the competition.

Well, we've. We've always done second place and last place. Right.

It. Except last year. Except last year.

So what we need to do on that.

Just a bachelor party.

Oh.

Oh.

That was a great punishment. So this is just gonna end up being. How do we find a way that Max is the only one that gets every year?

No. Second place in life. We've always.

I've gotten second place. I got last. He's right. It was only last. And then I'm gonna get second again. He's right.

I did. See, I didn't even know that when I brought it up. I think that Max.

I think we can't. We can't just make this the Max rule of, like, whoever. I agree.

Second place and whoever finishes in last, I think that's fair.

But we didn't do that last year when I came in last. And now that I'm going to get second, we're going to bring it back. We only had five people last year.

Yeah.

So what?

Good point.

Six makes last place. We're going to find a good punishment. We'll make it super bowl week related. I got sent. I got sent a good one. Oh, sleep at Alcatraz. You fly to the super bowl the opposite way. Oh, no. Like, you'll be in London for, oh, hours.

You can't leave the airport.

Yeah, I don't like that. Oh, I don't like that.

Although if you get first class, probably wouldn't be that bad. You sleep the whole time.

Well, you do second place.

First class.

Last place.

Last seat in the plane. Coach. Okay, we've done a bad job. Sorry, guys. We've done a bad job this year. Picks. Who's up? PFT's up first.

Okay.

I am going to take. It's a game. It's a football game.

You want me to go?

No, I'm gonna take the packers two and a half.

Okay.

Love that.

I will take the Denver Broncos. I'm going to fade. Ola dukin. Denver Broncos -12 and a half.

I will take. I'll just go. I'm going with my heart. Probably not smart. Hopefully they don't fart.

Yep.

On themselves. I'm gonna take a ball club.

Yeah.

I'm gonna take a ball club.

Yeah, you will.

San Diego Chargers -2,2.

Wow.

That's San Diego, baby.

That's a ball club. Okay, memes.

They should be Sandy. That's so up.

It is.

Amzy.

I don't want to say mine.

Say it. I don't want to say it. Say it.

Take the Jets.

No.

Say it.

He's gonna take the Patriots. No, you can't take the Patriots.

I can't just go.

Cardinals, Bengals over 53 and a half. Okay, that's Good. I like that one.

I like that one, too.

I like that one. I'm riding the hot hand.

I'm going with the shuckster minus two and a half.

Love that, that. Love that.

I would like to do over in.

The Texans chargers game at 39 and a half.

Okay.

And then you got another pick. And then I would also like to take the Jaguars minus seven. Okay. All right, Max, coming back to you. I am going to take. I will take over 42 and a.

Half in Seahawks Panthers. Hank Memes.

Memes. 49ers minus two and a half. Oh, okay.

I will take the under in the Bills Eagles 44. I like that.

Might be snow.

Yeah, I like that one.

I think the over in the bears 49ers 50 and a half. I really. I up. I really like. I think I'm gonna bet. I think I'm gonna bet the Raiders big just. Just to feel something during that game.

I am going to take the over in Saints, Titans, because I also believe in the shockster. That's 39 and a half.

I like that pick. Yep, it's a good pick.

I should have doubled up.

Should have doubled up.

Yeah.

You don't really believe in Chuck that much.

All right, Booth, what do you got for us? So this is for Thursday's games. No, Sundays.

Oh, fuck.

I told him that I'm going. Theo Johnson. Zach, you go. Okay. Tight end score against the Raid. The Raiders. Okay. I'm gonna go with Jackson dart.

Wait, Jackson Tart.

I told Zach to pick one of the other games. All Giants.

That's not good.

I told him I was going to Johnson pick another game.

I don't. I don't ha it.

I do. That's fine, though.

We can't do two touchdown scores. No, I'll change. No, not. Yeah, I'll change.

We never do that.

I'm going to go Dallas Goddard. Okay. Why you.

Why you should get.

Do. Do a bear.

Do a bear.

Do a bear. Coulson Loveland. Yep, we'll go Coon Loveland. Okay. You like that? You another bear? We think Caleb gets in. You like the c. The. The iceman.

Zach, is. Is that your pick? Good.

Plus, you got to say your pick.

Yeah, Say. Say what you want. Your.

Okay, I'm gonna go Caleb Williams. All right. That was actually really good. That was gross from you, Zach. Thank you, sir.

You.

You stood up for yourself. You made your pick. This one's gonna be juicy. This be a bomb. This one's gonna be a bomb. This be a bomb. A real quick hot Seat. Cool throne.

Hank.

Yeah.

My hot seat is Ed Cooley.

Yeah, we forgot to talk about that. That was crazy.

He threw a water bottle at a kid.

Yeah. Yes.

He threw a water bottle.

What is kid?

What?

Child.

It's child or.

Because kid.

College kid. He threw a water bottle at a kid.

He. He was mad at the end of the game, and he. He chucked the water bottle directly into the stands, and it hit like, a kid and a mom in the second row.

How is he not. Is he in trouble? He should be.

I mean.

Oh. Oh, it, like, slipped out of his hand.

It's a funny video. It's not like.

I don't know that that slipped out of his hand.

No, it did, because, look, he's been trying to do one game, and it went down.

That accidentally hit a child.

Yeah, he's. Yeah, that's. That's insane. If a player did that, they would.

Be in a lot of trouble. It's a. It's a toddler.

It is a top. It's a baby. It's a baby. He hit a baby with a water bottle.

It's a kid. In his mom's laugh.

And Cooley hit a kid.

It's about as bad as. As it can look like. Direct shot, too. And he. He hucked that thing.

That's definitely like the friends and family behind the. Behind the bench, too. Like, I feel like. Do you see what I'm saying, though? That he looked up like he was throwing it high and it slipped low, but still, he hit a. He hit a child. And the little double take he does right after, he's like, oh, I. I hit a kid. I hit a baby.

I agree. You gotta throw that. You gotta put some altitude on that throw.

Feels like it's not going well for Ed Cooley at Georgetown. Providence fans gotta love that. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

I might have been wrong about Ed Cooley at Georgetown. I thought it was gonna work.

Yeah. It has not. And then your cool drone, My Cool.

Throne is, I guess, LeBron, YouTube and Internet Invitational. More. More LeBron. He is trolling at this point. Like, he's. He's turning golf into his whole personality. It's kind of gross, honestly.

Yeah, you would never.

He was asked about, like, a player or something in a trade transaction, in a postgame press conference that he just said, I don't know, man. I just watch YouTube golf. Now he's locked in, which I was fully ready. I was. I was at the Patriots lost. That was going to be my. My take, so thank you LeBron for that, that, that quote.

What are the chances that we get LeBron in next year's Internet invitation?

Well, that PFT was a question asked to Dave Portnoy by Rory McElroy when at the Jake Ball fight.

He said that.

Yeah, what Dave said.

I. I didn't see the full. I didn't see Dave's explanation for it, but I, I hope not. I mean, it's. I think it's better if it's players, people that don't have like millions of dollars.

But you hope it's not LeBron.

It's just going to turn into a.

Do you think it's actually going to turn to a celebrity event?

No, I don't want it to do that. You're right about that. Because I think it's better if you have a lot of the YouTube golf personalities that you know, you know them if you're in that community, but they're not like independently billionaires.

And a million dollars is a big deal.

But Hank, I would. What if you got paired up? What if you played against LeBron? Hanks not.

I'm not in, but I'm.

I'm Dave.

I'm sure there'll be like some. A valet person who is. Is like a scratch golfer that will get him before.

Yeah. Well, if either he or her. Who's to say which one it would be that Dave would select? Can't play. And hey, I, I said I would do the Rudy thing. If they ask me back, I'm putting my.

I don't want that, though.

I put my jersey.

You should be.

I put my jersey on the table for Hank regardless. Now if Dave regardless says, like, oh, don't do that. I'll be like, okay, Dave. Yeah, I'll play. Thank you. But imagine you beating LeBron.

Yeah, that would be cool, but I just don't think. I don't know. It feels like that's a slippery slope being LeBron, getting LeBron and other.

Oh, I agree. I think it's in. You should have maybe one or two spots for athletes that want to play.

I guess J.R. smith was in this.

Past one, but that's so. I take it all back. Athlete. But you need someone. It's not the athlete. It's like they have to be like down to around. Blake Griffin will be great at it. Yeah, he's a perfect example. He's entertaining also.

But if it gets down to it, the pressure, like, that's what made the last one like the, The.

You're right.

Yeah.

If he gets to the finals, it's like, you're right. I don't care about it.

You're right.

250 grand, by the way.

Also, hot seat LeBron, because I. I don't know if this is exactly the sequence of events, but did you see Penne Sewell was like, I. I really don't want to be playing on Christmas. I want to be with my family. And then he. So he. He basically came out. He's like, yeah, it's kind of bullshit that we have planned Christmas and Thanksgiving. LeBron then did it like a day later. LeBron's been playing on Christmas for 20 years. Like, what are you talking about? Now you're upset.

Yeah. I mean, you can.

20 years.

Yeah.

You can do Christmas Eve. Your kids are grown.

Christmas day unders.

I mean, you can have. You can have Christmas with your family in the locker room.

Christmas Day for NFL.

I should Christian or ruined now. They don't play defensively.

Good reminder.

Hank, you grab me a water.

Good reminder. Remember last year Christmas? What. The lesson that we learned from the. From all those games, it was that you fade the home. Home team because they're doing all the family stuff. Eating big meals on Christmas Eve. The road team has the advantage on Christmas day. Yeah, I think that that was true.

They're with their family.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay, so what does that mean? What does that mean for the.

Thanks, Zach.

So you would fade the commanders, you would fade the Vikings, you would fade the Chiefs, which I think we're planning on doing regardless.

Definitely the Chiefs part.

Yeah.

Okay. I'm looking right now. The Steelers lost 2919 or 2910, and the Texans lost 31 2.

Yeah.

And those are the home team. Steelers and the Texans. Yeah. Okay. All right, load it up.

Remember that. Also, Hank, bonus. Cool throne. You mentioned him. Blake Griffin. He's. I think he's nominated for the Basketball hall of Fame.

That's awesome.

Shout out our guy.

Congrats, Blake.

Love that. I assume he's going to want us there.

Yeah.

What's your cool throne? Oh, no, I was your cool throne. Pft.

My hot seat is Uber drivers. We missed the story last week, but Ryan Clark went through a traumatic experience in Uber that I. I thought we could give some visibility to.

Oh, yeah.

I'm tired of being musically profiled in Ubers. Don't get me wrong. I love POC 50 Cent, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, but I knew I don't need them blaring on Sunday morning. What about some gospel? Ever heard of Kirk Franklin, Yolanda Adams? Why can't I like John Mayer or Maroon 5? Do I not seem like a Sam Hunt, Chris Young or Luke Combs? Man, I'm over it. Please just ask what I want to hear. He was joking about it. He was. He was trying to have a lighthearted moment, which I'll forgive you if you don't understand. When Ryan Clark is being like super serious to the point of tears and also joking around, he doesn't get the.

Right to do light hearted moments.

Yeah, the light hearted. It's tough. It's tough with him.

You don't know when you spend every single day being like, this person has done this bad and this is why this society has a problem. You just can't. It's a similar. It's the reverse for us. We can't get like serious. We around all.

We have to go. Yeah, we have to make the pornhub noise.

I don't like when, when guys who are serious all the time try to be like, dude, I was joking. How the would we know?

Sometimes I like to have a little fun. Yeah, it's me, Ryan Clark Park. I do kind of agree with him though. I get, I get profiled.

I do music off.

Do you. You can select that.

I like this. Yeah, you could select, you could select your air. Everything.

Yeah, I, I do get. I, I get in the car and the guy starts playing cartoons.

I like to, I like to.

Just happens.

I like to sit in complete silence. Yeah, I know that sounds a little crazy, but it's kind of a nice like break from my brain. Yeah.

Also in the hot seat, Sharon Moore. Some more information's coming about Sharon Moore.

He likes to be social media.

Apparently he's pretty active on, on Instagram.

But pft. In his defense, he didn't like tell his team to quit all social media before the season started, right?

No, he did.

Oh no.

He told them all to log off.

More for me. Do you think he said that to himself? Yeah, he's like, more for me. I got these guys off Instagram. More for me.

He probably. There were probably some like Notorious Michigan super fans that might have been attractive that he was like, you guys don't get on social media. And then meanwhile, I'm going to send all the flame emojis.

It does feel like he was maybe swimming in the same pools as some of his players in terms of Instagram fishing.

Possibly.

Possibly.

It's. It's possible that he was doing that. But yeah, he was re. Read the report. He was very. Allegedly very active.

Yeah.

On Instagram. My cool throne is Unc Bobby Petrino. Is going to be their new offensive coordinator for next season and I think that's a great hire that Bobby Petrino, a man of character, can get in, clean up that locker room and, and really change it from being a circus into a, a run of the mill workman like professional football organization are.

Do we think there's a chance that maybe they put in a clause that he can't bring his motorcycle?

I think you have to, you have to let the, he is not going to be the same Bobby Petrino if he doesn't have the motorcycle.

But still that feels like. Keep your eyes, keep your eyes peeled, Bill. Don't let Bobby, he, he likes to take his, his hog out. He does.

My other cool throne, I mentioned it earlier, the Low man trophy.

Yes.

So I have the nominees. All the voters have been polled. Shout out to all the fullbacks and members of college football media that have responded that, that submitted their nominees. We've got a great, great list on the committee of people that, that watch a lot of football, know the position of fullback. We're talking football hall, fullback, hall of Famers, Mike Alstott, Lorenzo Neal, John Kuhn, the list goes on. All members of the committee, they've submitted their, their nominees. Right off the bat we have another Michigan man, Max Bredesen from Michigan. Great season for Max. We've got Truman Wehrmeyer from North Dakota State.

Okay.

There's always a fullback from one of the Dakotas in there. Love that Rusty Van Wetzinger winner. Excuse me, Rusty Van Wetzinger. The fourth winner, Central Michigan, our guy Drinkle. Drinkle, Drink.

Love Coach Drinkle.

A fullback respecter. And that is the most fullback name on the list this year. Then we've got two guys from Navy that both got multiple nominations. Alex Tesca from Navy and a name that you might remember from last year, Eli Heidenreich, whose last name translates to Argentina, also from Navy. Eli Heidenreich is a bit of a controversial nominee. I thought he was deserving of it because if you play any position at Navy, I think that you could technically be a fullback. Yeah, he was listed as a wide receiver this year. He ran the ball a bunch of. He's a great blocker. If you watched him last year and this year, you know that he is, he's definitely in the fullback community. So again, those names are. Max Bredesen, Truman Wehrmeyer, Rusty Van Wetzinger, the fourth, Alex Tezca and Eli Heidenreich are the five nominees. The five finalists for the Low Man Trophy presented by Chevy and the Chevy Silverado.

Love it.

And we love recognizing college fullbacks on the show.

Okay, so we're going to announce that sometime in the next week or two.

Well, I think. Yeah. During the bowl games. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

So we'll figure out the details. We'll let everyone know. My hot seat was also gonna be Sharon Moore, so that's him.

Yeah.

I need all the stories on it.

There will be more.

There will be more. My cool tone is the NBA. Christmas Day NBA. We talked about the NFL. Yes. We're going to watch NFL. Sneaky. Kind of an awesome slate. Spurs, Thunder.

Love.

It starts with Cavs, Nicks, Spurs, Thunder, Mavs, Warriors. So you get to watch Steph Curry, Rockets, Lakers would be good. And then Wolves, Nuggets to end the night. Good job.

That's a very good slate.

Yeah. Like, you might have gotten Christmas back.

Very. I need to see how the Yokiches get dressed up on Christmas. I hope that the brothers are elves.

Yeah, that'd be great.

Be a good look.

Yeah. So, yeah. Good job. NBA. You're back, Zach. My hot seat today is going to be the rest of the world because Team USA is just full of absolute heaters when it comes to baseball.

Oh, okay.

Absolutely.

Get the roster out. They got the roster out. Yes, sir. Let's go here. Let's hear it. Because Japan probably would probably be good too.

Right?

That should have been some of the terms from Shohei's investigation. The Department of Justice should have been like, you have to become an American citizen.

Play good. Team usa. Yeah. I don't hate that move. Top of the batting.

Or Kyle Raleigh.

How I feel about that? Love it. Big dumper.

Second up, Will Smith.

How we feel about that? Love it. All he does is win. If your name's Will Smith, you win. Bobby Witt. Yep.

Third, Gunner Henderson. Bang.

That's our guy. Come on. Love Gunner. Let's go, pitchers.

Hear me out.

Wait, What? We just stopped. Oh, you want the whole order?

I didn't know if you want the whole order.

I'll go whole order right now.

Keep going.

All right. How do we feel about Bryce Turang? Great. Yeah.

Bang. How we feel about Aaron Judge?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Very good. How do we feel about Corbin Carroll?

Yeah.

Pca. Yeah. Kyle Schwarber.

Love it. Love it. You were just gonna not say Kyle Schwarber or pca? You know how this podcast feels about Schwarber.

Let's get Schwarbed. We're the number one Schwarber podcast. Guys make mistakes. PCA by the Way guys do make mistakes. You guys do make mistakes. Pca.

What?

PCA needs to go to every Bears game. I think he's been the last two.

Good luck.

He's gotta stay now. Yeah, he's gonna stay. All right. Scubal. Yeah. Stud Haas.

Paul Skeens. Yeah.

Yeah.

Joe Ryan.

Yeah.

Logan Webb.

Yeah.

Nolan McQueen.

Yep.

Clay Holmes.

Yeah.

David Bender.

Yep.

Mason Miller.

Nice.

Is the world finished?

Can I say it? Can I say it? That's a ball club.

Yeah.

That is a ball club right there. That's a ball club.

That's a ball club.

That club makes me proud to be an American.

That's a ball club.

This must wear.

Win.

Have to win. We've only won one. World Baseball Classic.

How many have there been?

Six or seven.

Oh.

You okay, Hank?

That's crazy. He said six or seven.

I think Mike Tarika might have killed it. I think he might have killed six, seven. When. When you got Italian Mike dropping it on you.

Yeah. Italian Mike does change the. The course of it a little bit. A little bit. It. They're projecting Paul SK Versus Brazil. This is our. This is the sixth one and we've only won one. Japan's won three out of six. We're gonna three out of five.

That's gotta stop.

Remember the Olympics that's coming up. We're actually gonna talk about it with Whitney. That's happening. It's crazy.

I'm excited about hockey.

Lindsey Von's active.

What?

Oh, yeah. Lindsey Von won a. Oh, yeah.

She's back.

I thought she was. I thought she was.

I thought she was gone.

Yeah.

She broke every bone in her body. I feel like crazy. Good for her. Cool throne. Cool throne. Today is yesterday. My cool throne is a booth yesterday.

We were talking about scheduling. It seems that we got a three man back here that flights might be leaving similar times. We're thinking maybe three man.

The airport. Chili's today sounds silly, but it could be a great time. You guys can get silly at Chili thinking maybe.

Zach, I saw people giving you shit last on over Thanksgiving for going to Chili's before your flight.

Oh, Hank. I got ratio. I got ratio. That's insane. Wait. I got got. What was the. What are you supposed to go after?

People are saying it's not fair to eat a full meal before a flight. I don't really understand. I didn't understand it.

Don't put the restaurant there. Don't put Chili's there. What were people saying into the. This. This one dude was just like, I hope this is the airport you landed at. And it did like 11 million.

That's crazier.

Just absolutely ratioed me on holiday trust. Tree talk real quick. Have you guys ever eating food when you landed?

Yes.

At your destination. Yeah.

Out of chilies. I've done it out of chili too.

Yeah, that feels like. Yeah, you feel like a real. Now I, I like I'm in a city that I can go eat and I'm going to. I'm going to just. No, do the airport.

I've had to like rush, rush to get on a flight so you don't have time to eat before. And then it's like a four hour flight.

That's a good point.

Got to eat.

Got to eat, dudes. Got to eat.

And Stanford, 9.1 million views.

That's crazy.

None of those are for me. They're all from the guy who hit the ratio.

Stanford. Steve is right. That the Ben's chili bowl in the Reagan airport, isn't it? That is an insane move to eat that before you get onto a flight. That should. It should be box cutters and Ben's chili bowl, the two things that you can't bring on a flight.

This quote we got 94, 000 likes.

Oh my God. Better be the airport you landed in. Wolfgang Face is a great name though.

7.3 million views. 99, 84,000.

Like, I understand the take because that's a lot of food. Zach, you got the appetizer.

It's like two bites.

What's on the plate for the audio?

Two mozzarella sticks.

Two egg rolls that have been cut.

In half in like a fun diagonal way.

Very fun. And five boneless wings. Okay, that's not that much. So not really.

Like. And. And half a beer. That's what we got right there.

Well, you drank the full beer.

Yes. That's fair.

But in the picture. Yeah, yeah, that's on me.

I think people who don't realize the fun diagonal way are going to hate. But it was. That is a fun diagonal kind of fun. Yeah, yeah. Okay, let's get to our interviews. We got Ryan Whitney and Steven Jenkins from Third Eye Blind. Great, great interviews. And then we'll finish up with guys on chicks.

Ryan Whitney is going to be brought to you by Twisted tea. It's the perfect beverage to keep the good times going this holiday season. We've got our Christmas twee right behind us here. It looks delicious. The most delicious tree I think I've ever seen. Great job decorating it, Zach. It's beautiful. Wonderful job.

Thank you so much. Pft.

Of course. You like it? I. I do love it. They call me PF Twisted Tea around this time of year because I'm always slammed. The tweeze. They're delicious. You love them? I love them. The half and half is my favorite also. Hank, what's your favorite?

I like the og.

You like the Diesel. You like the T Diesel. Make sure to look for these yellow cans whenever you buy beer, wherever you buy beer. And give yourself the gift of twisted tea this holiday season. Grab a refreshing twisted tea today. Ryan Whitney's also brought to you by our great friends over at Experian, your big financial friend, Experian. Some listeners might be looking for a travel credit card so you can maximize rewards on your trip to London for the inevitable super bowl that they will be playing in Europe. Others might be looking for a cash back card to help pay doctor bills because their toe and ankle will never heal. No matter what type of card you're looking for. Experian can show you personalized credit card offers based on your credit profile. Even better, cards labeled no ding decline won't hurt your credit scores if you're not approved so you can apply with confidence. Did you guys know that if you apply for a card and you're declined, it could hurt your credit score? That's why we need Experian. It's like having a financial coordinator in your pocket minus the headset. Take control of your finances with your big financial friend Experian and find a card that's matched to you today.

Download the Experian app now. And now, here's our dear, close personal friend, the number one recurring guest in the history of part of my take, Ryan Whitney.

Okay, we now welcome on a very, very, very, very, very special guest. Number one guest by appearances in part of my take history, it is Ryan Whitney. He's number one. Number one. Did you talk to our ghostwriter?

I was gonna mention I had a long, I would say 35 minute call with the ghostwriter. Great guy. And if you don't think that I was bringing up how, how big it is for me to be the number one most appeared guest on this show, then you're crazy. Because actually when I started thinking about it and I said, I like that, that's, that's pretty legit. These have a book being written about them and like I've been on the show more than anyone else. That's crazy.

Ten years of being the number one sports podcast and you're the number one guest.

And then we talked about, Sorry, dad. We talked about my NBA rant. Was that. My first. I think it was my first appearance.

Yeah, we gave you. We gave you a minute to just trash the NBA. And also, to be fair, when you say that, we're having a book written about it. We're writing a book about ourselves.

Oh, yeah, fair enough. I forgot. I forgot it was just a ghostwriter. He's. He's fake.

But. But, yeah, you had the NBA minute. Do you actually want to do it? So we're. We're going to run this next week where we're taping this on Tuesday, the week before, because we have a crazy Christmas schedule and everything, but we are taping this right before the NBA Cup. Do you have any thoughts about it?

I think it's. It's an absolute disgrace. The entire league. And I. And I almost want to say saved. Listen, read the book. Because we went into that for a long time. Like, okay, I think 29 of the 35 minutes was NBA discuss Russian and how you guys are letting down NHL fans. And you guys could actually be the leaders, the biggest podcast in sports and truly get people away from the NBA and more into the NHL. ESPN won't do it. Nobody else will do it. You guys could do it and you refuse to do it.

Wait, that's why. But you're the number one guest.

Yeah. You're number one.

We don't even talk hockey that much on this thing.

We're having our NHL preview, I think, earlier in the off season than we've ever done. It's like March.

We've never done it before.

It's usually like January 15th. We're a month early. We're a month.

Okay, we're a month early. By the way, before. Before we get into the NHL preview.

How are we?

How are we? Because I've. I had. I've gone back and forth between muting and unmuting you, depending on how Caleb Williams is playing. I think you're unmuted right now. You were muted after the packers game. How.

Let me.

You know what? That was rude of me. I shouldn't talk about my guy. How's Connor McDavid doing?

He's on an epic tear right now. I think in his last six games, he has 17 points. They play the Penguins tonight, so he's playing against. Crosby was definitely one of his idols growing up. So this is Tuesday. I'm sorry, December 16th. I know this is next week, but I can't wait to see what he does tonight. The team has been up and down. We never start well. And listen, I went into this in the Book as well. I hate both you. I hate your teams. I'm so happy that PFT's team sucks so much. I never root for injuries, but I still really didn't care. I'm waiting now, Dan, for the most epic failure of all time in the playoffs. I texted Hank last night because I. So we made a. I made a rink in my backyard and it's very, it's very relaxing. I get out there, I flooded at night, I start a fire and I listen to Monday's show. And you were just giving it to Hank after that Bill's loss. And I was, I was fuming enough to the point where I texted him. And I was as mad at Hank as I've ever been too.

Let me read this. I said, I said this was at 10:04pm I can't wait for tomorrow. I'm just listening now. These two. And then he never responded. So at 7:30 this morning, I wrote you and them. Now it's me versus the world today.

Wait, so you're sitting there, you got your beautiful ring, you got a fire, and you're just angry.

Angry listening, like pausing it and, and these and because you guys are such jokes and pft, you're the biggest joke of them all because Dan, Dan actually took the jacket off off those two jackets you guys had on. And he took it off and people took it off.

I did. Karma got him.

I, I took it off. It's hanging, it's hanging up on the wall right now.

No, but in that recording, you left it on the entire time.

Well, yeah, it was a nice.

Yeah, and you both suck. And, and what's happened to the commanders and what will happen to the Bears and what we have seen in New England. Forget that game against Buffalo. We weren't going to beat those guys twice this year. Nobody even thought we'd beat them once. I love where we're at. I love where Hank's at. I couldn believe how you guys treated him. And you call him a troll. You guys are the meanest, most annoying of all time. And you're just jealous of him and jealous of us.

What about Max?

I can't help but love Max. I, I, I can't wait till Philly loses. But I also can't stand Max because he talks. He talks like he's a fan of a team who's never even been to the super bowl, let alone won one. And they won one last year, so at least PFT called him out. It was a couple episodes ago last year, like, Max, shut the up. I Think you were yelling, shut the up. You won the super bowl last year.

I was. I. I have no problem when Max gets upset and when he acts like the sky is falling with his team, when they look like that's a good sports fan, that. That's calling it like it is. If your offense sucks, I appreciate what Philly does. But then when Max is like, oh, it'd be better if I never won.

Anything, because I still stand by at that point.

Not one. If anything, at that point, I'm like you, Max, a lot of people would love to win a Super Bowl. You want to discount. Yeah. This calendar year. Good for you. Enjoy it. But wait, we're. Listen, I was trying to gas you up.

Oh, buddy, you're. No, you're. I got a sportsman together.

I got a coat.

I should get at least a little bit of cr. Because wait, you know the inside dealings. I was ready to go to game seven. I had that ready to go. I was a man of my word.

You. Yes.

Yes, I was. Yes, I was.

But, Dan, you were gonna go and be in Roger's place rooting against the Oilers. No, no.

I'll tell you exactly what I was gonna do. No, Whit. What I was gonna do was. I was gonna. I was gonna bet a. Oh, probably.

Yeah.

This is probably what he does. Unreasonable amount. Responsible gambling. Unreasonable amount on. On the Oilers. And if they lost, I would have just, like. I would have dogged you the whole way home. I would have just been like, I can't believe you did.

I would have flown commercial. I would have flown commercial. I wouldn't even have gone home with you.

You.

But just. Just like to see what. What Hank and I's teams turned into, and then you got poor memes back there and that.

You guys haven't won a playoff game yet. You guys haven't won a playoff game.

Here's the thing. Here's the thing.

Look who we've turned into haters, cuz.

No, no.

Hey, pfp. I agree with you, but it's.

I.

If we go to the playoff, if we go to the playoffs and we lose the first game, very disappointing. It's more about what we have have the next 10 years. And. And this is way early. This is way in advance of what we thought. And just the fact that we're going to be in the running for a buy and in the running and possibly winning the division. It's like, dude, getting to the playoffs and losing would absolutely suck. But you know, that next training camp and that next season and the season after and the season after and the season after, we will be competing. And you know it too.

Max has a question. I have a question.

Go ahead, Max.

Do you think that PFT was also thinking this around this time last year? Oh, good question.

Yes. But the fact of the matter is a quarterback who's that mobile and runs and relies on his speed, that often never lasts. And we have a guy who can run, but he only does when he has to. And his arm is a golden cannon. And I'll tell you right now, our coach is way better, our defense is way better, and our organization compared to the Washington shitbag commanders is on a different planet right now. And you all know it's sitting there.

There.

Fair response. Fair. I just, I just had that.

I would say I was even higher than Whit last year because made the NFC championship game.

You guys looked and now you have.

You're like, yeah, you have a mobile.

Whose knee's probably done.

Sometimes his knees are fine.

Okay. It was, it was his. It was his elbow or whatever.

His arm is backwards.

He's got an upper body injury, as you would say, and he tried to play through it. So he's. Hockey talk.

Yeah.

Okay, well, but okay, wait. This is all fair because we did, did, we did put the whammy.

You started all this. I would have been like, yeah, we did. Rooting, Like, I would have been like, oh, that's cool. Like, those guys are my buddies. Their teams are finally good. They've sucked forever. And no, no, you want to. The greatest hockey player to ever live and ruin my. Ruin my springtime playoff run. I'm gonna try to ruin your guys football season.

Is there any coming back, though? Because the worst part is like, I've, I, we have put ourselves in this spot and I, I'm not, you know, we've done this. But I've told you both on and off air, watching Connor McDavid play is so fucking awesome. Yeah.

And that's crazy about. And that's what's insane to me that like I just mentioned, you get Caleb Williams, who Big time improvement. You get Jane Daniels. Looks awesome. Like, I would have been genuinely happy and rooting for you until the super bowl and inlet. And even if the Pats weren't in, I would have been rooting for you. And then because I was rooting for McDavid, you were laughing and laughing and laughing at us losing in the cup finals two years in a row. And then that jacket, that jacket. Those jackets were the end. That was complete the end of any relationship.

Can I Say something. Can I say something? The jackets were my idea. Big Cat almost backed out because he did after we started because he thought it would be too mean.

I thought it was karma too.

If you gotta hate, I. You can. You can focus that on me. It sounds like you're doing that a little bit anyways, which is fine. You can put that on me. I wrote Big Cat into it. Leave him alone.

I. I'm just a gambling jinx guy. And I was like, if I put this jacket on.

Bad pfc. You ever heard the saying, you are who you hang out with?

Yeah.

So.

So Hank, too.

You know, Big Cat robs up, robs a. A bank with you, and it was your idea. He's going to prison too.

It's true.

That's true. And look what happened to us. My. My team fell apart. The Oilers are in first place in.

Their division and Hanky boy sitting on that.

No, wait.

No, they're.

They're in.

Wait, are they.

No, they're in fourth.

Are in first place.

Fourth place. I suppose.

Oh, they're in the playoffs right now. But it has. It hasn't been a great start. It has not been a great start, but they never start good.

What's the deal with McDavid? He signed a new deal. Correct.

Huge hometown discount.

And how many years.

2 year extension this summer. So he has this year left on his current deal and then took the exact same number for two more years. Which. Here's the problem. He's. He's gonzo. Win or lose, we have three seasons left with Connor McDavid. That's my opinion.

Do you don't think there's any chance that they would ever trade him if he asked?

Oh, if he. If he says trade me, it's gonzo. And. And maybe they. They wouldn't want. And he's like, no, I'll stay here. Leon has eight more years. This is the first eight. And maybe like he would stay, but in my mind it's like, hey, after three years, so three more playoffs. I think that would have been 13 years for McDavid. It's like if there's an Oilers fan that dislikes him, if he does leave in three years, win or lose, they're idiots because.

Right.

He gave you. He gave you. Look at what he's giving you.

Right? So. So do you think in those three years he's going to win a cup?

Yes.

Okay.

Yes.

That's going to suck for us. You're going to be. You will have an open invite.

You can literally hosting the show that Day.

Yeah. You could demand when you want to be on you. That is 100%. You're right. And that will suck for us.

We'll make the first ever PMT gold card and issue it to Ryan Whitney.

Yeah.

And you can just come on the show whenever you want. Yeah.

You can just bomb in on the show.

Yeah.

Guys, this is, this is a legit thing. Like now we know this.

Yeah.

Because I will hop on a plane to Chicago some random Sunday night and just as you guys are exhausted, recap in the late night game, I'm gonna come bomb it in. I'm gonna knock over the computers. I'll make you start all over again.

He's gonna wait till like the, the commanders play in England and then Big Cat has an early game and we both lose.

Yeah.

He's gonna get on a private jet and he's go of Chicago to do that. That NFL.

It'll be a great show.

I'm gonna come in like the Hawaiian punch guy through the wall.

I was, I was looking at the schedule for this year. What are you going to do when it's time for the Olympics? Are you going to root against Connor McDavid?

Yes.

Yes. I did that last year in February for four nations and he broke my heart. He scored the game winning goal in overtime. I, I believe you guys were dogging that tournament. I'm pretty sure once the US lost, I believe you guys were just calling it.

Well, it was, it was an all star game game.

Yeah.

You agree?

No, I don't. I'm gonna, I'm gonna take that loss like a man. Like we, we always win.

Not us.

We always beat them. And you guys are Americans. We always beat them in the game. That doesn't really matter. And I was a part of a 2010 Olympic team that we won the round robin. Now, I wasn't playing a big role. I was actually a real issue in the gold medal game in which I was on the ice for one of Canada's goals. But we won the round robin game. Game lost gold medal. We won the round robbing in Montreal, lost the four nations title game in Boston. So we have to get them this year. We have to get a gold medal.

Well, here's a spin zone. If we don't get a gold medal, who cares about the Olympics?

I, I, yeah, see, I'm, I'm a man. I respect it. I just, I, I'm not gonna be somebody who's like, I didn't even care anyways. This doesn't matter. Like, that's you Guys, that's your guys. Troll angle of being funny. Podcast on goes.

We did care. We. We did a whole watch party for it.

We.

That's where Oldie was born. We absolutely cared, but we can't, we can't let Canada off that easy. We can't be like, oh, we really do.

Remember when Pedro Martinez said the Yankees are my daddy? Like, he didn't sit there and say, it doesn't matter. You got to own up to it. And then it makes it that much more special when it does happen. Maybe 20, 30 for us if we can't.

You are right. All right, so Canada is our daddy right now. You're right. It is. It. Canada is our daddy. I, I, I actually agree with that. Like, when, when it finally happens, we.

Can be like, yeah, like the packers are your daddy.

Yeah, they are. Well, we're taping this after. We don't know, Saturday night.

I, I think what happened in the, in the four nations, that was, that was our exit the entire time was to say it was an exhibition in case we lost. And we said, we're only focused on the Olympics. So we said, we're focusing now. It counts now.

Okay, so Olympics. You guys aren't gonna be like, olympics don't matter.

No, no. It, it's also kind of interesting that McDavid's only championship was without Whitney rooting for him.

Yeah, very true. Or it had something to do with playing with Crosby and McKinnon and McCarr and Marshawn and Sam Reinhardt and a bunch of superstars, and you just made up half those. And I'll tell you right now, like, we were right there. Went to overtime. We actually had, like, three or four great chances that Bennington saved an ot. It's even right now. Can is our daddy. But it, it's right there, boys. We're right there.

Right there.

There.

Right there. All right, let's talk NHL. Who's good? Is there? Is. I know the Panthers obviously, are going for three people. They've struggled out of the gate. Is that just. They have to get healthy. Who, like, who has shocked you through the first couple months?

Shocking me? That's a good question. I mean, I'm never shocked at the Oilers. Bad start. They always start bad, But I thought it would be. I didn't think it'd be this bad, but they've started getting it going a little bit. Last six, seven games. Florida shock is not a start. Is not shocking because Tkachuk's out and Barkov tore his ACL in training camp. And They've just battled a ton of injuries and now as of December 16th, they're going, they're rolling, they're figuring out. So they're petrifying again. They will be in the mix once the playoffs come. Chuck comes back pretty soon, Colorado is the wagon, guys. Colorado is the one that you're scared of. You're worried about if you're not an AVS fan. And there's a part of me that sees them running through the entire league and then winning the Stanley cup cup with ease now saying that they right now are on pace to break the Bruins record for most points in the regular season. The Bruins, that year they did it, lost in the first round, ironically, to the Panthers, who went on to the cup final and lost to the Vegas Golden Knights.

The team that the Bruins broke the record of was Tampa Bay Lightning. Years, couple years before that, they lost in the first round. So the last two times we've had this dominance in the regular season by a team, they've lost first round Colorado. It doesn't seem like that would happen. But if somehow Edmonton ends up as a wild card team and they get Colorado, like, you got, you got, you got McDavid and Leon. That's. That's not something that would be that shocking. Now, the problem for Colorado also is their second round matchup. This is if they go on to win the Central Division. Of the four top teams in hockey right now, three of them are in the Central. You got Colorado, you got Dallas, and you got Minnesota. I don't know if you guys know who Quinn Hughes is. Yep, Quinn Hughes is the second best defenseman in the world. He.

I've been seeing a lot of Minnesota.

He just got traded to the Wild from Vancouver.

Yes.

Talking trade. So now you got those three teams and one of them is going to be out in the first round and another one of them is going to be out in the second round. That's the problem with the current setup in the, in the playoff format is you have. If you get a division with unreal teams, and this is even crazier than other years of those three, it's kind of like, man, if you got the three of the four top teams in the league and two of them are gone before the conference final, some people want to maybe look at going through one through eight again in the playoffs instead of the division way they're doing it now. Yeah, yeah, I am. I think Biz kind of leans towards the way it is now because he likes like the rivalry aspect of the football first and Second round and, and having the second round always be two division foes battling it out to get to the conference final. But what's happened in the east is the Atlantic Division which has been Florida, Tampa, Boston, Toronto. They end up battling and killing each other. One of them gets to the conference final and then you got Carolina waiting there and they just smack Carolina.

Carolina's an like an auto trip to the conference final because the Metro, Metro Division isn't strong. And they, they walk through the first two rounds and then they get worked in the Eastern Conference final. And it's almost like I think if Florida, Toronto last year had played in the conference final instead of the second round, it would have been a lot more entertaining than Florida just dusting up on the Hurricanes again.

Yeah, the Hurricanes still playing that same brand of hockey. Have they switched anything up this year?

They, they grabbed Nikolai Ealers from the Winnipeg Jets. He's very good. They actually have this crazy story right now in goal. This kid Brandon Bus who was signed by Florida, put on waivers in, in, in training camp, Carolina picked him up and he's 11 and 1 and, and these are his first 12 starts ever in the NHL. So kind of crazy as they've had their normal goalies go down, he's, he's been one of the stories of the season. Carolina is a great team. They, they, they, they come at you in waves. They're like an incredibly hard working team. They have skill. I've always said they don't have a superstar to get them over the top. Hurricanes fans are get furious at me, but the proof is there that every year in the Easter conference final they lose.

So you said the, the Avalanche are a wagon, right? Who's, who's the biggest disappointment of the season so far?

Toronto's up there. Biz in the Toronto Maple Leafs are, are truly a disgrace. And they lost Mitch Marner. That was an ugly situation where you know, I Biz isn't going to like this. He was one of the guys that really ran him out of town and, and you have him on and he'll argue that point. But they ran him out of town for his playoff performance and he's in Vegas. He hasn't had the best start. He's been good, but I think he only has like five or six goals. But Matthews without Marner is, is a problem. And a lot of talk about Matthews possibly being injured, but the past few years since he's gotten to the league, it's like who's the best player in the league? You got McDavid you got McKinnon, you got Matthews. Matthews is not at all even in that discussion anymore. It's kind of. I don't know if you guys know who Macklin Celebrini is. He's a new guy. Incredible new. Like Sidney Crosby, superstar grinder. That's the way I'd kind of describe him. Physical, doesn't cheat the game. Incredibly skilled night. He turned 19 in like July, and it's his second season and I think he's third in the league in scoring or fourth.

So the Matthews problem in Toronto and that entire team, they look slower, they look old. Their D aren't good. They've had an injury to their best defense with tan ever. One of their best defenseman. But Ben, shocking in Toronto, it's. It's not pretty right now.

Macklin Celebrini, was that the. The video of like the old lady going up to them in New York and being like, hey, you guys are good looking guys. They're like, yeah, we got a game tonight. It's like, that's one of the best, like, up and coming guys in the entire NHL. Like, yeah, gonna be incredible for two decades. And like, he's just sitting, having a coffee on the side of the street.

In New York and he's with Will Smith, who, who was the fourth pick. He played at Boston College for one year and turned pro. So I think they're one year apart in age and they're both awesome celebrities. A different level above. But Will Smith, he could end up being a 90, 95 point guy for, for 10, 15 years. So. Excuse me. They're building something special there. They're in a playoff spot. I don't have the standings in front of me right now. Yesterday they were in a playoff spot, which is kind of crazy.

It also doesn't matter because we're gonna be.

Yep. I'm sorry, I keep forgetting.

No, that's okay.

I keep forgetting.

That's okay.

The Sharks are in a playoff spot.

Yeah. So the playoff. The Sharks, like, last year they were under. They were on my no watch list. You know, I have, I have teams that, that, like, if they're on, I'm watching them. I have teams. I can watch them. I can't. And then I have teams that if they're on, like, doesn't matter if they're playing in my backyard rink. I'm not watching. And the Sharks were one of them. Them even. I'm sorry, two years ago. And then Celebrini came. It's like, all right, this is, this is different. And then this year he's reached another level. And do you guys know about his dad? Who his dad is?

Yeah, the warriors trainer.

So, yeah, he's like tight with Draymond and stuff. I don't know if that's the guy you want to meet necessarily. Have you be your role model in terms of his on court antics. Sick league. But, you know, he's a leader, I guess.

Yeah.

Can you imagine having a guy on court? All he does is fight.

Fight.

What a disgusting sport.

Well, fighting's allowed in hockey. If you're gonna fight all the time in a sport, it's not allowed. You're breaking the rules.

That's true. They should fight your teammates too.

They should be allowed to fight. Who are the other like young up and comers that we should be watching?

Well, Bedard's been incredible. It sucks.

But that injury.

Yeah, injury sucks. So bad fluke injury. Just like off a face off. I've read today there was a report that it was a separated shoulder now.

And there was like eight. There was like. There was like a second left too.

Oh, yeah. 0.8 seconds. I know.

Know.

Oh, and.

And if that causes him not to make Team Canada, I feel that. I just feel gutted for the kid. We'll see what happens there. If they take him, knowing he'll be healthy by the time the tournament starts in Milan. So there's a guy in. In Montreal and you guys definitely don't know about him? I don't think his name's Ivan Demidov. He's a Russian. I think you could tell based on Ivan Demidov being his name. I call him.

Yeah, I thought he was from like New Jersey.

Yeah, yeah, he's from Secaucus. His. I call him Demigod. He is world class skill. Like some of the sickest hands and moves and fakes and like his edge work on his skating. He is a treat to watch. He's incredible. I think he's going to be a superstar. It's his rookie year. He came over last year when his KHL season finished and like looked unreal right out of the gate. Played in the playoffs, had some wild moments. And right now I think he's second in rookie scoring. Maybe a couple back back from this kid, Bennett Seneca. He's on Anaheim. He's a. Anaheim is a team. Guys, heads up. They have a wagon of like young stars coming. One of them, Leo Carlson, he was the second or third. He was the third pick, I believe. Second. No, his second pick. The Bedard draft. He's about 6, 4 monster Swedish center. Who's lighting it up? They have this kid, Cutter Gauthier, that played at Boston College. He's got about 18, 19 goals already. A bunch of young defensemen. Anaheim is now looking like, I'll guarantee a Ryan Whitney guarantee.

Ooh.

Anaheim wins a Stanley cup in the next eight years. I know eight years is kind of whatever. Wait. But Anaheim's going to get a cup. And you know their coach. You know their coach, Dan.

Who's their coach?

Joel Quinville.

Oh, Joel Quinville. Yeah. Yeah. He's. I bet. Because I bet coach of the year and because I don't think they're going to give it to him. Do you think the writers will get it to him?

I don't think that.

That's because he deserves it.

Right.

So that was in the mix right now, but there's a bunch.

Yeah, he's definitely in the mix, but the writers won't give it to him. I mean, he's a hell of a.

Fucking hell of a coach.

He's. He's. Playoff. Playoff. Q Just finds the answers as a season, as a. As a series goes along. Can I go back to Bedard real quick? Did you see enough from him this year? Because. Because the talk, obviously, in the national media and in the. In the local media was like, the first two years of Bedard. You saw the flashes, but there was maybe a little something missing. It feels like this year he was having that leap where everything was coming together. He was playing, you know, he was playing hard on both ends. He was doing the right things. I know Biz has been a little critical of him at times. Did you. Did you see that? That. It was like, okay, this is exactly what he was advertising. It might have taken a couple years, but he's finally here 100%.

And Biz has been very open about what he said last year, and I think it was pretty fair, like, what he was bringing up in terms of, like, kind of not playing the right way. Like, you have all the skill in the world. You have one of the best shots I've ever seen, body language wise. Like, stuff that honestly happens in the NBA. The whining and the complaining and the yelling at teammates and the body language. There was some of that in bad. We're not talking NBA levels here. But enough as a young guy where it's like, this isn't how the game is played. Like, this is stuff. Crosby, his first year, maybe had some whining a little bit, but he grew up quick and everything. Biz Brought up. It was one TNT Chicago broadcast that Biz went on a rant and it went pretty crazy. The story.

Yeah.

And. And Biz has been open this year of, like, every single thing I brought up has completely changed. And we had Jeff Blash along, the coach of the Blackhawks Bucks, and he just said we. I think they met. They. They hung out for four or five hours when he got the job this summer. And he said he was beyond impressed with the kid and his approach and realizing, like, what I need to change and what I need to do. And he'd done it all. He was competing. He was way more physical. Like, back. Like, back checking the board. If he did turn one over, he's not kind of shrugging his shoulders or slamming his stick off the boards. He's flying back. Looked like an incredible teammate. The guys obviously love him. I mean, his skill is so fun to watch. Like, you want to. Want to enjoy watching this guy play. And this year, I didn't know he had. I knew he had this in him. I thought he had this in him, but I didn't know it'd be this quick based on last year. And, yeah, he was one of the best players in the league before he went down.

I hope it's just a couple weeks.

And he's. He's 20. That's the thing that people forget. Like, you. He's 20 years old. His first two years, he's like, you know, yeah, it wasn't perfect. And I think the hype, obviously, of him coming in the draft. Draft was like, he's going to be instantly incredible. But this year has been awesome.

Yeah.

If he doesn't, I agree. Do you think he'll get on Team Canada if he's healthy?

It's so crazy. Is even before the injury, they're saying, like. Like, people who are kind of in the know are like, it's 50, 50. And some people are like, I don't think he. He will. It's it. They have. They have so much kind of loyalty to the guys who have won before. Like last year. That's a big deal. Another thing is Bedard didn't go to the world championship, so they have the world championships every. Every season. And if you're playing in the playoffs, you're. You're out, obviously. But, like, he had the chance to go and he chose, like, to get healthy. Been battling some injuries. They could sometimes hold that against you. Whether that's right or wrong. Like, I don't know. Like, as I said, they're our daddy who am I to judge how Team Canada does things. But Bedard said it himself, they could throw two teams in and like the second team's competing like for a medal. They're that good, they're that deep. But the other part of Bedard for me is there hasn't been a player that's come in with the expectations like Bard since social media has become like the monster it is.

So when McDavid came in it was, I think it was 2016 or 15. It wasn't like it is now. Like it's changed that much. Where like clips and constant scouting and reports on every single game. And like the noise around Bard for the past three years back, going back to junior even. No, the past five years. Years, it was so ridiculous and breaking records in the WHL and the Crosby McDavid comparisons that were coming. So he was the one kid who had these ridiculous expectations and had to deal with the social media aspect of the entire world knowing about him and expecting a Crosby rookie year with 100 points. And that's just not. It's not realistic. Like it's not fair to him because you just said it best. He's 20. He's in his third season. He's 20 years old. Like there's college freshmen who are 23. It's like.

Right.

It's not. And I'm talking college hockey and how old it is and how difficult it is to play at a high level. You go to high school, you go to three years of junior and then you're a freshman. It's just he is so good. He's so young. He added speed too. Like something about his training this summer where they're now tracking the speed bursts and how fast you're going on the ice. Like he's getting a mile or two faster than he did at any point last year. Year. Which may not sound like much, but it's the difference in, you know, getting that one quick shot off or that lane that wasn't open the year before.

Yeah, that's. That. That's way faster if you're able to. To constantly get like one to two miles an hour faster over the course of a year. Yeah, that it is crazy that as a, a 20 year old you're not done growing.

And so he was playing as 18 and 19.

Right. Like you can show up and you can be like Wimby when we grew in the off season. It's pretty crazy.

By the way, pft. That guy Leo Carlson I was talking about about who's who in a few years. Like Hockey fans now know, but like we're looking at like a Matt Sundin, like future superstar type player. His rookie year. His agent I'm friendly with was like, he's, they've realized like he's not done growing. They did all these scans. All his growth plates are. Aren't done. So they actually sat him out. They would play him. He would sit a game or two. He'd be working out, lifting. They'd play him. They had, I hate to say it, a load man. But it wasn't because he was lazy and didn't want to show the fans that paid hard earned money that they weren't going to play that night. It was more for his body because he was still growing.

Being that young, what is the, the.

NHL equivalent of LeBron James's 10 point a game streak?

Yeah, that's one where like I wanted to dog it because 10 points is like 10 points, but it's more about doing it that, that one I was kind of impressed at.

Regular season, by the way. Regular.

It would have been a lot cooler if it was 15 points for some reason. The 10 and the 15, that's a big difference to me.

I don't know.

Yeah, it's a 10. Getting 10 points is like not, it's not that bad.

I could get 10 points.

Yeah, I, I'm. I mean, I'm, I might be able to. And I, I'm. People don't know if I'm a righty or lefty when I shoot. Shoot baskets. That's how bad.

Yeah. That's the state of defense. Yeah.

Yeah.

But he's also like, he's, he's. When he was making sure he got his 10 points in that one game, they're getting blown out when he kept it alive right before it ended. And then. Don't even get me started with him. His son's in the NBA. His son's horrible. His son's brutal. What are we doing? Do you think that there is a hockey player in the world that would even if he even could do it. Do you think he'd put his son in the NHL if he didn't deserve it? No. Never.

No way.

I don't think so. That's a joke. That is nepotism at its finest. Finest. And I got no problem someday maybe helping my son start a podcast. Heaven for. God forbid he ever wants to do this. I'll. I don't, I don't hate all nepotism, but to take an NBA spot and give it to your son just because you're LeBron James is a disgrace to the sport.

Yeah, yeah, agree. Good rants. It's interesting that you brought up the, the right handed, left handed thing because I did a little research on you wit. I found out that you, you know, obviously when you, when you play hockey, you're left, but when you play golf, you're a righty.

Yeah, that.

And that when you started, you started playing golf, your grandfather had a set of right handed clubs.

No.

And he said, just swing it like this.

So he screwed me. God bless Paul Whitney. He screwed me though. Apparently back in the day you like, couldn't get lefty clubs. Okay. They were very rare. They weren't made as often as righty clubs, clubs. And I, so I'm a weirdo. I, I, I, I pitched growing up as a lefty, when I played football, I played quarterback one year I was a righty. I throw a football righty. I pitched lefty. I know. I, I base baseball, lefty, hockey, lefty. So I grab a golf club and I just naturally in the backyard down Cape Cod, started swinging it and he, he said, no, no, no, no, you can't be a lefty. The sport's not made for lefties. They don't have club clubs. And he took me to his golf course, Woods Hole Country Club. Beautiful place, right on the water. And I went to the range for the first time I've ever touched a club with righty clubs. And I just hit balls for like four hours with them. And now I'm a righty. And I know, I know in my heart of hearts I'd be a better player lefty. And I've thought about switching. Yeah, I'm following Hanks.

Do a video series. You should do a video series. Switching a lefty.

Listen, I got pretty good. I'm not very good anymore, but I got pretty good. And now as I've gotten worse, I've thought about it enough to the point where I bought a lefty club. And I, and I was like, I can't, I can't even think about trying this now. The guy sitting to your left, he has no kids, he has just amazing team, NFL team he roots for. And he's got a good basketball team, the baseball team was good this year and the hockey team surprising people. But he's got nothing to do besides golf and he can go and try to do this. And I know a guy by the last name Driscoll who got down to a scratch or a one handicap as a righty and then switched to lefty and then also became A scratch. So, Hank, keep going. Although.

Thank you.

Thank boys. The reason he didn't respond to me last night when he finally texted me back this morning was sorry I was in the lab banging balls.

That's all he does.

He. Well, this lefty thing, he found a way to just be like, I have to golf even more.

And I understand it because his mindset is like, where your mindset is where, like, you. You wake up every day thinking about how good you could have been at golf if you had started left handed. And Hank doesn't want to allow himself to get to that point in life.

I agree with you, Hank. I. I honestly agree with you that you're not, no offense, like, good enough righty to be like, I can't switch back, right? Switch to.

Yeah, I got to see it through.

It's like when. When an idea kind of consumes your brain, it's like the only thing you can do is just see.

Were you a lefty in baseball?

I pitch. I'm kind of like you. I pitched lefty, so I have, like, a lot of experience, like, loading up on the back leg. I. But I swung a baseball bat righty. So when I started golfing, same thing, though. My dad just had an old set of ready clubs, and I was like, oh, I swing a baseball bat. Ready. I must swing a golf club.

But.

But.

But if you. If you had just grabbed a golf club naturally, first time you ever held one, would you have swung it lefty?

I don't think so. Just because I was like, oh, I swing. You know, swing a baseball.

So I don't know if I can get down with your switch now.

I took one swing lefty, and I saw it like, that was. That was what. That's what started is like, I took a swing lefty, and I was like, oh, it's. It's there.

Maybe I'm more than it is right here.

He looks like a. He looks like a lefty golfer. Country club kid with the frosted tips and that shirt on right now, though.

Yeah.

And.

And lefty golfers just.

Oh, it looks lefty. Swing is just beautiful.

It is.

Yeah. No, he's. Hank's getting some online from the. What are we calling them?

The. The. The right. The right side.

The online. Right. So Hank is the. He's the Joe Rogan of the left. This is what he's gonna do. He's gonna. He's gonna dominate. I actually. I hate righty Hank, and I always beat righty Hank. I own righty Hank with strokes. I'm terrified I beat you straight up last time. I'm terrified.

That's a Hank guy. That video.

Terrified.

It was heartbreaking and Hank was, I could tell Hank. Things were moving a million miles an hour out there, man. It was not, it was not not. It was not good. And I've been there. I mean, Riggs dusted me at the, at the, at the, the Writer cup. And like, yeah, it's, it's just a brutal feeling. I was, I was in your soul for that one, buddy.

Yeah. We had a great time at the Internet Invitational this summer. I enjoyed being a part of your team for a brief period of time. Unfortunately, we had to go home after, after 18 holes total. What, what were your, your thoughts and feelings like watching that, watching how you came across in that? Because I watched it. I was like, I'm so glad that Whit was there.

So I, I, I turned into the most hated man in YouTube golf. Like I, I've never and I've felt hate before online. Like, I'm talking like minus three every game in Edmonton getting yelled at while I'm eating a steak. You know, after games. Like, I felt hate. The hate I was getting from the YouTube Golf Committee was unlike anything I've ever imagined. And I still stand by the fact that that the guy slept in, treated you like and didn't give a flying so I don't really care. I, I would do this exact same thing again. I also if I saw Luke quality say what's up, buddy? Like no hard feelings. You you this over. But it is what it is. But he has either an enormous fan base online or YouTube golf community are the biggest to ever exist because I was basically like Bane from Batman movies movie and, and the biggest bully, mean guy, scumbag piece of in the world for calling a guy out and in which if you'd done that in a hockey locker room, you're getting called out.

Yeah. No, you didn't do anything wrong. I was sitting right next to you when you called him out. It was.

Here's what happened.

Golf commenters are soft, Dan.

Here's what happened is Gruden gave that speech. I know the minute that speech ended, I said I'm not going to look great when this thing comes up. Not that that is a unifying speech. That is everyone accountable. That is no one blames others. We're a team. And I was the exact opposite.

Yeah, he was getting a lot of hate right when it happened. And then I think the hate got so much on him that it swung the other way. That's like, hey, whoa, let's back off, Luke. Juan, what do you really do here? But no, Whitney was on. You were 100, right? You needed it needed to be said. If you're in a team environment, Whitney's an accountability guy. That's why I want you on bag if I ever play him again. Yeah, I, I gotta.

I gotta send you the clip. Whitney, the. The Luke Quan's, like, crew that he golfs with, they just, they're, you know, a couple of them are, like, Korean golfers he grew up with, and, and they do a Ryan Whitney impression like in their videos. That's so funny. This guy, like, it's, it's, It's. It's crazy.

They bust.

They bust his balls too, for it. And it's like, they, they also just will, you know, in their videos will just insert the clip of Whitney being.

Like, this guy's a joke.

And it's, It's.

I, I'll send you the clip that they're, They're. The guy's name's Sam Mitchell in.

It's.

It's my main anger. It just, it was so brutal to get knocked out. And, like, granted, like, maybe. Maybe if he showed up and you guys dusted them, which you would have pft. Like, maybe we still lose. But it's like just knowing that that point was gone and then, like, going into the final round and. And then, like, everyone's like, you didn't do anything. I'm like, well, I won one match. I mean, I don't know. Like, I then played Roger Steele and Paige. It was like playing Tiger woods and Phil Mickelson in their prime. Like, I was like, we got no chance. Like, I don't. I, I'm not that good. My partner. We. Neither one of us played that good, and they were incredible. But I won the first match and we were done, and I just wanted to keep playing.

Yeah, it was a fun event.

You turn get some lunch into a chirp. Yeah, that was beautiful.

Get some lunch.

Get some.

Yeah, yeah. Get some lunch.

Get some lunch, though. Get some lunch. I got, I got no hard. I got no hard feelings towards the guy.

I mean, I hope he comes back. I hope he does it again. It'll be great redemption art if he.

Came back and he's awesome again, dude. I, I, I would be. I would be. Round of applause, buddy. You're.

I'd respect it.

Yeah.

Yeah.

That you're that much of a clown, that I love you now.

I mean, he was in Switzerland, like, two weeks before.

That's Ahead, he would have woken up early. We've been through that.

He's got triplets.

All right. Yeah, that was the best. Yanl just throw. Just getting all the confusion going like he just had trip.

People are like, he would kill you in golf. It's like, dude, no. You want to do a stick handling competition lose.

Yeah.

All right, I got, I got one last question. Roback question. R, H, O, B, A, C, K.com promo code, take 20% off your first purchase. Q, zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code, take two part question, first part, give us the Stanley Cup Final and the winner.

Okay.

You gotta go Oilers.

Yeah, it's Edmonton. I'm thinking about the East. He might be Edmonton, Florida again.

Okay.

He might be Edmonton, Florida again. And people are going to be like, you are an absolute moron. We got one team not in the playoffs and one team in a wild card spot. And the Central division is so tough with Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota. I got Edmonton. And in the way Florida looks the past six, seven games and knowing guys are coming back, I think they might do it again. That would be four straight cup finals for them if they don't get there. I believe in Tampa.

Okay, Tampa. And then my last, last question is, are you going to the frozen four this year? Wisconsin's number two in the country.

Awesome. They got a guy. They got a guy coaching them now. He coached one of the world junior teams I played on, which is a big international tournament over Christmas time for U20 players. Great guy. He spent a lot of time in the ushl and I believe Mankato another, another college. But he's legit. And here's the problem right now with college sports everywhere, but particularly with hockey. Hockey this nil money for the Big Ten schools is like, there's so many hockey programs that just don't have that football money. And granted, like Western Michigan won it last year. They're great. They don't have big football money and there's other teams that are real solid without football money. But I think over the course of the next few years, you're going to see budgets for these Big Ten schools that no one else can compete with. Some worried for my team. Bull. We don't even have a football team, let alone a football budget. And I don't know, I was told that the Big Ten Network, each school gets $22 million a year from for in that deal and that like 12 of it goes to the football program and the other 11 goes within basketball and hockey.

If that's, it's, it's stupid money. And then there's also. I mean, there's a deal with Fox, there's a deal with NBC, there's a deal with cbs. The TV money is crazy.

So. But no, that Wisconsin's a program. I want to be good. It's a blue blood. They've had some incredible teams over the years. Their last national title, Joe Pavelski, who's from Wisconsin. Yeah. You were there. Then in Milwaukee, Vegas, which I'm not a. Not a huge fan of Vegas. And that's, that's always right around our putt putt tournament. And, and.

All right, so maybe we gotta hop on a flight. If the badgers are in it, we gotta go.

Okay, so I'll. It's always our mini golf. It's always masters week, and we do the mini golf on Thursday. So I always go. I've gone to the frozen four. The two games are Thursday. National championship Saturday. So if we go to putt putt and Wisconsin's there, we'll hop on a bird out to Vegas.

Love it. And then in two years, it's going to be in Chicago.

Yeah. And we're going to be just. I'm just going to be whoever Wisconsin's playing. I'll. I'll paint my face the color of the other team.

It'll be great. All right, Whit, you're the best man, everyone. Love you. Spitting.

Love you guys. See you later.

We'll see you a bunch of times before the end of the season. And yeah, Merry Christmas and, and love having you.

Go Oilers. Go packers. And the Commanders. See you later, guys. Bye, Hank. Bye, Max. Bye, James. Zach, good talk.

Same to you. Wait.

Ryan Whitney was brought to you by our great friends at Chevy. Football season's here. Whether you're grinding through the week or gearing up for football, there's one ride that's always game ready. That is the Chevy Silverado. The Silverado is a longtime partner of part of my take. It's our favorite truck. It's all about grit. From job site to tailgate, Silverado lets you show up strong and tackle any task. It's built for the hustle, ready for the game. The Silverado is America's most dependable full size truck.

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Quick, about our show. Just so you know, we're so we've been doing this for. We're actually coming up on 10 years right now. We're number one sports podcast. But part of our success that we've had, we've like had the joy of being able to interview people that we find interesting. So it's. We do sports, but we do everything.

Well, I'm really happy to be here and I'm absolutely mystified as to why you've invited me on your show because I know you invited me on like before the Pandemic.

Yeah. All right, so let's start. Are we good to go? All right, here we go. Yeah, we are going. That was the cold opening.

That's me going.

The voice you hear right now is a very, very, very, very, very, very special guest. It is Stephen Jenkins from Third Eye Blind. And that was our cold opening.

But, but ice cold.

We did. Yeah. So. So the story behind this is we, we were, I think we were ready to interview you. During the pandemic, something fell through and we're. So, we've been doing this.

The pandemic fell through.

Pandemic fell through. We've been doing this for 10 years. We're writing a book about the show the last 10 years. So we're in the process of that. And in the process of that, I think the conversation started. We have a, we have a segment we do on the show where listeners in questions and one of the questions was like, what's an interview that kind of got away? And we mentioned that we, Steven Jenkins from Third Eye Blind is one of those ones. Were like, damn, we were so close to interviewing him. And our booker was like, hey, I just looked up. He's going to be here in Chicago in December. Do you want me to reach out? And I was like, yes, we would love to have him on. So now we're here, you're sitting on this couch. I still can't believe it. Because I told you before, Third, the. Your guys self titled album is one of my. I actually looked it up because I put out my top 10 album, top five album of all time. Personal, personal top five album.

It's incredible. It's. Yeah, no skips.

I'm just saying the first one you want all Four in the top five.

I want to be on the podium.

You want to control all of.

No, I'm really happy because I. Cuz. Cuz I was thinking, am I about to scintillate everyone with my incredible sports knowledge? No, I am not.

I do want to talk about your warriors fandom, because that would be fun.

Well, so I'm in town today because I'm playing a show at the Argonne Ballroom, which I think is. Is a gem in Chicago. Have you guys been there?

I think I saw you there.

It's a great place.

Ten years ago, I want to say 12 years ago, I saw you. I saw you guys perform, play there.

Yeah. Back in the day. And we're doing it again for Q101 radio show.

I actually think I saw you at the Christmas show.

Yeah, those guys have, though. So the guys at Q101 in Chicago started playing my first record in 1997. And we've never been out of rotation at the radio show. I mean, on their station ever.

Rightfully so.

Really. So when they asked us to come play the radio show, you know, we're delighted.

Yeah.

And then. And then I just really wanted to find out, why do you want me on a sports show? I know why I want to be on, because I like to do the Wario. The warriors pre show.

Okay.

And there's no reason for them to let me on again because I really don't know even that much about the warriors, but I'm a big fan and it's really fun. So now that they know that I'm on this, they're going to be like, we've got to get him back. Yeah, yeah, that's my theory.

Listen, being a Warriors fan would be. It would be incredible. Even if you're not a massive sports fan, if you're not a huge basketball fan in general, just going to that. That atmosphere, watching Steph Curry play, he is an artist. He's changed how the sport's been played and it must be just a joy to watch him live.

It is. And then you get used to it. And then you're like, what is. What is Steve Kerr doing with Kaminga's talent? I don't know.

I like that.

Yeah.

And I'd like to understand that. So, you know, it's not like everybody there is just like, you know, all the time, thanks for Steph Curry. I mean, we are. Because we definitely feel like we're. We're. We're witness to a moment and we want to make that moment last. But you still get into all the. The nuts and bolts and nitty gritty, and everybody's a critic, including me.

Yeah.

And it's like having a starting pods again.

Really? Yeah, really. Well, I would assume it's kind of like, you know, being a rock star. I'm gonna call you a rock star. I don't know if you. You like being called a rock star, but you being a rock star or being guys like us who have a dream job, you can't really star. You can't really complain about it because everyone, like, looks at you and you're like, that's the best job ever.

Yeah.

But there's always parts of any work that you're like, ah, that's not the best. That's not the most fun thing. Just like the warriors winning all the time and Steph. But you're like, oh, I don't agree with the rotation. You find complaints in everything.

Yeah, I. I mean, I think developing young talent is the thing that I'm. Have you seen Richards, this guard?

Yeah.

So I really hope he gets developed and like, Quinn Pugh post. Quinton Post is a really good. Really good center, and he's beginning to show it. I hope he's showing it enough that we don't just put him out for a trade, because I feel like that's the thing that's coming up here.

Yeah. Trading for. Yeah. Yeah.

Well, everybody's gonna try and get Giannis, and we're not gonna get Giannis, but we could get Sabonis.

There you go.

Yeah.

And Sabonis. Sabonis would be. He would be a nasty piece of business, because I hate watching that guy play basketball. I can't stand it. He's always just poking and picking at people. I want him poking and picking on our team.

You can't complain about poking and picking. If you root for Draymond Green.

If. Well, I would give this to Steve Kerr. I would have traded him after. After he punched Jordan Poole. Jordan Poole in the face. Yeah. To me, that's like. First of all, Draymond is. He's the guy I would hang out with. I actually have. We ended up in a poker game together. He's a lovely guy. I like his restaurant. He's my favorite basketball player because I think he is seeing things in a different way. I think he's the most intelligent guy playing basketball, and they're all actually really smart motherfuckers, those guys.

Guys.

So he's like. He's on another level. However, he's a powerful man, and if you look at that punch, he turned his hips. He could have broken his jaw.

Yeah, yeah.

He could have broken Jordan Pool's jaw. I was wrong. Steve. Steve Kerr was right. Keeping him on the team is. He is the glue of that team. And he said, sorry.

Yeah, hey, sorry for punching you in the face. Yeah. I mean, being in, in bands and having these types of. Types of relationships, it's not always, you know, hugs and kisses all the time. There's some infighting that goes on. It can be sometimes good for the creative process to. To have a little bit of chaos, controlled chaos around you. Right.

That's a big jump between a little bit of controlled chaos punching and somebody who's six, six and incredibly athletically gifted, putting their hips and then their shoulders into a right cross into your face. That's. There's distance. Yeah, yeah. I think, I think tension. You know, every good. Every good record that I can think of was made was unpleasant to make. You know, they all sort of hate each other. Yeah.

Fleetwood Mac, that was my number one. The rumors.

The White Stripes, you know, Jack couldn't get Meg to do anything. And they're just over, over there. In this kind of struggle, there isn't enough food, there's not enough time. It's all kind of. This kind of. There are these pressures, these real pressures on it that, that create. If they're real, they create a kind of intensity and pressure.

Did you have that when making, you know, self titled, your first album? Was it. Did you feel that pressure? Did you feel that, you know, creative tension or. Or was it. Because I always have a theory and you can tell me this is the dumbest thing ever, but the first, first record, first and second for any musical act, it's like the most raw what they are. And then they have to evolve. And then it's not saying that there can't be better records or different records, but the first one or two is like, that's what. That's their essence. Before they're famous, before they have, you know, big shows. That's what they are. It's. There's something about it. You could tell me I'm wrong.

I don't think you're wrong. I think that. I think that I'm just trying to think about how I felt in that moment. I felt like even though it was my first chance, it was my absolute last chance.

Oh, really?

There was only one chance. And so there was that kind of desperation. But also I felt like I finally get to do what I want to do because I put in these in the Contract. They wanted us to get a producer. And I said, well, I'm going to produce the record and probably had to take less money in order to do that, but I get to have the team of people that I wanted to work with. So Eric Valentine had not blown up yet and I had him as co producer and engineer the record and we got to do what we wanted to do. And that was. So it was an actual real state of freedom mixed with desperation. Both of those things. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I don't know, I don't think it's my best record. I think my last record is my best record. However, that first, that first dopamine hit that you get to have on people, that only comes once, once. So it doesn't matter if the records, you know, your next record is better. You only get. You only get one first one.

Yeah.

I read that you guys signed the. The largest ever first record contract. Is that true with Electra? For like a first time signee? They gave you the most money without having.

They still wanted to put us in a van, but they still wanted to put us in a van.

Right, right. Was that a lot of pressure, though? If you know it's your debut album and you're. You're being touted. I don't know if there's competition to sign you guys or how that ended up being such a big offer for you, but was there any additional pressure being like, hey, there's a lot of expectations on you because it's your first album and people are throwing money at you, they're going to want something big?

No, I was happy to spend their money and I didn't care one bit about that. That never, I never fact factored in, like, let's be frugal with the corporations month.

Yeah, right.

Actually, that wasn't really a thing.

Yeah.

And it. And we went from. I went from sleeping on packing foam, six roommates, one bathroom, happy to have that, no bank account, to heading off and making a record. And then I was on tour for. A year and a half and I was home for cumulatively maybe five weeks. And it went from. We had gotten repeated looks. I gotten made demo tape after demo tape and kept getting better as a producer, actually making, making music in a studio to really kind of getting my very last chance. And that was opening for Oasis.

Cool.

That's pretty cool.

And we had been a band that was playing in San Francisco for, if we're lucky to get a gig and lucky. If I was lucky to keep a band together long enough. 75 people. And then David Massey, who was there, was Oasis tour manager, said, come on out. So I'm sitting in his office in New York and by this time I'd seen so many people, I was so over it. And he's talking and I go, so, what can I do for you? I just interrupted him because I was like, let's just get on with it. And he said, finally you can sign to Epic Records. Finally somebody actually, I've been working forever on trying to just get to that moment. When can I see you? And I said, well, you can have us open for Oasis. And. Next week we're opening for Oasis and Epic Records doesn't sign us, but it made everybody else jump in and that started sort of a bidding war. Yeah, I don't think it was. Maybe it was a record for them. I even forgot that that was a big record deal. It didn't do anything for me. It's not like I.

Nothing really changed in my life. It all kind of went into the record and went into touring and, you know, the bus. Yeah, we're not getting in a van. We're not driving across this country in a van.

Do you kind of miss the van a little bit? We sometimes miss the van. We got a van our second year as a podcast, so we took it on road trips and it was a lot of fun. It's. It stinks. It still stinks to this day. Kind of like, you know, we would smoke cigarettes in there and fart and burp and just be, you know, you know, but, but. And then you, you evolve and you, you know, the show gets bigger, at least in our terms. And you know, we stay in hotel rooms sometimes. There's an RV that takes us around. But you kind of miss the van. Do you miss the.

There's kind of like a quick footedness with the van. With the van now means that we're going to stay in a hotel. So when I'm in a van, I came over here in a van afterwards, I'm going back to the Athletic as this airing today?

No, probably next week. Okay.

Yeah, the Athletic, what's it called? The Athletic Club or something? Yeah, it's great, Great.

Yeah.

So I'm happy to stay there. So that's kind of what the van means now. But falling asleep in that, you know, those bench seats. Yeah, I don't really miss that that much.

Yeah, but there is something, I would imagine that, like the, the. That making it, the climb to make it. There's a little bit of nostalgia for it. I mean, I feel it sometimes with, you know, just what we've done. And like, you. You look back, you're like, oh, man. That was the energy that you had in that moment. Moment where you're trying to make just it something that you can't really replicate once you've accomplished some things.

I was. I had. I think I had undiagnosed Lyme disease.

Oh, geez.

And I was feeling just kind of sick most of the time.

So you had the opposite.

So many stresses on us. And I'd get up and fake it and night before last we were in Tulsa playing another one of these Christmas radio shows. And we were playing at the world famous Cane's Dance hall, you know, and this is one of these square dance made in the 20s, but, you know, stayed open during the Dust Bowl. Just place what has all of this huge history in it. And everybody goes and plays there. I was looking at the walls like, you know, the Police played in their first record there. Somehow, Jack, it's. It's a thousand. It's a thousand person capacity. So it's. It's a small, small club for. For us and for so many of these other people. But it's got an enormous vibe. And these are the days right now. These are the days where I feel like I'm better as a musician. I have a more direction exchange with my audience. I really don't look back at all.

Yeah.

Really feel. I really feel excited about going and playing in Chicago tonight. And I have a sense of freedom with that. I feel like I'm comprehended and energized as fuck.

Yeah.

So, no, I feel like this is the moment.

Who, who were your. Like, who are your bands that you listen to and like shaped your style as a musician and, you know, your.

Records, well, they're still being shaped and so I don't just come from one place. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver said he's done. He doesn't think he's going to make another record. I hope that's not the case because everything he does kind of lifts me up and influences me. I love Joy Division. I love that whole post punk thing. I really liked a lot of New Order as well. After that. There were things when I was just a little kid, these first times that I heard music. I heard Led Zeppelin walking by from a dark window from this girl's house in the fifth grade that I. Fourth grade that I liked. And it was scary. It frightened me. I wanted to move along. I'm like. Like that, you know, And I. I loved. I loved the Clash. And, and I loved early Prince, but I listened to music. I'm always kind of dying to get freaked, so I don't.

I love that quote.

I don't.

I don't get time to get freaked.

Yeah, I'm always looking to hear, you know, they've got so much hype. But I. I listened to Geese and it just felt like it was about to fall apart and just come. Like the whole thing was kind of reckless.

Yeah.

The way that they were hucking it out there and you know, that. That gets me going. So Eka Vandal, she. I just. I just heard her singing. I was like this one chord song and she's just kind of yelling at me and I'm. I'm like, I like it when you yell at me over one quarter.

Yeah, I'm. I'm. I might get a tattoo. If I'm dying to get freaked. Yeah, that's looking. Or you're looking to get freaked at all times.

You can have it. I'm having a great time on your podcast, by the way. And I really was driving over here going, what is this going to be like? Are we going to talk about. Because right off at the beginning here, I just said everything that I know about the Warriors. Yeah, got that done.

Yeah, we got it.

You don't have to pretend to talk about sports. It's actually, actually fascinating talking to you because I've thought this about you for a long time and I. I hope you take this as a compliment, but you are always very intentional and very meticulous about the different layers that you record. When you're putting out an album, the different layers of sound that you put out there, it feels like you're. You're being very specific, you know what you want, and you're very experimental sometimes with some of the sounds. So I. This might vary from album to album, but typically over the course of one album, how many different combinations of guitars and amplifiers do you use?

There's a room full of them and it's always about starting over again. You know, I love acdc. They just straight jack. For those of you don't know, straight jacking is you take your chord and you put it into the amplifier and there's nothing in between. And if you want it to be more distorted, you turn your guitar up from the actual volume level on the guitar or you turn it down. No pedals, no wash youg gaze comes from. There's so many pedals that people are playing through that some, some British reporters said they. All they do is stare at their shoes. So, yeah, the. So My Bloody Valentine and. And everything that followed is. It was called Shoe G Gaze. I always start over and go, there's a sound in my head and I want to try to find it. And so there's this search for it. And sometimes I get closer and sometimes I mess it up and I go back and think, well, you know what we should do an unplugged record or a live record so we can fix the shitty job. But I just did.

Yeah. I mean, the one that maybe our listeners might be most. Most familiar with, the semi Charmed life, the guitar in the first verse of that. That is. It's such a unique sound of an instrument that I don't think I've ever heard on any other album before. It's always. It's always made me wonder, what did you use to record that? Because it's got like an almost acoustic type feel to it, but it's. It's on an electric. So. Yeah, what was that?

That was recorded so long ago. But somehow I remember this and I remember the smell of the guitar in the case. It's got this funky old musty smell. That was a Gretsch country gentleman. And the country gentleman has this mute thing, this mute lever, and you pull it over and it gives you that clunk, clunk, this kind of shortened sound. And we were mucking around with. With trying to get the guitars small because the chorus and the verse are the same three chords. So how do you get this to. How do you get this to move? How do you get the. The. The track to hold pressure and breathe? And I love this guitar. We had to rent it. It. I really wanted to buy it. He wouldn't sell it to me. It's. I'm sure that thing's priceless now. It's this green, late 50s country gentleman. It's a semi hollow body Gretsch guitar. It's. It's big, it's heavy. And you put that thing on and you get that. You get this like real small ticky thing. Yeah, it's a good question.

The. The mute switch. So it's not entirely muted.

Yeah, it just makes it kind of thuddy and duty. So that when the guitar actually opens up, when you take it off, it sounds crisp.

Right.

And now you're in. Now you've sort of changed moods. You've come into like the clouds moved out of the way or something. You have some different view on the. On the. On the oral space, if you will.

You've always used guitars as at Times almost a, almost a percussion instrument. I think you also use the vocal line as a percussion sometimes. In my way off on that.

No, you're way on on that.

Yeah, way on, way on.

Well, people, we've established that they knew more about music than I do about sports. So I'm a drummer by trade. All I ever wanted to do was be the drummer. I've always feel like the drummers has, has. Is in control. And I think I started music because my life as a 8 year old boy where my parents are getting divorced and I can't focus in school and there's all this. There's. There's all this sort of uncertainty and I feel like my, my life is coming apart. But one can't say that you're just drawn towards something that puts it together. And when you play drums, you have to have all of the parts of your body working together and putting it all into a rhythm. And rhythm is the bringing of different things together. That's what rhythm is. So I would just do that four hours a day. And then getting into bands, we couldn't find a single and so I would fill in for the singer until we found said singer. Because somehow doing it from behind the drums, you couldn't, couldn't see them. But I was always sort of drawn in and keyed to the drums.

So I'd sort of sing to the drums and then I needed to do something so I started playing guitar. And I did not know how to play guitar so I sort of played it like a drum set. I still don't really know how to play guitar, but I can play the. Out of drums on the guitar.

Yeah. So. So you, so there's like a sliding door moment. If you find a singer, you're just a drummer for life because you, it almost not, not a reluctant front of stage. Happily. Yeah, okay. Yeah, yeah. Like that's, that's something.

You're.

The drums were your passion and then it's. We got to find some.

Yeah. And then, and then basically I graduated high school and there just wasn't room to put them anyplace else. And so I never practiced every day again. I still play drums on my records and I play drums on some other people's records, but it's not the same thing.

Yeah.

Where would you say the, the state of the recording and it's industry is right now in terms of like how it's evolved from, you know, back when you first started? Yeah, there was a lot of, you know, the major label had control over everything and, and they were seen as like the enemy that one day will be vanquished. And then the Internet came along and then we thought, maybe this is going to be good for the artists. But then, you know, other companies started to take over that distribution too. But it's evolving. So where do you think, where do you see it as being at right now? As opposed to like, is it a better place place? Is it in a worse place?

Well, I'm aware of how fortunate I am to be able to say I don't really know because I'm not moving through that set of gatekeepers, portholes. Before, when I was coming up, the record deal was all illegal, it was all, all important. And you did everything to get a record deal because studio time was so astronomically expensive and the gear was so expensive and you couldn't go, you know, the Streets is one of my favorite records of all time. And that kid made that in a London public house flat with like a Dell and a handheld mic. That's not anywhere close to as good as these SM7s that we're talking through. And it's. To me, it's one of the best records of all time. And then put it out. That is. That is a liberating kind of thing. There's so many artists. Billie Eilish is a wither muck around with her brother and putting stuff out on SoundCloud. So they were never really at the beck of Jimmy Iovine and Tommy Mottola and some guy who got knighted from some record whose name I can't remember anymore, but boy, could you remember back in the day because it was so important.

I think that that is, That is got to be liberating. However, I think there are enormous problems in artists being able to get paid now. That is a struggle onto its own. And, you know, we go and we build these huge things like Spotify and they become incredibly valuable and artists don't share in that value. And I think that that is.

A.

That's regrettable and I think probably is ultimately is going to change. I hope with. I hope with AI scraping everybody's stuff and you know that you two are going to be recreated, right?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, the beauty of our podcast is we're so, so stupid.

Yeah, we're wrong.

I don't think that anyone's going to program an AI to be as wrong as we are.

The computer can't be as wrong as we are. So, like, how are they going to replicate that? It'd be like a computer.

Give them a chance.

It'd be Like a computer playing out of tune all the time. Yeah, yeah. I don't think that they can do that.

I heard a, I heard an AI Motown version of Never let you go.

And it was moving like it was.

Like I felt something in that second verse and that freaked me out.

Yeah, yeah. And then after, were you like, were you angry at yourself? Were you like, I can't believe I enjoyed that. It was a computer that did it.

Well, what I'm saying is that I hope that we will be able to have a sort of a digital copyright of ourselves and that instead of just being scraped that, that going forward into a blissful future that as you as, as what you do matriculates out somehow that will come back in some kind of royalty. I think that that's possible. It hasn't happened yet.

Yeah, yeah. I mean that would be, that would be ideal. But knowing how these things tend to work, I'm not so sure that that's like what someone's going to make sure to get all the clearances to go back and pay somebody that wrote a song, you know, that influenced sliding.

Yeah. I do. Like you, you have an optimistic spin on AI because it's sometimes hard to like really grasp it and not get a little bummed out, you know.

Oh, I'm bummed out as fuck.

Okay. Yeah. I'm, I, my whole.

No, I, I find it to be incredibly reckless.

Yeah.

And that there's eight guys are going to own it. Have a lot of problem with. It's basically like having a hundred million Nobel prize winning workers come in and. But all of, all of their income goes to eight people. I have a problem with that.

Yeah. The, the, my optimistic.

It's us against them.

Yeah. My optimistic spin on AI and it, you know, the music industry is definitely, definitely part of it is that I'm hoping we reach a point or it will be ugly to get to this point but because everything will be fake or computerized that like interact, human interactions, one on one becomes gold. Yeah.

And you know, kind of as just going back to what we were saying before about Spotify. Third Eye Blind is bigger than it's ever been. More people listen to it and more people go to our shows and they are young. They are finding something in it that they value and they're finding it from each other. And that is I acknowledge, is a product of file share sharing and file sharing apps that is that I'm grateful for.

Yeah.

Actually when the like the Napsters of the world came out.

Yeah.

The Morpheuses of the World back in. When was that? Probably like around 2000. They started to really make.

Yeah, that's when the two seans.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Were you resistant to that at first?

I'm. I met. I met. I think it was Sean Parker walking through some arena or something in Las Vegas. And we met and I said, hey, you owe me a million dollars. That's what he did.

He left. He had a little nervous.

No, seriously, a million dollars? Yeah. And anyway.

Did he respond?

That was kind of a joke, but.

Also a little serious.

I know this is gonna, you know, technology is gonna happen. You know, we're not gonna stop the replacing of the. The horses with the. With the trolley busses. But what we do with it and how. How it redounds to people is. Is an open question.

Yeah.

What's your. Do you have a specific venue that is like near and dear to your heart?

The.

Your favorite venue you've ever played?

I love the Argon. I'm in Chicago and that's why I got to come see you guys. I think that's an incredible place to play. And then there's a place. It's a little. It's like 5,000, which is. We play a bigger venues when we play in Chicago, when we do bigger tours, but there's also a place out on the water. I think Chicago has some of the best public spaces in the world. Yeah.

Northerly Island.

Northerly Island.

Yeah. That's incredible.

It's great. It always rains.

It always rains.

Every. Every time we play there. It. At some point where the clouds open up. But people seem to really enjoy it and I do too.

Yeah.

So that's. That's a really great place. And I like playing Japan.

Oh, really?

Yeah. That. The fans there are amazing playing. Playing in Tokyo is just incredible. I like playing. There's a little club in Berlin. I love to play. And the whole place just jumps off and goes batshit out there. And. And then in New York, it's not the Garden, it's.

Barclays, Fillmore.

No, see, see, like arenas, it. It's great for your ego to play an arena. That's an. That's an incredible thing. But when the people up in seats, you really want them to. You want them. The goal, I think, of live music, and it's my life's work, is to get that moment where people feel like they've come up out of themselves and they're not self aware, even though they're all together and they're in some collective state of feeling. That's hard with seats.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You know, it is.

Is there a least favorite place to play?

Some people really love Las Vegas. They just love it. I have friends who love it.

Go get it, Vegas, guys.

Yeah.

Yeah, that's not me. Like, getting across the lobby to get to the elevator where I stay during the show. And then. And then you go back through all the kitchens.

What about the Sphere? That'd be sick.

Yeah, but see the sphere. So people say that they like the sphere, but everybody says the same thing, which is there's a tiny little person, this great big thing. So it's spectacle over what you guys were talking, what you were talking about, which is that human interaction.

Yeah.

And I don't really see it. I mean, they had the wizard of Oz playing there, and that was kind of my favorite movie of all time. I'd like to see that.

Yeah, no, it is. You're right. I've gone to the Sphere a couple times, and you don't feel like you're at a concert. You feel like you're at a show. That's, like, bigger than a concert.

What did you see there?

I saw Dead and Company six times.

There, but that'd be kind of good because you're not really being asked by them to. So one thing I think is that when I play, I'm trying to be genuinely, honestly, authentically in some emotional connection, in the emotional landscape, somehow, some corollary of it, of what I'm playing. And you should be able to see what the temperature of the show is on my face. Yeah, that's the discipline to me. And then really feel it in what I'm playing. So I'm not doing just like. Just, you know, anybody can play the chords. It's like. It's like. Do you have something behind it? Something ineffable that. Behind those chords? And so. So if you. So if you see me, hopefully you're gonna. That's. You're gonna be sort of infused with that. With that sense of feeling. I think for them, that's not so much visual.

Yeah.

So they're. They. They're sort of into fully just sort of the. The. The musical aspect of what they're. Of what they're doing. And so you can have. I think that'd be conducive to a big light show.

I mean, it was great. It was awesome. But it definitely feels different than being at a more intimate. Intimate, you know, ballroom. By the way, I looked it up. I saw you in 2009 at the Aragon. It's great show. Eight mushrooms. I think one of My friends freaked out and left because he ate too many mushrooms. But I had a great time.

Just the right sound, good on mushrooms. The right amount.

Yeah. I was in. I had a great, great time. I just remember being like this.

Thanks for coming.

Yeah, dude. Wow.

Why wouldn't I?

I. I'm. I'm. I'm flattered.

It's. Thank you for coming here. This is, you know.

Oh, yeah.

16 years ago. Yeah.

Why did these guys.

Yeah, why the hell.

I know.

Yeah. Yeah. Did you. Did you get like. Because we've mentioned you a couple times. I know that we mentioned during COVID that we, you know, missed out on you. Did you have anyone reach out being like, hey, these guys talked about you, or was it just.

I didn't know that you talked about me. I knew that, that you wanted me to be on your podcast during COVID and. And I wanted to do it because I wanted to, you know, everybody. We wanted to reach out and find some way of connecting with people. So I was into doing it then. And. Yeah.

Well, it's been. It has been awesome. I have one last question for you. Rollback question. Rho, B, A, C, K.com promo code, take 20 off your first purchase. Q, zips, polos, hoodies, joggers, shorts. Roback.com promo code, take back to semi charm life. Were you shocked that that was the song that popped? Or was there any part of you that's like, hey, that's, That's. That's kind of crazy that that song specifically became the big song that obviously brings in a huge amount of audience that can then listen to the whole album? Yeah.

I was like, there's no way that's getting played on the radio.

Yeah.

This is a filthy, dirty, dirty song.

Yeah. Did you. Yeah. I mean, it is a third dirty song. And it's. I feel like people just don't realize that was. But there was there a song hearts that you thought was gonna be the song? And then it became, you know, I.

I didn't think that. That. That's not what I was thinking at all. I was. There were bands like Camper Van Beethoven I loved, and their big record sold 300,000 copies. And my ambition was that we made a record that could sell 300,000 copies. And I remember talking about that. That's what I was thinking at the time. And then I was driving over the Bay Bridge from Berkeley to San Francisco and I heard it on the radio. I heard it on Live 105, which was the local alternative station that I had grown up listening to. And it was one of the most effusive moments. It's like, I can't believe they're playing this thing on the radio.

Yeah.

And.

And then how many albums did you sell? You wanted to sell? 300,000.

I don't know. Which. I. I don't know. 7 million?

That's a lot of albums.

It's a lot of. It's a lot of records. Yeah.

I bought it twice because I think this is my cd scratched back in CD days.

But, you know, but. But I play. I really am supposed to be making this new record now, and I feel so many distractions, but I want to get into that mind frame to make this record. There isn't really the real estate on. On the radio because I still have songs that were from my first. My first two records, maybe three records that are. That. That play. And I can't bump that off. I can't get new stuff played. The Chili Peppers have the same problem. The Strokes have the same problem. It's. It's great company to be in, but people get to hear that, and that becomes the energizing force of my band right now. And that makes me very excited about making records, because I can make it however I want to.

Are you intentional about when you sit down to write a song or do the songs just, like, you get struck by something that you see, something that you do, and you're like, I have to go work on this right now? Or is there, like, a scheduled time that you're like, okay, I have to. You know, Monday through Friday. I'm gonna be in the lab from, you know, nine to four. We're gonna be working on songs like, how does. Do you force inspiration upon yourself by being there? Or do you let it come to you and then you just go.

When it just kind of comes down fully formed, like you're downloading a radio, like you're hearing sound. Radio from heaven in your head. Billy Corgan said, it's like. It's almost like being a mystic, which is the kind of thing Billy would say it. And it is true. That is working off inspiration is the best thing, and it's probably some of the least effective. But actually just sitting down and going, account for yourself in this moment, whatever that is, and sit with it and sit with. The difficulty of it is really essential and required. This is what happened. This is what happened, actually, during the pandemic. I was all distracted and, you know, fucking around on my screen, same as everybody else, and, you know, refreshing, trying to find stuff out, and then A certain point I went, I gotta go out in my little room with a guitar and a notepad and go to work. I was not inspired to do that. And that's how the songs on out of the Vein were written. And I think that that's my best record in a really long time. And that is not out of inspiration, per se.

It's really out of. Of sit and do your work.

That is an interesting concept, though, that you get. You just get this download of information. You're like, I've got the song in my head.

I better.

I better get it down now before I screw it up. I better transcribe all this. Oh, yeah, right. Like, it's like you against the clock.

Oh, yeah.

I hope I get this one right. Thank you Chasing a dream for sending it to me.

It's exactly like that. Yeah, it's exactly like chasing a dream.

Yeah.

And. And sometimes I'll wake up in the middle of the night and this melody will pop into my head and I try to sing the bass line so I know kind of what key I'm in. And then I try to sing the. The melody that I'm hearing because I know I'm going to forget it. It's going to. It's going to float away. It's going to evaporate like a dream. And then I'll wake up the next day and I'll listen back to it and I have no idea what the.

What it was.

It's useless.

You dream songs sometimes.

Yeah.

Is there. Do you have a song, like something that might be a hit or something you've. You've become very proud of? Like, what's your best song that you've just gotten in a dream.

I don't really have much prediction on hits nor the. I'm not like that. Like Max Martin or somebody who's. Who's got a theory and a plan and. You know, I've never tried to remake a song.

There's.

There's.

There's no. How's it going to be too.

Yeah. Well, you have AI for that.

Got af, I think. Yeah. So I don't have some road map method of doing things. It's just try to get yourself in the space and also be. I think it's really important to be permeable, to be vulnerable to the world and to take things in open to the universe.

Yeah.

Like it's. It. There are similarities with what you do. It's like anybody can. Can sit around and talk about sports except me. And you have to. You have to Be. Awake and alive to this moment. So that what people want to hear is how. What happens in your mind as you. As you interact with these things happening. And for that you have to take things in and you have to be sort of tuning it in. I think it's all the same.

Same.

Yeah. Well, this has been so much fun. We really appreciate you.

I think so.

Yeah. And anytime you're in Chicago, come by.

I'd like that.

Yeah.

You know, my band. My band. Brad only likes British soccer, but he doesn't like. He doesn't like Premier league soccer, but he's also not doing. He's not doing, you know, Wrexham. He's somewhere. Although I watch their show and I'm Welsh somewhere back there. Jenkins. You know, everybody's named Jenkins in their show.

That's me.

So. But he watches. He watches soccer. And Colin, my keyboard player, watches the Rams and that's what he cares about. And Alex, my bass player, only cares about the King. Kings.

The Sacramento Kings or the LA Kings.

The LA Kings.

Okay.

It's all the puck flying around all the time.

So you guys all together have a full sports fan together.

There's somebody who's like kind of regularly in sports. Yeah, but we all have our niche.

Yeah, right.

Yeah, I like that.

And they've learned nothing for me about basketball. And I still don't know where the puck is. And with that, boys.

Yeah. Thank you so much, man.

Hey, thanks for having me.

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Okay, let's wrap up, send everyone on their way. Just another reminder because I know we get questions all the time when there's not going to be a show on Friday. Where's the show? Show. Monday, Wednesday. This week. Next week. Monday, Friday. So no show Wednesday, no show on New Year's Eve. Monday, Friday, next week, guys on chicks.

What up, PMT boys.

What up?

What up?

The majority of my family attended Michigan State. My fiance is concerned with the amount of talking about Sharon coming his way during the holidays. Oh, is he allowed to fire back?

Ah.

Even if it's my dad and if so, any suggestions as to what he should say? I mean, if you want to get serious serious, you. There's stuff you could fire back with. Yeah, I don't know if you want to do that.

Well, so I wasn't thinking Larry Nassar, I think where it comes from, Michigan State, obviously the little brother thing. Complex. But more than that, Mel Tucker similar firing and there was a lot of joking about that. So Michigan State. State deserves and is allowed to just go after Michigan. Right now. I actually think you should fire back. Don't hit the Larry Nassar button.

No.

That's a bummer to bring up at.

Christmas and also way, way, way worse.

Not even in the same stratosphere of what we're talking about. That's like a really horrific thing. So it's not like we're just busting balls. I think you just hit him back with Mel Tucker. You go Sharon Moore Mellon Tucker, because that looks like you can hang.

Yeah.

And also do not do the Larry Nasser.

I also feel like if Mel Tucker, if that happened at Michigan, we would know way more details about that. But the fact that it happened at Michigan State, yeah, people dug into a little bit, but it wasn't as. As huge as this Ron Moore thing was.

Warning Tuck coming still is just the funniest hashtag it is in retrospect, I'm.

A dude, but my girlfriend is wanting to go to the Browns Bengals at the end of the season instead of a seven year old's birthday party at a roller rink. Am I Beta for wanting to go skip the football game to go to.

The roller skating Browns Bengals.

That's a hair on your chest game like you are you. That. That. That's a fun experience. It's like, hey, we're just going to go in this. Embrace the suck.

Why does she want to right now?

Well, she doesn't.

No, she does.

She.

She does.

Yeah, the dude doesn't. He said, am I a Beta for.

Oh, yeah, you are a beta. Yeah.

It sounds like you don't love football. That's. That's okay if you don't love football. Some guys don't love football. It sounds like you might be a guy that doesn't love football.

I would say he's 100% a guy who doesn't love football.

I would ask him, are you a guy that loves football? If. If he says yes, then you're dating a liar.

You have two options here, buddy. Either love football or you love little kids. You pick. Or roller skating with little kids.

No, Big Cat's right.

He specified roller skating.

Big Cat's right. Would you rather watch sports or go look at little kids?

Those are your options. We've laid them out.

I know where I.

You can make your decision. I'll be watching football.

Football.

All right, last one. My boyfriend has recently started using hair gel because he finally has enough hair to use. It was a buzz cut guy grew his hair out. While I do think he looks good with it, he's gone a little overboard. He will shower at night and put it in before bed because he always his hair to look perfect. I'm glad he likes it, but I'm getting kind of annoyed by it. What should I do?

What are you going to say? Zach, that's insane. Insane. That's a wild move. In that. In the sheets you just gelling up.

I think this guy might have a little bit of American Psycho in him. Like he. He's staring at himself in the mirror with his new hair, wearing it to bed.

Oh, speaking of which. Throwing out a. Throwing out recommendation for Christmas break. Not because of our affiliation or anything. Beast and me. Really good.

I liked it. I did not like the last, like two or three episodes.

Oh, I loved episode seven.

But before that it was good. It's a very good show.

American Psychoesque.

Yes.

Yes. Yeah.

Is incredible in it. What Matthew Reese is.

Yeah.

I could. I could deal with a little less of the Claire Danes hyperventilating.

You don't love the chin?

The hyperventilating, quivering chin. It's. It's good to break out once a series.

It makes me laugh every time.

Every episode. That chin won't stop.

It's. You're. You're basically asking Steph Curry not to take three.

I am.

I can't do that. But you can't say, hey, Claire Danes, do this emotional show and don't quiver your chin.

Much less like Claire. Much like Steph Curry. I fear that Claire Dan has inspired a new generation of actresses to just be chin only.

Quint. Chin quiver. Yeah, I can't remember the chin. Oh, yeah. This guy's weird. Weirdo. All right, Memes. What a Christmas gift this would be to send you off. You ready? Number three. Come on, memes. Come on, memes. That was generous of you all. 125 for Christmas.

I go 85.

95. 8. 8 for Hanka. What you guessing?

22.

93.

That. That was a fake. You want one more? Sure.

Yeah.

It's double show.

We are at 29 now. 29. You're getting close. Memes.

I haven't updated this.

You kind of got to get it before super bowl memes. Because that's going to be a lot of people.

New York jets, like super bowl week.

A lot of people coming up to you.

Zero picks.

No. You don't care about getting it. No people. Oh, 52.

I thought that was 25.

I did, too. That was 22, Patrick Willis. Okay.

Love you guys. Merry Christmas.