Fox Sports Radio’s Countdown Presented by BetMGM

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Fox Sports Countdown.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
We're setting you up for the sports weekend and covering
all the action from the stadiums to the arenas.

Speaker 1 (00:12):
This is is Fox Sports.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Countdown, presented by Ben mg the King of sports Books.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
The Countdown starts.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Not line from the ti iraq dot com Fox Sports
Radio studios. Here's Brian no, Rich Hornberger and Jared Smith.

Speaker 3 (00:33):
Oh what is going on? Welcome in here, Happy Saturday
to you. You know, uh, we gotta rip the band
aid right off?

Speaker 4 (00:43):
Oh right, Yikesikes, that's it sounds so melodic until you
know Team USA loses and then it sounds just like I.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Actually like their anthem. You know, I don't mind their
anthem very I think it's a good I like it
as well. But yeah, how about this four Nations face off?
Good morning everybody, Good morning, Rich, Good morning, Jared, Good morning.
Everybody listening. But we just have to start here and
we'll get to basketball. There's a ton of hoops. There's
some football on the menu as well. You know, got

(01:27):
to have some football on the menu. You know, it's
like Thanksgiving meal if you don't have turkey, but you
don't have a Thanksgiving meal. Sorry, if we don't have
football in the show. We don't really have a show.
That's how it works out. It's three sixty five now,
but this four Nations face off. Canada beat the US
the other night three two in overtime. Connor McDavid with

(01:48):
the game winning goal. It's like a movie script. You
know where it was in Boston. They're avenging a defeat
from the previous game against the US. It was unbelievable
if you look at the tournament as a whole and
not just a championship game. Man, what a massive success.
You think this replaced the All Star Game? You know

(02:08):
what I mean? Like it replaced something that no one
cares about, and the championship game got around what ten
million people watching that thing. It was unbelievable. Shout out
to the NHL.

Speaker 5 (02:20):
Man.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
They came up with an idea that was an absolute
banger right there. Brand slam for them.

Speaker 6 (02:25):
Yeah, absolutely, And it goes a long way to prove
what I think a lot of fans have been saying
for a long time. It's not our fault that we're
not watching your crummy All Star game.

Speaker 5 (02:38):
Think of a better idea.

Speaker 6 (02:39):
Try to find a way to get these players more
invested in what they're doing on the ice, or on
the court, or on the ballfield. You know, in terms
of baseball, I mean the Pro bowls awful too.

Speaker 5 (02:52):
All of these have really struggled for.

Speaker 6 (02:54):
A long time to captivate because they're meaningless and everybody
knows it. The players is especially, and that's the biggest problem,
because nobody wants to get hurt, nobody wants to try,
nobody wants to strain, nobody wants to do and as
a result of that, you get situations like, for example,
in the NFL, Drake May is a pro bowler, you

(03:15):
know what I mean, because you don't even want to
you don't even want to play in the game. Or
if you're a you know, one of the final two teams,
dance and you're not gonna be in the game.

Speaker 5 (03:23):
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (03:24):
I I have a lot of problems with All Star
games in general. The NHL has flipped this thing on
its ear. They've shifted the paradigm a little bit, and
now everybody else is playing catchup.

Speaker 5 (03:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (03:36):
I mean, the ratings speak for themselves. At the PK
su Benz speech yesterday, like it.

Speaker 3 (03:42):
All, what it did is it shine a light.

Speaker 7 (03:45):
It was a mirror on what the current All Star
culture is.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
And really it's it. We can't really include.

Speaker 7 (03:52):
Major League Baseball in this or the NFL. It's really
NBA versus NHL, because that's a the two sports that
are kind of aligned with their season and their calendar,
and they're the two sports that we just are in
the middle of right now. And it's just you're staring
it right in the face, like you're looking at what
the NBA did last weekend and then what the NHL's

(04:13):
done over the last two weeks, and you're like, yeah, there's.

Speaker 3 (04:16):
A big difference here.

Speaker 7 (04:17):
There is obviously some ground that we can come back
to on both sides.

Speaker 3 (04:22):
I think what the NHL did, and I heard the.

Speaker 7 (04:24):
Report Emily Kaplan reported ringside during the game that there
might be players that are going to miss NHL games
coming out of this break because of how grueling this
tournament was.

Speaker 3 (04:36):
Imagine that happening in any.

Speaker 7 (04:38):
Other sport where the All Star Game is going to
force players to miss.

Speaker 3 (04:43):
Time during the actual regular season when it resumes. And
then on the.

Speaker 7 (04:47):
Flip side in the NBA, it's like, yeah, you don't
really want to feel like this is really going right now,
I'm going to take this night off, or I'm not
really vibing the dunk.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
Contest or this and that.

Speaker 7 (04:55):
So I think the NHL, because of the way that
they played the sport and because of the the way
that the NBA players play like it was just this
obvious spotlight that was shined on this exhibition, and I
applaud the NHL. I just don't know what it's gonna
impact going forward. I hope that the league takes advantage
of this momentum and maybe swoops in and grabs some

(05:17):
more TV exposure because I don't know if the game's
going forward are gonna be as intense as we saw
over the weekend.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
Well, that's the question is how much does four nations
mean for the NHL going forward?

Speaker 5 (05:29):
Right?

Speaker 3 (05:29):
And And to me, I think it'll provide a boost.
I don't think it's going to turn into a ratings
bonanza from here on out, but I think it's going
to provide a boost because you can't tell me that
how many people were watching the championship game somewhere around
ten million, right, You can't tell me that none of
those people are gonna say, you know what, let's check
out the Blackhawks tonight. You know, no one is gonna

(05:53):
do that. Come on, But I think that and the
betting aspect of it. Also, this is my favorite line
of the whole four four Nations thing. The Four Nations
Final between the US and Canada became the most bet
hockey event in legal betting history.

Speaker 5 (06:14):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (06:15):
It's an awesome sat Wait you mean they were betting
when it wasn't legal at the web break?

Speaker 1 (06:21):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (06:21):
Yeah, think about that, all these people betting on the
Four Nations Final. You're telling me none of those people
are betting on the NHL, And in turn, none of
those people are watching their bets. And when they're betting
a game here there, or twenty bets from time to time, right,
and they're not watching. Of course they are. So again,

(06:42):
I'm not going to be like, well, look at the
ratings they're on. They're on equal footing with the NFL here.
It's not gonna be like that, but it is a
it's a step toward more relevance and better ratings. And
so yeah, I hear a lot of it like it's
gonna do any thing, Like, yeah, it's gonna do something.
There's a middle ground between something and nothing, And I

(07:06):
think it does provide a boost, not monumental, but a boost.
And I also think going forward, you look at the
Olympics next year and that becomes more interesting because you
have history. But we're gonna remember the Four Nations and
what happened the previous year. That's what makes the NFL
so great. One of the reasons when you see some
of these veteran players, you're looking at mahomes like build

(07:29):
this resume and you remember these playoff runs, in the
playoff successes and the playoff failures, and sometimes the playoff rematches,
and it just builds and builds. And then the following
year after the Olympics when the next version of the
Four Nations is unveiled, like you start to build and build.
I think it's awesome for the NHL. And as far

(07:50):
as the ratings from here on out after the break, yeah,
I think it's gonna be a bit of a shot
in the arm, but nothing monumental. But which you turn
that down of course, not your hockey. You take anything
you can get. I think this is great for them.

Speaker 6 (08:02):
Look when you go to Costco, one of your favorite things,
or really a bunch of different stores do this, but
one of your favorite things is the free samples, right,
you know, you're walking around all of a sudden you're like, gosh,
like do I smell mozzarellus? It's like, what is happening
right now? Of costco much? And then you're really go
there to pick up women. It's the best place ever.
You're you're, you're that's awesome life story guy. You're You're

(08:24):
in front of Asle twenty three at the end cap
dipping your your mozzarella stick into some marinara sauce. And
then all of a sudden you're like, I'm not done here.
I'm going to bring home a box of those, because
you know, the sales lady was nice. Uh, you know,
the the Mazzarelli stick wasn't too hotware burn the roof
of your mouth, and the marinara it just it just
cooled it off perfectly. And you're like, oh, this has

(08:46):
to come home with me. That's what the All Star
Game used to be. That's what the All Star Game
was supposed to be for. It was supposed to give
you a little free sample of what the sport could be.
These are our best of the best, This is the
best weekend showcase.

Speaker 5 (09:01):
Hey come on in.

Speaker 6 (09:02):
You know, try try our French fried macaroni and cheese balls.

Speaker 5 (09:08):
Oh you've never had them before? Wait till you give that.
That's the point.

Speaker 6 (09:12):
That's the point is you're trying to capture the imaginations
of new hockey fans.

Speaker 5 (09:18):
And I completely agree with you, Brian.

Speaker 6 (09:20):
I think that a lot of people who may have
never turned on hockey before, or I very least recently,
went oh wow, this is competitive, this.

Speaker 5 (09:29):
Is fun, this is a thing.

Speaker 6 (09:31):
And maybe it burns out right, maybe it's burning really
hot right now. Maybe it burns out, but maybe not
for everyone. And if you can slowly capture more and
more fans, well then you're doing the right thing for
your product. And again going back to actually, I'll cite
somebody specifically, Kevin Durant. He put out a tweet It

(09:51):
was either last week or a week and a half ago,
and he was complaining about how fans just constantly complain about,
you know, basketball, and he was defending basketball right now,
saying that it's some of the best basketball ever played on,
you know, in the history of the sport. And you
know what, he may be right, but that doesn't mean

(10:11):
that the product is a worthwhile watch. That's that. That's
up to us to decide. You can't tell me what
to do. I will enjoy whatever product it is. And
guess what if you're I don't know if you're you're
handing out free samples and you realize nobody wants to try,
and you got to go back to the lab and
figure out what's wrong with your free samples. If you

(10:33):
have a burger joint that's empty, you got to make
a better burger or at least market your burger shot better.
Don't come to us the fan and say, hey, it's
your fault for not watching us. We're doing it great. No, no, no, no,
you need to captivate us. You need to give us
a reason. And Hockey did that.

Speaker 7 (10:50):
Yeah, that I think you nailed it, because there's there's
just some people that watch the NBA right now and
the product is just it's a tough watch and you
and to be fair, usually this conversation happens every year,
but it happens in like May when the NHL Playoffs
is at its peak. But the difference is at that time,

(11:10):
the NBA is also in their.

Speaker 3 (11:12):
Postseason, so the mirror is not.

Speaker 7 (11:15):
As reflective because we're watching an NBA game that is
also at its peak of intensity.

Speaker 8 (11:21):
Right.

Speaker 7 (11:21):
The difference here is we got it in back to
back days last weekend Saturday Night All Star Game, and
then we got the Saturday Night Donk Contest.

Speaker 3 (11:31):
Which is lame, and the you know, the All Star
Night which was lame.

Speaker 7 (11:35):
And then we got Cannon in the US slugging it
out right when the puck dropped. And then the next night,
literally twenty four hours later, Lebron ops out of the
All Star Game and it was kind of a man
night like because it was so close in proximity. Right,
we live in this recency bias culture that it was
like staring us right in the face for twenty four hours.

(11:59):
And then the far following week we got USA Canada
on Thursday, which was just a gem, a gem of
a game. So to get those two things back to
back in close proximity, the juxtaposition was different. When we
usually talk about the NHL at its peak in the playoffs,
because let's be honest, I don't think there's anything like
the NHL postseason. I mean, I just I think it is.

(12:20):
I honestly think it's the best postseason in all of sports.

Speaker 5 (12:23):
I really do.

Speaker 3 (12:24):
In terms of the length and the intensity, and in
the NBA we.

Speaker 7 (12:28):
Talk about it at that time, but then oh we're
in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (12:31):
Everyone cares. We're all fighting every night.

Speaker 7 (12:34):
It's just the timing of it, like we've never had
an All Star event in the NHL that has captivated
a nation, a world, like the entire world like it
did this week, and just the timing of it with
when the NBA was kind of at its lull, like
the NBA is in this dark period right now, Like
it's just we're kind of in the dregs, you know,

(12:55):
the dog days of winter until we get to the
spring and we get to the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (12:59):
It's a tough lot.

Speaker 7 (13:00):
And I think the fact that they were so in
close proximity, I think kind of magnifies this conversation.

Speaker 3 (13:05):
No doubt it is it. It reminds me you talk
about picking up girls at cost co.

Speaker 7 (13:10):
Oh, you just speak my language, right right, That's literally
what I do on the weekend.

Speaker 3 (13:14):
It does what you just described, what you just explained
is a lot like that. If you're unhappy in a relationship,
like you know, my guy just doesn't listen to me.
And then there's a guy that's like I'll listen to you,
and it's like, you know, he never takes me. I'll
take you around the world, you know, And it's like, Wow,
you're providing exactly what I want and my deadbeat boyfriend

(13:34):
doesn't provide. And that's exactly what you just described there
where there are a lot of fans Listen, I love
the NBA. You guys know that I watch the NBA
every day. But there are a lot of fans that
are tired of this, you know, I don't really want
to attitude where there were a lot of reports like
reporters are asking NBA players, Hey, what's your idea to

(13:57):
sort of spruce up the All Star Game? And a
lot of them say, you know, maybe some financial incentive.
So some of these guys, they're superstars, they're making two
hundred and three hundred million dollars and they have the
audacity to be like, yeah, if you could sweeten the pot,
that might make me try a little bit more. And
a lot of people are worn out by that no
one's no names are in the dunk contest. The list
goes on and on. Why you're ticked off? And here

(14:20):
comes the NHL and it's like, yeah, my uh my
right leg is kind of dangling by a thread bite,
you know what. Tape it up, tape it up. Let's
go out there, Let's go out there, right And you're like, okay,
all right, we got some efforts. So when those like
you said shared, when they are right together, like simultaneously happening,

(14:40):
and you're like, man, I just want some warm weather,
and all of a sudden, it's like, well, come on
over to Miami, and it's like, that's exactly what I want.
So the NHL providing fans with something they're aching for
that it's like Burger King and McDonald's or whatever. You're
like right across the street and ones provide something that

(15:00):
the other isn't. That's a big, big deal. And you
saw that play out right in front of you. All Right,
we're often running. We've got rich Ronberger, Penn State All American,
Jared Smith FSR, betting analyst. I'm Brian No. Use code
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Speaker 5 (15:36):
All right.

Speaker 3 (15:37):
Coming up next, taking the under might be the right call,
but it'll take some serious guts. We'll have some details
for you. Coming up. It's Fox Sports Radios Countdown presented
by BETMGM.

Speaker 2 (15:49):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsports Radio
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listen live.

Speaker 3 (16:01):
It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown presented by BETMGM. Come
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(16:22):
countless basketball betting options, including new look same game parlays, teasers,
live bets, and so much more. Man Okay, so Kentucky
is at Alabama today and taking the under might be
the right way to go, But man, you talk about guts,
you know, you talk about guts. It's taken the under

(16:45):
and this one. The first matchup was a track meet
at Kentucky. And this has got to be my favorite
stat of the college basketball weekend. So both Kentucky and Alabama,
they rank first and second in points per game offensively
in the SEC. Makes sense, right, these guys can score.
They're also ranking last and second to last in points

(17:07):
allowed per game in the conference, so they can scar,
they cannot defend. Here we go and the total is
one seventy nine and a half. Man Bama is favored
by ten and a half in this one. Right, Kentucky's
been rough lately, they had a couple of injuries. But man,
Bama minus ten and a half. What do you think

(17:27):
about this?

Speaker 5 (17:27):
Rich?

Speaker 6 (17:29):
Yeah, I don't know if I I don't know if
I could be on Bama side for this one. Kentucky
feels a Kentucky plus ten and a half feels like
the right side.

Speaker 5 (17:39):
And also, to your point, taking the under, I bool.

Speaker 6 (17:44):
I mean, I love the pace of the game that
we saw last time around. I think that basketball is
better when you have the availability of good defense like
college basketball has.

Speaker 5 (17:57):
But then you also have moments where.

Speaker 6 (18:00):
Two teams who just seem to have figured something out
offensively or maybe that's the culture of those teams face off,
and that's what we're staring down. And so this this
should be a high energy, high scoring game where I
don't know if I could look at the total and
take it seriously, so I'd pick a side, and Kentucky
feels like the right side, and Kentucky feels like the

(18:23):
right side probably up to maybe.

Speaker 5 (18:26):
Even like plus six. I mean, I'll take the points.

Speaker 7 (18:31):
M Yeah, this is a This is one of those
interesting I don't think I've ever seen a total in
one when the one eight territory before in college basketball,
and I don't have my Yeah, the usual database that
I have doesn't go back you.

Speaker 3 (18:43):
Know that far. So, but I mean, this is a
crazy total. Alabama, like a last year, was a very
unique team.

Speaker 7 (18:52):
They were able to overcome a lot of these i'll
call it inconsistencies on defense and make it all the
way to the fine four, and that that might be
the ceiling for this Alabama team. I don't know if
they can win a championship as currently constructed with the
defense as porous as it is.

Speaker 3 (19:11):
The issue that I see too, is the turnovers.

Speaker 7 (19:14):
They're a turning it over way too much and not
forcing enough turnovers. I mean, they let Mark Mitchell the
maazoo big. I mean that was that was a hot
knife through. But they gave up a buck ten the
other night to Miss Crazy Crazy. That was an NBA
score like one ten ninety eight, like and I know
they scored ninety eight, and that obviously is like whoa

(19:36):
they scored ninety eight points, Like how many college basketball
teams get close to one hundred. They gave up one ten,
they give up forty seven free throw attempts, like it
It just you cannot win in college basketball playing that way. Now, obviously,
they're in the middle of an SEC gauntlet schedule. This
is this SEC might go down is the best conference

(19:58):
in the history of America. Like this season in the SEC,
like it really is impressive because you've got Auburn, who
is who is just a nails national title favorite.

Speaker 3 (20:09):
Like I don't want I don't I don't want to
hear the Duke thing. The ACC is a joke. This year,
Auburn's the best team in the country period. End of story.

Speaker 7 (20:16):
They might not win the tournament, but they are the
best team in the country. Then you've got Florida. Then
you've got A and m Tennessee. Like these are all
battle tested teams that have all made you know, Final
four Sweet sixteen runs in the last few years.

Speaker 3 (20:27):
And then you've got Bama, who's like this shooting star.

Speaker 7 (20:30):
And then you've got some dark horse candidates, right Like
you got Kentucky who can really score. You've got Bama
who can just do it on you know, explosive scoring
but obviously gives up a lot. It's gonna be a
And then you got teams like Mississippi State, you know,
kind of lurking Texas, kind of lurking you know in
Arkansas maybe has a chance to make the tournament with
coach cal like it there could legit be an all

(20:52):
SEC Final four. Like honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if
it's like three out of four teams in the SEC,
depending on how things shake out. So this game to
it's a gigantic number. But how can you lay ten
points with Bama considering the defensive inconsistencies, Like you no period,
end of story. I'm not laying double digits with this
Bama team. Ever, Yeah, and it keeps fluctuating. Just this conversation.

Speaker 3 (21:16):
You know, Bama was minus nine and a half, then
it was up to minus ten and a half. Noun's
back down to minus nine and a half. Just in
this conversation alone, the last handful of minutes, it's going
up and down. I love this too with college basketball
because it reminds me of college football a bit, where
you'll see teams that have wide open offenses don't play defense,

(21:38):
and then you'll see other teams that do the exact opposite,
where they play lockdown defense, they struggle offensively well the
lockdown defense department. That would be Tennessee at Texas A
and M. And both these teams are in the top
ten as far as defensive efficiency is concerned, and they're

(21:58):
one and two in the se so in terms of
points per game allowed. So you go from the yin
which is Kentucky Alabama, to the yang, which is Tennessee
and Texas A and M. Because if you want to
see a lot more defense and maybe a lot more
rock fighting, if you will Tennessee, Texas A and M.
That's your speed, that's what you want to go with

(22:20):
the total is one thirty and a half compared to
Kentucky and Alabama, which is one seventy nine and a half.
So just a little bit of a disparity. They're playing
the same sport.

Speaker 6 (22:31):
By the way, Yeah, it's so crazy, and that that's
such a good thing to point out, Jared, because you know,
it only really happens in college basketball when you see
such wildly vastly different different I guess you could say
constructions of rosters and play styles where you'll you'll have

(22:55):
one team scoring in the seventies and consistently winning, and
then one team scoring in the one tens to one
thirties and consistently winning.

Speaker 5 (23:04):
It doesn't really make sense that.

Speaker 6 (23:07):
These two these two teams can exist in the same sport,
but they can, and I guess college football can at
times mimic this. I remember, you know, there was a
time where you had the gun slingers out of the
Big twelve zero defense was being played. Everybody was getting
to the air raid offense, and so it looked very
different than say Big ten football at that time.

Speaker 5 (23:27):
But I digress.

Speaker 6 (23:28):
With college basketball, I guess where I always land. When
you start comparing games like these, you know Tennessee, Texas
A and m Kentucky Alabama.

Speaker 5 (23:39):
What style of play.

Speaker 6 (23:41):
Do you think What type of play do you think
is more tournament ready, the hot transition team or the
great half court offense or the lockdown we are going
to guard you from inbound on the baseline until you're
you're under your own hoop, Like, what is the better
style to get you deeper in March?

Speaker 3 (24:01):
I think it's defense, because totally in March, you're tight,
you know, like this is your season on the line.
You're amped up to the nth degree, so you might
not even be guarded, and it's hard to make an
open shot. And so if the other team is defending,
on top of it just being difficult to begin with
to score points. Yeah, playing lockdown defense is a huge

(24:25):
asset for these teams in March, I agree.

Speaker 7 (24:28):
And also the interesting part about this game, so this
game kind of reminds me of the meat grinder that
Ornberger uses for his ports shoulder, Like that's how that's
kind of how I would characterize this game compared to
the other game, which is a little bit more floaty,
a little more you know, angelic wings. Everyone's riding around
a and M's a tough I don't know where I

(24:49):
got that from, Like, don't even ask me. A and
M was a tough watch in the second half agains
Mississippi State Earlier this week.

Speaker 3 (24:56):
I actually was on A and M.

Speaker 7 (24:57):
I thought it was one of those rock fight games
where you're getting three points with a road team in
the SEC, it's going to be a close game.

Speaker 3 (25:04):
It wasn't.

Speaker 7 (25:05):
Mississippi State just blew them, you know, blew them out
of the water in the second half. And there's two
factors there. A. It is tough on the road in
the SEC. Like that's why, Like, if you want to
make the case for Bama to win by twenty today,
it's because the SEC on the road is just tough
and the games get out of hand. On the other
side of that, for both of these teams, A and

(25:25):
M tennessee, like they both kind of like to do
the same thing. They like to get on the glass,
they like to get to the line. They like to
play defense. Like that's how their offenses.

Speaker 3 (25:32):
Get, you know, going. It's not a jump shooting kind
of game.

Speaker 7 (25:36):
But the interesting part about A and M is last
year they made a nice run in the attorney and
they almost upset Houston in the round to thirty two.
That game was nuts over time, one hundred and ninety five.
Then they dropped ninety eight on nebrask in the A
round of sixty four and in the SEC tournament ninety
seven against Florida, eighty against Ole Miss like like, So
my point being for A and M, for a team

(25:57):
that usually relies on their grit and their termination and they're,
you know, hustle in the tournament, they switched it up
and they threw a curveball and they let way Taylor
run the show and play a little more tempo and
kind of run and done. So when you get to
this part in the year when all of a sudden,
everyone's expecting you to just slow it down, grind it out,
and then all of a sudden you play fast. Buzz

(26:20):
Williams has the ability to change tempos, and I think
that's where A and M might have a little bit
of an advantage here in this game. And that's why
the numbers flip, that's why Tennessee opened to favorite, and
I think that's why A and M now is getting
close to a three point favorite at home, because I
do think we're in that Buzz Williams kind of good
coach territory where he knows he's got to throw a
curveball today, because you're not just gonna bludge in Tennessee.

(26:41):
You're not just gonna get on the glass and out
rebound and out muscle Tennessee. You've got to have to
show them something differently in order to win this game.
And I wouldn't be shocked if we see Buzz Williams, hey,
maybe throttle up a little bit today. So as much
as I think this is an underkind of vibe, I'm
not betting the under in this game because I think
Texas A and M's best version of basketball is when
they let Way Taylor be a little bit more Alabama

(27:04):
like with how they run the show on offense.

Speaker 3 (27:06):
And Wade Taylor is so good, fantastic. He is a
tremendous guard man. He's fun to watch. He'll get you
big buckets, he can shoot it. He is a really
really good player. So I like that breakdown, Jared, very
good stuff. You speak of a curveball, you know, like
Texas A and M could throw a curveball at you
and all of a sudden, it's like running gun. You're

(27:26):
like they've turned into the Phoenix Sun seven seconds or last.
What's going on out here?

Speaker 5 (27:30):
Right?

Speaker 3 (27:31):
But there was a curveball thrown at an NBA team,
which was the San Antonio Spurs. With wem Bin Yama
being out for the entire season, I'm curious what your
thoughts are on this story. So he's down for the
rest of the year. He's got a blood clot in
his right shoulder. So first things first, hopefully he's completely fine,
heels good to go going forward. But man, one of

(27:53):
the aspects was the betting market with the futures. There
was a tweet that was put out there that was like, yeah,
I just dropped ten k on Wendy Yama to win
Defensive Player of the Year. Only an act of God
could derail this one. I'm pair of that real. I
it seems real. I don't know, But then an hour
later it's like, what have I done?

Speaker 5 (28:12):
What is it?

Speaker 3 (28:14):
But Wemby he's not going to play in at least
sixty five games and that's the threshold, that's the benchmark
you have to hit in the NBA now to be
eligible for these regular season awards. So he's not even
eligible to win Defensive Player of the Year. And of
course this was putting in play because of load management,

(28:38):
the big load management craze. So Adam Silver, let it go,
let it go. And now he's trying to, you know,
go back the other way, and he came up with
this rule where you have to play at least sixty
five games. And in essence, it seems to make sense
until something like this, the situation where Wemby gets hurt.
He's clearly the defensive Player of the year, probably still

(28:59):
would be the Defensive Player of the Year even missing
a chunk of games, but he's not eligible to win
this award. What do you think about the sixty five
game threshold. I don't like it. What do you guys
think about it?

Speaker 5 (29:11):
Well, first, let me say this.

Speaker 6 (29:12):
What I think the webiny i'm An injury does for
the Spurs is it completely shifts their offseason plans. I mean,
as it stands, they're out of the postseason looking in,
and I mean even the playing tournament. You know, you
look at what the Spurs are trying to build. It
seems like they're trying to build around Wemby, and why not.

(29:33):
He's one of the brightest young basketball stars on the
planet right now. My thought process is this is the
worst of the best news or the best of the
worst news.

Speaker 5 (29:46):
You never wish something like this on somebody.

Speaker 6 (29:48):
You don't want a situation where you know they're struggling
with something that who knows, maybe could have life consequences,
not just basketball consequences. So, like you started this segment, Brian,
I hope he makes a full recovery and never has
to worry about a blood clot again in his entire life,
because that's scary stuff.

Speaker 5 (30:06):
However, I will say this if if he is cleared
to play, and.

Speaker 6 (30:10):
He's one hundred percent healthy, and life is looking good
and basketball is looking great for Wemby like it has
been well, all of.

Speaker 5 (30:18):
A sudden, the Spurs look like a lottery team.

Speaker 6 (30:22):
And if they can add and continue to build this
roster with a star like Wemby, look out, the Spurs
could be one of the more dangerous teams if they
hit again in basketball next season or potentially, you know,
create something that I don't want to say dynasty. I
don't want to like get you know, way too far
over my skis. But think about how Golden State was built.

(30:45):
It was over the course of a couple of drafts
where they really put together the core and then they
were able to go on a run against Lebron and
the Calves and and then add KD later on and
continue their success.

Speaker 5 (30:56):
So this this could be a.

Speaker 6 (30:59):
Really add short term picture for the Spurs, but over
the long run may potentially benefit them.

Speaker 7 (31:06):
Yeah, obviously the situation deep vein thrombosis. That's it's not
like an ankle sprain, like like this is this is
something that you know, we hope we're hearing.

Speaker 3 (31:16):
It's not going to be a long term thing.

Speaker 7 (31:17):
But when you first get that news, the reaction besides
that poor better who I'm again, I'm not one hundred
percent sure if that's real, and I hope it's not.

Speaker 3 (31:25):
Because it's a terrible way to lose a bet.

Speaker 7 (31:28):
But like other than the initial gambling reaction, like the
first gut reaction I had was, oh my goodness, like
blood clot like this is supposed to be like Wemby,
I would put the over under on his future MVP
total it maybe like three, like this is a guy
that we expect to be a multi MVP winner down
the road, Like please be okay, the Spurs need you
now that we've gotten that, you know, initial reaction, then

(31:51):
the gambling reaction kind of comes in and yeah, like
the Spurs to make the playoffs was it was a
bet that a lot of people want it. It was
like two it was like plus one fifty for them
to kind of sneak into the play in. You know,
they got some tough teams in front of them. And
then the Defensive Player of the Year market, which has
completely been thrown on its head. I think lou Dort
for I think a thunder deserves to win that award now,

(32:12):
a thunder player because like you go from the best
defensive player in the league, obviously it's Wemby. He was
like minus three thousand to win the award. Then now
you knock him off the board. Where do we go, Well,
Jared Jackson's the favorite right now, like he's won it.
It's it's not it's not really a sexy story. Then
you get to Evan Mobile, who I do think is
the best defensive player left in the field. I think

(32:34):
he deserves to be the favorite. He's not right now,
by the way. At bet MGM he's plus one twenty five.
Then you get lou Dort, Dyson Daniels. I think he's
a throwaway on the Hawks. Then you get SGA and
jay Len Williams, so it's I don't think it's a
surprise that three out of the top six guys on
the board are Oklahoma City Thunder players. They have a
historically good defense this year. So again we're handicapping the voters,
not the your opinion on the players. If I'm a

(32:55):
voter and Wenby the knockdown favorite gets gets a litleminated,
I am giving it to a player on the best
defensive team in the NBA.

Speaker 3 (33:05):
So Lou Dort makes sense right the Dorcher Chamber.

Speaker 7 (33:08):
But I think SGA has a case too because of
the seasons he's had offensively. But I think Dort's gonna
win it. I honestly think it's dord mobile. Those are
the two guys I would be positioning for right now
in the market.

Speaker 3 (33:18):
Okay, I'll ask again, and I want a straight answer. Okay,
what do you think about the sixty five game threshold? Okay,
I don't care about it. I think are you building
that good? I want to know what you think about that. Okay,
So think about this because there are layers to it,
like in essence, it makes sense. You don't want guys

(33:41):
to be taking nights off left and right. Okay, fine,
but what if there's a legitimate injury and you're not
eligible to win Defensive Player of the Year. What if
Wemby played exactly sixty four games and he's clearly the
defensive Player of the Year and he's not eligible to
win that award. What if you're in line to be
on an All NBA team but you don't play enough
games and you're not eligible, and that could have a

(34:03):
direct effect on your contract, and that could leave thirty
million dollars on the table. That's a huge thing. So
I get why it's there in place, but this shows
how it can blow up in your face. And that
part of it is interesting to me.

Speaker 6 (34:17):
I get where you're where you're coming from, But durability
is your most important ability. And I hate this for
wemben Yama because this is one of those things where
it's not like, you know, man Wemby was out partying
too much and he wasn't in good shape, and so
he broke down early in the season, and then you
know that that whatever, you know, that hamstring pull really

(34:39):
affected the rest of his his uh, you know, his
defensive quality for the rest of the season. It wasn't
that like ween Yama is doing everything right. He just
had this situation come up. But you know, I mean,
if you are the fastest man on the planet, but
every single time you're you're qualifying for an Olympics or
a World Championships, you know, you come up with a

(35:00):
calf stream or you know your your quadricep is two
tight so he can't run, or you have a hip
flex or tear or whatever, and you you never showcase
that speed. Nobody is ever gonna put your name in
the record books, even if you have been you know, man,
he runs close to a nine to one hundred, and
it's like, well, we've never seen him do it like it.

(35:22):
If you want to win awards, you gotta be on
the court. I remember my my rookie season in the NFL.
We had a player on the New England Patriots name
Adelias Thomas.

Speaker 5 (35:33):
He came over from the Ravens.

Speaker 6 (35:34):
He was a pretty good defensive playge' miss yeah, better
better for the Ravens than he was for us, but
still a really good linebacker. And I remember when I
was I had injured myself running the conditioning test, and
I mean I was in fine shape. I just had
a freak one off handy pull and he goes, you
can't make the club and the tub scrub. As he's

(35:58):
walking through the training room. It's stuck with me, and
he's one hundred percent right. He was one hundred percent right.
You know you can, you can be a great basketball player.
But if you're not actually defending players on the court.
I mean, then the award you go to somebody else.

Speaker 7 (36:15):
I agree, And and I think the short answer is
durability is your is your greatest availability? Like I think
that is to me, the the calling card of a
season long award. So I'm okay with the sixty five.
Maybe you lower to sixty, but I'm okay with that number.

Speaker 3 (36:32):
Yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 5 (36:34):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (36:35):
Because again, if you got right to sixty four, what
are the odds the year sixty four, that's just weird
to me.

Speaker 7 (36:46):
But like forty nine, he's not right like and and
if he if he had it at sixty four, I
think it's a fair discussion.

Speaker 3 (36:52):
Yeah, all right, Uh we got rich Oornberger, Penn State
All American, Jared Smith FSR Betting analyst, I'm Brian know.
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(37:13):
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(37:35):
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(38:00):
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Speaker 5 (38:23):
All right, let's do this check this out r lay letter.

Speaker 3 (38:28):
All right, Jared, it's your territory here. What do we
have cooking with the platter today? We won last week.
I just want to put that out there. We hit
our parlay platter last week.

Speaker 7 (38:38):
It was a two to one shot moneyline parlay all
three favorites. I mean, can we hit two in a row?
I don't think I've ever in the three years in
the show, I ever hit two in a row. Let's
try to right now. Let's start with Vermont the Catamounts.
This is around the time that Vermont starts playing championship basketball.
They're a four and a half point home favorite today
against U Mass Lowell. Vermont's won the Americas Tournament. They've

(38:59):
been in the NCAA Turner the last three years. They're
not as talented as they've been in years past, but
they have plenty of experience.

Speaker 3 (39:04):
They play great defense. Slow tempo.

Speaker 7 (39:07):
They held Briant, who's a really good team this year,
to fifty five in their last game, just six assists
on twenty mid field goals. Again a grinder kind of game.
I think U mass lowl. They're in their head. They've
lost six straight to Vermont, including two straight America East titles.
Vermont minus one ninety first leg of the money Line
Parlay high Point big favor today about an eight and
a half point road favorite. High Point is really playing

(39:29):
good basketball right now. They've won nine straight first place
in the Big South. They're a top sixty five team
in torvic over the last month.

Speaker 3 (39:35):
Shooting it really well.

Speaker 7 (39:36):
They're facing Gardner Web today who's terrible on defense. They've
given up at least seventy eight points in the sixth
straight game. So I think high Point gets a big
win today. And finally, Portland State on the road tonight
at Weaver State. About a three point favorite. This is
mostly a fade of weaver State, who's outside the top
three hundred in like every category.

Speaker 3 (39:52):
I love Portland.

Speaker 7 (39:53):
State a sneaky starch madness sleeper.

Speaker 3 (39:57):
What is starch madness?

Speaker 7 (39:58):
That is the conference turn The Big Sky plays in
Boise you can't wait for that Vermont high Point Portland State.
How about the mid major trio today? It's plus two
ten over at bet MGM.

Speaker 3 (40:11):
What do we think guys? Who ruins it?

Speaker 6 (40:13):
Definitely not Portland State. Yeah, Weaver is way down the board.
I was just looking on Torvik.

Speaker 5 (40:22):
Yeah that is that. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (40:25):
I love the parlays where you might go one in
two naming the nicknames, you know what I mean, Like
Hagar might be one into coming up Vegs. This proposal
has me seeing red. Oh, good morning, Happy Saturday to you.

Speaker 5 (40:42):
You know.

Speaker 3 (40:44):
You hear this in sports all the time. Self scouting.
You know, you gotta know your own tendencies, gotta know
uh what your opponent might expect and where you're vulnerable,
that sort of thing. If I self scout myself, Yeah,
I can be a mania from time to time. You know,
I can get unnecessarily amped up for no great reason.

(41:07):
And so I say that because this next story has
the full potential to really amp me up. Okay, the
college football playoff format is being If you want to
go with a nice word tweaked, If you want to
go with a direct word, you could go with like

(41:31):
or phrase like screwed. Up royally. Okay, like what they're
talking about all these automatic qualifying spots. So the Big
Ten is really pushing for this. They're thinking about expanding
the college football playoff from twelve teams to fourteen teams. Okay,
all right, I don't hate it yet, but what they're

(41:51):
looking at are all these automatic qualifying spots. So the
Big Ten would get four automatic spots, the SEC would
also get for automatic spots. Big twelve acc they would
get two teams a piece. There would be the highest
ranked group of five champion, and then one at large spot.

(42:12):
So let me get this straight. We're going from a
twelve team playoff with seven at large spots to fourteen
teams with one at large spot. That's what they're talking
about doing. I can't express to you how much I
despise this idea, because there are going to be years

(42:33):
where a conference wouldn't have one of its teams in
the playoff except for the fact that they automatically qualify,
and I just hate that. That goes against the essence
of college football. If you want to have an automatic
qualifier for the conference champ okay, fine, if you want
to have an automatic qualifier for the one group of
five champion. All right, I'm cool with top five automatic qualifiers,

(42:57):
but beyond that, earn your way in. Be one of
the top ranked teams and earn your way in. I
don't know what this is where the conferences went guarantees
and maybe the playoff committee they they don't want to
be text with the decisions, Oh my gosh, the unbearable
decisions of I don't know, deciding which team should be
in and which team shouldn't. That comes with the territory.

(43:19):
But I just hate the idea of automatic qualifiers. And
there are going to be years where teams qualify for
the playoff if this is the new format, and they
wouldn't qualify otherwise. I just absolutely despise that.

Speaker 5 (43:34):
Yeah, I get it.

Speaker 6 (43:35):
It feels a little bit anti sport, doesn't it. It
feels a little bit like instead of a meritocracy, you're
having a situation where you know, because you have been
grandfathered into or you've been added to one of these
mega conferences, you have a better opportunity to make it
than teams who aren't.

Speaker 5 (43:55):
It's it's frustrating, but.

Speaker 6 (43:57):
I will say this, and expanded playoff format in just
about any form or fashion. And I don't want to
say any because obviously I would find I find this
one disagreeable, but I would find many different iterations more disagreeable.
So I guess where I land on this is. I'm
not as mad as you, Brian. I'm disappointed that money

(44:21):
is the driving force here that when you really start
to look at who has control of college football.

Speaker 5 (44:29):
It's not the n C two A. It's definitely not
the players.

Speaker 6 (44:34):
It's more the school presidents and athletic directors and administrators
and big money donors at the biggest schools in the
biggest conferences who are pushing these these networks into into
exerting their force on commissioners and conferences and teams, and

(44:56):
and they're saying, hey, you, this is a take it
or leave a deal. You know you you need to
make sure that this gets done so that we all
you know, and I'm using air quotes because I'm not
one hundred percent sure what we all encompasses make as
much money as we possibly can. But that is the
driving force behind all of this. It's it's money. It's

(45:16):
the dollar bill. And this, at least for now in
the short run, it sounds like this is going to
benefit the most people and put money into the deepest pockets.

Speaker 5 (45:28):
And that's what it's always been.

Speaker 3 (45:30):
Yeah, and I agree with you, Brian, like it's it's
it's weird.

Speaker 7 (45:34):
It's definitely it's like a hostile takeover of the sport.
The reason that I'm not going to be up in
arms about it is because this is it's going to
change again in a year probably or in two years.
So be comfortable being uncomfortable. We've said this for the
last two years. In this college football landscape, we need
to remove the this is how it's done, So this
is how it's going to be done future vibe, because

(45:57):
we have no idea where we are and what this
new landscape is going to look like. This is another step,
albeit a small one, towards the power conference vibe of
these two conferences run the sport and that's just the
way it is, and I think we're going to continue
to see absorption of teams in these two conferences.

Speaker 3 (46:15):
I think the end result is this two.

Speaker 7 (46:18):
Conference system like we have in the NFL, where there's
the haves and the have nots, and everyone's that's in
the two conferences. You've got a chance to compete for
the championship and the people who are out that's just
the way it and I'm not saying I like it,
but this is just the direction that it's been going
in for the last two years. So who am I
to fight it? Because we can't fight it. This is
where this is where the money is. These are the

(46:40):
teams that are the best teams in the sport. They're
obviously the most prolific programs. And we're gonna continue to
see changes over the next few years until this thing
gets sorted out. So while we could be up in
arms about this new little wrinkle that we might see,
it's probably gonna change again in a year or two.

Speaker 5 (46:55):
Right.

Speaker 3 (46:56):
But how that's the thing, no idea. Once there are
automatic qualityying spots, those aren't going away. Once the Big
ten and the SEC who hold the power, once they
have the bulk of those automatic qualifying spots, they're not
giving that up, you know, they're not giving up that territory.
And that's the problem, man, is a lot of these conferences,

(47:16):
the ones with power, Big ten SEC, they're not worried
about what's best for the college football landscape. They're not
reasonable about it. They're out for them. They're out for
themselves and it sucks like it would be. You mentioned
the NFL, Jared. Imagine if the NFL, and this is
not a apples to apples comparison, but just for the
sake of argument, right, Imagine if they said, okay, let's

(47:39):
take the seven playoff spots. Pick a conference. Let's say
the NFC. We've got seven playoff spots. The top four
those are all division winners, okay, and then normally the
wildcard spots those would be at large spots. You earn
your way in with the best record. But instead we're
going to have an automatic qualifier from the NFC North
because that's a really tough time vision, and also the

(48:01):
NFC East because that's a pretty quality division. Well, what
happens if three years from now a team gets an
automatic spot and they don't freaking deserve it, you know
what I mean? Like, we can't go from twelve teams
and seven at large spots to fourteen teams and one
one at large spot. Everybody else is just just plug

(48:22):
them in right there, automatic spot, just get in there.
I don't like that at all, man, I don't. And
it doesn't make it as interesting. It's interesting when you
got a bunch of seats, right, this is musical chairs.
There are Last year there were seven seats, and all
these teams were trying to sit on the chair when
the music stopped and earn a playoff spot. And we

(48:44):
go from that to one one chair, and then all
these teams that aren't in line for an automatic qualifying spot,
all of them are vying for that one chair and
that one bid. I don't like it at all at all.
And I hate the idea of teams being in the
tournament that don't deserve to be in the playoff but
they're there just because they have an automatic spot. That

(49:05):
flies right in the face of the essence of college football.
It sucks and it's not gonna go away. Yeah, granted
there might be different iterations going forward, but once we
go down this automatic qualifier road, we're not getting off
that freeway. It's not happening anytime soon afterward.

Speaker 6 (49:21):
Well, and what it's gonna do is it's gonna the
tail is gonna wag the dog. So the postseason obviously
is kind of the cherry on top. Because of the
urgency of the regular season in college football, you have
you have this great opportunity for a postseason, you have
a limited supply of regular season games. All of those

(49:42):
weeks are super important. Everybody's aware of that. But at
the end of the day, all these players who are
recruits or potential transfers, now with the portal window being
wide open, you have to get to the postseason. You
gotta get to the dance like you gotta find a way.
And for certain teams, the only way to get, you know,

(50:04):
a realistic shot, is leaving their conference and joining another one.
And I think that's essentially what the Big Ten and
the SEC want. If they had their druthers, they would
be the only two conferences left that they would completely
kneecap the A see see.

Speaker 5 (50:20):
The Big Twelve.

Speaker 6 (50:21):
They would create almost like a North South, you know,
or maybe through realignment they can make it look that
way or an East West if they wanted to and
and make things a little bit more logistically easier on
teams within their conference. Or they could they could separate
into divisions. Who knows what it'll look like when they
get to their endgame, but that's what.

Speaker 5 (50:42):
This feels like. It feels like we're hurtling toward a
pretty certain future.

Speaker 6 (50:46):
And these these guarantees given to these conferences that that's
what suggests it to me. And again, it all comes
back to money, like I was saying earlier, and that's fine,
we know how the world works. But in the meantime,
it's anti sport, and so the only way it's going
to get back to looking like a real bracket, unfortunately,
is when all the needs or close to all the

(51:09):
needs of these super conferences are met, and if the
future shapes out that way, we'll have something that more
closely resembles, I don't know, a playoff bracket like we
have in college basketball, which obviously is a much better
system than what we currently have in college football.

Speaker 3 (51:25):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (51:26):
I wish I had a great answer for you guys. Honestly,
I wish I could cook this thing up. But I
think the end result is going to be the same.
We're going to have two major conferences in the sport.
I think eventually, if you want to be really considered
to have a chance to really make the CFP, the
goal should be to be in one of those conferences.

(51:46):
And I'm not saying I like it. I don't like it.
I don't like the heaviness to that because it really
does eliminate a lot of the beauty of sport. But
this is just the direction that it's going. Like college
football is not like the teams that are not in
that power group, you're not winning the championship anyways. Like honestly,

(52:07):
and I know that sounds crazy, but if you go
to a sixteen team field and you have to win
four games to win it, Colorado last year, like Arizona
State last year, like those teams aren't SMU last year.
Those teams are not winning four games in this format.
So I think there is a certain level of inevitability

(52:28):
to we need to get to this point so we
can shake out the haves and the have nots, and
the teams that are really serious about spending on their
college football program, we'll find a.

Speaker 3 (52:36):
Way to get into the SEC or the Big Ten,
and the.

Speaker 7 (52:39):
Teams that aren't serious are just gonna kind of fall
off to the wayside. And I know that sounds really harsh,
but that is just the direction that the sport is going.
So I could scream till I'm blue in the face
that we're not doing enough to protect the little guy.
But the little guy, if they want to be a
big guy, they got to set you know, step up
to the Playton spend and if they step up to
the Playton spend money, and that's honestly all it takes today,

(53:01):
you could become You can go from a just wait
for we do the college off season previews when we
talk about Texas Tech and what they're doing and the
investment they're making in their program, trying to become one
of those big guys in a bad conference. If you
invest money, you can ascend to that level. But if
you're not willing to pony up the dough, who are
we to say, yeah, let's come on, let's protect the

(53:22):
little guy. Like we have gone away from the little
guy mentality. College football is not about the little guy anymore.
You better spend because if you don't spend, you're gonna
be left behind.

Speaker 3 (53:31):
Yeah, well, I just the spending thing. I'll just say
real fast. We'll get to Seamus McGee here momentarily. But
it's just funny in a way because there's so money hungry.
Like money it is, it's at the heart of pretty
much all of these decisions.

Speaker 5 (53:46):
Right ye.

Speaker 3 (53:47):
And it's funny because college football was marketed for so
many years of that they don't make any money, right,
It's it's for the name on the front of the jersey,
not the name on the back of the jersey. You know,
it's team. It's not me. And and all these conferences
are about me, like these schools are about me, These

(54:08):
conferences are about me, SEC and the Big Ten leading
the way. It's all me, me, me, me me. It's
all money, money man, ah rash, Yes, that's what it's
turned into. It and it's completely different than the essence
of what it was for so many years. And listen,
I get it, I get it. You want to make
a buck. There's nothing fundamentally wrong, there's nothing automatically wrong

(54:30):
with that. But when it becomes this and we're like, yeah,
we'll have one at large spot because we want automatic
bids and we want money money.

Speaker 9 (54:39):
Ah.

Speaker 3 (54:40):
You know, that's when it becomes bad. You are completely
just a socker, a total you know, you're led by
the collar like money is just like like jerking you
around when it comes to all the decisions that you're making,
and it's it's screwing up the landscape college football. Man,

(55:01):
it just is yeah, yeah, you really.

Speaker 5 (55:03):
You know.

Speaker 6 (55:04):
I always kind of say the places that I wish
no money was involved in a perfect world.

Speaker 5 (55:10):
They would look like this.

Speaker 6 (55:11):
And I realize what you said is important, Like making
a buck. There's not anything inherently wrong with that. Everybody's
trying to do it and I get that. But in
sports and religion and politics, you wish there was no
money involved because if you think about those three things,
what are you selling. In religion, you're selling faith, In

(55:31):
politics you're selling leadership, right, you don't want that to
be corrupted by money.

Speaker 5 (55:36):
And in sports you're you're selling hope. You know what
I mean? Like every single season.

Speaker 6 (55:42):
Browns fans think they have a chance because they're hoping
that draft pick. You know, that first round quarterback is
going to be the guy who saves.

Speaker 5 (55:49):
The team, right like you. When you add money to
the hope equation, it topples the formula.

Speaker 6 (55:57):
And that's the problem is money has as completely taken
over the sport of college football, and I think there
were huge inequities before. Players are not getting paid. We
don't need to go down that rabbit hole. We don't
have enough time. I want to talk to SEAE this year,
but the point is they've completely abandoned hope to make
a dollar and that's rough for the have nots.

Speaker 5 (56:18):
That's really rough.

Speaker 6 (56:19):
For the schools that can't compete on the dollar bill
side of this thing.

Speaker 7 (56:24):
The only thing I'll saying conclusion quickly is it's a pendulum.
I think right now we're on the extreme side, on
the earning end, and I think eventually, hopefully, once we
find some level ground, once we find the right amount
of teams and we find the right formula, eventually we
will kind of drift back to the center of Okay, now,
let's go play football, because right now it's the off

(56:44):
season and we're trying to talk about something, and there's
all these news and these headlines, and I understand that
we need to, you know, get to the meat of it.
But I think at the end of the day, hopefully
after the dust settles, might not be for a while,
we get back to Okay, we have the right format. Now,
let's go play football.

Speaker 3 (57:03):
I don't think so. I want to think so, but
I don't think so. It's gonna be a while delayed. Gratification.
It's all greed, it's all money, it's all what's in
it for me. It's not what's good for the overall landscape.
And there's no governing body, you know, like if the
NFL teams, if were up to them, they might come
up with a system that benefited them and was one sided.

(57:25):
And the teams that had the power and all. There's
a whole structure, right there's an overseeing body that won't
allow them to do that. It's like there are no
cops in college football right now. It's the auto bonn
on the highway. You go as fast as you want.

Speaker 7 (57:39):
Man, it's the wild West, it really is. We've described
it as the wild West. It's like the gold Rush.

Speaker 3 (57:44):
Yeah. Hey, we've got Rich Hornberger, Penn State All American,
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(58:06):
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first bet. All right, coming up our main man, Seamus McGee,
team lead of Sports Trading at BETMGM. They'll get you
all set for college hoops. It's a huge slate of
games here today, ranked versus Ranked, some great matchups. We'll
preview it next. It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown presented

(58:28):
by BETMGM. It is Fox Sports Radios Countdown presented by BETMGM.
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(58:50):
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Speaker 5 (58:57):
All right, let's do.

Speaker 1 (58:57):
This follow the money, real good money.

Speaker 3 (59:01):
All right. We welcome in our main man, Seamus McGee,
team lead of Sports Trading at bet MGM. You know what,
I'm not going to allow you to have access to
the full slate of college basketball here, Seamus. I know
you love your Horizon League and your high point bets
and all of that, because what ranked versus Ranked matchup?

(59:22):
Do you have your eye on most today.

Speaker 8 (59:26):
There's always going to be back here. Great slate, really
loaded slate for today. I you know, I really can't
take my eyes off Houston Lane. A pretty big number
I in Styua State today at home. Twelve and a
half points spread right now, I think it says a
lot about each team and where they're at the season.
Houston looks like they are just locked in for another

(59:49):
big run in a tournament on Iowa State not been
great recently, so I think I like Houston a lot,
even laying that many points.

Speaker 7 (59:58):
I'll give you my favorite matchup today. It is in
the SEC. It's Missouri at Arkansas. And we just saw
Missouri do whatever they wanted against Alabama drop a buck
ten forty seven to free throw at time. So of
course today against crappy Arkansas, the lines like two and
Arkansas is kind of fighting for their lives here, trying
to make the tournament. Some tough game. I mean, the

(01:00:18):
SEC is just so tough. I think Arkansas is a
home dog. Is a pretty sharp look today.

Speaker 3 (01:00:23):
What does Seamus think.

Speaker 10 (01:00:26):
It's tough?

Speaker 8 (01:00:27):
That's that's one of those games where the line kind
of like stinks right now. I don't know, I don't
know which side I like at that number, but it's
definitely interesting. I can't possibly get myself to bet Arkansas
this season. I just don't trust them, and it's a
pretty big let down spot from a zoo. So it's
definitely gonna be one that is going to be interesting

(01:00:48):
to watch it. You're right, it's absolutely must win for Arkansas.

Speaker 6 (01:00:50):
They have to have this game, not to grab the
wheel and jerk it in a completely different direction. But
it's what I want to do because I'm still stealing
a little bit over the last thing we discussed, Seaman said,
I want to hear your thoughts on it too. You're
obviously tied into college hoops, but also college football and
the playoff expansion. We just were mulling over how it

(01:01:12):
benefits certain conferences and not others. It feels like money
is a huge motivator here. What are your thoughts on
the early talks of expanding the current format we have.

Speaker 10 (01:01:23):
I hate it. I hated when they expanded from four.

Speaker 8 (01:01:27):
I don't think they needed to, and I was told, oh, no,
everything's going to be fine. The regular season is going
to be It's still gonna be good.

Speaker 10 (01:01:33):
It's gonna be great. Now everyone has a chance to
make the playoffs. That's not the point.

Speaker 8 (01:01:37):
Football is a completely different sport. There's only a handful
of teams every year that you can say or they
deserve to be playing for a national championship. And then
you know, once we go to twelve, I could have
told you it's a year we'd be going, oh well,
let's go to sixteen, let's go to twenty four, just
like FCS.

Speaker 10 (01:01:54):
And I hate it. I really it's all about money.

Speaker 8 (01:01:58):
It's like the least good intention thing I've ever heard
that this is all it's for everyone.

Speaker 3 (01:02:03):
It's not.

Speaker 10 (01:02:03):
It's absolutely not.

Speaker 3 (01:02:05):
I'm with you, Seamus, absolutely with you. And I hate
the format on top of it, where we're talking about
maybe one at large spots. Terrible. But I'll bring it
back to college basketball. You know, how about Kentucky at Alabama.
Alabama's been rough the last couple of games allowed a
buck ten, like Jared just said, last cave against Missouri.
They're back at home, they're laying a huge number against Kentucky,

(01:02:29):
and of course the total is near one eighty. What
do you think sidon total in this matchup?

Speaker 10 (01:02:36):
Yeah, I mean, any damnit total?

Speaker 8 (01:02:38):
You're going to see a number that high, but it's
it's definitely one. I'm not really sure where to go
on this one either, because you know that is a
big number. I do like Mark Polpe in Kentucky, they
play really hard. But Alabama, is this a get right
spot form? The number seems to think that the sharps
and then the public betting a lot also think that
it is going to be the case for.

Speaker 7 (01:02:57):
Obama seeing some number crash down in this Oregan Wisconsin game.
It felt like a high scoring game, but we're seeing
some under money here in the market this morning.

Speaker 3 (01:03:07):
Wisconsin's legit.

Speaker 7 (01:03:08):
I think Wisconsin might be the best team in the
Big Ten, although Michigan State put on a show last
night in ann Arbor. I think Wisconsin is another one
of those teams we need to take very seriously tough
to lay a big number against Dan Altman. It's gonna
be his zone defense today. We're gonna see I Wisconsin
get shoot over it. But looks like based on the
total coming down a little bit a little under money
in the market this morning for this one.

Speaker 8 (01:03:26):
Shamus, this there's probably only two or three teams tops.
I've been playing better basketball than Wisconsin since the new year.
They look really really good and it's a bit of
a different Wisconsin team this year compared to Bo Ryan
and Greg guard team. The offense is unreal. They hit
the free throws, they hit threes, They can score a

(01:03:47):
lot of points. So the sharp's definitely on the Badgers
today with the line opening eight and a half and
up to nine and a half, and it is kind
of strange thing Wisconsin basketball total being that high, so
I could see some you know, from coming down. Also
early tip for Oregon, nude tip.

Speaker 6 (01:04:03):
We got Duke Illinois Madison Square Garden. Duke's been rolling lately,
fifteen to one in the a SEC. They step outside
of conference play to face the Alni in a one off.
What do you think about this one? I last I
looked line. I they're dog nine and a half. I
kind of like that side. Where are you at?

Speaker 8 (01:04:24):
Yeah, we're at nine and a half right now, and
we're going to need Illinois point to link.

Speaker 10 (01:04:28):
This is Duke's playing an MSc. This is the home
game for Duke every year they come here, so we're
going to need Duke.

Speaker 8 (01:04:36):
I think we're definitely gonna need the under. You know,
you got two lottery picks coming in, one of them
being Cooper flagged. So I think a lot of people
can betting some.

Speaker 10 (01:04:44):
Player props on their overs. It definitely just points out
of this game. So I think we're gonna to annoying
the under in this game.

Speaker 3 (01:04:50):
Okay, what are you going to need, Seamus, It's time
for the shamous special? Huh? What's top of the list
for you?

Speaker 8 (01:04:57):
Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a massive soft.
So we're going to look to the twelve thirty EPL game.
We're taking aston Villa on the money line against Chelsea
at home. Ashtonville is a team they do not lose
at Villa Park very often, and Chelsea is in a
bit of a funk right now. Aston Villa just grew
Liverpool too to at home the other day, so hopefully

(01:05:17):
we get you know, hopefully they're not tired enough from
that game in midweek. But Chelsea is a team willing
to fade going on the road today.

Speaker 3 (01:05:26):
All right, love it, man, A little bit of you
know football over here on a college Saturday. I love that,
sham as you go wherever you want, all right, man.
Iways good hanging with you, Bud, have a good Saturday.
We'll catch you soon.

Speaker 6 (01:05:38):
Thanks.

Speaker 5 (01:05:38):
Jus there.

Speaker 3 (01:05:39):
He is Seamus McGee, our guy, team lead of sports
Trading at bet MGM.

Speaker 4 (01:05:44):
Hey.

Speaker 3 (01:05:44):
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Speaker 5 (01:06:00):
Yep?

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Well, with bet MGM second Chance, you'll get your steak
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bought some coffee last night for the Mayo bet payoff.
Here I fizzled down the stretch. Jared just absolutely was
a bolt of lightning and caught me by half a game,

(01:06:23):
which is even more sickening than this Mayo and the
coffee is gonna be. But here's the thing, So it's
just it's not like the squeezable Mayo. I feel like
the squeezable Mayo is the better way to go. I
bought like one of those kind of like a cold frappucino,
kind of like you shake it up and all that
type of so I was just gonna like squeeze the

(01:06:46):
mayo into that kind of shake it up and go
from there. But it's it's like a scoopable mayo. And
I'm like how and the like the spoon and like
to get it in the coffee, and I think we
got to wait until there's squeezable it said that fair, fair,
like squeezable mayo.

Speaker 7 (01:07:06):
I'll give you a chance to get off the hook
if you just take one bite of it off a spoon.

Speaker 3 (01:07:10):
No, no, I I want to do the coffee I got.

Speaker 5 (01:07:13):
It's all so bad. It's all so bad. I promise
you it's not as bad as you think.

Speaker 6 (01:07:19):
But I still have a nightmare of that first sip
because I did the squeezable mayo. And I'm gonna have
to do this with you again because I didn't do
it last year after.

Speaker 3 (01:07:29):
Got a pony up.

Speaker 5 (01:07:30):
We both have to p so I will say this.

Speaker 6 (01:07:33):
The worst part about it is as it's hitting the liquid,
it stays in its form, right, so it looks like
Ramen Newt.

Speaker 3 (01:07:40):
Does you showed us that last time?

Speaker 5 (01:07:42):
My goodness, Yeah, it's awful.

Speaker 7 (01:07:44):
Yeah, there's a great way to avoid this Guy's just
win bets that's true.

Speaker 5 (01:07:47):
That's true. It's true, really not bullying.

Speaker 3 (01:07:50):
I cannot believe you got out. It had no you
know you had. I'm bullet proof, baby.

Speaker 7 (01:07:57):
Wait what if Phil help saying the World Series A poker,
I dodge bullets, baby.

Speaker 3 (01:08:02):
Yeah, and it's so him to say that, no doubt. Really, Hey,
how about Lakers at the Nuggets tonight? I think it's
a really good NBA matchup. Nuggets favored by six and
a half. Total is two forty three and a half,
so we're scoring some points tonight. Luca admitted some rust.
You know, it's gonna take a little bit of time
at the calf injury. So you know, I'm kind of

(01:08:23):
interested in Luca's rebounds. He's still rebounding the ball. He's
at six and a half. Look at the front court
of the Lakers. It's like, oh my gosh, it's pretty
rough right now. Maybe that's the question, do you like
Luca Lebron they're both at six and a half. To
get over that if you're looking at the rebounding market,

(01:08:44):
or you just go straight joker and say he's gonna
eat and eat and eat when it comes to cleaning
up the glass. I just I think that side of
it is pretty interesting whether you start looking at a
Laker or a nugget in terms of the glass.

Speaker 6 (01:08:57):
Yeah, I would I would lean. I would lean joker
because like, if there is rust, you know what that
means misshots and that gives opportunities on the defensive side
to grab some rebounds. Also, you know, it's funny as
inconsistent as it looks right now still in my mind,
like Lebron, who's ever been the chameleon working with new players,

(01:09:20):
different teams, different cities.

Speaker 5 (01:09:22):
You just know what this season's gonna look like. In
the end, He's gonna find a way.

Speaker 6 (01:09:26):
And him and Luca are gonna look He'll look rejuvenated
and Luca will too, because he is rolling off the
injury down the stretch of this season. And it's going
to infuriate most NBA fans because they're gonna go back
to what happened you know, here and now in the
winter and say, like, how did the NBA let them
get away with this? You know, it just seems so

(01:09:49):
crazy that we're still in the aftershock of this trade
and the headlines going away as we get used to
the new normal.

Speaker 7 (01:09:58):
Yeah, I I struggle with laying laying points in the
NBA these days, like if it. But I do think
that eventually we're going to see this Lakers team figure
it out, and that's the scary part. But I would lean,
I would lean Nuggets tonight, and I when Luca and
Lebron finally get in sync, if it does happen, And

(01:10:19):
I don't know if it's gonna happen or not, but
if it does happen, then yeah, this is going to
be a problem in April and may for a lot
of other teams.

Speaker 3 (01:10:27):
But it might not. Like this could be a thing
where they.

Speaker 7 (01:10:30):
Don't figure it out and eventually Luca takes over as
the you know, the mantle of the Lakers franchise and
down the road the Lakers become this great thing like
post Lebron.

Speaker 3 (01:10:40):
I don't know.

Speaker 7 (01:10:41):
I have not liked what I've seen so far with
the cohesion between those two guys, and I know they've
missed a little bit of time too and the All
Star break kind of in the middle there. But I
would say Denver or passed for me tonight.

Speaker 3 (01:10:53):
Yeah, Nuggets have won seven straight games by double digits. Yeah,
their offense been really really good lately and yeah, I
think Luca and Lebron will definitely get in rhythm and
figure it out. But it's all about to what extent,
you know, not to an extent that they're winning a
championship or even coming out of the West. I don't
see that at all, where it's like, look, man, it's

(01:11:14):
not the same as football, but the front court matters.
The Lakers are like a football team that has really
good skill position players and like they're not good in
the trenches. Yeah, how far do you think that team's
gonna go. They're not gonna go far. And even though
the NBA has changed and morphed and bigs are shooting
from outside right, like it's not the same as it

(01:11:36):
once was. But rebounding, hitting the glass, rim protection, that
all still matters, and the Lakers just don't have enough
of it.

Speaker 5 (01:11:43):
Man.

Speaker 3 (01:11:43):
They just picked up Alex lenn what's that gonna do? Nothing? Nothing? So, yeah,
they're a football team where we're like, hey, we're not
that good on offensive line, but man, our wide receivers.
It's like, Okay, when you go up against the good
defensive line, you are going to get chewed up. You're
gonna get eaten alive. That's what's gonna happen with them.

Speaker 5 (01:12:03):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (01:12:04):
Yeah, hustle effort basketball is difficult to contend with. It's
i mean, harkening back to the same conversation we're having
in college hoops.

Speaker 5 (01:12:14):
You could be a high flying.

Speaker 6 (01:12:16):
Three point scoring, perimeter savvy or transition team and run
the scoreboard up all throughout the regular season. But when
it gets down to the nitty gritty and every shot counts,
whether it's in the college postseason or the NBA, man,
it's tougher to see those through. It's it's tougher to
see a lot more of those those those uh, those

(01:12:37):
baskets fall for you. So you know, a higher energy
defensive team typically typically has the edge in the postseason.

Speaker 3 (01:12:46):
Well, see you mean like the Thunder, who have like
a historic defense this year.

Speaker 5 (01:12:50):
Yeah, that's great example.

Speaker 7 (01:12:52):
That's who I'm picking to make the Western Conference Finals,
the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Speaker 3 (01:12:56):
Yeah they might. They might be your champs right there.

Speaker 7 (01:12:59):
They I think them against Boston would be a really
good series. Now we want to see porzingis obviously healthy,
but you want to talk about depth and defense, I
mean that that would be it might be an ugly
NBA Finals if it's Boston. Okay, see, but you'd have
the MVP SGA who was locked to win the MVP
barring some kind of weird fluke injury like we just
saw with Wemby and the defending Jams. I mean, what

(01:13:23):
else could you possibly ask for? Ye sounds like a
fun series to me.

Speaker 3 (01:13:26):
And you want to talk about how the NBA has
changed over the years. It used to be you know,
Patrick Ewing, you know, Thick to Ken but Tumbo, you
know those guys. And now the matchup, if that's what
it is, it'd be Chet Holmgren and Porzingis you know
what I mean, Like a stiff wind would blow them
over and they could just fill it up from from distance,

(01:13:46):
you know what I mean. Like it's it's it's a
different day, man, it just is. Hey, be sure to
check out the Fox Sports Radio YouTube channel. Just search
Fox Sports Radio on YouTube and you'll see a whole
bunch of video highlights from our shows. And be sure
to subscribe so you're always have instant access to our
Fox Sports Radio videos on YouTube. I've got Rich Hornberger,

(01:14:09):
Penn State, all Americans still blow torching pork shoulder over there.
You know, we got Jared Smith FSR betting analyst. I
might see Jared today and I'm on guard because jackpot
jackpot might. I'll have jackpot in chains.

Speaker 7 (01:14:22):
Don't worry, he'll He'll be lockdown, lockdown, defensively, just like
SGA and that thunder defense.

Speaker 3 (01:14:27):
Social distancing, at least six feet, a mask on and everything.
I'm Brian Nough Coming up next. Prop it up the
prop betting market. A lot of ways to look at
this one. We'll compare notes.

Speaker 5 (01:14:39):
Coming up.

Speaker 3 (01:14:39):
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a that's a great promotion right there. Take advantage of it.
All right, let's dive into this.

Speaker 2 (01:15:39):
Prop it up player plays Okay, prop bets colore so
many opportunities, Jared.

Speaker 3 (01:15:46):
Let's start with you, your opportunity that we're choosing for starters here.

Speaker 5 (01:15:50):
What do you have today?

Speaker 3 (01:15:51):
No, I appreciate that, very excited about this. Last time.

Speaker 7 (01:15:53):
Last week we gave you that assist prop on Braydon
Smith almost shit in the first half, So let's well
try to duplicate that here in this one. And I
don't think we're gonna get there in the first half.
But I do think the way Taylor points props today
in this A and M Tennessee game just a little
bit undervalued. So he's at thirteen and a half right now,
he's averaging fifteen for points per game on the year.
And again, my vine for this game is it looks

(01:16:14):
like a rock fight on paper, but I think the
turnball is a and M to allow Waye Taylor to
operate with the basketball and to be a little bit
more forceful on the offensive side.

Speaker 3 (01:16:23):
We think it's going to be a slow pace game.

Speaker 7 (01:16:25):
But I've already seen just the hair of movement towards
the over in this Tennessee, Texas A and M game,
because I do think the sharp move is a little
bit more offensive minded.

Speaker 5 (01:16:34):
So way Taylor.

Speaker 7 (01:16:35):
Again, Tennessee's defense is great, but I think Waye Taylor,
we only need to score fourteen points.

Speaker 3 (01:16:39):
That's a point less than his averaged on the ear.

Speaker 7 (01:16:41):
So just get to your average way and we will
get over this prop way Taylor over thirteen and a
half points in the Tennessee A and M game starts
at noon, so you got about an hour.

Speaker 3 (01:16:50):
To get this one in, all right.

Speaker 6 (01:16:51):
I got one that the NBA Paul George his seventy
six ers taken on the Brooklyn nets.

Speaker 5 (01:16:58):
You know, you look at you look.

Speaker 6 (01:16:59):
At Paul Georgia has not been perfect in Philadelphia. And
also he's got that finger injury he's been dealing since
with Since January, he's been playing in a splin He's
admitted to getting injections to keep this thing Okay, he dropped.
He dropped not a season high, but a seventeen on
Boston two days ago in a losing effort.

Speaker 5 (01:17:22):
I I like the over on the fourteen and a
half points against the net softer defense.

Speaker 6 (01:17:29):
Paul George may have figured out his stroke playing with
the splint, so I got PG with more than fourteen
and a half points.

Speaker 3 (01:17:38):
Okay, all right, well we'll make it an oversleep right here.
I'm gonna take Great Ossibor, what a name? Huh, great name? Great, Yeah,
great Osibor, but over eight and a half rebounds. So
he's he's the big dude for Washington. And if you're like,
well they have a cup now, No, No, he's the big dude. Okay.

(01:17:59):
If you watched watching that, he stands out.

Speaker 10 (01:18:00):
Man.

Speaker 3 (01:18:01):
Dude is thick. And you look at Iowa, they've been
taking advantage of because their starting center, Owen Freeman, he's
out for the rest of the season. And so some
of these good rebounding teams, man, they eat against Iowa,
and I expect great Austin Border to eat today. Give
me over eight and a half against the Hawkeys. I
think that's a solid play. I do like yours, Jared

(01:18:23):
and I love the confidence when you say you got
an hour before this game tips off, you gotta add quickly.
Now I know your confidence level is high.

Speaker 5 (01:18:31):
I like that.

Speaker 3 (01:18:32):
I think this is I honestly think this is the
vibe of the NCAA tournament.

Speaker 7 (01:18:38):
You have to be willing to zig when everything else
is Zags like and not the Zags can zagging because
I don't think they're going to be a you know,
a Final four team this year. But every everything says
this A and M Tennessee game is going to be
a rock fight.

Speaker 3 (01:18:51):
But why is the total moving up?

Speaker 5 (01:18:53):
Right?

Speaker 3 (01:18:53):
I think I think this is going to be a
sneaky good offense. Again. I bet the first half over
in this game too, sixty and a half. I think
it's such low total.

Speaker 7 (01:19:02):
Yes, two good defensive teams, here's another quick one. I
like Stephen Krowe over two and a half assists. Oregon
zone defense is going to crash today on the Bigs,
and I think Wisconsin's going to be kicking it out
making a lot of three hees two and a half
assister Stephen Krowe, He's top five hundred in the nation
in assist rake this year.

Speaker 3 (01:19:19):
He's a seven footer. He can pass the basketball. That's
why it's a little number.

Speaker 7 (01:19:22):
Stephen Crowe over two and a half is says bonus
prop time for you.

Speaker 3 (01:19:26):
Wow, Okay, I've got a zig zag proposition for you.
Well you might hate this, but if you're looking at
going against the grain, just just hear me. Let's throw
it out there. If you don't like it, just throw
it right back.

Speaker 5 (01:19:41):
You know.

Speaker 3 (01:19:42):
John Tanjay has been fantastic lately. He's a Wisconsin Badgers.
He's gone for thirty plus and back to back games
against good teams against Perdue, against Illinois. It's at nineteen
and a half his points prop today. It just seems like,
oh twenty, he's gotten thirty the last couple of games.

Speaker 5 (01:19:59):
What about there for time, jack.

Speaker 1 (01:20:01):
Uh huh.

Speaker 7 (01:20:02):
Well, the totals drifting under a little bit, like it
was one fifty five this morning. Now we're down to
one fifty three and a half. But the Oregon's taking
someone or me, Wisconsin's taking some money. So we think
Wisconsin's gonna score eighty today, maybe seventy five. That's a
tight one. No, let's tight, that's tightening.

Speaker 3 (01:20:21):
Considerate, Hey, coming up next, could history from eleven years
ago repeat itself two months from now. Oh man, we
have a we have a discussion right here that's going
to bring a just colossal smile to the face of
Rich Hornberger. I feel like, right, retired offensive guard in
the NFL, interior lineman, Right, how about shout out to

(01:20:44):
Zach Martin. Yeah, who is retiring now is stud offensive
guard for eleven years with the Dallas Cowboys. He's a
nine time Pro Bowler. He's a first team All Pro
seven times. And the stat that you've probably heard mentioned
is that Zach Martin had only seven accepted holding penalties

(01:21:06):
in his career, and that's the same number as first
team All Pro selections. Yeah, that's insane. Yeah, hey, shout
out Irish right.

Speaker 5 (01:21:17):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, that's true. Notre dame.

Speaker 3 (01:21:21):
We'll expand it to something I think is pretty interesting
in the upcoming draft. But just starting with this, Rich,
you could speak to it better than anybody on the show, obviously,
but what it takes to play at that high of
a level, and just how impressive it he is. Because listen,
we spent a lot of time talking about quarterbacks and
wide receivers in the flashy positions and all of that,
but the trenches to do what he did. Only seven

(01:21:44):
accepted holding penalties in an eleven year career is insanity.
But that's what happened. What what do you think about
his career, his body of work, and what made him
so great?

Speaker 6 (01:21:57):
Well, first and foremost, he's strong enough, big enough, good
enough of an athlete, mean enough, durable enough to earn
all those career accolades, but also quickly earned the respect
of the league. It's so hard to get noticed as
a talented or a superior offensive lineman. So where it

(01:22:20):
starts is your peers, and by that I mean your opponents,
the guys who play against you on the defensive line.
And then slowly, you know, coaches start to see you
on film and they go, hey, yeah, you know, if
we're going to put pressure on the quarterback, we got
to get away from that guy, you know.

Speaker 5 (01:22:38):
And and so that.

Speaker 6 (01:22:39):
Respect it gets talked about throughout league circles, like when
you when you play against a certain team with a
certain guy on the offensive line, whether it be you know,
a Logan Mankins back in the day with the New
England Patriots, or it'll be like, you know, a Nick
Hardwick with the then San Diego chargers. You know, you
have you have these samples of guys who have locked

(01:23:01):
down a position for a long time with a high
level of success, and and they are they become the
glue and the and a foundational block to the rest
of the offense.

Speaker 5 (01:23:13):
It's uh, it's hard, man.

Speaker 6 (01:23:15):
The NFL, especially in the trenches, is a fistfight on
every single snap. And if you don't have what it takes,
if you're not perfectly technically sound, uh, if you're not
the type of guy who can withstand a tremendous amount
of abuse, you're not gonna last very long in the
league and you're certainly not gonna have success. And he

(01:23:37):
had all those intangible qualities. So a career well played,
and it really it opens the door to have the
conversation about teams that are built right typically have a
guy like that or a couple of guys like that
on their offensive line. And you know, look no further
than your Super Bowl champions this this year with Lane
Johnson and that that that group up front with Jurgens

(01:24:01):
and some of the things they had to do, even
shuffling the deck on the offensive line during the postseason,
the Eagles offensive line was a big reason why Saquon
had so much success this regular season and why the
Eagles had so much success in the postseason.

Speaker 7 (01:24:15):
Yeah, and you summed it up perfectly with Martin. I
won't overstate that. But now the contract situation for Dallas
is intriguing because he just re signed and restructured his deal,
and so they're gonna kind of spread out the money
over the next few years because they're gonna again I'm
not a capologist, but based on what I read, they're
going to designate him a post June first the retirement,

(01:24:37):
you know, person, and that allows them to spread out
this money because they do home like a pretty decent
amount of money, like it's a twenty five million dollar
dead cap hit next year, right like it's it's a
big and you.

Speaker 3 (01:24:49):
Know, Dallas is in an interesting spot right now.

Speaker 7 (01:24:52):
I think this is obviously we tip of the cap
to a future Hall of Famer and Zach Barton, nobody,
nobody's done it better in this recent stretch and Rich
alluded to that perfectly. But now Dallas moves forward, and
this is a guy that was a staple on their
offensive line, on an offensive line that over the last
decade was great and now they lost battish to Washington.

(01:25:14):
Now Martin's gone, like, it's a totally different offensive line,
and how they This is a Dallas team that used
to be run the ball, run the ball, play defense,
run the ball. And now what's the identity of the
Dallas Cowboys going forward? It has changed dramatically over the
last couple of years. They've spread it out a lot
more with Dak and Ceedee Lamb and all those weapons

(01:25:35):
that they have.

Speaker 3 (01:25:35):
But this is a Cowboys team that used.

Speaker 7 (01:25:37):
To be very much an identity, and now I think
as Zach Martin retires and rides off into the sunset,
the identity of the Dallas Cowboys is also riding off
into the sunset. And they need to really reshape what
they are as a franchise because it wasn't pretty last
year and they're not going to be any tougher this
year without one of the toughest players in the.

Speaker 3 (01:25:57):
NFL over the last decade. Yeah, that's a great point.
And think how many years the staples of that O line.
It was Zach Martin, it was Tyrone Smith yep, and
both guys are gone now that Zach Martin is retiring.
But it's a great point. I can't help but think
of Philly because Dak's statement were essentially saying, we're kind
of on equal footing, right Like, look at the o

(01:26:19):
lines with those two teams, look at the running games
with those two teams, and it makes me wonder, you know,
what would what would Jalen Hurts be like without Saquon
Barkley and that running attack, that offensive line. It's a
legitimate question. It's not taking credit away from him. He
was just spectacular in the super Bowl, but he was

(01:26:39):
not all world throughout the season, you know what I mean,
Like your your supporting cast matter is quite a bit.
And if Jalen Hurts had what Dak has to work with,
I think it would reflect in the numbers. And that's
the other part of this is, Yeah, Dak said his
best when he had a stud offensive line, had Ezekiel
Elliott in his prime, And now the bulk of the

(01:27:02):
offense is on his shoulders, and that's not great to
have a leaky offensive line, a less than extraordinary offensive line,
not a great running game. And it's just like, Okay,
more on my shoulders, more on my shoulders. And that's
where it is with Dak. Let me throw something else
at you because it gets me thinking. So you go
back to the twenty fourteen draft. Zach Martin was taken

(01:27:25):
by the Cowboys sixteenth overall. And remember Jerry Jones, he
wanted Johnny Manziel. Yes, he wanted Johnny Football, and he
regretted not taking Johnny Football for a little while. And
then the Johnny Football's career turned out to be what
it was, and all that regret just went away. You
have a Hall of Famer in Zach Martin and a

(01:27:48):
fizzle out in Johnny Manziel. And so if you play
this forward and look at this upcoming draft, who's the
team that says, hey, we need a quarterback, but we're
gonna take this non quarterback instead. Right, They pass on
cam Ward, they pass on shduor Sanders, and they take

(01:28:08):
a non quarterback who turns out to be a stud,
maybe a Hall of famer. Which teams do that and
which teams say we got to have a quarterback. I mean,
they're intriguing prospects. Hopefully it works out fingers crossed, you know,
and they might bypass a Hall of Fame talent. I
think that's really interesting and history could repeat itself a

(01:28:30):
couple of months from now.

Speaker 6 (01:28:31):
Oh, it absolutely could, especially in a weaker quarterback draft,
where pass rusher obviously is a position where if you
have an elite one, it makes your team so much better.
Wide receivers, corners, certainly, offensive lineman like we were talking about.
And if you steer further and further away from skilled

(01:28:53):
position high drafted skill position players, and you start looking
at teams who have spent a little bit draft capital
building up the offensive line or defensive line. Frankly, over
the years, a lot of them have had longer standing
success than others. It doesn't always work out that way,
and there are busts on the offensive line, but it

(01:29:14):
is a much easier position to effectively. I guess, I
guess a praise what talents will look like at the
NFL level as opposed to the quarterback position, which is
so haphazard. You know, you go back and you look
at first round quarterbacks taken. Typically it's a hit rate

(01:29:34):
only just under thirty eight percent. Like where you're even
drafting a franchise talent.

Speaker 5 (01:29:42):
In the first round.

Speaker 6 (01:29:43):
We're not even talking about a guy who necessarily, you know,
habitually makes it to the playoffs. We're just talking about
a guy who you know, you're certain you could build
a team around, and if you surround him with enough talent,
you may be able to break into the playoff conversation
on an annual basis. So I think there are going
to be a lot of teams Brian, who are picking
high in this draft, who are going to be looking

(01:30:04):
at their options and saying, do we really need a
gamble right now in the quarterback or do we need
a fortify elsewhere?

Speaker 3 (01:30:11):
I cannot wait to break down this quarterback class. I
think this is and it's not as good.

Speaker 7 (01:30:16):
Of a quarterback class as we've seen in years pass
Like last year we had six quarterbacks taken in the
first thirteen picks, Like that's crazy, twelve crazy for twelve
twelve picks, Thank you, thank you crazy. Not even come
close to that this year. But the reason that I
like this quarterback class from an analyst standpoint is because
both guys are very different and we get to see

(01:30:39):
which team favors which style. For example, cam Ward high
ceiling can make the flashy play the Mahomes kind of throws,
but the floor is low, not very accurate, Whereas Shador
Sanders is an elite placer of the football, like you
want to talk about my favorite dessert at the Italian restaurant,

(01:31:01):
the seven layer cake. Shador Sanders has the ability to
layer the football in multiple windows. The highest completion percentage
in college football last year. The opposite of cam Ward
not very mobile, is going to be a statue in
the pocket, but will deliver the football an elite placer.

Speaker 3 (01:31:18):
So which vibe does Tennessee want more?

Speaker 7 (01:31:21):
I would say for the last few years they've been
more in the cam Ward camp with Will Levis, who
can make that high upside play.

Speaker 3 (01:31:28):
But then the downside is really there.

Speaker 7 (01:31:31):
That's why I think Shador might be a sneaky number
one pick option. I didn't get him at like seven
to one right now to be the first drafted player
and obviously the quarterback taken at the top, but the
rest of the draft is intriguing, like where Travis Hunter
shakes out, and obviously the top twelve like Genty is
the guy right now mock to go to Dallas at
twelve by a lot of popular mock drafts. I would

(01:31:54):
much rather prefer an offensive lineman instead of Ashon Genty.
Like to me, if you're drafting Ashton Genty. That means
you already have guy like Zach Martin blocking for him,
you know, and the offensive line has already like the
ash and Genty. You would drop him onto the Eagles
next year if they didn't have Saquon and he would
be great. I don't know if you can say the
same thing about the Cowboys, but it looks like Genty's
gonna be a top fifteen pick.

Speaker 3 (01:32:12):
He's gonna be the first running back taken.

Speaker 7 (01:32:14):
So that's gonna be an interesting selection if that's a
good offensive lineman in the draft too. The kid from
LSU is an absolute rock star Campbell and then Banks
out of Texas, like one of those two guys probably
gonna go in the top five.

Speaker 3 (01:32:25):
Is gonna be a you.

Speaker 7 (01:32:26):
Know, a left tackle of the future kind of candidate.
And again, where does Travis Hunter go? What position does
he play?

Speaker 6 (01:32:32):
Like?

Speaker 7 (01:32:32):
I think you've got some really interesting questions at the
top of this draft, not only at quarterback, but also
on defense and upfront with the offensive lineman.

Speaker 3 (01:32:40):
Yeah, no doubt about that. And I wonder which teams
when the draft throws around, where Hey, Jaden Daniels as
special as he was with Washington, as big of an
impact as he had turning that franchise around. They go
from four and thirteen to the NFC title game. You know,
I wonder what teams at the top of the draft
that need quarterbacks have that in the back of their

(01:33:02):
minds of like, man, if we hit the way Washington did, yep,
you know, and will that cause them to reach maybe
a little bit more for cam ward or should do
her Sanders. I'm not saying they can't play. I'm just
saying they're not the prospects that a lot of those
guys in last year's draft were. So I wonder you

(01:33:22):
might have a team that says, all right, we're gonna
we're gonna evaluate these prospects cam Warden should do her
Sanders honestly, but you might have the hope factor kick in.
You might have the you know, man, if we hit
on this, this could be big, This could be big,
and they might they might bump them up a little
bit in their minds. So that could cause you to

(01:33:43):
reach a little bit more when we saw someone as
electric as Jaden Daniels was last season. Because it's a
copycat league, you're always trying to copy the next great thing,
and so we'll see if any teams reach a little
bit more than they would have. We've got rich O Hoornberger,
Penn State All American, Jared Smith FSR betting analyst. I'm
Brian No. Use Code Countdown at betmgm and receive up

(01:34:05):
to fifteen hundred dollars back in bonus bets if you
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you don't win your first bet, all right, coming up next.

(01:34:27):
If you like football on hardwood, this is the basketball
game for you. We'll have details. It is Fox Sports
Radio's Countdown presented by BETMGM. It is Fox Sports Radios
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(01:34:47):
highlights from our shows. And be sure to subscribe so
you'll always have instant access to our Fox Sports Radio videos.
On YouTube. Okay, guys, so we love football. If any
body listening, if you love football, this is the basketball
game for you. Okay, right up your alley. Yeah, Iowa
State and Houston, because this is a bit of football

(01:35:09):
on hardwood here. And the sad thing for Iowa State
they're without their top two scorers. No Curtis Jones, no
Keishawn Gilbert. Jones is out with an illness, Gilbert has
a muscle strain. And it's they're going up against Houston.
I could just picture a conversation where it's like, hey,
we're down our top two scorers. Oh, that's not good.

(01:35:30):
Who we have next? Houston? Not good? Not good at all.
And points are gonna be hard to come by for
Iowa State today. They're up against it and they're a
huge underdog, maybe too big of an underdog. We're talking
twelve and a half for Iowa State at Houston. But again,
how are you scoring? Your top two scorers are out

(01:35:51):
and you're on the road against Houston. That is a
horrible spot for Iowa State here.

Speaker 5 (01:35:57):
Yeah, it really is.

Speaker 6 (01:35:59):
They were on the show and have recently got off
of it, but they're running into a buzz saw here
and like you said, when you are deficit two of
your best scorers going against a defense as active as Houston's,
and then also a team that gets second chance opportunities
on the offensive glass, and he's really good on the

(01:36:19):
defensive boards.

Speaker 5 (01:36:21):
Good luck.

Speaker 6 (01:36:21):
You know, the Cougars favored by double digits here, I
kind of feel like I'd still lean Houston on the spread.

Speaker 7 (01:36:31):
Yeah, totals dropped it ton, no surprise there. I'm seeing
one twenty nine and a half. Yikes, saw one thirty
two and a half earlier today.

Speaker 3 (01:36:40):
I think one.

Speaker 7 (01:36:41):
Thirty one is kind of where I would draw the
line in the sand if you can find it for
an under, maybe a first half under.

Speaker 3 (01:36:47):
I saw sixty one floating out there. That's not bad.

Speaker 7 (01:36:50):
Keep in mind, this is not only a terrible spot
for Iowa, was stated as my two co hosts very
eloquently put. This is a massive revenge game. Do you
remember the Big twelve tournament championship last year where Iowa
State absolutely obliterated Houston, and Houston was one of the
best teams in the country. They won that game by
twenty eight sixty nine to forty one. They held Houston

(01:37:12):
to forty one points last year in the and I know,
the Big twelve Tournament championship when both of those teams
had NCAA aspirations, Like, it's not the NCUBLEA Final, it's
a Big twelve final. But still when you lose a
game like that on a big stage, in a national audience,
spotlight game, it was a standalone game a championship Saturday,

(01:37:32):
and then you come back the next year and you
have to play that team when you're shorthanded. I mean,
you name your price today for Houston, Like, if they
can drop a fifty and win this game by fifty,
I think they will. Now I don't think they're going to,
but they're capable of it if they do play their
best game and Iowa State falls off the map. So
you know the handicapper. This game is very simple. Both

(01:37:53):
teams love to defend. Both teams are very gritty. Houston's
actually a better offensive team this year than they were
last year, which is scary for the NCAA tournament.

Speaker 3 (01:38:01):
And they're coming off a really nice streak.

Speaker 7 (01:38:02):
Went to Arizona beat Arizona, followed it up with a
nice win at Arizona State, and they've had a few
days off since then, so I expect Houston to come
out nails today, but it's a big number and the
totals drop, so value wise, I don't think you're making
a great bet on Houston in the under, even though
that would be the obvious handicap for this game.

Speaker 3 (01:38:21):
It's kind of interesting to me where you look at
these two games. I'll give you two different games. They
both have the same first half total. Okay, so Iowa
State in Houston sixty and a half Tennessee and Texas
A and M sixty and a half. And that stands
out to me because listen, these teams play great defense.

(01:38:43):
Iowa State is down their top two scorers, right, and
it's sixty and a half Tennessee and Texas A and M.
You laid it out, Jared, you think Texas A and
M might open it up a little bit more, at
least they're capable of doing that with Wade Taylor. But
it's still sixty and a half. Like, how does that
make sense to you? Like, imagine if A and M
or Tennessee they were down their top two scorers, that

(01:39:06):
would have an impact on the first half total, the
total for the game. And this Iowa State Houston game,
it has come down, But it just stands out to me,
where sixty and a half for Iowa Houston, same first
half total for Tennessee, Texas A and M. The difference
being Iowa State is without their top two scorers on
the road against freaking Houston. So I don't know, it's

(01:39:27):
just interesting to me that it's the same first half
total for both games.

Speaker 6 (01:39:30):
Yeah, I agree with you, And if you need any
more ammunition for the under, Iowa State has scored nearly
forty percent of their points from the paint. Houston does
an unbelievable job guarding the paint, in fact, so much
so that they don't really bother guarding the three point line.
If you're gonna beat them from perimeter, they'll adjust and
you kind of that's.

Speaker 5 (01:39:51):
The only way to beat them, really.

Speaker 6 (01:39:53):
You kind of have to drain perimeter shots, draw them
out to the three point arc, to loosen things up
inside to get at the ball in there, because they're
just good rim protectors. And then on the offensive end,
you know, especially because they're shorthanded, but also because Houston
has the edge on the side of size, I think
that they're gonna turn their backs to the basketball hoop

(01:40:16):
they're going to try to back down cyclone defenders and
get easy buckets. It's gonna be a low scoring game.
I think that's all signs are pointing toward that notion.
I know it's a low total, but that's if you
think Houston's gonna win. It feels like the total is
going to stay low.

Speaker 5 (01:40:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (01:40:38):
I think the way you laid it out, Brian, with
the A and M Tennessee disparity with the number compared
to this Iowa State Houston game like that, that is
college basketball handicapping in the nutshell right there. It really is,
because I think the one thing that isn't taking into
account a lot in college hoops is the personnel because

(01:41:00):
the injury news comes late and it doesn't always get
baked in fully to the market. And that's why if
you can get in front of an injury situation, you
are in so much better shape in college basketball than
maybe a professional basketball or professional football because the injury
information is just so much more readily available. How about
this for a frisky bet, how about Iowa State team

(01:41:21):
total under twenty seven and a half in the first half.

Speaker 3 (01:41:25):
It's just so low, it's so lowly, but it's the
glow for a reason.

Speaker 5 (01:41:30):
Probably it is I know it, right, I.

Speaker 3 (01:41:32):
Think I'm gonna make that bet. I think I have
to take the under there, Yeah, under twenty seven and
a half team total. Iowa State first half. Look, man,
it sounds so gross because it is so gross, but
you have to think about what you have to do,
Iowa State. You have to figure out some type of rhythm,
some type of flow with your top two scorers out

(01:41:54):
against Houston on the road and they're ticked off because
they got waxed for the tournament this season prior. You know,
that's tough. It's really tough to find your sea legs
against the defense as good as Houston, who's going to
be completely fired up and giving max effort in the
first half, especially.

Speaker 6 (01:42:11):
Right, let me give you one more stat on you know,
just pushing everybody toward the under.

Speaker 5 (01:42:17):
Check this out, okay, Iowa State.

Speaker 6 (01:42:20):
They don't take very many three pointers, all right, They're
one hundred and seventeenth and three point percentage. They're one
hundred excuse me, two hundred and seventy third in offensive
three point rate. So again, without their top two shooters
against the team that guards the paint very well, They're

(01:42:40):
the type of team that really is allergic to scoring
from three.

Speaker 5 (01:42:44):
It's just I mean.

Speaker 6 (01:42:46):
Again, we could say this and then they can go
out there and run up you know, one hundred points.

Speaker 3 (01:42:52):
There might be one hundred points total scoring.

Speaker 6 (01:42:54):
Both crazier things have happened, I'm sure. But this, this, boy,
this is there's a there's a heavy lean in a direction,
and I think we've laid it out.

Speaker 7 (01:43:07):
I just bought it under twenty seven, so I don't
think I'm gonna it won't be one.

Speaker 3 (01:43:11):
Of my best players of the day.

Speaker 7 (01:43:12):
I do have some other good looks and rapid fire,
but under twenty. So Houston scored twenty three in the
first half in the Big twelve title game last year.

Speaker 3 (01:43:23):
That feels like the right number for Iowa State in
the first half. Twenty three.

Speaker 7 (01:43:27):
I think Iowa State scores twenty three points in the
first half today, Okay, And I just bet.

Speaker 3 (01:43:32):
The under twenty seven and a half first half. So
have fun with that sweat.

Speaker 7 (01:43:35):
And I don't know when the game starts a couple hours,
how fun with that one.

Speaker 3 (01:43:38):
It's crazy too, because man, what game was it? It
was a couple of weeks ago. I took the Johnnies
were at home, and I can't remember. They might have
been playing Marquette. I can't remember off the top of
my head, but I took Marquette similar situation Jared, where
it was the first half under and like they were
cruising toward it. They just needed maybe one more point

(01:44:00):
in the final couple of minutes, and I'm like, this
is dead and you'll be shocked how unders will get there.
And a lot of college basketball games these first half unders,
oh yeah, get right, And it depends, it depends on
the matchup. Certainly, it's not gonna be like like Alabama
only needed a point with like three and a half
minutes to go against Kentucky. Man, I can't believe it

(01:44:21):
got there with the under, Like that's not the game
for that, you know, But there are other games for that,
and it very well could be this Iowa State Houston game.

Speaker 6 (01:44:30):
And to your point, you watch those unders hit all
the time in college basketball because at the end of
the half you oftentimes see this and you see it
in football all the time where a team just is
sort of relenting, like, all right, we do need to
get to the tunnel and figure things out. So there's
a lot more dribbling, shot selection. You know, it's it.

(01:44:51):
You're milking the clock. You're just trying to get to
intermission so you can fix things, and so yeah, it's
a it's it's a gross out, Jared.

Speaker 5 (01:45:01):
You know, twenty sevenutes that.

Speaker 6 (01:45:03):
Is going to be a sweat, But honestly, who knows.
You may not be sweating it once tip off comes.

Speaker 7 (01:45:08):
It's rare that I bet a college basketball team total
that resembles an NFL score.

Speaker 5 (01:45:14):
Yeah, seven, not exact.

Speaker 7 (01:45:18):
Usually we're in the sixties or that, like, not exactly
a twenty seven and a half.

Speaker 3 (01:45:23):
No there.

Speaker 7 (01:45:24):
Honestly, I think we get so many college basketball numbers
that get thrown out us here.

Speaker 3 (01:45:29):
There's this is there's so.

Speaker 7 (01:45:32):
Many revenge situational angles that matter more Like in the
NFL college football, we're trying to get the three, we're
trying to get the seven, We're trying to get the
right number.

Speaker 3 (01:45:41):
I think in college basketball.

Speaker 7 (01:45:42):
I stress this now because a lot of average casual
fans are going to start to get really invested over the.

Speaker 3 (01:45:48):
Next few weeks.

Speaker 7 (01:45:49):
Situations and matchups matter more than getting the best number
and being the sharpest guy in the room. Like it
just sometimes these things scream at you in the face,
and you have to try to handicap the matchups and
were at the end of day, we're handicapping teenagers, and
like the volatility of this sport is insane. It's all
about the matchups, It's all about the situations.

Speaker 3 (01:46:08):
This is a terrible spot for.

Speaker 7 (01:46:10):
Iowa State today, like the grossest of gross spots. Not
only are out the two best players, but the revenge
angle for Houston is just so important to talk about.
And that's why it's gonna be a tough If you're
a cyclone fan listening to the show, you might want
to buckle up. It might be a tough day for you.
It looks like it's going to be.

Speaker 3 (01:46:28):
Hey, we wanted to carve out a little bit of
time for an epic rant PK Sue Man. He was
on first take and what he had to say about
comparing the NBA to the to the NHL. He made
some sensational points Man, and you might be an NBA
guy like me, but you can't argue with what he

(01:46:50):
was talking about, So we wanted to throw it your way.
Where of course, this is the backdrop is the NBA
All Star Weekend was not great, the All Star Game bad.
And then you have the NHL with this four Nations
face off, and these players and these teams are giving
max effort, just leaving it all out on the ice.

(01:47:10):
And so that was the backdrop of this rant, just
kind of comparing the two and how the NBA is
basically going through the motions a lot of times with
some of their marquee events. So here's PK. Su ban
on first take.

Speaker 9 (01:47:24):
You're really about sports, then you're about two things, your
teammates and the fans. And I'm sorry, it doesn't matter
how much money you're making. When you do not show
up to play, you're letting your teammates down.

Speaker 11 (01:47:37):
When you do not show up to play, you're.

Speaker 9 (01:47:39):
Letting the fans down that are paying you forty fifty
sixty million. I don't care if you're getting three hundred million, congratulations,
but these people in here are paying twenty five hundred
dollars a ticket five grand that are blue collared, hardworking people.

Speaker 11 (01:47:54):
If you don't get your head wrapped around.

Speaker 9 (01:47:56):
That, you shouldn't be in pro sports because how are
we going to grow want athletes to be educated on
this and understand this. They got to understand the importance
of showing up to the All Star Game and being
on the court and playing bang duck sometimes and playing
injured maybe at times, thank you, and participating because here's
the thing, because you're making one hundred two hundred three

(01:48:16):
hundred million, you should be out there banged up.

Speaker 11 (01:48:19):
You should be. That's why we pay you is to
max out.

Speaker 9 (01:48:23):
We talk about greatness and it being the longevity of
somebody's career. I don't care if you play fifty years.
I want your best ten. I want you on the
court dominating. I want you to go all out. I
want Michael Jordan, I want Kolbe. That's what I want
in every sport. That's the guy that I follow. You're
a different version than that. You don't get my respect.

Speaker 3 (01:48:44):
I love the rant, I absolutely love it. He makes
some great points, and to me, it's I think about
how NHL, how NHL guys must look at a lot
of NBA guys, it must drive them crazy think of NHL.
It is all out. It is leaving it on the
freaking ice right. We're not trying to load, manage and

(01:49:07):
extend careers. It's like it's tonight, baby, We're going all out.
And when you hear like load management and we're not
participating in this event or this All Star game. It's
got to drive him crazy, and it does. As an
NBA fan, I think about what the NBA could be
that All Star weekend. Think about it if they were
fully committed and giving effort, what it could be. They've

(01:49:30):
talked about a US versus the World All Star format.
If they really committed to it and they were giving
honest effort, that would be a cool event. I look
at the Dunk Contest. We got Mac McClung in a
bunch of known names. If you have stars competing and
trying to showcase the game, that's big. I would love
for them. This would be amazing if they did the

(01:49:50):
unrivaled league what they are doing the women. They have
one on one tournament. Can you imagine how big that
would be for the NBA If you had a legitimate
one on one tournament and stars are going out there
and giving legit effort. And I can just hear people
at being like, yeah, but that's not gonna happen. Yeah,
that's the point. If they did commit to it, it

(01:50:11):
would be huge one on one. When you think about it,
it's such a cool thing that's other sports just don't have, right, right,
you just don't have that in other sports that can
recreate that. It's such a part of basketball where it's
my best against your best, let's see what happens, and

(01:50:32):
it's a whole styles makes fights thing. It'd be a
lot of fun if they committed to it, but they're
not going to like as fans, there's a my dad
can beat up your dad type vibe to one on
one and so if you had legit buy in US
versus the World Dunk contest one on one, it would

(01:50:52):
be an amazing weekend. But they just rather not bother.
It's just it's so sad where it is and.

Speaker 5 (01:50:59):
What it could.

Speaker 6 (01:51:00):
I agree, I won hundred percent agree with everything you
just said. I want one hundred percent agree with everything
Peken PK.

Speaker 5 (01:51:07):
Suban said. I think that when you look at these two.

Speaker 6 (01:51:11):
Sports, I mean, for example, uh uh, whatever you want.

Speaker 5 (01:51:15):
To call it.

Speaker 6 (01:51:16):
An analyst note that still comes up during hockey broadcast
is a Gordy Howe hat trick, you know, which is
measured when you score a goal, assist on another, and
get into a fight in the same game.

Speaker 5 (01:51:27):
Like that's that you.

Speaker 6 (01:51:29):
Know you spend a couple of minutes in the penalty
box because your own fisticuffs with somebody like you're you're,
you're hearkening back to one of the greats in the
game and acknowledging that he wasn't just a participant in
I don't want to call it the fluff because scoring
goals and assists those are important statistics too, but also

(01:51:51):
he was mired in the fight. He was interested in
mucking it up. He wanted and and it's and it's
a badge that you know, if you score Gordy hal
Hat trick and hockey and modern day hockey, it's just
as important to these players now as it was then
in the NBA. I'm sure these players they hear, you know,
you know, and you know they'll they'll talk about it sometimes. Yeah,

(01:52:14):
the old heads always say that we don't, we don't
play the way they did, and it's almost like, you know,
they click their teeth out. I'm like, nah, yeah, that
we're beyond that. It's like no, no, no, you're you're not.
You're not because that was when the NBA was at
its most entertaining. Like that, that was the NBA that
the fans who currently support you the most. That's where

(01:52:35):
we got hooked. You're losing the young generation in this country.
You just are instead of watching the NBA, they're turning
to playing it on their video game screen because frankly,
it's the same sport. You know, the human interest has
been sucked out of it because you don't know if
your favorite player is gonna even be playing. I can't
tell you how many times, you know, I'm turning on

(01:52:57):
a Laker game and I'm talking to my kids to
have a nine year old and a six year old
about Lebron James or some of the other stars that
have passed through, and there are times.

Speaker 5 (01:53:06):
Where I'm like, oh, I guess he's not playing tonight.

Speaker 6 (01:53:09):
You know, like you're just like it's it's a constant
letdown and and that's how we're conditioned as human beings.
When you show up and somebody doesn't show up for you,
eventually you stop showing up for them too.

Speaker 5 (01:53:25):
And that's what it feels like in the NBA.

Speaker 7 (01:53:28):
I mean money, money is what is you know we
talk about in college football, money is mutated the sport.
It's the same thing in the NBA. So in the
nineteen eighty season, the average NBA salary was like one
hundred and seventy five thousand dollars a year, and I
know inflation and all that stuff, but now we're in
the the ten fifteen million dollar range for these act
for the average NBA player, not the stars. It's when

(01:53:51):
and the NHL doesn't make that much money, like they're not,
as you know, lucrative of a sport with their contracts.
So it's just it's like a totally different vibe. And
these guys entitlement. It's a lot of entitlement.

Speaker 3 (01:54:02):
You're right, you're right, And it's like, I'm like, PK,
how can you be making two hundred three hundred million
and not give max effort? How can that be the case?
NHL guys are scratching and clog and they're making a fraction. Yep,
you know, it's it's crazy. Hey, shortly after the show,
our podcast would be going up. If you missed anything
on today's show, be sure to check it out. Just

(01:54:23):
search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts, and
be sure to also follow, rate and review it again.
Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get your podcasts,
and you'll see the show posted right after we get
off the air. We've got Rich Orenberger three and oh
Rich last week in Rapid Fire starting off the non
basketball season in style. Fire Man, it's a good goode.

Speaker 5 (01:54:45):
I've been on a heater, boys really have been.

Speaker 3 (01:54:47):
Actually I'm expecting I can't. You can fully that's the
most predictable probably said all day. Got Jared Smith FSR,
betting analyst. I'm Brian No Coming up next Rapid Fire,
which have three selections a piece. We'll share them with you.

(01:55:07):
It's Fox Sports Radio's Countdown presented by bettmgm. It is
Fox Sports Radios Countdown presented by Bett MGM. Shortly after
the show, our podcast to be going up. Check it
out right there. Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you
get your podcasts. Be sure to follow, rate and review
it again. Just search Fox Sports Radio wherever you get

(01:55:28):
your podcasts. You'll see this show posted right after we
get off the year. Props to the crew, Bo Benson,
our trusted producer the Dodger Zone Podcast, our technical producer extraordinary,
Chris Purfett, Pride of Detroit podcast. Shout out to our
guy Sager on digital posting our clips does a great job.
Top of the hour up on Game LaVar Arrington, TJ. Hushman,

(01:55:50):
Zada Plaxico, Burist. They have got you covered. Keep it
locked right here on Fox Sports Radio. Have we got
some picks to make. Let's do it.

Speaker 1 (01:56:00):
Rapid fire?

Speaker 3 (01:56:02):
All right, Jared, what are your three best picks here
todayybody just put me down for whatever Rich bets because
obviously this guy's on fire right now. So I'm just
get a tetonomous kid. Let's go to the soakon.

Speaker 7 (01:56:13):
We'll go a first half under here, Greensboro Mercer under
sixty eight and a half in the first half. So
I think if you're going into March and you're looking
at tempo's, I think it's easier to slow a team
down than it is to speed them up. Greensboro plays
really slow. Mercer the fastest tempo and conference play, but
they're not very efficient on offense. Just because you take
quick shots doesn't mean they're good shots. And they also

(01:56:35):
don't get to the free throw line of ton. The
first game last month was a high scoring game between
these two teams. I think this one's gonna be lower scoring.
Under sixty eight and a half in the first half
between Greensboro and Mercer. All right, let's go to the
Grand Canyon Daily double. I love this Grand Canyon team.
They won a game in the tournament last year, gave
Bama a really tough game in the round of thirty two.
Today they're facing cal Baptist. I think they're gonna roll

(01:56:57):
cal Baptists. So first, we're gonna bet the team total
over seventy nine and a half. Again, this is also
a revenge game because Grand Canyon lost to cal Baptist
two weeks ago, and this cal Baptis team they give
up a ton of free throws. That's where Grand Canyon excels.
They get to the line a ton, top ten free
throw rate on the year. I think Grand Canyon gets
to eighty today against cal Baptists.

Speaker 3 (01:57:16):
And I told you it's a daily double.

Speaker 7 (01:57:18):
We're gonna lay the ten and a half with Grand
Canyon against cal Baptists. The Lopes are legit Tyan Grant
Foster is an NBA caliber player.

Speaker 3 (01:57:26):
You're gonna see him overwhelm the Lancers today.

Speaker 7 (01:57:28):
So Grand Canyon minus ten and a half, team total
over seventy nine and a half, Greensboro Mercer under sixty
eight and a half in the first half.

Speaker 6 (01:57:34):
All right, I'm gonna give you some broad strokes here
in terms of why I feel these games are gonna
go the way they are. Houston Iowa State. Houston Cougars
want revenge. They're hosting the Cyclones. Cyclones down two scores,
Houston plays great defense.

Speaker 5 (01:57:52):
Give me the Cougars. Favored by twelve in this one.

Speaker 6 (01:57:55):
San Diego State on the road against Utah State. They
need this win like blood. They have no margin for era.
They're dog six points. I'm I'm gonna take the points,
Give me the six. This is a team that's on
the brink. They're a bubble team. They're going to fight
their asses off in this game. Moving on to Duke

(01:58:16):
hosting Illinois in Madison Square Garden. I think Duke rolls here.
They're on a roll in conference. Favored nine and a half.
I'll take the Duke.

Speaker 3 (01:58:25):
Yes, Wow, okay, I'm going over over over WHOA what
was it? Damn Yankees? Can you take me?

Speaker 7 (01:58:36):
I say, wow, Wow, your voice just cracked on that one.
I never did sing before either.

Speaker 3 (01:58:41):
Yeah, you don't ever want to hear me not singing
at all. It's I don't know how I got through
a sight singing class for a minor in classical guitar.
They just had mercy on me. I can't sing karaoke
night soon. You don't want to do that. I'll go.
I'll go, but just prepared to have a laugh at me,
you know. Okay, I'm gonna go. I'm doubling down Great

(01:59:05):
Awesibor from Washington big man over eight and a half
rebounds today it's happening. Iowa's not great on the class Okay,
I'm gonna stick with that same game. Give me Washington
Iowa first half over seventy four and a half. I
expect points to be scored in this game, so I'll
go with the first half right there. I think they

(01:59:25):
get off to a hot start, and I'll stick with points.
Common theme today. Give me BYU Arizona. It's ticked down
a little bit during the show today. I'll hop ont it.
Give me over one fifty two and a half. These
are the third and fourth teams in terms of scoring
in the Big twelve, so I think this is an
offensive battle in this one. So there you go, Great

(01:59:48):
Washington Iowa over BYU Arizona.

Speaker 5 (01:59:51):
Over Great Awesomer.

Speaker 7 (01:59:53):
I Wishteel you had plenty of time to do this handicap.
You weren't rushed today stretching your legs out there.

Speaker 6 (01:59:58):
I wish my first name was great, great Ornbergernberger.

Speaker 5 (02:00:02):
I don't know Flicky.

Speaker 3 (02:00:03):
Dicky's pretty good. I'm a big fan of your you're
a nickname. No, I had time to drink coffee with
Mayo right here.

Speaker 5 (02:00:12):
This is amazing, all this time.

Speaker 3 (02:00:13):
At the end, everybody enjoyed the ball.

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