John Kincade | 97.5 The Fanatic Philadelphia Host

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum.

You know me, I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13 and Odyssey Studio, available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast.

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum.

You know me, I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13 and Odyssey Studio, available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast. Really excited to welcome a longtime friend, and of course an ageless radio host, John Kincaid from 97.5 The Fanatic, getting ready to host his morning show at the top of the hour.

Okay John, semi-serious question. What's better than being a Philadelphia sports fan right now? Not much else, and you didn't even mention the Philadelphia Union, or the number one seed in the MLS.

We did not, sorry about that. We'll get to that later I'm sure. Amy, there's nothing better, and there's nothing better than being home. And you and I have known each other for a long time, and to get to come home to my hometown last year, and to work here, and to talk about my favorite teams, and all this excitement going on, it is like the perfect storm right now. This city is on freaking fire.

It is, everybody is part of it. My wife, who has never been a full-time Philadelphian, you know, we were at the store the other day, and I'm being talked to by the lady checking us out, the guy stocking the shelves and everything, and she's just like, it's different here. It's different.

And this city is absolutely different. I know that you were able to go to the games over the weekend between the Phillies and the Braves, and take your beautiful daughter, I'm sure that was an awesome experience, and as you pointed out on social, special memories that were made. What was it like to be in the park as the Phillies were taking out the arch rival Braves? Well, that's one of the things is that, especially with the ties, she grew up in Atlanta. You know, she grew up and was born in Atlanta, and graduated high school there before coming up here to go to college.

And I, Friday, just decided, you know what, I know I do my job for a living, and I got a seat in the press box, but I said, you know what, I'll go to the press box Saturday. I wanted to take her, I wanted to sit in the stands, and I wanted to really indoctrinate her to being a Phillies fan, and she was losing her mind. She was losing her mind.

She said, Dad, the electricity in this building. Friday afternoon, Amy was one of the three best fan experiences I've ever had sitting in the stands. And it was so amazing, and such energy. And when you beat a class act organization like the Braves, and a great organization like the Braves, who by the way, are going to be around for another 10 years with that roster they have.

And you know, it could be just the beginning of just years of punch, counter punch. That was so awesome. And then Saturday, I went to the press box, got a chance to do my job like a professional, and then last night hosted pregame, and then went in the stadium and sat in the box again. It was an amazing weekend. I just feel like I should have had a cot, though, and just slept in one of the parking lots. It would have made it easier than getting in and out of all that traffic all weekend. Yeah, I saw your tweets. How long did it take you to get out of that game on Saturday? Two hours.

Oh, man. It was crazy because honestly, people were on the hoods of cars. People were just saying they hadn't opened up enough gates. There was a Flyers game that was in the third period as the celebrations going on. So everybody's like, Oh, God, get out before the Flyers game gets out.

And then they both get out at the same time. It was mayhem, but you know what? Everybody was having a good time, and I may run for mayor just to fix the traffic patterns around the stadium because it was crazy, and it was a great, great time, though. 97.5, the fanatic morning show host getting set to talk about all of this with his Philly listeners coming up at the top of the hour. John Kincaid is with us here first after hours, CBS Sports Radio. Why now for the Phillies?

They were literally the last team into the playoffs. So why now are they putting it all together? Well, it's weird, Amy. And one of the things I'm going to talk about my listeners this morning is, and I've talked to him about it before, two of the last three world champions were below 500 in late June. The 2019 Nationals in the 2021 Braves and the Phillies were under 500 in late May when they fired Joe Girardi and brought in, you know, Topper, as he's called here, Rob Thompson. He changed the mood, Amy. There was a cleansing, you know, in a job when management changes and there's just a breath of fresh air and there's new communication and everybody sort of comes to work feeling a little better.

It's sort of similar. The Phillies players started to have fun. They were a tense group.

They actually mirrored Joe Girardi's energy and Joe Girardi's energy for a guy who had already won a World Series, had already managed in New York. I was so shocked that everything with him, I would have thought he couldn't get a, you know, a sheet of two ply between him because he was so tight. Everything was just unbelievable.

John Kincaid, this is a morning show where we have families listening. I know. It was just, it was just, it was really, he was very tight.

He walked around very stiff and I think people fed off his energy of, he was tense. Rob Thompson comes in with a much different energy and it just changed. And their best players are coming through at big times. And honestly, with Wheeler and Nola, they actually have a one-two punch that's as good as anybody left in the post. Well, I was just about to ask you, is there a hotter pitcher right now than Aaron Nola? Because not only at the end of the regular season, he was the one who was on the mound when they had the opportunity to clinch, but the way he's pitched so far in the playoffs.

Wow. And when you have Wheeler, Nola, and you got to set it up because you took out the Braves in four, you didn't have to go to Wheeler in any way in game five. And you get to set up your rotation and you can go one, two, Wheeler, Nola, and San Diego, and you know that you can bring them back in five, six. I really like their chances because of that. I feel really, really good about it. Plus, you've got Sir Anthony Dominguez and Jose Alvarado and Brad Hand that have all of a sudden just become unconscious in the bullpen.

And so you've got three guys that you're leaning on. You're like, oh my gosh, all of a sudden they've put it all together. And it's just fun.

It's just fun. And the energy in that building, it's going to be wild. Friday, Saturday, Sunday back here for games three, four, five if necessary. And it's going to be beautiful weather.

They've got a beautiful weekend for it. So this city is just going to be nuts. And the tickets, it was crazy. And my friends in Atlanta were getting on me.

My old listeners were getting on me. But you could get into the Braves playoff games for 12 and 13 dollars. And here, well for standing room. And here people were paying for standing room 178, 185.

It was crazy. And this weekend is going to be even worse. People are going to be dipping into the college funds, Amy. Yes. Well, I mean the college can wait, right?

Plus by the time they actually go to college, you know, the government may be paying for it. So whatever. Who knows. Right. So, okay.

So John, all of the things that you, a lot of the things that you just said about Philly can also apply to San Diego. They're hot, obviously. Their pitching is locked in. Their bats right now seemingly relentless.

They were able to stymie. Their arch rival in the Dodgers. So what is scary about the Padres? Well, one thing I think is real scary about them is the fact is star quality. Anything the Phillies have, the Padres have.

And that's the way I look at it. And that's why I really think this is going to be a brutal series. Because anything that the Phillies can say, well, they've got some star guys that are coming through right now. I think the Padres can actually outdo them as far as star quality. Especially in the lineup. And so that's one of those things that the Phillies bats got to be ready for. Because I believe the Padres top to bottom have a more relentless approach in the lineup as far as guys who can get on base, create innings and do things.

And still have that power. The Phillies tend to be a little more hot and cold at times. Even though it has been better in the postseason. That would be my biggest concern. Pitching wise, I think the Phillies can match them pitching for pitching. I'm not concerned about that in the least. I do believe the Phillies have the edge there.

Slight edge, but edge. Who is starting game one for Philadelphia? Oh, it's going to be Wheeler. It's got to be Wheeler. And let Nola go on normal rest and Wheeler will go on normal. Wheeler is so pumped for this too.

And he's been an unsung hero. I think the Mets could have used him. I think it's really funny that Wheeler and Sendergaard both helping to pitch the Phillies into the NLCS.

Two guys that the Mets didn't want. And that's one thing I think plays into the Phillies hands a little bit. For the Phillies, we hate the Mets more than anything. And the Braves have always been this god-like figure in the division where there's not the hatred of the Braves in the same way. Because I don't think in honesty the Phillies ever thought, hey, we've been in the same class as the Braves.

You know, where you can win five, six years in a row. They had that one period of time when they did. But for the Mets, they just hate the Mets. And they love seeing the Mets in agony.

And I think that's the one thing I'd wonder. Did San Diego win the World Series last weekend by beating the Dodgers? Well, but they also went into New York and were able to win two of three at Citi Field. I just wonder that once you beat the Dodgers, I have a weird feeling that that was their Super Bowl.

And we'll check back on this and we can check back later on. I have a weird feeling that emotionally, they won their Super Bowl beating the Dodgers. Whereas for the Phillies, it's more about the Mets. The Phillies are that Mets to what the Padres are with the Dodgers. Well, at least they're not running into their nemesis.

Because both 101-win teams from the NL East are out. Yeah, they're all out. Yeah, John Kincaid is with us getting set for his morning show.

He's just warming up his pipes on us here. 97-5, the fanatic top of the hour. Lots to talk about, lots of good stories. So just a couple of minutes. I know when I hear Jalen Hurts talk about how he left a lot of money on the table, you can watch the game and recognize that they're not yet playing a full four quarters. What would you like them to work on over the bye, John? Second half of games.

Amy, they've set the record and there was a graphic on last night. They're the best scoring team in the second quarter in the history of the NFL since 1950. And so they are just crushing people. So what happens is they come out with their 15 scripted plays or whatever it is.

That does okay. Then they make adjustments and they dominate teams. Then they come out of halftime and whatever their offensive game plan is, it is tended to be stifled. And last night, Mike McCarthy and his staff and Dan Quinn did a nice job and congratulations to them of shutting down what they were doing for around a quarter, quarter and a half until that final drive. But for the second week in a row, Jalen Hurts and the offense put it together in the fourth quarter with a huge drive with the game having to be put away.

The kid is just money. And this team is young, talented, and they're getting more confidence as it goes along. And I think it's a great thing that they haven't played a four quarter game yet.

I think that's a great thing because they can keep everybody's focus. I mean, they're 6-0. And if you look at their schedule, it's not daunting.

I don't see any way that they don't waltz into 13 wins. Are you touching the money? Oh, yes, I'm touching it.

Yeah, I am. You're rolling in it right now. You're talking about how the Phillies are going to beat the Padres because the Padres have already peaked and now how the Eagles are going to just roll off another 7-8 wins?

How about this? They're going to waltz to 13 wins. Oh, for heaven's sakes.

I am cowering for you. No, but here's the deal, Aime. That doesn't mean they're going to win in January. Alright, good point. They have to show.

They can do whatever. We've seen a lot of teams finish with the number one seed and not get the job done. Just ask Aaron Rodgers. Well, just ask the Tennessee Titans last year too.

It's one of those things where they've got to be better by the time that comes around. Alright, so John Kincaid, one of my favorite people in the world. Certainly one of my favorite people in the industry. I doubt this morning there will be uncomfortable radio, but that's one of his specialties.

Not at all. Yeah, there's not today. Nothing's uncomfortable today. So find him on Twitter at John Kincaid, K-I-N-C-A-D-E. Tell your family hello. It's wonderful to talk to you. Alright, take care. Bye, have a fun show.

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum.

You know me, I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13 and Odyssey Studio. Available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast.

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum.

You know me, I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13 and Odyssey Studio. Available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast.

What's up everybody? Guess who's hosting a new podcast? No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith. Listen as I pull back the curtain on everything beyond the world of sports. Interviewing influential guests, outspoken celebrities, and thought leaders across the political, financial, and social spectrum.

You know me, I'll give you my unbiased opinion. A No Mercy episode drops every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. No Mercy with Stephen A. Smith, a presentation of Cadence 13 and Odyssey Studio. Available on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to your podcast.