Steve Wilks has earned the right to be considered for the Carolina Panthers job

This is the Adam Gold Show. If you're looking at North rather Long Island real estate, you really want to be all the way out at Montauk. That's where the real real estate is. Now there's some swanky areas of Nassau County.

Right? Nassau is certainly better than for the most part Suffolk County. People from Long Island and the New York area will understand the difference between the two. There's some really, really swanky spots in Nassau.

But there's nothing like the Hamptons. Oh boy. Anyway, just Tripp Tracy bringing up Long Island real estate and Canes are back in action tonight. They will take on the Detroit Red Wings in Detroit. The road trip is finally over.

I know. Second longest road trip for the Hurricanes. Six games as opposed to five was their previous record. But also the longest time between home games. 19 days between Hurricanes home games. 19.

That's way too long. The 26th of November was the last home game? Yeah, it was right after Thanksgiving. The 26th. A couple days after. The Calgary game. Yeah. Right?

The Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. The Seattle Kraken. And that means tomorrow on the program, John Forslund.

Yes, the voice of the Kraken. So John Forslund will join us tomorrow. All right. And by the way, Stormwatch, if you are listening here in Raleigh, Stormwatch will roll at 6 30 tonight.

So we'll we'll have all the coverage of the Canes in the Red Wings for you. We do a listener poll. We haven't done one in a while because we have been busy.

So let's do one. See, I haven't been here since this is, you know, I was like, wait, there's a button. I knew it was there. I knew it was there somewhere.

There's a button for this. I need to give you more lead time. My fault. It's all good. It's all about signaling the play in.

All right. So it's a simple poll today. Of the following four teams, which is the most likely to make the playoffs? In the NFL. I should have said in the NFL because somebody answered this in terms of hockey.

Of course, they did. Because there are two teams in there that are also hockey teams. So of the following four teams, which is most likely to make the playoffs? The Jets.

Right. And Winnipeg's got a good team. We'll get to. Yeah, they were great goaltending. Yes, the Jets could the New Jersey Jets could use better goaltending. We'll get to the percentages here in a minute.

And we've already had well over 200 responses to this. The Giants, the Lions, or the Panthers, which of these four teams is most likely to make the playoffs? And the various answers and reasoning for this, the, the Jets are have gotten the least support. And I agree, it is because they lose the tiebreaker to the to the Patriots. And they currently lose the tie breaker to the Chargers. But that's all based on conference record between the Jets and the Chargers.

The Jets can go three and one the rest of the way, which would get them to ten and seven. And if they do that, they'll probably make the playoffs. But that will mean winning in Seattle. It would also mean beating Detroit and beating Jacksonville likely both at home.

And both of those teams are playing very good football right now. And if they do, they don't win those three games, it means they're probably going to have to win in Miami in the final game of the season. And the Dolphins might need that to also make the playoffs.

No, no joke. The Dolphins are in that part of their schedule as well. But I agree, I don't think the Giants, the Jets are going to make the playoffs. The Giants were third on this list. I am most confident that the Giants will not make the playoffs because the Giants schedule between now and the end of the season is murderous. And I don't think the Giants are that good at the very beginning of the season when the Giants had this gaudy record of weren't they like five and one at one point. Something like that?

Something along those lines, yeah. Mike, they've got a great record. They're just not that good. That doesn't mean I think they're bad, although I did say in week two when they beat the Panthers and they were sort of gifted the win against the Panthers that I did say that they were bad because I did think they were bad. They were just very well coached and I actually think they're OK.

But OK isn't going to cut it. And when you have games left against the Commandos, Vikings and Eagles all on the road and a home date with Indianapolis, which I figure they will win. The best I think you're doing there is two and two, and it's probably one and three if you're the Giants. I don't think they're as good as Washington. I don't think they're as good as Minnesota. And I know they're not as good as Philadelphia. What they can count on maybe is that Philadelphia won't need anything out of that game to be the one seed in the NFC. If that's the case, maybe the Giants can steal a game, but still, I don't think the Giants are going to make the playoffs next. The Panthers at 31.4% people said the Panthers.

I could see it. But it's really going to be hard for them to win three of their last four. And that's what it comes down to. Detroit is this week. Detroit is favored in Carolina. Carolina's got to win that game. It has to win that game.

Because there just aren't that many. No, I'm sorry. It's Pittsburgh this week. Detroit next week. Got to beat Pittsburgh, which I think they can do.

I think they will do, actually. You have to beat Detroit, and then you got to win one of the two on the road. You probably have to beat the Buccaneers in Tampa.

Yeah, that's going to be mandatory. I theoretically, if you go two and two, if one of the wins is against Tampa, maybe you can win the division. Because you would have swept Tampa. They still have the game against New Orleans, which would help boost that divisional record as well. But it's not about, if they lose the game to Tampa, then they're done.

Probably. They would need Tampa basically to go one and three. Which, I mean, Tampa's pretty sus right now. But I don't think the Panthers ultimately will win the division unless that's one of the games that they win. And they probably need to go three and one to win the division at eight and nine. Which, it's a trash division.

Right, and the final answer is the correct answer. And that's the Detroit Lions. They are killing it right now. The only loss in their last five games, I believe, is the Thanksgiving Day loss at home to the Buffalo Bills. It was a game that they could have easily won. Not that the Bills played their best game and the Lions were just better.

The Bills were in that stretch where the Bills were kind of, you know, messing themselves a little bit as they were still playing. We're lying too much on Josh Allen, not to mention Josh Allen's been hurt. But the Lions are really good offensively.

They're good enough defensively. And I said at the beginning of the season, I have no idea if Dan Campbell is a good head coach or not. And I still don't know in terms of the stuff that people point to as what makes a good head coach. But here's where I've always liked Dan Campbell.

And then it became about the other things, managing your team. I think Dan Campbell is a genuine person. And I don't think you can say that about most, if not the overwhelming majority of head coaches in the NFL.

He just exudes regular guy. And I think that the Lions have bought into that. But they are a fun team to watch. They've got Jared Goff playing really good football for the Lions. Legitimately good football.

And they're dangerous. And they're at the Jets this weekend. Detroit is a one-point favorite, I believe, over the Jets. At Carolina next weekend.

Then they're home against Chicago and at Green Bay. At 6 and 7, does 9 and 8 Detroit make the playoffs? I kind of think so. I kind of think so. I mean, it might not, but the Lions are fun.

When was the last time we could say that about the Lions? Barry Sanders? Fun.

Maybe. Eric Hippel. There you go. So, I think that was the right answer. The poll with increasingly over 200 votes.

The poll is right. I think the Lions are the right answer. That they are most likely to make the playoffs.

The truth is, is that all four are probably likely to miss the playoffs. Don't say anything else about it, but as soon as the season's over, or even an off-week, go elope. Trust me on that. Go elope. Because basically every female in the family is going to terrorize you guys until it's over. Once it's over, I mean, they'll be upset for a few days, but it'll be over.

And then, you know, you cruise along, have a happy marriage, have a happy life. I'll pass along the message. Thanks, coach. Congrats on the win. If Trevor, unless he's crazy, is totally on my side, and trust me on this, if Trevor doesn't have the sense to do that, tell him to call me because, I mean, he needs to do trust. I've told all my kids, I'll give you $10,000 extra if you elope.

So far, they haven't done it, but I would, too. Coach Leach passed away at age 61, putting the personality back in college coaching. It's the Adam Gold Show.

I am Adam Gold, Dennis Cox on the 1s and 2s today. Speaking of putting personality into anything that happens on radio, Darren Gantt, panthers.com joins us to talk about the suddenly surging Carolina Panthers, just one game out of first place in the NFC South. It's the pennant stretch. It's the pennant stretch.

I can't even say it properly. Darren Gantt, are you extra fired up for the stretch drive of the season? You know what? It's interesting. And it's been a minute since it's been interesting in December around here. It really has been. And you got to go back, I mean, honestly, to about 17 when games actually were, to use Ron Rivera's word, relevant. And really, because even in 18, you were in the conversation, but the ship was kind of thinking that Cam was hurt and things were kind of, you could tell were heading in a certain direction. But right now, I mean, it is bizarre.

And you should tune in later this afternoon to your favorite ask the old guy mailbag because we're discussing this very topic. None of this makes any sense. Right.

Not one thing. I mean, this season, you know, you're now dealing with an interim coach who watched them trade his best player out from under his feet one weekend to the job. And in week 14, they cut a former number one overall pick who was their starting quarterback in week one and a team captain.

This is not supposed to be happening. Darren Gann is joining us here on the Adam Gold show. Look, there's a lot of cool things that are happening on the field with certain players. But let me start with the head coach, because I've from the time he sent Robbie with a Y Anderson to the locker room.

I guess that was in LA. I was team Wilkes everything that he has done and it hasn't all been great. I mean, the bottom line is there's still a five and eight football team. They just happen to be in a terrible division. So they have a chance and I'm not I'm not trying to doubt to denigrate the team. We all going into the season.

We weren't sure this team was going to be a 500 football team and they still might not but they might be able to win the division. I think he has brought some stability and professionalism to the position of head coach that this team has needed and I don't mean to to you know to slam Matt rule about this Wilkes has done it in a different way. And I know you said interim and he has to be interim until after the season anyway, but I'm team Wilkes.

I hope he gets the job. Well, we'll see. I mean, here's the thing.

I know for sure about Steve. I had a suspicion. I mean early on whatever you thought his chances were of ever having a shot at the head coaching job at the end of the season.

They're more now. It's that chance is bigger today than it was in October. I know that for sure and he's gotten guys attention. I mean the one thing I it's almost like Steve's playing with house money and he said it a couple times this year. He said I'm going to do this my way. I don't know that I've got more than 13 weeks of this.

So the 13 weeks I've got I'm going to do the way I want to do it. His style is very direct. His style is very it's almost parental. I like the fact that he will call out his stars. I mean guys who have way more job security than he does guys who are going to be here for five years down the line. Steve will air you out and then when Eddie Pinheiro misses kicks in Atlanta and they lose the game by a couple of points.

He will put his arm around an interim kicker and make sure to get him back in the boat. And I and I think those messages kind of resonate with guys in the locker room. I mean, they you it doesn't take much poking to get players to say nice things about Steve Wilkes and the way he handled this job has come into it. But I mean again the rules are what they are. I mean, they're going to interview people when this thing's over with a couple of them will be external minority candidates to comply with the Rooney rule, but he has made himself a candidate for this job.

By the way, he's kind of gotten everybody's attention in and out of that locker room and got him playing a style. Listen to your point. Things are not perfect. Eventually. They will have to pass the football in order to win a playoff type game. But I mean, it's a I know it's a revolutionary concept throwing of the football. That is the thing they will need to become better at at some point and and there will come a time when they will fall behind and we'll see how they react in. But my God, when you can turn around and hand it off 45 times a game and just bludgeon people to death and play good defense that works with this team right now. Eventually, this team will have to change eventually. This team will have a different quarterback under center. We're all assuming but for what they are dealing with right now in this collection of people, this style absolutely works.

Darren Gantt Panthers.com is joining us here on the Adam Gold show at Darren Gantt on Twitter. Here's the thing about what they're doing, the way they're playing right now. And then you've covered for the NFL for a long time. I've been you know, we're I'm in my you know, I'm almost I'm almost done on this earth veteran.

Yes, leave it at that. We're seasoned. We've seen some things as as modern as the game is and throw it at their 45 times a game in some cases. The National Football League is still as simple as if you can run it when the other team knows you're going to run it and you can still be effective. There's no defense for that and it has and and right now depending on the opponent, of course. The Panthers can do that.

So it is long as that stays the same. Yeah, we'll see now they rattled the Seahawks the other day and those guys admitted it after the game. It's like they weren't doing that much that was different than we thought they were going to do. They just kept doing it. Seattle's bad at run defense.

They will eventually see people who are not as bad as Seattle at run defense and then you still got to run. Yeah, and that's that's the thing and and at that point it becomes the Sam Darnold show and look, you know, we've seen that and it's not a great show but everyone Sam has a couple of hit songs. So if we could just still just keep singing stairway to heaven that will be that will be fine. All right.

So what have you seen from Donald? You got to remember to this is also bearded Sam. We are different which is a much different animal. Derek Brown said it yesterday is like yeah bearded Sam's a different dude. So, okay. Yeah, I like that'll see I don't I don't know. It's almost like it.

What is it? Evil Sam Darnold? I don't know. He's been functional. He's been he's been good.

He's not given the ball away. He's done what he needed to do. Eventually.

He'll need to make a play right and he actually recognizes what this offense has been about any I think he's confident that he can make enough plays. We'll see how that works. But you mentioned the Rudy rule because I thought I brought this up yesterday. You probably know the interest intricacies of this rule better than I do because I was hoping that at the end of the season David Tepper would interview some token white offensive coordinator candidates and then just hire Steve Wilkes.

Does he still have to interview minority candidates? Correct. Yes. You can't just elevate Wilkes?

No, you cannot you. I mean and part of the reason is do you believe in the process or not? Do you believe in needing to expand the pipeline and create opportunities for minority candidates? I think that's the thing and you know, honestly, I think it's fair to think that they didn't necessarily envision a Steve Wilkes situation when the rule was written. I mean then but at the same time I think and I haven't asked Steve this but I think as a guy who has a extremely vested interest in minority coaches getting opportunities in the NFL. I do not suspect that Steve is against the idea that they have to interview two external minority candidates. There are guys you could talk to I mean and there are people you should talk to I mean listen anybody with a coaching opening this offseason ought to avail themselves to a D'Amico Ryan or you know and and and honestly at this point and I think a Steve Wilkes would be on that list too because if he's not here, I think other people would probably be interested in him as well.

It's been a what he's done for the last two months D'Amico Ryan's Byron left which how about Brian Flores? Bringing these guys in for an interview, but I am I love I'm really enjoying watching Steve Wilkes lead this team JC horn has become that guy hasn't he? I think JC kind of walked in the door that guy and because we only got to see him for three games last year people didn't realize it but he kind of he's one of those guys that football guys look at and say he's that guy they they respected I mean what is it the young people say he has a dog inside of him or something.

Yeah, it's something like that. Oh, yeah, that's who JC is and this was this game the other day was kind of almost coming out party for him. So to speak in that, you know, even though he's been doing this when you point him at DK Metcalf and say all right here he is sick. What you gonna do right and then all of a sudden DK Metcalf doesn't change game and we've seen that and I love you know, I love the one-on-one matchups like that. I mean the other week with Jalen Ramsey. He had to finger out and he was like waving to him like come on.

I'm going over here. Come with me, you know, he's that guy too and for JC to go out and have that kind of game on Sunday. I think that points to what a lot of people have been suggesting was coming all along with JC. He's got everything you want a cornerback to have the feet of the eyes the training the you know growing up in it. It's hard to find situations that are going to be too big for JC horn. I think and going on the road and you know, putting the seat belt on DK Metcalf in Seattle in the rain when everybody knows it's coming his way.

I think it's a pretty good testament kind of player. He is I thought he got jobbed out of that second interception. I thought that was an interception. I thought he had I thought both feet were down and the back leg was dragging when he secured the ball.

I was surprised that the overturned it so quickly. Well, here you go. And this is an exclusive to panthers.com. I believe JC broke that down for us and and he said well, I normally wear 12 and a half but I was wearing 13s on Sunday. So actually he wasn't but that was just he came up with that line off the cuff when I asked him about that play and he was like, yeah, I was actually wearing 13s instead of 12 and a half.

Yeah, that's it. So credit to him for coming up with a good line on the fly to Darren get panthers.com joining us here on the Adam Gold Show final thing and I know you are not in the prediction business, but tell me why this team can make the playoffs. Because they are that team that controls their own destiny that they went out there in they don't need help anymore. I mean, they've kind of reached that point and you know, it's it sounds goofy and and why are we having a long conversation about a five and eight team going to playoffs?

Well, the answer is same reason as 781 team went to the playoffs in 14. Somebody's got to win this division, man. So right now if they went out and go to Tampa and handle the box, they're the one there is and you know, probably what Dallas coming here into this building for a playoff game. I think we all thought that was coming this year, right?

You know, it's funny. I think they can make the playoffs going to and to as long as one of those wins like they're not making the playoffs unless they beat Tampa. I'm almost positive of that right, but I think if they can go to and to with one of the wins against the Buccaneers.

I think that might be enough. I think the Bucks are toast. Well, I mean, here's the thing. I mean the Bucks have the Bengals coming up this week and in the Bengals are playing like they were last year all the sudden again, and I think that matters. So yeah, I think now I mean the situation being what it is. They they will if they go to Tampa and win they'll have tiebreaker over the Bucks. So I think they kind of like that and you know again is winning out winning out is going to be tough. I mean, I don't think this Steelers team is going to roll over and die. God only knows what's gotten into the Detroit Lions right now, but they're playing ball and Jared Goff looks like an actual NFL quarterback. So we'll see. I mean, they've got some tough games coming down the stretch, but this is what you want.

I mean, if again go back to Ron's word relevant. You are for a change if you're the Carolina Panthers and it's been a long time. So I think it's kind of curious to see the one thing I know for sure is just those guys in that locker room.

The JC horns the Burns is the Shaq Thompson's, you know that entire offensive line. Those guys don't know they're not supposed to be here. They're walking around acting like they're good and that they're supposed to be in this situation. So it's going to be fascinating to see. I mean you get into this business to tell stories. What a what a story we've fallen into here all of a sudden. It's been fun and I thank the Panthers for making the last four weeks of the season interesting to follow because for a while it looked like we were just going to be burdened with watching games that really didn't impact anything and hopefully this will continue for another four weeks.

Darren Gantt panthers.com at Darren Gantt with two T's for extra talent, sir. You are the man will ask will be reading ask the old guy later today. Yeah, I hope so. Now all you need to do is finish it. Okay, well then go right to it. Thank you, sir. All right. Thank you, buddy.

We'll talk to you soon. You got it. Darren Gantt panthers.com This holiday season peloton's got a gift for you. Get up to $400 off peloton bike, bike plus or tread packages.

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Hurry now to discover the savings you've been wishing for. We got your holiday JC penny coupon valid on select styles to 1215 exclusion supply giveaway in store only must be 18 years or older see store for details. I mean, I completely hate candy corn. When I was a kid love gummy bears.

Let's see. Gummy bears for sure. It's got to be the airboat. It's got to be the airboat ones. And then the other thing I like is, is when they used to have the sprees in a box.

Outstanding you have to go to the dollar store to find it, but I do. And then the latest the latest you know, there's still candy innovation and although a while back I found that Europe had better candy than we did overall, because they have got me everything. And then, but the, the, you know, they have those nerds clusters, which is new. Yeah, which is good. The nerds clusters is good.

And then if you go chocolate, probably almond joy. That's the one I try and trade away with somebody. Just keep that away. Get that out of here. Whatever.

The, the one and only. Mike Leach passed away, age 61. So, again, I just to reiterate the point from earlier and we talked to Ruffin McNeil earlier we'll bring that back in the rewind coming up in a little bit but the, the, the coaching profession has become very bland in terms of personalities.

That's not to say that these guys don't have a let your hair down side. I've seen that of Dave Dorn. We had, we had Dave on the show last year, we were doing like a trivia contest, leading up to the Super Bowl and Dorn was a Kansas City Chiefs fan.

Yeah, actually it was, it was two years ago now, or it might have been the conference championship game I don't remember I think it was and we had we needed a Kansas City Chiefs fan and Dave Dorn played the role of a Kansas City Chiefs fan, and it was fun. So Dave has that in him. Right. But for the most part, coaches don't give you anything.

They try to say as little as possible, while using as many words as they can to make the time go. And I understand it. It's not their job to entertain us. But Mike Leach put personality back into college coaching. And I mean his legacy is going to be about his offensive coaching. But I think the reason why people. There's a lot of coaches that have had great offenses in college that were not this popular.

But Mike Leach was quirky, and he was openly quirky and leaned into it, which is unusual for college coaches we're going to place our bets in a second but first. Last night, I guess it was on television. The, the high schools. That Lebron James and Carmelo Anthony's kids go to played each other. So it was brawny against Keon. And it was Lebron James kids school won the game. Okay. Right. And it was a mild upset of their they have high school rankings and brawny's team was 25th and Keon's team was I think 22nd is a close game whatever doesn't really matter. But check out the guest list. Oh, for who was at the game.

This is an absolute truism. So, brawny had like 12 points key and I think had eight or something like that. So you had LeBron James and his wife, Savannah, you had Carmelo Anthony and his wife, Lala. Scottie Pippen was there because Pippen's younger son goes to the same school as brawny James. Pippen was there also Pippen's older son Scottie Pippen Jr.

I think place with Lakers. He was there. Okay, Kim and Khloe Kardashian were there. Yes, exactly.

Exactly. Dennis, a radio DJ in LA big boy was there. Okay, it's Chris Paul there.

No, he was not. Natalia Bryant, Kobe's oldest daughter was there. Kenyon Martin was there. Nick Young, former Laker was there.

John Lucas the third. He was it was there were the high school game. A lot of stars there. Did I mention that Kim and Khloe Kardashian were there? Yeah, you did.

I did. So I asked if Chris Paul was there. Wait a second. My son keeps bringing this up. Is Chris Paul dating a Kardashian now?

Oh, apparently Kim cheated on Kanye with Chris Paul. That's the thing floating around. Okay, whatever. Just I can't.

I can't. All right, let's place bets. Place your bets. Place your bets. I bet you slice into the woods a hundred bucks.

Gambling is illegal at Bushwood, sir. And I never slide. Can I just say that the the two best uniforms in the World Cup will be playing against each other today. Although I don't believe Croatia will be in their full checkerboard because Argentina is in the blue and white stripes. Gotcha.

So my gosh, they're great. All right, you go first Dennis. Argentina and France both win in regular time. Parlay that plus 210. Argentina and France both. I will say this about Argentina. You better score twice. I'm begging you, Argentina. I would like to see Messi win the World Cup, right?

Sure. I am begging Argentina to score two goals because if they don't score two goals today, they are not winning this match. They are going to have to score twice to win it. We're going to start with my Argentina selection. All three bets are coming from this match.

All right. Lionel Messi to score from the spot. He will score a penalty during this match. Plus 400. I'm getting oddly specific with my wagers.

Plus 400. Lionel Messi to score from a penalty. Okay. My next one, just Messi scores a goal plus 130.

Yeah. I mean, that's too easy. He's going to score. He will score a goal.

That's why I'm going to take it. He will score a goal today. All right from Croatia. Even even Ivan Perisic to score off a header. Yes, a header goal.

Perisic plus 1800. Okay, so he's going to have an opportunity. He's playing.

It's funny. He plays in the out of the back for Tottenham. Yeah. But he's playing it as a forward.

Here at the World Cup. Like Crystal Dunn. Like almost the inverse of that. Very similar. Yes. Mbappe scores for France tomorrow plus 120.

Ah, yes. I'll do tomorrow's match tomorrow. Argentina with a halftime lead. 160 plus 165.

There you go. Argentina. Argentina. 1-0 at halftime is my score. With Messi having a PK.

Well, it could be. They better score twice. I'm telling you, if Argentina does not score two goals, they will not win this match. Croatia will score, will win in penalties if Argentina doesn't get to two goals. It's, they are right.

They're vampires. Croatia. Okay.

There's four million people in that country and they could be going to the World Cup final again. Yeah. Amazing stuff. This is the Adam Gold Show. The JC Penney Mystery Sale is back for the holidays. Through Thursday, usher in huge holiday savings with our in-store coupon giveaway. You can get an extra 30, 40, or even 50% off while they last. Simply find an associate for a coupon, then peel to reveal your deal. Hurry in now to discover the savings you've been wishing for.

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