Lamar Jackson Injury, Clone Calls

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Welcome back, or good afternoon, in Southern California. I'm Jim Rome, and this show is presented to you by FanDuel. Great to have you here. All right, if you're on hold, you want to stay there. If you're not on hold, why are you not on hold?

Hit me up toll free nationwide. In fact, no matter where you are, one eight hundred six three six eight six eight six. We will get to those calls and more reaction off social media. But right now, we are joined by a former NFL linebacker, a three-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro. He played.

Seven years in the league for Washington and the New York Giants. On top of all of that, he was a unanimous All-American while in college at Penn State. He won the 1999 Chuck Bednarik Award as the nation's top defensive player. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. And in addition to all of that, he is co-host of Two Pros and a Cup of Joe weekdays at 6 a.m.

Eastern on Fox Sports Radio, and the host of the new podcast "Who We Are," which is folks. On Penn State alumni, you know I'm talking about Lavar Arrington. Lavar, it's been a minute. What's up, big man? How you doing, dude?

Real well, man. Always a pleasure to get a chance to to chop it up with the wrong man. The go to the go to goats. I appreciate you, dude. What a cool thing to say.

You having me on? Yeah, good to see you, man. You look great. Listen, so let me let me ask you about Lamar first. Lamar Jackson.

So he misses three games. I'm jumping right into it. Misses three games with the ankle injury, and then gets hurt after one play on kind of a fluke play. Thumb injury, needs surgery. I mean, a fluke play, but dude, where do you come out on this?

Like, if you're Baltimore and availability is your best ability, and it's a fluke play, but what do you do going forward? Do you do another deal with him, or maybe if you're the franchise, do you have to think about that before you do so? Where does that leave them and him? You'd have to say a dilemma, right? With with the way you even presented the the question, it's probably the same question they're asking themselves internally.

You'd have to assume whether I don't I don't know of any injuries that are intentional, unless you're a defender trying to get it in. But it's an unfortunate reality that's connected to. You know, full contact sports, all sports in general, really, Jim, and to get hurt so quickly, and to be in a season where Baltimore is obviously they brought in a new coach. My interpretation of moving on from Harbaugh, who, which by the way, and people will downplay the the NFC East right now, but he's number one in the NFC East with his new team, while the the new coach and his new team in Baltimore are are struggling to to find ways to win. It's it's a very difficult conversation to have because one, you and I know both know Jim.

When you change coaching staffs, you have now changed the dynamic between the players and the coach, and even if it's the GM, right? It's not his guy. And you have a you have I believe one more one more year on a very very large contract. It's a very large number that is connected to dead cap. If anything were to say you go your separate ways, so Baltimore not only is in a dilemma where they have to figure out are they going to sign him long term, but if you don't sign him long term, what is the solution?

And I think the hardest part of all of it is, is that if you decide to stay with him, you're taking a gamble and a risk on the fact that he's going to stay healthy long enough to be that that MVP player that he has been historically. Which he's not getting any younger, right? And then now, then you have the other side of it: is the is there a narrative that's building on him being damaged goods in terms of if you want to try to create a trade opportunity?

Now, wow, you'll say that. He is still a very valuable. He's an elite A-list level, franchise quarterback when he's healthy, and so with all of the things that you have to take into consideration, that could be a drawback and a negative. You also got to look at the positives for Lamar Jackson. Probably still far exceed the question marks that surround him, even if it's connected to health.

Yeah, it's it's a really difficult dilemma. A really Difficult dilemma.

So we'll see. Lavar Arrington joining us.

So, Lavar, what about the division?

So, if he's on the IR, who then is the team to beat in your mind in the AFC North?

Well, it looks like Pittsburgh is trying to find their footing. Their offense has some question marks. Hard to say that. Really, outside of if Cincinnati were to really find their way, which they seem to be struggling with all the talent that they have as well. It just seems to be a a division that isn't as solid and as stable as we once knew the the AFC North to be.

It developed into most likely the best division out there. Then it may be transferred out to the West for for a time. Maybe it still exists in the West now. I don't know. Jacksonville is looking pretty good, but when you look at this AFC North team, it's It's you hate to say it, but it's because I'm from Pittsburgh.

But it almost seems as though this is kind of like a battle of the least, right? The the team that can can make it through and and win a couple games seems to be in pole position to be able to win the division, and and so you'll get one wild card team. But if you're asking me today, can any of these teams have extended success and beyond the regular season? I think that's a That's a major question mark that sits up there for for the AFC North. Breach, I don't think anything's changed.

I think you're exactly right. Levar Arrington is joining us, Levar.

So, what about the? There are no unbeaten's left, thanks to the Vikings and their first loss. They're now six and one. Look, they still have that great defense with Brian Flores, but how much confidence do you have in the Vikes with that punchless offense and Kyler Murray unable to elevate his play so far? They haven't played up to the standard, and and this has been a quarterback-friendly offense for multiple quarterbacks.

You know, it's it's. It's. It seems as though it would look as though as more time passes by that Kyler Murray would improve, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. and And so there's got to be a cause for concern on what his ability to deliver will be. I mean, the production for Justin Jefferson is down yet again, and and you brought in Kyler Murray with the intentions of figuring out if he.

Can be that missing piece at that quarterback position because you didn't believe enough in J. J. McCarthy, who is now starting for. Oh yeah, here we go back again to to New York to the Giants, the starting quarterback for the number one NFC East team in the New York Giants.

Now that's not saying that J. J. McCarthy was the answer either, but Certainly, right now it doesn't appear that Kyler Murray is trending in the right direction. Where you would have the confidence that this Minnesota Vikings team, if they if they come against a team that has any type of offense that can put some points on the board, I mean Flores has done an excellent bang up job of scheming. He's aggressive, you know.

He's he's dialing up the the right plays at the right time. Just masterful in what he's doing, and they had a great showing. And still came up short in winning against the Lions, and I would say the Lions are a team that's trying to find themselves right now as well, and so to give up a game where their point production was so low. It just has to be cause for concern as to can the defense actually deliver well enough? We have seen it in the past.

I mean, you talk about you go. I guess the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when they wanted, you know, the the Baltimore Ravens when they wanted, but you're talking about an older an older era of of NFL football. This is a very very offensive driven league, and even though you need to have you have to have a Good defense. You you have to have a defense that can provide some opportunities for you to win games where you don't have those those high high production games on offense, but Right now, don't think that anything would indicate that this team offensively is going in the right direction.

So, to be at six and one, they they need to do a whole lot of self scouting and figure out what is it exactly that is the unlock for for Kyler Murray. You have way too much talent to to blame it on anything else other than schematics, if you ask me. And if it's not schematics. Then you got to put it on the player, and then now, if it's the player that is the issue, then that leads to what the question is: who Who's going to be the quarterback that can take you into the future for this season right now with this this uh this roster of talent that you have on the offensive side of ball? It's again, you have come out of the gate with nothing but dilemma questions on all of these teams because honestly, it's it's hard to.

Say. A positive outcome or or diagnosis for any of the teams that that we've discussed so far, and then a six and one team shouldn't be on that list of of discussion points of that. But the Minnesota Vikings have to be on that list just based upon the the lack of inability to be able to figure it out on the offensive side. LeVar Arrington joining us. The funny thing about what you just said, like there's question marks about all these teams that I've mentioned.

I could go to the college game and we could have a bunch of other question. Marks about all these games, but all those teams, but also in the NFL, like Lavar. What about the Broncos? Are there question marks about them? Like credit to Bo Nix and credit to them for showing up in the fourth quarter every single week and finding a way to get it done.

Does that show grit, or is that a red flag to you? Are you a believer? It could be both, but Jim, if you look at when the turnaround took place, it was when. When Coach Payton decided that he was over the whole idea of sitting back and watching and waiting, he got involved, and I made this point on on our show about the idea of how you win games. For some strange reason, maybe people forgot that you got to play four quarters to win games, and and sometimes it's not going to always be a blowout.

It's not going to be by multiple touchdowns or possessions that take take it. Give you that that ability to win.

Sometimes you got to play sixty minutes, and I think the one superpower that that Sean Payton brings to the table is he is a gritty guy. He also is still a guy in this this new day and age. He's able to connect with his players in a way where he has an old school vibe, but he's still able to connect in a new school way. Very relatable to his players. One of the biggest things that you're gonna you know if you were able to see behind the curtain is that a Of the cultures of these teams that have a lot of talent, it's it's decrepit, it's it's it's corroded, it's it's toxic behind the scenes, and I always say talent cannot outperform dysfunction, and so you're seeing that with some of these organizations that you know look no further than Dallas, right?

You're you're seeing teams that are deep with talent, but still yet getting the same poor results that they've gotten in the past. You got to take a look at the culture and. And that's not that's never going to be an easy category to to go in and correct.

So it's it's just really really difficult to say when you're looking at a team what are they? But this Denver Broncos team, I think it's an identity. You know, I don't think that for me right now. I don't look at it as a red flag. I think it's an identity, and you know, I remember, like I said, I'm from Pittsburgh.

I remember when Bill Cowher, you know, and and that that particular team nicknamed themselves the 60 Minute Men. And there's something to be said about playing all the way until the game is over, and the game is won when there's no more time on the clock, right? Like that, and that's the ultimate bottom line: is that until that clock reads zero zero zero zero, there is still time for a team to do something to try to, you know, impact the outcome of the game.

So I think this is a 60 minute team, and I I'm more leaning towards them being a gritty team that knows how to that. They'll take you deep out into the water. Let's tread water four, two, three quarters, and when it comes down to it, we're going to have the kick to be able to stay above water when you're you're out of gas and you're drowning, and we'll get the dub. That's that's what I feel like is is is kind of presenting itself as the identity of this Broncos team. Lavar Arrington joining me for a few more moments.

Lavar, can you go back to what you said about Dallas for a minute? Because you played in that division, you understand this really well. The Point that you made—that talent cannot beat out dysfunction. That culture comes into play, and obviously, there's something wrong with their culture. Dallases for them to lose the way they lose, especially this past weekend.

Can you kind of break down what that looks like? Like, what is wrong with their culture? What does that dysfunction look like behind the scenes? And then, how does that manifest itself on the field and turn that team into a losing team and to lose the way they lose? Yeah, sometimes you know, unless you're there, you you can never know what the direct, accurate reason of it may be.

But it ultimately comes down to how things are handled, you know, how people treat one another, how you feel about one another, how you feel about yourself. You know, it just seems like Dallas has always come across as maybe somewhat of a a have and have nots. And the biggest have is your owner and your GM, and then it follows down. You know, you'd have to say, you know, you look at Dak Prescott. He looks like he's a well-kept, happy, you know, content individual.

So much so where if an employee says embarrassing after a game, they lose their job for saying something that's very, very, ah, in that moment, accurate. And and so, I don't. I don't really know what. What the details of it would be, and I I would not want to be irresponsible in my duties as being in media and speculate on anything that it would be. But I will say, characteristics of a dysfunctional organization generally play out very clearly on on Sundays and or whatever day you play, and and there's no hiding it.

So I think ultimately the people that. Are the beat reporters, instead of chasing the the, you know the. What what would it be the the polarizing and and and just you know captivating you know headline of saying that the team lost? What they really need to do is put on their their journalist hats and put on their reporter hats and start digging for what is the real cause? What's the real root of why this team is continuing to perform at the level that they are?

Ultimately, you know, we can say, all right, it's all it's Jerry. It's Jerry. It's Jerry, and and that has been become kind of the easy, lazy take that everybody is receptive to. But Jerry's doing everything he can to try to put a winner on the field. You know they they criticize them for not paying this player.

Okay, he plays. He pays that player. You criticize them for not building the defense. He he gives up Michael Parsons. You feel bad about that, but and think it's a bad decision.

But then he replaces it with a lot of draft picks. He brings in two very very. Good defensive lineman, interior lineman, which I think the most valuable player in in all of football outside of your quarterback, is an interior lineman.

So you bring in Kenny Clark, you're able to bring in Quinnen Williams. When you're able to put together, they they brought in Joey Porter Jr., who is a fine, fine football player on the outside as a corner. You have all of these elements in place. You can't look at Jerry Jones and say Jerry Jones is solely the reason why this team is underperforming because Jerry Jones was Jerry Jones when Barry Switzer was there. Jerry Jones was Jerry Jones when when Jimmy Johnson was there and they won Super Bowls.

So you got to think at at at some point that there has to be a coach. That can come in, and a GM, which that's a hard one, but there has to be a coach and a GM that can actually. Bring in the type of players, stabilize the environment, turn it into a a healthy environment where work is is the main focus, winning is the main focus. Focus in on getting better together as a team, taking one step at a time, dealing with adversity the right way, keeping a positive attitude and outlook on what you do. Show up to work every day to be the best that you can be, and and I feel like if they can find somebody who can keep it as simple as that.

You don't have to be a genius to dial up plays when you have Pickens and Lamb on the field. You just don't. You got a big offensive line. Your your offensive line use them in a way that gives you an opportunity to to be able to open games wide open. Whatever it is that needs to be figured out.

I I almost feel like pride or or whatever it may be. You got to check it at the door, and you got to take a really good look at yourself as to how you're you're directing this group and this outfit. And you got to ask questions. You know, you don't just tell players what to do. Talk to them.

You know, fill it out. See what works for them. See what makes them comfortable, and and try to map things out in a way that works to the strengths of what you got, and not just try to force you know things that may not be the best way of going about doing what you're doing.

So while it's easy to sit there and jump at Jerry and and even Steve Jones, and and say they're the problem, which they are the consistent, they are the mainstay of the dysfunction that you see play out in in Dallas. But I don't think that all the blame belongs at the feet of of those two because it does look as though, I mean, if you if you go down their roster. It's hard to argue that those two have not done what they've needed to do to uphold their end of the bargain. In terms of that part, they have done pretty well, and they do draft well. I'm not blaming them exclusively.

There's plenty of blame to go around there, to be sure. Lavar Arrington is a former NFLer, a three-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro. He's got a radio program, two pros, and a cup of Joe weekdays on Fox Sports Radio. Brand new podcast too. Who we are, which is focused on.

Penn State alumni, Lavar, appreciate you, man. I know with your budding media empire, you got a lot going on.

So I appreciate chasing after you, making time for us. When you got somebody, when you got good role models to chase, you you chase hard and you keep keep achieving.

So I appreciate you giving me some time. I know I appreciate you making time for it, big fella, Lavar Irving, joining us. Have a great day. Best to you, Lavar. All right, your thoughts on that?

Lots to cover, lots to react to, and lots. To break down when we come back, I'm looking for your reaction to any of that. I want to talk some college ball too. I want to talk about what went down here in Los Angeles, USC over Ohio State, Columbus, Columbus. I know you're watching.

I know you're listening.

Now what? All right.

Now you have no net.

Now you can't lose again.

Now I would have said the same thing. In fact, did say the same thing about USC going into that game.

So I want to hit on that too.

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It's one of my favorite companies ever. All right, some quickly reaction to Lavar. The Sandlot says if the bottom of the screen doesn't read Lavar Arrington, I don't know that that that's Lavar Arrington. Dude is looking good, Jim. I always loved hearing him breaking down the game.

Great conversation. Thanks for catching me up with him. Lavar looks awesome. I mean, he really does look awesome. That clearly is a dude taking care of himself and taking his business seriously.

Adrian in Austin, hey Jim, thanks for having Levar Arrington. He's always great to listen to, an amazing player, and him making appearances on the best best sports show on Fox Sports Net. You mean the best damn sports show? The best damn sports show on Fox Sports Net back in the day. How do I know?

Because I was in the same building back in the day for the last word with Jim Rome. Oh, he wore it. Wore the last word. There you go, Adrian. Good looking out.

All right, let's go to the phones. We're talking Brewers baseball next hour. World Series champion Brandon Woodruff will be joining us then. Let's go to Baltimore. Why don't we go to a market?

In market on topic, I think Brian in Baltimore. Brian, good to have you. What's going on? What's up, Jim? Man, you my guy, man.

I love your show, man. Love you, brother. Thank you, dude. You know the thing about that that infuriates me, and you know how you always give other guys names and things like that. And then you got Eric Costas; that's his name, Eric Costas, because he's the reason why this is bad.

I mean, three quarterbacks go down in the first half—that's ridiculous. And this is this is his this is his doing, you know. You look at the quote, you know, back in like twenty twenty two May seventh, Eric DeCosta. I asked Lamar, "How can we help him?" He always says, "Offensive line help." Where's that at? He ain't done anything for this team.

He brings in old vets, old washed-out players. He's he's just a tragedy, man. This is bad, you know. Him, Sashi Brown, my Mr. Cast, I miss the old guys that used to run this thing.

This is not the same Baltimore team. And everybody's going around saying that Lamar is fragile and he's Mr. Glass. They're putting these little pictures up there, and it makes me laugh because I'm like, well, where was that after Joe Barrow? I mean, times this guy's been out.

You know, this is like Lamar's major surgery right here. Like he needs—he's never had a surgery before. This is first surgery on his hand.

So I mean, then you look at the guy up in the in the Bills Mafia. Oh, they really make me laugh, dude. You guys, they kill me. They haven't won anything. They're like what zero to four in Super Bowls.

You know, they shouldn't talk so much. You know what I mean? Just kind of simmer it down, simmer it down a little bit. Guys, been haven't won since I've been in high school, and that was my whole four years. They were losing.

Anyway, Jim, love you. Have a good one, brother. Nice job, dude. Rack him. Love Baltimore showing up and representing.

By the way, that's not the only Ravens fan. Who's upset with Ravens front office? My question is, and this is why I posed it to Lamar, because I am going to be very honest with you. You know me; I am not, I am not a guy who rolls out of the rack in the morning like, "Hey, man, hot take, hot take, hot take." Click, click, click, click. I am looking for a smart show.

This is a really difficult dilemma, it seems to me. Say what you want about their front office, but you got Lamar. Right around age thirty, who's got a cap number right around eighty-two million next year, and now he's done maybe for the year. He's on the injured list. He's going to need surgery, as he just pointed out, and it happened after one play.

So for the better part of two years, he has not been available. And as much of a cliche as it is, it's accurate. Availability is your best ability. Can you count on this guy, or is he a depreciating asset? Hey, let me ask you something.

If you're a Raven fan or anybody else, if this guy—and I'm not putting it on Lamar. Lamar is incredible. Lamar is a two-time MVP. Great player, incredible player.

However, What I'm saying, if you're Baltimore and you have to make a decision on Lamar going forward, if it hasn't happened already for Lamar, why would anybody think that it's still going to happen for him in Baltimore? I'm not going to make that argument. How can I make that argument? If it didn't happen for him sooner, with a much better defense and much better talent around him when he was much younger and much healthier, and stacking MVPs, if it didn't happen then, why would we think it's going to happen for him going forward? And if it's not going to happen for him going forward, why would you do a new deal on a guy who's getting older, who's less reliable?

It's hard for me to make that argument, but. He's Lamar Jackson, and if the question is, "Well, okay, Rome, if not Lamar, then who?" I don't know. This is why we're having this conversation. I don't know. Do you start that rebuild?

Do you look for your next quarterback, or do you feel like that this is not the last game he's played for you, and there's still something there? I don't know. I even feel like when I asked Lavar that question, Lavar said the gist, and he gave a long answer. But the gist of his answer was, "I think they don't know. I think internally they're trying to figure out what the answer is because I don't think anybody thought that Lamar would come back after missing three games and then go out after one play.

They probably are like, holy bleep." We're right back where we started, except it's worse because now he's got to go to the injured list. He might be done for the year, and if he's done for the year, is he done forever here? I mean, one play, one play, and then Snoop goes down, and now you're with your emergency quarterback. Man, bad things, bad things. Oh, and that defense can't count on them.

So, what about the AFC North? All of a sudden, now is it Pittsburgh? Is it Cincinnati? You know, it's amazing. I saw a really funny line.

I thought, I think it was the athletic that quoted ESPN analytics. ESPN analytics said going into that game yesterday, when Baltimore was five and two, and they were atop the AFC North. They had a five percent chance of winning the division. That is an awesome stat. That sorry Cleveland, not to pile on.

That's how little people believed in the Browns that they were five and two going to that game with Pittsburgh. And ESPN analytics had them at a five percent chance of winning that division, and then they got slapped by the Steelers.

So ESPN analytics was right about that. All right, when we come back, I want to talk some college ball. And honestly, Ravens fan, there was a good Ravens fan. I want your thoughts.

Now what? Now what? Yeah, football is a contact sport. Guys will get hurt. Unfortunately, Lamar's getting hurt a lot, and now he might be done for the year after only one play.

And then, if you think you're still competitive this year, what if Snoop's down for a few weeks? How you gonna keep your season alive? Where do you go then? There aren't exactly available quarterbacks right now. Who who are you going to turn to?

You're not getting Kirk Cousins. You're not getting Mac Jones.

Now what? Or if you're Baltimore, do you just kind of accept your fate and say, "All right, we better step back and start to think about what we're going to do going forward." All right, all of that still ahead. I'm looking for your reaction. If you want to go in a different direction with a different topic, I'm here for that too. Just find a way in.

We're not hard to find. We'll come right back. You're listening to the Jim Rome Show.

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Ask for Old Trapper by name because no other jerky compares. Old Trapper, which your beef. Right. Let's talk some college ball. And again, Brandon Woodruff joins me next hour.

So for one night, and really for the first time, the Lincoln Riley USC Trojans actually look like they were supposed to look. For the first time, USC got what they thought they were paying for when they hired this guy. Granted, you took Ohio State rolling into the Coliseum with their freshman backup quarterback, who actually played well under the circumstances, but the rest of the team didn't. To bring out the very best in USC, but I can't take that win from them. It was a huge win.

It was the biggest USC win in a long time, and obviously the biggest win of the Lincoln Riley era. Essentially, that game put the paddles to the Trojan season and brought it right back to life. Because if USC loses that game, And takes a third loss and drops them out of playoff contention. We're having a very different conversation than the one we're having right now. We would be having the conversation about how many more games does Lincoln Riley even have left in this job, which is why it was a little strange to me.

And I can't take anything from him because, by the way, they look like a totally different team this weekend than they did last weekend. But still, despite that fact, and despite the fact that they beat second-ranked Ohio State, it was still a little weird to me to see this dude try to spike the ball in everybody's face with this written statement that he broke out after the game. Check out Link pulling out notes. From his big concluding message, or for it, like he just won an Oscar or something, and didn't want to leave anybody out. I got one other thing I want to say here.

I took a second. I wanted to make sure to articulate my thoughts. This program is not built on internal joy. Is excuse me, built on internal joy, not external applause. Swings for all the staff members, the players, the leaders, admin, all the people within the walls.

I said before this game that I'm the right person for this job, and as long as all those people know that, that's all I care about. I appreciate being a part of this university and all it does. I appreciate our kids and our staff, and I'm going to continue to fight on because that's what being a Trojans is all. Peace out. I mean, that was weird.

That was weird and not the good kind of weird. Yeah, you told us, Link. Link, I just have no idea what the actual point was. I mean, it kind of seems like that point was. Just before we go, I got something I want to.

I want to read here. Tell me how my ass tastes. Tell me how my ass tastes. That's what it seemed like. Is it not a little too soon for that?

Great win. Can't take that from you. Keep your season alive. Reduce some of the heat, but maybe you actually get into the playoff before you spike that ball in anybody's face. Maybe you win a playoff game.

Maybe you even win multiple playoff games, like you were hired to do. I didn't know that the whole point of the USC job, and then paying you all that money to come here, was to beat Ohio State's freshman backup. That's news to me. Like, you finally meet the expectations one time from when they hired you five years ago, and you're immediately going to a prepared statement that you botched. In the post-game presser, I mean, congrats on doing what you were brought to USC to do.

Maybe quit doing burnouts in the parking lot, bro. It was a big win, but that was weird and unnecessary, and to me, premature. I mean, yes, a big win that kept USC's playoff hopes alive. Can't deny that. But you got to keep going, and you have to keep winning because that's actually the expectation—not winning one big game in five years, but winning big games on the regular.

You want to really impress us? Go beat Kurt Signetti in his house next week. Yeah, then maybe you break out that statement, and even then, I wouldn't yet. I would wait till you make the playoff and you win playoff games, and then you can ask the pertinent question or demand to know how am I asked, Hayes? That just seemed premature.

Like like Indiana is beatable. They are beatable. They find ways to win every single week, but they're not the juggernaut that they were last year. And it looked like PJ Fleck and the Gophers actually had them on Saturday. I mean, how crazy was that?

What an absolutely tragic ending for Minnesota, but an incredible ending for everybody else. Back to back sixty-yard field goals in the final nineteen seconds of regulation to send that game to OT. Have you ever seen anything like that? Has anybody ever seen anything like that? Are we kidding?

That was absolutely insane. In Minnesota, you were right there. You were right there.

So USC. You know, given the way Link is talking, you should be too, especially if you're already hitting us with a written. Tell me how my ass tastes. So USC finally gets big win. They all rejoice, but nobody no more so than my guy Link.

Well, except for my guy Lendale. Lendale, not only was that a big win. But a big win over that school that my man Lendale White hated most of all back in the day. Hey, listen, Ohio State sucks. Lendale White, back in the day during the correspondent segment, notice, and this is a concern.

It's a lot more quiet up at UCLA, even though those dudes have not lost. They still have not lost. Unfortunately, to me, it's starting to get a little eerily too quiet at UCLA. Because although I defended LA fans earlier in the year, there's no defending the fact that nobody showed up to watch a now top five Bruins team play Nevada on Saturday. Granted, it was Nevada.

Granted, that was a paycheck game. I know that's not the sexiest matchup. And I know there are plenty of other things to do in LA, but twenty four k, twenty four thousand fans, that that's not good, not for a UCLA Bruin team that is top five nationally and undefeated in the Big Ten. I mean, twenty four k is like trying to run your elite head coach away. 24K fans gives your elite head coach no choice but to consider other opportunities when the phone does ring because it will.

And believe me, I'm not in any way advocating that. I love Bob Chesney. My point is, Bob Chesney is the best thing that ever happened to UCLA football. You don't want to lose that. Let me put it to you this way: If there is no energy behind this UCLA football team, then I don't think there's ever going to be any energy behind any UCLA football team, and you're never going to get an elite coach like that to stay, much less that guy, the single hottest coaching commodity in the country.

Like that said, I don't think that Florida State is the job that's going to lure Bob Chesney away. No offense, Tallahassee. I think he's going to have better offers than that. I think this guy, if he continues to do what he's doing at UCLA with the resources he has right here, and you continue not to show up to watch him play, not only will he leave, he'll go wherever he wants. The guy will have his pick.

But back to Florida State for a minute. Just jumping around, doing a little college football whip for you on the fly. Back to Florida State, so they fire their coach, and now all of a sudden you've got Florida State job open. How good of a job is that now?

Well, not as good as it used to be, which is why they're actually reportedly, allegedly, maybe considering running it back with Jimbo Fisher. Sliced bread.

Now, did that dude have success while he was there? Absolutely, absolutely. Could they do better than him right now? Absolutely, absolutely. They could.

Would they be getting him on the cheap? Yes. There is no buyout to consider. He's not coaching right now, and he got rich and he got fat.

Well, maybe he was already fat, but he got rich when NM fired him. You know he wants this gig. You know he wants this gig, and you know that he would probably take less to get this gig. And make no mistake, they they could do worse than bringing Jimbo back, but they could do better. But but I could see them doing it.

It would be a very Florida State thing to do. I could see them doing it. Hey, wait, wait, whoa, whoa, wait! Florida State, you guys don't want Coach Prime? Why not?

How about the Jug Band? You get the guy and the band. You've heard of them, right? You don't want him or the band? I bet they'd get on the next flight to Tallahassee if you reached out.

You know, the big winner in all this is. Seminole fan thinks Seminole fan is the big winner in all this. I think Mike Norvell actually was the big winner in all this because he's got a buyout that's like fifty mil. Maybe they negotiate something. I know there's probably an offset clause in that, so maybe Florida State does not need to pay the entire amount, but they're going to pay a hell of a lot of money, and this guy's going to make a hell of a lot of money not to coach the Seminoles anymore.

Pretty damn good work if you can get it. The best work, actually, I guess. Any time your fans fly a banner that says "Fire the coach" and you spell the coach's name wrong, you got to do it, right? Florida State, fire Novell. You know what?

That's a pretty good idea. I hadn't thought about that. We should fire Mike Novell. Excuse me, Coach Novell. Do you have a minute?

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