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Now, on with the show. Here's the snap. Beck looks, throws it down the field. This is the Rich Eisen Show. And it is intercepted by Indiana.
The Rich Eisen Show. Frank Ando Mendoza! I love you guys. Earlier on the show. Green Light podcast host Chris Long.
Coming up. ESPN play-by-play broadcaster Chris Fowler. Quarterback consultant Jordan Palmer. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hour number two of the Rick Johnson Show is on the air.
Chris Fowler will call the National Championship Game. It's 20 minutes away. And wait to hear what he's doing tonight. It's going to be a lot of fun. All right.
844-204-Rich is the number to dial here on the program. Whether you're watching on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, and also listening to us on ESPN Radio or SiriusXM Channel 80 or our podcast, we greatly appreciate everybody who takes us in, however you take us in. There's also always our YouTube channel for you as a nice backstop, youtube.com/slash Rich Eisen Show. You can watch us back whenever you want, all three hours, thanks to our relationship with Disney Plus and the ESPN app. Let's go to the phone lines here to kick off our number two, Jake in Omaha, Nebraska, right?
Smack dab in the middle of our football-loving nation. What's up, Jake? Hey, Rich, how are you doing? What's on your mind, sir? Oh, I was just calling.
I've got a Jets question for you because I'm a Lifelong Jets fan, but really quick before I get into that, I wanted to Yeah. And I know this is a lot. I'm going to try not to be emotional, but I just want to thank you guys for. everything you do. Um my dad passed away after uh long battle with dementia this last year.
And I grew up, sports was our life and he grew up, you know, we listen to sports talk radio all the time and Jim Rome and Mike and Mike and Dan Patrick and I found your guy at the show a few years ago and listening to you guys during that period. was so comforting. And when I would drive around, you know, to and from work, it just It made me feel like my dad was in the car with me. Wow, Jake. I just want to say thank you guys.
Wow, thank you. That means so much to us, but obviously we love being there for you and. Um That's, you know, connectivity is what this business is all about, and the fact that. Um, you let us connect with you in that way means a lot to us.
So thank you for that. Yes, appreciate that. Yeah, thank you. You bet. And it seems like you deserve to be happy, Jake.
So why are you a Jet fan in the middle of the country? I you know, Rich, it's I constantly I'm a New York sports fan and I've always had an affinity for New York, and I constantly play back the interstellar Matthew McConaughey when I wish I would have been a Giants fan and instead of a Jets fan. And it is what it is at this point.
So Um my my question, I guess, is With the kind of predicament they're in with the picks they have, what the number two pick they have. Um I know that obviously Dante Moore choosing to stay at Oregon. Um I know there's a couple franchises, you know, the Texans. add their performance with DJ Stroud. The Ravens obviously are going through a little bit of change.
My question is, do you think there's any possibility there would be any value In throwing some of those first-round picks at a CJ Stroud, at Elamar Jackson, there's no possibility that that would be no way. The Jets mortgage their present In twenty twenty five For the 2027 draft. Plain and simple. Plain and simple. They have three first-rounders in that draft, their own.
The Colts, second one from the Sauce Gardner trade, they're going to use. That one sixteenth overall in the upcoming draft. And the Cowboys won in 2027, wherever that may land. That's three first-rounders in the draft where Arch Manning lives. And whoever else that you think the Jets have clearly looked at.
And purposefully are putting their eggs in the 2027 basket. Um and and so Uh this year Even if I somehow, some way Mendoza drops to them, I would even counsel them to. Let him slide. They're not ready for him yet. They need to amass big-time playmakers.
And I'm not talking about on offense either. They need to look at somebody who is going to be a difference maker anywhere. and choose him And know that the quarterback's coming. I don't know who they would choose to be their quarterback next year, but that's what I think. They're planning on doing And um And and with that I say, call back, Jake.
Please, okay? Yes, absolutely. You got it. I'm shaking Omaha. We appreciate what you had to say.
Honestly, the Jets aren't ready. As I said the other day, Moore did them a favor to say, I want to stick around in Oregon. Um and You know, and then you just have to trust that their new brain trust is going to get it right. And and that somehow, some way It doesn't go sideways again. And who's starting next year?
For the Jets? Yeah. I don't know if he's on the team right now. I don't know. Get a veteran who's going to slap you through it and maybe give you a good shot because.
There's a reason why they told the Cowboys first rounder in 2027, not next year, please. There's a reason for it. And with three first rounders, you can move around that board. That's for sure. I don't know if you're gonna get Arch, but You've got the firepower to do it.
You know, um So I don't have an answer on that front. But the bottom line is that you just got to hope the new GM is going to do right. And that Aaron Glenn is the right guy. Because you know who's also the right guy or was the right guy? I'll say it.
I don't care. There's a reason why the Tennessee Titans looked at Robert Sala and said, You're our guy with our first overall selected quarterback, and we're going with you. As the defensive play caller and CEO, rather than getting some offensive mind to hook up with Cam Ward. We'd rather do that. We'd rather go with you, Robert Salo.
You sold us. In the same way that he sold everyone in San Francisco, not once, but twice. And he was with the Jets. And suddenly that just couldn't work out. Obviously, Zach Wilson was an issue, and then they put their Eggs.
In the basket of Aaron Rodgers, and we all know what happened there. But in year two, just four games in, they're like, let's bench Rogers. And then after five games, let's fire Robert Sal in the middle of the season.
So you just have to hope They're going to get it right. But they do have the draft choices. You know, as they introduced John Harbaugh. Um Elsewhere in the building.
So Okay. And as for Fernando Mendoza, I see a first overall draft choice. I really do.
Now, that may be part and parcel of who else is in the draft or who else is not in the draft. But at the end of the day, Who I see is somebody who processes really well. And I see somebody Who is tough as nails? Tough as nails. I see somebody Who knows?
Tom Brady's in the building. Who knows? Tom Brady and Mark Davis and John Spitek are in the building, and those are the three who are going to decide who's the first overall draft choice in the NFL draft. And I know. I have to perform not only for my future, but for my present.
And for my current teammates and for my current head coach, And I see his stat line, it doesn't jump out at you. But what I see Or a bunch of Dogs on that Miami defense, including Reuben Bain, who I was texting with, I'll say it, I don't care. Daniel Jeremiah last night. And I'm like, where is he going to land in the draft? And he just wrote back, top fifteen.
Okay, so he's going to see. Ruben Bain or a lot of guys like him. in the NFL And he got Targeted last night. There's no doubt he got cheap shotted. I don't know how the hell there was no targeting call on the one that split his lip.
You know, I love Signeti going off of The field at halftime in his In his quick, usual, nothing's really said chit-chat with sideline reporter and coach heading off into the locker room. He's just like, there were three personal foul penalties on our quarterback that were not called in the same drive. And that kid last night won a hundred percent. was circled. By Miami, and he was circled by Ohio State, who blew him up first play on the Big Ten championship night.
And 100%. Is viewed by a lot of people in this world as soft because he cries when he talks. Which may be part and parcel of our world these days as to what people consider as strong-willed, masculine people. But I think that's strong that he's able to show his emotions. and still be an absolute beast On the field, and a competitor of the first variety.
He has checked every box. This play right here. Fourth and four. Your coach is saying to you on the sideline, We're going for it. And you're the one who's going to run it.
We're not going to use your arm. Which they did later on with Charlie Becker. You want to talk about back shoulder throws to a wide receiver? Baby. Right.
Becker, who's got future Los Angeles Ram written all over him. Patriot. True. All that good stuff. But we're going to run it.
And you're going to not only go for the first down, but in the middle of the play, screw it. I am going to leap for the end zone, knowing the team that has been targeting me all night, I'm giving them a free shot. And I'll be honest. Do you think there might be some in this world? Who'd be like Yeah, I want to win tonight.
But Tom Brady and everybody else in the building I'm a first overall pick in the next year's draft. Do I really want to put my body on the line right here? What if this happens, that happens, and suddenly I'm not available for the draft? What happens? I'm going to jump for the end zone.
I might be off, but I thought to myself, he's like. There's a torpedo, and I am damning it because I'm winning tonight, and I'm showing what I'm made of tonight, because tonight helps me with tomorrow. And he's got his priorities straight. Love it. I couldn't love this kid more.
So, yeah. That's a first overall pick in the draft. Also, if you're living in Las Vegas, Nevada, and you know this guy isn't going raving or clubbing, he's going home. Maybe. He's going home.
Until he gets a taste. Excuse me. Have you ever been to Vegas? You guys, I've been to Las Vegas, Nevada. They'll stop you out quick.
He's going out. I don't appreciate your interruptions. We're just saying, yeah, keep it real. You know, beach clubs wait. He kept it real after the game.
Which sound bite do we have here all queued up, Mike Hoskins? Oh, it's touchdown. Hit it. Yeah, a big. Concept that we've really had on ourselves this year is always better on ourselves.
Whether it's preseason, no one thinks we can make it. Whether it's figuring it out in situations like Oregon, Penn State, and Iowa, we've always figured it out. And whenever Coach Signetti, Coach Shanahan, they called that play, we knew, hey, we're gonna better ourselves one more time in the biggest stage of the game. And at that point, you know, I took the drop, and it wasn't the perfect coverage for it, but I trust my lineman, and everybody. In that entire offense, an entire team had a gritty performance today, and we're all putting our bodies in the line.
So it's the least I could do for my brothers. Come on! Come on. Come on. That's all I gotta say.
Then apparently he worked blue in the post-game. Oh, he dropped an LFG mate. Oh, my goodness.
Well, that might be for Tom. He's talking to an audience of one right there. And that was brought up after the game, too. Fernando, uh you dropped a curse word there at the end, something you don't do very often word that card for you. Yeah, I would say oh overwhelmed by emotion and it's the pinnacle peak.
It's like all season we've You know, sometimes I've had these cookie-cutter responses, immediate training response to where it's been like, oh, on to the next game, on to the next play, and now we did it. We did it.
So at that point, I think it was only fitting. To kind of open the floodgates per se, probably break my stereotype. He's been around Coach Singh too long. That's an X-rated mouth. No doubt.
So he knows what it's like to get hard coaching and succeed with it. He knows what it's like to succeed in the toughest moments with his arm and his legs. He knows what it's like to take advantage of an opportunity. And he knows how to maybe decipher a defense better than somebody else who's coming out of a draft. On the Raiders, I'm all over em.
All over him. And I know they're not ready for him, just like the Jets aren't, roster-wise. But they they got a They they know what to do. I hope with their roster and their cap space. and what they can do with this kid.
Because I do think it's going to be a little bit of Nurture plus the nature. That's the conversation you have all the time. What if this guy got drafted to a different spot? Would he still be successful? That you need to have the right system, the right coach?
Or is he just so damn talented, it doesn't matter where he winds up. There's no drama to this. He's going to go number one. He's minus 7,000 right now. Is he really?
Yeah. By the way, that sounds like an exaggeration. It's not. Like, everybody thinks he's so first overall, he's minus 7,000. Like, wait a minute.
Is that really that? That's really the number. Really the number. Ruben Bain is second at plus 5,000. Hey, the way that guy's playing, the Jet fan that we just got called in.
You need to go after the passer. You're not only going for Josh Allen anymore, you're going for Drake May. Or whoever the quarterback's going to be in Miami, with Jeff Hafley hired. With a tough defense. And that mindset coming to South Florida now.
So Now it wouldn't be Bad, and also just shows you if he's second overall material. And he sure looked it last night. He was treating some of those offensive linemen of Indiana that are best in the nation, like turnstiles. Hey, man. We might look back on this national championship game like that was the number one overall pick and the number two overall pick meeting in the uh Backfield every now and then of a great game, by the way.
Superb game. Great game. That was just awesome. But Mendoza, I mean Um I know Penn State fans feel like you had him dead to rights. That was an incredible moment for him, too.
Yeah. Right? It was an unbelievable beat Oregon twice, and you know, you want to talk about the NIL world where you think.
Somebody's gonna have a leg up. You'd think Phil Knight was throwing all this money. at the football program. And Indiana comes in in two years and beats Oregon twice in the same season to go undefeated 16-0. With this kid winning the Heisman Trophy.
Deservedly so. Deservedly so. Awesome stuff. But Vegas, man. He might end up on the roof of the Venetian once he gets there.
You never know. Is that right? You don't even know. On a mattress? We're wondering where he is.
Come on, man. Hey, Vegas is something wrong. Crazy horse is an equestrian. You know what I mean? I get it.
And I understand that spearmint isn't the taste of the gum with the rhino. I get it. You get it? I'm with you. You feel me?
I messed up. Picking up what you're putting down. This kid's going to sleep. Never know. And then, when he shows up well rested, he will be awake.
How dare you? Let's take a break. Glass is half full, pal. Chris Fowler's coming up next, right here on the Rich Eisen Show, fresh off Calling the Natty. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
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We talked in the previous segment about the Fernando Mendoza leaping for the end zone touchdown before we bring in our next guest. Here's his remarkable call of that awesome moment last night. Gotta get to the eight. He's gonna take off in one. Mendoza feeds his way first and go diving toward the end zone.
Touchdown. That's why he won the Heisman Trophy. Yeah. Perfectly called and summed up, and my good buddy Chris Fowler, kind enough to join us here the day after. Great to see you, Chris.
How are you, sir? Feeling good. Feeling good. Bags under the eyes, but I hate to point out the flaws, but no, I'm making it, Rich. I'm good.
That was a blast to call. Thanks for playing that call. That's a play, especially when you watch it unfold in slow motion. It was so cinematic. It's going to be remembered forever, not just by Indiana fans, by a lot of football fans who enjoyed the ride and enjoyed getting to know Mendoza in the last couple of months.
And that was a cinematic, as Signetti said, it's a hell of a movie. And that was maybe like the closing scene right there. The interception was, but it was a hell of a movie.
Well, I mean, and I was just saying in the last segment, and I might be already getting too deep in the weeds here, Chris, but in this day and age of NIL and what kids play for, right? He's got Tom Brady, Mark Davis, John Spytek watching him. He's the first overall pick in the draft. Um coming in. And I think 100% now going out.
But I'm just wondering: like, might there be somebody who's thinking, all right, first down's enough. I'm sliding because I'm not putting myself on the line here. And heck with it, damn the torpedoes, I'm jumping headfirst against a team that's been targeting me all night. You know, that was incredible, Chris. That's not Mendoza, though, man.
He is consistently taking beats. Remember, the Ohio State game, big 10 championship takes that massive shot. You thought he might be. done forever. And he gets up, misses one play, comes back in.
So we knew his toughness. But yeah, that was a cheap shot, not called right to the mouth, bleeding. unfazed by it. In fact, he plays better, I think, after he gets rocked and gets challenged.
So there was no way he was not going to go airborne and pay the price. Took two shots in that play, hit once on the ground, then once in the air in the back. And, like I said, it's one of those moments in my time of covering and calling games in this sport that I'll never forget. That's a beautiful freeze frame, right? They look at that shot.
Right. And you look at his arms. His arms were banged up, bruised, you know, black and blue. Yeah, that's it. Right there.
That's the moment. In the air. And he had the presence of mind to stretch the ball across the plane with two hands on it. I mean, there's so many components to that play. The call by Signetti when he he didn't really want to have to kick a field goal, but he set the field goal team out Then the clock was running down.
He knew they weren't going to be able to get off the operation cleanly.
So he calls timeout. They come back over. Radisich is also 15, the kicker.
So we didn't know which 15 in red is going to go out there because it was unclear. And he kind of said afterward that he said, bleep it. Put the offense back out there because he knew that a touchdown there was really going to put pressure on Miami. And if you don't make it, you're still backing them up near the goal line. It was in the end a great call.
It still surprised me because he had sent the field goal team out there to go up six. But give him a lot of credit, man, for not only the guts to make the call, but having the knowledge that they had a play, they could block well. That Miami had kind of tipped earlier. They weren't going to be great at defending. And the safety got lost and it unfolded exactly.
How the computer's brain envisioned it beforehand.
So, what is Kurt Signetti like in a pre-broadcast meeting? Chris. Fascinating, man. I got to know him in the run-up to the Heisman. I had never met him before.
And we did a Zoom talking about Mendoza and talking about ball and talking about their season and then obviously covering them in the Rose Bowl, where you have a little more time than most games to hang around and get to know him. He sits in the room and it's a very interesting presence. Which wouldn't be a surprise seeing his press conferences and his interviews, but he'll look you right in the eye. He told us, not in regard to judging us, but in judging other people, recruits, coaches, that he can usually tell. within 45 seconds or a minute.
Exactly, what someone is about through the look in their eye, their posture, their demeanor.
So you feel challenged when you're with him to make sure. That he understands that you're all in, you're attentive, you're paying attention, you're feeling the vibe. But I like that. I like disruptors. I like guys who have swag and bravado.
But he's also a no-nonsense guy. Your talk a few minutes ago about the comparisons to Saban are very real, not an achievement, because nobody's gonna do what Nick did. Let's not get carried away. Signetti's already, he's older than me. He's not gonna win six more championships.
But I think the way he goes about his business, the way he pushes. His team's buttons is masterful, and the way that he judges talent and assembles a roster.
Now, Having said that, when Kirk and I said at the end of the game, Rich, and I don't know if you're going to ask this or not, but you said Indiana is not going anywhere. You talked about Mark Cuban, who was singing along to Hurt So Good last night in the commercial rate, which I thought was funny. Right. Having a good time. Um it doesn't mean you can do this again.
And again, okay, you have to get a lot of things aligned. Mendoza is not going to be there. They're bringing in Josh Hooper from TCU, good quarterback. I'm sure they'll coach and develop him extremely well. But so many of the pieces, so many of those 24-25-year-olds that came from JMU and other places, they were at their third or fourth school, they're not going to be there.
So you really have to. You know, put that plan in place, and he's got a great plan, but there are no guarantees Indiana is going to be running through the Big Ten and get back in the bracket and be there when the confetti falls again. I think their fans probably realize that.
So then let's linger in the current achievement a little bit more, Chris Fowler, because you're the perfect guy to ask about this. Been there, done that, been around, and also sat next to somebody named Lee Corso, former Indiana coach. Forever in a day. And this photograph popped in my timeline yesterday. It's a photograph of somebody who took this snapshot.
Moments before Kurt Signetti's first game as head coach in Indiana and Memorial Stadium, for those listening on radio, good seats still available. And you were there last night for what appeared to be a Hardison Indiana Crowd in the home of the hurricanes. Can you put in perspective for people what this achievement is? Chris? A bunch of loyal, starving fans who had waited.
decades and many told us it felt like a dream of a dream. To even be in the rose bowl, even be in the bracket, but then to dominate Alabama, dominate Oregon, and they really took over Atlanta. As you know, there was about 95 crowd division. The Ducks fans showed up, but they were disappointed very early. And then last night in the Hurricanes Home Stadium, there was an Indiana crowd edge.
They were vocal. They made it hard on Miami's offense in their own stadium to operate late in the game. Yeah, you pointed that out on a false start prior to what was the final. Moments, Chris. No doubt.
The crowd did that. The crowd, Indiana crowd, did. I think they're euphoric. I mean, they're so appreciative. They've watched everybody else in the Big Ten kick them around for decades.
No one in Indiana is old enough to really remember the glory days. I mean, you pointed out Nikorso brought them their first postseason win. And before this season, they had a grand total of three postseason wins in 100 and some years. They had three this season all against top teams. Wow.
I know. And it does give, I guess, A message that it could be done, if not again at Indiana next year, but elsewhere. What do you think is the larger message of last night's game? Because again, Miami had it right there and had the momentum, had a bunch of very talented players on the field. And it had it all set up, Chris.
A message that comes out of the game? Last night?
Well, first of all, in the game, and they dominated early, and Miami took control in the second half, actually outgained them. And I think Indiana won with special teams. The completeness of that team, maybe not fully appreciated because we're caught up in Mendoza and the defense is certainly rugged. They blocked four punts this year. They blocked one against Oregon.
And the biggest play of the game was Kamara's block punt right there for a touchdown. And, you know, Miami actually lost 10 points on special teams at the doink. On the long field goal try by Davis in the first half.
So 10 points lost on special teams alone. You can't do that against a team like Indiana. For me, that was the biggest play of the game before. Mendoza's touchdown dive, but it's complete. That's why I think his blueprint is repeatable, even though the result may not be repeatable.
India is going to be strong and they're going to be sound. And Miami, by the way, is not going anywhere. I mean, Miami, I fell for them, I felt for Carson Beck. We were along for his ride, this long career at Georgia and now a year at Miami. And I felt badly for him.
I get older, Rich, and I get softer emotionally about how these guys. personally take a crushing loss like that. And he had done some really good things to put them in position to win it late. An eighty one yard, a ninety one yard touchdown drive against this tough defense after getting off to a very rough start. And in the end, you know, people will remember the pick by Jamari Sharp.
whose uncle Glenn was Was the man flagged for past interference when he played for Miami against Ohio State back in the fiesta the last time that. And is it not crazy? You live out in Hollywood. I mean, the movie scripts, the layers to this script are crazy. Yes.
You couldn't, no one would believe it if you handed this script into a studio. They say, come on. We thought Hoosiers was corny. This is outrageous. But it's all true.
Yes, it is, except for the fact, you know, you've been in my house. It's not in the shadow of the W of the Hollywood sign. We use Hollywood in the metropolitan Hollywood area. The entirety. But if you hang with the luminaries of the show business world, writers and scripts and things like this.
Yes, we do.
So, yeah, and again, that Tony, it's only fitting he wears Tyreek Hill's number. He's so electric. Oh, my God. Every single time he got the ball, I bet you just, you know, you stood up a little bit in the booth because you just don't know what's going to happen when he hit the bottom. I love that guy.
I think he just turned 18 after catching the touchdown to beat Notre Dame in his first college game when he was 17. Had an amazing freshman season. He's wise beyond his years. He's extremely tough. He's a complete player.
He's a team guy. He was called Baby Jesus in high school down here because he was just that good. And you talked about D'Angelo Pons, who played in the same youth league with the corner for Indiana, had a tremendous game, was checking him. And Signetti and Brian Hayes, his coordinator on defense, said they had four plans, multiple plans to stop Tony. And for a while, it worked, but you keep feeding him the ball.
He just finds a way to create space and make things happen. I think he's the most exciting player in the sport. And I love the fact that we're going to see him for two more years. Yeah, he is that exciting. I don't think you overstated that.
At all. And I just, again, I love when he's got the ball in his hands that you just do not know what is going to happen. And again, there's a great shot caught by your the crew last night. Of as Carson Beck's getting ready to go out on the field for this do or die moment. And there's Ray Lewis saying Okay.
You know, and every single player that I've interviewed that's played with Ray. They never want to let him down. And when Beck threw the interception, I thought to myself, oh, God, how's he going to see Ray Lewis after this? Because obviously, you know, and I did see Ed Reed was going up to Tony in the tunnel and throwing an arm around him and things of that nature. It's kind of wild to see just the past and the present and future of Miami all together over the last few weeks here.
That's been a fun thing to have the U-Back riches. You got all those gold jackets out there, you got all those legends, those guys who are fully invested emotionally in the program and have suffered. As the Kanes have kind of slid into mediocrity and oblivion. And now, and they've been teased before. They thought maybe last year was the year, but the defense wasn't nearly good enough.
This year, things did come together. Ray Lewis had told Carson Beck before the game-winning drive against old miss, let's go do it. And he kind of repeated the message. They didn't get the same result. Michael Irvin down there on a four-point stance on the sidelines.
That's one of my takeaways from the playoffs: is our buddy Michael Irvin in a four-point stance? Yeah, yeah, hey, and SNL sent him up, you know, over the weekend. Like, he actually got some SNL run out of it as well.
So, before I let you go, Chris, much made about the college football playoff committee and the way that they go about their business, and how about they come up with the rankings for weeks and whether it really ran in okey-doke on somebody like Notre Dame.
Now that the CFP and the 12-team field is complete this year, what do you make of it? What do you think about moving forward?
Now that we saw the way it all did play out. This year. We have a deeper understanding how important those final selections are, right? Because a lot of people didn't think Miami belonged in. They were the last at-large team in.
They have a 10 seed, and they were good enough to win a national championship last night and came just short. But I think that's the new normal. I think you're going to have teams with a couple of losses that play in tough leagues. Maybe they dare to play somebody in the non-conference, which Miami does. Indiana, unfortunately, does not.
They will not be challenged again until the Big Ten schedule. And I don't think you want to penalize those teams, but you see how tough it is because Notre Dame, had they gotten in the bracket, they could have gone on a run. Perhaps Texas could have gotten on a run.
So the teams that were 13, 14 on the wrong side of the bubble were very capable of making deep runs, just like Miami did. They didn't get a chance to. And it takes nothing away from the Kanes, but I think we're seeing that. People may begin to wonder why The Jameis Madisons get in, why the Cinderellas get in, why a group of five teams automatically goes in by being the highest-ranked conference champion. Maybe they should need a certain rank.
I know inclusivity is very important in the world, in this sport, but I think that's going to be looked at because. Unless they want to expand to 16, you're going to have some good teams left out. And we have to pay attention to the last teams in because, like Miami, whether it's a, team from The Big Ten that's third or fourth of the SEC. They are also capable of doing this. And that makes it fun.
I love the fresh blood in the bracket this year. I call this the least predictable matchup we've seen because most teams You get at least one of the sides of the matchup has been predictable. It's an Ohio State or Georgia or Alabama. This time, Indiana is 100 to 1 before the season. And I pointed out last night, because people don't remember this, Miami was 100 to 1.
when the bracket, the day before the bracket came out. People weren't sure they're going to get in. Then they saw that path, and there were still ultra-long shots to get in anywhere close. to that game last night. And that shows you that the I like to say there's no foregone conclusions in college football, but there have been some very predictable results in some earlier playoffs and not this year.
I hope it Continues like this because it's been a hell of a lot of fun. Yeah, me too. I mean, everything you just said is right. But then, when you sit here and say Miami going on a run shows that there should be more teams like Miami let in as opposed to James Madison when It's one all by a f program run by a former coach of James Madison only three years removed. For a program that had never done what they've done.
It's wild. And it's all I'm not saying, by the way, I'm not saying throw James Madison in the middle of the middle. No, no, no, I'm with you too. I'm with you too, which is why maybe Petiti is saying, let's expand it. To 16, you know, and then, or 24.
And Sankey's like, wait a minute, less than that. I don't know. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's the conversation that's being had right now. It needs to be, I think, rectified by the end of the month for it to change in time for the fall.
Yeah, if you're going to 16, you got to do away with the buys. You can't keep adding layers of games unless you're going to restructure certain parts of the sport, shorten the regular season, get rid of the conference championship games, at least in the SEC and the Big Ten, where they're basically meaningless in terms of the bracket. They mean a lot to win that trophy in the conference, but they don't mean anything because both teams are going to go in. And in the case of the Big Ten, both teams got buys.
So you can't just keep adding layers. I mean, teams are getting much, much better following the NFL model of keeping these guys recovered and as fresh as possible. I was skeptical when this started, and there they were in game 16 and Miami and Indiana, pretty darn healthy, considering. And the guys have plenty of energy to finish that game. And it's remarkable.
It's a testament to the players, but I don't think you can just keep adding more and more games and another layer in the bracket. You got to have some common sense. Makes sense. Uh would you mind sharing with everybody where you're going? Later on today, Chris?
Yeah, I have a car to the airport in a couple of hours to go to Melbourne, Australia for the Australian Open, which is already underway. They didn't hold it for you, Chris? They didn't wait for you? They didn't wait for you. Last year, I only got to do the last four days.
This year, the calendar was different.
So I get down there at least at the end of week one, and I can't wait. It's a brand new season down under, it's summer. And I get to work with a tennis team, and I'm fired up for it. And I can sleep on planes, so it's all good. God bless.
I love it. That's awesome. And I texted you beforehand. I saw on my feed something from our buddy Andrew Ciciliano who was hosting a pod.
Somebody was giving a theory that Jessica Pagula changed her coach. Despite her level of success to get over the hump, she makes the U.S. Open final. And that maybe her dad thought the same way about his. Head coach with the Buffalo Bills, Chris.
Not to cross the streams here, but that's a theory out there as to why Sean McDermott might have, in part, Been shown the gate in Buffalo. I'll ask Jessica about if she influenced her father. That's a good question for him. No pressure. I know, right?
It's wild, though. You see this NFL, I mean, apparently making the playoffs isn't good enough anymore. And I thought the tennis coaches got fired with regularity. Most players go through four or five within a two-year span. NFL's getting like that.
I know. And so, you know, best of luck on your time with the Open. It's great to see you. It was great to see you before the Rose Bowl as well out here in Hollywood. See you at the Super Bowl.
Oh, yeah. Let's do it. You'll be there. You want to predict? You want to get out there?
You'll get aggregated, Chris. I know you want to get aggregated on ESPN. Go for it. What's your prediction? Predict the game.
Who's going to be in the game? Who's going to be in it? What do you got?
Well, I see I have an agenda. I like to call fun plays.
Okay.
So, no, no, no.
So, the Seattle defense worries me. Who's going to make a first down against the Seahawks? I mean, I'd like to see some excitement. I did grow up a Broncos fan. Yes.
Full disclosure: whether they can do it with Jarek's tidum, I have no idea, but I'll be out there having fun. Dude, it's a no-pressure. We call for the Aussies and the Kiwis and the people on cruise ships. Believe me, I'm not going to be stressing over it. We're going to have a good time with Riddick and our last ride.
You're calling Super Bowl 60.
So I will see you there for the international group, for everybody else. Your listeners fly to Australia so they hear our call. It says a short. 14-hour flight. Best to Jennifer, sir.
Thank you. Best to Susie. See you. That's it. Chris Fowler, everybody, heading off to the airport to go to sleep.
God bless them. I can't do that on a plane. You can't? I cannot. I cannot sleep on planes, man.
You're all up in 1A, you're all comfortable.
Okay.
All right. All right. Warm nuts. That's what we do in the Hoi Paloi Hollywood set. All right.
We'll take a break right here on the rich eyes and show everybody. That was a lot of fun. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show, 844-204. Rich is the number to dial.
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And you're on there. There's one person apparently. You can't hire. Because he already thinks he has a job, unless you're on LinkedIn and you work for the Las Vegas Raiders. Fernando Mendoza, the only.
Social media site that he's on is LinkedIn. That is great. And he changed, um. He changed his His uh I guess bio To basically say he's the Las Vegas Raiders' first overall pick. Isn't that amazing?
I'm grateful for this amazing opportunity and can't wait to play. For the Las Vegas Raiders next season, is what he posted. On LinkedIn last night. With his new national championship trophy. It's great.
I love everything about him, man. That is so good. Right? Can't wait to play for the Raiders next season. Great.
He basically told the Raiders, you're on the clock for me. And that's, you know what I'm saying? That's true, man. And the Vegas Raiders aren't a small business, but, you know. My friend's wife, who he's LinkedIn, my friend's wife, who isn't really in the football the other day.
Brought him up to me, like, you know, this Fernando guy. And I was like, well, yeah. She goes, I love him so much. And, like, she's not even a football fan. And it's getting out.
Yeah. That's because he's crossing over in terms of the way people are learning about him because of who he is, who his family is as well. You know, you you the number of times they would cut away to his family last night. You know, his mom basically saying she didn't like the way that he was throwing himself on the answer. Yeah, I bet.
You know? She is the one that's in the middle of the mm. And I mentioned also again, she she is in a wheelchair or her Um she has an MS And um Her husband, Fernando's dad, rarely stands up and cheers. He's always sitting down most of the time.
so he can celebrate with his wife. At eye level. Matt in Las Vegas, you're here on the Rich Eyes Show. What's up, Matt? Yeah, thanks, Rich.
And hi, guys. I'm a diehard Raiders fan here in Vegas now. I'm originally from upstate New York and Been following this kid, you know, and I just, everything with Fowler and all that you guys are going through this morning is just. Finally, a breath of fresh air for the Raiders and what we need. This kid, uh And just what he've gone through from a a life perspective.
He's a, you know, I think a lot of haters are going to want to hate on him and, you know, pretend that he's just. He makes up a lot of what he says. And I don't see that this kid, just what he's gone through in all these games, I love college football. Followed up the Oregon game, the Penn State game, and then just the four teams that he just beat. Obviously, the Ohio State game was a test.
This Miami game was a test in Bam and Oregon. To go through that gauntlet and the effort that and what he put on his back.
So, going through all that and watching all that, just I've been pulling friends die hard and all the Raiders stand out here. I've now learned about him and read things from his mom, from his A letter from Alsa Mendoza before he won the Heisman. And I'm going to get a little emotional here, but it really Just struck a lot of me, and you know, he did really, he grew up in born and raised in Boston. idolized Brady. I was at the tuck wheel game.
Uh shut it. Brockman, you know, just to Stop you there before 24 years ago, yesterday. Yeah, I've been through it all, and he's exactly what this franchise needs. You know, this past season was the lowest of lows and um Thank you to the Giants for getting us here. Nice.
Because we want you to hear about them. You know, I just, we need him. You know, the Raiders, the old Oakland Raiders fans, this season, last season, it's been a tough goal. Upseason ticket holders, it's just nobody wants to be there. Thanks for the call, Matt.
I greatly appreciate it.
Sorry, we're up against the end of the hour and don't want you to be cut off without me being the one to do it.
Well put, well said. I think he should be a Raider, and I hope. I am right for your sake. The Ridge Heisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
