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Hour 3: MLB Playoff Picture Comings into Focus, plus Actor Jonathan Tucker In-Studio

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September 24, 2026 4:12 pm

Hour 3: MLB Playoff Picture Comings into Focus, plus Actor Jonathan Tucker In-Studio

The Rich Eisen Show / Rich Eisen

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September 24, 2026 4:12 pm

Rich and the guys break down what’s at stake in the stretch run of the MLB season, the possibility of Case Keenum starting for the Bears this week, and debate what’s more likely: Justin Herbert leads the Chargers to a win over the Bills in Buffalo or Jameis Winston leads the Giants to a win over the Titans. Actor Jonathan Tucker joins Rich in-studio to promote his new ‘American Hostage’ series on MGM+, discusses the state of his beloved Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics, and reflects on his roles in the MMA drama ‘Kingdom, and playing a villain opposite Timothy Olyphant on ‘Justified.’   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere.

Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show. We've got a podcast, so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel.

Subscribe at youtube.com slash rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment.

Now, on with the show. And Jackson Dark took a shot. This is The Rich Eisen Show. If you get punched in the gut, Ian, are you going down? Ian O'Connor, are you going down?

From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. No one's going to trade anybody from Chinese. Earlier on the show. Oldness head coach Pete Golding. ESPN college football analyst Chase Daniel.

Coming up. Actor Jonathan Tucker. And now, it's Rich I said. Hour number three of the Rich Rising Show is on the air. Chase Daniel, hour two, Pete Golding of Ole Miss Football, and hour number one.

Great stuff. Ohio Register. Thursday, we played a game called For real or forgazy to start the show. About which teams entering week three are for real or have been Faghazi. That's Faghazi.

Thank you very much. We're now growing. We're growing. When we come up with an idea an hour before the show, then an hour to go for the show.

So we've got production material. I mean that even brought walkers. For real. Who you pitched in? For gays.

Very good, ladies and gentlemen. TJ Jefferson, a jack of all trades, including no contest wrestling. Yeah, man. We had a good one yesterday. Fantastic.

And it's out there for everybody to check out, whether you listen to your podcasts or you watch them on the Rich Eisen Show YouTube channel, youtube.com/slash Rich Eisen Show, which is a way you can catch up on whatever you've missed here, our podcast as well. And there's our shop page, richeisonshop.com for all of your desires, hats, and shirts, and so much more. Mugs, the mug that's usually sitting on my desk. I don't have one here today. It's going to be the holidays before you know it.

Oh, that Rich Eisen Show Michigan Man t-shirt that's right up there. That's exactly what I'm sending in an XL to San Francisco, Santa Clara, pardon me. Maybe 2X for Kittle. No, actually, I reached out to him. I said, what's your size?

Oh, whoa. But Smetia. It's at XL.

Well, you know, George wants a little tight on the bike. That's what I'm saying. Yeah. Oh, there you go. Excel.

It's like 6'4. That's all I'll be sending them. And I've already reached out to Michigan saying I may need a hat being sent there. Or I'm going to be wearing a helmet. You're going to yourself a little bit?

Yeah, yeah. I mean, you might be I will be. Excuse me, guys, guys. It's called preparation. It's not called jinxing anything, it's called prepping.

It's called preparing, having a plan, having a pressure plan. That's what Kurt Warner always says: that teams need to have a pressure plan every down. That's what Coach Wooden said. Proper preparation prevents poor performance. Oh, my goodness.

Look at you. Mr. King. Five and a half-point favorites. That one is a large amount of points.

That's a large number.

So, is this a spread bet, by the way? Or is this just a spread? Oh straight up. Straight up. I like that spreads.

I love it. Baseball. Baseball. Next week. It could be a game three.

I know. Locked in. Could be a game three of that wild card series between the Yankees and the Red Sox because this is what should happen. The Yankees and the Red Sox, after being The two best teams, not named the Devil Rays, pardon me, the Tampa Bay Rays and the American League East, they should have to play one another while not one, but two teams. Currently, two games under 500 are fighting it out over the final.

four days of this season for the right to Host A playoff series. Host a playoff series against whoever finishes second in the second best division of the American League.

So let's come up with a system where the three best teams are going to have to go through one another while the three worst teams get a chance to just get a just play against one another. And then the winner of that, you go to the American League Championship Series against whichever team just beat up on each other. The Sox and Guards were on ESPN last night. I forget who was doing the game, but they were talking about: is it time to have. Throw out the divisions.

No seating like the NBA. Oof.

So that would be the reason the Yankees would get the buy. By the way, the Yankees could use the buy that the Guardians are going to get. Unless the White Sox get like, honestly. The fact that Two teams get a buy. I said.

And it's one that clearly has the best record. I said, too. And then the team that gets the second best. Gets the buy is who's got the second best. record most likely.

of the other division winners. potentially not even the wildcard teams.

Now, obviously, if this was when we were growing up, it would just be: we're Yankees, great season. You're out. Right. You're done. You're finished.

A lot tougher back then. No doubt. And there are only two divisions per league. Yeah. So that's what it used to be.

But the wildcard system has been a boon. There's no question about it. It's better that more teams involved, but have we seen in recent years, the teams that get the buy, best record in the league, often lose immediately.

Well, I'll tell you what, if Aaron Judge might not answer the bell next Tuesday night, I think it would behoove the Yankees to. Have a week off if they could. They can't anymore.

So I think it's just absurd. It's absurd. You know, teams would be fourth place in the AL East, but they get home field advantage and a week off. A week off and home field advantage. And they're barely 500.

I don't know what to say, pal. It's dumb. You know. And trust me. You know, if the Astros make it, we might you know, the Yankees might have to send George Costanza down there and give him a what for.

I mean, look, I know you got your concerns as a Yankee fan from the Sox perspective right now. You can't score any runs. I mean, last week.

Well, neither can the Yankees. Twelve hits, one run, singles. Brother, Toli versus Schlittler. And there might be 20. Gray versus Cole, I'm assuming.

And then, what? Freed? Against who would be your your third guy? Who who who who'd you go with? Uh Whoever that's going to be, you know.

I don't know how many runs are going to get scored in this entire series. Uh not a lot. Although Stanton is taking swings in the minors right now.

So maybe Judge should have done that. Brother. I don't know what's going on there because he just sounds like the number of times that Boone says something that irks him. to the point where he says something to the media. That's now twice in the last month.

Well, he did it again yesterday. Like, why would he say that I have a moderate strain? Yeah, like, why would he even bring that up? Michael, honey, you just tell me the type of strain you have. What's going on with you guys?

It's like movie folks. Press 1. Press on for a minor stream. But he says he's going to play, which is great. Ow.

Unless he turns into the next Durant, then not. But the whole system just Ranger Suarez will start the third. Oh, here you go. Yeah. Yankees had a good game against them recently, against him recently.

It's going to be on, you know, Yankees and Red Sox. Of course, you know, I don't know who has that series. uh which which broadcast partner, but that is a uh bonus. A bonus to say the least. Yankees Red Sox.

That's you know, hey, you got Yankees Red Sox and you get Guardians White Socks. I mean, all due respect. Might be NBC. Oh, NBC and BC. Yeah, be and be seen.

Say Roger. Many. Howard. Um meanwhile in Chic Ch Chicago, um So it looks like the White Sox are going to make it, right? Put it up one more time.

Yeah, because the loser of the West is going to be under 500. And it's actually.

So yeah, the White Sox are going to make it after all. Unless they bottom out, and never somebody else wins out. Unless they lose the last four games. You know? It should be done.

Yeah, the White Sox magic numbers said one. Yeah, they would have to lose out.

So on Monday night, hey, most likely, the White Sox are going to be in the playoffs and the Cubs are going to be in the playoffs, and you got PCA finishing what.

Well, you know, PC MVP. He's most likely MVP. And Case Keenan may be front and center. Yeah. How about that for Chicago sports?

Chicago. Huh? It's like the dragon meme of the two serious ones and the other ones. Like, hey, hey, listen. Chase Keenum is going to get this start unless Tyson Bagent clears concussion protocol or Kayla Williams.

Somehow shows up like the Undertaker. I think it's going to be Case Keenum. Yeah. And this sound, I mean, he. Has full faith and credit in the man who's calling the plays.

Which is um half the battle, you know. It's no surprise either. But I just kind of dig this sound bite, hit it. I've been around a lot of great coaches in my lifetime. my dad being really my first one.

Um And uh I see just about every coach I've ever had like kind of like a father figure.

Now we're a little closer to brothers, I think, than we are father at least with father. But that respect I have for great coaches, man, You know, you just you'd wanna run through a brick wall for the man. Um And if I get a chance to, like, to have that guy in my ear, like, golly, man, I mean, he's he's. He's going to go down as probably the best. play caller, play designer.

Um Okay. Coach. All of the above, when it's all said and done. I mean, some of the stuff that that man does is unbelievable. And the way he sees the game, the way he's able to.

Prepare guys, the way he's able to lead. Man, I am the biggest Ben Johnson fan. I'm here right now because of him. I was retired, and he called me two years ago, basically, in my own head. I had prepared to be ready, but there weren't a lot of phone calls coming, and he called.

And we met and uh supposed to meet for like fifteen minutes and wound up talking for two and a half hours and I'm like, okay. I wanna do it. I wanna do it with this guy. And uh it has been just such a pleasure. Uh I've I've found uh the love of football again working working with him.

So um I can't say enough good things about about Ben. There we go. Yeah. I just love that. I don't know.

Why I wanted to play that just it's a it's It's pretty cool. Certainly when this is the guy who is going to be the avatar of Ben Johnson's offense, and the first one that Ben Johnson sends out on the field as an offensive coordinator or a head coach that wasn't A first overall selected quarterback in the draft, Goff those years in Detroit and obviously Caleb in Chicago. And it's going to be Case Keenum. Most likely. come out of the protocol It's a day that he doesn't take any snaps with the ones prior to taking on Jalen Carter, the Eagles defense, which is kind of not optimum.

So the idea that Bajant oh, yeah, Bajant will get out of the protocol on Saturday and they're going to throw him out there on Monday, that's not the way it works in the NFL.

So here we are on Thursday. And if Bajant's still in that protocol, it sure looks like that's going to be your starting quarterback on Monday night. And what a what a what a spot for him. What a spot for him and for Ben Jonson. And for Keenum, who, as we all know, played an NFC championship game against the Eagles.

And that game was seven all before the roof caved in on Minnesota after they had the Minnesota miracle that got them there. Everyone thought it was going to be breeze. taking on Nick Foles in the same and the Eagles. But instead it wasn't, and we all know what happened after that. They went and got Kirk Cousins.

So Keenum had this opportunity, and he makes an NFC championship game, and they're like, yeah, we're going to go with another guy. And here he is now for the Bears years later. for Ben Jonson in a big spot in front of the whole country. And first things first, he believes in the guy and he thinks he's great. Best play caller ever.

Oof.

That's a bold statement. Certainly here in uh Los Angeles, California, where a lot of Fans might be saying, who's that? All-time leader in college football, passing yards, and touchdowns. Yeah, man. There's Kyle Shanahan.

There's a bunch of people. And the fact, again, that the Bears got this guy. Right. The Bears are the ones who've got a quarterback whisperer and a demon of a play caller. Normally, you have not associated the Bears with that.

You got Fire and Brimstone, and you got Lovey Smith, who basically never said a word. Was a defensive-minded coach, and then you got Eberflus on top of it.

Now, here comes Ben Johnson. Who said yes to the Bears and no to everyone else for years? Stayed one more year at Detroit. Yep. The Washington plane was in the air, right?

Going to get him? Pretty cool, man. Just. Kind of want to bring that to everyone's attention. Let's take a phone call and then we'll take a break here.

Justin in Inland Empire, California, right? It's inland, right? It's not inland empire, right? In land. It's whatever.

It's whatever. Oh, is it really? I had no idea. I don't know. It depends.

Normally, you know, having lived here for 25 years. Uh Inland Empire, I just know traffic's never good there. Ever. Six ever. I hear it ever and all.

Some of what the old Sigalert is usually wearing the Inland Empire. But anyway, keep, Justin, I digress. What's your thoughts? To be on the Rich Eisen show, that God has blessed me with the opportunity to call in on a Thursday and let Giant fans know. Cut off the phone cord.

You don't need to reach out for another quarterback. What do you got? Jameis has a whole week to prepare this week. And we all know horses prepare for battle, but victory. comes from the Lord.

Have a great day. Oh wow. Right on. See, but did Homer write that? Doesn't that sound like something out of The Odyssey?

That was good. I like that. He waited that entire time to say that. That was great. He said it with his chest.

Okay. Tomorrow's what's more likely. I'm going to give you what's more likely right now, Jennifer. Oh, man. What's more likely?

What's more likely? Obviously, Giants beating Titans at home. Charges beating bills on the road are Opposite ends of the market. Not the same, yeah, not the same. But I'm going to say, what's more likely?

Chargers do what I manifested at the end of hour two. Giants beat the Titans because Jameis looks so good. Totally different guy from six days before. And that's why the Giants win. And again, you saw last week.

The Titans at home against Philadelphia, they were not homecoming. They weren't like the get-right team, right?

Okay. They're starting to get something a little bit more. What is more likely? The headline coming out of week three, Sunday, a Monday morning when we come on the air here on the West Coast. We're talking about Herbert Out-dueled Josh Allen or looked him straight in the eye, and they had the ball last, and they won.

And The Giants beat the Titans because Jameis just lit him up for 350, three tutties. Offense looked great and literally hold the phone in all the trade talk and conversation. What's more likely? T.J. Jefferson, your first.

Brother, I would love it as a Jameis Winston Florida State fan for the case to be that he did it. But I also believe there's a better chance of Jameis Winston, and I hate the quarterback out-dueling the other quarterback, but there's a better chance of him out-dueling Cam Ward than there is for Justin Herbert to out-duel Josh Allen.

So I'm going to say it's more likely that we say Jameis leads the Giants to a win.

Now. Herbert. You saw Jameis with your own two eyes and were so, like, you're so turned off, huh? It was pretty brutal. And again, I know, look, running scout team all week.

You don't think you're going to play. Different offensive kind of planets. You're kind of just thrown in. But it wasn't just like. It would have been one thing if he was airmailing throws.

Then it's like, okay, that's a timing thing. That's working with the receivers, not a lot of reps, et cetera, et cetera. Short hopping. Everything was underthrown, short hop, he was getting pressured. It's more likely that the Chargers go in, and on Monday, we're like, okay, they're back.

First two weeks, throw it out. Yeah, things clicked. Herbert's still Herbert. Yeah. Bring the Sherbert to Herbert.

That's more likely. Bring the Sherbert to Herbert. I just feel with, and I know we all love stories, right? Jameis, the world fell in love with Jameis this summer during the World Cup. I was watching the video last year before that.

I'm just saying, the world, though, everybody, all these countries have like this, you know, he's in the stands cleaning up the stands with the. Japanese team. And I don't know. It would just make such a great worldwide story if Jameis could get it together. He lit it up against Cleveland.

As a Cleveland Brown in the snow. Remember that? Yeah. Yeah. And and so You're saying that guy's not walking not walking through the door.

I have more faith in the what's more likely Friday. Does that give you an idea? A little kernel? Sanders? We'll cook something up.

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When we come back, the great Jonathan Tucker is here. Man Steals Every Seed and the Next Segment coming up. Taking a quick break to tell you how Saturday's game time can get a little messy. Your crew just came over to watch. Snacks on the table, drinks in hand, and somebody's celebrating like they just won the whole season and beyond.

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Terms and conditions apply, NMLS 696891. Fast funds terms apply at sofi.com/slash debt play. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Audience has just returned. We just saw a clip of American Hostage that airs Sundays on MGM.

John Hamm is in it. Giovanni Robisi is in it. And you, sir, Jonathan Tucker, in it as well, based on a true story in 1977 where Giovanni Robisi's character, a guy named Tony Kurtsis, pardon me, takes someone hostage and then demands to be interviewed live on a popular radio station. Yeah, you guys might know a little something like that.

Well, I mean, we have a Dump button now. Right. Some stations did not have, like, that's what's discussed at the top of the show: is that not every radio station had that sort of ability.

So if you're interviewing somebody who's holding a gun to somebody's head live, you never know what's about to be broadcast to a whole bunch of people. Yeah. I'm sure you guys could use the dump button for lots of things on this show. That's right. There's a lot of opportunities to just be bleeping people out.

Well, we had that opportunity in hour one with Pete Golding dropped an S-bomb for the head coach of Ole Miss.

Well, I mean, we're talking about the Yankees Sox series. Ah, okay. These are the sort of opportunities. Would you like to transition? I'm happy to transition to that.

It's just an extraordinary year because Boston, like, there's, I think there's three stories. This is my thesis. I was driving down here in El Segundo. You've got this great story, the Boston Red Sox, this extraordinary, almost historic, maybe actually historic comeback. Yes.

You know, they lost like 50 of their first 70 games, 75 games. They were terrible. And now it looks like they're going to. To lock this playoffs. They locked it.

I think they locked the playoffs. They will be in Yankee Stadium next Tuesday night for these three games. For three games, just like last year, where they were unsuccessful in moving on from that.

Okay. A great story with the Boston Red Sox. And then we've got kind of a scary story. What's the scary story? With the Patriots.

Who knows what's going to happen there?

Okay. With Drake May.

Okay. I mean, it's uncertain. I'll just say it's uncertain.

Well, let's put it this way: the first two games have been uncertain. Uncertain. Yeah, uncertain. I like the word choice very good. The news and then like the new era story with the Celtics.

Oh, you know, people are paying attention to them because the Knicks won the championship. Right, right, right. But I think, and by the way, I don't know for the first time in quite some time. I mean, is Jalen Brown hosting Saturday Night Live this week? Oh, that's right.

He's not even on the Celtics. I think they traded him away for a bag of basketball. New era.

Sorry, pardon me. Coming in with Paul George. Pardon? Oh, that's right. I forgot to write that information down.

I'll remind you. See, you have top stories. I've got other ideas of what the top stories are. Sure. The top story in the NPA is the New York Knickerbockers and how they won the championship.

It is amazing how unexcited I was about. I just couldn't have cared less. Why? I don't know. I think part of like, I think people who talk about, I don't know why, but I feel like when I hear other people talk passionately about their teams.

Yes. I have no, I feel like they're just dumb. I'm like, you're just like, you know what, but I don't mean dumb, like, I just feel like I'm like, well, what do you care? Like, who cares? Who cares?

Because you don't care about their team. You don't care at all about it. And I feel like sometimes how my wife feels, how I, she just doesn't. Appreciate sports much in general. And I mean, now she does because we have a son who's gotten a lot out of team sports.

So she's starting to understand the value of this.

However, I just think someone else, I just hear them talking passionately about other teams, and I'm just like, I think you sound like an idiot. And yet, I say, and then I talk about that way with my teams. I'm like, people might think I'm an idiot, but I watched the Yankees and the Knicks, and I'm like, all right, cool. Everyone's so excited. I'm like, all right, cool.

Good luck. I couldn't have cared less.

Now, listen, you know, you're, you, you mentioned three big stories in the sports world. I would say the Patriots being. You know, an American Football Conference champion last year, a Super Bowl participant. Oh, Super. And then this year, the first two games are totally of national importance.

Absolutely, that's a conversation. The Red Sox coming from firing their manager early on and then seemingly dead in the water, now talking about that dirty water. Totally get it. See it because they're going to be front and center against the New York Yankees. Die-hard rivalry.

Here we go, best of three in Yankee Stadium for the right to move on to the Divisional Series. I get it. You can put the hat on all you want. I'm with you. But the Celtics.

Nobody's talking about them. Absolutely, nobody's talking. Good, that's totally fine. Yeah, that's fine. I feel like no one's talking about the Sox at the beginning of the season, too.

Who's talking about the Celtics? You got the Sixer fan in the corner right there where LeBron James is. I'm going to go play for them. LeBron James. Jalen Brown, who used to play for the Celtics.

Last I checked, I didn't write that information down. He plays for us, too. He now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers as well. That was the choice of the NBA to go. And play against the Knicks as they raise the championship banner in Madison Square Guard.

Yeah, no, I'm all about it. I will also, I'll add the Marco Sturm, you know, head coach of the Bruins to the list. There we go. Add that to the list. He's a great player.

You want to talk about New England Revolution soccer New England? I will not go to Revolution. But I will say that I do love the coach for Boston. And he played. He was a player for many years as a Bruin.

And I think he's really exciting and a really great team leader.

Okay. Listen, for anybody who may be wondering if Tucker, in some way, shape, or form, is a run of the mill fan. You are a friend of this program. I'm a friend of the show. Way back.

I'm a friend of the show. Even with you, even with you. Once upon a time, while I was doing my job out here, you once threatened took a photograph of holding a Yankee hat over the toilet in your bathroom. Yeah, and you're welcome back here. Because I understand.

The relationship. On American Hostage, which is airing on MGM Plus, starring John Hammond and Giovanni Rubisi. It's a great show. It's two free episodes airing right now. You don't have to subscribe to anything.

You have a gentleman take another man hostage and negotiate on air. And I feel like you have a gentleman taking something hostage on this show. I'm bringing Boston sports to the rich ice and New England sports here. He does that all the time. And they're ready with the dump button.

They're like, move on. Move on back. No dump button. No dump button. We're moving in.

Where did you shoot this show? In Winnipeg, Canada. And I got to tell you, I thought it was like, I think it's like one of the most underrated places. People, it's just got such a reputation because it's so cold. Yes.

But they have an A-list crew. They have great locations. The local actors are awesome. Did you shoot during hockey season? We shot during hockey season.

Did we go to any game?

Well, John did. He was exceptionally supportive of the team. I kind of just like. I just couldn't find, couldn't figure out how to make it work on the schedule. But the community there's like, you know, these towns where, and cities where.

In the smaller markets, they're just so much more fun to be in when, as a sports town, they just care so much. Have you worked with Ham before? Was this the first time? No, it wasn't. I had met him a few times.

Okay. Um, and the best part is he remembered the name of the person at my local pub in Charlestown. Come on now, because she was so lovely to him. And I called her up. I said, You're never going to believe it.

I said, Get your husband on here. I want him to hear this. Said, John Ham, you know, America is John Ham. Yes, one of the best-looking guys in the business. Said, he remembers your wife's name, he knows who she is.

That wasn't a problem. No, I thought it was great. You know, it helps make a marriage more exciting. When John Hamm knows your wife's name at the Warren Tavern in Charlotte, like Cheers, a very different episode of Cheers that was right there. He's just a g he's a great, he's a great leader.

He's awesome. He fam is one of our people like him. Absolutely. He's pure man. Totally.

He absolutely is. I mean, we were doing press for the show, Rich. It's like the guy's got no public sister agent with him. He just sits down next to anybody. He's not on his phone, just chatting it up.

You know, it's just we know he's not on his phone because we were waiting for him to draft somebody in the fantasy league. Like it was an eight-hour clock, and he used to take all eight hours. He wants to be very deliberate. When he shoots, he fires right to the bullseye.

So deliberate, he's in last place. The funny thing is, is that we, you know, I gave him crap on an email chain and he emailed back: Sorry, I'm busy making prestige television. By the way, it was this show. It was this very show in Winnipeg, Canada. Because that's all MGM Plus does is make prestige television.

I tell you, the show is cool. It was one of the kind of like wildest experiences to walk onto this set because it was so immersive in the 1970s. And you kind of felt like for a moment, I was like, Am I in a dream here for a second? It was everything works. All the technology on this set, you could pick up a phone, all the reel-to-reels, all the radio.

Equipment. They found this guy who had this extraordinary collection of 1970s radio equipment. You could press a button and talk into the microphone and go into another studio on the same set. All of the clothes, the hair, makeup, people aren't putting on artificial mustaches up there. They're not like ripping something off of somebody's face.

It's fake. It was like everything just felt so real, and it allows you to. To kind of play in a way that's not usually available to you. And then, of course, just, you know, the whole conundrum of. Putting somebody who's clearly not mentally all there holding a shotgun to somebody's head on.

the air live to have an interview where, you know. The language is that you know, needs to have a dump button, and there isn't one. I mean, that's what this show is kind of all about. I mean, does this guy does, does he blow this guy's head off live on the air for everybody to hear in Indianapolis? It's a really cool, beautiful show.

It's beautifully acted. It felt like being on a theater company. You know, everybody knew exactly what their place was on the show, and there was no sort of like somebody trying to be something or other than who they were supposed to be. And the quality of the acting and the directing. It's just like, it's just cool to be a part sometimes, a small part of that, which is what I was able to do.

Listen, I don't want to give away the ending here, but very rarely do I do that. But it's kind of crazy that. This character, Fred Heckman, that Ham plays in 1977, the timing does work perfectly. Don Draper gets out of the ashram. Goes into witness protection, has a whole new family and a whole new identity.

This is Don Draper, right? That would be the continuation of the thing. Like that's the reveal at the end. It's possible you've got to tune in. Tune in every single song.

Eight episodes. Could you imagine? It's really. That's great. We asked Ham, where's Don Draper today?

He goes, six feet under pal. There is no way he survived. It's wild to be in a period piece with. John Ham, because it, you know, that character is just so iconic. Which character of yours would you want to revisit?

I would love to go back and do some episodes of Kingdom again. It's kind of fun. Um. Boy, that show was on the cutting edge of combat sports. Yeah.

Yeah. Like when it was going down, things were just beginning to take off. It was a peak on that front. Yeah. Why would you want to do that again?

Well. You know, there's only so many characters that are presented to you as an actor that give you a sort of opportunity to like. have as much freedom as I had with that character. Um so It was just such a gift. You could, that character could do anything.

It's like having a great car. It's like a car that can drive anywhere. You're like, oh, well, you're only going to get a few of those in your life. Right. So, um,.

I mean, this character on American Hostage is an awesome character and got to build him with the the team, uh the creative team. up in Winnipeg and and in the writers' room. But he, you know, that guy's a very specific auto. That guy's only driving one place. Right.

And it's really fun to do that. Um, But the opportunity to like explode at any point, to take your clothes off at any point, to cut weight, to have all these different wild, volatile relationships. Damn man. Like that was just such a. Such a kind of, it was, it was really scary and really thrilling.

I remember one of the first times I, you know, I saw you do. Anything because we came on the air just as Kingdom started with Justified. Yeah. You being in that. What was that like being on the set of Justified with Oliphant and the rest of that?

Well, it was a little scary because I'm playing the last bad guy on their final season. You feel an extraordinary sense of responsibility to like do something. To like not screw up and then also to do something that makes the fans of the show who have been tuning in for six years feel satisfied. Right. And Took a big risk with that character.

How so? I mean, I came in with a Japanese perm on my hair, and I had all these jewelry that I bought for his hands. And I spent like learning how to. Yeah, and you do it, you know, you do it, but it's based out of the writing. When you read a script, you know, I think that that is the, there is, there's what's on the page, and then there's what the writer's subconscious is producing.

Did all of that say anything to you when you showed up?

Well, the first rehearsal, the first rehearsal, you know, I show up and I've got this walk and talk and all this, you know, stuff. And we do the rehearsal, and he's looking over at Caitlin Deaver, who's an incredible actress. And she's his scene partner with me. And he I'm in front of him and he's looking over at her and he's like Uh huh. And I'm like, either, I'm going back to the trailer.

And I'm like, either, that is his reaction as the character to this very bizarre character I'm playing, which would make a lot of sense. And also, it would make equal as much sense: I am going home. Like, I'm not coming back to shoot.

So, you're like, that reaction is either Timothy Oliphant sending me home or Raylan Givens giving me anatomy. Yeah, and I had been fired a few years before that for another short stint on their show for taking a big choice. It wasn't even that big of a choice. They just were filled with fear. And.

And really. And so I was like, you know.

Well, I've been there. I got fired from that show.

So if I get fired from this, okay. I'll be fine. Like, I'm not going to lose my career. And, um, but no, it was, it was the terrific actor in person, Timothy Oliphant, you know, saying, I'm going to play my character, and my character's response to you would be like, You're a weird dude. And so, it worked out really well.

Did Goggins have any response in any way, shape, or form? I mean, you know, Walden and I have known each other for a bit. Right. And I look up to him as an actor and as a person.

So I think he was excited to see. That sort of combustible sort of character that he had built on the show, find kind of another version. And Tim was also playing the straight, you know, he always was P and Walton. That's what made the show so successful: these two great actors playing kind of against type. And so, this was another version of that.

I love that show. You were so good in this, too. You're great in everything, pal. All right, so what are we thinking about your Red Sox? Is this enough?

Are you good? You need more. No, I mean, I got to tell you, I got to grow up.

Well, no, I mean, I just got to grow up where like all of my New England teams didn't really win any championships. Yes. And then all of a sudden in the early 2000s, like everything took off. And it's just been such a bounty of riches, as you know so well, it's been a bounty of riches and trophies and accolades and hard work. A lot of parades, the clipping with social media of all of the wild winnings of New England.

So I just like, it just feels great. I think.

So I'm not going to like, I don't need to rub anything in or be tooting any more horns. I think the common ground we can find, and I think we have found it is Michigan. Where is Go Blue? My buddy's son was wrestling for the team. Sean Bourmet, the coach of University of Michigan.

They were all about that, right? Michigan wrestling team on it.

So yeah, I'm like, I'm like a. I'm a friend of the Rich Eisen Show, and I'm a friend of the program at the University of Michigan. See, he doesn't want to engage in the mud here. I used to have to do that, but we just won so much. It's so long since we've been doing it.

We just won so much. It's like you forgot what it's like. Then Casey Affleck came in here with nothing to promote. No, he just wanted to. Just wanted to talk smack about the Patriots' run to the Superflag.

That's all he wanted. It was a wild run to the Super Bowl. It really was wild. It was indeed. It was indeed.

New episodes of American Hostage, incredible cast based on a true story. And just, it looks amazing. It is just superb acting. It's straight out of the 70s. It's straight like a Sydney Lumet movie.

It really is. You know what I mean? Like, it's what it kind of looks like. And you play special agent Cormac McNally premiered this past Sunday with not one, but. Two episodes of an eight-episode series on MGM.

Great to see you, sir. Rich, team. Thanks for having me. Anytime. All right.

I am now going to go. You occupy Tucker here.

Okay, great. I'm going to go back and see what he flushed on the tour. My ego. Didn't you like leave a note for Michelle Monaghan once or something here? Didn't you leave?

You left a note here. Yeah. I look. You know everybody. I've been acting since I was 11 years old.

Wow. Are you serious? Yeah, it's just so old.

So, what's the first, what's the first thing? I did a Chet's roll-ups commercial. Fruit roll-ups? Oh, hey. Oh, yeah.

What? It was a fruit national commercial for fruit roll-ups. I did like two of those, and I was like, oh, this is what I want to do. Actually, it's like, it's wild because, like, you remember, you know, the smell of a studio, like a stage, like that wood, and like they do construction smell. I, I.

Like I remember that smell from that studio, which is thirty three years ago. Mm-hmm. Damn. And I smell it, and now I'm even more excited to smell it when I walk into stages than I ever have in my whole life. I'm just like so, I feel so lucky.

And it all started with a fruit roll-up. Yeah. Oh, man. And then I did a movie called Sleepers a few years after that. I did a movie called Two of By Sea with Dennis Leary and Sandra Bullock and Lenny Clark from Boston, which was great in Nova Scotia.

But I did this movie Sleepers, and I play a kid in a reform school and get abused. And one of the guards is Kevin Bacon. And another one of the guards is a guy named Jeffrey Dunovan, who's a terrific actor. He's the star of Bern Notice that won 119 plus episodes and Law and Order and Sicario. Really terrific actor, great guy.

And we just did a play reading together in Boston.

Now, you know, 30 years later. And it was just so cool. It was so cool. And you were in City on a Hill with Kevin, and that's a show that still should be going on. That show is incredible.

We just did another pilot together, too. Fantastic. So there's one degree of separation with this, man. I'm your Kevin Bacon, like, connect. No, no, no, no.

It's okay. You're a friend of the program. I'm a friend of the program, baby. All right. You occupy Tucker.

I'm going to go see what he's flushed on the toilet. We'll be back on the Rich Eisen show in a moment. Oh, there it is. There's the toilet. Check it out.

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The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Don't always happen when I'm sitting still, people. It may be the game's in overtime. My favorite podcast is getting to the good part. The playlist, maybe, that my kids are popping out there just found its groove.

Because everybody in my family uses Sonos. It's a whole sound home system designed to let whatever we're listening to lets that sound follow everybody from room to room.

So I can stay, at least with the moment, as I move throughout the house. It's so easy to use, it is so great. Please. Go check it out.

Sonos. Love the sound. Feel the system. Build yours at sonos.com. Today That was a fun show.

Fun show. Funny show. All right. Jimmy in San Antonio. What's up, Jimmy?

How are you, Jimmy? Oh, I'm doing well. I had to call today because I got an earlier flight tomorrow for spring break in Greenland. Ladies and gentlemen, Jimmy's just ripping straight from the head top of the house. Straight from the headlines.

TJ Delph2 Foe, how are you guys? What's up, G? Doing well, brother. How are you doing? I'm great, but I need Brockman's help, so we'll see how this goes.

That works out. Jimmy, come on. God bless you. What do we got? Thank you.

Brockman, I'm in a pick'em against the spread, get five straight, win money type thing. And I want your help with my NFL team, see if you like who I grabbed for to take the against the spread. And if we're you're wrong, I mean, I'll flip it. Because you say so. But if you're wrong, Then we've got beef.

Oh, we got beef. We got beef. Beef with Brockman. Brockman. Brockman.

Pilot episode. Yeah, pilot episode with Jimmy from San Antonio. All right, B. What do you B Man, what do you think? Seattle cover the spread?

Uh yes. What's the spread? Houston, cover the spread. What is the spread? Give us a number.

Seven and a half for Seattle. Houston? against any Indianapolis. Yeah. One and a half.

So basically, Houston to win. Yeah, I'm down. Yep, I'm down with that. Kansas City. At Miami, what is that?

That must be a whopping find out. That's gotta be a big number. 13? What's the big number on that one? Jimmy.

I can't find it. 9 and 8. 9 and 8. Oh. Yes.

Yeah. And then Rams. You're weighing a lot of points. No dogs, Jimmy? No, no dogs.

What do you think about the Rams, Broncos? That's the one I'm questioning. I would take the Broncos. No puka. No puka, most likely.

No puka. Thank you, Jimmy. We might have beef. Listen, it's called a win-win. If you win, you win.

If you lose, we win because that's the pilot episode of Beef with Brockman. Yeah. So I'm creating content is what you're saying. Oh, Jimmy, you do every time you call in. Guys, have a great day.

I'm off to Greenland. There he goes. Pick me up some Penguins. Rich Eisen Show, Greenland. I'll bring the Blantons.

Reporter, Jimmy in San Antonio. Yeah. Dream moon. What is the story? I guess I have to look this up.

I'll look it up. Don't be a siren to me, man. I watched Odyssey. That's a good new drop. Dropping kiddle.

I watched Odyssey. Don't be a siren because I'm like, hey, man. I haven't used that one. No, I'm not a siren. I manifest.

I try to manifest. That's what I try to do. Yeah. Didn't work out for Al from Dallas. I'm like, manifest how Monday night's going to go.

Jackson Dart's going to light up the Rams. It's going to be great. We're going to be 2-0. And then Jackson Dart lasts 11 snaps. Yeah, to do that.

Hypostatically,. Hypostetically, that's See what happened? He was speaking hypostatically, and then they go to Australia.

Now he doesn't want to talk about it anymore, and rightfully so. Hypostetically, Yeah. That's right. I love Sean McVay. He runs like on the sidelines because I'm right behind him.

Dude, he's in great. He runs up and down like a maniac. He closes his ring just one quarter into every game. It's insane. I love it.

I love it. We got some great coaches in the NFL these days. Pretty damn good. Peak, is this peak coaching? 100%.

It really is. That'll be for Friday's What's More Likely addition to the Rich Eisen Show. That wraps it up for Thursday, except for one more segment on Disney Plus. Oh, wow. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show Podcast.

You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app, The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.

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