Bruce Feldman: Storylines For Michigan vs Washington Are Really Fascinating

You know, in today's world, it seems the best treatment is reserved only for a few. Well, Discover wants to change that by making everyone feel special. That's why with your Discover card, you have access to 24-7 live customer service as well as zero dollar fraud liability, which means you're never held responsible for unauthorized purchases. Finally, no matter who you are or where you are in life, you'll feel special with Discover.

Learn more at Discover.com slash credit card. Limitations apply. This is the Rich Eisen Show. This is exceptional. If we could have one of the two games come down to the last snap, we'll take that. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.

How does both games coming down to the last snap try that one on for size? The Rich Eisen Show. That's what happened earlier on the show. Two time Super Bowl champion and Greenlight podcast host Chris Long. Coming up, Fox Sports College football analyst Bruce Feldman, plus ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.

And now it's Rich Eisen. Oh, my goodness, it's it's just getting real. It's getting real. It's getting real for various reasons. One, it's hour two. Nothing's more real than hour two. OK, on our program.

OK, I'm not saying one is fake or one is real as well, but it's getting real. It's getting real because Bruce Feldman's in this hour and he's a Fox Sports college football friend of ours. Been with us all season long and can't wait to have him here with the national championship now set. He writes for the Athletic, wrote this great article about all these unnamed coaches that coached against Michigan, that thought Alabama to a man was going to win. So when he comes in in 20 minutes, I want names.

I want answers. I swear to God, I'm going to treat him like Colonel Jessup on the stand. It's going to happen.

It's going to be great. Is he aware of this? No, he's not. He's listening. Is he really? I think he's here.

I think he's here. OK, great. I shouldn't have revealed my plan. My caper.

I'm like Maury the wig man. I've been cultivating this caper for about two days. Can't wait. Also, it's getting real.

Week 18 is the NFL's final regular season. It's getting real. It's getting real.

And, you know, lots at stake. Who's in? Who's out? Who's up?

Who's not? Nick Sirianni, the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, who just had this conversation with Chris Long. He thinks that that defense is so poorly manned and so poorly stocked that it doesn't really matter. That he thinks the Eagles could absolutely get one and done by the NFC South champs. If they go and as the five seed, which we all expect them to, because even if they do beat the Giants like they did on Christmas week by the hair of their chinny chin chins, skin of their teeth, if you will, that the Cowboys aren't going to lose the Washington commanders.

And that's the way that they're going to be the two seed. And so he just said many things that gives you pause about the Eagles opportunity and chances and likeliness as a repeating his NFC champs. Nick Sirianni says they have an opportunity to have everyone up, everyone healthy, slay back from knee surgery.

Devante Smith, who walked out, hobbled out with crutches and a walking boot. He says everybody has a chance to be up and that they're not changing their approach. That he said that they would let me get this exact quote from him, from the NFL Network.

Desk awesomeness quote, we don't change our process based off our results at Nick Sirianni. And the question is, who they're going to who they're going to play in the first round of the playoffs if they are the wildcard, who's going to win the NFC South, the Bucks have a win in scenario. And when Chris Long was on the show prior to joining us, we were chit chatting. Todd Bowles said that Baker Mayfield wasn't part of the walkthrough today. And had they had a full on practice, he wouldn't have been part of that either because of a rib injury. He suffered in the loss of the Saints. Board of the Saints put the bang thing on the Bucks as they usually do. Bucks have a season finale in Carolina win and in scenario.

And this is this is Baker Mayfield moments ago talking about his availability for the game. Do everything I can to be out there, that's for sure. Division on the line, playoffs on the line, going back to Carolina.

Yeah, I'll do everything I can. And let me just explain. I know I'm a boy.

I know I'm a boy Baker. For the radio audience, we're going about to replay that sound bite secured up again, if you don't mind Mr. Hoskins. There's a glint in his eye when he says go back to Carolina. Where, by the way, as you know, he went back for a shot. And David Tepper. Through his figurative drink on Matt Ruhl. And then Steve Wilkes was there and P.J. Walker got chances that Baker thought I imagine he should have had.

Because he's Baker freaking Mayfield. And it looks like this guy wants to plant this flag right there in the house of drinks being on the house. Check it out. Do everything I can to be out there, that's for sure. Division on the line, playoffs on the line, going back to Carolina.

Yeah, I'll do everything I can. See that glint in his right eye? I only looked at his eyes during that sound bite. And the right eye? It said something.

It glinted. Yeah, it said something. He's playing four tuddies. Book it. Chris Long said he heard that Baker might not play and then wagered. Yes, wagered. That's the thing where he lives? Yeah. Yeah. On the Panthers. I don't know. Get Chris Long back on the Zoom.

My boy's eyes were glinting. You might want to hedge on that, Chris Long. And again, I know I've been calling audibles all day off of a rundown. Get the statement ready that we have ready, since I've already mentioned David Tepper, the owner of the Carolina Panthers.

Also, Rich, real quick, Joe Flacco will not play on Sunday. Thank you, sir. Appreciate that. Dev Driscoll starting. Okay. Keep him healthy and upright. That makes sense.

Let me just hit this, if you don't mind. Part of my job is to speak truth to power. And the commissioner of the National Football League, when he was the COO of the NFL, gave me the green light. Prior to my job at NFL Network, he told me, Roger Goodell, I'll never forget, we were golfing. He took me golfing.

God bless that man. Nice. Well, anybody who takes me golfing has me at hello. Augusta, I mean. They also had me under contract already, but bottom line is, sure.

Yeah. Honestly, that's the first time I ever met Roger Goodell was when he invited me to go play golf. After I got the job at NFL Network, I had just left ESPN, just got married to Suze. My goodness, my head was spinning. And I went play. I remember where I was because I was in the deep in what felt like the deepest sand trap of my entire life, where I frequently am.

So I'm double triple bulging my way through with one of my one of my future bosses and the future commissioner of the NFL, which obviously I had no idea at the time. And he basically said, you know, if say what you what's on your mind and say what's in, you know, your gut. I'm paraphrasing here. But he basically said, if anybody ever says you shouldn't have said that, reach out to me.

He kind of gave me that safety net because he said, we hired you to do a job to go do your job, which I loved. So here it is. David Tepper threw a drink on a Jacksonville Jaguar fan. And that is obviously beyond the pale. I think unacceptable behavior is what the league called it right in their statement in fining him $300,000. He put out a statement as part of this announcement that he's been fined 300 grand, which I know has chump changed to him.

Here's a statement. Unacceptable conduct is what it's called. I'm deeply passionate about this team and regret my behavior on Sunday. I should have let NFL Stadium security handle any issues that arose.

I respect the NFL's code of conduct and accept the league's discipline for my behavior. I don't know what the fan said. Could he have insulted members of his family? Could he have, I mean, maybe that's what he means by NFL security.

I don't know. But there's three words outside of all the, and I do need to go ahead and say, you know, we don't know what was said. But the league did find him for what's called unacceptable behavior. So obviously they didn't accept whatever they heard David Tepper said this fan did say. Because, you know, things are crazy in this world and words come out of people's mouths that make them real tough when there's, you know, a wall and a suite in between them and the person that they're insulting.

So I just want to put that out there. But again, I'm accepting that the league finds this unacceptable behavior. And if that is the case, there's three words missing from that statement. And those words are, I am sorry.

Regret behavior is not, and also the first words out of your mouth is how passionate you are about your team. The first three words of any statement that sounds like you mean it, start with the words, I am sorry. The rest of it comes across like word salad.

If there is a PR team that wrote this, FYI, that's a little R-E-S consulting for you. I am sorry. So that's my statement on that.

And we'll see if, tune into game day morning on Sunday to see if I'm sitting there. Oh, please. Like I said, my rent's going up this month, so we need you. Thank you.

Thank you. Tony in Florida, you're here on the Rich Isaac Show. What's up, Tony? Tony.

Tony. What's up? Hey, bitch, how are you, brother? What's going on? Good. Hey, listen, I'm just following.

Listen, I'm a Two Falls podcast partner from Jersey. Call him back in. Hey, Tony. Tony, where is Mike? Do you know where Mike is?

We don't know. We haven't seen him. We haven't seen him on here. Literally, the guy sitting in his chair right now, you have no idea where he is, right? I have no idea.

Okay. Here he is, Tony. Haven't seen him this year. He should be at Tommy DeVito's house making cutlets with his mom.

Say hi to Tommy's mother for me. Send some to us. But I had three things that I wanted to kind of cover because my eyes don't lie, and I know I see what I see. So I wanted to cover.

One is, I want panics on the G-men. This guy throws dimes unlike Danny Dimes. See what I did there again? I did. You're turning phrases, Tony. I like Long's review of him. I think he's got a lot of upside. And let me tell you something, that ball comes out of that kid's hands. And I know the cutlets are getting cold, but they're not stale.

But we love panics in G-men blue. Okay. I got two more. One is, I think there could be two wild card winners coming to the Super Bowl this year. Bills, Browns, or Rams. Don't sleep on those Rams. Stafford, my G-men gave them a little ojita last week. But I think the Rams are going to make some noise. And I think the Bills or Browns, it would not surprise me. I mean, you had Eli on before.

You knew the magic that Eli had a couple of times. Yep. Okay.

And I got one more for you. I think you're going to be happy with this one. All right, Tony.

I'll tell you what, Rogers has a lot to prove next year. I think he balls out in 24. And guess what? He's a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Ladies and gentlemen, Tony in Florida. I don't think that last part's happening, Tony. At this point, thanks for the call, Tony.

At this point, you got to wonder if Rogers even going to be a guest on ESPN anymore. After that one. But that's for another day.

Not on our basis. Penix, let's talk about him. Because he does throw a beautiful football.

Yes, he does. And he's an interesting prospect. He's 24 years old. And I know it's kind of crazy to front load the conversation we're going to have from next Tuesday all the way through to the last Thursday of April. It's going to be a long time, man.

But why not? It's never too soon. Certainly when Charles Davis, who's part of the NFL Network, combine and draft coverage. He's sitting on the set all three days with me or two nights and three days with me. And he was a guest of Suzy Schuster and Amy Trask on What the Football with Suzy and Amy on Tuesday.

It's available where all podcasts are acquired and also on our YouTube page. And Suzy asked him about both quarterbacks going in the national championship game and their futures. Who's going to go higher in the draft? Michael Penix or J.J. McCarthy?

I think Penix will as we sit here right now, Suzy. But what we're sitting here saying right now, the run up to the draft, it changes a lot. You know what it's like? It's like a fumble with a big pile of players. And we know the ball exchanges hands a couple of times.

What I've seen in the last few years is the rise of players. Let's keep it the quarterback position. Joe Burrow going into his senior year at LSU had a day three grade on him from almost every scout I talked to. And I'll never forget his senior year.

I went to New Orleans for a Saints game and talked to someone with the Saints that I've known very well, a high up. And he just casually said to me, yo, you seen the LSU kid play yet? He might be number one pick in the draft. I said, he's got a third day great on it. Does nine more.

He does it. There are a number of these quarterbacks that we're talking about. They still have eligibility left and they are all going to jockey with each other up until the day your name has to be in for the draft about do I stay or do I go? Charles, you are spot on on your observation that we need to let this play out. The draft isn't a science. There's no enigma code.

There's no Rosetta Stone. And what always astonished me during my years in the league, and I saw this firsthand within our organization, with our scouting department, with our coaches, is how they can be persuaded by grades they read on reports from people they're not working with. Let's let all this play out. As we sit here now, I would say, Pennix, when you go back, they weren't supposed to beat Oregon either time. How about last night against Texas? He was huge in that game. McCarthy from Michigan is a little bit of a sleeper because Michigan runs the heck out of the football and he's not throwing it 45 times a game that shouldn't be held against him. Let's find out what McCarthy brings to the table. Leadership, game management, big throws at big times, the fourth and two on their own 30. Yeah, he executed it like, oh, yeah, this is just a practice play, which tells me about the confidence of the young man, that he's in the moment and he's not going to be deterred. That was a big one.

So great conversation. Check it all out on what the football and look, Pennix is 24. McCarthy's 22. These are two guys that are out there. You're mocking it up these days, right?

What do you got? I'm mocking it up. It's all over the place. I've seen McCarthy higher than Pennix. I've seen both guys in the second round. I've seen McCarthy as high as 11.

Overall? Overall, I've seen Pennix late first round. Who's 11th overall?

Who's on that? Who would take him? I've seen Pennix to the, excuse me, McCarthy to the Raiders. Raiders? I've seen, yeah.

Wow, him as a Raider. They've got McCarthy at 42 to the Raiders. That's what I mean.

They're kind of all over the place. Is Jim Harbaugh the coach there? In Las Vegas? Yeah. Is that what you're saying? I think that's on the table.

I don't think so. I don't think that's one thing I'll ask Schefter later on. I think that's Antonio Pierce's gig. Seems like Mark Davis has money to spend.

I hear you. Yeah, but those players seem like they are fighting for... Honestly, I would be shocked if Pierce is the Raiders' coach.

I don't know about that. I think the players there have given their clear, communicated clearly who they want the coach there. The players are the owners? I don't understand that. I get it. I get it, but the last time the players said you should hire this guy and they went ahead and they hired McDaniels instead.

And here we are again. But, yeah, I know they did. They didn't keep him? Seemed like the players wanted him? The Packers are about to take his special teams to the playoffs, potentially. But I mean, you know, Pennix also has that left-handed throwing motion that everybody, when they flip this screen...

Honestly, I've seen this on Twitter. You do this with Tua, too. You flip them around and make it look right-handed and you're like, damn, he can sling it. And left-hander, it's like, oh, he throws a pretty ball.

It's kind of weird and stupid. Wouldn't you agree that Pennix looks better throwing than Tua does? Tua throws a beautiful ball. But it looks like he struggles. It looks like it's painful for him to throw, whereas Pennix is so smooth and effortless. That ball jumps out of his hand.

24. Where the Giants are... I don't think the Giants are going to take him.

That's very high. Fifth overall is very high. Not there, but maybe second round if he's sitting there?

Maybe. Come back in the late first. Kind of what the Ravens did for Lamar back in the day. And then later on, we'll talk about the top of the draft and who's sitting there.

Jonathan Gannon has made it known what the Cardinals are going to do at the position. And that's coming up. Still to come. But when we come back right here on the Rich Eisen Show, I want answers. I need names. Bruce Feldman has them. I want the truth.

You can't handle the truth. That's it. That's right. So I'm Tom Cruise and Bruce Feldman is going to be Colonel Jessup. He's the Jack Nicholson who knows what are the names of the coaches that Michigan couldn't beat Alabama and need them. Rich Eisen here. If you love football as much as we do here and want to be in the game every day, there's something the guys on my show have been enjoying. Prize Picks Daily Fantasy Sports. The number one daily fantasy sports app. Brockman, tell everybody about Prize Picks and your strategy this season. Rich, it's fun and easy. Pick two players or more based on their stats and place your entry.

It takes less than 60 seconds and just a few taps. You make your picks and boom, you're part of the action. With basketball season here, you can now pick combo projections across football and basketball from the Specials League, a league created specifically for combo projections that includes two or more players from different sports and leagues. Prize Picks even has a reboot policy where your entries stay and play if one of your players gets injured.

For basketball and football games, if you have a player who exits the game in the first half and does not return in the second, that player is rebooted. Prize Picks is the only daily fantasy sports platform with insurance for injury. I love Prize Picks because it adds to my game time experience.

Look, looking ahead, this week NFL, Jameer Gibbs, total yards, Tony Pollard, rush yards, boom, that's a winner. If you're eager to test your knowledge and skills, play the game enjoyed by millions and join the Prize Picks community. Visit prizepicks.com slash pigskin and use code pigskin for a first deposit match of up to $100. That's code pigskin at prizepicks.com slash pigskin for a first deposit match of up to $100. Prize Picks, daily fantasy made easy, must be present in certain states.

Visit prizepicks.com for restrictions and details. You know, in today's world, it seems the best treatment is reserved only for a few. Well, Discover wants to change that by making everyone feel special. That's why with your Discover card, you have access to 24-7 live customer service as well as $0 fraud liability, which means you're never held responsible for unauthorized purchases. Finally, no matter who you are or where you are in life, you'll feel special with Discover. Learn more at discover.com slash credit card.

Limitations apply. Back here on our Roku channel, radio audience about to return. First of two times I say hello to you, Bruce Feldman. Good to see you, sir. Great to see you. Happy new year.

Happy new year to you. So by the way, he spent the entire commercial break stunned that I might not be going to the national championship. Bruce, I'm with you, stunned.

Me too. I'm explaining how I'd like to. I get it, but it's your team in the national championship.

It doesn't come around all that often. You're like, you're looking at me like I'm crazy. Because I know how much you are ingrained in Michigan football is ingrained into you.

That is correct. It's the idea that you wouldn't go to this game? Well, I mean, it's in Houston. It's the day. Honestly, I'd have to fly.

I'd have to do. It's in Houston, not Reykjavik. I mean, it's like not that hard to get to.

Houston. But I just took a week. I have a sense of duty to this program and my partners to physically be here maybe a day after. I don't know if I could get back here in time for the show. The next day, our technology, that that thing, it's an L shape over by your phone. Yes.

Is my that could probably get connected. I want you to go. I don't know how you always complain. Like, I can't believe TJ, you're not going to see the Cowboys because it's a drive from your house to serve Michigan man there. You mean there ain't no Michigan man planes flying from here to Houston and back? Like, come on, you can get there.

Guys are really laying it on. Thank you. Because we know I also want to regret this for the rest of my days. Yes, yes. You have to go to that game, Rich. The rest of my days. We have Susie can sit in.

We'll be fine. Honestly, she would probably because she doesn't want to hear you go. I should have gone, you know, like the rest of your life. Well, actually, if she gave you the choice of like, would you rather hear I should have gone or would do you want to do the show?

She'd kick my ass out of the house. So it's a win-win. You got to go, Rich. All right, guys.

I'll fly you back on the jet. Back on the Rich Eisen Show radio network. I'm sitting at the Rich Eisen Show desk furnished by Grainger with supplies and solutions for every industry. Grainger has the right product for you.

Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by. Bruce Feldman here from Fox Sports and the Athletic on the Rich Eisen Show and his usual Wednesday spot. The college football playoff committee Monday night had the happiest of New Year's, pretty much the last two amazing games for amazing games. Yeah, it was. Boy, did we chop that subject matter up?

Yeah. And at the end of the day, the two games were so compelling and there was so much drama. And I think, you know, look, I think there's a lot of fans out there who are looking at it going, OK, we didn't have we don't have an SEC team in this title game. And that's probably refreshing to them. I'm sure a lot of them are sick of Michigan already. But yeah, but I think people are also really embracing Washington, Kellen DeBoer, Michael Penix Jr.

I mean, there's some great stories there. And so and they're fun to watch. I think you have a styles make fight kind of game where you have just a traditional true Big Ten brutish team and you have a really dynamic, you know, again, they were of the same era. But it was like, you know, when you were younger, you know, seeing like I think Warren Moon play in a Rose Bowl and it was like, this is a packed packed 10 team against the Big Ten team. And it feels kind of similar, except now that they've had one more big step to get to to get to this game.

It's funny you say Warren Moon. He was in a row behind me at the Rose Bowl and he was wearing his Washington Huskies gear to the game. And I'm like, yeah, we almost played each other today here in the Rose Bowl, which would have been obviously as fitting as it gets of the last true Rose Bowl game between a Big Ten team and a packed 10 slash 12 team. Or maybe it's the Big Ten title game for next year.

That's what it is now. It's going to be it's a it's a conference. As a matter of fact, Michigan goes to Washington next year. They have Texas at home at Washington next year. So either way, however that game wound up, it was going to be a rematch in next year's regular season. Well, these will be dramatically different teams by then, right? Of course. But I don't know.

I think it's going to be it's such a compelling like the storylines for this game going in are really fascinating. All right. And before we dig into those, normally I would just transition into that because I am curious as to what you feel about that, Bruce Feldman. But you wrote a compelling piece prior to the game that you had a handful of coaches that coached against Michigan. And all of them, to a man, said Alabama was going to win this game. I want names from you right now. I need names from you right now. And I demand I demand the truth. I want to give you names. I will say this.

I ended up I want answers, though. Your Michigan brethren. Yes, sir.

Devoted and loyal as they are. They definitely made their made their voices heard on that. You know, I actually met a bunch of folks, some in the media, some around the media, you know, while in Pasadena.

It was good. And I think, you know, a lot of people are like, hey, what are those coaches say now? Well, I actually talked to a bunch of those coaches again to see what I have revisited the conversation. I have revisited the people whose names rhyme with Miyano. Who would that be? Schmay, Franklin, Franklin is a great name. The he's just going to still go because you're a professional.

I'm sorry. So you revisited these conversations and look, there's a couple of things that shine through. Now, what was interesting for me was the skepticism was, OK, which J.J. McCarthy are we getting here? The J.J. McCarthy who looked great in the beginning of the year when the competition wasn't very good or the J.J. McCarthy that honestly was playing hobbled from the Penn State game on. And also the schedule got harder. I mean, they played really good defenses down the stretch. And I think absolutely what one of the things that Michigan folks took issue with was like, no one's giving us credit for anything. And, you know, there were a few of those coaches pointed out, oh, wait a minute, this is the same time the Connor Stallion stuff came to light all of a sudden. The reason why they didn't give credit for anything is because they were discrediting everything. That is true.

That's the opposite of credit for anything is discrediting everything. Yes. And so I had asked some of the players and coaches, I was like, what now?

You know, because at this point now, by the way, this is where I would have popcorn and I'd start eating it. So what did they say? What did these coaches say? No, I think there is respect for them now.

I think there absolutely is. I think one thing that to me was came through because it wasn't just the Michigan story that was this. So I did four of these stories where I talked to coaches who played them. The next day was the Alabama one. And people, it wasn't all SEC coaches. Some of the coaches came from non-conference games they played. But there seemed to be a lot more respect. There was a lot more respect for Alabama than there was for Michigan.

And, and we talked about this a couple of weeks ago on the show. I think some of that is because of the undertow in the Big Ten of the animosity towards Michigan, especially towards Jim Harbaugh, as opposed to there's a lot more respect. And look, Nick Saban's won a lot of national titles. And on top of this, Michigan, the last two times in the playoff, they were not getting the benefit of the doubt either.

Let's, let's not throw that away. I mean, they got whipped by Georgia. Now it wasn't JJ, it was a quarterback.

It was Kayden McNamara. And then last year they stubbed their toe against a TCU team that they should have beaten, right? And so I think they had that going in. What I thought, and look, again, I'm going to toot my own horn on this because I got enough, you know, I said Michigan was going to win in the preseason. I said they were going to win the national title. And I said it, that they were going to beat Alabama. What I came back to was something I, you know, this is not as good as the secondary was of Alabama.

And it's, it's, it's elite. The front guys are not what they typically have. There's no Quinnen Williams there.

There was, it just wasn't the same level of guys. And that's what Michigan was going to be dealing with. It's not like, you know, the two great corners and Caleb Downs were going up against Michael Pennix who were going to throw it all over the yard. Michigan wanted it to be a street fight. And I think they matched up actually really well against Alabama.

And if you did it, you know, like is, was Blake Coram and Donovan Edwards as good this year as they were last year? Statistically, no, they weren't. And the coaches thought they were just, you know, they're coming, both coming off injuries.

They didn't look the same. The Roman Wilson was the best they had, but it wasn't like they were looking at Washington's receivers or even Texas receivers. But to me, I think a lot of people saw Alabama beat Georgia. They didn't see Alabama almost lose to a bad Auburn team. And so I think they had that in their heads. And so one of the things I asked a bunch of the coaches both Monday night and yesterday morning was, you know, how much do you think it was Michigan or Alabama got overrated, overrated or overestimated because it's Alabama, whereas Michigan has been undervalued because it's Michigan.

And almost to a man, they all said, that's probably true. And because this team has so much experience and so much toughness that can, that can cover up a lot of other things. And you saw that they, you know, they were not good in special teams the other night. That almost cost them the game. Which is why I was thrilled for overtime, because you removed the punt game from overtime in college football, for whatever reason, they decided to do that. For a sport that says, let's stop for three and a half minutes, every six minutes, because we want to take money hand over fist from Dr. Pepper and everybody else in Allstate and Prudential. But, but when it comes time to finishing this game, let's, let's move it along.

We can't just go up and down the field for 10, 15 minutes and keep punting in the game. We got to, we got to shorten it. Like it, it makes no sense to me, but that's for another day.

Bruce Feldman here on the Rich Eisen Show. I want to dig in deeper to the psyche of these individuals who are now seeing the light that I have been talking about with you this entire time, fully understanding that what Connor Stallions was doing is against the rules and all that. And I understand I am short-handing the cheating.

Okay. I get it. But the entire time I'm seeing teams that, that, that Michigan got overrun by Ohio State and Alabama, which is, by the way, they played in a bowl game a few years ago, they smoked Michigan. They couldn't, they couldn't stay in the field at the same time against them. A Michigan team that, uh, that night against Georgia, um, you could just see him warming up.

You could just see on the hoof to use a scouting phrase. They didn't have the horses to go against them. This now is a team that out physical to Alabama, understand that it was a down year. You want to put it, whatever you want to say down year, but it doesn't matter. This is the king of the SEC, they beat Georgia. Okay.

Correct. And they out physical to this team with a deep roster and deep players and the coaching, what Sharon Moore did getting deep in his bag, that first touchdown drive against Alabama. I, I, I, I turned around to Joel Klatt and I'll, I'll say this, you know, this is not giving anything away that Joel wouldn't want to have said. Cause I turned around to Joel Klatt who was sitting behind me. Who's seen more Michigan football in person than that guy. Yeah.

No media person pretty much. And I'm like, when, when they threw that touchdown pass to Blake Coram and snuck him out, right. For the touchdown pass.

Which would play. We've now seen a lot in the NFL by the way. Correct. But right.

But, but I, I hadn't seen Coram do that all year. They, I mean, they, he was deep in his bag. They were breaking every tendency that they had and that drive that they had to have because the botched punt, you know, muffed punt led to a touchdown for Alabama. So what I'm saying, but this is a long winded setup for saying, so we're now these folks who are like, wow, they were cheating. I see where you're going.

No, no. They're saying, oh, they were cheating. They're now like, oh, they can coach.

And they were like, oh, they were cheating. Oh, they're really deep and can play physical football and smart football and timely football in big moments. Oh, Jim Harbaugh actually did hire the right staff after all. Is this where we're at right now? I think we're finally, we're finally right.

Cause you picked the other side of it, which is fine. Like I thought Jesse Minter did a terrific job. They got, so to me, the biggest X factor, it's a quarterback. And we talked about this a couple of weeks ago, but like the one big weapon Alabama had, cause I think if you match it up and I wouldn't like totally pick a game based on this way, but if you said, okay, who has a better running backs to me, definitely Michigan, who has a better receivers if I'm including tight ends, I would say Michigan. Now it's not a huge edge, but I would say it's still Michigan.

I think Michigan has the better offense line, even without their best offensive lineman, Zach Sinter who couldn't play. But I thought the way they attacked Jalen Milro and Jesse Minter, what he did, you know, and I talked to him after the game, he was like, we want to play fast. We were going to come after, we send five, we send six, the first six times Jalen Milro dropped back to pass.

They sacked him four times. I think that set a tone for them and they should have been up probably 14 to three at half. Cause they were stubborn their toe, like they did against TCU. And that made me feel like, Oh God, maybe this is in our day again.

Yeah. And I think it was special teams. You had to miss field goals. You had to miss PAT. You had two muffed punts, one that almost damn cost them at the end of the game for safety. One at the end of the game, by the way, my old buddy, Dave Anderson, a former slot receiver in the NFL had a really interesting, if somebody wants to look for, find him on social media, he talked to me, he was a former punt returner, talked about why that is such a hard situation that they put Jake thaw. That was the hands team return guy out there where it's like, I would, he'll, he'll do a better justice than me, but explaining why after you hear it, you're like, yeah, why did they put him back there at that moment?

Given he hadn't been out on the field for like four hours. Right. No, I understand that. So I'm glad that, you know, some of these naysayers were, are seeing the light. And then just one last point of fact that I, I need to have cleared up. Is it true that the former Michigan assistant that Alabama hired is no longer on their staff right now? Did they tell, did they tell him we're done? I don't know if he's done there. I heard he's done. No, I don't know if he's done there, but we'll see. Stick him around.

Cause I'm sure maybe, you know, he can go coach for Washington. It's a few, a couple more days left here. You know, honestly I'm I'm I'm I have the scars of the last several, you know, weeks. And the fact that people thought it's gotta be the cheating. Are we done with that now? Or are they, cause there's just, there were cheaters that were that trended, right?

You told me this Chris, the word cheaters trended on Monday night. Sure did. Okay. Are we done with it? Are we done with it? Cause I'm seeing lower third, you know, topic bars like, you know, as they're still an asterisk, are we done with it after this?

Yes and no. Okay. We're done with it from this standpoint. I think anybody who is being realistic at this point, because I get this, I see, you know, you tweet out stories, like, you know, I talked to the players were fired up as they should have been after the game. You know, Chris Jenkins, Trevor Keegan, you know, Kenneth Grant, a bunch of all of them, you know, really, you know, strong quotes coming off the field in the post game and the players to me, like, and a lot of the not Michigan fans were pushing back, you know, with what else are you going to say? They're poking at them as cheaters and whatnot. And I think at the end of the day, you know, it's the players and the players had, as far as I can, you know, nothing involved in that, you know, you could argue that they had benefited from the insight, but it was like, that isn't the players who did anything at the end of the day, the players win the games or lose the game.

Right. And I think at this point going forward, you know, they beat Ohio State, they made the right plays. They certainly beat obviously Iowa, but then they beat Alabama, no matter what. And you want to say, you mentioned the former Michigan assistant, George Hilo, who went back, you know, he broke in and coaching with Alabama, but like, whatever you want to say, fair and square, whatever. It's like, okay, they just beat the best team in the SEC, the SEC champs. They beat them and it was like nothing fluky about it or whatever. And they held Alabama, went back and looked to 288 yards.

It was the fewest yards Alabama's put up in a game in seven years. Right. So good on the players, good on just, you know, that staff. I think on that regard, if you're being honest, like this is the game, it's like them against Washington.

Right. You know, they beat teams without Jim Harbaugh down the stretch were the best teams they played. And then when Harbaugh came back, you know, they beat those teams who were having to prepare for them. The only reason why I would say it's not done is because the NCAA will still have some form of justice, you know, on the back end of it, you know, but are we done about it? You know, on the field stuff, I think we should be done talking about it. Like, cause I think that's a disservice now to the Michigan players. Certainly since an Alabama player says at a podium, you know, Hey, yeah, they won't let us watch film on an iPad.

And everyone goes, of course, everyone runs off. It must be Michigan. They're afraid of Michigan. Michigan must have hacked their app and Michigan. Hasn't been on the same day for weeks. And so, but you're seeing, you're seeing headlines, you're seeing stories written and it must be a Michigan cheating thing. And it is not. And I can't wait to see the same. I feel like Michael Irvin, same intensity.

Do not lose the same intensity. I want to see exactly what the hell's going on with this app. Even though they say that hasn't been hacked. I want to know what's going on, who's behind it. And I want to know the names of, of, of the people who handed a fully baked investigation to the NCAA that let them run with it. I want that name. I'm not done with it for the moment, but, but, but, but I'm breathing and I'm excited for Monday.

So before I let you go, you said there's storylines. How do you see the Monday night matchup between Washington and Michigan playing out? You know, I think the biggest challenge is as good as the, the interior defensive line of Texas was, and people raved about them, they had no sacks. They now Michael Pennix did a really good job of aiding some pressure when he did.

They couldn't get to him. He's amazing. He is amazing. And you know, I saw you play the, you know, the, the video, the audio with, with Charles and, and earlier about his pro draft. He's going to be a really fascinating subject for the NFL, not just because of the injury history from a lot of levels on this, they have three elite receivers. Now they're running back. Dylan Johnson got hurt at the end of the game. We'll see what kind of football man, they handed it off conversation for another day.

Okay. So, but I just think the question is going to be, can Michigan get to them? Cause they got to, you know, they got to Milro. Now Alabama was more, their offensive line is not as buttoned up as what, what Washington is. That's a really underrated group. They don't get, I mean, they won the Joe Moore award, but they don't get enough credit nationally because people talk about Pennix, which they should. People talk about the three star receivers, which they should, but the offensive line is really good. I think this is such a fun battle because both teams, these are the two most mentally tough teams in college football.

Not coincidentally that they're playing for the title because Kalen DeBoer is super cool and he's authentic and like he has great poise and presence and the players respond to it. They've been through a lot. They win every close game. Michigan's team has all this adversity and they're just like, you can't knock them off.

They just, they wobble and they keep going. And so, you know, I picked Michigan to win the national title. I'm not going to back off at that at this point. I will be interested to see how they slow down Michael Pennix Jr. because like in a lot of ways, they have a good secondary, Michigan does. Like one of the coaches I talked to, you know, about this yesterday said they have, they're elite at all three levels that Texas wasn't. Texas was elite up front, but they were, they on the back end, they were exposed.

Now, one other thing that this person pointed out was like, you can run on Washington. Texas averaged like six yards a carry, but they had two fumbles and that cost them or else they probably win the game. So, you know, I think Michigan's offense will have a pretty big day.

What I just wonder is, you know, how do you slow down? He's so good, man. He's so good. And, you know, obviously there's a history. He beat them at Alabama. Yeah, that was a long time ago.

He's much better receivers now. This is a different Michigan team. I know that it's a different Michigan team.

I get it, I get it. But I mean, it's not like he's never seen the winged helmets on the other side of the line of scrimmage before, which has to count too. No, he's playing with an insane amount of confidence. And, you know, like he's just, I did a story on him the other day and he was very candid with me about like how low he was coming out, you know, at Indiana, because he'd been injured four times. And, you know, some of the things he had talked to me about, it was like, at one point he said he was scared of getting hurt again. And, you know, the thought of quitting in his head popped in his head and he wouldn't give up because he's got two younger brothers and wanted, you know, the game means too much to him, but he was really rattled. And I think what is going to be fascinating with him going forward is the NFL, it's all twisted up in knots with like, you know, how they're doing the evaluation process. His film is remarkable.

His film was remarkable. And this guy has also faced real adversity and come flying through it. A lot of times college quarterbacks, they haven't faced real adversity. And when they hit them, they wilt in the NFL.

This guy's actually faced it and come out of it even stronger. I think he's, you know, again, I won't say this, I wouldn't say this to you, but I think he's a guy that when people really learn about him, you would definitely root for Michael Pennington. There's no doubt about it.

You know, obviously for three and a half or four hours, depending on how many TV timeouts, you know, and so one last quick question. Do you, what does he do with his head in that, in, in, you know, when he doesn't look at field goals or he sticks his head in that, what is that? Is that where you put the equipment, right?

It's like equipment sort of shed. Do you know what he does? I will ask him that.

I'll ask him on Saturday. Is he, honestly, I'm like wondering when he sticks his head in there and he's going through, is he praying? Is he, is he talking to himself? I would imagine he would be praying. That's what I'm thinking. It's just a, it's sort of, if there was a phone in there. Honestly, is he speaking to his coordinator or something? Is there air? At that moment? I don't know. He's a really, really deep guy.

Yeah. Just like, you know, when I went up to Seattle this off season and spent time with him, it was a conversation that kind of blew my mind because I just didn't expect him to, like, he's really connected emotionally and he is a deep guy and he has a great bond with Kaelin DeBoer and Ryan Grubb, the offensive coordinator. They have a, they have a special thing there because remember, like as bad as Michigan was, you know, when they had a two, two win season in the pandemic, you know, this team was four and eight before Kaelin DeBoer showed up and Michael Penix Jr. showed up. It's like, it's such a, such a cool story. You know, I, I can't wait to get to Houston. It's going to be a lot of fun, no doubt about it.

And obviously this is going to be a Big Ten matchup from now on, which is kind of crazy. And, you know, thanks for coming on. Really appreciate it. Book the tickets. You should go. All right. Thank you very much. He's the angel on my shoulder.

That's, that's Bruce Feldman right here on the Rich House. He didn't give me names. He didn't give me names at all. Okay. Very good.

He ain't no snitch. Does one rhyme with Moxley? I don't know. We'll keep asking these questions. Welcome to Talkville, the Ultimate Smallville Rewatch Podcast. Karen, what you got?

Hi guys, Karen Appelmann from Australia with a quick question for season three talisman. That knife wound was so powerful. Tom, what was it like to do that scene with John as your director? It's great that I was with those people because when your eyes are closed and someone is supposed to going to stab you in the chest, you have to really trust that they're not going to hurt you. So, I was in good hands with John.

Jump in now or catch up on any of the past seasons of Talkville on YouTube or wherever you listen. Herm Edwards on October 30th, 2002, after a week eight loss to the Cleveland Browns. Here is play to win the game as told by Victor Numan. This is great about sports. This is what's the greatest thing about sports is you play to win.

Hello? You play to win the damn game, right? You don't play just to play it. When you start telling me it doesn't matter, get your ass out of here, then retire.

Cause it matters. Well done, that's number one. Next up, on October 16th, 2006, after the Cardinals blew a 20-point lead against the Bears on Monday Night Football. Dennis Green, they are who we thought they were as portrayed by Victor Numan. Bears are who we thought they were, you know? That's why we joined the damn field. Now, if you want to crown them, then crown their ass. But they are who we thought they were.

And we let them off the damn hook. Very good. Very well done. All right, last one for you. I can feel it. I can feel it.

I'm glad that we got it rolling because here's the last one. I can feel it. On May 7th, 2002, the famed practice press conference of one Alan Iverson, as recounted by the man who plays Victor Numan, Eric Braden, hit it. I mean, listen, man. You're talking about practice, okay? Not a game. It's not a game. Not a game, all right?

Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it's my last. I know it's important. Yeah, I do. I do. I do.

I honestly do. But you're talking about practice, man. What are we talking about? Practice.

You're talking about practice, man. Still applauding. Game time tickets.

We're back here on the Rich Eisen Show. Let's talk about game time tickets. A frustrating ticket buying experience in this world is very simple to encounter. I used to have them.

Not anymore. Because you don't need to worry when you buy tickets to your next big event with game time. Sports, music, comedy, theater events near you, all on the app. Last minute killer deals, all in prices.

View from your seat. Best price guarantee, all on the app. Game time flat out takes the guesswork out of buying tickets that you can buy.

In seconds with two simple taps. Download the game time app. Create an account.

Here's another great part about it. Use my code rich. $20 off your first purchase. Boom. As they say.

Do you even have that drop? Get it ready for the next time I say it, Jay. Boom. Thank you. Restrictions apply. Visit gametime.co for terms.

Again, create an account. Redeem the code. R-I-C-H. $20 off.

Boom. Download game time today. Last minute tickets. Lowest price guarantee.

We even bring production value to the game time tickets. I do. I do. I do.

I actually do. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Game time. Wow. They got to appreciate that, right?

Just the difference when someone is sitting next to me paying attention. So let me ask you this question, Chris. Because again, I'm used to this whole everybody hates my team and they might win it all despite all that thing. And you're very well versed in that.

Oh, wow. I mean, since our show started, the Super Bowl has just basically been the New England Patriot Invitational. Pretty much. But not, you know, not last couple of years, but still.

For the first five years of our show. Exactly. So I think he's establishing again what it's like to feel that way and then just wearing it. Just wearing it, bathing in it. Like it's like a cologne. Like you're dousing yourself.

You break the cologne over your head and you can't and you smell it from across the room and he doesn't care. I mean, OK, so, so, so I'm asking in that what what do I do with because again, I'm used to I'm just getting used to this for the first time as a Michigan Wolverine guy. What if the rest of the world also loves the team that's trying to to beat you? Because Michael Penix Jr. is one to root for.

Kalyn DeBoer is one to root for. You know, even Purple. People love Purple. We're on Roku. We love Purple.

I mean, my for every single time I see Purple, I think it's the Roku channel. You know, let me let me get the mic flag. Perfect.

Perfectly for this one. You know what I mean? Like everyone loves Purple and White and Gray and all that. I feel like I'm wearing this is Washington colors right here.

The Roku channel, Mike Flag. I'm wearing a nice gray, fantastic gray sweater. Some dark gold. You know, I mean, like people love Joel McHale. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. Seriously.

Mina Kimes went to Washington. So what do I do with that? Oh, you step on their hearts. Oh, yeah. No one cares.

No one cares. OK, great. Yeah. Yeah. You punch babies.

You throw puppies into the cold. No, you don't. Of course, man. You embrace the villain role.

Yeah. You kick Baxter off that bridge. You root for the bad guys. What if the person that you then ask. What do you do if the person you're now asking that advice of because he is so well versed in that.

Is somebody who roots against you also, as opposed to actually here's the problem, actually understanding my situation and actually bonding with me over what do I do over the problem where you and I differ because you're trying to deflect the cheating like it didn't matter. You got to embrace all of it. You're not embracing all of it. You're embracing like 38 percent of it. You know, it's the other 62 percent of it. Just be like, yeah, we cheated. You guys should cheat better. You know what I mean? I see it.

That's where we got it now, like the good fellows. Now I got to turn my back on him. I can't do like you got to be like, yeah, Connor Stallion's is at the Rose Bowl.

He was probably texting someone on the sideline. Alabama signals, you know what I mean? You got to embrace all of it. Yeah. Or you could be like, you know, you're like dipping your toe in. You don't even you don't know what you're doing. Yeah.

Thank you. Now I got to turn my back on the big bad guys. You got to be like us, like this team here. Cowboys versus everybody. People would rather this team lose than their team win. Yeah. OK, so at some point you just don't care.

I don't care about what any other team is doing, but everyone cares all the way in. So, you know, I've got five more days to soak this in. You're going to that game, by the way. Oh, yeah, you're going. You have to.

We're coming with you. I got nothing to do on Monday. I don't even care if I show.

It's not about me. I'll be here for the show. You need to be at this game or you will regret it, man.

So do I just I need to soak this in. I'm not I'm not I'm not all the way there yet. Go all the way. You and Tom Brady will be on the jet together.

Oh, yeah. Well, now I'm all in with amazing TV, TV 12. I'm in line. Adam Schefter is about to join us, too. He can fly, too. He'll be working the whole flight. He's coming from Connecticut. He'll have like 14 phones.

I'll just be like, he's going to be in the middle of coaches being fired season like this is literally his super any CPA's tax season on steroids. Are you kidding me? Seriously? Yeah.

Information men and women Sunday into next Tuesday will kiss their families goodbye and say, you know, slip the meals under the door. Yeah. You know, so that's why I want to get Adam in now.

What do we think? So the Panthers have an opening, right? Raiders have an opening, the Chargers and the Chargers.

Right. So how many else? How many more? OK, well, the Chargers guys, Kellen Moore is going to be their coach. OK, this guy, I'm telling you, no, it's not happening. No chance. No way. You'll see.

No. By the way, I'm fine with that because everybody, everybody, everybody in my Michigan thinks this is where he's coming. Yeah, I'm just saying this is where he's coming. And the other place that really scares the hell out of everybody is Chicago.

And it seems like evil flus is not good. He's doing a hell of a job, by the way. And Max Crosby wants Antonio Pierce. So there you go. So it's again, that would shock me, but I don't know whether or wherever else there is Washington because Jim's going to be expensive and he's going to Jim will be expensive and will want to run the entire show. Yeah, right.

So someone's got to open their wallets and their front offices for him. Great shot for Schefter going to break. Great shot. How wrestling really works and how you get the ratings. Eric Bischoff and Conrad Thompson explain on 83 weeks. I mean, I dig Jey Uso because he's born out of great storytelling and he lived up to the opportunity and exceeded it.

The LA Knight, he's way up on my list because here's a guy that's been around for almost ever. Should have probably quit a half a dozen times and he just forced his way into their life. And now he's making money hand over fist. That is a story I love. 83 weeks on YouTube or wherever you listen.