Gregg Giannotti, WFAN Morning Show Host

throughout the 60s and 70s. We continue, this is Zach Gilb Show, Coast to Coast on CBS Sports Radio. What a wild day it was at the NFL and NBA.

Let's head out to the guest line right now. And welcome to man that you can hear each and every morning on WFAN in New York and also watch him on the CBS Sports Network. And of course, he used to host the morning show here at CBS Sports Radio for many years.

That is Greg Giannotti. Gio, how you been? Well, I'm doing great, Zach. It's great to be on, and I know you're broadcasting live from the Gio and Jones Memorial Studio. So it's an honor to be in that place every morning. So I hope you look at the pictures of Brian and I on the wall, and you tap it like to play like a champion. Notre Dame players tap that sign, because it's really important to remember the history of CBS Sports Radio and how far you guys have come.

You know what's so funny? I've looked around the studio each and every day, and I'm trying to see the ghost of Brian Jones. I'm trying to see your name somewhere on the studio, but all I see is Maggie Gray's name and Andrew Perlov's name. I don't see anything with your name on it. I hate to break that to you. Yeah, no, I know. I'm working on it, all right? I'm working on it.

Turn off. Before he left, he said, we're never going to put anything on Greg Giannotti's name in that studio. Never, ever. Well, that's why he got fired, right? So now we've got someone else in there, and we're moving in the right direction. Other than getting the promotion and leaving CBS Sports Radio and going to WFAN down the hall, what was your favorite memory host in Gio and Jones? Oh, man, we found this movie that Brian was in back like 15 years ago that had the most ridiculous premise of any movie I'd ever seen, and we ended up buying the DVD and getting all the clips and playing them on the air. I still don't think I've ever laughed that hard in my life, and Brian played like the biggest loser I've ever seen in my life, treated everybody like crap, couldn't get a job, and then, I mean, I hate to laugh about this, but just picture this. So Brian Jones shoots himself in the head in the movie. He slumped over in a chair with blood splatter on the wall with all this somber music there, and then they throw a benefit concert in his honor. And I'm like, wait a second. This guy was the biggest a-hole on Earth.

Why are we now celebrating his life? It was so funny. That was definitely my favorite memory.

The two of us, we couldn't breathe for like three or four minutes straight when we were playing those clips. It was a lot of fun. I think the best story, and you could tell it, but is the Bob Huggins prank phone call.

That's my personal favorite. Yeah, that was a great one, too, where we had my buddy from Pittsburgh, Chris Muller, who was doing a Bob Huggins impersonation. Oh, that was Chris Muller? Yeah, that was Chris Muller, yeah, doing the Bob Huggins impersonation and just jabbing Brian the whole time and saying you picked against West Virginia, how dare you do that, and Brian getting more and more angry. And then, finally, he just let loose. He was calling Bob Huggins all these curse words that I can't say on your show right now, but he just absolutely lost it on fake Bob Huggins. And then we played that on the air as a prank and revealed it live on the air. It took him like three or four minutes to realize how funny it was because his initial reaction was not to enjoy something like that because he was getting clowned about it.

But once he finally turned and he realized how funny it was, that was another really, really fun moment. Greg Giannotti here with us. So, Gio, big reason why we brought you on today is we know you're a massive Minnesota Vikings fan. What was your reaction to the TJ Hockinson trade?

I loved it. I wanted them to go in and do something big because this is what the NFL's become at the trade deadline is, you know, for years and years and years, nothing used to ever happen at the trade deadline. And finally, teams figured out like, hey, you know, we can go for it if we have an opportunity to do so.

And we've seen more and more of that last year. Obviously, the Von Miller trade was a big one for the Rams and you saw where that ended up. So, you know, that's what I wanted for the Vikings. When you're six and one, you're in a down conference. I know there's some good teams in there and, you know, the Philadelphia Eagles are better if the 49ers figure it out, you know, maybe they're better. But, you know, they're gonna win the division.

And I'm confident in saying that at this point with the Packers being three and five. So, I wanted to make a splash. You know, I either wanted to see them, you know, maybe try to improve the secondary or, you know, add a strength to a strength. I didn't know how bad the Earp Smith injury was when this deal went down.

Then I loved it even more when I saw that he was gonna have to go on. I are with the high ankle sprains. I think Hockinson is a tremendous player. He's a top four tight end in the game. The fact you're taking him off the lines, not like the lines ever compete, but I just, I love, he knows the division. He can block, he can catch, he's a gamer. He's a type of guy that on a good team, I think gets even better.

So, I know he gave up a lot, you know, two twos, two fours. You save for a tight end that, you know, may or may not make the team better. I think he will, but I just, I love this mentality, especially out of a first year GM and a first year coach, you don't see a lot of that.

Usually got a first year GM, first year coach in a rebuilding situation like you have with the Giants to find themselves at six and two. And they're like, all right, we're gonna stand pat, no problem. But the Vikings go, hey, we got an opportunity here. I mean, you know, Justin Jefferson, Adam Phelan, Dalvin Cook, Kirk Cousins might not ever be this good at the same time again. So, let's go and do it. So, it fired me up this afternoon. Well, here's the big question.

You know it and I know it. They have a team that on paper is very good in a wide open NFC, like you said, the sky's the limit. It all comes down to the quarterback play because even in the post-season a few years ago, one week he throws a game winning touchdown. The next week, he ends up throwing an interception to Richard Sherman in a close game against the 49ers a few years back. Where's your confidence in Kirk Cousins?

Well, I've been very critical of him over the years. Of course, everybody has, but it really comes down to how many games are they going to get at home in the post-season? I will take the Vikings against anybody in Minneapolis, at home, in that place, going crazy, skull chant. I will take them against anybody in the NFC if they are hosting that game. But it's going to be very difficult because the Eagles schedule and of course, how good they are head to head. Of course, the Vikings lost to the Eagles. So, they're probably going to have to go there if it came down to an NFC Championship game. So, I cannot pick the Vikings to go on the road, outdoors, on grass, and beat a better football team until I see it.

And I've really never seen that in my lifetime with this team. I've also seen them lose a lot of games inside. There were big games, you know, NFC Championship games over the years. So, I think if they could get the one seed in a buy, which is going to be tough, but they're right there, then sky's the limit. Go to the Super Bowl, take your chances against what should be a very good AFC team. And if they don't, and they're going to have to go to Philadelphia in the NFC Championship game and beat them on the road, it would probably take a miracle for them to win that game.

So, that's really where my expectation level is at. But, I mean, hell, you know, giving yourself a shot in an NFC Championship game, you could be in worse places. Greg Gianotti here with us. Ever since you've been the host of Boomer and Gio, the football teams in New York have been awful up until this year.

It's wild. The Giants at six and two, I know they just lost to the Seahawks. I thought the Seahawks were going to win though going in. But, they're a lot to make the playoffs. The way their schedule breaks, I'll be stunned if they don't get to nine or 10 wins at this point. Oh, well, of course. I mean, I think they're going to have eight wins heading into Thanksgiving.

Agreed. They've got the Texans and the Lions back to back at home. And then they've got the Cowboys, of course, on the road on Thanksgiving.

So, yeah, I mean, they're going to be a playoff team. And I really thought the way that the game was playing out in Seattle was another one of these Brian Dable specials where they were going to come out with a victory. I mean, you're talking about a tie game, then they're even down just one score. And then the second Richie James Fumble then changed the rest of the game. So, they were playing that same exact football game where they're hanging around. They're not making a ton of mistakes.

And, obviously, the mistakes killed them. And then they find a way to make the big play in the fourth quarter. So, seeing this has just been amazing, especially with the disappointment of both the New York baseball teams that we saw. The Mets going out very early. And then the Yankees with a whimper against the Houston Astros would have been nice to see one of those two teams make it to the World Series.

So, we could have enjoyed that. So, having to fall back on the Jets and Giants playing this well has been great. And I'm with you. I mean, you know, why not? If I am any NFC team right now, I'm thinking, why not? If I'm a team that is underachieved like the Buccaneers or the Packers, I'm saying, why not?

And I'm certainly saying, why not? If I'm the New York Giants, which puts them in a very interesting situation because there's no way you could tell me that Brian Dable and Joe Shane, the general manager there, thought that the Giants were gonna be this good. There was absolutely no way that they thought they'd be sitting at six and two heading into the bye. So, they're trying to rebuild and win at the same time, they didn't go out there and make a big splash at the deadline and bring in a wide receiver or somebody else.

They think that the pick capital is more important for their process, which I can't blame them for. But yeah, this New York Giants team is a playoff football team, which is just absolutely stunning. I wanna give credit to the Jets because I love the way that their roster is built with Joe Douglas and Robert Salas that did a good job this year. But after that loss to the Patriots, it feels like momentum is starting to turn where they have a really good team. I know there's been some injuries along the way of Breece Hall and Elijah Vera Tucker, but all eyes are on the quarterback in Zach Wilson.

What's your read on the Jets QB? Yeah, I mean, this was really tough. This game changed the entire trajectory of the season. If you end up winning that game and you go, we have Buffalo come in the next week and you get your teeth kicked in, you're okay with it because you know you're not supposed to be on the same level as Buffalo. But right now you're supposed to be on the same level as the New England Patriots and this version of what they are or you should be.

And then you prove not to be in a huge spot at home. And a lot of that was on Zach Wilson. The John Franklin Meyers penalty, of course, is gonna be a big talking point. I did think that was a penalty. I think that he's a knucklehead on the field. He saw it earlier against the Bengals.

Same type of situation. Third down defense got off the field. He took a dumb penalty. And Zach Wilson was just awful. I mean, just doing things that professional quarterbacks shouldn't be doing. So my read on him right now is that they're getting very frustrated. I mean, it's one thing to bring along a rookie quarterback in a year when you don't expect to win when you're a first year head coach like Rob Stoller. When you get out to a five and two start and this kid coming back for his second year and Mike LaFlore is there wanting to showcase his offense and this guy's throwing the interception that he's throwing, it's gotta drive them absolutely insane. So I think that this elevation of Mike White to the backup quarterback and Joe Flacco being deactivated is more than just a cosmetic thing. Like I really believe that they also were hiding Mike White in the beginning of the season and making Flacco the guy because they don't love that controversy and how well Mike White played last year.

Now I think they're sick of it and they want that controversy again. And they're pushing Zach by saying, hey, listen, this guy beat the Cincinnati Bengals last year who will, by the way, won the AFC and will put his ass right back in there. You keep throwing those interceptions. At least I hope that's what's going on because I feel like Zach Wilson has been babied his entire career here. And that has to change and it's gotta change right now but it's a bad week to try to get right Zach. I mean, think about the Bills coming in with this Jets team and the way that they play offense.

I mean, this is like the exact opposite of that classic get right spot. I mean, this last year was really ugly too when Mike White played the Bills that met life. So, man, you know, you went from a five and two, feeling great, surprised, feel-good stories, like, you know, five and four with a potentially a blowout on your hands. Yeah, I would lay the 13 and a half points with the Buffalo Bills.

I don't, I can't talk myself into the Jets even with that being a huge number. Before we let you run, Greg Giannotti, it looks like Emeo Doka is now gonna be the Nets coach. And I think it would be so simple how they would address this at a press conference but the Nets don't hold anyone ever accountable. And here's the thing, no one knows what actually happened with Emeo Doka. Was he just sleeping with someone in the organization or did it go to a level that definitely crossed the line? This is just wild. And the Celtics don't want anything back from him.

Yeah, which makes me think there has to be more than just a relationship within the office. I mean, you have a guy who is the most talked about new head coach around last year, taking that team to the NBA Finals and how unbelievable that team was playing. You're getting the best out of the best players there.

And then all of a sudden the guy's getting suspended for a year and you're just giving him up to another team in the conference. I mean, what? So I mean, to me, I need those answers. I need those answers from the Nets. I need those answers from Emeo Doka. I need to know what's going on. Cause oh, by the way, like, you know, at this point, the Nets are like, why don't we just go for broke?

Like if there is some more stuff there with Emeo Doka, you probably think like, oh, who cares? You know, we got Kyrie Irving here digging his own grave. You know, Kevin Durant is despised by all of basketball. Like let's go get a coach now potentially add some inappropriate behavior going on.

I mean, it's sickening what's happening over there. I dislike that Nets team probably more than any other team in the history of sports that I've ever come across. And the fact that the NBA and Josiah, except for like one little tweet to cover his own ass is letting Kyrie Irving get away with this is just disgusting. And you know what didn't make me more sick is the fact that Emeo Doka is a pretty damn good coach. You know, put everything aside, so chances are he might get the best out of this team.

If they start winning, I'm not going to be able to take it. So I mean, I don't want to see Kyrie anymore. I shouldn't be playing basketball with everything that went on with what he posted on his social media accounts with that movie that was on Amazon. He shouldn't be around anymore.

He needs to pay for that. And that has not happened. And now all of a sudden they're going to get Emeo Doka. It's like, it's just, it's not. What world are we living in right now?

Brooklyn Nets, how does this even happen? I just hope they fail miserably. I hope they light themselves on fire.

We could sit there and dance around in their ashes. Before we let you run, by the way, ever since you came on here in the beginning, I've been looking around the studio to try to see what was left from the Gio and Jones era. And I found the baseball bat and there's a little piece of Mike Baseglia still on it. A little Baseglia DNA left on it. Very good.

I don't know if that story's past the statute of limitations. So I'll just say thank you so much for coming on today and we appreciate it. It's my pleasure Zach, I'll see you soon. The Listening You Love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams, pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The Listening You Love is on the free Odyssey app.

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And add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations. Coverage of your favorite teams. Live news from your hometown. And millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams. Pause or rewind your local sports and news. And add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to.

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