Lions Got Screwed (Hour 2)

Alrighty, rock and roll in our number two of our radio program. You can listen to Greg McElroy and Cole Kublick each and every morning on Jocks FM. They do a phenomenal radio program and they're two of the best voices covering college football that we have. Greg McElroy, of course, is the former Alabama quarterback, now an SEC Network Analyst. He was on the call last night in the Sugar Bowl between Texas and Washington and he's kind enough to join us right now. What is a very busy day for him? Greg, first and foremost, great call last night.

Appreciate you doing this. How you been? Good, Zach. Cole Kublick's actually behind the wheel right now as we're making our way back from New Orleans, discussing all things college football.

So I apologize that we're a little a little tied up, my friend, but all's good. It was a great game last night and a great day of college football. Well, how is Cole as a driver and is he a good kind of host when he's driving with you? Like, I have to imagine Cole Kublick probably is riding with some beef jerky in that car. There's probably some good snacks, right?

Well, he has threatened to pull off at many a fast food restaurant, but since we are turning over the new leaves in 24, we've been remarkably diligent outside of the combos that he ate a little earlier from the gas station. So we're in a good spot, buddy. We're in a good spot. Yeah, like three, four days from now once everyone gets past the New Year's resolution, that will change rather quickly.

As a big guy, you're not holding off the sweets and the snacks for that much longer. Greg McElroy with us already. Let's start with Alabama, Michigan. Your reaction to the final play call by Tommy Reese in Alabama? Well, I mean, first and foremost, I think it was really well defended.

So we'll start there. A lot of people are criticizing Tommy. And I don't think Michigan is getting enough credit for really holding up there in the middle of their defense. And they really did a pretty good job of it all game long.

I mean, Alabama's arguably their best offensive player is the right tackle, J.C. Latham. And he got walked back to get the defender and really got pushed right into Milro. And that's kind of what blew up the play. So I think we need to give a little more credit to Michigan for how they defended it. Also, closer attention to the fact that there was multiple timeouts called before that last play was called. So I don't know if that was their best option or if that was their best play. It might have been their second or third after they analyzed it and took a picture of what Michigan was doing. And Michigan took a picture of what they were doing. But it was just poorly executed. I didn't have a problem with the call. I think running your quarterback on fourth and goal from the three is something you see.

And it has been successful in the past. And they had some success with the quarterback run at times in the game. But it really was just really poorly executed up front. Snap was low, kind of threw off the timing.

And personally, I probably would have liked to have seen knowing that there was probably going to be man, they're probably going to be bringing a little heat. I would have liked to have seen a quick pass as opposed to trying to run up the middle against the stop front. Yeah, I didn't have a problem with the final play call. My biggest problem, and I think you're right, once the snap is low, all chaos ensued. And I did believe that Milro panicked and he made a different decision.

Sure, but I'm not going to crush him for that. I didn't like, though, how once they got the ball down to the nine and Milro picks up 15 on the ground, that they didn't run the ball with Milro on first or second down there. That was my biggest takeaway from Tommy Reese down the stretch in that game.

Yeah, I think that's a, that's a fair, that's a fair critique. And I mean, look, Michigan's best attribute is arguably stopping the run. And they hadn't had a ton of success throwing it in the game and Michigan's got a great defense. So it really, it was going to be a good cat and mouse game all game long.

And, you know, I think you're right, though. I mean, if there's going to be a moment for criticism, it was really the negative plays that got them way behind the sticks, which forced them to throw the burden on the on the 15 yard game there to give you fourth and goal from the three. So it was really the plays leading up to that moment that that made it a little bit more problematic and a lot less likely to be able to convert.

Greg McElroy here with us. We knew that we knew that Michigan could not feel the punt for Alabama. It was their center having problems all throughout the day. I'm sure you've had issues with your center before. Sometimes it could be a little bit on the quarterback. I thought this was more so on the center kind of just give me your analysis on what you saw going wrong with the center yesterday for Alabama. Well, it's been a problem all year long, Zach. I mean, the inaccurate snaps were disrupted and and it really kind of unfortunately had a negative impact on on the team really all season long. I mean, Seth McLaughlin is a good center.

He's a good kid. But the inaccuracies of the snap, it became a trend and it became something that clearly had a huge impact on on just the offensive rhythm, the timing of the mesh point and all those other things. So it was it was tricky. But it's something that, look, we know if things are going to get you, they get you once and you get it addressed.

But they continue to happen. That's when it becomes real troubling as a coach. But he was their best option. So it's like you just put an egg, put in a cold center.

Let's see how he does. That was that wasn't really an option. So it's something they got to get addressed.

Maybe they look to the portal or they figure out something with a young guy. But that can't happen next year. And it was something that we just saw way too often all throughout the season.

Talking to Greg McElroy right now. Alrighty, let's go over to Washington and Texas. I know this is probably how we shouldn't start this game because Washington was the better team. But some of the decision making at the end, it almost cost them from getting to the national championship game.

I know you were on the call for it having it marinate though a little bit shortly after the next day. What did you make of the third and goal pass call? And then also the whole injury sequence timeout where a lot of people thought they should have just knelt down the football and then you would have prevented the injury timeout as well losing your running back? Well, we'll start with the third down.

That was where I ultimately had the biggest disagreement. And I said it on the broadcast too. I said, look, I thought Ryan Grubb had a really nice game.

The offensive coordinator for Washington. I thought he had a great plan. There was a moment there really early in the fourth quarter. I thought they got just the tiniest bit cute trying, you know, a flea flicker and just getting overly aggressive after a sudden change. Then they got a pass interference and they had first 10. They had three straight plays that I just didn't think were high percentage plays going for the jugular. But at the same time at sudden change, you got a nice lead. You're playing well.

Your quarterback's hot. I wasn't overly critical of that sequence. But the third down call prior to the field goal that gave him the nine point lead was troubling because at that point, Texas had two timeouts remaining. There was around two, two and a half minutes left or so in that vicinity. They decided to throw it.

Penix is incomplete. That allows Texas to save that timeout. So they now have two at their disposal with about two minutes left. That could have extinguished at least one time out or 40 seconds.

I mean, one time out's worth 40 seconds or so. So that was big and the one that I disagreed with and said so on the broadcast. And then you think about the sequence at the very end, the final possession for Washington. It was really more circumstantial. I mean, I mean, and Cole and I talked about this as we were driving back, kneeling on the ball.

I don't agree with that. I would say to my running back, don't fight for extra yards because I think back to what happened earlier this year, Georgia Tech and Miami running back is fighting for extra yards. And as they're fighting for extra yards, sometimes that ball can get dislodged. So I said on the broadcast said, well, if you go down, don't fight for extra yards, no matter what you punt this thing, the likelihood of you winning the win probability, if you will, is ninety nine point nine percent. If you can punt it to Texas inside their own 15 with 10 seconds left in the game or so. So I was OK with him running the football and three consecutive plays. But it was really unlucky that Dylan Johnson got hurt that forced Washington to call a timeout, which preserves thirty five seconds of play clock. It would have been at 15 when they snapped it on the fourth down punt.

Instead, it was at fifty two. So it was it was really unlucky for Washington, led to some late game heroics and some drama that that really felt unnecessary. But but either way, the team that was better last night won. Had it been the Longhorns that prevailed, the conversation today would be pretty gut wrenching. And, you know, in favor of Washington.

Yeah, no doubt about it. I didn't think anything was going to be able to top Michigan and Alabama in terms of the coverage the next day. But if you had Washington choking that game, I think that would have been the lead story across almost every show around the country. Wrap it up with Greg McElroy. It's weird in college football because we watch Michael Pennock, Jr. all of this season and then all of last season. And I feel like today is the day nationally where people start to say, wow, this kid's great.

Wow. This kid is going to be a first round pick in the NFL. How far are you willing to go, though, with the Michael Pennock, Jr. praise? Like, could he jump a Caleb Williams?

Could he jump a Drake May in this upcoming draft? Well, it's so funny. It's like, welcome to the party. I'm glad everybody's here. You know, it's terrific. Like a better late than never. You came around.

It's all good. I mean, look, let's not let's not get into crazy comparisons here, but he's the only quarterback that's thrown for forty five hundred yards in consecutive seasons since Patrick Mahomes. I mean, and look, is he Patrick Mahomes?

You know, let's not get carried away. But you want pure pocket passer is executing NFL level throws into windows that are NFL like with timing that is comparable to that of an NFL player. I think his injury history will will probably not allow him to get into the vicinity of a Drake May or a Caleb Williams. But if you want to go just cheerily on arm talent, on arm talent alone, he has he's the most talented passer in the country and he's the most talented passer in the quarterback class coming up.

It's just with that enough for him to really get into a point where he could potentially, you know, enter that conversation. Probably not. But I still believe that if I had to have a rookie playing in the NFL right now and I need to win and I'm a coach that needs to win to preserve my job, the quarterback I want under center in year number one is Michael Pennix. Now, will he ultimately be the best guy 10 years from now? I don't know about that, but he's going to think he's I think he's going to have the easiest transition from college to pro.

He's already playing in an NFL style system and he's already executing at a high level NFL caliber throws. Wrapping up with Greg McElroy going to the final sequence with Texas when they're driving down the field, everyone's thinking, wow, they're going to really pull this off. Did you have any problems with the play calling down the stretch when you look back at it the next day?

Problems? I don't know if I necessarily have problems because they looked in the direction of their best red zone weapon multiple times. I just think the design of the plays, I think Steve Sarkeesian will look at that sequence and probably have some regrets. And I diagrammed a couple of plays.

Texas, they were getting quarters coverage with the safeties playing really just head up to inside leverage to slot receivers and they were trying to double. I think we lost Greg, so obviously he's driving kind of tough to kind of tough to connect with him sometimes when you go through some rough patches. So that's a good conversation right there with Greg McElroy. We could wrap it up there.

The only other thing that I was going to maybe potentially ask him about was just an early thought on Michigan and Alabama, but there is Michigan and Washington, the national championship game, but there is a Greg McElroy always do appreciate him joining us on CBS Sports Radio. Alrighty, let's do this. We'll take a break. We'll come on back. We'll update you some of the biggest stories in the world of sports with some audio with the news brief. The Zach Gelb show will continue in five minutes.

Alrighty, this is Zach Gelb show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. Appreciate Greg McElroy making a few minutes for us today as we continue to discuss all the latest fallout from the college football playoffs, semifinal games in the last time that these college football playoffs will be a 14 playoff with it expanding to 12 next season. And I'm going to miss the 14 format because I've been very much so against the topic of expansion in the college football playoff. The most I would have ever expanded it to would be to eight teams probably now with losing the Pac-12 with all these teams jumping ship. I would then probably say make it six where you have an anomaly year, like a year where you just saw this past season where you could say maybe you want to see more Georgia, maybe you wanted to see Florida State.

And also just real quickly, I think the conversation the last week, similarly to how I said about for Michael Penix Jr., it's amazing how now people start to realize that he's this great quarterback. I knew there would be verbal diarrhea coming from the mouth of the Florida State topic and Florida State gets blown out against Georgia. Like Florida State got embarrassed, but that wasn't the Florida State team that we saw this past year.

They had 20 something guys missing with opt-outs and now Jordan Travis and all that. And I've been someone that I'm more than fine with the decision that the committee made. Like, yes, Florida State got screwed, but I understand why the committee did it and I didn't have a major gripe with it. But then Florida State fans yesterday, and I know it wasn't their team from this year that got embarrassed by Georgia, Florida State fans are then throwing this parade after Alabama loses to Michigan. Like did anyone yesterday when they were watching Alabama, Michigan, unless you are a Florida State fan said, oh, I need to see Florida State? So you can't get smacked by Georgia even though you were that like 20 something guys and then throw this parade when Alabama loses to Michigan. So I just think some of the emotions and some of the conversation in the last 24, 48 hours, even the last few days stemming from the Florida State Georgia game, like I don't think that justifies what the college football playoff committee did since Florida State got blown out. And just because Alabama lost to Michigan, I don't think it enhances the case of Florida State as well. So that's just kind of the dialogue that I've heard over the last few days stemming from Georgia beating the pants off of Florida State, if you even want to call that the Florida State team from this past year and then what did transpire in the college football playoff. But for no more, and I'm very happy that we had two great games yesterday between Michigan and Alabama and the big decision from that was the whole play calling at the end by Tommy Reese.

I'll say it for the 9,000th time this show. I did not have a big problem with the decision on fourth down. It was the two downs prior to that on first and second where they went away from the strength of Alabama in that game. And that was Jayla Milro running the ball who got you to the nine-yard line after having a 15-yard run.

And then a Washington fan, nothing should mess with you today. Nothing should toy with your emotions, but man, in a game that you dominated, it should have never got close at the end of the game, but it did because of that third down decision to throw the football when I thought they should have ran the football, but they did not. And you watch that game and you exhale in a big way because you would have lost that game. Man, that would have been as demoralizing of a defeat that I think I would have ever seen.

That would have been as bad as it got because you were so much better throughout the entirety, and I mean the entirety, of that game and you almost lost it with some of the worst clock management I've ever seen in the final three minutes. Anyway, without further ado, and I'm not talking about Freddie I'd do, it's time to update you on some of the biggest stories in the world of sports with some audio. Let's get to, let's get to, a News Brief. Time for your Daily News Brief.

We get you caught up on the rumors, reports and reconnaissance from the day in sports. So the Steelers beat the Seahawks this past weekend, and I saw a report that Kenny Pickett was inactive reportedly because he refused to be quarterback number two because the Steelers were going with Mason Rudolph. Kenny Pickett talked to reporters today and he sounded off on the idea that he refused to be quarterback two because he wanted to play.

That's all reports out there that I feel like we're attacking, you know, my character and how I'm the person not even getting into a player standpoint of it. There was no talk of me being a backup quarterback this week in terms of being a two. If I was healthy enough to play and the trainers and coaches felt like I looked good enough to play, I was going to start and play. If they believed that I was not, which they believed I was not, I was not going to dress and suit up for the game. So whoever reported that, I don't know where it started, it's kind of crazy what people were right and put out there to try to, you know, prove their point or help their standpoint or their careers and what you guys do.

But, you know, disappointed to see that without any proof or basis of it. So Pickett is now going to be the backup this weekend. So he is going to be active. He'll be the backup. Mason Rudolph, though, is going to start up against the Ravens.

I think there's some truth and there's some lies in this whole thing. Like, I'm not saying the report is totally wrong and it does go against the Kenny Pickett that I thought I know and that I knew, but I'm not saying that the report was entirely true. It is, though, a little bizarre to me, though, Samter, where last week or today he says that last week if I was healthy enough to play, I would have been the starter. But then this week you're healthy enough to play, but you're not going to be the starter. And naturally, I do believe there's some frustration from Kenny Pickett. You know, I do think he could have played. And I think once you get that news that they're going with Mason Rudolph and doing what they think is in the best interest of the team, I'm not saying that he's going to be thrilled. And maybe they thought it was the best idea to make him the backup.

I mean, to make him an active for this one and give him another week. But I'm not ready to totally dismiss the report, but I'm also not ready to totally pile on in Kenny Pickett. I think there's a little truth and then a little lie being told somewhere in there. I mean, maybe there's something where he was like, I am 85 percent. I probably could have played if I'm starting, but it's not worth risking it if I'm going to be the backup.

Maybe there's that. But either way, at the end of the day, Mason Rudolph is killing it. So who cares what Kenny Pickett thinks anyway? He's not going to be the Steelers quarterback for much longer.

Doesn't matter. I mean, Mason Rudolph is the future of the Steelers. OK, this is how we're starting off 2024. Listen, I ended it on a hot note and I'm going to I started on one too. We may have to reevaluate Samter on the show because when did you turn into Skip Bayless? You really turn into Skip Bayless.

Hey, I like LeBron and the Cowboys. Yeah, but what are you going to start doing when your chief's losing the playoffs? So you get to walk in your tiny kitchen and take the jersey off, the Mahomes jersey off and throw it in the trashcan like Skip Bayless does after every Cowboys loss? I mean, I do have to buy my first chief's gear of any sort. I don't even have chief socks.

You don't even have a T-shirt. You know, what I did do is I printed out a picture of Patrick Mahomes on my printer and cut it up on a piece of paper and then I stuck it up on the wall somewhere. Mason Rudolph is a good backup quarterback. When Mason Rudolph has to start for a long stretch, I don't think he's a starting quarterback. Kenny Pickett I don't think is the answer in Pittsburgh. I do believe the Steelers next year should have a new starting quarterback and it shouldn't be Kenny Pickett and it shouldn't be Mason Rudolph. But I'm sure you'll see at times whether it's from the start, like he's not getting cut, he'll still be on the roster and he'll probably start from the beginning of the season next year. Kenny Pickett will be afforded another opportunity to be the starter. But Steelers get into playoffs, Mason Rudolph plays well and let's say they win a playoff game.

Oh boy, interesting, interesting. I mean, they're averaging 32 points a game with Mason Rudolph in two games. Listen, I know it's two games, but it's not like they're pushovers.

The Seahawks were fighting for a playoff spot. I mean, like Mason Rudolph has played okay. And sometimes when I get really annoyed and I go to the gym, I run a quicker mile time than I've ever run before.

It does not mean I'm this great runner. Yeah, but listen, it's one thing if the Steelers offense was like averaging like 21, 22 points a game and they had a couple, this team was so bad offensively. They've had two quarterbacks and two different offensive coordinators. They've tried everything except for the kitchen sink and nothing was working except for Mason Rudolph. George Pickens is the best wide receiver in the NFL right now under Mason Rudolph.

Stop, stop, stop, stop. I mean, his two games, Tyreek, no, no, no. I'm just saying in the past two games, George Pickens, George Pickens in his last two games has been absolutely great. Well, let's, let's, let's calm down when we're saying the best wide receiver in the NFL George Pickens doesn't get the ball, quit on his team and then there'll be the biggest loser in the NFL.

No, of course it's hyperbole. But my point is that finally the guy who's like, give me the damn ball is getting the ball and he's looking great. And it's Mason Rudolph who's doing it. I'm not saying Mason Rudolph is the answer.

I'm amused by you. But the Steelers can average 25 points a game with that defense, 23 points. But they're averaging 32. Yeah. Just give them, right. They were averaging 15 points a game before you got into the game.

They were terrible. Right. Give them 22 points a game. They can make a run with that defense and TJ Watt.

I'm just saying. Make a run. If you go from having a putrid offense to having a serviceable offense with that defense, that's enough to be able to make a run. They should beat Baltimore because Baltimore you're going to assume is going to arrest everybody, I would think. So it's a Tomlin special here.

There are nine and eight, 10 and seven football team always under Mike Tomlin, but they're not going to go on a run. 220 yards and two touchdowns the last two games for George Pickens with Mason Rudolph. I'm not saying, he's been phenomenal. 195 receiving yards, 130. He's been great. And he's getting the ball.

Good on him. But I don't think that now you can get on the Mason Rudolph train and think he's going to lead you through the night and lead you through multiple nights in the post season. Alrighty. That red nose on Mason Rudolph, it's going to eventually go away. It's going to fade away. Small, these are coffee. Now give you a little jolt of energy.

And then if you don't drink more coffee, that feeling, it fades off a little bit. Fades away. By the way, you realize we're still on number one. You start spewing takes to start the year. Like I've never heard you spew takes before. I have to naturally respond. What do you want me to do? Not listen to what you say and just sit here and be like, yeah, whatever you say, Sam.

No, no, I wouldn't do that either. I'm just very impressed with, listen, at the end of the day, it's the Steelers, it's Kenny Pickens, it's a very interesting topic. I'm fascinated by it. Here is Sean McVay. There's always questions about the guy that sounds like he's John Gruden a little bit, just the higher pitch voice sounding of John Gruden on if he's going to coach next year with all the retirement speculation. This is on the Sean McVay show. I know coaches have shows. I didn't know Sean McVay had a show. I thought he was bigger than everybody else. And when he was going to have a show, he would just be a broadcaster on Fox or ESPN or something like that.

Or maybe even CBS. Here's Sean McVay. You're tied for a second in Rams history now for regular season wins. Nice.

I did not know that. John Robinson ahead of you. How far ahead? Within striking distance next season. If you can promise us there's going to be a coach McVay show 2024 edition. This that I can promise you.

There you go. He would be stupid to walk away. Like I get it. You go to TV, you live a nice life, a lot less stress, all that. But you got to coach this team next year.

This team is better than what anyone could have imagined this year with Stafford and Puka Nakua and Williams and Cooper Cupp and Aaron Donald. You're not walking away. I mean, have you seen his wife?

Yeah, I have. You know, his wife's still there regardless if he's coaching or not. He's working till like four in the morning all the time. He doesn't get to see her. You go to TV and you have a much better work life balance. You get to go home to that. You're good.

Yeah, that's fine. But still, I don't care how attractive either are. Spending 18 hours with your significant other, she'll be begging him to go back to the NFL and get out of the house. That's every relationship. You could have the two most attractive people on the planet. When you spend that much time with people, that's when divorce happens. That's when you start to say, OK, we need a little buffer.

We need a little separation from one another. I was very surprised over the weekend. I was waiting to hear where he was going to land and transfer next. But Cam Ward, who was once a zero star recruit, is announcing that he's going to the NFL. What's up?

It's Cam Ward and I'll be the client for the 2024 NFL draft. There you go. That was short. Short and sweet, right to the point. I love this guy. This guy's like, you know, I'm going to make the biggest announcement of my life in the five second Twitter video. It was great. No pizzazz, no graphics, nothing.

Just sitting on the couch and talking. So it's so he is an incredible quarterback. I don't think this is the best career decision. I thought he should have transferred somewhere else.

But if you feel like you've given everything to college football and you didn't love your options, all right, you could turn pro. You know, I think he will interview well. I think he will test well. He has a big arm, too, and he's athletic. But I don't think he's going in the first round. I thought being the hot commodity in college football, the trans reporter would have helped him and then he would have been a first round pick probably next year.

But maybe I'll end up being wrong on that. Here is Jalen Milro on the center quarterback exchange problem that Alabama was having all throughout yesterday's Rose Bowl. With anything, it takes preparation, whether it's pass protection, whether it's one running game, the passing game, you know, the quarterback and the center have to have a great relationship. And that's something that we try to build throughout the whole season. So, you know, there's a multitude of things that me and Seth talk about.

And in that regard, you know, that's something we do talk about. I'm just going to go out on a limb that the center and quarterback for Alabama don't have a good relationship because Milro after the first bad snap looked like he just had it. And even Greg McElroy said that this has been a problem all throughout the season for Alabama and then for it to pop back up in the biggest game of the season where Michigan couldn't field a punt. That was their downfall in the game for Alabama. Their downfall was they couldn't snap the football.

Like simple things. But then you get in a big game, you have a center problem, you have a punt returning problem, it could cost you. And it ended up costing Alabama on that final play. And finally, here is Jack and Jackie Harbaugh. They had an amazing interview with ABC 7 after the game as their son is now advancing to the national championship game. How do you put into words your emotions right now?

Are you kidding me? They won! What's better than that? We haven't figured out a family they will use for a long time.

And it goes like this. Who got it better than us? Nobody! I know you get tense during these games. Were you on the edge of your seat throughout this one?

Well of course! We were yelling and screaming. That's what we're supposed to do. The biggest play in the game was right before the long drive. Jackie decided that we should switch seats. And I moved to her seat, she moved to mine, and this is the result that we get. You'll have to do that in the national championship at a certain time.

Maybe a little earlier in that game. Yeah, for everybody's happiness. Thank you so much! Congratulations! That just human emotion from their parents is absolutely awesome. I love that. That is just great audio. It's even better when you get to see it and you get to watch the elation that both of them had. The dad sounds just like Jon and Jim. If you would have told me that was Jon or Jim talking, I would have said okay, I would have believed it.

But the mom is awesome. We changed seats. How many times do you watch a game and you do something that has nothing to do with impacting the game, but you trick yourself into thinking that's what changes the game? It absolutely changes the game. How would you know?

If a butterfly's wings flaps in China, then it changes the course of your life over here in the U.S. Listen man, I am a hundred percent believer in how you sit and your positioning and what underwear you're wearing. I'm a big superstition guy and I believe a hundred percent that they saved the game for their kids by switching seats. Whether they knew it or not, it was a subconscious, unconscious thing that the universe was speaking to us. Had nothing to do with Tommy Reese after his quarterback got 15 on the ground not giving the ball back to his quarterback to run the football with the quarterback in first and second. Had nothing to do with that when you're acting up. You know, five things happened on that final play that wouldn't have normally happened on any other play for Alabama. Two previous timeouts, a low snap, they're all pro, all American, right guard, right tackle getting blown up. All those things happened that would normally not have happened. Maybe it would have happened had they not switched seats.

As Sam through just tossed paper up into the air. I have a New Year's resolution by the way. You want to hear it? Not really. Okay.

No, of course I want to hear it. Let's go. I was thinking of a syllable count, like a limit here at CBS Sports Radio. We should all come up with how many syllables we're allowed to say during the three hours that we have. I think you hit your quota for today.

I think you hit my quota for the year. Skip Bayless Samter. I'll take that over the other nickname you got for me. You're making Shep look normal these days. Compare me to hot take Hickey is one thing, compare me to Shep. You make Hickey actually looking like his predictions are right these days. You did a good job to predict in both of the semi-finals. Well, no, I did have Texas 34-27.

Well, the first one you did a good job. Yeah, 27-20 Michigan, but I had Texas. I was close. You had 27-20 Michigan? I had 27-20 Michigan. I was very close there.

You and I were very similar. You had 23-20. I had 27-20. No, I had 27-24.

I'm sorry. 27-24. Gotcha.

And I had 34-27 for Texas, which I guess it could have happened, but I had 34-30 Washington. Yeah. Yeah. So it was good. No, it's all good. I was not ready. I'm not even going to drink coffee on this shift anymore.

If I get the takes that you're giving me each and every day, that will get my blood going. It is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. That just did not sound right. We will take a time out. We'll come on back.

The ref screwed the Lions and Jordan Love. Well, you're looking pretty damn good. Update time first. Here is the act man, Rich Ackerman. Alrighty, this is Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. This portion of the show is brought to you by Wesley Financial. Stuck in a timeshare and want out.

Contact Wesley Financial Group now and get a free timeshare exit information kit at wesleyfinancialgroup.com. The Lions and Cowboys ending. It's crazy because we're so many days removed from what transpired on Saturday night when you go through a full slate on Sunday and then you had the two big college football playoff games yesterday and now we all get back into the office on Tuesday.

But I'm still furious about the ending of that game. And I've heard all the excuses. I've heard all the blame that maybe people could direct on the offensive lineman or they could place on maybe they should have stopped the play once they announced that the receiver or the lineman that was eligible, it should have been the other guy.

Like I've heard all of it. Like I heard the Cowboys radio announcers where they have the officials mic and they go number 70 is eligible when it was 68 who actually reported the referee screwed this one up and the referees rushed it. Remember there is a touchdown, a touchdown occurred. There was no need to rush it when they want to go for two and the officials botched it. Allen botched it. Brad Allen botched it.

There's no other way to say it. I should never need to know the name of an official. The only time I know a name an official is if he's jacked like Hockley was and you could just visibly see him like that. You're like okay that's an official that you know or they do something stupid.

They mess up a game and then everyone knows who that official is. I know they sent three linemen over to him. You're trying to deceive the Cowboys because even though they announce it when you see three linemen go over there and then three walk back it's like oh which one's eligible and even if you hear the announcement you may see someone walk over there and then you may be on your toes a little bit more and if you maybe think oh that other lineman he went over there even though he's ineligible you're still going to be lining up and maybe thinking something crazy is going to happen here. So I don't have a problem with the line sending three linemen over. It's it's clear that 68 is the one that was reporting as eligible and the official roughed it rushed it and then runs over and says that 70 is eligible and 70 was the farthest lineman away from the official.

So I didn't even get how he thought it was 70. So this is on the official and that guy John Parry enough of John Parry by the way. He messed up the season.

I don't forget about this one. Monday night football to start the year. The Jets beat the Bills. Aaron Rodgers four plays into the season the Achilles and this clown is bitching about the block in the back on the punt return that won the game for the Jets and who is John Parry to say this game needs an asterisk on it. So I was already tired of John Parry and then John Parry says it's on the players not the official when he's doing an interview after the game with Scott Van Pelt that it's on the the player not the official to report who's eligible. Well John the player clearly said he was eligible. No one else said a word and they couldn't get the numbers right and you know what annoys me the most about this and I'm not going to hide around this one. It prevented another epic choke job by the drama Dallas Choking Cowboys. That would have been back to back weeks. Dak does his job and the defense couldn't finish it off and it would have been a fat offense alignment and I'm allowed to say that because I'm a large fellow. We don't say that in a demeaning way. I say that in a positive way because there is no better play in football than a fat guy two-point conversion a fat guy touchdown a fat guy score and you run an eligible offensive lineman play and it gets caught and boom it should have put the uh the the uh Lions up and it would have won in the game but the official messed it up and I know a lot of people they're getting on Dan Campbell and I'll open this up to you guys real quickly a lot of people are getting on Dan Campbell for going for it at the seven I did not if you're going to go for the two it's a two-point conversion play you didn't want to play for overtime I'm okay with them going at the seven but then there's people saying that he should have kicked it when they got back to the two because remember there was a penalty it was Michael Parsons I believe who jumped off sides so that got them the ball back and then when they line the ball back up at the two you're then telling me they shouldn't have gone for it there why Jared Goff needs to throw a better football there he throws a better football in that spot they get the two-point conversion I guess you could say third time's the charm so I did not have a problem with the decision making of Dan Campbell the only problem that you should have is the failure to report who was eligible correctly by the dopey referee santor did you have any problem with Campbell keep on going for it on the two-point conversions at the end no no no I I love that kind of attitude because it's not just about winning and losing it's also about setting a tone and a culture for your team and that's the tone that he's set for that line scene for a long time we are going to be aggressive we're going to back down from nobody we're not going to be afraid of anything we're just going to go for it and we're going to win big or we're going to go home so I love that from Dan Campbell and I don't have an issue with the call I think that they just tried to get too cute I think at the end of the day they tried to trick the defense they tried to do all these different little tricks and listen yeah they confused the ref they confused the defense and they confused the ref and at the end of the day yeah the ref is the ref made the mistake but the lines needed to be smarter with how they did that ah but hold on they intentionally tried to confuse the ref and the defense and they succeeded they did it too well they needed to be and that's on the official that I can't you did too good of a job and this don't be official can't get who's eligible the other two guys didn't say anything that's like blaming the audience when the magician pulls a trick on them no the magician is there to pull a trick on you so you have to as the audience your job is to be amazed and and and wowed by but it's not the audience's job to make sure that we have a good magic show that's on the magician and the referee in that spot it's simple you could have eight guys walk over to you only one guy is saying hey I'm the eligible guy it doesn't matter if you had a whole army next to him only one guy says I am eligible I don't care if the other guy's rubbing his tummy if the other guy's doing the worm if he doesn't say that he's eligible how do you mess this up and the official rushed it because he was running right up I know he's got to tell everyone but he's running and he did not have to rush it there and that's what screwed him because he I think he originally heard it correctly then saw the other guy at the corner of his eye was like up 70 is eligible and he just messed it up that's probably what happened was that he probably left the area a little bit too soon he saw the guy running in 70 he heard somebody say I'm eligible and assumed it was the guy 70 running in because the lions were trying to be tricky now if the lions were smarter and they were you know a little bit more prepared for this play they would have sent everybody in done the whole little spiel but made sure hey 68 I'm eligible 68 but because they were trying to be too cute the ref walked away a little bit too soon and he misheard or misidentified who said it yeah I can't get on the lines for that I listen I blame the ref but I'm also not saying that the lions did it the lines got a little bit too cute and Jerry Jones agreed he said the same thing I want to talk through the fan of course Jerry Jones agreed and if it was the other way Jerry Jones would have been blasting the officials so that was his team that got screwed come on what do you talk about Jerry Jones is unbiased now now Jerry Jones makes sense he hasn't made sense all damn season when you hear him do these interviews he confuses me each and every week when you use Jerry Jones to try to make a logical argument that's what I know it's going to be illogical I win you lose over Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports Radio back at five