Steelers All-In?

Old Man Winter here. If I had it my way, it would stay winter all year long. Short days, wind chill, black ice, and a good polar vortex.

Heaven! Wait, is it getting warm in here? Your cold snap is over, Old Man Winter. Spring has arrived.

Spring. Spring is here, which means it's the perfect time to get away in the Hyundai you've always wanted. Visit the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event, where you can get great deals on all of our award-winning Hyundai models.

Like the tech-filled Tucson and Kona, as well as the spacious Palisade. Enjoy wherever you go with the peace of mind that comes with America's Best Warranty and 3 years or 36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance. But hurry in, these deals won't last. Add more joy to your journey at the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event. Now get 0% APR or up to 1,500 bonus cash on the Hyundai Tucson, now during the Hyundai Getaway Sales Event.

Offers end soon. Call 562-314-4603 for details. To use Instacart and get your family sick day essentials delivered in as fast as 30 minutes, press 2 to keep working.

Do not press 2. Just use Instacart, Brian. Celebrate and save at Ashley's Anniversary Sale. With Hot Buys, your choice of colors starting at just $399. Ashley Sleep Mattresses starting at $250. Plus, receive a free adjustable base with select mattress purchases. And shop top mattress brands like Stearns and Foster, Tempur-Pedic, Purple, and Beautyrest Black with 60 months special financing.

Only at Ashley's. Subject to credit approval. No minimum purchase required.

Minimum monthly payment, down payment, tax and delivery may be required. See store for details. All right, our number 3 of our radio program. How we doing? It is the Zach Gelb Show. Coast to Coast on CBS Sports Radio. Coming up, 20 minutes from now, Auburn Tigers head coach, SEC champion, Bruce Pearl. Good to join us right here on the Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio.

Coming up on Friday, you do have Auburn going up against Yale. I don't know about you, Samter. Is it a pet peeve of yours? I have two pet peeve questions this time of the year for you. Whenever there is an Ivy League school and you get the cheesy broadcaster.

I almost did it there, but then I realized I wasn't a cheesy broadcaster. They'll be like, oh, you have the Auburn Tigers going up. Those smart kids from Yale. Does that annoy you whenever it's an Ivy League school?

Like last year when it was Princeton and they made their run to the Sweet 16. It was like, oh, it's the nerds and it's the jocks. Like whenever you have an Ivy League school, we always say, oh, they're smarter. Oh, they're a bunch of nerds. When you look at the players on the basketball court, even though they're very intelligent, they're still better athletes than almost every single person that ends up talking about them.

So does that annoy you at all? No, because they're still usually very smart also because Ivy League doesn't give out scholarships. So the guys who play for the for the sports there in the Ivy's, while they might still be, you know, maybe they're not as intelligent as maybe some of the other people on campus there. They're still very smart because in order to even get in there, you have to have certain grades. It seems like Michigan, Notre Dame, one of the things that holds them back at times, Stanford.

No, Michigan just won the national championship. Right. But what I'm saying is sometimes what holds them back is they do have academic standards that some other programs might not adhere to. And I really take that even another level up. So I'm OK with that.

Yeah. I mean, listen, the Ivy's are smart people, right? People talk about it at Duke all the time.

There's a lot of smart kids at very smart schools. So, you know, why not? Because what happens is when we talk about that and then they win and have a big upset, it makes it more fun. Now, also, when it comes to brackets. Are you filling out a bracket?

Just wondering. I mean, I always do, but I honestly couldn't tell you. Like, I'm going to be like my girlfriend 15 years ago who filled it out based off of the colors or the names of the mascots. I'm going to basically fill it out based on, like, gut feeling. But I don't I couldn't tell you who the starting point guard is for the number eight in the West Regional.

I have no idea. Now, is is that girlfriend of 15 years ago now your wife or is that a different girl? No, I'm just I'm using the hypothetical where, you know, like guys, girlfriends who win brackets because they picked, you know, oh, that team has purple and then they went to the final four randomly. So I'll never forget fifth grade. We were allowed to do a bracket. Now I feel like you would get canceled if you promoted any gambling or brackets in the fifth grade. But we did a bracket in fifth grade and all the guys we all thought we were going to win.

Right. We all know things about sports. Dara Faye Lilling. I still remember the girl's name. In fifth grade, she won the bracket and she sat across from me in class like you have like four little tables and they like throw them all around the room and everything. She was one of the people that sat next to me in our quadrant.

And she I remember her. She was picking the bracket based off the team colors and she ended up winning the bracket. I also find it funny when we're here at a sports talk radio network and we have a legendary sports talk radio station down the hall. It's always someone random who wins the bracket. It's never one of the hosts. It's never one of the producers. It's always like the sales person's wife's friends, daughters like plumber.

It's it's never or accounted. It is never someone associated with sports. So I get asked to do a lot of these brackets. I'm doing Maggie and Perloff's bracket. I actually got asked by you better represent the show and beat every one of them. Maggie and Andrew, I've been with them for a couple of years with brackets and they did not do very well. Well, I've done their bracket before. D.A.

actually texted me the other day. He want our old pal Damon Mendelor. He wants me to do his bracket if I win, I get a bottle of bourbon.

But I guess it's outside of like people that used to either work with it now or worked at CBS Sports Radio. The loser has to eat toxic sludge. Now, I don't know what that is, but I can't afford to lose. I don't need to win.

I just can't lose because I don't want to have to eat toxic sludge. How many people are in the bracket? I'm not sure. It's like a sour.

It's the most sour candy in the world, D.A. was telling me. And for some reason I read that and I said, yeah, why not? I'll do it. I'm in the CBS Sports Radio fan friends and family bracket. And then someone that I know also asked me to join their bracket. So I'm in like four or five brackets.

The point I'm getting to. Let's say you were in four or five brackets as well. Santa, how many brackets you actually filling out? Like, do you do a different one for all four or five of the competitions or the tournaments that you're in? So if I'm in multiple and some bracket challenges, you can like put in multiple brackets. I remember I used to run the Maggie Perloff bracket and you were like, the Samter one, Michael Samter two, Michael Samter.

Correct. You can put in three different brackets. So if I'm in a bracket that allows multiple brackets, obviously I'll have variations. But for the most part, I have one main bracket that I'll submit to all of my main groups and then I'll have a secondary bracket that I kind of.

OK, well, here's kind of a different way to go. But usually I have one main bracket that I try not to deviate too much from. But I won't always necessarily have the exact same bracket in every single pool that I'm in.

In the four or five that I entered, I fill out one bracket and one bracket only. I am a man of integrity. I understand people could say, no, you're a man of stupidity. It's odds, it's percentages, all of that.

I'm a man of integrity. One bracket, one bracket only, because here's what happens. I don't think many people care actually about your bracket that much.

They just care if they win their league or not. But let's just say I had a great upset. And let's say I picked like a 13 seed to go to the final four of the elite eight. And I'm posting that like, oh, look at me, I got the bracket pick right, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. That means nothing to me if you have eight brackets, because I would hope you'd be able to get one underdog right in all the chances that you played. But if you have one bracket, it's a true bracket that if it succeeds, great.

And if it doesn't, oh, well, I'm not someone trying to be like, you know, a fraudulent human being. Oh, I got all these picks right. Well, yeah, you had forty five damn brackets for crying out loud.

You better be able to get one or two picks right. So that's my my whole rant. One bracket. Sure, I get it.

Integrity could be a word that you use, but I'm going to go with the analytical look at it and just be like, listen, if you really want to. What are you an Ivy League nerd? No, it's like if you play the lottery, you're going to play the same ticket twenty seven times. No, you're going to change the numbers up so you increase your odds.

I am going to the shore this weekend to watch March Madness. I can't wait for some reason to play roulette. I don't know why roulette to me is like the anytime touchdown of football gambling.

That's that's I love anytime touchdowns. I like roulette. Well, hopefully you have better luck than you did in Vegas and be you don't let either me or the dealer or the spinner convince you what color or what number to go on, because you had a plan going into it in Vegas and then I wanted to boycott the plan when I got there and you talked me back into going with the plan and I talked you into it and then you lost.

And then the dealer or the spinner or the hell the roulette person is called, talked you back out of a different strategy that you had and you lost every single time you played. So I ignored all of you. Well, I didn't ignore all of you there. But then when I went to Puerto Rico, you guys weren't there. So you weren't able to spam my great brain. And I ended up winning a few hundred dollars.

See, there you go. Never listen to anybody else. Follow your gut. But here was the problem I have with Puerto Rico at the roulette table. I looked at the board. Their board was broken because, like, I like playing red and black and roulette.

And I don't know why I like just seeing how long I can ride that. Then you put some some chips in the middle and that's where you try to win your big money. But when I went up to the board, I saw five red in a row.

So I'm like, oh, I'm going to put like 100 on black. The problem was wheel did spin and it landed on blacks. I was good. And then the teller, the dealer, whatever it was, looks up at me and they go, you know, our boards broken. He waited until after he spun the machine and I was clear. Oh, it's five. It's going to be black.

I'll put it on black. He waited until after he spun the wheel for roulette to then tell me, oh, yeah, our board is broken. Well, you know, serendipitous. It was destiny for you to win. But anyway, there's no skill to that stuff. Everyone thinks they're a whisperer when it comes to gambling.

And then everyone that is specifically roulette is 100 percent a luck game. Anyway, Bruce Proko to join us coming up in about 10 minutes. Did you see Brandon? I use tweet yesterday.

He tweeted. Now, this is a great strategy to try to get yourself out of one city and try to get you a trade and then get a contract. With Brandon, I you it's clear it feels like his time is coming to an end in San Francisco. Finally, you're the contract. Bunch of trade speculation.

And you can go about this one or two ways. There's trade speculation. You don't say anything.

And inevitably you get traded or they ride you out for the year. Or you can play into the media monster. You could play into the speculation and throw gasoline on the fire. And Brandon, I collected to throw gasoline on the fire. He tweeted at Mike Tomlin. His Twitter handle is at Coach Tomlin. They say and we twins.

What do you think? Eyeball emoji. That's basically him saying I want to play for your football team. You could use another wide receiver.

And I could use a new home that's going to give me a fat contract extension. And I think Brandon is looking at it. OK. I also know the Steelers have a passionate fan base. And I also know that the Steelers have changed their philosophy a bit this offseason, where they made a lot of moves that we didn't think they're going to make.

Like I look at the Pittsburgh Steelers. Why not give up a first round pick for Brandon? I you and then give him a contract extension. Philadelphia. They made a trade a few years ago for A.J. Brown. They gave him the extension at work. And the Steelers are picking at 20th right now in the draft.

Who are you like? We sometimes overvalue draft. Like, for example, the Patriots in a wide receiver. I'm not saying trade the third overall pick for Brandon.

I use. But the 20th pick in the draft. Like it's a deep wide receiver draft.

I get it. And there are obviously in any draft, a lot of players that fall out of the first round that you could snag and turn into a star. But at the 20th pick in the draft, am I willing to sacrifice that for a known commodity? And Brandon, I you let me say this is a better wide receiver than Deebo Samuel. Not a better overall player, but a better wide receiver than Deebo Samuel on his same team.

Yeah, I would trade the 20th pick for Brandon. I Brandon, I this past year had over 1300 yards receiving 75 receptions. The Eagles just did it with AJ Brown. And Tennessee didn't want to pay AJ Brown and ended up ruining. It won't ruin the San Francisco 49ers. But that AJ Brown trade was the beginning of the end. To that run that Tennessee did have. So the Steelers, they should pick up the phone.

Brandon, I could send it out the Batman signal right now. They should pick up the call. They should get a deal done with the San Francisco 49ers. Let me ask you this, though, Mike, because the Niners recently went through what appeared to be a contentious relationship with Deebo Samuel. It didn't feel like Deebo was going to get the contract extension. Then they got the contract extension with Deebo Samuel. Could they pay Brandon I you and then trade Deebo Samuel?

Like you got to make a decision here. It's either I you or it's Deebo Samuel. And even though Deebo is such an explosive player and he's a versatile player, I think having Christian McCaffrey as your running back, like if you didn't have McCaffrey, it makes the importance of Deebo larger. Now, I'm not saying that Deebo is not a great player. Deebo is a really damn good player.

We know that. But having McCaffrey, I actually think then having the better wide receiving option is more important than the overall player. So I would actually argue that the Niners should trade Deebo and they should pay Brandon I you. But I don't think they're going to do that. I think with now with the way that I it's going to go one or two ways. I will get traded at the draft and we'll get a long term extension somewhere else. Or they're just going to say we're OK with the messy situation. We'll let this situation be messy because we have a team that's primed to win a Super Bowl.

And we don't think Brandon is going to sit out games that are actually important, which ends up coming into being the postseason. So where are you at on the whole I.U. Deebo thing?

If it's one or the other. No, I think that if you have to make the move, you you move on. I you because it's easier to find a star receiver than it is to find a guy like Deebo who can do things that basically nobody else in the NFL could do. There's maybe one or two of the guys who could do what I what Deebo does. And there's a dozen other guys or more that can do what I you does. Maybe not as well. But I mean, I you because a very good player, but there's so many good receivers. And there's three guys in the top 10 this year that could be as good, if not better than I.U. anyway.

And here's the other question. The with how loaded that offense is, how much does it inflate the stats of Brandon? I know I was a first round receiver to party, but you just want.

Yeah, sure. But you just wonder what having a McCaffrey, having a Deebo, having Kittle. How much does that maybe make you look like he is a better player than what he actually is? That's something that's fair. But we've had that question be thrown out there before with players and they go to other spots. And we've had overloads right at the wide receiving position or joggling.

Well, that's a word that I'm sure. Log jam. Log jam. Sorry.

At the at the wide receiver position. I like jog lambs. Yeah. It sounds like about to go on a on a jog and eat lamb, which wouldn't really be probably. Just imagine that just like, you know, working up a sweat, chowing on a lamb, you know, with a little mint sauce as you dip it in. Oh, geez. I am on one of the bachelor parties I went to that we had a chef and they made lamb chops and they put pesto on the lamb chops. Oh, now there's watering.

Absolutely delicious. But what I was saying is we've seen it before. Right. People wonder what Anquan Bolden was going to be when you had Lyra for child in that same wide receiver man. Anquan Bolden went on to be a phenomenal wide receiver. It's also gone the other way where Antonio Brown, Juju Smith Schuster, then when they got separated, didn't end up being that Juju Smith Schuster was was as great.

So we've seen it before. Like the Patriots were able to identify Wes Welker. Wes Welker was like a 500 yard receiver in Miami. Then he goes to New England. You put Randy Moss next to him and he turns out to be, you know, way over a thousand yard receiver.

So we've seen that happen before. I still think you could go pretty much anywhere and be a thousand yard wide receiver. But just being a thousand yard wide receiver isn't much, but a twelve, thirteen hundred yard wide receiver. I still think he could be a number one wide receiver on more than a handful of teams in this league. And I'll make this quick because we have Bruce Pearl coming up, but you put him with George Pickens and Russ or Justin Fields with that run game in Pittsburgh and that defense.

I'm not saying to do it. I mean, that that's a team that's a ball team. It depends on what Russ and or fields can be, but they have everything else except for the question around quarterback.

Yes. And most other positions, especially a quarterback. But there's enough talent, especially in that defense for Pittsburgh, that if the quarterback does work out Russ or Fields. That's a team that contend for that division title and make some noise in the playoffs. The last thing I'll say about the Steelers. The Steelers have told you they need to change this offseason. So they got rid of Kenny Pickett. They brought in Russell Wilson. Then they also added Justin Fields. That was a positive move.

Just that, though, doesn't really change that much drastically. The the big picture with your franchise, like still apex. The Steelers are a wildcard team. Maybe they could win their first playoff game since the 2016 season.

You go get Iook, though, and you team them up with Pickens. And like Santa saying, you hit on either Wilson or fields with that defense. Man, that's the Steelers just changing what they're doing and showing they're a little bit more serious about winning than what they have been the last few years. Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports Radio Bruce Pearl SEC tournament champions once again at Auburn. He'll join us next as the Auburn Tigers get set for another NCAA tournament run.

We continue to Zach Gelb show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. Growing up as a kid on Long Island, whenever I would go to the Suffolk YJCC, I would always see photos of Bruce Pearl because the Suffolk YJCC, which is my gym, is also home to the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. And I know Coach Pearl is a proud inductee of the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He's also a sensational basketball coach, Auburn SEC tournament champions. And now they're off to the big dance.

Once again, they have it rolling as a four seed in Spokane, Washington, going up against Yale coming up Friday afternoon. And now joining us on the Zach Gelb show is Coach Pearl. Coach, always great to see you. Congrats on all the success and how you've been. Zach, been great. Been great.

Thank you. And very excited, very blessed to still be playing in March Madness and excited about the opportunity to play Yale on Friday. So it was such a fun moment for your program to win the SEC tournament. And in that moment, we just saw the genuine emotion that you had remembering your father, who unfortunately passed away in August. I thought it was a sad, a beautiful and a neat moment.

Just kind of reflect on what you were experiencing after winning another SEC tournament. You know, Zach, I think it's something every all of us can relate to. I think when they saw my emotions, it touched everybody because everybody's had that happen at different times. And they knew that I just wish that he could have been there in person so I could have watched him enjoy and laugh and cry and hug him.

But my faith is strong and so is his. So I know I know very well that he was present. And, you know, your family is your team and your family is your coaching staff. And of course, my family was all there as well. And so I wasn't the only one that lost my dad. My staff knew my dad really well. He used to walk around town.

He was the real BP. He was the real head coach at Auburn, right? And when he died, when he was getting closer, he asked me, he said, do you think the Auburn fans would be OK if I wore my Auburn basketball shirt, you know, when they laid me to rest? And my dad went to Northeastern.

He wasn't a Southern guy, you know? I said, Daddy, I think they'd be honored. So it was it was a moment and great, great to win the championship and especially a little good.

And now we're you know, we're still we're still playing. I know your players are your family. And then you also have your son who you coach and has been on your staff since you got there at Auburn. I know it's a different relationship when you're coaching your son, but to be able to coach aside your son and to see him rising in this sport just as a dad, that has to be the ultimate honor and joy, right?

Oh, it's unbelievable. I mean, I've been so blessed to have, you know, Stephen with me his whole life, right? But now that he's a young man and got a beautiful wife and Brittany and a wonderful family to be able to share in this work and this ministry is is even more special. And he's he does a phenomenal job. He's one of the top assistants in college basketball, and it's awfully fun doing this, doing this together. We all know, Bruce Pearl, you want to be successful when you get a job like this. You've had success at Auburn, but more importantly, you've had sustained success to win that SEC tournament championship once again. Just what does it mean and what does it say about the state of the Auburn Tigers basketball program?

Well, you know, Zach, it's not a time to reflect because we're in the middle of it right now. But we have won four championships with four different teams in the last seven years. And I'm very proud of that.

I am the reason why this team has been so successful. They're talented. They like each other.

They play well together. They've improved throughout the season. This I think ourselves and maybe Iowa State were two teams that weren't picked in the top twenty five or certainly not the top ten.

And both of us find ourselves there. And when you are able to do it in a year when you're not supposed to do it, we're picked sixth or seventh in the SEC and we wind up being able to win the championship tied for second regular season. It tells you how hard the guys have worked, how far they've come in the position that we put ourselves in right now. How did your team specifically do that to exceed the expectations this year? I think bought into the fact that we had to guard our only chance to be Yale who plays, who's got such a veteran team, such a smart team, such a dangerous team from three. They run beautiful offense.

They don't get rattled. They led Kansas at Kansas for 30 minutes early in the season. They had a double digit lead over Gonzaga here in Spokane during the season and won one of the Ivy League with really good teams in the Ivy League.

And the Ivy League has got a history of coming in the tournament and upsetting people like last year with Princeton beating number two Arizona. So we've got to guard. We've got to guard without fouling. We've got to try to disrupt it, but but not, you know, not be impatient. And then you better take you better take advantage of what Yale doesn't get enough credit for. They were the best defensive team in the Ivy League.

And so the reason why they're so I think they're like 328 in pace is because they make you take time to get good looks. You're not going to just go down there against all thoughts back and get something easy. They're not going to beat themselves. So we recognize that. We understand that it's hard to run through the SEC and play anybody that looks anything like them. And so it's going to wind up. Can we adjust to a game that'll be played at a different pace?

That's going to be the real key. Coach Bruce Pearl here with us. His team tips off the NCAA tournament on Friday up against Yale. Sometimes when you win a conference tournament and then everyone's praising you, people wonder if you're going to overlook the opponent.

I could already tell by the way that you have been kind of talking about Yale. That's not a concern with your program going from the high of winning the SEC and then getting a 413 matchup. No, we won't overlook them, but we've got to be able to be excited about playing them and we'll try to show them. By having great effort and energy and great focus, you can be effective and we'll try to show them, look, here's some situations against really good teams that they didn't take them real seriously and it'll make you look bad. So, you know, you're still dealing with young people. Our guys should have celebrated Sunday night and even Monday and into Monday. And you can't help waking up, recognizing that you're a champion and feel good about it.

At the same time, you work all year long. You work your whole life to put yourself in position to get in these tournaments and be able to advance. And so, you know, we respect our opponent, but we got to do more than just respect them. You know, we actually got to go beat them. I know you probably don't need more motivation this time of the year, but when you win the SEC, I would think you guys would be better than a four seed. Did that message, when you guys got the four seed, kind of provide maybe a little extra motivation to your squad?

I mean, the guys talked about it a little bit. They wanted to know why we're ranked seventh in the country or fifth in Kemplam or fourth on this or and everything like that. And you can use that. But the bottom line is you're going to beat great teams to get there anyways. So, you know, my big thing is why are we all out here in Spokane, Washington? And there's a beautiful place and we're so excited about being here and everything. But we can get there because the NCAA will fly us here and you get treated really, really well. So, we're grateful. But our fans can't get here. Our parents can't get here as easily. And for that, I just don't think it doesn't make a lot of, you know, University of Alabama, UAB, University of Alabama and Auburn are all in Spokane, Washington playing in this tournament.

It's not fair to our families and our fans. Wrapping up with Coach Bruce Pearlstein back in the NCAA tournament, their SEC tournament champions. They play Yale coming up on Friday. Jedi Broom, I know we've talked about him in the past, but to get him into the program two years ago, coming over to Morehead State to see what he's been able to give you. Now, yesterday named a third team All-American. Just how about his growth during your time and your relationship with him?

You know, Zach, he's checked every box. You know, he had to go to mid-major Division I because he wasn't that highly thought of, wasn't a good enough athlete, wasn't this or wasn't that. All he does is go to Morehead State, get really coached, become an All-Conference player there. And then because he has the opportunity to maybe transfer up, can I do it in the SEC?

Well, let's see. Well, he does it. Last year, he was an All-Conference SEC player. You know, we led by 10 in the second round against maybe the second best team in the country, the Houston Cougars, and he had a lot to do with that. So he checked some boxes last year, he decides to come back for his senior year with a goal of being an All-American and winning a championship. And he's accomplished both of those things.

And so, you know, he's done great. And I think it's an example of, you know, the hard work and belief in himself and growth and also recognition that when we as a team are successful, you know, you as an individual will be more successful than if you as an individual successful but the team fails. You know, part of the reason why he's an All-American, part of the reason why we won is because he's carried us.

But part of the reason why he's an All-American is because his team is ranked seventh in the country. You look at this team, you guys play your butts off defensively and you guys rotated in a lot of players, 10 players with double-digit minutes per game. It looks like this is a team with no ego. It looks like this is a team that's selfless. Is that a fair read of your program and how do you get your players to buy in when you're rotating their minutes so much?

That's certainly the way you try and play. And yet because the guys work so hard, they've all got to accept left. I got two point guards that are playing 20, they want to play 30. It's not a 60-minute game. I've got Denver Jones out there that, you know, he could be one of the best guards in the league but he only plays 23 or 24 minutes. Katie Johnson would rather start to come off the bench. I mean, you know, you just go up and down the roster. Dylan Cardwell is a center and Chaney Johnson is a power forward. Those two guys are backing up two all-conference players.

You don't hear a word from them. They just, they write, they're ready when they go in there. They do play selflessly. But when they do get out there on the floor, we don't drop off.

We just get different. And so, yeah, this team, the strength of this team is the sum of its parts. And that's true with our coaching staff too. You know, we've got great, we've got, you know, I get, head coaches get a lot more credit than we deserve when we're winning. Sometimes we get a little bit more too much of the blame for losing. But I've got, I've got as good a staff as there is in college basketball and it's been proven.

My guys have stayed together over the years and so I'm very blessed and very grateful. The sport's changing with NIL and with the transfer portal, we've seen coaches that have been around a long time. Sometimes that expedites their retirement process. How much love do you still have for what you do and do you at all think about when you're going to walk away from coaching?

You know, Zach, as long as I can stay healthy and that's a challenge because of the pace that you have to, you know, that you have to work with. You know, it's an everyday deal. But that's what happens in this ministry. The kids deserve it. The university deserves it. The way we're compensated, you have got to.

And what's on the line, obviously. So, no, I'll do this as long as I can do it well and as long as I can stay healthy and as long as Auburn wants me to. Well, we know you're doing a heck of a job.

I don't see why they wouldn't want to keep you around for as long as possible. He is Bruce Pearl. His team won the SEC once again. They have Yale coming up on Friday. Coach, always great to connect with you and see it. Thanks so much for doing this. Great to be with you again, Zach.

It's always great to be with you at this time of the year. War Eagle. There we go. Bruce Pearl joining us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. I always love when college coaches come on. And then at the end of the conversation, they always do whatever their chant or whatever their school saying is. So I thought coach was about to not say War Eagle.

That would have ruined my day. But the fact that he did say War Eagle and that's not me saying like, oh, I love Auburn or something like that. And then Alabama fans are going to start saying, no, you should be saying real time. I always do love when a coach says whatever their school saying is at the end of conversations.

I don't know why they do it, but I always find it to be always somewhat funny and entertaining and something that I always enjoy. And hey, Russ Wilson took it to the NFL. Yeah, that one didn't work. Let's ride, baby. Broncos country. Let's ride. What's the new one for the Steelers now? Oh, it's Here We Go, because that's like that song. Here we go. Here we go. Here we go.

Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl. It's whatever that dumb chant is. But that's what Russell Wilson is now saying. He starts he starts doing the Here We Go chant all the time. That will be insufferable.

But if he was a college coach, I think I would actually like it. Anyway, we'll come on back, wrap up shopping is that Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio update time. Here we go. It's rich. Celebrate and save at Ashley's anniversary sale with hot buys. Your choice of colors starting at just three ninety nine. Ashley sleep mattresses starting at 250 plus receive a free adjustable base with select mattress purchases and shop top mattress brands like Stearns and Foster. Tempurpedic purple and beauty rest black with 60 month special financing. Only at Ashley subject to credit approval, no minimum purchase required.

Minimum monthly payment, down payment, tax and delivery may be required. See store for details. Old Man Winter here. If I had it my way, it would stay winter all year long. Short days, wind chill, black ice and a good polar vortex.

Heaven. Wait, is it getting warm in here? Your cold snap is over, old man. Winter spring has arrived.

Spring. Spring is here, which means it's the perfect time to get away in the Hyundai you've always wanted. Visit the Hyundai getaway sales event where you can get great deals on all of our award winning Hyundai models like the tech filled Tucson and Kona, as well as the spacious Palisade. Enjoy wherever you go with the peace of mind that comes with America's best warranty and three years or thirty six thousand miles of complementary maintenance.

But hurry in. These deals won't last. Add more joy to your journey at the Hyundai getaway sales event. Now get zero percent APR or up to fifteen hundred bonus cash on the Hyundai Tucson. Now during the Hyundai getaway sales event. Offers end soon.

Call five six two three one four four six zero three for details. Yo, next round is about to start. You ready? Yeah. Yeah.

Just shopping for a car in Carvana. For real? Yeah.

Carvana makes it super convenient to shop whenever, wherever. For real? That's a ton of car options. Yep.

And these are all within my price range. For really real? You can afford that?

Yeah, with Carvana. And boom, just like that, I'm getting it delivered in a couple days. For really, really real? You just bought a car. For real? And you just lost. My turn. Visit Carvana.com to shop for thousands of vehicles under twenty thousand dollars.

Every year, one thing is always predictable. Postage costs go up. Stamps.com gives you crazy discounts of up to eighty nine percent off USPS and UPS services, so your business will barely notice the change. Stamps.com has been indispensable for over one million businesses just like yours. It's like your own personal post office. No lines, no traffic, no waiting. Sign up with promo code program for a four week trial, plus free postage and a free digital scale.

No long term commitments or contracts. That's Stamps.com code program. Wow. It is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. How about this story? Mike Mazziello is saying, according to the L.A. Times, Shohei Ohtani has now fired his interpreter and the interpreter is accused of stealing millions of dollars from the L.A. Dodger star in order to make bets with an alleged illegal bookmaker. So this is a developing story here. I thought the only thing to come out of the Shohei Ohtani camp today is that the Dodger season started and no one knew the season actually started up against the Padres. But there is a story in the L.A. Times that is just breaking. And this is from a Los Angeles Times investigative reporter, Nathan Fenno, and the headline is Shohei Ohtani's attorney accuses interpreter of massive theft tied to alleged gambling. I have no more information other than that.

It literally when I came back from break, I saw it on my timeline. I made sure that it was from a verified publication, but representatives of Dodger star Shohei Ohtani on Wednesday accused his interpreter of engaging in a massive theft, according to the L.A. Times, of the ballplayers funds to place bets with an alleged illegal bookmaker who is the target of a federal investigation. Lawyers for Ohtani made that claim after the Times learned that Ohtani's name had surfaced in the investigation of Matthew Boyer, an Orange County resident.

Ohtani's representatives looked into the actions of the interpreter and in a response to the Times inquiry, sources close to the matter said two sources told the newspaper that the money involved was in the millions of dollars. So that's all that I have right now. We we don't know any of the details of the story. Yeah, let me let me just preface that. I literally just read that headline.

Thirty seconds coming back from break. I just I read you that excerpt from the article, the first two paragraphs. Right. Anything we are about to say, we are we are giving you hot takes here. This is not well researched on this.

Well, this isn't hot take per se. This is just potential behind the scenes. Who knows? We know this is what we know so far is that this is what's being alleged by Ohtani's camp that the interpreter stole money and bet it. Is this maybe getting in front of a story if it's I mean, listen, Ohtani's name was found when investigating this illegal bookie. We don't know, but could there be a chance that's the time?

Yeah. Could there be a chance that Ohtani was putting down bets? I don't know. And I'm not going to speculate on that. But I think the biggest thing from this story and all we know is it is a massive theft tied to alleged gambling.

What are you gambling on? Because if you're gambling on baseball games, then what information did you know or what did Ohtani know? And again, the L.A. Times contacted Ohtani because they saw his name connected with this illegal bookie. It's Ohtani's camp that's saying it was the interpreter who did this. So until we see any evidence or until there's more evidence that comes out that it was, in fact, the interpreter doing this, there's still questions. What did the interpreter know? Did he get any information from Ohtani? Could Ohtani be embroiled in this or is Ohtani completely innocent or could it be Ohtani was maybe more involved and they're putting the blame on the on the interpreter as the scapegoat? Here's why I don't think Ohtani was placing the bets. You're really going to use your own name?

Like this isn't a college kid. This is mega superstar international icon Shoei Ohtani. Something doesn't add up in this story because of Ohtani's actually using his name. That's really dumb. The interpreter using Ohtani's name.

That doesn't incriminate yourself. But why would you use the most popular player in the sports name? He's not like on an app, you know, signing in on an app on his name. This is an illegal bookie who probably the way a lot of these illegal bookies work is they make relationships with people and then they just take bets. So maybe this illegal bookie. How do you know about the illegal bookie? I live in New York back in the day.

Listen to school in Boston and Arizona State. They had their thing a couple of years back. I understand that it's an illegal bookie, but I'm just I'm just saying right now. But what I'm saying is that the actual name get out there. So the bookie knows the people. He has personal relationships with the people who are facing the bets. So even if Ohtani wanted to use a personal name, a fake name to place the bets, the bookie knows who's placing the bets. And the bookie probably got tied up in something. And the bookie probably has records of the people that he's placing bets for. And while he's probably placing bets for these people under fake names, his records show who they really are.

And when he's being investigated by the FBI, the actual names of the actual people come out. Now, again, we don't know if Ohtani's involved at all. It could be exactly what Ohtani's camp is saying, that it's just this interpreter.

If that's the case, there's still questions about maybe what the interpreter may have known. But if Ohtani is somehow involved in this and the way we know how baseball treats gambling, this this is a huge developing story. You've got to reinstate Pete Rose and get him in the Hall of Fame if Ohtani is gambling on games.

You know, here's the funny thing. They would probably reinstate Pete Rose to keep Ohtani around before they would get rid of Ohtani. By the way, is this turning into a show tomorrow? 855-212-4CBS. Should the Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, put Pete Rose in?

Give us a call. That's what it's going to turn into. By the way, we have more breaking news from Jeff Goodman. This has nothing to do with any scandals. This has nothing to do with any gambling.

Scandals are more fun. But Baylor Scott Drew will remain at Baylor. Sources told the field of 68. Drew obviously has been a top target of Louisville and other schools. So Scott Drew, as I said on this show, you try to call Scott Drew and you try to get him to go to Louisville. But he's not going to go to Louisville. He's going to use that with Baylor and drive up his price.

So maybe it's going to be Dusty May or Pat Kelsey that ends up getting the Louisville job. Anyway, it's time to answer Ask the Pros question of the day. It's brought to you by O'Reilly Auto Parts. And our question comes from Jim in Louisiana, who says, Zach, what do you make about Marvin Harrison Jr. not participating in drills in the Ohio State Pro Day? You can submit a question by tweeting at CBS Sports Radio, at Zach Elbe's and the hashtag Ask the Pros. Think O'Reilly Auto Parts where your car care needs guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service.

From the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts, O'Reilly Auto Parts. I don't give a rat's ass that Marvin Harrison Jr. didn't participate in drills at the NFL Combine. He didn't participate in drills today at the Ohio State Pro Day.

I will make this very clear. Marvin Harrison Jr. is the best wide receiver in this draft. And not only is he the best wide receiver in the draft, he is the best pound for pound player in this draft. I have seen enough of Marvin Harrison Jr. on the field playing in games to know what type of football player he is going to be.

I don't need to see him in shorts and a T-shirt, run a 40 time or catch passes. Go watch him play with Kyle McCord who was not that good. He kept Ohio State in a lot of games and won a lot of games last year for Ohio State that they should not have won. The dude is a stud.

The dude comes from football royalty with who his dad was. If Marvin Harrison Jr. is not a Hall of Famer one day, I will be surprised. I really do believe he's the best player in this draft. And I understand that the quarterbacks here to go probably one, two, three and maybe even one, two, three, four. But the first non quarterback in this draft should absolutely be Marvin Harrison Jr. getting selected. And anyone that's now saying, oh, he's egotistical. Oh, the arrogance of Marvin Harrison Jr. How dare he think he's above the combine and above his pro day.

Stop. Because you're one of those losers that all you do is value the 40 times at the bench press reps and all that nonsense and all that hogwash. Watch the games. Marvin Harrison Jr. knows he doesn't have to do any of that stuff because he's that damn great.

And I don't use that word great easily. That's what I see when I watch Marvin Harrison Jr. greatness. And heck, I'm a Michigan fan, so I should have no reason to like him.

But the dude is a stud, an absolute stud. And I actually regret not putting him third on my Heisman ballot this year. I went quarterback, quarterback, quarterback, you know, with Jayden Daniels going one, then Michael Pennix Jr. two. And I had Bo Nix three. I should have put Marvin Harrison Jr. in that three. That's how much respect I have for the player that Marvin Harrison Jr. is.

All right. That will conclude the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Big thanks to Samter. Big thanks to Ryan Botcher, the entire crew and each and every one of you for tuning in, calling, listening, tweeting, interacting with us on the YouTube dot com slash CBS Sports Radio chat. You can always give us a call.

855-212-4CBS 855-212-4227. And follow me Instagram, Twitter at Zach Gelb. Big thanks to Kyle Whittingham. Big thanks to Seth Greenberg. Big thanks to Bruce Pearl for stopping by March Madness is here. And I know people will say, oh, the playing tournament game. No, tomorrow it is here.

The actual start of the NCAA tournament. And I can't wait. We'll talk to you at three p.m. Eastern, noon Pacific on a very busy Thursday edition of the Zach Gelb show extravaganza mañana. All right. We out.

Bye bye. Celebrate and save at Ashley's anniversary sale with hot buys. Your choice of colors starting at just three ninety nine. Ashley's sleep mattresses starting at 250 plus receive a free adjustable base with select mattress purchases and shop top mattress brands like Stearns and Foster, Tempurpedic, Purple and Beautyrest Black with 60 month special financing only at Ashley subject to credit approval. No minimum purchase required. Minimum monthly payment.

Down payment tax and delivery may be required. See store for details. For the past 20 years, you've enjoyed the refreshing tropical lime flavor of Mountain Dew Baja Blast. So in celebration of this milestone, we're bringing Baja Blast in stores nationwide and for a limited time with every purchase of Baja Blast, you can collect coins for a chance to get Baja Gear or a Taco Bell deal. Twenty twenty four is the year of Baja Blast in stores now. No purchase necessary. Open to U.S. residents.

Eighteen plus subject to official rules at Baja Blast dot com and six fifteen twenty four void prohibited. Old man winter here. If I had it my way, it would stay winter all year long. Short days, wind chill, black ice and a good polar vortex.

Heaven. Wait, is it getting warm in here? Your cold snap is over, old man. Winter spring has arrived.

Spring. Spring is here, which means it's the perfect time to get away in the Hyundai you've always wanted. Visit the Hyundai getaway sales event where you can get great deals on all of our award winning Hyundai models like the tech filled Tucson and Kona, as well as the spacious Palisade. Enjoy wherever you go with the peace of mind that comes with America's best warranty and three years or thirty six thousand miles of complimentary maintenance.

But hurry in. These deals won't last. Add more joy to your journey at the Hyundai getaway sales event. Now get zero percent APR or up to fifteen hundred bonus cash on the Hyundai Tucson. Now during the Hyundai getaway sales event offers end soon. Call 562-314-4603 for details.