Bear Down (Hour 3)

We miss college football. Drops back, pressure from the edges, he throws near sideline and it's intercepted, intercepted.

Keely Ringo at the 21, off he goes, 40, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, near sideline, breaks it back on 20, 15, 10, 5. Touchdown, touchdown, touchdown Georgia. Let the celebration begin.

We can't wait for the 2022 season. Rice gets it, backpedals onto the end zone, loads up, looks long. He's not going behind the defense, came as he makes the grab at midfield. Down the right sideline, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, touchdown Alabama.

94 yards. And we're counting down the days to kick off. Are we there yet? No. Are we there yet? I said no. Are we there yet?

What's wrong with your ears? Here is your college football fix, only on the Zach Gelb Show. Well, we're almost there. And for the Baylor Bears, they kick off their season on September 3rd, a night game up against Albany, as the Bears two years ago were 2-7 this past season, 12-2, big 12 champions, and they did win the Sugar Bowl. And now let's welcome in the third-year head coach of the Baylor Bears, and that's Dave Aranda. Dave, coach, appreciate the time. Zach Gelb here in New York City. How are you? Doing great.

Thanks for having me. Is that kind of crazy when you hear that this is now your third year at Baylor and how quickly this has already got off for you? It does go by fast. You know, I think we've got some kids that came in that recruiting class that first year, and so just seeing their maturation, just seeing kind of the people that they are now, kind of brings it to light.

But it does, when you do kind of take pause and sit back and reflect, it goes awfully fast. And there was a lot going on in the world when you guys did go 2-7. I know you don't want to hear the excuses, but how do you kind of explain the turnaround a year later from 2-7 to 12-2 and winning the big 12? I think just probably myself just being in the coordinator role, probably being sheltered from, you know, probably life really and just doing ball and almost kind of using that, using ball as an escape. And so, you know, feeling the effects of that and wanting more than just that, you know, head coaching opportunity is a great opportunity, but then you're really not prepared, man, you know. And so then you make mistakes and you have to learn and I think you've got to get out of your way to do that and that's all, you know, there's some humiliation, embarrassment, all of it with it.

But if you can move out of that or really kind of sit with that while, there can be some good out of it. And then I think, you know, so taking, you know, I think like leadership. So taking, you know, making it all about you, you got to know what you're about and then paradoxically, same time, make it all about everybody else. And so I think, you know, that, you know, what you're all about kind of flows through everyone you're with. And so, you know, I remember the first year, 2020, just, you know, thinking about what should I say here, what should I do here, how should I, you know, what's next, you know, there's a lot of questions. And just when you kind of figure out who you are, all those questions kind of take care of themselves.

And so it's been a bit, been a big journey, you know. I saw the comments you made the other day when you said you were at LSU, you felt like you were a machine. And I always say this to coaches because I know how you guys operate.

It's minute by minute, second by second. And sometimes even though you appreciate the moment, you may not show it. And last night, coach, I went back and watched that Big 12 championship game and I don't know if they didn't get you in a good moment, but you looked even pretty serious after that incredible goal line stand. So how did you process the goal line stand last year to win the Big 12?

Yeah, so I know that in the, there's two things I was just thinking of. And I think, I don't know, I imagine that face is only a face a mother could love, you know. Hey, Jay Wright once won a national championship in basketball on a buzzer beater and he looked like he just rolled out of bed and he was so stoic. So it happens, it's coaching face. Oh man, it's just the more you see it, you wish like the resting face was just so different.

But it is what it is. I think, but I think prior, you know, with Kansas State, we played them earlier in the season and, you know, Big 12 championship, Blake Shapen was our QB and Blake was our quarterback at Kansas State, our starter at the time, was injured. And Blake had never, you know, run a QB sneak or never run, we never had him under center and kneeled a ball to kind of kill it or anything of that nature. And so I was thinking of that in that particular moment because there's still time on the clock and, you know, how are we going to get out of the one inch line, you know, and what's going to happen. And then I think also with that was just, I think, you know, thinking about the other side, you know, and just however many minutes later when I got to shake Coach Gundy's hand, he was just so in the moment and just so appreciative of the game and kind of, you know, Baylor's effort and everything. And I just kind of, you know, it's weird because you kind of knew that's what it was going to be even before he said it, you know, just from my small kind of limited interactions with him. But it makes you proud to be a coach, just way cool.

But I remember thinking of those two things. Coach Dave Aranda here with us. You guys had a remarkable season, a great season a year ago. Do you feel like because there's one thing to have a great season individually that you guys are a great program or are you still building to become a great program? No, I appreciate that question. I think you're always thinking of building.

And I think, you know, I think after I think in a season, you know, after a Saturday game, I mean, you have yourself a brand new team that Sunday morning based upon, you know, how, you know, looking at football as a game of random events and setbacks, you know, how you responded to all of it, you know, the good and the bad, you know. Is it, are we too big for our britches or are we trending that way? Are we having, you know, complaining and whining? Are there excuses now? Are there, you know, talk about like fight or flight? Or are we, the fight part of it would be, you know, the blaming.

It's not me, you know, it's somebody else. Or the fleeing would be, you know, I'm just going to do me, right? I'm, you know, the team's over here doing their stuff, but I'm going to do my stuff. I'm going to do it my way. And, you know, I'm going to graduate in a year and I'm good.

I'm going to do me. So all of those things are always kind of under the surface of, you know, the wins and losses. So it's way important, you know, as you're building, like what is the task within the task? Like what are we really doing when we're doing what we're doing? And I think to stay on top of that is kind of an exhaustive thing.

But I think it's everything, you know? And so I would look at it like we're always building. With success comes pressure and expectations. Isn't it wild with after a 2-7 season, then you guys win the Big 12, you win the Sugar Bowl.

Now you're not flying under anyone's radar. Those expectations, I know you embrace them. It's the reason why we all get involved in this and you want to get to the mountaintop. But it's kind of wild how quickly those expectations and pressure then comes to your program. It is.

It is. I think, you know, when it's 2-7 and you're going into the 21 season, the issue with your team is really belief. It's that you're kind of a quirky, weird dude and you're trying to get across maybe stuff that isn't typical or normal that a coach would say. And what does any of this stuff have to do with winning?

And you were saying some of this stuff last year and you won two games. And so that can be difficult. But when you win, the issue then becomes, you know, was able to watch the UFC fight on Saturday, this last Saturday. And a lot of our guys like to watch either boxing matches, UFC fights, just the pageantry, just the excitement of all of it when you're in the Octagon or the ring.

And just kind of taken from that, you know, metaphors and things we can use. I think one of the things that's interesting for this particular team is that, you know, you train, you do all of it. You have the walk to the Octagon. They announce you and you have music that plays. People are cheering for you. And then you get in to the ring and then, you know, Buffer announces you. And it's like the crowd goes crazy. But then after that, they don't just give you a championship belt.

You know, that doesn't work like you have to like fight now. And you have to get hit and you have to get hurt. And you may get knocked down and you got to get back up. And, you know, your hand is hurting and you got to use your other hand. And, you know, you're getting choked out and you got to build it to find a way to get out.

Use all this, you know, everything you've been taught in the hardest, most pressurized moments. And then after all of that, if the Lord is smiling on you, then there's a chance for something at the end, you know. And so I think that's the thing with having success is that, you know, you just don't walk into a ring and they hand you anything. Because I think we have a few young guys that maybe just their role of all of it, they could look at it as that way.

And it certainly isn't. And so there's always a fight with everything, you know. I know we always talk about players maybe getting complacent. But then you could also think about it from a coaching aspect, too. If you accomplish everything that you have at one job, maybe a coach needs a new challenge.

It seems like what you're saying, Dave Aranda, there's a lot more to accomplish for you at Baylor. Maybe that's factored into the decision when your name was thrown into a bunch of jobs this offseason, why you elected to stay. You know, since I can remember, I think when I was in high school, I wasn't really much of a student of this kind of thing. I was trying to find, I guess, my way. But, you know, in college and everything, I was able to. And since I've found my way, I've always been way interested in just transformation.

And I don't know, it's always been hard to talk about because I just don't ever see anyone else really talk about it. And so I just don't want to be weird. I just, you know, I think the opportunity to try to live that out here and to try to build, to teach it and model it here, I think is way unique. And I think that's really what it's about. And, you know, who is the person that you're becoming as a result of the chase? Like, you know, all the stuff we're trying to accomplish and do and win and all the outcome, like, who are you becoming? Like, what is, are you becoming greater than or less than who you are now? And so I think Baylor's a great place to do that.

Well, then what is the Devaranda way at Baylor, Coach? I think it's mastery of self, mastery of craft. I think it's looking at that as one thing, you know? I think it's not being in, you know, a day that goes to school and then a day that plays football or a day that's, you know, homeless parents or a day that's, you know, on and around campus.

I think it's, you know, knowing who you are and everything flowing from that. I just think, you know, there is such up and downs. I think, you know, the ability to see all that as an opportunity to hone in on your values and really kind of live out those values, I think, is the only thing that's really going to last. You know, having been able to win before and win at really high levels and not through this way is just so ephemeral, man. It just got to the wins.

They're there and then they're gone, you know? And if you don't really have kind of, you know, a growth and a real strong tie with relationships to other people, you know, there's difference between winning deep and winning shallow. I think so much of it is winning shallow. I feel, man, it's like you're winning to avoid losing and you're winning for your ego, you know, and you're winning so that you're better than your, it's comparative. When you win deep, it's like, it's like a soul winning, right? There's a connection to winning.

You're seeing the guy that is not getting the credit, but it has put everything into this week or put everything into this year. And you're seeing all the sacrifices and it's just so strong. It's hard to explain, but it's because it's something that's outside of just you. And I think that's what's great about sports and so much of it, I feel, is the pull away from that if you allow it to be.

You know, if you're looking at your phone and doing all the stuff that we all do. So it's a, you know, a lot of, there is a video with, or there's, I used to watch Seinfeld growing up. And so I feel like sometimes there's an episode with George where it was like, he was kind of, he kind of figured out that whatever he wanted to do, he had to do the opposite. You have to just know, don't do that. Do the opposite of whatever you thought.

And so some of, some of what we're doing here is that we're doing the opposite. Dave Aranda here with us, wrapping up with the coach of the Baylor Bears. They kick off their season next Saturday night up against Albany and their Big 12 title defense does get underway next week. We've seen a little bit of your quarterback Blake Chapin last year and some big moments and he excelled in a wonderful way. If someone hasn't watched your quarterback, if someone is not familiar with your quarterback, how do you describe him now? I think he's a gunslinger. He's got a great feel for the game, you know, in terms of defenses are always going to do their best to not show their hand and to try to spin down late or try with safeties or try to disguise the coverages. And I think he's got a great sense about all of it. He studies and he spends the time, but I think, you know, his arm is way special. And I think, you know, he, he can, he can throw it from different angles and platforms and was a, was a, was a shortstop in baseball and kind of has that, that, that look and feel about him. And so just way excited. There's been countless throws throughout fall camp where you're kind of amazed and you kind of hear, you know, throughout the team, like, did you see that?

Wow. You know, sometimes it's like, did you hear that? You know? And so that's way cool. I think his, though, his, his greatest, you know, growth in fall camp has just been his leadership and, you know, him just really kind of settling down to who he is.

And not trying to be someone that he's not. I think you've, you've really seen some, some strides that way and for sure it's all going to be tested here in a couple of weeks. So, you know, so far so good. Last thing I'll ask you, coach, and you talked about it, you get new players in the program, you have to replace some legendary players like a Jalen Petrie, which is going to be a really tough task and we'll see the growth of your quarterback as well. Taking you back to Big 12 Media Days, I was watching your session and you said it's smart for us to rely on our strengths early on and develop what needs development throughout the season. What do you think your biggest strength is headed into this season as a team and what is the thing that keeps you up most that night that you really need to develop on?

No, yeah, good question. I think the line of scrimmage is probably where most of our returning people are at. And so, you know, I think it's a positive thing with them just having the attitude that they've had and the mindset that they've had to continue to improve and to evolve. We talk about like dying and rising and, you know, parts of the self that holds you back and where ego takes hold and all of that, that has to die so that, you know, there can be something greater that can be born. And I think they do that and they try and they're not kind of held back. So I think that's a strength.

I think, you know, the weakness or the things that kind of keep me up are just the immaturity. And we've got some young, really, really talented guys that, you know, I think we're talking about running into a storm for the season. And, you know, this schedule presents plenty of storms. And for us to be at our best, you know, I look at the last year's game versus Oklahoma State, where there's kind of a self-implosion.

I take full responsibility for it. I just remember being on the side, looking at our team and some of their faces, and they were not prepared. And then I look at the end of the game, Oklahoma State and the pressures and the competitiveness, all of it was the same.

You know, we melted in one and we stayed true in the other. And so, you know, there's a bunch of ways to win. I just know, you know, particularly we kind of play a fair amount of similar particular games that it's going to come down to not melting. And so that's a concern. And we've worked on it.

And, you know, I think you're never going to know till you know, though. So we'll stay tuned. Well, I've watched a lot of Baylor football last five, six years.

I'm a Temple guy. So when Matt was there, I was watching a lot and I continued doing so because I'm excited to see what you continue to build. Good luck this year and really do appreciate the extensive conversation you just gave us. Appreciate you.

Thank you. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. We got some reaction on this hot take Hickey's story, which I think could be the biggest story of our show this evening. And that's what makes the Zach Gelb show so much fun. So Ryan has a little bit of a problem that he doesn't think is a problem.

And co-workers have told him it's a problem, but he's not willing to admit it's a problem. So his girlfriend is out of town this entire week. She's back on Saturday. Hickey has a fantasy draft. OK, you do your fantasy draft and you think you go see your girlfriend. You guys live together.

You go out for dinner or you maybe order something and you do something when you haven't seen your girlfriend for an entire week because she's been out of town. Hickey is not going back to his New York City apartment on Saturday after his fantasy draft because he's going to stay at home with his parents on Long Island. Because he thinks this is an important Colts preseason game and he needs to watch the Colts preseason game. So we here at CBS Sports Radio are trying to tell him he's a dead man walking. And you either tell your girlfriend we'll order in or, hey, we'll go out to a place where the game is on.

You maybe watch and you get the best of both worlds. Hickey's just saying, I'm not even seeing my girlfriend and I'm going to watch Colts preseason football. So that's going to come back to bite him in the you know what.

And he's going to be in the doghouse early Sunday morning. You look like you're about to say something right there. I just want to say one thing.

I just I don't know why this popped my head now, but it's a revelation. Anyone who is upset with me, I realize is just jealous. They don't have the same freedom. I do. But I live in my life. That's what a relationship is about. That's what a relationship is about.

Give and take, doing what you want. You're not you're not realizing here, though, you have not told your girlfriend yet that you are watching the Colts preseason game. So when she finds out about this, she's going to say, wow, that's why you left me home alone on a Saturday night after I was out of town for a week. And then you're going to be in what I like to call and what everyone's afraid of, the doghouse. You've never been in the doghouse with your girlfriend before? No. Yeah, we don't really get mad at each other.

Yeah, that's about the end. When you walk into the door, walk it in all innocent Sunday morning. Hey, honey, how are you?

Colts preseason football. OK, go do the dishes. Go take out the garbage. Go mop the floors. And that's OK. Talk to you for the rest of the day.

Then she will not talk to you for the rest of the Colts preseason football. Kyle in Oregon. You think Ryan screwed?

Kyle. Yes, I mean, I think he is. He's he's different. Has a girlfriend.

I've been married for 10 years. They don't forget. And she'll remember this if they do get married and she'll schedule some stuff on some really important games or something he wants to do. So it's a sport. Who do you think is going to win out of the Pac 12 and can be a one last fact?

All teams get in the playoffs or just be undefeated. And last but not least, you give a shout out to my son Owen. He loves your show.

He's 10 years old and he loves sports. I think you're an awesome TV host. So, Ryan, you're in trouble. She won't forget. So good luck.

Well, thank you so much. And tell Owen we appreciate that. He listens to us on the radio and he's got a good pop that does call in. Or we hope he's a good pop. He seems like a good dude.

Kyle in Oregon. But, Owen, thanks so much. Even though Kyle just said we are a TV host, that's not totally untrue. I do like 10 TV shows a year, but we appreciate Owen listening to our very fine radio program.

So that's one caller that says you're screwed. And there's going to be a Penn State game this year. Cults.

Week six or seven. Cults in Tennessee. Yeah, we got to go apple picking. She can try that. It's not going to work.

I'm not going. Let's go to Dalton in Topeka, Kansas. Next up. Go ahead, Dalton. Hey, this is for hot take Hickey, man.

That is quite the hot taken. You just saying that I'm going to just spend the entire evening by myself. Never mind. My girlfriend has probably been missing me for two weeks and thinking about me, bro. You're setting yourself up for failure. Two ways. Number one, she's going to think that you don't care enough to spend time with her. Or B, she might think he's really not seeing me on a Saturday night.

Is he really watching preseason football with his boys? I mean, come on, bro. Do you like relations with your with your woman? Would you like them to continue to happen?

Because it does not seem like you're going down the right path for it. Yeah. He's going on the bench, Dalton. There's no doubt about that. I don't think he's seeing someone else to what you're alluding to. She may think that not him, not him.

I know. I don't think he's seeing anybody. You think the girlfriend is going to see someone else? No, no.

That might cross her mind. Oh, I've been gone for two weeks. He ain't there the night that I get back and he comes back Sunday morning like good morning, honey.

No dice, brother. Dalton, great phone call. We appreciate it. Hickey. Those are two other people that you could throw in the hopper that think you're making a massive mistake.

We had Tommy Lou Gower, producer here at WFA and Carlos Ortiz behind the scenes here at CBS Sports Radio. Both married men telling you you're making a mistake. Then we just had two callers and trust me, our callers are awesome on life advice. They're saying you need to reconsider. You know what this is?

This is a test case. If I come out the other side, no problem at all. Oh, how was the game? Was it enjoyable?

Did you have fun? I think I just unlocked a brand new world for all of our listeners. You, Tommy, Carlos with a K, whoever.

I think I could kind of be almost, you know. Someone who revolution revolutionizes the fall season for males who like watching football. You're still not getting the point. If it's the regular season, you are right to get in the fight over that and say, honey, I'm putting my foot down. You watch The Bachelor and I have to sit there and pretend like I care about it. Regular season football.

Nothing you could schedule when I have to watch football and everyone's in agreement with you. I'll be like, yeah, we back out. Take Kiki. That's our guy.

That's our leader. This is preseason. This is avoidable. And even if you need to watch it, you feel compelled to watch. It just makes you a loser because it's preseason. Football doesn't mean anything. You could watch the game from your apartment, order in a nice little dinner.

And then when the second half comes around and it's an irrelevant game, then you inch closer and closer to your girlfriend and you have a very successful night. What in most cases, most cases, what happens when you go to jail for the first time? First day, what happens?

I've never been to jail. The crap beat out of you, right? Someone asserts their dominance and beats the crap out of whoever the first guy is.

So that what does that do? Set the tone for how the jail trip is going to be. I am right now setting the tone, even if it's preseason, saying sorry. This is this is if this preseason game was meaningless, then I would say, OK, I don't care.

I'm not going to watch. I'm going to, you know, hang out, do whatever you want. This is in my lifetime.

I'm 20 years old. The most important court in game they've ever played in. I'm going to watch the first half and I'm setting the ground rules of it. It's the season is here. It's go time.

Let's go. It means nothing. It means nothing. You're going to cause a fight with your girlfriend or when you least expect it a week from now. She's going to say, well, yeah, I'm mad at you.

I didn't tell you I'm mad at you, but I'm mad at you. Might do an emergency podcast after the game. That's not fair, because I'm not going to be in the right state of mind Saturday evening. I'll be drinking with my buddies down at the Jersey. What does that mean? I would want to join that podcast.

You don't need a drunk Zach Gelb. How'd it go? What happened?

Let me know. Because I care for you. You know, earlier today I had a meeting with Spike and Spike and I were talking about you. And he goes, there's sometimes I listen to you and you go after Hickey and I feel like it's personal. I'm like, nope, it's all in good fun, good nature. And I'm looking out for his best interest.

There's no one that supports Ryan Moore at CBS Sports Radio. Then yours truly. And this is just I'm glad this came up today because I will send this to Spike. I will tell Spike to listen to this, our boss, and I'll go. He's making a big mistake.

Remember, you're not in the good graces with management right now. Spike said, what does that mean? Spike said you posted the dumbest thing he's ever seen on Twitter earlier this week. Stand by that. When he said that what you said to Spike, you needed five hundred thousand dollars to put a hot dog in a beer and use the hot dog as a straw.

And then Spike lambasted you in this newsroom. Let's go to. Oh, now this is the ultimate test. You trust Jay in Alaska. Jay's a good.

No, no, no, no. We cannot trust Jay. This is the guy who was saying Derek Carr is MVP.

The Raiders are the best team in the NFL. He is someone you know, I love Jay. I love Jay. Trust. I could chase judgment when things are close to his heart.

Now, if memory serves me right. Jay was once married and now is divorce. So we could give you some words of wisdom here from previous experiences, which I'm sure it was definitely not Jay's fault because Jay is our guy and Jay is one of our most loyal callers. So Jay in Alaska, talk to Hickey. Go ahead.

Hot take, hot take, hot take. You are in so much trouble, buddy. You you are toast and you don't even know it, dude. When I first met my my girl, she would watch sports with me all the time. And you know what we ended up doing? Watching TLC Hall Lifetime and the Hallmark Channel.

My my football watching got reduced to watching the highlights on YouTube at midnight when everybody else was asleep. That's where you're headed, pal. That's where you're headed. And if you don't think you're going to go apple picking. Oh, yes, you are. Because that's punishment for watching a game when she doesn't want you to.

And guess who can be peeling those apples when she wants to make you a delicious dessert? You are, buddy. That's you. That's your life. That's where you're going.

And when you have a kid, forget about it. You will never watch sports again. I'm telling you, bro, you're you're done. You don't even know it. But Jay, he could watch sports that actually matter. You you're a crazy, sick, sick of fat Raiders fan. Not even you would tell your missus, hey, babe, I got to watch preseason football. You know, come on, because because I was smart enough to DVR the speaking game and I watch it when you went to sleep. And that's another thing.

He could use DVR. We're not living in 1936. Jay, great stuff. Appreciate it.

There you go, Hickey. How many more people need to call in at eight five five two one two four CBS eight five five two one two forty two twenty seven before you need to rearrange your plans? I'm not saying you cancel. And you still go to your fantasy draft all power to you should go to your fantasy draft that you can't put up with the fantasy draft. It's time to kick her to the curb, your girlfriend. That's fine. But it's at nighttime at nighttime. You are saying I need to stay home on Long Island, not go back into the city to see your girlfriend. Because you need to watch Colts preseason football. I would listen to me and I would alter your plan, modify your plan.

After the fantasy draft, you take a train into New York City. You say, babe, I'm going to order in some delicious food. She's a sushi gal. Get some sushi. If she wants some seafood, go get some seafood, steak, whatever you order in or maybe. And I don't think you are a good cook. But if you are, then you cook something up, get some wine, get some tequila, whatever you want.

Nice little candle, some roses around the apartment. Peter, watch the first half and then the second half. When you think this game no longer counts, when I think it doesn't even count from the jump, then you spend some time with your girl. I think that's a perfect plan.

And I don't get why you can't agree with me on that one. I'm not taking a train back. That's the sob story here. I'm working until 6 a.m. on Saturday morning. I'm taking a train right after those fantasy drafts at 1 o'clock. I'm going to get like 3 hours of sleep. I'm already going to be exhausted.

I'm going to be delusional. Sleep on the train. Last thing I need to do is be getting on a train back to New York City to go all the way back for what reason?

For what reason? And we might. So you're not in a dog house? We might go back to Long Island on Sunday. It's going to be a nice day.

If I want to go to the beach, I'm going to go back and forth, back and forth. Okay, so she may come out to the island on Sunday? Possibly. Why don't you tell her to come down Saturday night? She could. I'm not saying she can't.

You need to extend the invitation, though. You guys got to work on communication in your relationship. I haven't seen her. She's busy.

Who's doing the update here? Pete McCarthy. Alright. Can I talk to Pete here for just a second? Pete McCarthy, you're a married man, right?

I am. If you told your wife after not seeing her for a week that you couldn't see her on Saturday night because you had to watch preseason football, how do you think your wife would respond to that? Well, she'd say, for the Jets?

You out here? No, but I actually support Ryan's case because he has a chance to move the relationship at a time pre-marriage where he can start from a better point. It's like getting better field position going down the field, you know what I mean? Where, okay, I won't watch preseason in the future.

You can give that up and still have the regular season. Pete, I know you long enough. I'm on to you. You want to see Ryan just get burned here this weekend.

That's why you're giving him this crappy advice. I like seeing people fight the good fight. It's fourth and five. I own 45 yard line.

Most coaches punt. I'm going for it. No, you know who you are? You're Matt Lafleur at the NFC title game two years ago. It's fourth and goal. You're making the wrong decision.

I'm going for it. You're down eight and you're kicking the football, giving the ball back to TB12. What are you doing?

Never punt. You're listening to the Zach Gelb Show. It is the Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. So we have three bosses here. Chris Olivero, Spike Eskin, and David Mayernik. Chris Olivero, Ryan, is still here. I usually think when I do this show at six p.m. Eastern, there's usually some bosses here.

At eight forty eight p.m. Eastern. I just walked out of the newsroom. Chris is still here. And I said to Chris, because our conversation is now circulating all throughout the newsroom. The six or seven people that are in the newsroom. They were a massive population that year.

The masses. They were laughing when I popped my head out and I said, Chris, you're a married man. Can you come in the studio? We have to ask you a question. The whole newsroom was laughing. And Chris had no clue what was going on because they were laughing.

They know the bad situation that you're in right now. And then Chris looked at me. He goes, by the way, I'm too smart. I'm actually not married. I thought Chris Olivero was married. I don't know if I'm sure at one point in his life he was married, but he's not married right now. So you know what he suggested?

This is management, not me. With Hickey's problem where he thinks it's actually important to watch a Colts preseason game. So hot take Hickey after participating in his fantasy draft of not seeing his girlfriend for a week on Saturday.

Saturday night is staying at home with his parents to watch a Colts preseason football game instead of going back into the city to hang with his girlfriend. Chris Olivero said you should call Spike Eskett and get Spike's ruling on this because he says Spike is a married man. And according to Chris, he said Spike is good on the air. So should we call Spike eventually? We have to call our boss and go onside. Oh, maybe we do it at nine. Since I'm off tomorrow, we're doing onside offside today.

Onside's offside. Is Hickey going to be in the doghouse with Spike Eskett? Can you do me a favor? Can you dial up Spike and see if Spike could join us for a few moments coming up at the top of the hour?

Will you do that? You want to call him right now? Yeah, call him. At eight fifty at night. Yeah. And ask if he wants to come on the show. Yeah. You got it. What time?

Are we not an important show to CBS Sports? I'm just confirming before I call and he's yelling at me for calling me at eight fifty at night. Say we just want to ask you a question. Zach has a question to ask you. Don't tell him what the question is. Just say Zach has a question to ask you. And he's wondering if you could join us for it will be five minutes at nine p.m. Eastern, six p.m. Pacific.

Now, Spike gets up at like four thirty in the morning. So I don't know if he's already getting ready to go schluffy and go to sleep. But reach out to him. Are you texting him? Don't text him. I was going to text him first and then call him at like nine o'clock.

No, no, no. Call him. If you just text him, he's going to ignore your text. If you call him, he's going to think it's urgent. No, no, no. Call him.

All right. Oh, this guy always stirs up the pot. Jeff in Pittsburgh.

Next up on CBS Sports Radio. Jeffy, what's up? Well, Gelb, I thought I would step into the conversation since I needed a little intellect to do it. And I know that's what you think when you hear Jeff in Pittsburgh and electric. You know what? When I think of Jeff in Pittsburgh, I don't know how old you are, Jeff, but I think you have a lot of experience. I've got a little time.

I've got some fans in the hourglass, so to speak. And that's why I'm good one to give advice. I'm a happily married man.

But what I don't take is any lip. I'm watching every football game I want to watch. Even the preseason, Jeff, it's preseason football.

I'll see you Sunday, honey. But your preseason actually matters, assuming you're a Steelers fan because you want to see Kenny Pickett. Ryan's preseason doesn't matter. It's the Colts.

They play the Jaguars and the Texans the first two weeks. Those are his preseason games. Well, I can't argue those points, but what I can say is once you start giving, Ryan, it just keeps on giving. So you're advising Ryan, Jeff.

Let me get this correct. You're advising Ryan to put his foot down here and not listen to everyone else. And you're the lone wolf saying he should watch the preseason game and not see his girlfriend for an entire week.

Absolutely. In fact, I'd take it like this, Ryan. Even if you don't want to watch the preseason game, we need to establish dominance at this point.

What we do is we let her know we're going to watch every preseason game just to see what the reaction is. And luckily for Ryan, they did trim off one preseason game because if it was four, I don't know. That would be a little bit rough, Jeff. And there's only going to be three. What happens when the year that the Colts get in the Hall of Fame game and then it's four preseason games, Ryan?

Then you're really screwed. Well, I mean, the pre the Hall of Fame game. Oh, that's where you draw the line in the sand. That's no one's playing in that game.

Jeff in Pittsburgh, probably not the best time that he's the only one on my side, but he I thought offered the best advice of anyone tonight. So drawn the line in the sand and taken a stand. So I don't know your girlfriend, but I gather your girlfriend is cool because you're not very. Therefore, I think your girlfriend is cool. I think if you just tell your girlfriend we're going to order in and watch the house, she'll be fine. But the moment you don't see her for an entire week and you don't go back Saturday night, that's where I think you're running into a big. Well, she can come out and we can do the same thing.

But then she's got to travel out there and she's just been on the road for an entire week because she's been away. You're not lining yourself up here to be to be the winner. You're lying yourself to go to the dog house. Did you get in contact with Spike? He is good to go. Wow.

All righty. We're making the bosses work overtime here at CBS Sports Radio. It is the Zach Gelb show. Five questions, five answers. We'll even give you a bonus one today. When we come on back on sides offside next, it is Zach Gelb show only on CBS Sports Radio.