Conference Championship Preview (Hour 3)

Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm interested in making money.

I'm not interested in hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio. Season 2, The Dixie Mafia.

Available now on the Odyssey app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm interested in making money.

I'm not interested in hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio. Season 2, The Dixie Mafia. Available now on the Odyssey app, or wherever you get your podcasts. Our number three of our radio program, that's right, it's Zach Elb's show Coast to Coast on CBS Sports Radio. We're coming to you live from the Rocket Mortgage Studios.

Need to know what it takes for a home to fit your budget and your family? Well, Rocket can. Alrighty, we're almost there. We're almost down to our final four teams for the college football playoff. You know Georgia's getting in. You know Michigan's getting in.

I think TCU should get in, but, but, but, but, but if they do lose to Kansas State, and I know you can give me the argument, and it's a valid one, it's one I agree with, we shouldn't penalize a team for losing a game that another team could get in that they're not playing in because they weren't good enough to get in their conference title game. But just because we use logic, just because Hickey used logic, and I use logic, doesn't mean the committee uses logic. Because if you leave it in the hands of the committee, there's always that, ooh, let's just wait. And ooh, I'm a little bit nervous.

And ooh, I'm a bit skeptical. Because the committee sometimes does this one thing where it's very ambiguous, you don't really know what constitutes, what makes the four best teams in their formula, and they say two words that no one likes to hear, eye test. And if you get the eye test excuse, then that could open up a door for Ohio State. So I think there's no question, no doubt about it, that we know Georgia and Michigan are both getting in. TCU has a heck of a resume. TCU beats Kansas State, they don't gotta sweat, they're in. But if TCU loses, and USC wins, then I think Ohio State could get in. But the same way, if TCU wins, USC loses, then I think USC is out, and Ohio State would get in. So the road for Ohio State, you'd feel really good if USC loses. And that happens tonight against Utah. But then if it is a one loss TCU against a one loss Ohio State, I think the argument is fascinating.

And I think this would be a big conversation, I think TCU should get in, but you don't know what the committee's gonna do. Let's welcome in a former college quarterback at Arkansas, and of course does a great job talking every day in Houston on 610 Sports, and that of course is Clint Stoner. Clint, how you been? Man, I'm doing good, Zach. How you doing, brother?

I'm doing fantastic. So this game tonight, Pac-12 Championship, Utah USC, who you leaning with? I'm leading USC, man. Look, I think they're the better football team, obviously. They've got one of, I'd say, three or four absolute game changers at quarterback. I mean, guys that can put the team on their back and literally get them down to home stretch and win a ball game.

Caleb Williams. I'm gonna ride him in the Trojans, and I'm gonna tell you, I think it's gonna be a hell of a football game, because Utah really exceeded my expectations. The first time they played USC, and they were able to score points a lot quicker than I thought, a lot more willingly than I thought, and it was a hell of a game won. I expect a big one this week, but I'm riding USC, Zach. Yeah, I thought USC in the first game where it was playing out was gonna blow him out early on, and then Cam Rising played maybe the best game that he's ever played, and he's been a good quarterback, clearly, for Utah. Just everything, even with the slow start for Utah, went right in that game, and then they were aggressive. They went for two. That's gotta be so tough to replicate that again against a USC team that's starting to feel like they're back.

Yeah, look, you took the words right out of my mouth. I mean, when you look at the way that Utah won that ball game, their quarterback, Cam Rising, I think he can go out and play well again. Can he lead the team in rushing, right? Can he convert three of three fourth downs? Can he convert seven of 13 third downs? Can they convert a two-point conversion at the end of the ball game to absolutely win it? Will his tight end, Dalton Kincaid, who went for 234 yards in the first ball game, can they do that all again and beat Caleb Williams and USC?

I don't believe they can do it, man. So, again, I'm riding the Trojans. How much should this game tonight matter? Because if USC loses, there's gonna be a big debate.

They have two losses. Ohio State gets in as a one-loss, non-Big Ten champion, but Ohio State's not even in the Big Ten championship game. Would you be okay if USC loses tonight that the committee then rewards Ohio State for not playing this weekend? It's the only time that I would be okay with Ohio State getting in the college football playoffs. I don't believe that Ohio State has earned their way in, but because the Stars have aligned perfectly for a team that doesn't win a conference championship or even play for a conference championship, or a team that doesn't have an impressive schedule, strength of schedule throughout the season, the Stars have aligned for one of those teams to potentially get in.

Here's where I'm at. I've been overly critical of Ohio State. I'm not a guy that watches Ohio State and says, boy, the eye test is too good to pass up. Man, the history of the Buckeyes, they're always there. On paper, they're better.

I'm not that guy. Here's where I'm at. I don't believe that USC can lose to the same football team twice in one season and then deserve a chance in the college football playoffs to play for the national championship. It's the lesser of two evils at this point in time, and I'm going to be honest with you, it pains me to say it, but I believe Ohio State deserves to be in if USC loses twice to Utah at this point in time.

Clint Sturner here with us. Let's take it a step further. Let's say USC wins tonight. They'll be in, but what happens if TCU loses tomorrow to Kansas State and they split their season series? Would that be enough for the committee to put Ohio State in over TCU? I think it will be. I think it will be because I don't have any faith in the committee. If I'm being completely honest, I think the money, the brand, the history, the love affair that America has with C.J. Stroud for some reason, I think that's all going to outweigh the fact that TCU ran the table, got to a conference championship, and lost to a top 10 ranked Kansas State football team. I don't believe that it should.

It pisses me off to even admit that I feel this way. I'm going to tell you, TCU should get in no matter what happens in the Big 12 championship, but I believe if USC wins and there's one spot available for a one-loss TCU team or a one-loss Ohio State team, I believe that the college football playoff committee finds a way to get that Buckeye in the college football playoff and TCU gets screwed once again. Talking to Clint Sturner right now, you mentioned C.J. Stroud.

He has all the weapons, and that was a big debate before the start of the year. Were you a Stroud guy or were you a Bryce Young guy? I know Alabama's not going to make the playoff, but with the way that Bryce Young has played this year, I know he's smaller than Stroud, but he doesn't have as much as Stroud has thrown the football.

I've been so impressed with Bryce Young. C.J. Stroud, I just think he's good. I don't know if he's great, Clint. The question is what translates.

There's a couple of things. C.J. Stroud is the only quarterback in the Heisman conversation or, let's say, in the top NFL draft prospect conversation that I literally believe you pull C.J. Stroud out and you put whoever's in line next at Ohio State, and I don't think they miss a beat. I think he throws for beaucoup of yards. I think he throws for a ton of touchdowns. I think Ryan Day and his staff get him a ton of throw in the ocean, and they play in the Big Ten.

The schedule, relatively speaking, is always going to leave a lot to be desired. I think C.J. Stroud is very replaceable.

I think when you had C.J. Stroud been coming out back in my day, or 10, 12 years ago, where it was about being 6'3 and about being able to throw the route tree versus any coverage sideline to sideline from the pocket, I think C.J. Stroud would have a better chance to transition from college to the NFL. But the truth of the matter is, when you watch C.J. Stroud play, it pales in comparison to Caleb Williams. It pales in comparison to Bryce Young. And if we're being completely honest, it pales in comparison to some of the other guys that we're watching on the West Coast in Michael Penix Jr. And look, the young kid, Drake May out of North Carolina, when you watch him play, the things that he can do with his legs and with his arm, whether we're talking about scoring points or we're talking about putting the team on your back and carrying him to victory, those guys do it as well or better right now than C.J. Stroud. And so I don't understand the C.J. Stroud is by far and away number one prospect.

I just don't buy that. Good? Absolutely. In the conversation? Yes, sir. But by far and away, the number one draftable quarterback this season?

You can miss me with that. Clint Sturner here with us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Get it back to Caleb Williams and USC. Eventually, when he'll declare down the road for the NFL draft, you know, he got to be in college for another year. What do you think his prospect will look like for the draft?

Because he's been, he was great last year and he's been even better this year. I think he's a generational talent. I think, you know, I think that the movement from Oklahoma, the quarterback controversy at Oklahoma, if you want to call it that, you know, when Spencer Rattler was there and Caleb Williams was there, was kind of a slow start.

Now you transition from Oklahoma to USC. And I'm talking about a slow start relative to this guy getting the Trevor Lawrence type treatment where he's a generational talent, right? If he'd have went in somewhere, say he started at OU and was a starter last year and he was balling again this year and he's got one more year before he'd come out, we'd be talking about generational talent. It wouldn't be starting now. We just started it before the season ever started.

But because of the controversy, the split in time last year and the move this year, nobody knew what to expect. But when I watch Caleb Williams play, I believe he's a generational talent. I believe that we talk way, well, not way too much.

It's a beautiful thing. We talk a lot about the evolution of the quarterback, of quarterback play in the NFL. And we talk about a lot about, boy, these quarterbacks in the NFL, they just look different. They play the game different. You know what?

That's a beautiful conversation. But if we really get down to the nuts and bolts of it, there's Pat Mahomes, there's Josh Allen, there's a freak named Lamar Jackson and a couple of other guys that are fringe play, fringe this caliber quarterback that can play with all the different arm slots, that can play with their feet all over the place, that can extend plays and throw the ball back across the field. There's a handful of guys, even at the NFL level, that can do that. Right now Bryce Young does it and does it in a major way. And Caleb Williams, who can come out next year, is better at it than Bryce Young. And they don't have to think about it.

It is just, it's instincts. And there's a handful of guys in the NFL that can do it right now. When I look at Bryce Young and Caleb Williams, both of those guys can do the Pat Mahomes, Josh Allen types of things effortlessly, instinctually and naturally.

And that's saying a lot. Zach, you can coach these really talented kids to do some different things off platform and drop the arm slot and all that kind of job, but the ones that do it by instinct, that's the ones that are just generational talents. And I think Caleb Williams is one of those guys.

Clint Stoner here with us on the Zach Gelb show. Who wins tomorrow between TCU and Kansas State? I think TCU is too much for them.

I really do. I like what Will Howard's doing at quarterback. I love Deuce Vaughn at the running back position.

Coach Climb, he is an extension of Snyder, if we're being completely honest. They're just a football team that doesn't beat themselves. They've got a quarterback that when he's prepared as the starter, not when Martinez got hurt or Martinez started against Texas, but when Will Howard has started and prepped as the starter, he's been lights out.

Deuce Vaughn is one of my favorite running backs in America right now to watch. With all of that said, I just think that TCU is too explosive and has too much to play for at this point in time. I think TCU wins that ballgame. I think it's a tight, tight ballgame down the stretch.

Zach and I think the Horn Frogs come out. Maybe it's because I really, really want to see four different Power Five conferences represented in a college football playoff, but I'm going to ride the Horn Frogs in that ballgame. You know, I'll tell you, I know Georgia is great this year, but some people thought they were going to take a step back just naturally because of how much talent they lost. If the four teams, Clint Stoner, are Georgia, Michigan, TCU, and USC, it's the first time I ever remember a college football playoff in the history of it where all four clearly exceeded expectations because even going into the year, Georgia was ranked third in the country in that eight people. Look, I'm with you, Zach.

I'm with you from jump. I thought it was way too early to crown Kirby Smart. I don't mean this disrespectfully, by the way, but to crown Kirby Smart as a guy that can all of a sudden just reload. By the way, reloading for Kirby Smart last year to this year, defensively, was five first-round draft picks and I believe two third-round draft picks. I think there was eight top three-round draft picks off of that defense last year. So I was telling everybody, pump the brakes a little bit with the Kirby Smart can reload to that level, right?

And so I agree with you, man. I don't know about everybody else, but my expectations for Georgia were to take not just a little step back but really a big step because on the other side of the ball you look at it and you go, can Stetson Bennett really be Good Morning America Stets? You know what I mean? Could he be that guy that we watched throw for.300 and be half-lit on Good Morning America? Or is he the guy that we watched play 10 ball games and average 11 attempts in the regular season last year?

Who is he? So to me there was a lot more questions around Georgia than I think we really asked initially. So I agree with you. They've overachieved at being a convincing number one in college football right now. Is it Georgia or the field, in your opinion, to win it all, especially with the Michigan news that Blake Coram is going to be done for the year? Man, I think it's Georgia. As I run down the list, I don't think TCU has the Jimmys and Joes. I don't believe USC has the defense to slow down Georgia. And when you look at Michigan, I think they got the dudes down.

I think they can match up. But the one thing that I don't know about J.J. McCarthy, which I love J.J. McCarthy now, look, the swag, the energy, the confidence, it's authentic, man. It's real and it's the it factor. I know that's Coach Speak, but it is the it factor, man. And I believe he's got it.

I think he's going to be really special. But in that in that Michigan, Ohio State game, they had two drives that they that were sustained drives in a 15 play drive and a 10 point drive. One touchdown, one ended in a field goal, which was their very first drive. Other than that, it was all big plays.

That's hard to replicate, man. I love J.J. McCarthy, but I don't know where he's at in development. Is he a guy that can go in there and have five or six scoring drives of 10 or 15 plays?

I don't know, Zach. That's that is a tall task for a young quarterback. I like him. I love Michigan. But in order to win it all, especially if they bump up against Georgia, to win it all, man, he's going to have to sustain drives and process and deliver at a whole different level than what we watched against Ohio State. I'm not ready to bet on that. I'm going to ride Georgia. You can have the field. I'll ride Georgia.

You tell me what kind of dinner you want to buy me. I don't know if I'd make that bet. If Coram was still playing, I would make that bet and have a little bit of fun with it. But now with Coram out, I'm thinking you're right on Georgia on that one. Before we let Clint Sterner run, I want to get your thoughts on Watson in just a second, coming back to Houston. But the coaching carousel, what's been some of your biggest thoughts on some of these coaches hired? Look, the Big Ten West getting significantly, significantly better with their hires.

I mean, that had to happen, man. When you look at the landscape of all of college football, Zach, the one thing to me that sticks out like a sore thumb year in, year out is that the Big Ten is tilted to Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan in a major way. All of them being in one division is unfair for their schools.

And really, it's unfair for everybody else because somebody gets a pass out of the other side of the division. Wisconsin coming back, Nebraska coming back, or at least appearing to with their respective hires, I think is absolutely big time. Look, you freeze, I think is, I mean, we're just living in a world, man, where it's a world, especially college football.

If you're a great play caller, if you're an offensive minded coach that has shown greatness and greatness, the ability to go win at Alabama, win versus Saban in Alabama, do more with less consistently the short stint he had at Ole Miss, I think that is absolutely big time. But you know what, Clint? I can't trust the guy.

I think he's a phenomenal coach on the field, but does he have the mental toughness to do everything else right? Fair, Zach, absolutely fair. But here's the deal, Zach, is any way you go, you're going to take a gamble. Is Deion Sanders ready for power five? I don't know. The gamble is the inexperience.

Is you free? He's going to keep his phone on a straight and narrow and not be texted as escort? I don't know. Is he going to be, I guess he can pay recruits now. Hell, we're not worried about that part of it. I just think if you're willing to put it on the table and you want to literally take your program to the next stage, I don't know how you pass up on guys for blemishes in their past. I mean, everybody else in America's forgiven them, Zach.

But you know what? They wanted Lane Kiffin. They wanted Lane Kiffin. They should have got Lane Kiffin.

If that's the guy that they wanted, they should have got him. That's fine, Zach, but you know what? Lane Kiffin got fired hell before he left town with Saban. He's got a checkered past as well.

Now, it's not as checkered. It's not as checkered as what my man Hugh Freeze has been up to, but there are things in his past that you and I can sit here and go, that's a gamble. Is he going to stick around or is he going to bounce when he doesn't like something? There's a gamble with the majority of these guys, man. And so, I mean, look at Matt Ruhl. Hell, Matt Ruhl just got ran up out of the NFL. I mean, he's a laughingstock of the NFL, man. And they gave him a boatload of money to go be a coach, I mean, to come back to college. I mean, there's a gamble with all of these guys.

I just think that you and I would probably draw the line somewhere before hiring Hugh Freeze, but Auburn clearly has no problem throwing the checkbook at him. Last thing I'll ask you, just what's the vibe in Houston this week? I know it's so weird because the team stinks and the fan base is just completely just tired with the Texans being horrible, but Watson comes back. The whole thing's awkward, right? Yeah, Zach, I don't want to duck and dodge the question, man, but this is the truth of it.

Bro, that is such a layered question here. I mean, look, I'm a football fan first. I don't like the guy, I don't like the man and what he did off the field.

He was living in some kind of slimy way. But I'm a huge fan of the quarterback and I love watching him play football. I think you got fans that are going to wear their Houston Texans number four jerseys and they don't care about what he did off the field. I think you got people that are absolutely disgusted with what he did off the field and aren't even going to attend. And then, you know, I think you got people that could care less about what he did off the field and they're mad because he quit. I mean, there's just so many layers to that, Zach.

I mean, you just got to, I can't wait to go to experience it and see what the hell, what appears to be the biggest group. Do they love him? Do they hate him? Are they protesting?

Are they not? Man, I don't know what to expect. Make sure you listen to him on Sports Radio 610 in Houston, also the field's a 12.

He's the former Arkansas QB in Clint Stoner. You know, I thought your boys were going to be really good this year and I was going to be doing a bunch of pig suey chants, but they were up and down this year. Hang on, Zach. They got bowl eligible, baby. Disappointing year.

No question about it. But guess what news I just got. KJ Jefferson's coming back for another year, baby. Zach Gale, he's not going to the transfer portal. He's not going to the NFL. He's going to be in Fayetteville.

Hey, keep your pig suey's fresh now. We're going to be doing them next year, a whole bunch. Maybe we'll do one then for the bowl game.

We still have that in play as well. Clint Stoner, you're the best. We appreciate it. You got it, brother.

Take care. There you go. Clint started joining us at the Zach Gelb show.

We'll be right back. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 originals, a Cadence 13 studio.

Season two, the Dixie Mafia available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. So my biggest fear is there's going to be snakes in the toilet. We're all afraid of that one strange thing. I'm Larry Mullins, the host of a new short 10 minute podcast called Your Weirdest Fears. We unpack where these fears come from, a rat climbed into my toilet and learn how to manage them. Listen and subscribe to your weirdest fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.

You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. USC strikes first. They're up 7-0 against Utah in the Pac-12 championship game. Let's do a little baseball here right now. And if we're talking baseball on the weekend of Conference Championship weekend and also when you do have some big 13, a week 13 NFL games, you know, there's some pretty big baseball news. Jacob DeGrom has agreed to a five year, 185 million dollar contract.

There is a six year option that would make it 222 million dollars. Here's my immediate reaction as a Mets fan. I'm pissed off. OK, it's that simple. And the reason why I'm so annoyed is not just they didn't get Jacob DeGrom back.

And you can make an argument. He's 34. He turns 35 this summer. Do you want to give him a five, six year contract and pay him that money? He's one of the best pitchers I've ever seen.

I know the guy's never healthy, but when he is healthy, he's a dominant force to be reckoned with. And I wanted him in a Mets uniform for his entire career. But if it came down to that, he went back to the Mets and the Mets said, thanks, but no thanks. We don't want to give a five, six year deal.

Part of me would say, ah, that's not really the Steve Cohen that I thought we were getting. But I have to live with that because they're making a decision saying you don't want to give a five or six year deal potentially to a guy that's in his mid 30s that is never healthy. But the fact that Jacob DeGrom, according to Mike Puma, didn't even go back to the Mets and let them get one last offer shows that Jacob DeGrom didn't want to be there. And that is what annoys me the most, that Jacob DeGrom no longer wanted to be a New York Mets.

And for that, a guy that I love and a guy that's been wonderful to watch, I'm now extremely annoyed at. Because why didn't you want to be a part of this organization anymore? When I was in the locker room this year, when you came back and you were pitching at Citi Field and one of his first few starts back, you're talking about how much you want to win a championship.

How much of that was genuine? And you wanted to win a championship in New York. And now you go to the Texas Rangers?

I'm sorry. Jacob DeGrom, you can say how much you love New York, you can say how much you wanted to be here, you didn't want to be here. Because if you wanted to be here, you would have went back to Steve Cohen, you would have went back to Billy Epler and the Mets and say, guys, this is what I was offered, I'm going to take it unless you do this. But he didn't do that. And it shows he didn't want to be a New York Met anymore. And that is what annoys me.

And it's fraudulent when you say you want to be here and then you don't actually go back to them for that final offer. That's what annoys me. Hickey, I'll let you vent a little bit, I'll let you voice your frustrations, because we'll give you a little behind the scenes, we'll peel back the curtain here. When Clint Sterner joined us, and he was great, at 808, and I saw Hickey was kind of fidgeting behind the glass, and he was shaking a little bit, and I go, what the heck is wrong with Hickey right now? And he got as pale as a ghost could be, and Hickey's like a tanned guy.

And I saw my phone was blowing up, and I looked down at 808 p.m. Eastern, and all my friends were like, DeGrom's gone, DeGrom's gone, DeGrom's gone. And it was right in the middle of Clint Sterner giving a great answer, I think, on CJ Stroud, and I kind of just blanked, because I said to Hickey, I got in the talkback, but you guys can't hear, I'm like, hey, Hickey, did DeGrom just leave? And Hickey just looks at me, and his face said it all, he didn't even have to say no.

I was like, yeah, he left. Hickey goes, yeah, he's gone. And I go, and then Hickey goes, I'm not going to tell you who yet.

And I go, and then I looked at Twitter and all that. So, go ahead, Hickey. I'm so, so pissed.

This is my favorite play of all time. This guy was, should have been a Met for his career, now that actually they're finally good when he's like at an elite level. This is, he's coming back to Citi Field, Rangers come in August, I don't care, I'm booing him. You're booing him?

I'm booing him, screw him. But you know what, I think it's fair, because he, it's not as if the Mets said- You don't want to be here, we don't want you. No, we don't know what the Mets offered him, but I haven't seen it out there yet. And if they offered him the same deal, he clearly didn't want to be here. But the fact that you didn't allow Mr. Moneybags and Steve Cohen to give you one final offer, he didn't want to be here. And that's why I would agree with you, whenever he comes back to Citi Field, and don't get me wrong, the guy had a great career.

The guy was wonderful. Guy never won a World Series though. He's won multiple Cy Youngs. He pitched his ass off in New York. But when you don't want to be here, it's not that you ruin your career, the guy's a great pitcher. But people remember that at the end that you didn't want to be here, you bailed, you left, you made a decision, and I do think there's going to be a lot of fans that are going to bill. If he would have went to the Mets, and he would have said, Steve, this is what I'm offering, I'm going to take it if you don't give me a better offer, and Steve said thanks but no thanks, then you voiced your frustration with Steve Cohen. But the fact that Jake didn't do that, if it's true for Mike Puma, shows that he didn't want to be here. And that's why I'm annoyed at Jake. See, and that's why all the frustrations towards him, and that's why I would never burn a jersey. I think it's the dumbest thing any sports fan could do. Whatever one level below that is, I don't know how to quantify that, but whatever one level below jersey burning, that's how I'm feeling right now.

It is the Zach Gelb Show on CBS Sports Radio. We got any depression food to order now? I wasn't even hungry, but I feel like we gotta order some things right now.

Did he just eat our sorrows away at 8.33 PM Eastern? You got any suggestions, Hickey? I'm looking for you for a suggestion. I don't know where I am right now.

Ooh, Chinese food's good. See, look at Ack tonight. Look at Ack tonight. Ack, your thoughts on Jacob the Grown? Good riddance.

Good riddance. You know, look, I don't mean that to be disrespectful in any way, but look, five years for a 34-year-old pitcher with his history. Never healthy.

Look, he's terrific, but how often is he going to be terrific going forward? You know, you can't, if you're the Mets, you can't pay somebody going forward based on what he's done. It just doesn't work that way. But at least have the opportunity to make that decision. I think that's part of it. He didn't give him an opportunity, it seems like. I think that's part of it. You know, I also think that the fact that he was so adamant about opting out kind of gave you a little bit of insight that, you know, he... Or he wanted one last big contract, and he got it.

A little bit of both, yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's an insane contract. I mean, God bless him for getting the money. Yeah. But $185 million plus an option for a 34-year-old pitcher with his history of injuries? That is a lot. I just had someone that hasn't texted me that I have not talked to in 10 years just text me about this.

No time like the present. That's amazing. Hickey smiles. It's okay. It's going to be all right there, buddy.

No. See, this is the problem with the craft that Hickey chooses to pursue. When it's his team and something doesn't go his way...

I get it. He can't speak. Like, Hickey right now can't speak.

The fact that he said he was able to say into the microphone that he's pissed off is like a big step. But this is... And I remember feeling something like this as a Mets fan when Darryl Strawberry left. And I understand where Hickey's coming from because this is a guy to... Like, when it's a really high prospect, you expect big things. But this was a homegrown player for the Mets and a guy who blossomed and a guy who came up under the radar and really just became a great, great pitcher.

I mean, right now, a borderline Hall of Famer if his career ended today. It is Zach Yelp's show on CBS Sports Radio. Jacob deGrom leaving Queens. And he's going to Texas as he's joining the Rangers. You can think O'Reilly Auto Parts for how your car care needs get guaranteed low prices.

And excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm in a rush to making money.

I'm not in a rush to hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio.

Season two, The Dixie Mafia, available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out? Getting a paper cut on my eyeball. A fear you can't shake? I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks.

It's going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you, I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins, on my new podcast, Your Weirdest Fears.

Listen and subscribe to Your Weirdest Fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. Throughout the 60s and 70s, cops hunted down key figures of the Dixie Mafia, including its enigmatic ringleader, Kirksey Nix. I'm in a rush to making money.

I'm not in a rush to hurting people. Fifteen years into Kirksey's life sentence, the Dixie Mafia was practically folklore, but that would soon change. I'm Jed Lipinski. This is Gone South, a documentary podcast from C-13 Originals, a Cadence 13 studio. Season two, The Dixie Mafia, available now on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to The Zach Gelb Show. Zach's taking on the most polarizing issues in sports. Which side of the line of scrimmage will he end up on?

Offside, defense number 69. It's onsides, offsides with Zach Gelb on CBS Sports Radio. This season, for the first time, you can hear every Westin1 NFL broadcast stream live for free.

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All right, Hickey, what do you got? Let's talk some football, Zach. Let's not talk baseball because Jacob deGrom, you scaredy cat. You don't want to be in New York anymore.

Now you're going to join the Texas Rangers. He has the guts to go back to Steve Cohen and Company and say make me one last offer. All right, I had to keep on yelling about that. Sorry, I apologize.

In better times or in happier days ahead, Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes will meet for the third time in a calendar year. Hickey just does not want to touch this deGrom topic anymore. No, it's just... I would fight him if I could. That's how pissed off I am.

You would fight him? The last time I was this upset, I vowed to never be a Mets fan when the Mets traded R.A. Dickey. I loved R.A. Dickey. Oh, come on. And I said I will never be a Mets fan again when the rumors are out there if they traded him.

Now, clearly I didn't follow through. But now I feel the same way but opposite. I will never root for Jacob deGrom ever again. I never want to see his face ever again. And again, I will boo him and boo the hell out of him when he comes to the field in late August. Were you more annoyed when Andrew Luck left the Colts or when Jacob deGrom left the Mets? Jacob deGrom, I did not met Andrew Luck.

I have no ill will towards him whatsoever. Because he made a decision that was based off his health just not being in his spot. Because the Colts did it to themselves. Yeah. It's fair.

He's been here for five years and you wonder why he wants to leave. Can't question him. All right. Anyway, let's get all inside. Yeah.

So, again, in happier times. All my material, all my shtick. The Voldemort thing that I always bring up from time to time. You hear me speak and you just keep on using my.

I never heard you say Voldemort. Oh, I've said it multiple times. Oh, I don't mean to steal from you then. My apologies. I'll throw it out. You don't even realize you're doing it just because how much you hear me speak each and every day. I will throw it out of my vocabulary.

Soon, he's going to be saying like, oh, hey, the Mets just lost Jacob the ground. What is it? Gavolt? That's another one. Oh, Gavolt. I think I butchered that one. Let's go.

All right. Joe Burrow, Patrick Holmes, third time meeting on Sunday. This is the biggest matchup of week number 13. And Mahomes looks to do something on Sunday.

He's never done his career. That is beat Joe Burrow. The Bengals won both matchups last year. A thirty one thirty thirty four thirty one thriller in week 17. The Bengals won again in the AFC title game.

Twenty seven twenty four. Now Burrow is not the only or is the only excuse me, young AFC quarterback that the Patrick Patrick Holmes is not beat. He can't speak.

He's he's paralyzed because of the ground leaving. Mahomes is 0 and 2 against Burrow. He has a winning record against every other young quarterback, including Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Justin Herbert.

So Zach, I just ask the question, I have no clue what you're even saying anymore. Joe Burrow will be Patrick Mahomes' biggest rival for the next decade. Offside offside. Now Burrow has been the one guy that has consistently beat him. He beat him twice. Herbert in his division.

Josh Allen. Those games just seem bigger. Even the last year was division round game. And what was the AFC title game?

And here's the thing. Like whenever Mahomes goes up against someone, it's oh, can this person step up to the occasion? Now it's can Burrow continue this against Mahomes? Can Mahomes defeat Burrow?

So it's a little bit different. And Lamar Jackson's had some good games obviously against Patrick Mahomes as well and the Kansas City Chiefs. But I just think Josh Allen and Mahomes, those for now seem like the two titans inside the AFC, even though Burrow just got to the Super Bowl. But it just seems like right now, Allen Mahomes is bigger than Burrow Mahomes, even though Mahomes has lost to Burrow twice. And we know Allen's in a postseason game has not taken down Patrick Mahomes.

All right. So that's the biggest marquee match of week 13, right, Chiefs and Bengals. But another really good match of the week 13 features the Dolphins traveling out west to take on the 49ers in Santa Clara. That too has been tremendous this season. He's 8-0 in games. He started and finished. He's thrown 19 touchdowns to three interceptions. On the other side, Jimmy G's done pretty well so far for Trey Lance as he's guided San Francisco to the NFC West lead and is playing well enough that there was conversations on this very network earlier this week of whether the 49ers should consider keeping Jimmy Garoppolo past this season. So on the offside, Zach, this is a more important game for Tua to play well in compared to Jimmy G. No, because Tua's already showed me so much in terms of that he's 8-0 in games that he starts and finishes this year. And we've seen Tua have that comeback against the Bills this year. We've seen Tua have that comeback against the Baltimore Ravens. For Jimmy Garoppolo, there's still questions, and we haven't seen the 49ers play great yet this year, even though Jimmy's playing division is a little bit better than years past. I think this game is more important to Jimmy G than Tua Tonga-Wailoa, especially with how open the NFC is, where in the AFC, sure, the Dolphins have been really good, but I haven't heard many people say, oh, the Dolphins should go to the Super Bowl this year.

I've heard that with the 49ers. So I've got to see the 49ers play better against an elite opponent, which we've not seen this year. So I'm going offsides on that one.

Offside. Alrighty, conference championship weekend is here, and a few teams in the top four do have some tricky matchups. USC Utah is underway in Las Vegas. USC just scored another touchdown right now. It is 13-3, soon to be 14-3. And just a reminder that Hot Take Kiki said that Utah was going to win this game tonight.

That's right. Not looking good so far. I apologize to those rooting for the Utah Utes. Mush, mush, mush, mush, mush. Caleb Williams has looked very, very good. What else is new?

I don't know. The Heisman Trophy winner. A guy's going to win the Heisman, looking pretty good. Surprise, surprise.

Yeah, and he's really taken his game to even a higher level since that Utah loss back in October. Mush, mush, mush, mush. Hot Take Kiki, Hot Take Kiki.

Mush, mush, mush, mush. Big 12 title game. Again, 14-3 right now. USC over Utah late in the first quarter. Number three, TCU will have their hands full at number 10, Kansas State.

As a Horned Frogs, they needed injuries to the top two quarterbacks for the Wildcats in that game in order for TCU to win that one 38-28 earlier this season. Trojans coming into the game before it started, they were three-point favorites. The Horned Frogs against Kansas State tomorrow in the Big 12 title game are one and a half point favorites.

Onsides are offside. Zach, both USC and TCU will win this weekend. Well, I like the number with USC tonight, so I picked USC, and I do think TCU is going to win as well. But if TCU loses, let's say USC wins tonight, then you get into that tricky debate, is it TCU or Ohio State, and I have no clue what the committee will do.

But I do think both USC and TCU are going to win, so onsides. It appears that all roads for primetime lead to Boulder. CBS News Colorado has reported that the Buffaloes are planning to offer Deion Sanders an annual salary starting at $5 million, which would put them right around the top 20 in terms of head coaching salaries in the country. Now former USC safety and CBS Sports Central analyst, Sue Cravens, tweeted that according to his sources, Sanders to Boulder is a done deal. Deion is reportedly entertaining offers as well, along from Colorado, along with Cincinnati and USF.

Onsides are offside, Zach. Deion Sanders will be the next head coach of Colorado. Isn't this the worst kept secret? Like when he did that interview the other day and the reporter was saying, oh yeah, I'm going to the Broncos game next week, you want to join me, you know, can I get a ride from you? And he's laughing. It's pretty obvious what's going to happen. And I don't know, like, I know there was that report that Cincinnati and USF are interested, but do they offer him a job like that is unknown. We know he confirmed that Colorado already offered him the job. So I think he's taking the Colorado job and they win the conference championship this weekend tomorrow at Jackson State. Did a great job there.

We all know that. He wants to be a power five coach at a big school eventually one day. It seems like he needs to go to school like Colorado, have a year or two success before a bigger school takes him on. Yeah. I kind of do think that Deion Sanders, it's a lot that he's going to Colorado onsides.

I saw this on Twitter yesterday, cracked me. I think Deion Sanders after the game is going to be like a recruit, have the three hats Colorado, USF, Cincinnati, I'm going to place one of the great promoters of all time. Now I will say this. I may go to a Colorado game then this year, my sister just moved out there. I have a niece to go visit now. And not only that, guess who plays Colorado earlier in the season in Colorado in college football temple, not temple. I got two other football teams I root for in college, Nebraska. Yep.

Interesting. Little Nebraska, Colorado, early September. You in? I was just, I was going to say, when are you going to go?

That's a big question for you. It's going to get cold out there in November. I see you're going early on smart man onsides Deion Sanders to Colorado. Finally, a game you saw in person yesterday and got to witness firsthand. It was a rough night for the Patriots offense. They mustered just 10 points as Mac Jones did throw for 223 yards and two touchdowns. But as you mentioned, he was seen screaming and Matt pressures his direction in frustration for the conservative nature of the play calling. For the season, the second year quarterback is averaging just 218 yards per game, has seven touchdown passes to seven interceptions onsides or offsides Zach, you are starting to get concerned about Mac Jones. I'm concerned because Matt Patricia is the play caller. They don't have a number one wide receiver. They don't do what teams like the Eagles and the Dolphins do surround their young quarterback with offensive minds and great weapons plural there, not singular weapons. So I don't know how I could evaluate Mac Jones and this is then going to be the end of year two and extra, but year three. And do I think they're going to drastically upgrade the team this off season?

I don't know. I don't know if they're going to get a great receiver. I don't know if they're going to change a play call.

I hope they do. But until I see that, that's a big concern. And therefore I'll be concerned about the quarterback because I can't properly evaluate the quarterback.

So onsides Zach Gelb shows CBS sports radio, one thought in every NFL game coming up this weekend when we return in five minutes and they're in the break, Kiki is going to walk out of the studio, probably curse a lot since Jacob to ground has left the meds and he's going to the Texas Rangers. So my biggest fear is there's going to be snakes in the toilet. We're all afraid of that one strange thing. I'm Larry Mullins, the host of a new short 10 minute podcast called your weirdest fears. We unpack where these fears come from a rat climbed into my toilet and learn how to manage them. Listen and subscribe to your weirdest fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. Is there something really absurd that skeeves you out getting a paper cut on my eyeball of fear?

You can't shake. I'm going to leak ocular fluid down my cheeks is going to go into my mouth and I will perish. Whatever scares you.

I want to talk about it. Join me, Larry Mullins on my new podcast, your weirdest fears. Listen and subscribe to your weirdest fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. So my biggest fear is there's going to be snakes in the toilet. We're all afraid of that one strange thing. I'm Larry Mullins, the host of a new short 10 minute podcast called your weirdest fears. We unpack where these fears come from a rat climbed into my toilet and learn how to manage them. Listen and subscribe to your weirdest fears on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts.