Cowboy Up (Hour 4)

Yo, yo, it is the Zach Gelb show, coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. We're coming to you live from the Rocket Mortgage Studios.

Whether you're looking to purchase a new home or refinance yours, Rocket Mortgage can help you get there for home loan solutions that fit your life well, Rocket can. So, Ian Rappaport, NFL insider, big reporter at the NFL Network, said three teams that Sean Payton would be interested in returning to coaching to are the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers and the New Orleans Saints. So we could have this conversation one or two ways. So let's have them both ways.

Conversation number one. Going to the Rams, is it likely or unlikely? I think it's unlikely because I think Sean McVeigh is going to be the coach next year, not Sean Payton. The Chargers possibility because I don't believe in Brandon Staley.

Finances. And. If the Chargers make the playoffs, are they still going to be moving, willing to move on from Brandon Staley for Sean Payton and I would. Now, the Saints that comes to me as someone that would be desperate.

Like. I got away. They didn't have a quarterback. The Saints really aren't that much different than when he left them a year ago.

So if you're going back, it's whatever else is out there, I can't get. And I need to coach. I want to coach. I have to coach. I'm addicted to coaching.

So they have my rights. I don't know if I'm going to be there for the rest of my career, but for at least next season, I will go there. But let's have this conversation out in a different way. Hickey, I'm going to give you Sean Payton to the Rams. How are we talking about them this time next year? If Sean Payton goes to the Rams on December 14th in 2023, as we're down the home stretch of next football season, how would it be talking about the LA Rams? Definitely a playoff team. Definitely.

Definitely a playoff team. Well, why wouldn't they? What would be so drastically different from this version to next year? I'm asking.

Okay. They'll be healthier. But not a Super Bowl team, probably. I still think they'd be in the mix, yeah. With what offensive line, though? Well, I'm assuming you obviously retooled that, but otherwise you have Matthew Stafford who won you a Super Bowl ready, assuming he is back. You have Cooper Cupp. You got Allen Robinson, which you would think in year number two be a little more comfortable. He was brutal in year number one. You still have Aaron Donald. You still got Bobby Wagner.

Assuming Donald comes back. I don't think this Rams team is that good. They have talent. But I don't think they're a great team.

Now, they won last year. You give them all the credit in the world, but that line is god-awful, and I know it's as easy to say, oh, fix the offensive line. Not always as easy to just go on out there and get the right guys to build up the synergy on that offensive line. They don't really have much of a run game. Cam Akers, we know, doesn't want to be there. And you got Matthew Stafford, who he's walking wounded right now.

Talk about neck injury, concussions, elbow injury. Can they make the playoffs? Yes, because they would be healthier, but I would not expect them to be a Super Bowl contender next year. If I'm Sean Payton and I go to the Rams, I think it's more so I want to stay in L.A., they have a good enough roster, but you know, you're going to have to do some significant retooling of this roster. That's a long-term play.

I don't think it's OK, just a short-term play. Like, I'm instantly going to win there because I really don't know how much longer Matthew Stafford's going to play and then you don't have a quarterback. And I don't know how much longer Aaron Donald's going to play. And without Stafford and Donald, you don't have enough to go in there. And I think there's a legitimate chance that Stafford's done and Donald's done after this year. Now, maybe Donald plays one more season. Stafford, I think he wants to play. But if his wife comes to him and says, Hey, babe, you got a Super Bowl.

You have all the money. We're not talking about a neck injury yet. Bunch of other injuries that he suffered as well.

I don't think it's a slam dunk. I don't think the Rams with what they've showed this year and all the injuries and the way that they view the team. There's a there's a lot of instability there that they're going to have to fix that team. All right.

Now I'll ask you this. Chargers. If Sean Payton is with the Chargers December 14th next year, how are we talking about the Chargers? Definitely a playoff team.

I think a Super Bowl contender. Because Brandon Staley has been a wild card. I know that defense needs to play better, but they did play great against the Dolphins.

Now it's one isolated game. Let's not get carried away. But you have so much talent on that team. And when you have so much talent on a team and it could go all right, that talent gets hurt or they don't reach their potential. The reason why the Chargers aren't reaching their potential, they've had injuries this year, is I don't trust the guy that's being the straw to stir the drink in Brandon Staley. And if you go get Sean Payton, there's no more, oh, the guy on the sideline we can't trust.

Or the guy on the sideline becomes a story of, yeah, I'm not believing that he could go out there and put us in the best position to win as many games as possible. So I would look at the Chargers as a legitimate, still behind Kansas City in the AFC West. You know, could they win the division? Sure. But until Kansas City drops the division, I'm not picking against Kansas City.

I think a lot of people are in that lesson this year. But for the Chargers, if they get Sean Payton with the amount of great names they have on that roster, I think that team could be ready to go win a Super Bowl. How about the Saints? Sean goes back to New Orleans, where we all know he's king, and he joins the Saints next year. How are we talking about the Saints?

2023, December 14th. I would say probably a playoff team, because I don't think he's going back without a quarterback. Okay, what happens if you don't get Tom Brady? What if Tom says I'm going to the 49ers? Screw you, Sean.

I think he has a plan. I would guess. Again, I don't think you're going back to the Saints, just kind of either putting all your eggs in one basket of Tom Brady or going blind back there.

Because, like you said, there's not much difference between when you retire and now. Is that roster making the playoffs? No.

I'm just trying to go through the options. Does Aaron Rodgers go to New Orleans? I don't know. I don't think Aaron Rodgers is getting traded this offseason, but remember, there was a stretch for Sean Payton was 7-9 back-to-back-to-back seasons in New Orleans. It's not as if just because Sean Payton is there, they make the playoffs, and I don't think that roster is all that good. I would view them as a team that would miss the playoffs.

I would think that they'd be on the outside looking in. And also, they're never healthy. Whether Sean was there or not, like Drew Brees towards the end, never healthy. Michael Thomas, never healthy. Alvin Kamara misses games throughout the season, and who knows what happens with his whole situation.

That suspension didn't happen yet, and that was kind of punted. So I don't think that team, they have a solid defense, but I don't think that team is that good. So I would say that the Saints would miss the playoffs. So you think just because they have Sean Payton, any of those three destinations automatically makes them a playoff team again, just because of the coach? For the Saints, yes. For the rosters of the Chargers and the Rams, I still think they're playoff teams next year with the talent they have, regardless of the coach. And then obviously Sean Payton puts them over the top for the Chargers. The Rams have a great coach now, so it's not like you're going from 0 to 100. If Sean's the coach of the Rams this year, if Sean Payton's the coach of the Rams this year, I don't think it's anything different. No, yeah, injuries. Injuries in bad offensive line play. But the Saints, and I'm not a fan of Dennis Allen, but do you think the Saints win that many more games this year if Sean Payton's the coach of Dennis Allen?

This year, no. Not with Andy Dolan and Jamis Winston, but again, he retired because he's a quarterback. I don't think he's going back to the same place he left without having a plan at quarterback. Yeah, I think his plan is Brady, but I have a tough time seeing Brady fall on Sean Payton to New Orleans. That's just me. I don't think Payton's taking the job blind.

That's all I'll say. Well, if you are addicted to coaching and you feel as if you have to get back and that team has your rights, it could be, all right, this is kind of like a holdover. A little bit.

That I'm going to go there and, you know, just coach because I want to coach. I really remember this is a guy that fell in love as much as I love Sean Payton and think he's a great coach. It's the guy that thought Taysom Hill was going to be all that. So he does do some wacky things at the quarterback position. But the lack of a QB also drove him out of the league in the first place.

It did. But he clearly misses the game and he clearly wants to go back. And if it's OK, I want to be in the convenience, even though they have good rosters. You know, Chargers and then, you know, the Rams on the Super Bowl two years ago. I think the reason why the Rams are getting thrown out is more so because he's in L.A. and he wants to be in L.A. But if you don't get the Rams because if Sean McVay doesn't retire, then only L.A. option are Los Angeles Chargers. And then if you don't get either of those, there's not another team you would consider.

If you're Sean Payton and this is an early report. So there'd be go, let's just go back to New Orleans. If I'm him, you left New Orleans. I know you could always go back home. But if it came down to going to the Saints or staying at Fox, I would stay at Fox for another year. That's the point that I'm getting at.

And I don't even think it's it's really a point that you could argue. Unless you tell me who the quarterback is that you're going to be getting. And if you just say, oh, Brady, because he did two podcasts with him and they have a good relationship and then Brady doesn't go. Then you run that risk of Andy Dalton, Jamis Winston. And even if you're bringing in a Derek Carr, Jimmy Garoppolo. I don't think like Derek Carr is not gonna make the playoffs this year with some good weapons. Jimmy G's a solid quarterback, but he's had a creme de la creme roster in the 49ers.

So I really do think if those are the only three options he'll consider and we'll see what happens when the actual jobs open up and what happens. The Rams, the charges of the Saints for me, assuming that the Rams don't open. It's charges are bust. It's charges are sit out. I'm not going to Arizona if Cliff Kingsbury, if they fire him.

That to me is not desirable. I don't think the the Saints are going to trade him to the Panthers. I really do think this could be charges or bust for Sean Payton or the one other one that I'll throw in there. The Dallas Cowboys because it's not looking like Mike McCarthy right now is going to get fired because they're 10-3. But remember the way that we spoke about Mike McCarthy after last year's playoff game when that team was really damn good in the regular season as well.

Alrighty. Let me give you some audio here because it's not only the conversation about Sean Payton. This is from 93-7, the fan in Pittsburgh with the PM drive team of Andrew Filipponi and Chris Muller. You can both hear from time to time on CBS Sports Radio. NFL insider, the man behind pro football talk, Mike Florio, says Mike Tomlin and Bill Belichick could get traded this offseason.

Listen up. I don't think teams do that enough where you can try to basically trade for a coach on another team. It happened a couple of times in the past decade. We know it's going to happen with Sean Payton at some point, but he's already stepped away from the Saints. I'm talking about trading for a guy like a John Gruden when he was with the Raiders. Buccaneers come in, couple of first round picks, $8 million.

Boom. They do the deal. There was compensation at one point for Herm Edwards, compensation for Bruce Arians. He was already quote-unquote retired by the Arizona Cardinals, but it wouldn't surprise me if Tepper does. Another thing to keep an eye on for that possibility is Bill Belichick, not necessarily for the Panthers. But there's some storm clouds in New England surrounding Belichick, and the Patriots wouldn't fire him. I think they'd just make it known, hey, if somebody out there wants to hire this guy, let's make a deal.

You're not going to let that guy walk away for no compensation, and somebody else would surely throw a bunch of money at him to show up. So maybe Tomlin to Carolina? It wouldn't surprise me if it happens. Maybe Belichick to somewhere else?

It wouldn't surprise me if it happens. I'm surprised that that vehicle isn't used more often for teams to go out and hire highly accomplished Super Bowl winning coaches. If one was to get traded this offseason, they just won. And you could tell me that you don't think either of them are getting traded. But let's just say if I told you one is getting traded this offseason, more likely Belichick or Tomlin, because I think it would be Tomlin.

I would agree. I think Tomlin would be more likely for this offseason. And if you're Mike Tomlin, and I've said this before, if the Steelers want to get rid of you, I think it benefits you more than it benefits the Steelers. Now, if it's via trade, and I guess he would still have some power because he could say, like, I don't want to coach that team.

I didn't sign up to coach that team, so I'm not going to coach that team. So then he could veto a trade that way. But if he gets to pick where he wants to go, and then it's okay to just work out compensation, I do think Tomlin would be arguably the top choice in the market.

It would be him or Sean Payton. So one of those two guys, there would be teams firing their coaches to go either make a trade or go hire their guy. But I don't think Tomlin is going anywhere. I think the Rooney family is too smart. I don't think they're going to get, they don't like to change, you know, Chuck Knoll, Kauer, and Tomlin, the three coaches, what, the last 50, 60 years, whatever it's been.

So I don't think that's going to happen. But the idea of David Tepper, who has spent a lot of money, who has obviously a background with the Steelers. I could see him saying, I want Mike Tomlin at least placing a call to the Steelers and seeing where it goes from there. I think the Steelers connection, I think, makes it more likely than not, because you're not just shipping them off to a blind team, if you will. You obviously know David Tepper very well. And you would assume Tomlin and Tepper have a good relationship, you would think. So it's not like you're shipping them off to Siberia or you just give them to a bad owner, like a Dan Snyder-esque guy, like you're still, even though you are breaking up with Mike Tomlin for the Steelers, you are still in a way taking care of him or you're sending him to an owner that you trust, at least. That the Steelers trust, you're saying.

Yes. And again, you think if Tomlin, I agree with you, he has to be, you know, he has to agree. Yeah, I really don't know what David Tepper is as an owner, to be honest with you. Aggressive?

Impatient? I really do not know what David Tepper is as an owner. And time will tell. But if you get Mike Tomlin, I think if you're a Panthers fan, you're jumping for joy. And, you know, you hear about meddling, maybe you can say that, you know, Mike Tomlin is the guy that would allow or force David Tepper to be more hands off, which could allow, you know, again, Carolina to blossom.

Yeah, but you know what? It seems like Tomlin really does love Kenny Pickett. You're going to a place that doesn't have a quarterback. So now you got to go find that next quarterback where you do have a good relationship with the guy that you just drafted or played a role in bringing in Kenny Pickett. So not that Kenny Pickett is the end all be all, but I don't know how much Tomlin would be dying to go there.

But if the team wants to get rid of you, then you got to consider things. Now Belichick. Let's entertain this. I think Belichick is back in New England next year. Where the heck would Bill Belichick go?

Every team, don't get me wrong, we know teams would be interested. But who's who is the team that's getting the deal done where Belichick says, I'm going there? And also would have the opening or would get rid of their coach to bring in Belichick? Because we all know how great Belichick is. But if you're bringing in Belichick and maybe he lets the GM be the GM, but you know that he's going to be the judge, jury and executioner. I'm trying to like envision Belichick in a different uniform or different hoodie.

And I don't got one for you, Hickey. Like you're not going to Denver. I know they have a really good defense, but Russell Wilson's been brutal. If this was last year, I could see him going to the Giants. Yeah, he has a lot of respect for the Giants, but they have Brian Debo. Right.

Debo is part of his tree. I don't, you know, could Belichick stab someone in the back? Here's one. What about the Browns? Are you serious?

Yeah. You know his history in Cleveland. He despises Cleveland.

He despises the Models who took them to Baltimore. So it's like, would you go back and get revenge on a team that's now you play twice a year? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Go back home, if you will, where you first started.

No. Belichick even still to this day, there's a few teams that he kind of perks up a little bit extra for. And it's still the Browns. It's still the Colts. And it's the Jets, which is funny that it's those three teams. It's not like those are any teams that you're really shaking in your boots when when you get ready to play them.

I'm trying to think here. Is there a team in the AFC where you could see him going to? And I mean, I don't think I go to the Chargers. I don't think you get traded in the AFC.

So you think it'd be more. I would guess if you're Robert Kraft, you're going to be the right owner to. He's not working with Jerry Jones. No, he's not working with Dan Snyder.

Absolutely not. Is he going to the desert in Arizona? You don't got a quarterback next year. Oh, he does like you could you could have to be the offensive coordinator in Arizona because no one's going to care about that offense next year with Kyler Murray out. Seriously, there's now don't get this twisted. Obviously, teams would be lining up to get Belichick. But like right away, we talk about Tom and with the connections with Tepper. OK, maybe there's a line there. There's not one that comes to the to the top of the brain right away.

The tip of the tongue that makes me go, oh, yeah, that's that's going to be it. I guess the only thing I'll say in retort is I never would have envisioned Tom Brady in a Buccaneers uniform. And here we are. I know it's a little different. Totally fair. Totally fair. That would be very weird.

Oh, man. Tom, Bill Belichick's head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Just to get back at the Jets twice a year. It is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. We come on back.

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You can think of all the other parts for car care needs get guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people at O'Reilly Auto Parts. Let's get to a little overreaction or proper reaction. Another NFL week is complete, which means it's another week to freak out about your favorite team. Which teams are truly crazy, but sometimes the game can be so bad it's almost good. You know what I'm saying?

And which are so crazy they might be right. He's six five. He's two hundred forty five pounds.

He's probably a Popeye's biscuit away from being a tight end. Zach let you know in this week's edition of overreaction or proper reaction. All right. How take Kiki who thought he was too big time to go to the company holiday party today. And I thought that was a proper reaction by yours truly. Give me the first question up and overreaction or proper reaction. Is it an overreaction or proper reaction? Zach to say that the Lions will make the playoffs.

I think that's a proper reaction. Now this game out of all their games left on their schedule is the one game that concerns me. Because you know why, Hickey? This is the first time in a long time where the Lions are starting to feel themselves. Because everyone this week, Detroit, Detroit, Detroit, Detroit. I love Detroit. I love the Lions. Jared Goff, DeAndre Swift, Jamal Williams, Amara St. Brown, P'Nae Sewell, A'Dard Hutchinson, Darren Campbell.

Bite us some kneecaps. We love the Lions. Usually when everyone loves one team, that team loses. And it's a pick'em. In some books, the Lions are one point favorite. And you have a Jets team that has a really good defense. Now offensively, I don't know what to expect out of the Jets. So that could be a big problem. But it's not as if this Lions defense is the 85 Bears.

So this one does concern me. But I think they could win three out of four. And if you win three out of four, you're right there to make the playoffs at nine and eight. But I'm going to say that it's a proper- I'm kind of thinking the Lions are going to make the playoffs.

Maybe I'm a sucker. But with the way that they've been playing after going one and six, and they've won five out of the last six games. I'll say it. I kind of believe in the Lions to make the playoffs. All right, let's keep the NFC playoff talk going because really the last two wildcard spots in the NFC are going to come down to four teams. The aforementioned Lions, which you said are in. The Seahawks, the Giants, and the Commanders. So is it an overreaction, Zach, or a proper reaction to say both the Seahawks and Giants will both miss the playoffs?

Heading into this weekend, I don't think it is. I think that's a proper reaction because I'm starting to lean that the Lions are going to get in. And I like the Commanders more than the Giants.

And I don't like what I saw recently. The last few weeks from the Giants and then really up against the Panthers for the Seattle Seahawks. You mentioned the Jets before. Let's talk about the Jets and their quarterback. It is going to be Mike White for this week. But overreaction and proper reaction, Mike White is playing his way into being the Jets 2023 starting quarterback.

Yeah, that's a proper reaction. I'm not saying that the idea of thinking that Mike White is going to be starting quarterback next year doesn't make you go explore something else. But I don't think it's going to be Zach Wilson.

And if it's not Zach Wilson, you don't have the draft pick right now to go draft someone in the top 10 because you're playing well. Could you go out and trade for an Aaron Rodgers? Aaron Rodgers is going to want to request a trade. And would he want to go to the Jets?

I don't know. And you know Tom Brady is not going to the Jets. And could you get Jimmy Garoppolo? Sure. Could you go trade for Derek Cardia?

Really want to do that? I'm starting to think it's more and more likely that Mike White is going to be quarterbacking Game 1 for the Jets next year. We unfortunately saw Kyler Murray tear his ACL on Monday night. He'll be out the rest of this year and a large chunk at least of next year as well.

Overreaction and proper reaction Zach. The Cardinals should enter a rebuild around Kyler Murray. Enter a rebuild around Kyler Murray.

Aren't they already kind of in that? In a weird way, what do they have that you love? Outside of the Andre Hopkins, what do they have that you love with that Arizona Cardinals theme, Ryan? I like their secondary as a whole. But the rest of the football team, you got a lot of old guys there.

They do. JJ Watt. You got AJ Green.

You brought in Marquise Hollywood Brown. He dropped the ball the other night. The offensive line is not very good. Banged up. The team's not very good. 4-9 for a reason. When you say rebuild, you mean getting rid of Cliff Kingsbury? Not even that.

Just tank it. You're not going to be good next year. Just basically say Kyler, you're out all next year too. Just kind of use this year and a quarter to serve as a reset for 2024. I don't want to seem insensitive here because Steve Keim is taking a leave of absence with a health issue and we wish him nothing but the best. But when you say rebuild, it does make you think you're getting rid of the GM and the head coach.

I'd be in that camp. Yeah. And I think it's tough to argue at this point. So yeah, I think that's a proper reaction. You got a rebuild around Murray and I have a feeling that DeAndre Hopkins is going to want to force a trade. This is no sources or anything.

This is just gut. I think DeAndre Hopkins is going to try to find a way to force a trade this year. I don't think he's happy in Arizona. It's been a rough last two games for Tua, Tongva, Loa and losses to the 49ers and the Chargers. Overreaction or proper reaction, the Dolphins should think twice, but having Tua as their 2023 starter.

Overreaction. You don't need to go pay him an extension though this offseason. That's for sure. Now, I know Herbert probably getting a deal done this offseason. Burrow probably going to get a deal done this offseason as they both have all completed year number three in the NFL. But I would tell Tua, go prove it another year. Unless he goes out there and dominates in the playoffs, I am making him prove it another year, but he is definitely your starting quarterback next year. Definitely.

Speaking of starting quarterbacks, overreaction or proper reaction, Baker Mayfield has a real shot to be the Rams 2023 starting quarterback. By design? Is that what you're asking?

By design? Yeah. Oh yeah. I'll go overreaction. I'm not going to get all crazy off the final three minutes of a game. Is there a chance that Stafford retires and then Baker's there and he stays there? Absolutely. But I'm not ready to say that he's going to be their starting quarterback next year.

It was phenomenal what he did. Less than 48 hours, walks in on that Thursday Night Football, and down 16-3, wins the game with under four minutes to go, but let's not get carried away and say he's starting for that team next year. Here's an obvious statement. Everyone in the NFC is chasing the 12-1 Philadelphia Eagles. So overreaction or proper reaction, Zach, the Cowboys are the biggest threat to the Eagles in the NFC.

That is an overreaction. I think the Cowboys are the third best team in the NFC, but I look at San Francisco, what they did the last two weeks and the dominant way that they won. Not like what happened with the Cowboys where they had to grind one out up against the dreadful Houston Texans. I know that Brock Purdy is questionable for this game on Thursday and you'd think he's going to play, but that 49ers team, they've done it before and they're starting to look like the 49ers of old.

Two more here for you. Overreaction or proper action, the Vikings will be a one and done in the playoffs. Oh, that's a good question. Do you know who they'd be playing right now if the postseason were to start tomorrow? They'd be the Manders? Giants? They would be the three seed. Oh yeah, so it'd be one of those four teams.

So let me just see right here. Commanders, Giants, Seahawks, Lions. If the playoffs were to start tomorrow, I don't know, the Vikings right now would be the two. Because remember, even though Dallas is 10 wins, you only have one team in the NFC. Oh, NFCs. So the Vikings would be the two, they would right now be going up against the Giants. Yeah. The question was, they're going to lose the first round?

Yeah, it's an overreaction. They'll be in the second round, assuming they, let's see what their schedule is the rest of the way. They just lost the Lions. The Colts, the Giants, the Packers, and the Bears, they should be able to win three out of four there. So I think they'll be the two seed and then they'll get the seven seed, yeah.

I'll take their chances against the seven seed. Alright, let's finish up with this. Steve Wilks has done a good job so far since taking him from that rule four and four and the Panthers somehow. Proper reaction.

I know what the question is, right? You're going to ask me if he should be the head coach next year? He should be the head coach of the Panthers next year. Yeah, he doesn't have to be, but I think you also need to look at what happened with the Raiders.

You have something that's working right now. Let's see what happens the final four games of the season. But he's been four and four as a coach.

I know it's been a dreadful division. If you could get Jim Harbaugh, yeah, you say goodbye to Steve Wilks. If you get Mike Tomlin in a trade like Florida throw out there, sure, you say goodbye to Steve Wilks. If Sean Payton wants to go, yeah, sure, you say goodbye to Steve Wilks. But if it's okay, let's go get a hotshot offensive coordinator, hotshot defensive coordinator. You're entitled to do that if you want.

I would not, though, move on from what's working unless it's, wow, that's so much better. Because the Raiders are in a similar situation, the Raiders got rid of Rich Pessacchia, and it looks like they hired the wrong guy in Josh McDaniels. That's overreaction, proper reaction. Zach Gelb here with you on CBS Sports Radio. When we come on back, we will ring the closing bell.

But first up, what's the latest CBS Sports Radio update on a, hold on a second, Marco Belletti. You know, I don't think it's an infraction of Marco because Marco works later in the in the evening. Hickey today, big time, the company holiday party didn't show up. Now, the company holiday parties from two to five. So he could easily just walked in here at four o'clock and made his name known at the company holiday party. I thought that was a bad, bad job. He thought he was too big for the company holiday party.

That's actually exactly what I did. Showed up at four o'clock. I made two walkbys. I was sitting there.

I did not see at all. I just walked into the party twice. Not once, but twice. Let everyone know I'm there. Nah, you didn't. So I did. You walked in, you got a cup of coffee, and then you walked right back. You didn't really want to be there. I mingled. There's people there I mingled with. Who'd you mingle?

Same people I mingled with all the time. Gallo, Moscona was there. Nah, I was with Gallo and Moscona the whole time. You're talking to the wrong guy here. Yeah, well, no. That's why I went to you, and I was like, well, people there are like, why aren't you getting a Marko?

Marko also works later in the evening. You're not coming at 2 p.m. for the company holiday party. No, but I will admit, if I was here, I wouldn't. You wouldn't have gone?

No. For some free food? Some free drinks? Have a good time? Holiday spirit? Now, this is down the hall, correct? Yeah.

My guess is, after everyone's done, about 45 minutes after it's over, I might slide over to see if there's any food left. That would be my, do I, yeah, that's not really my... You're like that skunk at the Browns game that was just waiting for the scraps. That's not really my scene.

I'll be fair, that's not my scene. Okay, but you've also been around the block a little bit longer. You've been through the whole company holiday party scene. Hickey being younger, trying to rub elbows with management I thought would have been good for you. No, no, no, no, no. You should, Hickey, do not follow my lead in this regard. Would I have ever done it, and have I done it in the 10 years that I've been with this company?

No, I haven't been to any of them. I don't mingle, I don't discuss, that's not me, I'm just not that guy. Now, do you want to be me? Don't be me. Don't be me. Get in there, go mingle, go talk to people. Don't work in the middle of the night and be a mushroom in the dark.

A mushroom. Like Belletti. So be smart, go talk to people and mingle. Do that at the company party.

Be smarter than I am. Who am I mingling with? You know what? There was higher ups there. I see higher ups, I see Chris every day. There were people that came down from Philadelphia from like the big office. I'm just saying. Philadelphia is the big office now? What are you doing? That's where our big office is.

How did that work out? I don't know. They made a new office in Philadelphia and that's where the big office is. They've always been headquartered in Philly. This is New York, right? They've always been, I'm just saying, the headquarters, Zach's right.

The way that we view it, yes, we view this as the mecca. But the company's headquarters is in Philadelphia. Okay, all right. That's some real New York bias there.

Well, yeah, I mean, which markets won? Wow. Wow, look at Marco. I don't know.

Marco may have had a cocktail or two from the holidays. I'm just making sure. It's not like it's me. It's not like I'm the one that runs the number one market. I'm just saying some of the people that run the company that work in Philadelphia were here today. I thought it would have been good for Hickey to introduce himself to them. I agree with Zach. And they asked me about him. You should be smarter than that.

You got to show your face, get people to know you. It's better for you. It's better for your career. Say this once again. Don't follow the lead of an old curmudgeon that doesn't really play the game real well and winds up, you know, where I am. Don't don't don't don't be me. Sage life advice, Marco. I will. I will write on my wall.

Do not be Marco Valletti. You know what? Look, I've always said you guys know this. Know your weaknesses. Know your strength. Yeah.

One of my big giant weaknesses is I'm not good at mingling or doing that stuff. I don't play the game real well. That's a big weakness, but I'm aware of it. I'm well aware. Now, I don't do anything about it, but I'm well aware of it. This is some of your finest work. And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

This is awesome. I'm honest. You need your strength. You need somebody to work. I'm here.

You need a hundred percent at all times. I'm your guy. You want me to sit down and talk about nonsense. We're moving on. Like it's just it doesn't fit with me.

I don't I don't do it well. All right. Let's get the closing bell in coming up on the other side. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. Another day is in the books and we're taking stock of the sports world. It's time to find out who's up and who's down.

Let's end the day right and hit the closing bell. Only on the Zach Gelb show. Shout out to our friends in Milwaukee. Bobby, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby Portis last night off the bench in 32 minutes 11 of 15 from the field. Had 25 points and 11 rebounds as the Bucks beat up on the Golden State Warriors a buck 28 to 111. And Milwaukee is now 20 and 7 on the year they're 13 and 3 at home. Giannis was great in the game with 30 points and 12 rebounds. Harris said 20 points as well. But really Bobby Portis going for 25 off the bench.

Give him a stock up. Looked like it was going to be a blowout. Celtics still found the way to win the game even though they had to win it in overtime. Jason Tatum had just a great shot over LeBron James to tie up the game. Celtics end up winning a buck 22 to 118. Tatum in the game 44 points 9 rebounds and 6 assists was 5 of 10 from behind the arc.

Give Jason Tatum maybe MVP a stock up. Last night Alexander Ovechkin the grade 8 joined the 800 goal club. Let's hear how it sounded as he got a hat trick. Cox starting another turnover in front and Manta feeding it to Kuznetsov and Mrazek diving a shot they score. And it's Alex Ovechkin and it's 800 goals in the National Hockey League. The bench empties Alex Ovechkin is the third player in National Hockey League history to score 800 goals. 800 goals for Alexander Ovechkin third all-time courtesy obviously of Caps Radio. Gordie Howe with 801 second and then the great one.

Wayne Gretzky in first 894. I never thought anyone would eclipse 894 as long as Ovechkin stays healthy for the next 2-3 years. Where he basically scores like 40-50 goals a year anyway.

He's going to be able to do that. But my favorite stat of all time is if you take away all of Wayne Gretzky's 894 goals. He would still have the most points in NHL history. He has a total of 2,857 points. So if you take away all 894 that would still make him the point leader in NHL history. Just a sick stat. But Alexander Ovechkin even though I hate the Capitals. I always respect Alexander Ovechkin as you know a great hockey player.

And he gets to 800 with a hat trick. Just what an unbelievable way to do it. So give him a stock up.

I only have one stock down tonight. And we could have a conversation about this. The idea of ejecting and this is being discussed right now. Ejecting players for roughing the passer penalties. With how many guard bars roughing the passer penalties there is. I don't want to add any more extra attention to roughing the passer. And if we have to sit through maybe a review to determine if it's an ejection or not. And if it was malicious or not.

And all that. Like, no. I don't think you should get ejected for roughing the passer unless it's something that's jaw dropping. Way after a whistle. Helmet to helmet.

Something that was malicious. But if they just start ejecting people for roughing the passer hickey. With how many questionable roughing the passers there are. I think we're walking down a really. They're going to probably do it to protect the investors of the quarterback.

But I think you're walking down a really ugly road. Targeting in college football is the worst rule. Oh terrible. The worst rule in all of sports. Because of the ejection. Now you're going to bring it to the NFL and eject players for accidental contact to the head. Or questionable roughing the passer calls. God awful. I'm okay if a guy makes a really bad hit and you get rid of him. From the game. But. How many times do we.

Like. The whole Jaylen Phillips play. The other week on. What was that? Sunday Night Football. Sunday Night. With the Dolphins.

What else are we supposed to do? Even Drew Tranquil joined us. He's like yeah I'm glad it went our way but. Was it a penalty? Aye yi yi.

So give a stock down to the idea of ejecting people with fugazi and just awful roughing the passer. And that's the Zach Gilp show on CBS Sports Radio. Big thanks to my producer extraordinary hot ticket even though he big time dissolved the company holiday party didn't show up.

I'd also like to thank Jake Delone for joining us and each and every one of you for calling listening and tweeting. You could always follow the Zach Gilp show. Please go do that right now. At Zach Gilp. Twitter and Instagram.

C A C H G E L B. Back tomorrow. On Thursday. Talk to you then.

6 p.m. Eastern 3 Pacific. We out. Bye bye. Peace. Many of us are already planning our New Year's resolutions to work out more in 2023.

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