Harbaugh Future (Hour 3)

No one's more locked into the NFL than First and Pod. Why is it not within the realm of possibility that Geno Smith was a victim of a horrible organization, bad offensive coaching, and then went and played behind three high-level talents and only got spot starts and did okay, by the way? Well, because it's just, it doesn't really happen that often anymore.

This sham with Steve Keim out there in the desert, I mean, it's like no accountability. Never my fault. It's never his fault. Stuff just happens.

Losses just fall from the sky. It's not his fault. It's not Kylie's fault. It's not my fault. It's not the owner's fault. We just have really bad luck. Just hang in there and keep throwing money at us and we'll figure it out.

Shut up. Listen to In the Huddle, available on the Ozzy app or wherever you get your podcast. Lungs continue to heal and he's making steady progress. So from where we were on Monday, from people in the medical world and the way that they talk about this, this is the best case scenario for where he is at on Thursday. And you heard the doctor speak today and play some of that audio coming up later on in the show.

But the doctors that did speak today did share a story that when he did awake, he was writing. And when he was communicating via writing, he even asked who won the game between the Bills and the Bengals. So you've heard the family talk to the Bills team. They want them to play this weekend.

The Bills will play this weekend. You heard Sean McDermott today say and Josh Allen, we are ready to play and we want to play this upcoming weekend after the team did speak to DeMar Hamlin's father. And today we got the most encouraging news that you could get because the last few days, even when there was some encouraging news, it was like, OK, is he awake? Now, is he going to be able to communicate? Will he be neurologically intact today?

And we find out once again, he's awake. He's made progress. He's been able to communicate.

There's still a long road to go here. He's still in the ICU, critically ill, but he does appear neurologically intact. And once again, his lungs continue to heal and he's making steady progress. And to see where we were from Monday to where we are today, that is awesome. And I mean awesome news.

And I think a lot of people today were smiling. We're obviously still going to be praying and thinking about DeMar Hamlin. And we just continue to hope day by day we get more and more good news and we get better and better reports and it continues to just increase. When we get a report like that and you just day by day get better and better, that is obviously the hope now in the terms of the NFL scheduling of this. On Monday, even though it wasn't the most important part of the conversation, we didn't know if there was going to be football this weekend. The NFL, all they said was they would not resume Bill's Bengals this week, but there's been no changes to the Week 18 schedule. Yesterday we found out the start time to that Ravens-Bengals game, Sunday one o'clock.

So we got that news. The league kept on giving you leaking reports and then giving you the indication even though it wasn't set in stone that nothing's being changed yet to the Week 18 schedule. With this great news on the status and the update of DeMar Hamlin and the Bills who I think controlled a major part of this. Because if the Bills players said they didn't want to play, if Coach Sean McDermott said we're not going to play, then I think the league had no choice but to abide by what the Bills wanted to do. I think you need to follow the lead here of the Buffalo Bills. Since the Bills have spoke today and they said they want to play, I think we can all agree that there is going to be football this weekend. Now, in terms of what happens with the seeding, because after this week is the final week of the regular season, there's been a report from the Associated Press that they're not going to resume Bills and Bengals. So if that Bills-Bangles game is not ever resumed, and I don't think it should be and I don't think it will be, then what do you do from here? Because even though you have the luxury, I guess you could say, of pushing everything back and just not having a bye week in between the Super Bowl, I don't think the league wants to do that.

So, now where do you go from here? And Mike Florio, five minutes ago, just reported that he's hearing from multiple sources that there will be an owner's meeting on Friday regarding the AFC playoff seeding issues. So we're still waiting to figure out what's going to happen. Adam Schefter today threw out a bunch of scenarios. And Mike Florio too, I think it was Florio who said, would they potentially add an eight spot to the AFC playoff race and just have no bye?

I don't think they'll do that. But, other scenarios that have been floated out, Adam Schefter was even on ESPN saying today it would be the ultimate sign of sportsmanship. One person recommended this to him, that the Chiefs say to the Bills, if the sum of the Chiefs get the one seed after this weekend, we've been to four straight AFC title games, four straight home AFC title games, if you get to the AFC title game Buffalo, we'll come to you.

And when Schefter said that's what one person said, Schefter then followed it up and said he doesn't think that would happen. So the other two scenarios that have been thrown out there is a neutral site AFC title game. If, let's say, one of the opponents or multiple opponents in the, or it would be one of the opponents in the AFC title game has an uneven amount of games. And what I mean by that is that, let's say the Chiefs played one more game and then Buffalo played one fewer game. If it doesn't line up, then it'd be a neutral site AFC title game. There's already been a destination thrown out there that Lucas Oil Stadium or the Colts play could be a possibility. But Schefter threw out this scenario, and I think it was recommended by either Tim or Matt Hasselback. I don't remember which Hasselback it was, but Schefter threw out this scenario, and I guess this has picked up a lot of momentum.

And at first I was like, I don't like it. But more and more now as we talk through this, I think this is actually the most intelligent idea that I've heard. So let's just say they call Bengals-Bills a tie. And then let's say after this weekend, Bills win, Bengals win as well, and the seeding is Chiefs 1 because the Chiefs win, Bills 2, Bengals 3, and then everyone's the AFC South 4. And then you get through Ravens are in the playoffs, Chargers in the playoffs, and who's going to get your seven seed? But they would go to the one seed.

This was the idea that was thrown out there. They would go to the one seed, and let's say if it's Kansas City, would you want home field or would you want a buy? And Kansas City, you would think, would probably say we want the buy. And then the two seed gets what is not picked by the one seed, so if they're in the AFC title game, the two seed, they would then get, in this case, home field advantage. Now, you could have the Chiefs say, we'll take home field advantage, then the two seed would get the buy. But I would think the one seed, even though they should feel comfortable going up against the seven seed if they were then dropped down to the two, let's just say, you would think the one seed would want the assurance of being in the second round and the automatic part of being in the second round, getting an off week, then just taking home field advantage.

I like that last idea that I shared to you, the best, it's the best one that I've heard so far, even though at first I did not like it. There's no perfect solution, but the NFL is going to have to give us an answer by the end of this owner's meeting on Friday, or they could just wait and have an idea of what they're going to do. And then on Saturday, maybe release it, or maybe just wait for the conclusion of all these games. Because they usually like to release that playoff schedule for wildcard weekend at some point on that Sunday night football broadcast. At halftime, after the game, they usually like to release it somewhere there.

So maybe that's when they release it, but we'll have to wait and see. So that is the latest on the scheduling and more importantly, Damar Hamlin. And once again, and I keep on saying the same thing, but it's just awesome to say it today that we have now been told and there's been multiple people speaking that he's made remarkable progress. He's awake. He's been able to communicate via writing, still critically ill, but appears neurologically intact, lungs continue to heal and making steady progress. And for where we were on Monday to where we are now, that is as good of news that you could receive.

John U. Bacon is going to join us coming up at 8.15 or 8.20 p.m. Eastern. He's going to talk about Jim Harbaugh. He's been all over this Jim Harbaugh story. And there was a thought throughout the week that Jim Harbaugh was going to be going to the NFL if offered a job. Today, Jim Harbaugh comes out with a statement that once again says he expects to enthusiastically be coaching Michigan in 2023.

When you hear the words once again, it keeps on saying this, I expect. Well, that doesn't fully say you are going to be the coach, because if he knew for sure that he was going to be the coach, he could just say, I appreciate the NFL interest. Maybe one day I'll return to the NFL, but I'm not taking any interviews. I'm not entertaining any phone calls.

And even though I've had some conversations or you don't have to go that far, I'm just not taking any phone calls. I'm going back to Michigan. He said that today, even if you may not believe that the end outcome will be on the NFL sideline. That's more of a definite statement than, yeah, I expect to enthusiastically be coaching Michigan in 2023.

So you already know that the Panthers have reached out per reports. The Broncos have interest, and I would assume he is in the somehow he's in the Colts Ring of Honor, but you would assume that the Colts, which not the brightest organization in the world, but you would think that the Indianapolis Colts would be picking up the phone and eventually having a conversation with Jim Harbaugh. Hickey, if you had to rank those destinations, if Jim Harbaugh gets the pick, and it's not just a one year as quick as possible turnaround, if you're bringing in Jim Harbaugh and you're probably paying him somewhere like $15 million a year, maybe north of that, you're going to get time to build the program that you want. You have sustained success in the NFL. Before everyone says, oh, he's a college coach, the guy in four years in San Francisco, three, three NFC title game appearances and a Super Bowl appearance. So he's going to get the benefit of the doubt in the NFL. This is not a typical college coach, no NFL experience, a very minimal NFL experience. He's dominated an elite level for the San Francisco 49ers as the head honcho of the 49ers. But if Harbaugh's coming in, he's either choosing who his GM is or he'll be the GM as well. And he's going to get time to turn around a program so it doesn't go to the team that has the best talent or the best roster, because bare minimum, you would think he's getting three years. So right now, the only jobs that are open, Panthers. And I think Steve Wilks should get a big time consideration.

I tweeted this out a few weeks ago. Steve Wilks should get the job barring that Sean Payton or Jim Harbaugh want the job. The Colts, they'd be stupid not to call them. And the Broncos, they have the richest owner in the NFL. I know the NFL is a salary cap sport, but there's no salary cap for coaches.

So you could pay the coach whatever you want, even though your job may not be that desirable right now. If I am the Broncos ownership group, I'd make a and cut a fat check to to Jim Harbaugh, if that's what it takes in order to get him in there, just because what he did with the 49ers. But if you had to rank those three jobs, if you were Jim Harbaugh, one being most likely, three being don't want to touch that job. How would you rank the Broncos, the Panthers and the Indianapolis Colts right now? I'll put the Broncos at one with a caveat.

Oh, hold on. Now, this is the same guy that this year got burned by the Broncos when you said Russell Wilson MVP. Russell Wilson, Super Bowl MVP. Yes, Broncos winning the Super Bowl, obviously. And Nathaniel Hackett, who couldn't hack it in the NFL as a head coach, as a top third coach of the year.

It was a hack job. You are still, still, still, still, still giving the benefit of the doubt to the Broncos. Is that if you think you can turn Russell Wilson around and I'm not, I still think there's some game left in him. You got to know, you can't think when you have that much money committed to him. Well, if you're Jim Harbaugh, you say that's a guy I could work with.

I'll figure it out. I have no problem. Then I think the Broncos are number one.

If not, if you aren't a believer, you say, you know, I don't like what I've seen. That's not a guy I want to commit to. It's too big a risk is also to if you're coming to the Broncos, you're committing to rush for two years bare minimum. He's not getting traded after next season, not cutting them.

I agree. He's there for two years, bare minimum. And you just can't be the quarterback you don't like for two years. So if he likes Russell Wilson, Broncos won. If not Colts, number one Panthers.

And I guess would be two. Oh, you put the Colts in front of the Panthers. Oh, yeah. I think it's pretty obvious.

I don't think so. I think the Panthers, if I'm Jim Harbaugh, you have you're going to build an offense. The Panthers, I know the Colts have a good defense, but the Panthers have. Brian Burns, young defensive playmaker, J.C. Horn. I know he's been hurt the last two years, but he looks like to be a promising football player. You got Derek Brown in that defensive line.

I actually would rank those jobs. Panthers won. Colts two. And then I'd put the Broncos at three. I'm not a believer that Russell Wilson is going to be great again.

I think he'd be good, not great. That defense is good. They got a lot of work that needs to be done on offense. And you have so much money tied up into Russ.

I would not feel comfortable hoping that Russ is going to turn it around. The Panthers, I just laid out their defense. You got to fix the offense. They're going to have a good draft pick this year. So will Indianapolis.

You got D.J. Moore on that offense side of the ball. But I think that for the Carolina Panthers, you bring in Jim Harbaugh, I trust him to build that offense. The Colts, I just, I don't know what to make of the Colts.

That line, you got a lot of money invested in that line. That line has not played well this year with how much you're paying them. Defensively, it's a good defense, but how many of those guys on the defense are going to be back next year? And I know just like Carolina, they don't have anything, but I think the Panthers are a better destination than the Colts. But you tell me why it's the Colts here. Jim Harbaugh and his four years in San Francisco, they were a top five rushing team each of the four years. And we've seen his turn on Michigan's led by what? Going back to old school physical ground and pound football the last two years. And they've made the college ball play for one of the Big Ten. The Colts are the best equipped team out of the three to go back to old school style. The offense line, yes, is underperformed.

Been terrible. But is there still talent there? Absolutely. John and Taylor, best running back, clearly, out of the three of those two teams. But you don't make your decision if you're a coach on a running back.

You don't know the lifespan of a running back in the NFL. But you make your decision based on the build of the team currently and the style that you want to win as a coach. Jim Harbaugh's style fits what right now the Colts are built to have. It is by far the easiest transition of the three where Carolina has to remake that entire offense, like you said. If you don't like Russell Wilson, you're not going to Denver, period. So they had the pieces in place for Jim Harbaugh to have quicker success than he would elsewhere. So you're saying that the Panthers are third on your list here? Yes.

Okay. And the Colts are, you confuse me here with this caveat, but you would go Broncos. Well, if you don't like Russell Wilson, you're not going to go Denver.

In Denver, it just slides down to third. So it's like one of those, if you like Russell Wilson, I put the Broncos number one. You personally, though, you would go Broncos one. Yes. I think Russell Wilson still can turn around. Colts two, Panthers three. Yes.

Okay. Now, even though I could maybe have some trust issues with David Tepper, I would go Panthers one. I would then go Colts two, and then I would put the Broncos in at three. We'll talk to John U. Bacon, who's all over this Harbaugh stuff, next. No one's more locked into the NFL than first and pod. Why is it not within the realm of possibility that Geno Smith was a victim of a horrible organization, bad offensive coaching, and then went and played behind three high level talents and only got spot starts and did okay, by the way. Well, because it's just, it doesn't really happen that often anymore.

Subscribe to first and pod on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. When you need to know what's happening, it's time to get in the huddle. You're fraudulent. You're not in the business of winning football games. You're in the business of trying to prove your own asinine decisions.

Correct. We can talk about the thing. Do I think the Saturday thing is the biggest joke in the history of the NFL? I do. But at least he was to say this ain't working for me.

I don't care that I just gave him extensions. Listen to in the huddle available on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. No one's more locked into the NFL than first and pod. Why is it not within the realm of possibility that Geno Smith was a victim of a horrible organization, bad offensive coaching, and then went and played behind three high level talents and only got spot starts and did okay by the way.

Well, because it's just, it doesn't really happen that often anymore. Subscribe to first and pod on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. We'll be right back. Yeah, I think that, you know, it indicates that the door has not been closed to the NFL. And I think that it is leaning toward, he is leaning toward Michigan and as I made clear in your quote, and I had a much longer piece today, by the way, about a thousand words on the Bacon blog, johnubacon.com.

Um, where I dive into all this, you can find me on Twitter as well. That's threaded down there. Um, that, uh, that he's got nothing to add. Michigan did not about NAL. Michigan finally raised about seven or $8 million in the last month or so for that. Um, it's not about money.

They're going to make them the, one of the top five highest-paid coaches in the country, which finished the top four teams in a row. Fair enough. Um, and he's never been that motivated by money on the grand scale.

When he went to Michigan back in 2014, he was for about $5 million when the Bears and the Jets and others were offering him 10 to $12 million. So I've never seen that as his main motivator, but if it is, you know, they're pulling up real money there, of course. Um, and not about control either. That's all fine.

Um, I think it's about a few things. One is the, it has not been scratched for him and the NFL. His brother's still in there, of course, John, with Baltimore.

And, uh, Jim was one play away from beating his brother in that famous, hard brother, the Super Bowl. I'm sure that's part of his thinking. And he's 59 years old. And at some point, there's an expiry date, as the Canadians say, on your coaching prospects in the NFL at the youth movement right now, as you know.

So, uh, all those things figure in and add one more factor. And that is that, uh, he's getting quite fed up with the NCAA. Apparently, their body gets served with a violation of some sort from recruiting back in 2020, uh, during a COVID blackout. It sounds like pretty small change stuff, but as we both know, the NCAA is great at nailing misdemeanors and overlooking felonies.

Of course, they're brilliant at this. And you gotta go back to the J.R. Tarkanian quote that, uh, the NCAA is so mad at Kentucky that Cleveland State is gonna get probation. So all those are the factors, some point insane, some point to going. So with all that being said, and I hear the quote today, or I see the statement today, it's almost as if I'll just ask you the question, why even release that statement? Because he knows that that statement's going to read. It's everyone's, some people like the Dyer Michigan fans can say, all right, yeah, are guys coming back? But I think a lot of people read that and go, okay, you expect to be back, but that's not a definitive statement. Yeah. And he said, you know, no one knows what the future holds.

There's, there's a fair amount of cushion in that statement and I'm not trying to be cute with this or denigrate the idea of sending it out there. I think he's trying to calm people down, obviously. Um, he says that I expect that I'll be enthusiastically coaching Michigan in 2023. What he had to give him to do, if he's coming back, he does everything with great enthusiasm. And his dad loved to say, attack the day with enthusiasm, unknown to mankind and both his dad and he'd do that.

John did it more quietly, but he also does it. Um, he said he's having good talks with President Santa Ono and, um, Ward-Manuel, I've spoken with them, um, and I appreciate their support of me and our program. Um, so I mean, and he says, you know, well, no one knows what the future holds. So, you know, it indicates he does not want to alienate the Michigan people, does not want to burn any bridges, obviously. Uh, but I can't read that and say the door is shut.

Um, and I don't think anybody, you know, who's been to law school for more than five minutes as I have, I don't think could do it either. Um, so I think he's leaning that way, but the door is not shut and we are hearing that Denver, Indianapolis and Charlotte all have strong interests. What do you think his preference would be if he could get any one of those three jobs between the Panthers, Colts and Broncos? Uh, good question. It depends on whether you're talking about football or your family because, uh, family would love to be in Colorado.

I think his wife was living in Las Vegas when he met her, when she was working in real estate. Um, so, but Denver, as you know, as an NFL stop there, they put it all into Russell Wilson and they're paying for it. Russell Wilson's not coming through.

So they're going to have a rough slog to get out of that mess. I would say probably Charlotte from a football point of view makes the most sense. Um, but, uh, but who knows? I think ideally, uh, he would like the NCAA to go away, to have his NAL bank full and probably come back. If I had a bet right now, I'd still say coming back.

Um, but I can't say it a hundred percent. So really these allegations, I guess it's just gonna depend quickly how he thinks they're going to play out and is that what's going to probably be the deciding point and if he's going to leave or stay? I can't say that, but, um, it's supposed to come down, uh, from the NCAA, the report, um, the charges, if you will, on Friday or Monday is what I'm hearing now. It's the NCAA, so I can't, uh, how disappointing is that?

Nothing I say can you bank on. I'm relying on the wrong people, but, uh, NCAA, you can't really bet on them either, but that's what's coming out pretty soon. Once that comes down. And look, the NFL season ends Sunday. College football is over definitively with two teams left on Monday.

I mean, musical chariot is next week. So this thing has got to play itself out probably within a week is my guess. Uh, but the NCAA report supposed to come down either tomorrow, Friday or Monday, uh, will certainly be a factor. We'll get it to say what the penalty might be. And what I'm hearing is it's not the infraction itself, but how Harbaugh and his coaches responded to it.

Um, that might be the issue. So, uh, we're about to find out that there's one thing Zach I really hate to guess on. It's the NCAA because man, if there's a lot there, I get to discern it. Yeah.

John, you bake in here with us. So you think it's more likely that he's going to now be back at Michigan. Is there a percentage breakdown that you have on, on how much a confident you are in that statement?

I'd probably go two to one, maybe three to one. Um, but I also heard Colin coward, uh, report that Denver is offering him $20 million. Now we know that that's gotta be per year. You know, it's gotta be a multi-year contract or else no one takes it seriously. And you know, it's gotta be guaranteed through probably talking about five years, $20 million, a hundred million dollars after a while. Zach, we're talking about real money.

Aren't we talking about so much money that the fourth generation of your kids, grandkids and so on, that'd be complete morons to throw that all away. So that's a level of comfort few of us would understand. So that is hard to ignore, but I still don't think that I'm dealing with guts here now. I'd go two to one. He comes back to Michigan, maybe three to one.

So here's something that I've always thought of. You know, Stephen Ross's relationship with Michigan, his name is on the business school, but throughout the years, and even last year, you heard him say he's not going to be the NFL owner that takes away Jim Harbaugh from Michigan. There was a report by Armando Salguro that if, and it's a big if, the Dolphins don't make the playoffs, everything's on the table, including the coach. If let's say it's maybe the side of it that Jim Harbaugh wants to go back to the NFL and he's saying, even though I'm expecting the coach of Michigan, I'm going to go maybe pursue the Broncos' job or the Panthers' job, and there's a change with the Dolphins' coach with Mike McDaniel. Is that enough for Stephen Ross? For last year, it was, I'm not going to be the guy to take him away to finally say this is going to be a yearly flirtation with the NFL, so I may as well benefit, especially because you have some sort of relationship with it with the Michigan ties.

Well, there has to be a threshold for that, doesn't there? And I know Stephen Ross reasonably well. He, as you know, bleeds amazing blue. He didn't name the B school after him for the hell of it, obviously, that's a serious check. About $300 million he's given to U of M, about $100 million to athletics, including the Stephen Ross Academic Center for athletes, which is one reason why they've been good at that. Obviously, he's going to be pretty close to Jim and vice versa.

He did not want to be, it's like volunteering in the Army. He'll be the first guy to step out there, and if he would happen to, he can't be the first guy. If they're competing offers, at that point, I think he will probably be exonerated by Michigan fans that you didn't feel horrified that he's now going to Miami, going to North Carolina or Denver. At that point, Miami is a fair game. And you know, that anthem is coming in on Sunday, we know that.

So I'm sure we'll be watching that game as well. I think your scenario sounds about right, that if there are more than one team bidding for Harbaugh services, more than one NFL team, then he can't be blamed for it. And what he really does not want to do is pick off his alma mater.

You don't get that kind of money to your alma mater unless you really love it. And he'd rather lose the occasional game ahead of Miami State than he had done, than pick off everything you've given away all these years, this loyal fan base. But like I said, if there's more than one involved, then Ross is off the hook. Well, Ross could really make it a Michigan party because Brady's going to be a free agent. Imagine they get Brady and Harbaugh in Miami? I'll tell you what, Brady might be older than Harbaugh at this point, I can't remember. But those two together for one year, you'd sell some tickets. There's no doubt about that.

At JohnUBacon on Twitter, letthemleadbybacon.com. Anything else that before we let you run that just stands out to you with all this conversation with Jim Harbaugh, his future, and your knowledge of it? Well, I recall when he came to Michigan in 2014, right before then, he was dealing with already getting nibbled from the New York Jets, the Chicago Bears at the time, Oakland Raiders. And he had to wait one more day to get that finalized, the day after the NFL season, of course. And he asked his dad, what should I do? He said, you always make good decisions, trust your heart.

And Jim looked at me and said, that's what I did. So at the end of the day, it's going to come down to where his heart tells him, and let's be practical here, what offers might actually be coming in. I've heard of Colin Cowherd's report, but there's no tangible evidence yet of hardcore offers on the table.

So hard to say if that one's there, if that's the case, then it goes down to the guts. And Jim works in ways that others don't. The average NFL coach would never leave the 49ers to come to the University of Michigan to make less money. That's what Jim did.

So whatever the rational point of view is, it may not work here. John Eubakken, good to catch up with you. We appreciate the time. Thank you. My pleasure, Zach. Zach, thank you very much. You got it.

There's John Eubakken, someone that knows the Michigan program and also Jim Harbaugh very well. Let's take a break. We'll react to that on the other side.

When you need to know what's happening, it's it's it's it's time to get in the huddle. You're fraudulent. You're not in the business of winning football games. You're in the business of trying to prove your own asinine decisions.

Correct. We can talk about the hearsay thing. Do I think the Saturday thing is the biggest joke in the history of the NFL? I do. But at least he was to say this ain't working for me.

I don't care that I just gave him extensions. Listen to in the huddle available on the Aussie app or wherever you get your podcast. When you need to know what's happening, it's it's it's it's time to get in the huddle.

This sham with Steve Keim out there in the desert. I mean, it's like no accountability. Never my fault. It's never his fault. Stuff just happens.

Losses just fall from the sky. It's not his fault. It's not our fault. It's not my fault.

It's not the owner's fault. We just have really bad luck. Just hang in there and keep throwing money at us and we'll figure it out. Shut up. Listen to in the huddle available on the Aussie app or wherever you get your podcast. When you need to know what's happening, it's it's it's it's time to get in the huddle.

This sham with Steve Keim out there in the desert. I mean, it's like no accountability. Never my fault. It's never his fault. Stuff just happens.

Losses just fall from the sky. It's not his fault. It's not our fault. It's not my fault.

It's not the owner's fault. We just have really bad luck. Just hang in there and keep throwing money at us and we'll figure it out. Shut up. Listen to in the huddle available on the Aussie app or wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show.

Zach Gelb shows CBS Sports Radio. Hey, let me ask you a question. So we know that you are just a crazy Penn State fan, like a great fan, but you are the true definition of a fan when it comes to you rooting for Penn State every year. You believe they're going to be great. They always find a way to get you on board.

You will go to so many places across the country. You went to the Rose Bowl where most of your cult fans at Penn State said, yeah, we're not even going to go to that cult meeting as it looked like there was 70, 75 percent of the stadium filled with Utah Utes fans. It was the lowest rated Rose Bowl ever per reports, but Hickey was there.

So I think that is admirable. It does not matter how good, bad, and this has been a good season for Penn State. It doesn't matter where the team is at. You're there earlier in the year when people didn't really know what to expect. You went to Auburn, War Eagle, and you went to that game. Did you go to any home games this year at Penn State? I know I offered to take you to a game and you politely declined, but that's all right. Did you go to any games this year in Happy Valley?

I unfortunately did not make it to a home game this year. You did not. But you went to all these other places. You got work commitments. I'll defend you there. You just launched a weekend overnight show. You have a Colts podcast. So you went to two games this year. For someone that lives in New York, that's pretty damn good.

And also you invested a lot of money in those games too. So I will cut you some slack on not going to Happy Valley. See, I'm fair.

I can be fair. With all that being said, three, four years ago, Hickey, where now I will say there's been more confidence I see out of you. I think you get in, and this is not in a bad way, you're getting more comfortable. You're coming into your own. You have the brand of hot take Hickey.

People are tweeting you left and right. Do you think the hot take Hickey that I knew four years ago would have posted the video that you posted the other night walking out of the Rose Bowl as you're trying to climb up the ladder a little bit here at CBS Sports Radio? Do you think you would have posted that four years ago?

Probably yeah. I like to think I haven't changed who I am. I'm more conscious of trying to put content out there. So maybe from that angle, maybe I would have thought about it four years ago and I'm more just someone who's just more cutting tape.

Let's say that even pushing buttons here on a board. But if it's a content perspective, yeah, same mindset four years ago is the same thing I had the other day. That does not change. When you look back and clearly you were excited, a little bit too excited for what the actual game was.

And that's just the fundamental difference that we have. The Rose Bowl in the year of 2023 does not mean the same as it did, let's say 10, 15 years ago before the college football playoff. But it's still out of all the bowl games that aren't the college football playoff, it's the most iconic one. But for you, I'm just wondering when you listen back to that video, not that I expect you to have a tattoo that says no regrets, but is there any regrets about that video when you listen back to it?

Yeah, I wish I had made more points of why they'll be in the platforms here, it's my biggest thing. I listen to the two insane running backs that are great, and Drew Riley, I wish I had talked about some of the receivers and the offensive line and the confidence that you get from a win like this. But no one knew what you were saying just because of your state. You were not in a coherent state at that point.

That is correct. I wanted to get people an authentic, honest peek behind the curtain at the emotions exuding out of the Rose Bowl, and I think the people got exactly kind of the mojo, the feelings that were coming out from Penn State fans. I don't know if you properly captured that scene because there wasn't a lot of Penn State fans to begin with.

That was a Utah home game, so you can't... Both the Penn State fans that traveled and Penn State fans that instead of going watch on their couch, everyone's fired up. I didn't notice any Penn State fans in the background, like running up to, yeah, Penn State! Woo!

We are! I didn't notice that in the background. Well, that's actually one regret I do have.

I wish I included my friends. I kind of walked away for a second. I'm like, oh, I want to make this professional. And now looking back, like one of us, I think I should have just had everyone there going crazy and kind of just hyping each other up and just up in the expectations. First off, I think the video is fine, even though I can't understand almost the words you're saying, but professional, did you hear how you sounded in that video?

Well, again, sometimes when you're in a state that you don't really think clearly, sometimes the opposite makes sense. I could just envision Hickey because I've been in that spot where you have to give or you feel like you have to give an instant reaction and you go on out and you record a video, but let's say you've had a few and Hickey had more than a few and you're listening to the video. Does it sound...

I just see Hickey in the rain coming out of the Rose Bowl, recording this video and then listening to it, phone like right up to his ear three, four times. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. I don't, you know, yeah, I sound good enough. Okay. Let's post it.

I'll be honest. I don't think I even listened to it. I think I just edited it to where I started talking and edited where I finished talking and said, enjoy world. This is live uncut. Well, it wasn't live.

From Pasadena. Well, in the moment, okay, there's three seconds delayed between the cutting and the posting. Well, actually it was like five minutes because the service was terrible over there, but... Anyway, let's hear that video one more time. We played it for you last night.

The Morning Show, DA Show, they were having some fun at your expense today. I think we need to get more instant reaction videos from Hickey. I'm not going to demand this, but I think now with your brand, you got to start giving after Penn State games, just drunk recaps all of next year. Like you know how Mraz sometimes looks like a clown after a Giants game after he's clearly had more than a few. The company actually helped him out for not looking so stupid when they give him those postgame shows now so he can't actually get drunk when he's on WFAN. But last year he'd be standing out there while wiping his butt probably drunk as drunk could be with like a Panthers jersey or something. Now he'll just have the ring cam video, which I liked.

That was pretty cool. But it's more of a sober Sean this year. I think you got to kind of play that role of drunk Hickey where after Penn State games next year, after Drew Aller scores a touchdown against like South Harmon Institute of Technology. Yeah, yeah, all right, we're here live.

We won the game in dominant Mitchell fashion. That's what I think you got to start doing. Well, the thoughts won't change, I'll tell you that.

The ability to understand what I'm saying and the coherence and sentences will differ but the actual thoughts will be the same. There's many times people think you are drinking when you do the show with some of the predictions that you do make. So anyway, let's hear this clip one more time coming out of the Rose Bowl.

This is hot take Hickey or as one listener said, tequila take Hickey. We are live right at the Rose Bowl where no big deal Penn State demolished dominated controlled number eight, Utah slowing down an absolute dominant folks for the future 2023. Look out for the nets.

They dominate with Sean Clifford six-year quarter no medium day as you are coming in to freshman running acts dominant. We'll see you next year. We'll see you in the past.

I love the pilot, by the way, I'll see you next year. We'll see in the because you thought about like, do I say do I say No, yeah, okay, I'm going to say it the one part I really well, I don't get a lot of things but one part I don't get so Sean Clifford six-year quarterback. We all know that why is that no big deal. If you're in your six-year, you should be able to play well, not very good. I know but you should be able to play well if it's your sixth year in college football.

No, if you're there and you're six, that means you're not good which means you have to come back for another year when you could have gone to the NFL. So you play with a guy like that and you still win over a top 10 team. That's why it's no big deal.

It shows you're good team. Okay. I don't want to make that a bigger deal than what it actually is. But no big deal. No big deal. Let's go to Jay in Alabama wants to react to the hickey video Jay.

Go ahead. What's up? Zach Gil?

Jay doing great. What's up? Hickey a hot takes charlatan now see I'm never going to call in there sticking up a hickeys member.

I was getting on you for getting on hickey for not going to the office party after I hear that take that's why you didn't want to go to the office party sitting out there playing like he's Mr. responsibility like Barney from the Simpsons faces I mean come on man. Are you looking at me right now? Yes.

I unfortunately I could see him. Yeah. He's in the hot take drunk tank. He is a little bit slouched over Jay. Yes.

Yes. I feel using abuse and bamboo boozled by hickey I'm thinking he's like Mr. responsibility but all that response I mean look he's responsible for not getting drunk before he gets on the show. Now I see is a big old silver lining in that whole thing and members that last time I told you when I'm wrong for getting on somebody I'm calling them in apologizing to you for getting on that sitting up there fronting like he's Mr. responsibility but we know he's like like hot take headache over there especially when he gets drunk every time I call in now I'm getting in hot take hickeys but every time I can't I can't because I'm in the middle of a public shopping for food right now everybody looking at me crazy. Yeah and we're on the radio so that's why you also can't curse to J we appreciate the phone call. What a phone call from Jane Alabama hickey better watch yourself there next time.

I am Mr. response. Well that's the thing. You were walking out of the stadium. You're doing what a drunk fan does. You know you handled it the responsible way but I think he was saying more so on the professional side but is there really a standard anymore like. Imagine having a few drinks and then posted a video even though I find it funny I don't think it's as you would say no big deal no big deal no big deal. Well I got to say when it comes down to the Hill Christmas party fiasco.

Good job. I was in the right. No I was in the right. You were just being a douche. You were being big douche hickey being a dope Oh I'm above everyone off to go to the holiday party and Jane Alabama brings a brings up a good point.

Maybe there's a reason why you didn't go to a holiday party with the alcohol that they were serving. You didn't want to be running around saying oh no big deal please. I would absolutely handle myself or not embarrass yourself in front of anyone especially let on the exact help show since now I am a part.

And if I look bad to make you look bad I would not make it. Well I almost texted you when you released this video because I was like oh my name's attached to your Twitter. I don't know if I want to be associated with with this video as this video is you just as drunk as a skunk with all this Penn State propaganda. You being the leader of the cult of Penn State one of the preseason rankings come out. Let's go. Let's get the count down. Come on stop. Let's go. We got a national championship game to focus about for something that James Franklin will never be coaching in.

Just letting you know Zach help show on CBS Sports Radio. You want to say something. You said college football playoff next year.

Is there a step further in that statement. I always said as we'll see we will not be declaring national champions yet. But we'll say OK how about you beat Michigan and Ohio State first. Let's start there after Michigan just beat the snot out of you this year. This is that guilt show on CBS Sports Radio. He's getting so fired up for this college football season before this one even ends yet. He's right now I see him dancing.

He's dancing with how excited he's getting over Penn State. The countdown is on folks now exceeded your expectations this year. So you know what that means. You have high expectations next year. That means they're not going to meet those expectations yesterday going 12. So expectations are very low.

No use. Oh and well we have the audio. You said college football playoff. Oh this is going to be wonderful.

Next year when Penn State has like four or five losses it's going to be great coming on back. Well teaching the biggest stories of the day with some audio is the news brief coming up in five minutes on the Zach Guilp show. What's the strangest thing you're afraid of. Tails without fur on them such as rats or possums. I'm Larry Mullins host of the podcast Your Weirdest Fears where we dig into the crazy things you're afraid of. Everything from animal people hybrids. You know people who get surgeries to look like an animal to giant statues. If I ever saw one of those giant statues I probably would poop my pants.

Listen and subscribe on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. What's the strangest thing you're afraid of. Tails without fur on them such as rats or possums. I'm Larry Mullins host of the podcast Your Weirdest Fears where we dig into the crazy things you're afraid of. Everything from animal people hybrids. You know people who get surgeries to look like an animal to giant statues. If I ever saw one of those giant statues I probably would poop my pants.

Listen and subscribe on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from. What's the strangest thing you're afraid of. Tails without fur on them such as rats or possums. I'm Larry Mullins host of the podcast Your Weirdest Fears where we dig into the crazy things you're afraid of. Everything from animal people hybrids. You know people who get surgeries to look like an animal to giant statues.

If I ever saw one of those giant statues I probably would poop my pants. Listen and subscribe on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast from.