17 Burst results for "Braden Gall"
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"Four two seven two eight five. I hope everybody has a great Memorial Day weekend. I'm gonna take the girls, go fishing, float around the river, hike to some waterfalls. Get out of the house, touch some grass this weekend. It's gonna be great. Can't wait. Indy 500 coming up on Sunday. I think it is the most underrated event to go to in person in all of sports. College World Series might be up there, too. I love that one. But man, the Indy 500, if you got a chance to go, man, absolutely try it out. Even if you don't know anything about racing, don't care about racing, it is the most underrated sport to go to as a like in -person event. It is just you sit down in a seat, bring your own beer in. You don't have to pay for anything except for your ticket. And you watch a rocket ship go by you, 33 of them or whatever, at 230 miles an hour and you just feel like a 10 -year -old kid again. It is awesome. So go check that out. Braden Gall in for Paul. ESPN radio 855 -242 -7285. John from Florida, welcome to the Paul Feinbaum show. John, how are you? Doing good, my man. Hey, first of all, I hope you have a good Memorial Day. And then also this is a follow -up to Elliot. These Ohio State fans, they amaze me. Every year we keep hearing about Ohio State is going to do this and this and this, but it never happens. I just don't get it. I mean, reality has to set in at some point. Well, they did beat Miami in 02 and Bama in Oregon in 14. So it happens every now and then. Every now and then. This is 20, yeah, but this is 2023. We're talking about the here and now. I know, I know, man. I'm just saying like every 10 years, you know, it's about time, right? For Ohio State. Yeah, I mean, yeah, if that's the case, then yeah, I agree. We'll have them call in every 10 years when they actually do something. Hey, they gave Georgia pretty good run last year, so. When you're up on George about two touchdowns and you can't get it done, that's not impressive. Have a good Memorial Day weekend, my man. Thank you, John. This is an interesting point. He brings up an interesting point. Ohio State's defense this year in 2023 will be significantly better than it was last year. Just something to keep an eye on. There is no CJ Stroud. There is no Jackson, Smith and Jigba, but there are four NFL receivers. Ryan Day's offense, you know, the Eckhart Perkins offense there, the power spread, whatever you want to call it. They still have a whole lot of talent. Their offensive line is the question. The key with Ohio State is much like Alabama, like are they better? Can the rest of the team be better without their star quarterback? That's the same exact question for Alabama. Can the rest of the team be better than it was last year and make up for the step back they're going to take at quarterback? Tennessee, you cannot have Hennan Hooker and then have the same quarterback play the next year. It doesn't happen. It's the most efficient season in the history of Tennessee football. CJ Stroud and Bryce Young, two of the greatest players in the history of two great programs. How is it possible that you're not going to take a slight step back? Stetson Bennett was a, of course, obviously, a walk on. How are you not going to have some sort of step back? Well, we know Georgia's team is even better on offense this year than last year, and that's without Broderick Jones, without Kenny McIntosh. They are still better this year. They have the best receiving core in America, the best tight end in America, the best offensive line in America. The rest of Georgia on offense is better this year in 2023 than it was the last two on offense. How does that make up for the defense? Who knows? Does that make up for the quarterback? Who knows? We have to see. But those are the questions about Bama and Ohio State. Matt in Maine. Matt, welcome to the Paul Feinbaum show. Well, yes, sir. Thank you for taking my call. How are you doing today, sir? I'm doing great. How are you? Pretty good. Pretty good. Thank you again. Well, I was just saying this is like an odd shot ball call, but how do you think UAB is going to fare against Georgia? They played about as good as anybody did last year. Is that a joke of a game or do you think UAB can give them a run for the money? Man, OK, I appreciate the call. UAB is a fascinating team. And I don't fully understand the strategy of going after Trent Dilfer. I'm a Nashvilleian here. I lived in Nashville where he coached in high school. I get what you're trying to do. It's sort of like some Deion Sanders vibes, right? It's kind of similar. We have UAB picked 11th in the American Athletic Conference this year at Athlon Sports, but they're around a 500 G5 team. I don't think a 500 G5 team is a team that is going to challenge Georgia. 500 teams in the power five are not challenging Georgia. Three starters back on offense, five starters back on defense. I just don't think it's there on the road against Georgia. So, yes, at least you framed your question correctly. You did call it an oddball call. I will say this about Georgia's schedule. I think people are going to laugh about it, make jokes about it. It's going to be, you know, a funny Twitter one -liner and Sports Talk Radio one -liner. Oh, Georgia's not playing anybody. I don't think that's true. I think the schedule is full of pretty good football teams. I think Kentucky is going to be pretty good this year. Maybe an eight -win team. Maybe nine if things go right. I think South Carolina is going to be a pretty good football team this year. Maybe an eight -win team. Maybe nine if things go right. Tennessee is going to be a really good football team this year. Maybe a nine -win team. Missouri could win eight games. Ole Miss could win eight games. Florida could win seven games. I'm not going to go eight for Florida. I'll go seven. There's a lot of pretty good football teams on Georgia's schedule. And for almost everybody in college football, that's a pretty tricky schedule. On the road against Auburn, you know Hugh Freeze's Auburn's team is going to be better this year than Auburn last year. They are going to be better. Hugh Freeze's teams, for all of his flaws and for all the things you can say about Hugh Freeze and all the things I have said about Hugh Freeze personally as a human being, his teams are very good in year one, almost everywhere he's ever been. So that's the first road trip for Carson Beck ever as a starter. Could that be challenging? Maybe. I'm not betting on it. But the point is that that schedule with a bunch of eight -win teams on it is better than most schedules in college football. It's just not good enough to challenge Georgia. That's the difference. Like if Wisconsin, I love Wisconsin. If Wisconsin or Virginia Tech or, you know, I think Oregon State's a really good team this year. They are sneaky
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"I got season tickets to Bearcats because of the Big 12 this year, but the one Ohio State game I'm born to is that night game with the Michigan State, because that's what Ohio State fans do. They get up there in the middle of night, and I can tell you, Ohio State's the one school that can bring down Georgia and all the teams in the SEC. It's the only team that can touch Georgia last year, and if you think a second -string quarterback can't hit his world -class receivers, go watch a Cincinnati football game, and you'll see what our second and third -string quarterbacks can do. The Achilles heels of the SEC is exactly what you're talking about. They're two gangster. It's why your team, Tennessee, lost the game. A fight in the locker room totally destroyed that game for them. If it wasn't for that fight, they would have won at South Carolina, but that brought them down. It's the guns in the street. It's the targeting calls on the field. It's the locker room fights, the drag racing. Come on, that's the Achilles heels. They can get over that, and you'd have a good conference. Thank you, Elliot. I appreciate the call. I do agree. Ohio State is one of a few teams that has the formula to beat Georgia. You have to have an elite quarterback, a great offensive scheme, elite weapons on the outside. That is Ohio State. If Kyle McCord is the guy, it's Ohio State. It's definitely USC. It might be even Florida State and LSU. Florida State, I think, I am all in on Florida State. They are dangerous now. Good pass rush as well. NFL players on that defensive line for Florida State. I think you have to have a certain formula, and think I Michigan might be the best team in America, but I don't think they have the formula. I don't think J .J. McCarthy opens up the offense with the receivers that you have to have to stretch Georgia, stress Georgia's defense where you have to stress them. Even if Georgia comes back to the pack some this year, which I think they're going to do. It's only natural after losing that much talent to the NFL. But absolutely, you have to agree, Ohio State has the formula. There's no question about that. -7285. 855 -242 Braden Gall in for Paul. I -Man, welcome to the Paul Feinbaum show. I -Man, how are you? Hey, good afternoon. Three things that you brought up there. First off, Notre Dame. Problem Notre Dame really has is they have a history back into what, 30s and 40s, maybe even further. And you look around and you see Yale and a bunch of schools like that are no longer relevant in the numbers of when you look back in the years. And Notre Dame is stuck in that middle spot. Just like you said, the academics, they're going to do it their way. And you know what? Have we really heard any huge scandals out of Notre Dame? Usually the only conversation is when the talking heads talk them up and then they get beat by somebody and then they're always pretenders. But I don't think they're pretenders. I think they're just stuck in the middle there. And they have a great, they have good seasons. They just don't have the athletes that the more - Yes. There's probably 15, 20 schools in this country that's got better athletes. I think that's a - The second thing, USC. That's a perfect example. You're talking about USC and Bush. I tell you, Auburn would have a problem with USC and Reggie Bush because it definitely cost Auburn a shot at the national championship when USC and Oklahoma were playing. Auburn had the best team in the country that year. And if it hadn't have been the first year that Auburn and USC played, Auburn goes out there and they had four turnovers in the first quarter. But Auburn still took them to a six -point game. And when USC come to Auburn, it was a trouncing. But who knows? But I think Auburn would have been a - You were talking earlier about the Georgia game with TCU. No doubt in my mind, Auburn would have gave USC or Oklahoma a better run for the money. And really, Auburn would have probably won that. Not Jim. Jim, go ahead. No, no, no. Well, I was going to say quickly on Notre Dame. I think you're exactly right. They are - I think they're better than middle. They're like on the second tier. But they'll never be first tier because of their own sort of inability to sort of push the envelope to the next level. I agree with you on that one. I do agree that 0 -4 Auburn was probably better than 0 -4 Oklahoma. They were not better than 0 -4 USC. But they would have given them a great game. Well, we would never know because USC had to forfeit it. And while Carroll was going gangster, he was cheating like hell. I mean, you know, you couldn't have - You'd have never won that in the fourth score. Well, okay, you got Cam Newton, though. So it's even, right? Yeah, well, I guess. I mean, but that's - the 0 -4 team still sticks in your head. Jim from Tuscaloosa. I don't think y 'all know how to deal with Jim. You know, in Jim's prime, he was meaner than damn Paul Bunyan walking through the woods with an axe swinging left, swinging right. And you know what? He'd look over there and some entries he wouldn't cut because they weren't worthy of a swing. But y 'all just don't know how to talk to Jim. And Jim can be, you know, Jim's a fighter. And - he but he - Jim is a cool, calm guy. And he's got a - Jim's got a lot of things to say if you know how to have a conversation with him. Fair enough. Listen, I want everybody out there to have a great Memorial Day weekend and be safe. You know, think about what you're doing. And I expect to hear from all of y 'all on Tuesday. I appreciate it, Iman. Thank you, my friend. Thank you. I will say this. Maybe I do not know how to speak to you, Jim, and I apologize for using complete sentences and proper subject -verb agreement. My name is Braden Gall. More of your phone calls right here on the Paul Feinbaum Show, ESPN Radio. Five five two four two seven two eight five. I hope everybody has a great Memorial Day weekend. I'm gonna take the girls, go fishing, float around the river,
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"Where are they in your mind relative to the rest of the conference? They're closer to LSU than Georgia. I think LSU is number two. I think Alabama and A &M could potentially be fighting it out for number three overall in the conference this upcoming season. Again, way too many questions at quarterback and also in the defensive secondary. But that's just on your questioning it today because we haven't seen those guys on the field for that matter because they're transfers. So it's interesting. We haven't really ever had to say that about Alabama. You mentioned second tier. I'm kind of down on Ole Miss going into this year. I think they're going to drop off a little bit this year. I don't think they're going to be challenging for eight wins or nine wins this season. I've got way too many questions about them going into this year. A lot of people singing the praises of Jackson Darden, the way he's improved this off season, but it's still very inconsistent. I thought last year and I don't know if he's going to all of a sudden kick into another gear. I'm not sure they got all the pieces around him that they need as well. But yeah, I think Bama is probably closer to LSU than say Georgia. And in fact, I think Alabama right now is third, right behind, maybe like a half step behind LSU on paper going into this season. Brandon Marcello, appreciate your time, man. Have a great holiday weekend. Thank you, appreciate it. All right, thanks. Absolutely, Brandon Marcello. Interesting note there on Ole Miss. And I don't necessarily agree that they're the only team that takes a step back. I don't disagree with his analysis there. But I think what's interesting is that you could have, let's say Tennessee A &M Ole Miss as like fourth, fifth, and sixth in the conference. They could be eight and four. You could have Missouri, South Carolina, Auburn, Mississippi State, who, you know, pick your teams at like 10, 11, 12, 13, and they could be seven and five. You could have 10 or 11 teams separated by a single football game. That is nuts to think about when it comes to the SEC. 855 -242 -7285. More time for your phone calls. Braden Gall in for Paul Feinbaum. This is the Paul Feinbaum Show on ESPN Radio. Braden Gall in for Paul here. Paul Feinbaum Show, 855 -242 -7285. Somebody's going to implode this year in the SEC, right? Everybody can't be this good. Is it Texas A &M? Is it Ole Miss? Is it Tennessee? Is it Alabama? Oh, my gosh. No, it can't possibly be Alabama. I was looking at the story Pete Thamel wrote on ESPN .com about the Big Ten television contract that's not quite done yet with the other three networks, of course. You guys know the deal. Apparently, he promised the 2026 Big Ten Championship game to two different people. I don't know if you know this, but you can't really play the game on two separate networks, I don't believe. But one of the interesting notes in there was that some administrators, some universities, and some head coaches, namely at Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan, were, quote, surprised that the Big Ten was going to have to play night games in November as part of the deal. Well, number one, your conference signed the deal to broadcast a game in prime time with a partner. So you have to put games in prime time. And the partner is not going to want, with all due respect, and keep in mind, I said with all due respect, so now I can say whatever I want, Indiana versus Rutgers football. That's not what they're paying for. They're paying for Ohio State, Penn State, and Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Nebraska. That's what you're paying for. And these coaches are surprised and do not want to play night games in the wintertime. They're claiming for a variety of reasons. I'm assuming it's cold is another one. First of all, I was absolutely dumbfounded because number one, I've heard nothing but Big Ten fans my entire life, I was raised in a Big Ten family, tell me that nobody in the South wants to play in the North. They're all scared. Everybody's scared to come play in the North because of the cold weather. You come up here, Alabama. You come up here, Georgia. We'll play you in the wintertime in the cold weather and we'll show you what it's like. But just not at night. Just not at night. We don't want to do it at night. We'll do it at noon, Eastern time. Maybe 4 .30, 3 .30, but not 8 o 'clock. That's too late and it's too dark and too cold. Frankly, I'm also dumbfounded because it should be an advantage. If I'm Ohio State, especially, not even Ohio State, the middle tier, upper tier of the Big Ten that is trying to make the playoffs, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State, teams that aren't going to make a four -team playoff but are definitely vying for spots in the 12 -team playoff and absolutely are going to get into those spots occasionally, if not routinely, those that you are playing to host playoff games in December. Don't you want it to be hard for a team on the West Coast or in the South to come up, or in Texas, to come up North and play in a difficult environment? Don't you want that to be your advantage and for your team to be accustomed to it? Now, I know, I've seen Iowa practices. They will practice outside in 26 -degree weather, so I'm not even messing with you, Iowa. But Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, I don't want to play night games in November. That's so soft to me. And it's a place where you should have an advantage. I couldn't believe I was reading that. Like, wait a second, I thought for 30 years, all you Big Ten fans have been telling us down here in the South is that we're scared to play in the elements. Number one, have you ever been to Gainesville or Baton Rouge in the first week of September when it's 110 degrees with humidity off the charts? Come on down and play in that, first of all. But I couldn't believe it.
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"I think it's going to work. I think they are going to fly so close to the sun. This is Icarus, man. It's going to work. Wigman is going to be good. Bobby Peay is going to call the plays. Jimbo Fisher is going to step out of the way and keep recruiting. DJ Durkin, Steve Adazio. The most volatile coaching staff in the history of college football. I don't see how it's sustainable long -term. Could they win a championship out of the deal? Maybe. Deion Sanders, I don't see how it's sustainable. I don't see how either one is sustainable long -term. I don't know how they are going to burn so hot and so fast and so high into the air and then come crashing back down. And that could be the form of Deion leaving. That could be the form of Deion getting into NCAA trouble. Who knows? I have no idea. And same thing with A &M. I think they are going to be good this year. I think they are going to be really good. And maybe next year. But how long does it last? And how does it end for both Colorado and Texas A &M? I just mean the general state of things. I don't know. I don't know. -7285. 855 -242 855 -242 -7285. Zay from Springfield, Massachusetts. Zay, what's up? Yo, first off, having doubt in Texas Tech is crazy. Or not Texas Tech. Texas A &M, whatever you want to call it, is crazy. Because first off, that's Texas. Like they... I might have cut it out right there. Yeah, I was going to say. They live and breathe football. They literally have nothing better to do but make sure their football teams are solid. So if there's one thing I've literally consistently bet on, I got not a doubt in my mind. Them and the Carolina Panthers, not that that's really relevant. We'll talk about that another time. But man, Texas in football, mass vote and democratic. Consistent. Faithful. Okay. All right, Zay. Thank you, man. I appreciate that. Texas and Texas A &M fans and fans that have watched those two teams probably would disagree with you. Again, and we can hear from... How about this? We'll hear from Ryan McGee in just a minute because I believe he said, Gone with the Wind was the number one film the last time Texas A &M won a national championship in football. It's a long time ago, folks. It's a long time ago. I think they're going to be good. I think they're going to be very good. Colorado, I think they're going to be good. I think they're going to get better, much quicker than people realize. But then what happens after that? Is it sustainable? Is the model sustainable? I don't think it is for either of them. And that is what they have in common. Braden Gall in for Paul Feinbaum. 1 -855 -242 -7285, your calls. And what the heck's going on with the top three teams in the nation? Why... What's in the water at Georgia, Michigan and maybe USC? We'll do that next. Paul Feinbaum show right here on ESPN radio. Braden Gall in for Paul. Paul Feinbaum show, 855 -242 -7285. Lots of stuff to discuss with our next guest. Brandon Marcello, of course, national reporter for 247 Sports. Joining us now on the Paul Feinbaum show. Brandon, how are you, sir? Good afternoon. Doing well, man. Holiday weekend coming up. Yeah, absolutely. All right, so a couple questions. Everything in the SEC feels too happy, too optimistic, too calm. I know it's May, but it feels like all 14 fan bases are fairly optimistic. Maybe Florida's mildly concerned, but everybody else seems kind of excited, which means something terrible is going to happen. What team is going to implode this year that we are just completely missing on? Oh my goodness, wow. That was just thrown out there. Boy, I don't know. Let's say Texas A &M again, because I think Texas A &M is going to win 9 or 10 this year, but boy, that could go south quickly, because there are just so many interesting personalities on that team, especially on the sidelines. You got them all there, and if something goes wrong, this is a program that expects to be in contention for the championship, and they should be with the amount of talent they've got there. Anything less than getting to 9 or 10 wins this year would be a disappointment, but what if they lose one or two that they shouldn't, like they usually do by the time November rolls around? I think that is a volatile situation that could implode, so let's go with Texas A &M, why not? I literally just said those two words, volatility and implosion, are the two words I just said last segment about Texas A &M. I was kind of comparing A &M to Colorado in that I think they are going to be good. Bobby Petrino, Dion Sanders is going to be productive, he's going to do his job and draw attention to Colorado, just like Bobby Petrino is going to do his job, and he's going to be a really good offensive coordinator. But what does it end? How does it end? What does it look like when it ends? They're going to burn hot, but there's no way it ends with stability and success, right? Yeah, and that also, and there's a missing ingredient that everybody keeps missing about all this. Steve Adazio is there. Coaching the offensive line. So you've got Bobby Petrino, Steve Adazio, you've got Damian Craig, who's a very strong -willed guy, and then of course Jimbo Fisher overseeing that, and all of those guys are on offense. This is, listen, I don't know, a lot of those guys, especially Petrino and Steve, and their tenures at places usually don't end well, usually end with some type of controversy or just some really just skid marks on the road in Petrino's situation. But man, I don't know. But listen, those are some incredible football minds with incredible talent. I mean, they could win it all in the next few years, or like you said, I think it just implode because it's a highly combustible situation, and time will tell where that firework actually gets off the ground and gives us a show. You did not even mention D .J. Durkin either. Oh, goodness. He's there, too. Brandon Marcello joining us. 24 -7 Sports, of course. Stiles make fights in this, and I think Michigan's really, really good. There's some other teams that are really good, but Georgia's style, it seems like you have to have a certain formula to beat them, and we saw Bryce Young do it two years ago. We saw C .J. Stroud almost do it. Who in college football has the formula, on paper, at least in May, I acknowledge. Who has the formula in a matchup with Georgia to win in a one -game situation in
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"Like, I think Kentucky's gonna be really good this year. I think South Carolina could be really good this year. Tennessee could be really good this year. Ole Miss could be really good this year. I think Missouri could win eight games this year. That's pretty good. So there's some good, I mean, Florida is always a tricky game, obviously, that rivalry. These are good football teams, but they're nowhere close to Georgia. So I don't, like, the argument you can make for Georgia is there. It's just like, does anyone believe that's, like, does anyone believe that Michigan's gonna line up and beat them in a one -game situation? Does anyone believe that they're gonna lose a regular season game? At Tennessee, maybe? I don't see it. I don't see how Tennessee runs the football. I don't see that Joe Milton is better than Hendon Hooker. They're gonna lose to Auburn on the road? I don't know where they lose. I think it would have to be a C .J. Stroud -level performance by Caleb Williams and USC in a playoff game to have a chance to beat Georgia. So it doesn't mean that we're not making assumptions about them, because we are, but LSU's not fully formed yet as a national championship caliber team. They're really, really good, but they don't have five years of top five classes yet. Jimbo's not there. He hasn't proven it ever. We're gonna get to you in a second, Texas A &M. Alabama's got more questions than we've ever seen. I think Alabama's as good a bet to beat them as anybody, but they're gonna have to work a lot of things out between now and the SEC Championship game if they're gonna beat Georgia. Ohio State, is Kyle McCord better than C .J. Stroud? No. So you look around, honestly, I think it's like USC in a one game situation where Caleb Williams just does something spectacular and all of a sudden you play a terrible game, there's a couple of turnovers, and all of a sudden you look up and you lose a game. But otherwise, I don't know how you make the case for Georgia to lose a game. Certainly not in the regular season. So if you're 12 and 0, you're looking around going, who's good enough? That being said, stop speeding. Seriously, just stop driving 130 miles an hour. Like, I know y 'all all got great cars because NIL money's giving you guys $100 ,000 vehicles with huge engines. Stop speeding at one o 'clock in the morning. Seriously, it's ridiculous. It's dangerous. People have actually died. I don't understand. Kirby Smart didn't create that problem, but it's his problem to fix. There's no question about that. So again, three -peating is impossible. Complacency is a real issue. It's what makes Nick Saban great. These are all the things you got to deal with when you're Kirby Smart, but that's the job. But the speeding thing? Seriously, stop driving so stinking fast at two o 'clock in the morning or any other time of the day. It's ridiculous. It's absolutely absurd. I want to get to Texas A &M. Braden Gall in for Paul Feinbaum here on the Paul Feinbaum show. I do want to know who you guys think is going to implode in the SEC this year. Who's the team we're just all wrong about? We all think Ole Miss is solid. We think Arkansas could be pretty good. We think Texas A &M's going to be pretty good. We got LSU in the top 10. We got Tennessee in the top 15. You got Bama and Georgia in the top five. Everybody seems to be pretty bullish and positive. Who are we missing on? Who's the media, the magazines, the pollsters? Who are we missing on? 855 -242 -7285. Braden Gall in for Paul here on a Friday edition. Jimbo Fisher and Dion Sanders. Why are they exactly the same at Colorado and Texas A &M? We'll do that
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"Like no pictures. Like I went through every photo archive I could find of every newspaper that would have been there and there's no pictures. So much like, you know, if you talk to all, they interviewed all the farmers that lived around Gettysburg when they were watching the battle from their front porch. They all remember, you know, 19 different ways and the Battle of Hickory, like any great battle in the history of the world, is remembered different ways. Yeah, I wrote a whole thing about 14 mascots fighting. And the best part, Braden, was that they're all screaming at each other, but they all had giant smiles on their faces because they had these big paper mache heads. And it was, yeah, it was the bunkhouse stampede of mascots. Oh, I love it. Ryan McGee joining us here. Author, make sure you go buy the book. Welcome to the circus, of course. Ryan, listen, you could argue that Georgia, Michigan, and USC are the three best teams heading into this season. That certainly upsets a lot of Alabama people, but whatever. Just for the sake of discussion, let's say that they're the top three teams. Well, they're all dealing with very bizarre and different off the field issues. This is not new to teams that are at the top of our standings traditionally in the summertime or any other time. Is it possible, like, Urban Meyer dealt with this, Pete Carroll's dealt with this? It doesn't matter. Is it just the spotlight that gets pointed at you when you are this good that creates these things, or is there something else at play right now with these schools? Well, I think, you know, and all those guys you mentioned, I think if they could go back, they would handle things differently because the reality for all those guys, or Urban Meyer and Pete Carroll, all those guys you mentioned, is that, you know, Philip Former, there's an arrest here and an arrest there. And this person gets in trouble, and that person gets in trouble, and it's very easy to just go, oh, that's an isolated incident. And you go on about your business because you're still winning games. But there's a long game erosion that starts to take place. And guys start thinking they can get away with stuff. And, you know, these are guys right now who think they can do no wrong. You know, these are mistakes being made because these guys, all they do is win those championships and games and everything else. But you have to be careful because on the surface, it looks like everything's fine and whatever, and we'll just keep plowing. But the reality is, is that those things start to wear you down. And it's not just a discipline problem. It's a, you know, other guys like, well, you know, well, this guy did this. Why is he back on the team? Well, this guy did that. Why is he back on the team? Or this guy was my friend and you didn't help him enough. And it's just, there's a, there's a, there is, there's long a game erosion that starts happening. And that's what, that's what you have to be careful about. Because when you're winning, when you're winning 12 games a year, you know, it's very easy to, to ignore all that stuff. But when, when all of a sudden one morning you wake up and, you know, your foundation has, has disappeared from underneath your feet, you know, you're like, well, what the hell happened? Well, what happened was, was that these things were happening and you didn't pay enough attention to it. So yeah, you either stop it now or, or you pay the consequences down the road because Urban Meyer and, and all, and Pete Carroll, they ended up, they ended up paying the consequences. A lot of people did because they didn't pay enough attention to it. Ryan McGee joining us here. Every single fan base in the SEC right now in May is happy, which is completely terrifying to me. So who's the, what's the story we're not seeing? Who's the fan base that is going to implode this fall? I am so fascinated by College Station, Texas, because, you know, last year is the perfect encapsulation of the Aggie football experience. I'm talking about since the 1890s, because all signs pointed toward, okay, here we go. This is finally it. We're finally over the hump, you know, beat Alabama. Here we go. And it has been, they have been driving like a truck on bad tires on slick roads ever since. And this isn't just a Jimbo Fisher thing. This is the history of Texas A &M football. I say this on our air all the time and it makes everyone mad, but I looked it up. The last time they won a national championship, the number one film with the box office was Gone with the Wind. That's a fact. And so when you're talking about coming up on a century without a national championship, quote the great Harry Gantz from the movie Stroker Ace. Oh, hell, here we go again. And that's what it starts to feel like. And so I'm really, really curious to see and get a sense of, you know, where their head is, because it is not going to take a lot for them to just completely auger in the fan base. If they start the season with, I don't have their schedule for them, but they start the season with three losses out of the first six games. I mean, it is going to be insanity. Yep. Ryan, all right. I want a quick answer and I know that you love both of these things. I think the two most underrated sporting events to attend in person in all of sports and American culture is the College World Series and the Indy 500. I've been to the College World Series four times and I've been to eight Indy 500s as media and as fans. Which one do you like better? No, don't do that, man, because I'm starting June in Indianapolis and I will end June in Omaha. And it's kind of in my contract that I have to go to both, right? I'll say this. What I love about the Indianapolis 500 is the same thing I love about, you know, the road to Omaha. It's the same thing I love about the Rose Bowl. It's the same thing we all love about the Masters, the Kentucky Derby, which is it's not about a team. It's about an event that is so intertwined with the identity of the city where it's located that you can't imagine the two things separate. And so, yeah, I'm going to say the Indy 500 just because that's where I am right now. But if I talk to you three weeks from now when I'm in Omaha, I'm going to say Omaha. I would go with the 500, but they are my two favorite. There's no question. The 500 is a one -day experience. The 500 is a sprint and the College World Series is a marathon. But American every should want to go to the Indianapolis 500 whether you like race cars or not. Yep, yep. There's nothing like watching a rocket ship go past you at 232. Ryan, thank you, my man. Appreciate it. All right, brother. I appreciate it. Yep, Ryan McGee there. Author, again, welcome to the circus. Go check it out. Most underrated sporting event in all of American sports to go to. Not to watch on TV on your couch, but to go to. I think it's taking place on Sunday. We'll take your calls as well. This is the Paul Feinbaum Show right here on ESPN Radio. I'd love to know from all of you out there what is the most underrated sporting event to attend in person. Going to the Masters is not underrated. It's one of the few things that actually lives up to the hype when you go. There's not a blade of grass out of place in Augusta National. Braden Gall in for Paul Feinbaum here on the Paul Feinbaum Show. ESPN Radio, 855 -242 -7285. I will give you my sporting event and it's coming up on Sunday. Happy Memorial Day weekend to everybody out there. Speaking of, Ray from Indy. Ray, welcome to the Paul Feinbaum Show. How are you, sir?
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"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"He needs a hickory and you know, if he wants to tell me the simple fact he told me not to call back, Oh, I'll call back every week now. Jim, thank you, thank you, thank you Peggy. I appreciate it. Uh, man. All right, listen, if y 'all want to make this about Jim, that's fine. I just, I just am worried about the guy, you know, 855 -242. 7285 Mark from Huntsville. Mark, welcome to the Paul Feinbaum show. What's up, Mark? Well, first of all, I don't care about Jim. I'm a big family fan, but, uh, Jim doesn't represent the Alabama family. Really, uh, it's an outcast. Uh, he never played football. Uh, I played college football, but I didn't play in Alabama. But, uh, the reason I called, I had to pull off the road in Huntsville about 30 minutes ago at somebody on said that Georgia's one. And I would agree with that. Started talking about USC and Michigan. I didn't even hear Alabama. So I figured coach Saban probably needs to, you know, maybe we don't need to play this year. Um, I just like it's setting up so well for an Alabama defensive team. You know, that he's got, I got to see some practices this, uh, spring. And, uh, I've seen him back in 2011, 12 was probably their best defense. The team's not being talked about a lot, but they are loaded defensively. I mean, they are. And Kevin still, by the way, I was going to mention to you, I think you probably remember this, that, uh, when Auburn meet Alabama, it was when Steele was the defense coordinator there. Yep. Uh, he's just tough nose, you know? So, but Hey, what I was, the reason I called real quick is, uh, uh, Nick Saban was quoted in 2021 and West neighbors who owns 97 .7, which is the affiliate that carries Paul by mom. So, uh, West neighbors who played in Alabama, uh, played a, played a, uh, a clip from 21 where Nick Saban is said that we're not going to take a any players portal unless there's somebody, unless we, we won't take them unless that player is better than somebody that we got. And I mean, I promise you, they, they got the quotes. I don't know if y 'all can find it, but I mean, if we can find it here in Huntsville, you guys nationally can find that quote, but, uh, Nick, I heard it. And I'm thinking, oh my God, that means that Nick Saban, if he says what he means, it means what he says, it means the quarterback in Alabama will be the Notre Dame transfer. Yeah, no, that's a, that's an interesting point, Mark. I appreciate it. Thank you for the call. Uh, Tyler Buckner, of course, the Notre Dame transfer played with, with Tommy Reese, the new coordinator, of course, I, I, here's the theory, here's the argument against Bama and I, you know, I would have Bama top five in my preseason top ranking. So it's, you know, what, what an insult to Alabama football to be number five in the preseason instead of number one or two. Here's the, here are the facts though, about Alabama is that they have more questions at quarterback than they've had in years. They have, they're coming off one of their quote unquote worst seasons. They were two plays away from 12 and O, but they were also a couple of plays away from four or five losses. This is one of the quote unquote worst rosters we've seen under Nick Saban in the last five or six years. And that's all probably stuff Nick Saban wants to hear me say. Like Nick Saban wants people like me and everyone else in the media to say all this stuff. That is the rat poison. Alabama to me is one of the top two or three teams in America, but a lot of other teams are gaining ground on that top tier and they have an extremely difficult schedule and at the number one most important position, we don't know what they are. They might be great, but we don't know what they are. So I think that is why for the first time ever, we look at Alabama with Doesn't mean they're not going to figure those questions out by even just training camp or week two. I mean, but this team has not been the same on the road as it has been at home the last few years. I don't, this, this is not a dynasty is over conversation. These are just sort of facts about the team right now today. By week one, we could have answers to all these questions. Quarterback position could be figured out. I think the coordinators could both be upgrades in theory. So like there's plenty to love about this team. They're preseason top, top five, like no question, but I don't think they're one, two or three. I think they're maybe four or five. They're kind of with Ohio State in that group. I would have Georgia and Michigan one, two, I'd have USC at number three. That's just my personal opinion. Eight five five two four two seven two eight five eight five five two four two seven two eight five more your calls. Ryan McGee, new book, Southern romance novelist for Southern sports. We'll talk to him next. Braden Gall. This is the Paul Feinbaum show. Yes. PN radio. This has been a whirlwind of a year. The Kardashians are back. Mom just told me that it's melanoma. This was way more serious than I anticipated it to be. And this season it's personal. Kim used my wedding as a business opportunity. She's mad at me. Live it. Family is what I value the most. So I just feel very anxious. I just don't think everything's going to be okay. The Kardashians new episodes, Thursdays only on Hulu.
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"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"It's on them to go out and beat Ohio state in Michigan. James Franklin's done a lot of wonderful things there. But over the last nine years, they have a four and 14 combined record against the Wolverines and Buckeyes. Bill Bender joining us here, Paul Feinbaum show, Braden Gall in for Paul from Sporting News. And Michigan, I mean, there's been a couple of things, obviously, that have taken place off the field lately that make Michigan look highly questionable. But just looking at the offense and their matchup with a program like Georgia, maybe Georgia is evolving a la Nick Saban in Alabama at some point, who knows? But Ohio State sort of showed us the formula for the matchup with Georgia is better than maybe the formula that Michigan wants to present. Styles make fights. Is J .J. McCarthy enough of an evolution offensively for Michigan to finally get over the that that final that final hurdle of whoever they're going to face in a championship situation? Because you could argue they're the best team in the country on paper, but it doesn't feel like people like the matchup against a team like Georgia. Well, and it starts in the trenches and then I think on the perimeter, in some ways, Michigan reminds me of those Notre Dame teams that got to the playoffs. And you would hear Brian Kelly after would say, well, we didn't have enough firepower on the perimeter to beat these teams. So, I mean, if Michigan, if there's a question work on the roster, it's who's going to step up and be those receivers. We know they love throwing to the tight ends. But when they get up against Georgia or in Alabama and the secondary that those teams have had, they've had some problems. I mean, you've seen those games when Alabama or Georgia has played Michigan in the bull game, it's tight for a while. And then Alabama in the one bull game, I think it's chapter one, Citrus Bowl, they had three or four guys take over and Najee Harris and Jerry Judy, those type guys. So, you know, for Michigan, I think now the pressure isn't just to win the big 10 or beat Ohio State, it's to go to the playoffs and beat an SEC powerhouse. And they may get another shot to do that this year. Like you said, Ohio State has that frontline NFL talent to make it really interesting when they play those schools. Bill Bender joining us here. All right. You get one conference. I'm fascinated by all the races in college football. And I just asked our last guest about this. You get one conference you can watch this year. You can only watch one. You cannot watch any others, but you get every game, every team in that league for the entirety of the year. Which one are you watching? I'll take the big 10 off the table because I'd pick that anyway, since I'm just biased toward it, I guess. But I'd still pick the SEC. I still think there's a lot of intrigue in the SEC West with LSU. I want to see where they go with Jaden Daniels and BK in year two. I want to see what Texas A &M does with Bobby Petrino and Connor Wigman. And he had a great start or a great finish to last year. I want to see what happens with Georgia and Tennessee and Tennessee. What's the sequel to their breakout last year? I mean, we did our coach rankings this week. I had Josh Hyppleton and I feel great about it because of that quarterback friendly offense, everything they got going on in Knoxville. So and you also like to see the schools that kind of flame out and don't do well. So I would still pick the SEC because it's the best collection of coaches, the best collection of NFL talent. And, you know, where this Alabama, Georgia thing goes from here. Bill, always a pleasure, man. Have a great weekend. We appreciate it. Thank you. Hey, you too. Thanks so much for having me. Take care. Absolutely. Bill Bender there from the sporting news. I do think the middle class of the SEC is healthier than it's ever been. I don't think we've ever had this much quality. And it's always the best. It's always been the best conference, guys. It's just it's not really a debate. But a lot of fans will outside of the region say, oh, it's because they're the best at the top. And no, like Missouri could be an eight win team and they're going to be picked like 14th and 13th, probably they'll probably be picked ahead of Vanderbilt. I'm holding the Athlon Sports Preseason magazine right here in my hand. Missouri has picked 13th out of 14th. They can win eight games this year. That this is the deepest and healthiest this conference has ever been. How about this? Every single fan base is happy right now in May. When has that ever happened in the SEC? Frankly, it's terrifying to me. It means that something just insanely ridiculous is going to happen in this conference that we cannot predict, because nobody can we can't have 14 happy fan bases in the SEC. It's not allowed. That's not normal. Finally, we get to your phone calls. -7285. 855 -242 Jim, dude, come on, brother. My name is Braden Gall. This is ESPN Radio, The Paul Feinbaum Show. 855 -242 -7285. Braden Gall in for Paul. So Jim in Tuscaloosa, he doesn't like me. That's cool. I'm honored by that. I asked him to call in last time I hosted a couple of weeks ago. Basically, he was scared. He never called in. And then I said, hey, dude, I want to hear from you today. I'm worried about you. I'm worried about you. Let's send somebody to the house. Just make sure everything's OK. Well, he calls in and he berates my producer, dog cusses my producer out. And then he tells me that I am unfit for radio. And of course, compares me to Peter Burns, which is an honor in my mind. If you know, Peter Burns is down there and Hoover eating mud bugs right now. Like, I'm jealous of him, not the other way around. So I mean, listen, obviously is scared to come on the air with me. Clearly terrified. Jim, come on, dude, come on. 855 -242 -7285. Peggy from Hartford, Peggy. Welcome to the Paul Feinbaum show. Hey, hello. How are you? Look, I am good. How are you? This is I've done it. I didn't know who I was talking to. So I've done a brief little, you know, Google to find out who you was and honored to talk to you, but you know what? There's so many things to talk about, but this gym situation. Oh my goodness. Uh, I was just going to be listening because I've got so much going on down here with the Memorial weekend and we've got a big family reunion coming up that I heard this, the gym story and, uh, you know, Jim refers to me as Piggy. Apparently he can't say Peggy and he ordered me, he said for me not to call back, said my calls was boring, you know? Cause I reckon, I mean, I don't know what his problem is with me. He said, grannies need to be sitting on their porch watering flowers. Hey, sitting on the porch, sitting on the porch looking at the flowers. Yeah, Jim, I did water my flowers after I got home from the Stevie Nicks concert. I'm still, you know, hearing that, hearing her. So I don't really have much time to deal with him. I don't, I thought he was older than me, but I found out he's the age of my son.
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"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"If they knock themselves out of the playoff again or not. Never, nevermind existing in the future or being able to watch the games. It is absolute. I agree with you. It is one of the, it's probably the most interesting conference to watch. You mentioned Colorado with Deion. Is there, do you have like, how is that going to end man? Like, is it like, they're going to be good. He's, he's obviously changing things up and it's a, it's a calculation that the administration has made to become relevant very, very quickly. And it has worked so far. How is it going to end though? I think it either ends with him doing a very good job and leaving for a SEC type of job or it fails spectacularly. And the roster is completely just wrecked for a long period of time. I mean, I I'm very curious. And a lot of coaches and people I talk to as well are curious, how is he going to handle when they start the season, like one in five or something like that? How is he going to be able to handle that when you're not just the shiny new thing anymore and you've got potentially some one -sided losses on your roster because he has improved the talent there, no doubt, but there's not, there's still not a lot of depth. There's not much in the trenches. And if Chidora gets hurt, which is always possible in this sport, especially when you don't have a good offensive line, what happens to Colorado? You wonder early on. Are schools going to try to make a statement, potentially run up the score on them, just to kind of counteract the noise that Deon's making in recruiting? We'll see. That's going to be the big question. That's the reason. That's one of the reasons he hasn't, he didn't get a bigger job than Colorado is because people need to see how he handles what things aren't going the right way. There were some, you know, his first game at Jackson state, he comes in a locker room or it comes in the press conference and complaining that stuff was stolen out of the locker room. He had just kind of some weird things that have, have happened. So he's doing everything he was hired to do so far. The season tickets, the spring game attendance, the money, it's all happening. That's been a success, but we always knew this first season, especially it was going to not be great. So when that's happening, how is he handling the press conferences? How is he handling potentially some D commits from some, some players and stuff like that, that's what we got to see. And that's what I'm fascinated to see how he handles. Yeah. I mean, to your point, Chris Vanini, the athletic, he's done everything he's been hired to do. They're relevant. They're interesting. People care, but like, is he going to out scheme Kyle Whittingham? Is he sitting up late at night, drawing up plays to like out scheme Kyle Whittingham's defense? I don't think so, you know? Right. And at Jackson state, he had the most talented team because he was able to find really good players and get some transfers. That's not going to be the case in the pack 12 where he still has probably one of the worst rosters in that conference. And it would take a number of years for that to change. Chris, always a pleasure, man. You guys do great work up there. You can check them out at the athletic, go subscribe, pay for good journalism. Thank you, man. Thanks for having me. Absolutely. Chris Vanini there from the athletic. Yeah, I am fascinated by Dion. I think it's a calculated risk. I think it's, it's, we are all going to watch it unfold in real time, but how's it going to end? How's it going to end? That is the question. 855 -242 -7285. We'll continue talking college football. Take your calls as well. More. Braden Gall in for Paul Feinbaum. This is the Paul Feinbaum show on ESPN radio. We have a developing situation with Jim and Tuscaloosa. My main man, Braden Gall in for Paul 855 -242 -7285. We'll get to your calls here momentarily, but apparently Jim has made an appearance, but is too scared to come on the air with me. So we'll explain coming up momentarily. And he's taking shots at my producers, my crew, my guys. I don't know, man. I don't know. It's not going to fly. This unchecked aggression, man, will not stand at Braden Gall -7285 855 -242 here on the Paul Feinbaum show, ESPN radio. Bill Bender from Sporting News. Welcome to the show, Bill. How are you, sir? Hey, I don't know if it scores points, but I get the Lebowski reference. I'm all set there. I could talk to you. How are you doing? No major points. Greatest movie ever made. Unequivocally. It's not an opinion. It's a fact. It's science. You had a column and I started the show talking about the big 10 coaches somehow being surprised that night games in November would be in the contract that their university signed, but also that they're just scared of playing night games, even though it would be extremely beneficial. You wrote a column, of course, on Sporting News about how the night games for the big 10 will be good, but it'll take some adjustment time. We're going to be playing playoff games in December, and hopefully some of these teams are going to get some of those games at home. Wouldn't it be beneficial for the big 10 to do this as much as possible? I just think it's part of the tradition. I grew up in central Ohio and Ohio State didn't start playing night games at home until the 1980s. Michigan played their first night game in 2011. Ohio State's only played 10 home games against big 10 opponents at night. So I think the point I made and the adjustment for people that grew up in this part of the country will be, it's not a special occasion anymore. It'll be more of an obligation. And you're right, as we get into November and the NBC deal and the college football off expansion, these night games will be good for the campus. But like I said, if you're eight out of 10, I bet you've asked 10 big 10 fans what their favorite window is, or would say either three 30 or noon than they would the prime time window. And I agree with that. I was born in Madison. I, you know, I was raised in a big 10 family. I went to an SCC school, but like where is Penn State harder to beat at noon and happy Valley or at eight o 'clock and happy Valley? It's clearly eight o 'clock. Ford field, maybe that'll be tougher to beat next year. That's part of this kind of the selling point. But to your point, yeah. I mean, Madison at night is amazing. You know, Kinnick stadium at night is amazing. What wasn't amazing last year was Ohio state playing Toledo and winning 77 21. Now SCC school has been doing that for years, right? So I think that's the adjustment we'll have to make at the end of the day. It's football. We'll enjoy it. But like you said, if you grew up in the big 10 country, you know that that we're slow to adjust to change. Aren't we? It's that big 10 speed Ohio state, Michigan, Penn State feels like a pretty clear top three in the big 10 again on paper in May, I get it. But Michigan has this thing over Ohio state, even though we can still look at Ohio state and say, oh, probably a more dynamic roster, certainly a more dynamic offense. Penn State is sneaky, sneaky, good, but needs its quarterback to come along quickly. What do you make of the, of the three team race in the big 10 again, in the middle of May? Well, I'm wondering what, yeah, of course it's his name. I mean, I'm wondering if this start to feel like the mid to late nineties where you start to wonder whose turn it is. It's no longer just Ohio state and everybody else. I mean, Michigan's made their point with back to back big 10 championships. They've got probably the best backfield in the nation with Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum and JJ McCarthy. That's not an overstatement, I don't think. And they've got some other nice pieces. Ohio state's got the most frontline first round talent, starting with Marvin Harrison. And then for Penn State, I was talking to a station there the other day, and this is the most excitement they've had around the roster since 1999 when they had with Brian and Courtney Brown and withdrew Aller on top of it. It's on them to go out and beat Ohio state in Michigan. James Franklin's done a lot of wonderful things there. But over the last nine years, they have a four and 14 combined record against the Wolverines and
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"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"Family trust there. But does what Wisconsin have as an advantage over an Ole Miss, let's say, in a playoff matchup? Playing in the cold, playing in Camp Randall in the middle of November should be an advantage for Wisconsin. They should be playing at night at Camp Randall. It's great. It's awesome. So listen, there's a lot of weird things that Kevin Warren did as the commissioner of the Big Ten. As his tenure has gone on, it feels like we have changed our evaluation of his accomplishments. At first it was, what a total mess. And then he went and got USC and UCLA because of, you know, mess because of the COVID stuff and how they handled it. And while I gave him a little bit of benefit of doubt for that, we then sort of had to say, all right, look, he signed a billion dollars worth of TV contracts. He went and got USC and UCLA. You got to give him credit. And then he dipped out and he's, and he's off to the NFL, to the Bears. Now we're looking at this TV contract, according to again, petefamilespn .com that, that like none of the long form contract has been finished really. It's going to get finished. I'm not concerned about that, but not playing night games for your TV partner, like, cause of, cause of what? Some allowances by the conference in his, in the past, because teams didn't want to play at night in the Big Ten. I don't know. Seems kind of soft to me. Seems kind of soft. 855 -242 -7285, 855 -242 -7285. You can get to me on Twitter at Braden Gall. Uh, of course on the Twitter machine as well, if you want to tell me how terrible my takes are there, we do appreciate it coming up this hour, Chris Vanini going to join us, of course, all the conference expansion that's going on. Going to have a lot of fun with him. Bill Bender going to join us. Uh, Ryan McGee, brand new book out. Uh, welcome to the circus about a single a baseball summer in 1994 in Asheville, North Carolina. Great. Obviously you guys know Ryan McGee pretty well. So we're going to have fun with him. Brandon Marcello, uh, going to join us as well a little bit later on. I've got, I could not believe that I have a Colorado, Texas A and M comparison to make, but we're going to do that. Uh, and we have the top three teams in America, top three teams in America, all dealing with massive drama as we head into the middle of talking season with media days, just right around the corner. Braden Gall in for Paul 8 5 5 2 4 2 7 2 8 5. What is the latest in realignment? What is the latest in athletic director drama?
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"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"I <Speech_Music_Male> <SpeakerChange> <Speech_Male> <Advertisement> don't know <Speech_Music_Male> if we've ever seen <Speech_Music_Male> anything <SpeakerChange> quite like this. <Speech_Music_Male> No, <Speech_Music_Male> and with <Speech_Music_Male> name image <Speech_Music_Male> like this with state <Speech_Male> laws being adopted <Speech_Male> with litigation <Speech_Male> taking place <Speech_Male> with congressional <Speech_Male> interest and I could go <Speech_Male> on and on. There is <Speech_Music_Male> a lot <Speech_Male> happening and <Speech_Music_Male> really grateful <Speech_Music_Male> to our presidents <Speech_Male> and chancellors for <Speech_Music_Male> their level of engagement <Speech_Music_Male> here. Athletics <Speech_Male> directors do that <Speech_Music_Male> routinely. <Speech_Music_Male> The work of the <Speech_Male> SEC staff <Speech_Male> were right in the middle <Speech_Male> of 6 straight <Speech_Music_Male> weeks of championships <Speech_Male> <Advertisement> and we want <Speech_Male> <Advertisement> every one of those <Speech_Male> to provide young <Speech_Male> people with lifelong <Speech_Male> memories. There's <Speech_Male> a lot taking place. <Speech_Male> I think <Speech_Male> we've become <Speech_Male> conditioned to some of this <Speech_Male> intensity, but there's <Speech_Male> a whole level coming. <Speech_Male> And I warn <Speech_Male> people about. It's <Speech_Male> not just adding two <Speech_Male> schools. We <Speech_Music_Male> will be the <Speech_Music_Male> 16 team super <Speech_Music_Male> conference <Speech_Music_Male> starting in 20 24. <Speech_Music_Male> <Speech_Music_Male> I'll leave it there. <Speech_Male> I know you have the game <Speech_Male> as back to a slight you <Speech_Male> have to do because they're <Speech_Male> there about 15 more <Speech_Male> expansion questions. <Speech_Music_Male> Save for <Speech_Male> the next time. I'm <Speech_Male> here for you. I know <Speech_Male> we have to advertise, <Speech_Male> but I'm <Speech_Male> at. <Speech_Male> I'll ask you the <Speech_Male> final question here because <Speech_Male> there's so much chatter <Speech_Male> right now about expansion. <Speech_Male> From <Speech_Male> your colleagues. <Speech_Music_Male> Yeah. I'm sure. <Speech_Music_Male> Maybe you haven't noticed <Speech_Male> before getting ready for <Speech_Male> sure. <Speech_Male> <Speech_Male> You just answered the <Speech_Male> question in one level <Speech_Male> because you seem very <Speech_Male> happy <Speech_Male> and optimistic <Speech_Music_Male> about the lead. But <Speech_Music_Male> <Speech_Music_Male> broader picture <Speech_Music_Male> though, the <Speech_Music_Male> sport and the <Speech_Music_Male> industry that we're in. <Speech_Music_Male> <Speech_Male> I've explained <Speech_Male> we were approached by Oklahoma <Speech_Male> and Texas who <Speech_Music_Male> said to me, no TV, <Speech_Male> no money, <Speech_Male> we want to be a part of that. <Speech_Male> What you <Speech_Male> collectively have done <Speech_Male> in the southeastern <Speech_Male> conference. I think that's <Speech_Male> an incredible <Speech_Male> compliment to <Speech_Male> everybody in this league. <Speech_Male> <Speech_Male> And then this summer <Speech_Male> in media days <Speech_Male> because I <Speech_Male> became this <Speech_Male> center of expansion, <Speech_Male> you <Speech_Male> know, what's he going to do <Speech_Male> next? I <Speech_Male> was very intentional <Speech_Male> to say we're <Speech_Male> focused on <Speech_Male> growing to 16. <Speech_Male> <Speech_Male> And then I watched others <Speech_Male> say, we're going <Speech_Male> to go add four schools <Speech_Male> in the west. Or we're <Speech_Male> going to go to 20. <Speech_Male> You never <Speech_Male> really heard why. <Speech_Male> Maybe it's <Speech_Male> time zones. <Speech_Male> And so I've <Speech_Male> tried to be very clear <Speech_Male> that <Speech_Male> we <Speech_Music_Male> had an opportunity. <Speech_Music_Male> We thought it was <Speech_Music_Male> the right opportunity <Speech_Music_Male> given what we've <Speech_Music_Male> seen since. <Speech_Male> I think history will <Speech_Male> show that to be <Speech_Male> absolutely <Speech_Male> true. <Speech_Male> We've done it well, <Speech_Male> geographically. <Speech_Male> We've done it well from a <Speech_Male> media positioning. <Speech_Male> And <Speech_Male> I'm not a recruiter. <Speech_Male> And I respect my colleagues <Speech_Music_Male> and I <Speech_Male> understand people have different <Speech_Male> motivations, different <Speech_Male> interests, <Speech_Male> but <Speech_Male> we need a time <Speech_Male> of settling, a time <Speech_Male> of collaboration. <Speech_Male> <Speech_Male> We need a time of <Speech_Male> beyond <Speech_Music_Male> just collaboration <Speech_Male> cooperation <Speech_Male> because we have some really <Speech_Male> important challenges <Speech_Male> ahead of us. <Speech_Male> That require <Speech_Male> that the ability <Speech_Music_Male> to work together. And <Speech_Music_Male> hey, I'm <Speech_Male> not simply <Speech_Male> sitting in my glass <Speech_Male> house throwing stones. <Speech_Male> We've added <Speech_Male> members. <Speech_Male> But I think we all have <Speech_Male> to be careful in how <Speech_Music_Male> we proceed. And <Speech_Music_Male> thoughtful in how <Speech_Music_Male> we communicate. <Speech_Male> The commissioner of <Speech_Male> the southeastern conference, <Speech_Male> a lot <Speech_Male> to <Speech_Male> digest and unpack. <Speech_Male> We wish <Speech_Male> you well with the <Speech_Male> surgery. <Speech_Male> Thank you. <Speech_Male> They're really <Speech_Male> good doctors in Birmingham. <Speech_Male> We will all be thinking <Speech_Male> of you and <Speech_Male> I'll text your <Speech_Music_Male> report on Tuesday. You can <Speech_Male> breaking news below <Speech_Male> the scroll. We <Speech_Male> can't wait to see you <Speech_Male> again soon. Thank you, commissioner. <Speech_Male> Thank you very much. Absolutely. <Speech_Male> Thanks. Well, <Speech_Male> take a short break.
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"We won't have a schedule with only three teams on it, for example. We will have a schedule with 8 or 9 games. And the waiting of the schedule, the analysis of the schedule has to be done with the full schedule. And one of the opportunities here is to play everybody every other year. And one or three teams every year. That's a much tighter strength of schedule balance than what we've experienced in divisions. We know we can narrow the competitive disparity. And I think that's an important part that gets lost in the conversation. Now, will things stay as some people think they are? We'll see. Those are the decisions to be made between now and in the end of May. What you said there is really important, but is that determined that 8 or 9, obviously there's a different there's a different formula for both. Sure. Yeah. If you were in an 8 game schedule, you have one permanent opponent or one annual opponent is a better way to identify that game. But we have these incredible rivalries and the beauty of what we're doing with expansion. And I think this may be unique among all expansions as we're restoring rivalries. And since Missouri is here right now, Oklahoma, Missouri, we're in the big 8, played every year. Actually, pretty big wrestling match when they compete. The Arkansas and Texas game, the Texas, Texas a and M game. So there's a lot of health to what we're doing. So we have games like the iron bowl and the third Saturday in October. We have games that happen in Jacksonville and we have auburn and Georgia that play. We have Texas and Texas a and M, we have Texas and Oklahoma coming into the league. We have a and M and LSU, which the 7
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"Really Charlotte up to Greensboro for the women's regional watching Arkansas and South Carolina play. And that's part of the fun that you get you're able to share in these roles. I started as a reporter. I feel compelled to ask about this new surgery. I wish it was all the marathons or box jumps. I was on a ladder. I didn't fall. Okay. I just twisted for about ten minutes trying to pull a wire out of the side of my house. I climbed off the line and I said, wow, my knee doesn't feel right. That was in August and part of my reality is there's been no gap until next week. Unfortunately for my NCA travel plans. I know that this law is protecting your health, but you are the commissioner. We feel an obligation to meniscus. Nothing, nothing, nothing. Meniscus and a little bit of cleanup. So I've had the right one done. It's time for the left one. Well, I mean, I realize you run the league of the network, but I feel like we should at least get to some video. From the surgery for that night, doctor told me, only cheap doctors climb ladders, and he just looked at me and went silent. So I need to stay off the ladder, but it just was one of those things. I wish there was a better story. I just twisted for about ten minutes and one position and my knee hurts. Okay, so Tuesday morning or Tuesday morning. We will, I don't know where the program is, but we will be here live. We'll have a live look in with our medical correspondent. Talk to Andrew sports medicine. See if there's an in theater camera you could use. Well, the good news is and I say that I mean, you're an athlete. But they always tell me about it. And I fortunately I've never had news surgery, but the rehab is the key. It is and you know, the old adage I'd rather rust out than wear out, you know, don't be too comfortable in life right now, my
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"Being a reporter from Alabama is not welcome. How did you navigate that part of reporting the story? And having to do it by showing up at places where they probably didn't want to see you. Yeah, I have to thank the journalism luck God for this one. I actually had a phone call scheduled with three different people from Cain ridge the day, the court testimony came out that Miller was named. So for a couple of these people, I actually broke the news to them. And kind of letting them understand like, hey, I'm not trying to write an expose tomorrow about this. I just want to kind of understand him a little bit, and then we can circle back on some of those other stuff. And I think that initial reach out that initial connection kind of made me sound a little more earnest when I said, hey, I just want to hear about who Brandon Miller is. I don't want to know what you guys necessarily know. I don't want to know the details like The Godfather mentioning that the dash cam will come out and we'll change everyone's mind. I just wanted to get a sense of who he was. And I think they responded to that. So for those who haven't seen it, help us better understand because I'm watching the game today and literally the last thing on ESPN before the game is what happened. During the game, the game wasn't 5 minutes old. It becomes, I mean, we all know how big the story is. And how big it's about to become. And I realized I'm not trying to put you in an uncomfortable position you're a reporter. You're reporting the information, but after spending time there, after learning more than most of us, does it, do you think this narrative will change at all or have people made up their mind? A lot of people have already made up their mind. I think what makes it difficult for people and I mentioned this is some of the people that came to I spoke to is that when this originally comes out, Brandon is not associated with it at the time. NATO says all of our players are going to play in the next game. And then for the next month, they're kind of operating in silence about this. The family, at least per The Godfather, knew that this was going to come out eventually. They had prepared for this. They had even before this, not for the specific situation and the hired lawyers and public PR representations. While Miller was in high school, just preparing him for his league jump. Yeah. And I think the fact that they knew this was coming out and Alabama didn't know that specific text that Miller received asking to bring the gun shows how there has to have been some miscommunication in this where I think the university maybe could have protected him a little bit more. And not make it let everyone jump to make assumptions, but at the point we're at now, I think human nature kind of we want to jump to the worst on things. So when we don't know the specifics, we don't know the beat by beat details and they're leaking out. I think people are just rushing to make a judgment. So help us because you just talked about something that I have always wondered about.
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"That's the last step for Josh eibel, right? Is to show that he can recruit, which the NIL collective is doing a lot of work for him to help him out. They got off the ground faster than anybody. And that's what's going to sustain them. But Kirby's setting the bar pretty high. Nick set the bar really high like the bar's real high and so Tennessee fans expect to get there. They got some more work to do before they get there, I think. In the conference, everybody is fixated on LA shoot for good reason. They lost four games, but they got to Atlanta. They they've recruited well, but do you believe like some that they are ready to not take over? Nobody's taking over, but at least continue where they are against Alabama. I mean, there's no reason Brian Kelly won't continue to sustain a very high level program. He did it in another name. Oh, you're in and you're out. Again, everyone's always like, oh, Notre-Dame overrated overrated. No, they finished in the top ten almost every year. Two playoff bursts and a BCS title birth, regardless of what happened in those games, they got there. Well, the reason you go to LSU is the fish in a bigger pond. That's why you do that. You go to LSU to get better players. He's proven coach. So I think they're going to be as they can be right there as good as Bama and Georgia and maybe some of the better teams in America. But how many times can you, again, just like hype? How many times can you consistently beat Nick Saban and Kirby smart? You got to recruit three four more years before they do that. Now LSU's further along in recruiting the Tennessee is when Josh heidel got there, considering all the drama with Pruitt coming out of that with the NCAA issues. Jayden Daniels is coming back. They got another Garret nust Myers a good quality option. They got a good coaching staff, extremely good recruiting base that Nick stayed in sort of activated when he got there in 2000. And so there's no reason for them not to be very, very good. The question is how this is the best I've ever seen the league. I don't know about you, but from a coaching standpoint stability standpoint, fan bases are all happy. When's the last time 14 SEC fan bases were happy in the summertime? I can't remember that. And that's what we're going to have this year. Everybody's excited. And that's good old miss football. That's good Arkansas football. That's good Mississippi football. It's good football right now across the board. Rain go from many things. Thanks for dropping by. I know it was not easy to get here. But you made it, and we're glad you did. Thanks so much. We will commissioner the SEC's coming up in a little while. Bobby bones, who lives here in Nashville, in country music, Arkansas fan as well. And
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"With the third straight national championship and the arrested Jalen Carter has brought questions, which I think there are many who don't think they're justified. So I think we need to differentiate between coaches who make active decisions to create bad culture, and then what comes along with winning, which creates entitlement and empowerment, and lack of accountability, frankly, which happens basically every major college well program that's everyone multiple national championships. But to get from like two national titles to a dynasty, the head coach has to learn how to manage all of that, right? So I don't think Kirby has done anything specifically like we can name some of the coaches that have done specific things that create bad culture. You know, Baylor art brows, we can go down the list of things where coach is like actively creating a hostile environment. That's not Kirby smart. But what happens when you win the two national championships is, you know, you can go 89 and a 45 and the police officers like dude, it's okay, don't worry about it. You should slow down. And it just sort of starts to build and build and build. And I think the next year we're going to learn if Kirby can have it at his age, he's very young considering we're saving was at his time after two rings. Saban's the one guy who's shown you can do it and sustain it and he's had his moments of off the field stuff, but he gets through it. The program sustains. And that's where Kirby's at right now. He's got a he's got to answer the cars thing is insane. The fact that kids are driving a 140 miles an hour all the time. The Titans drafted a Georgia player in the 2020 draft, Isaiah Wilson, who played four snaps in the NFL. He was arrested twice doing donuts in downtown Nashville at two in the morning with a BAC twice the legal limit. This is a three year problem, but he's got to stop that. But other than that, it's not anything he's doing. It's just his job to fix it. And that comes along with winning. The spotlight gets pretty bright when you have two national championship rings. Yeah, and a question that would have never been asked, it's asked. And by the way, I don't know how anybody really aside from the systemic issues, which we talked about earlier in a program like Alabama, Georgia, LA shooter, you have the best players, you're always going to have issues. Yeah. To win to have the best possible athletes in the best possible football team, sometimes you're going to, you might choose things over character, but then you can deal with that. Again, urban Meyer couldn't deal with it at Florida. Less miles I don't think could deal with it at LSU. Again, you can point to specific decisions that they made that led to some questionable culture. Kirby
The Paul Finebaum Show
"braden gall" Discussed on The Paul Finebaum Show
"Second hour Nashville as Alabama wins game one. 70 to 49, Tennessee playing Missouri right now with a slight lead. A couple of games after that, Braden Gaul joining us from ESPN radio. Braden, it is a good see. I feel like you know this audience pretty well. You've sat in spring and summer and been subjected to all the things that subjected. What are you talking about? It's a pleasure. It's a pleasure to see you. Welcome to Nashville and hosted the final I'm sure I have to go through. These are our people, Paul. They are also involved in a company called four 44. What is that? Local digital company here in Nashville, all natural sports. So if you care about things like the predators or the Titans, SEC football, of course, we got you covered four 40 sports on the Twitter account there on the YouTube page, the whole deal. So we believe in giving people a communal experience, which I think is what the fine bomb show is all about is this sort of unifying togetherness and love of a common command deal and that's what we've got at four 40 sports for Nashville. And sort of middle tennesseans as well. But it's all digital. Check it out. We appreciate it. I've always been curious about Nashville because I remember Nashville and it didn't have anything. And the Titans and the predators, it seems like especially the predators have really grabbed this town. That's true. Football still dominates. If you look at the TV ratings, it's still absolutely the Titans and SEC football. In fact, what's fascinating is that the vols and Bama have battled for supremacy in the city. Really? Yeah, so I moved here before the predators in the Titans came here. I moved here in 96 and it was a Tennessee town. Four to Tennessee was the SEC east championship game. It was the SEC championship game. That's the rivalry I grew up with in high school here. A lot of power teas everywhere in Nashville it was a Tennessee market. Right around 2007, Paul, I don't know what happened around then, but right around 2007, there are a lot of more script days, a lot less power tease in the market. A lot of Alabama fans in Tennessee ratings in middle Tennessee, huge ratings, TV wise for Alabama games. It balanced out this fall for some reason. Also, no, no idea why. No, a lot more tease, a lot more orange started showing up again, but it's still a Tennessee market. When they're good, it's people are really into it. They have to be good though. But like Nashville's, I love this city. It's my home, but Nashville will leave the party pretty quickly if it gets dull. So you got to keep people. I remember being here, I don't know, 8 9, ten years ago, whatever it was and they were winning. Oh yeah. And everybody was a predator, Sam. Well, the cup run in 1617 changed everything. It brought in the common fan, the casual people, Broadway was insane down here. And even since then, the city has changed it, but there's about 14 more buildings downtown just since 2017,