It’s that time again, folks. That’s right, Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and PodClips. Anything and everything in sports, and a little bit more with Art, with Laura, with Mark, with Matthew, and with you. You can email us at [email protected], [email protected]. We’re taping this one o’clock on Pacific time on Friday, first night of the World Series. In four hours, Dodgers are two-to-one favorite. Art, would you wager one way or the other?

You know what, I took Seattle only because they’re plus 225 to win the series.

Toronto.

What did I say?

You said Seattle.

Well, that’s who I wanted to win, so that’s an interesting Freudian slip. But I did take Toronto. And I’m going to need a great performance out of, you know, Bichette, I’m going to need a great performance out of Guerrero. You know, it’s just, I don’t know, I really think the Dodgers are going to win in six, but, you know, I mean, for a hundred dollars to win $225, I figured I’d take the underdog, and that way I can root for the dog like I’ve done my whole life.

Let me ask you guys a question. When did they switch from 2-2-1-1-1 to 2-3-2? I know it used to be 2-2-1-1-1.

Baseball was always 2-3-2.

Oh, it used to be 2-2-2. No, he’s right.

No, no, no, no, no. Baseball in the World Series was always 2-3-2.

No, it was 2-2-1-1-1.

No, no, no, World Series was always a 2-3-2. Always.

You better check on that one man.

No, no, no. Basketball and hockey was 2-2-1-1-1.

I think it had to do with, I think it had to do with to travel.

Yeah,

I really do,

Almost always, it was 2-3-2, for the most part.

Well, I think an advantage.

So am I thinking of the NBA instead? Is that what you’re saying?

NHL and NBA is 2-2,-1,-1-1, and all of that, but no, baseball was always a 2-3-2.

I’m such a big NHL fan.

Laura, you’re a big Dodger fan. Is there a way they can lose this?

Oh yeah, sure, of course there’s a way they can lose it. I don’t know that I would. I don’t know that. I’d say 2-1 is what the odds are now. I’m not sure I’d give them that great of odds, but I don’t see Toronto coming back.

You think Dave Roberts is betting on Toronto?

You know, it’s interesting to watch as a Dodger fan, watching not every game, but a lot of games over the season, and how they just managed. It’s like turning on a light switch in the playoffs. And you know, everybody’s talking about, you know, the Dodgers, you know,

I believe. They’ve won 9 out of 10 games, right?

They haven’t lost a second game of the wild card series, and they haven’t lost a game since. And they’ve outscored their opponents by almost twice as many points.

Laura, you’ve been a baseball fan your whole life. Have you ever seen a performance like Shohei Ohtani did?

On that three-home run?

Oh, and the pitching performance.

Oh my god, well, I went to the first game, I went to the game against Cincinnati, when Shohei hit two home runs. And there were five home runs in that game, which, I mean, it’s pretty unusual for there to be five home runs in a game. And it was really a lot of fun to see, and you really get the breadth of how hard and how far he hits the ball when you see it in person. You just don’t see it on TV.

And the sound of the bat hitting the ball.

It’s just incredible.

So let’s go around and everybody pick. Dodgers in six,

Hang on one second, maybe respond to this if you want. The answer to the question why the Dodgers only won 93 games in the regular season and they’ve only lost one game in the playoffs, okay? Dave Roberts put Tanner Scott out there. He blew 11 games himself.

I think you’re right, maybe 12.

Blake Treinen blew five or six, so that’s 16 or 17 games. And he’s not going to them early; he’s letting the starters do their thing. And that’s why they go in and run as they could have done in the regular season,

Treinen has pitched better lately.

I couldn’t believe that that was a very, very,

Hey, you guys, given your sources that I don’t have, do you guys have any information about what’s going on with Vesia?

I think, I think,

I guess it’s a child sick or something?

It’s a family thing,

I think it’s a stillbirth.

It’s obviously a personal,

I think it might be something to do with the kid that is stillborn or something. I’m thinking that,

Oh no. I hope that’s not it.

I was talking it over with my wife, and I think it’s something to do with that. I could be wrong. They’re going to miss him.

I will tell you here in Toronto, where it’s about 40 degrees. And I got all the Canada backing me up, and no Canada, and where we introduced hockey to the States. I think the bulletin board material that needs to be put up in the Blue Jays is what Dave Roberts said, and I like Dave Roberts a lot. But when you say you ruin baseball and you want to ruin it for four more games, well, that might be bulletin board material.

I guarantee you one thing: with what’s going on with Canada and the United States, and trade.

It’s a beautiful country. I don’t see,

They say that there are 25% of the Canadian citizens are diehard Blue Jays fans. That’s a pretty great stat.

25% of the entire country?

Yeah.

Wow!

Well, the rest are with the Montreal Canadiens.

Or the Maple Leafs. But, getting back to the Series,

How many games?

25% are basketball fans,

Pick the series, Matt. Come on.

92-93,

I’m thinking this. The Dodgers got to keep it short. If they can split the one and the two in Toronto, and they have to make sure no game six or seven back at Toronto. If it goes to six and seven, I say the Dodgers lose. I’m glad they’re going with Snell for Game One. He’ll go the one and the five there. If they can get that split there and then hold serve at home,

So, you say four games to one?

Yeah, so I’m thinking four games to one, if it goes to six and seven, Toronto takes it.

Art. Who do you like?

I like the Blue Jays, and I like them in seven.

Alright, Laura, who do you like?

I like the Dodgers in five.

Mark, the world’s worst sports handicapper. Who do you like?

You’ve known me long enough to realize I never go back on my word.

Toronto, they’re all beat up.

This is a last-place team; this is a team that win back-to-back titles. The Dodgers, it’s been a while since they’ve won back-to-back titles.

They’ve never won back-to-back titles.

In ’92 and ’93, the Jays. There’s something about Canada. It’s clean, I love it. I’m still trying to find out where it is.

Free health insurance.

So, Blue Jays in how many games?

Blue Jays will take it in six. I’ve been hoping they’d sweep.

Pretty soon, we’ll all be filing for asylum in Canada.

Fred, here we go. You’re the key guy, Fred. You’ve got to break the tie.

Dodgers, and Dodgers in five,

I thought you’d say Dodgers sweep.

Over or under? Over or under?

Now, does Ohtani pitch the three or the four? Where would you put Ohtani in the rotation?

He’s put Kershaw in there,

No, don’t put Kershaw in, but over or under home runs in the series for Ohtani. Mark, you’re first.

I think this guy will be completely shut down. I think they’re going to bust him inside. I say, two home runs, maybe.

Laura. How many home runs for Ohtani in the series?

I’m going to say three, maybe four, but I’ll say three.

Are you sure he’s not betting the under here?

What if I told you two and a half, Fred?

I’m glad they’re coming down on these people because that will ruin sports. The beautiful thing about sports is that it’s meritorious, on the field or on the court.

Merit-based. That’s a wonderful thought.

Matthew. How many home runs in the series for Ohtani?

I’m going to whip it out. Five.

What?

Wow,

I agree with Matthew.

I’m going to whip it out,

I agree with Matthew.

I’m going to say three,

I’m going to whip it out, five.

I’m going to say three for Ohtani and four for Guerrero.

We’re going to take a break and come back with more on Fred and the Fantastics right after this.

Welcome back, everybody. Sports Overnight America with, no, it’s not Sports Overnight America, it’s Fred and the Fantastics, anything in sports with Art, with Laura, with Mark, with Matthew and Mario, of course, producing the show. I want to talk about the wagering situation we talked about on Sports Overnight America. Laura. You’re really hard on this. Basically, our game can be ruined. People bet before, but they didn’t have props to bet on. And I don’t know how you can stop it, Laura. How can we stop it if we want to stop it?

It’s sort of like the horse is out of the barn or whatever the adage is. I wish it had never been involved in sports. I think personally, what is so beautiful about sports and what I love about sports is that it is meritorious. You go out there, and once you’re on the field, or once you’re on the court, it’s the people that play the best, the team that plays the best, the person that plays the best is the winner. Once that’s tainted, once that integrity is gone, I think you’re going to just lose so many sports fans. And, personally, I’m really annoyed with all the ads. I’m really annoyed with the new broadcasters, how they manage to have the ads on while the game is still on. Because we only care about the ads. Life is all about the ads.

That’s what I loved about Al Davis, I mean, Al Michaels would sneak it in there, like, Oh, there’s a big cut touchdown, if you were concerned about the total points. He was so good at hinting around it. But I go back to the old days when we had the NFL today with Brett and Jimmy the Greek.

And Phyllis George.

You weren’t allowed to even talk about the spread more than anything else. Here we are, 50, 60 years later. You look around the stadiums, there’s BetMGM, there’s Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings, by the way, who are all owned by NFL owners. I hate to bring that up, but that’s partly true, too. So, I mean, you’ve got some real problems here, and it just doesn’t run into sports. It looks like the rest of the world is in the same kind of a situation. The fix may be in, you guys.

There’s a very interesting article this morning, I think it’s an op-ed in the New York Times about crypto. Speaking of gambling and speaking of no accountability and not tethered to anything except whatever somebody says they think it’s worth that particular minute. There’s going to be millions and millions of dollars in losses.

I’ve done some studying, trying to figure out what crypto is all about, and I’ve spent a lot of hours. And I’ve got to tell you, I’m not stupid, but I have trouble figuring out what it’s based on and how it’s based on it,

Because it’s not based on anything,

It’s an illusion. That’s why I refuse to touch it.

It’s ethereal. It’s just, okay, I have this cup, it’s worth $10. How much do you want to pay for it?

So, it’s basically fantasy, with nothing backing it up.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. I won’t touch it with a 10-foot pole.

What about Trump coins?

That too.

They’re worth a lot of money.

How about my new Trump watch? Do you like it?

We’re back on Fred and the Fantastics.

The East Wing is down in the White House.

Hey, ballrooms are big.

They’re selling bricks, they’re selling bricks.

Do you guys have any thoughts about Cooper Flagg only scoring two points in his first game?

That’s early times, Fred. Early times, Fred.

He had this spectacular game.

You don’t think he bet the under? I don’t think so, you don’t think the FBI is going to come down on him.

He’s only making $15 million a year. I heard,

Not bad, let’s talk about something else, let’s talk about the UCLA Bruins at Indiana tomorrow. Folks, we’re taping this Friday afternoon. Indiana; three weeks ago, Penn State was a 24-point favorite over UCLA, and the Bruins won. Indiana is a 24-point favorite. But in this case, they’re going against Fernando Mendoza, who played for Cal for two or three years. He’s awfully good; he might be right now the best quarterback in America. Art, 24 one way or the other. Do you have any thoughts?

I’m a Jerry Neuheisel fan, and this was the lock of the week according to his dad. You know, that could be a little skeptical if you look at it. His dad works for CBS Sports, the old quarterback from the Rose Bowl, but Rick Neuheisel says that the kid knows what he’s doing. And I think he learned as a little kid. He’s made such a direct impact on that team the last three games, I mean, I think that’s an overlay. I think that’s too many points, Fred. Indiana is going to win the game by 10 or 14. But don’t be surprised if this Bruin ball club, because Nico Iamaleava has come into his own in this new offense that Jerry is putting out there, and I have a funny feeling that Indiana might not be as good as everybody says they are.

If I were Indiana, I’d be saying, Tighten your helmet straps. This is going to be a challenge.

UCLA has been playing pretty well. I think they’re,

They’ve been playing great football.

Yeah, that’s why Indiana has to tighten their helmet straps.

Someone told them the season started in October.

They weren’t ready yet.

Art, Art,

Hey, Fred,

What?

I want to talk about Tony Vitello. He’s getting a lot of crap, but I think Buster Posey made a good hire of Tony Vitello from the University of Tennessee.

The University of Tennessee baseball coach who’s going to be with the Giants?

I think he’s going to do good with the Giants.

Has anybody ever heard anything like that? I remember, Bobby Winkles.

Yeah, Winkles, I was thinking the same thing. I can’t think of anyone else. From the NCAA translating into MLB, or something like that.

There was a lot of them in the NBA.

He went from MLB to NCAA, to Alabama, and all that. But I don’t think the other way around, and all that. Here’s another college football game we should look. Oklahoma vs Ole Miss; Oklahoma needs to beat Ole Miss to get in the top 12 because they’re right behind Notre Dame in the 12th spot. That’s going to be a key game, too.

You’ve got two coaches there that are the opposites, one’s very offensive in Lane Kiffin, then you’ve got Brent Venables in Oklahoma. Brent Venables has rubbed me raw the last couple of weeks. What happened at the end of the first half in South Carolina? When they sat on the guy and let the clock run out? And the referees were going to stop the game and give him an extra play, and they said, No, the SEC is having a little trouble with both he and Mike Yelko in terms of playing the game the proper way.

Just don’t bring the Texans and the Seahawks to a Christmas party anytime soon.

Art, your Trojans. Notre Dame last week might be the last game for a long time as far as that series is concerned. Art.

Any comments? I hope not. I got to play in ‘77. I played in four of these games. When they came out with the Trojan Horse and Joe Montana in green jerseys. And I had told coach Robinson prior, because I was a Notre Dame fan as a kid, that they never had green stripes on their socks; they always had blue stripes. And he went, Oh. And then they made us wait on one of those lead slate days where it’s 50 degrees and drizzly, and we couldn’t, and then here they come out of the stadium, roars with the green jerseys on. I hope and pray that the great intersectional battle between USC and Notre Dame that started because, you know, Knute Rockne’s wife wanted to come to California every other year in November and enjoy the good weather. When you really think about it, isn’t that beautiful? That’s how that series started 98 years ago, and to see it not come to fruition anymore will be a real bummer in my mind.

Why are they discontinuing it? I didn’t hear that. Why are they discontinuing it?

USC wants to play the game prior to the Big Ten schedule as a game, and Notre Dame wants to keep it the way it was, which was at the end of the year,

That’s almost like the Penn State-Pittsburgh series every time after Thanksgiving,

And the Backyard Brawl fell apart, too.

Oklahoma and Nebraska,

And what about Texas vs Texas A&M? That was discontinued for a time because they were in separate conferences and all that.

Yeah, that was a great game on Thanksgiving Day, and we used to have Nebraska and Oklahoma, another classic game. It’s sad how college football is getting away from their traditions.

I know, I know.

What’s the over and under? The Lakers are going to win.

You can’t judge it by just one game.

I say, 46 and a half,

That’s about right. Okay, let’s talk a couple NFL games before we leave on Fred and the Fantastics on Sunday night, Aaron Rodgers against the Packers; Packers on the Road, 4-1-1. Steelers, 4-2; Packers about a 3-point favorite. Laura, who do you like, Packers at the Steelers?

That’s going to be a really interesting game. Sorry, Mark, but I’m going to go with the Packers. They’re playing at home, right? They’re playing in Lambeau?

No, they’re actually in Pittsburgh.

Oh, they’re playing in Pittsburgh,

Acrisure Stadium,

You know, it’s going to be a good weekend, Laura. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday with the Blue Jays, the Steelers, and then you’ve got the Redskins playing the Chiefs. I’m going to try to sweep the board here.

I like Green Bay to win that game 27-24. I love the over in that game. I really do. Last night, I really liked the over too, especially after they took my touchdown off the board early, which I needed from Minnesota. Yeah, there’s a couple of good games, I’ll tell you, there’s a game nobody’s talking about where Skattebo and Jaxson Dart are going to be playing the Eagles. It’s going to be early on Sunday, and the Giants just beat them 34-17. Now, two weeks later, they come back after the debacle in Denver, which we talked about. That’s going to be a heck of a game. But it looks like the Eagles might be without A.J. Brown. So that could cause a problem there. Do you think the Giants can hang in there? Seven-and-a-half points in that game?

I think eventually Mark is going to,

I think the Eagles got a little bit of confidence back, beating the Vikings. Jalen Hurts had a super game last week, and all that.

He sure did.

They’re going into this game at home with revenge. It’s going to be a toughie. It’s going to be war, but I think the Eagles will scratch it out somehow. It won’t be pretty. One thing, Saquon is just not exploding with Orange anymore.

Do you think that offensive line has a lot to do with that, though, Matthew?

That too. The thing is, Brendan Graham’s coming out of retirement, too. To play again for the Eagles. I think it’s going to be an ugly win for the Eagles. It’ll be ugly, but they’ll scratch it out.

Like 22-19 or something.

Yeah, yeah, it’ll be ugly.

One more game, one more game.

Cowboys 3-3-1 at the Broncos, 5-2 Broncos, a three-point favorite. Now, what I don’t understand here is that, folks, in the NFL, college football home team usually gets three. So they’re saying here that on a neutral field, it’d be an even bet. Cowboys have not shown they can score, but they can’t stop anybody.

No, that’s why I love the over.

Well. Their defense has tightened up the last two weeks. This is a shame.

What did you say there?

They’ve tightened the defense a little in the last couple weeks. You know, they’ve got the offensive going.

Are you watching the Dallas Cowboys or the Oklahoma State Cowboys?

Well, they put up 44 in Washington, and the week before they beat the – I just had a brain freeze.

The question is, who can they stop?

Yeah, that’s my point.

I don’t know, Dan Prescott’s doing pretty darn good,

But we’re talking defense.

Who can they stop? They’re on the road. Who can they stop?

Well, it’s a game shades of ’77 Cowboys and the Broncos,

You’re saying the Cowboys are going to outscore the Broncos?

I like the Cowboys in this one, you know?

They’re going to need 40. One thing I noticed about the Giants in that game in Denver, and having lived in Denver for a bunch of years. Early fourth quarter, it looked like the Giants were sucking eggs.

They were tired,

They were tired at that altitude, and I noticed the only one that seemed to be fresh was Jaxson Dart. And he was privileged with a few nice calls by the refs at the end.

But how do teams score in 45 seconds when they go three quarters without even making a dent in the scoreboard? I mean, it was like, who was he throwing that pass to? The guy was cutting over the middle of two receivers right next to each other. I’m like, What’s up?

Before we go, let me throw this out, and maybe you guys can chime in here. The smartest foul penalty I’ve ever seen by a coach, let me explain. Pass interference against the Broncos, the Giants on the two-yard line, first down, Sean Payton runs out, screams at the officials.

In the end zone.

A one-yard penalty,

Gets a 15-yard penalty, could have gotten six. They moved the ball about 32 inches. He’s got moxie; I don’t always agree with him. It goes back to the old Bounty Gate stuff, but I’ll tell you what, the guy’s got some moxie.

On WFAN. They made a big deal, that he made a bad mistake.

And I want to call, but I won’t. I’m listening and I’m saying, you idiots. It was a one-yard penalty at max, smartest penalty of all time.

I’m not a Ram guy by any means, but you know what, Artie? I think the Rams can get the number one seed in the NFC.

I agree with you,

I love McVay.

How are the 49ers doing? Is it smoke and mirrors?

I like Matt Jones a lot.

He sure has increased his stock. Stock up.

Alabama quarterbacks.

Laura, 30 seconds. Think about the weekend, your thoughts about sports?

I’m just really looking forward to watching baseball and watching the Dodgers. I think the Dodgers are going to win tonight. I think tonight’s game is really important for the Dodgers.

Is it Snell against Gausman?

Yes.

A 22-year-old.

Art. Give me a 15-30-second recap,

One of my favorite weekends in sports, and I say it all the time. I know everybody gets mad at me for saying that. But you got the NBA starting out, they got all the kerfuffle they have. You got the NFL College Football Week 8, you got the World Series. There are seven really great, great events that you can’t miss on TV. It’s probably going to be gorgeous in California. I looked the other day, it looks like it’s going to be 90 degrees and beautiful. The rest of the world, we’re dealing with the late fall, early winter. It might be a good time to buckle up, put the old blanket on, get on the couch, and enjoy the heck out of a great sports weekend.

Mark, in 15 seconds. Are you disappointed that Tanner Scott got the Cy Young over Paul Skenes?

I’m disappointed, there, but it’s also a nice weekend. I told my wife she can move out for the weekend because it starts tonight. It’ll start with Milwaukee taking apart Matthew’s 76ers, it’ll continue with the Blue Jays, fly, Jays fly, into tomorrow. Then Sunday it’s the Steelers, Monday it’s the Redskins. Then, if it keeps continuing, I can have six, with the Jays taking a 10th.

How did that initial comment go over in the Mancini household?

Matthew, 15 seconds.

I’m watching the World Series like Laura. I’m going to watch that World Series because I need to know how the chapter on Dave Roberts ends in my book.

He’s done no matter what.

He’s going to be in jail for betting the other team. He’s going to take Snell out after five.

He didn’t keep Tanner Scott on the roster, so there’s another plus in his column.

Is Blake Treinen on the roster?

When is Kershaw pitching?

Treinen’s on. I thought Scott was on it, I thought Scott was on it, too.

I don’t think Treinen would have been on it, but they lost.

Great show, you guys.

Great seeing you guys, love you all.

For Laura, for Art, for Mark, Matthew, and Mario.

Have a great weekend.

Thank you very much for listening to Fred and the Fantastics. Bye, everybody.