Hey folks, it’s that time again. Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV, on PodClips, anything and everything in sports, and even more. Art, Laura, and Mark, straight away, you can email us, [email protected], [email protected]. Art, you played football for USC and the Rams. What’s going on now at LSU is driving me crazy. Apparently, the whole world is pointing toward LSU. On Thursday of this week, folks, we’re taping this Friday afternoon. On Thursday of this week, the SEC postponed its meeting to expel the Bengal Tigers from the conference; I don’t think they would have done it anyways. But how far does Lane Kiffin go? Now, he’s backed off as far as the players are concerned. But you know, and I know, he’s going to do something nutso in the next couple of days, next couple of hours. Your thoughts, Art Sorce.

You know what? I gotta tell you, the Lane train comes from that school of, you know, any news is good news, any publicity is good publicity. I will tell you this: he has put together the best team money can buy right now. Between them and Miami, which are both being kind of overlooked, what he did to Clemson – and I do realize the dabble may have run out the string down in Clemson – but that was an amazing pasting. And for him to actually say what he said at halftime on ESPN about, you know, what would happen if I had my two pros here with me? I mean, he’s making a mockery of college football, in my personal opinion. But you know what? The way college football is right now, you guys, and we could talk about it; I think it’s Katie, bar the door. There are no rules. Everybody’s gonna do what they want to do. And I’m just looking forward to the two games tomorrow. Oklahoma hosting Michigan, who can’t run a clock. And, of course. The other big one, which is Arch Manning, waiting for Julian Sand and Ohio State to come to town. I think Ohio State’s gonna corral the Longhorns.

Laura, 7:30 Saturday night, the game that we’re talking about, Texas at Home. Mr. Mahogany is, Cogony is, of course, a Texas Longhorn fan. I think Mark likes the Longhorns. Art likes Ohio State. Laura, I think I like the Buckeyes. Who do you like?

I’m looking forward to the game. It should be really fun. I actually like Ohio State, too. I think they’re gonna pull it out, but we’ll see.

When Mark said he loved Texas, Laura, you know what my first impression was?

Let me tell you, that, that, that heat in Austin right about now, man, Ohio State’s not used to that.

When’s the last time Sarkisian won a big game?

I’ll drink, I’ll drink to that.

This team is loaded. They got two of the best players on that protocol. I mean, they’re, they’re, I’m telling you, Texas is, this is big. Hook ’em horns.

We’ll see what happens as far; that’s 7:30 Pacific time on Saturday night.

And I’ll get the number one team of the nation, Fred, beginning a point and a half. When’s the last time you said that?

Let me, let me ask you guys a question. When I was growing up, when you were growing up, you knew where every game was. Now, there weren’t as many games televised, but you knew it was ABC, CBS, or NBC, and later Fox. Now, the UCLA game on Saturday against San Diego State, and the SC game against Louisiana-Lafayette are on BTN, the Big Ten Network. I challenge anybody to tell me, I mean, how do you keep, Laura, how do you keep up with all this?

Fred, let me ask Laura a question. Laura, how many, how many nationally televised games are on college football Saturday? Is it over or under 50?

More.

Oh, yeah, more than 50.

Because every game is televised.

52.

There’s 100,

52 games.

Yeah, it’s gotta be. It’s, it’s, it’s a business.

Okay, but here’s a stat, guys, I’ll throw out there. How do you take some of these schools seriously, their quarterback seriously, when he throws 15 touchdowns, he ends up with 30-something or 40-something touchdowns at the end of the season, but 15 were against bottom feeders? How is, how do you rate these guys?

You gotta be, you gotta be objective about it. You gotta see the rest of the season.

Like Miami, who outscored their opponent 122 to 6. Miami.

Yeah. How do you take that serious?

Well, you don’t. I mean, versus the other game, you see what he does against the other teams.

Right.

Then you balance it out. I mean, that’s as simple as that.

Right.

Miami with 850-something yards in total offense.

42 first downs.

Well, they ended the game early. The last quarter was only 10 minutes.

It was like a Little League game, a mercy rule. We’re gonna play 10 minutes in the fourth quarter, and that’s it. And if the fourth-string quarterback for Miami doesn’t fumble, it was 77-0; instead, it’s 77-7.

Fred, are the fans like sheep? They just go to these massacres, and they know what the outcome is, or they just love,

Mark, it’s a scrimmage. They have to pay for the scrimmage, but it’s a scrimmage. They want to get the victory, and they pay somebody a half a million or quarter of a million dollars. And as simple as that. All right. UCLA against San Diego State. Last time I checked, the Bruins 11, 11 and a half point favorite. Laura, who do you like? Giving 11 or taking 11 versus Bob Chesney and the Bruins of UCLA?

I definitely think UCLA is gonna win. I mean, I think they might, I think they might beat the spread on this one.

Art, who do you like?

I love Bob Chesney. I love the fact that what he’s done to that program, coupled with Martin Jarmond getting jettisoned, the athletic director. I really like UCLA. I like what they’ve done. They’ve got 51 new ballplayers on that team. They went to Strawberry Canyon. They dismantled a real good Cal team last week. I love the Bruins. I’ll lay the 11. They’re gonna win 31, 31-10.

Mark, you lived in San Diego. You like San Diego State?

I like the Aztecs. I, you know, I covered them when Ted Tollner was down there. But I will tell you this, me and Art got that run into the Bulls here all the way to the end of the season. John Harbaugh, the New York Giants, will have a better record than Joey Chestnut at UCLA.

Joey Chestnut?

Chestnut or Cheezy, or whatever his name is.

Well, he’s got 17 opportunities. Chesney only has 12.

I’ll give you a five, so we’ll go 12-12.

Art, USC, USC’s something like a five-touchdown favorite over Louisiana-Lafayette. Art, I want to ask you a question. The school that pays the most, I think, right now, is Texas. I think either Texas or Texas A&M.

149 million.

Yep.

No, I, no, I heard for, for everything in the athletic department, I heard 340 million. Either Texas or Texas A&M. Okay, let me, let me finish the question. How much do you think LSU, Louisiana- Lafayette, spends on all athletic events? All athletic programs at Louisiana?

Their entire budget.

20 million versus 340 million for the Texas. And I’m sure USC’s in the high 200s, right?

Oh, for sure. And Fred, let me tell you something. You know, with all these billion-dollar contracts they’re signing in college football, can’t they just take like 10% of that money and spread it out with the, the non-power four conferences instead of aligning these games up? Or these poor kids, they come to town, you know? And you do find a Western Michigan against Michigan game, like there was the other night, you know, which they got kind of hosed, too, but at least they played a great game. But it’s just so sad to me when they can have great matchups. I mean, you can have, you know, there’s 75 pretty decent programs in major college football. Once you get past that, into the other 50-55, and even FCS, it’s not fair for these kids to go out there against Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas, and just get absolutely crushed. I don’t get it.

I agree. Okay, let’s talk about another situation: University of Michigan. Bryce Underwood, Bryce Underwood did not play well last week, obviously, against Western Michigan.

Didn’t he have a tendon pull, or something like that?

And Coach Whittingham indicates that he’s not necessarily going to be the starting quarterback unless he plays better. Art, how much money do you think Underwood makes through NIL at Michigan?

I’m saying he’s making 10 million from Larry Ellison, if he’s making a nickel.

10 million. Okay, Laura, how much do you think he’s making, quarterback, University of Michigan?

10 million? I don’t know. That seems like, that’s really exorbitant, but could be.

Mark, how much do you think he’s making?

I’m seeing five.

He’s making 3 million bucks, which is a lot of money. And again.

In one year?

This year. And if you’re a left tackle, I’m gonna say it again.

I thought you meant in his whole career. He’s gonna make over $10 million.

Oh, yeah, if he plays there the whole time, yeah, 3 million this year for Bryce Underwood at Michigan. But my question is, if you, if you think about it logically, if you go to a left tackle and you’re a gambling guy, or you’re involved in gambling, and you tell the left tackle, you’re only making 100,000; we’ll give you another 100,000 if you miss a couple of tackles so that Michigan doesn’t cover. This is what we’re talking about as, is what we’re talking about as far as gambling and this and that. Mark, what do you think?

I think getting back to the Western Michigan and Michigan, and like Artie said earlier, and I don’t want to steal his thunder. I would have not, not, not only walked off the field, I would have just shut my season down. If you’re going to do something drastic like that and put a second back on the clock when we won, I’ll just forfeit the whole season.

And, you know, and Mark, part of that was, I actually watched it, and I don’t know how many clocks.

There was no second on there.

The ball was in the air; the clock on the scoreboard was zero, zero. And then, within like a tenth of a second, the ball touches the guy who jumps from out of bounds. What does that have to do with the game is over? Over.

And a clear-cut message: say, we’re not playing no more this year.

And then, and then the University of Michigan fans, and, and students, and they, they, they rush the field. Like it’s the greatest victory in the history of the world. And, and I was at the Colorado-Michigan game many, many years ago, where Cordell Stewart fired it from like the 34-yard line, his own, and they won the game on a tip pass. Boom. And I mean, that was the craziest thing I ever saw. And, and I mean, it’s just, it’s the integrity; the word integrity rings right in my ears when I watch these things happen.

No, it seems that LSU and Michigan are the schools that we’re talking about, day in and day out, in the wonderful and wacky world of sports. And not in a positive,

Just the lack of that.

And not in a positive direction. I mean, it’s Michigan and LSU and LSU’s alibi; it’s Kiffin. And Michigan, it seems, everywhere and everybody and all my relatives.

You know, Fred, I love, I love Coach Whittingham. But honest to goodness, I would have never left the Utah program to go to Michigan in the situation he’s in, personally. Because, what happened with Sharon Moore last year in Michigan,

Oh, yeah.

In all situations. I mean, and I know he’s a stable, great, great coach. I played under his father, who was a line coach for the Rams, a great coach. Um, you know, I think he’s a, he’s a, he’s a solid man, but, but I gotta tell you, man, the college football, and I call it when I write my articles, pro college football, you guys, because it really, truly is. If you got a quarterback at Michigan, you’re going to make over 10 million in his career. You know, why would you want to come out to the NFL?

Fred, there was breaking news. Mick Cronin will be the next Clipper coach.

Let’s hope so. Yeah. All right. We’re going to take a break on Fred and the Fantastics. Back with more right after this.

Hey folks, we’re back on Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and on PodClips, with Art, with Mark, with Laura, and with you. You can email us: [email protected]. Taping this Friday afternoon, a little bit after 1:00 PM Pacific time. Let’s talk about the National Football League. And Laura, you’re a big Raiders fan, but I’m betting that Ed and you do not go to see the Raiders at home versus the very, very strong Miami Dolphins. Any thoughts, Laura?

No, I will not be going to see the Raiders on Sunday. I will be busy throwing my sins into the ocean. But I, I have to say that there is a, there was a running back – I don’t remember his name – but there’s a running back I watched during the preseason, and I, he was, I said during the games that this guy looks really good, and he has now been elevated to the roster. So, you know, it’s kind of fun. I always kind of lambaste preseason because it’s, you know, they’re playing all the, you know, that they’re not playing their starters, and it doesn’t really seem serious. But every once in a while, you get a player that is, just looks so good in preseason, they actually make the team. It’s, it’s really fun to see that. I think it’s Williams.

Do they cover the low number against the Dolphins, one of the worst teams in the NFL?

Yes, I think they do. If they’re going to win the game, for sure.

Art, who do you like?

You know, I, I gotta be honest with you. I like the under in that game, Fred, because I don’t think either team could do anything. But if I was forced to bet the game, I would take Kirk Cousins, because he is, I’m going to say, he is a Baker Mayfield type quarterback. He’s worth $165 million in somebody’s mind as the 11th, 12th, or 13th best quarterback.

Mark?

They have a lot of injuries, you know; GT is injured, and Brock Bowers is injured.

Brock Bowers is out, yeah.

I got the sure shot of the week, and don’t be surprised. The sure shot of the weekend is the Steelers are going to be all over the Falcons. And, you know, Artie, at this time of the year,

Now, I gotta bet on it, oh my God.

Wait a minute, wait a minute. You know, at this time of the year in the NFL, the defense is always ahead, against, over the offense. And the Falcons are all banged up. The quarterback,

You’re not a Cooper Rush fan, Mark? You’re not a big Cooper Rush fan?

It’s all Steelers. And I wouldn’t be a bit surprised, call me crazy, if the Arizona Cardinals pull one on the Chargers, because I like Jeremiah Love a lot.

Quite a, quite a running back.

Really? Chargers are going to beat them by 20, 20 points. Hey, how about this one, you guys? Miami, which has a really tough, tough road to hoe this year. The Miami Dolphins, they paid 92.5, 92 million to get rid of Tua.

Yeah.

Have you ever heard anything like that? That’s crazy.

He doesn’t throw well. He didn’t throw well in college. And he doesn’t throw well now. And we’ll see what happens.

After all those concussions, I don’t think they throw well, either.

Fred, who’s your sure shot? And don’t be surprised.

No, here, here’s my story. And I’m in trouble now. I’m in a couple, I’m in a couple, I’m in a couple of Survivor contests. And one of them, I hate to say this, but I took the Steelers. And, and I could be out the first week.

Mark’s all over him.

Mark’s all over it. I’m, I’m going to be out the first week. I have time to change, but I, I don’t know.

Here’s my, here’s my big NFL, my big NFL pick, you guys. I think the Houston Texans are going to show Joe Brady that it was better to be an offensive coordinator than a head coach.

Wow.

The Houston Texans have a defense that, I will tell you, can come and get it, baby. And they’re going to be playing at home, and Buffalo’s coming to town. And I just, I, I love Josh Allen, but I think Josh Allen is, better, better have eyes in the back of his head, because when, when those kids, Anderson comes around the corner, that defense is there to play, people. And, and that’s my pick.

I think, I think the most scrutinized team this year, because everybody could be out- Zach Taylor, Burrow, and everything- is the Cincinnati Bengals. That could be the most scrutinized defense. And everything, because people might want out of there after this year.

All right. Who do you like in that one? That’s, that’s a pretty interesting game. Buccaneers and 55 million a year guy in, in Mayfield versus Burrow and the Bengals. Art, who do you like in that?

Art?

I love the Bengals. I think, I think they’ve really, they’ve retooled their team. Um, I think Joe Burrow is serious, serious as he could be. Um, they’re, they’re in Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati. That’s their home field. That’s, they call it the Jungle. And, you know, I, I just think they’re going to, they’re going to do really good. But I’ll tell you, watch Ruben Bain, who plays for Tampa Bay.

Yeah.

If he gets a chance to come around the corner and hit Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals could be done for the season.

Hey, let me just throw this out before we go. And I’d love your guys and gal comments about this. A.J. Brown caused all kinds of trouble in Philadelphia. Okay. So he plays on, he, so he plays and he gets hurt. And now he’s out at least four weeks. It’s a high ankle sprain. And if you ever follow those, sometimes those go a lot longer than four weeks. Laura, A.J. Brown and the, and the Patriots. I mean, it looked like a good deal, except he’s a troublemaker. And now he’s out anyways. And do they have another wide receiver who can catch the ball? Laura, your comments about the Patriots?

I thought he looked pretty good before he got hurt.

Yeah, but he’s out.

I mean, he made a couple of catches. And I think the Patriots looked pretty good in the first half. And then they, they sort of fell apart in the second half. But yeah, we’ll see. I mean, some of these troublemakers, you know, they get, they get a new lease on life when they change, change teams. So we’ll see. But he could be out a lot longer than four weeks, as you said, because those high ankle sprains can be really troublesome.

Mark, you ever had a high ankle sprain?

I haven’t had one, but when I look at somebody going out in the first game, I think of Aaron Rodgers. And then I think of bad off-season moves. Tucker and Mo Vaughn falling into the Anaheim Stadium dugout. So, I mean, I don’t know if he can come back. By the time he comes back, somebody might be taking his place, and he might be in a different city.

Art, the weekend in Sports, talk about it.

Ah, it’s going to be awesome, you guys. We got some awesome, awesome college football games, like I said earlier, Oklahoma, you know, they’re going to be taking on an incoming Michigan team. You’ve got, wow, the Game of the Night on ESPN, ABC. It’s going to be Ohio State number one against number 4 Texas; that’s gonna be something special. I personally am leaning toward Ohio State. I just, I think Sarkisian is really good at going and getting guys like James Franklin at Penn State, but I don’t think he coaches them up quite as good as some of the other coaches. You got, you got Arthur Smith III, who’s the offensive coordinator for Ohio State. You’ve got, oh, I don’t, I forget about all that. How about US Open tennis? Great US Open tennis.

Yeah.

I mean, Sabalenka, you got, I mean, that’s going to be unbelievable. I, I’m, I’m excited about that. I love the US Open. Laura, come on, talk to me about some tennis.

Oh, yeah, there’s, that semifinals tomorrow are going to be really interesting, with Zverev playing Khachanov. I think Zverev will pull that one out. Shelton beating Alcaraz – I mean, that was, that was very,

Huge upset.

In, in five sets, I think it, it was an amazing match, so we’ll see about Shelton-Tiafoe, which should be a very entertaining match. They’re both really, you know, high, highly entertaining players. I think it’s going to end up being Shelton and Zverev in the final.

All I think about is Seinfeld and Kramer being the ball boy. One of the greatest episodes they’ve ever done.

I love that.

You know what, Fred? I was just thinking, you and I are connected like Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver, 60 feet, 6 inches, since you picked the Steelers.

I love it. I love it. You know what? I, I pray for you guys because I’m going to be at that game. But man, I got to tell you,

Oh wow, yeah.

Cooper Rush to me is like, who knows what could happen there?

Welcome to Pittsburgh.

All right, for Art, for Mark, for Laura, and for Mario. Thank you guys and gals for listening to Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and PodClips. Bye, everybody.