Anything and everything in sports and more. Fantastics meaning Art Sorce, former pro football star and pro golfer also, and Laura, one of the great trivia experts in sports, Laura Snoke, with us. One of the Fantastics this evening, this afternoon, on Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and on PodClips, and we are taping this Friday afternoon. Laura, are you excited about the College Football Playoffs, which begin tonight, Alabama and Oklahoma?

I am excited. Yeah, I am excited. I love the college football postseason. I kind of miss all the Bowl games that were, you know, before this playoff format, but yeah, I am excited. I think the game tonight is going to be really interesting.

A pick-’em football game, Alabama and Oklahoma. You’ve got John Mateer, who set records at Washington State, transferred to Oklahoma. Oklahoma has won the last two games against Alabama. It’s at Oklahoma, and Oklahoma, it’s a pick-’em football game. I’ll tell you, if you’re a big gambler, I think the best bet of the night is taking Oklahoma. Excuse me, taking the over in this game. 40 points. I think it’s going to be a high-scoring game because it’s the college football playoffs, it’s the big game of the night. I mean, if you’re thinking about throwing some shekels out there, that’s what I’d do.

Oklahoma, Alabama at 5 p.m. Pacific, 8 o’clock in the East. And it’s only four hours from right now when we are taping it, a lot of people think that Oklahoma is going to win. DeBoer is not the same coach that people thought of him at Washington. I don’t know, I have no strong opinion. Of course. The winner of this game will lose to Indiana by three touchdowns. So, on Saturday, this is an interesting one, I think. Number 10 Miami against number 7 Texas A &M, 11-1 for the Aggies and 10-2 for the Hurricanes. Art, who do you like? Miami or Texas A&M?

Well, you know, they say Miami has the best talent in the country. I know one thing for a fact. Texas A&M has the fastest team I’ve ever seen in terms of defense, and I think it’s going to be a darn good game. Texas A&M is at home; tough place to play in front of 100,000 people in College Station. I would actually have to lean toward Texas A&M in this game just because it’s a home game. And I think they could put a little pressure on the ex-Georgia quarterback,

Beck, Beck.

Yes, yes, Carson Beck, and I also like the Texas A&M Aggie quarterback. I think he’s got some real talent, but it’s going to be a great game now. The other two games are going to be bizarre, too. Because you’ve got Ole Miss laying 17 against the Tulane team, and then you’ve got Oregon against James Madison at home. And we know Oregon can put points on the board. But a lot of us don’t know a lot about, like Tulane, a lot of us don’t know a lot about, you know, James Madison, so it’ll be very interesting. I’m hoping for college football that they make it at least a good first half or something of that nature.

I think UCLA administration sort of hopes that James Madison, I don’t know if they hope that they lose this game.

I like this Chesney, though, I’ll tell you what, I’m hearing great things from a lot of people, a lot of UCLA fans who I know. Bob Chesney is the real deal. And if they give him the wherewithal to go out and do what he needs to do, it’s only going to make UCLA, it’s only going to make the Big 12, the Big 10, a better conference.

You know, recently, the word deflection is used a lot politically, like we’re killing people in Venezuela to deflect, maybe from the Epstein thing. OK, you want to talk about UCLA deflection? We find out this week that they actually gave Mick Cronin a five-year extension.

Never in any newspaper. I saw nothing about it. Did you see the amount of money he’s making?

Ten million, I guess, or more?

Yeah. I mean, how can they afford to pay a basketball coach who draws 5,000 people to Pauley Pavilion ten million dollars a year?

Laura, you’re a UCLA fan. You think Mick Cronin’s a winner or a loser in clutch games?

I don’t really like Mick Cronin; we’ve talked about it before. I don’t think he, I just, I think he doesn’t. He doesn’t coach well in the clutch, and that’s just that’s disturbing that he got a five-year extension.

Is that Casey Wasserman, I mean?

A five-year extension?

Casey Wasserman, you’re saying, or?

I mean, where do they come up with the kind of money to give Martin Jarmond the ability to go out and pay somebody that kind of, I mean, I could see three, four, five million dollars? It’s UCLA basketball, yes, that’s the, but I mean, these coaches making $13 million, $10 million. I mean, at a certain point in time, Fred, what does the governor of California make?

Not that.

A couple hundred thousand,

About $300,000?

Yeah, yeah.

It’s just completely out of whack in my mind. Interesting, though, that they mentioned this with everything else going wrong in the administration, talking about the Rose Bowl and this and that. And now we hear that everybody’s going to be playing in because of the Olympics, everybody’s going to be playing in SoFi football-wise.

It’s going to be a little busy at SoFi. You don’t want to be, you don’t want to be a custodian, cleaning the, cleaning the stadium in that place.

You know, we talk all the time about streaming this and streaming that, and that’s off sports, but I think it’s on target. In 2029, ABC loses the Academy Awards to guess what? YouTube.

YouTube.

Now, folks, we’re talking about in sports, you can’t keep up with which sport is on which channel, which streaming service, linear, digital, whatever. Laura, I know you’re a movie fanatic, a movie fan. Any thoughts about ABC losing it to YouTube, which means you have to buy YouTube?

I think you, I don’t think you have to buy YouTube. I mean, I think there’s different tiers. You can watch YouTube on the internet without paying for it if you want to put up with. It’s like Spotify. You know, you can listen,

Unless you have, you know, unless you have one of those big computer, you know, screens. Yeah. But you know what was great about it? I mean, I’ve watched every Academy Awards for 50 years, you guys. Nothing like ABC with Billy Crystal,

Yeah, Billy Crystal.

When he would host the Oscars. I mean, he was so talented. With his little finger, he had more talent than Jimmy Kimmel has in his whole body. Nothing against Jimmy Kimmel. But I mean, you’re seeing that all the great networks, I mean, now CBS is starting to move to the right, you’re locked, you’re watching all these different networks move one way or the other. It’s getting to the point where you know what, whatever happened to good old, solid journalism, where you get both sides of the story, and they let you do the due diligence and find out what your thoughts are.

Laura, on Wednesday night, I find out that the guy is going to lie to us for 18 minutes. So I turned to all the network stations,

He can’t introduce himself in 18 minutes, Fred.

He can’t introduce himself. But my point is, I kept turning to all the networks, and I was praying that one would be carrying it.

It was nowhere.

Please don’t carry it,

They didn’t.

Laura, they all carried it.

Really?

Not even MSNL carried the whole thing, and all it was was a campaign speech. I don’t care what your politics are.

And he was misleading also, Laura, because he said he was going to talk about the potential war with Venezuela. Venezuela was not even mentioned in the entire thing.

It was a campaign speech, and it was horrible. And the only lower point was what he said about Rob Reiner, that, of course, Reiner’s death was all about Trump, which, everything in the universe is all about Trump. So I just,

And you guys know that I am on the right. But I will tell you the one thing that does bother me about the President of the United States, and I’ve met him, and I’ve interviewed him, it’s all about Donald Trump. You know, I mean, people tell me it’s the greatest thing that ever happened. Listen, people don’t tell you that, but you think in your own mind, it’s the greatest thing that ever happened. We need less of him and more of him getting busy with affordability.

But affordability is not a real word, you know, it’s a Democratic hoax.

It’s just a Democratic operative.

Yeah, my favorite.

Like, everybody’s going to believe that.

And what is reality? Have you ever heard of reality?

I mean, all of us know what things cost, and we’re all living in the same world.

I go to the market, you go to the market. When’s the last time Donald Trump went to the Safeway?

Never, he’s never been to a market in his life. He’s never had to pay a bill in his life.

I don’t think so.

No.

His dad left him $200 million in the ’60s.

My favorite comedy-romance always has been when Harry met Sally.

Oh yes,

And with Billy Crystal.

Did you see the line that Rob Reiner did in the great movie, with, when he says, Sides? $18,000 for sides? What the heck were you guys ordering? It was so funny, he was just so beautiful.

The best contrast between Rob Reiner and Donald Trump is Rob Reiner’s response to the killing of Charlie Kirk.

Right? Class.

And Donald Trump’s response to the killing of Rob Reiner? I mean, there is no better contrast in who’s a better human being than,

Class. That’s what we’re talking about. You can’t teach class no matter how much money you have.

We’re going to come back and talk about probably Trump, but mostly the National Football League. And of course, Art’s going to tell us what gets him so sharp in the afternoon and early evening when we’re answering these questions, when we do come back on Fred and the Fantastics right about now.

We’re now back. Fred and the Fantastics with the former pro golfer and pro football kicker, Art Sorce, and pro lawyer and pro sports trivia expert, Laura Snoke. And Art, what do you take to answer these questions that people are emailing us at [email protected] and other such topics? What do you take?

It’s called Prevagen, the professional formula. It’s not inexpensive, you guys, so I mean, I got to be honest with you from that perspective, but it does work. It’s basically made up of jellyfish, who are the only animal on the planet that has no direct competition. So they live basically forever until something happens to them, that usually comes from the outside. But it’s fantastic for the brain, cognitive, all those types of things, like that memory. Give it a shot if you feel like you need it. It’s really great, and I just want to remind everybody that we’re in the holidays here, we’re a week away from Christmas. I got in a very, very terrible car accident on Tuesday, almost lost my life. I flipped my SUV; you can see the gouge on the top of my head. I feel like I played middle linebacker against the Washington Redskins in the ’70s and the Hogs. But I got to tell you, be careful out there, life is precious. And you know, it’s something that you just can’t take for granted, you never know. Look out for the other guy.

All right, let’s talk National Football League. And we actually have two Saturday encounters, we’ve got the Eagles and the Commanders, and we’ve got the Packers and the Bears. But it’s interesting. We’ve got three college games on Saturday, two pro games on Saturday. Art, if you had a choice, you’re probably going to watch the pros, no? Or am I crazy?

Well, you know, I’m real excited about that first game that’s gonna be on at noon, Eastern, with Texas A&M and Miami. That’s gonna be a big game. But I am excited about the Packers and the Bears. That goes back to, you know, back when I was a little kid, and I’m 137 years old, Curly Lambeau, George Halas, and the crew. But, you know, that’s going to be an important game for the NFC at Soldier Field, which I think is a beautiful place. Caleb Williams You know, it’s just, you know. It comes down to how will the Green Bay Packers respond to losing one of the great players of all time, Parsons? Micah Parsons went down with a knee injury last week. If that’s going to be an effect on them. And can Caleb Williams win a big game because he does throw the ball around a little bit? What are your guys’ thoughts on that game? It’s pretty much a pick-it game.

Laura, who do you like, Bears at home against the Green Bay Packers?

I hope the Bears win. I mean, I’m from Chicago,

Da Bears!

So, I’m always a Bears fan, but I read somewhere, and I don’t know if it’s true or not, that the Bears are contemplating leaving Chicago,

Yeah, going to Arlington.

And moving to Indiana.

Yeah, I heard Indiana or Arlington, where the old racetrack was.

I mean, that would be such, I just can’t believe that there won’t be a Chicago Bears. They’re one of the,

Laura, negotiations.

One of the stalwarts of the NFL.

Negotiations. Negotiations.

This could be like getting a little bit of an edge, so they can get a little better deal with the lease from Soldier Field.

I hope so. Well, they want a dome.

They want more taxpayer,

I don’t know about you guys, but I love watching football in the snow.

I do too.

That’s the way it’s supposed to be; it’s not supposed to be played in a dome. It’s like baseball is not supposed to be played in a dome.

I played in the Bicentennial Liberty Bowl, you guys. 1976. We played in Memphis, Tennessee, in the Old Liberty Bowl against Texas A&M. And it was 29 degrees, and I was teeing up the ball to kick off the Liberty Bowl, and the snow started falling. And my dream as a kid, always, you know, and I was a California kid, I never played football in the snow. I was like, so excited, these big old snowflakes are coming down. It was the most fun I ever had, and it was really funny because I kicked off. And Mosley was the quarterback and kick returner for Texas. A&M. And he broke through the first wave, broke through the second wave, and I was like the last man standing, right? And I said this, I’ve never seen a white kid this fast. I swear to goodness, he was. He ran a 4.3 back in the ’70s. And I said, Oh my God. So I kind of went, like, five yards further toward the sidelines to try to get him, and I got him, and I got him good. And I still can’t bend this finger. I’m not giving you guys the finger. But that finger doesn’t bend because I got this finger stuck in the back of his shoulder pads, and he dragged me about 20 yards down the field, and John McKay came up to me and said, Artie, I’m so proud of you. He goes, You hung in there. I said, Coach, I had no choice. My finger was stuck in his shoulder pads! So he was dragging me, 220 pounds.

Laura. Let me ask you a question. Do you remember back in school, the one day it snowed?

This must be in elementary school when you guys were in L.A.?

No, in college, when we were in college? I do not remember that.

In Northridge?

One day it snowed, honest to God. You don’t remember that?

Well, I know it has snowed in Southern California. I know that.

I woke up one morning in Palm Springs in the wintertime at my buddy Jimmy Hooper’s house.

It can snow in Palm Springs.

It was six in the morning, and it was snowing out with the palm trees. And I went out there, and I’m taking pictures, and I got into the chaise lounge, and I’m taking selfies with the old Polaroid, which was hard to do, right? And everybody woke up later on, about nine o’clock. And I came out, and I showed them all the snow pictures, and they’re like, Where’s the snow? I said, Well, it snowed, and then the sun came out, and it all melted.

I want to give you my best bet of the weekend in the National Football League.

Oh, I love it, Fred.

The Warriors. The 49ers at the Colts. I think San Francisco will score 50 points. I think the 44-year-old guy would not want to be there. But he’s making $278,000 for the four games, plus medical insurance, so Rivers,

He gets five more years of medical insurance for his family.

Five more years of medical insurance, making again $278,000 for the four games. So I like the 49ers by about 30 or 40. Art. Do you have any thoughts about that game?

I think you’re right on the money on that one, Fred, I really do. I think what he did last week against that pretty good Seattle defense, you know, at least making a game of it. I think they lost on a 60-yard field goal.

19-18, yeah.

Yeah, so I mean, I think the week later, I think it’s going to be a little different thing. I think San Francisco has a very fast defense under Robert Saleh. I think they’re going to win the game by 21 or more; I agree with you there. The other game that I like in the NFL this weekend is I think the Eagles are going to go into Washington and really play well. They’re seven-point favorites on the road. And I just think the Eagles are still a very good football team, and I haven’t quite been able to figure out what they’re going to do with their wide receiver. You know,

Brown.

A.J. Brown. You know, he’s a fantastic talent, but he just, he has that Puka Nacua. They’re talking too much, those wide receivers, you know,

Laura, have any thoughts about the NFL? A game that you’re going to watch and you really like. I know you indicated that you don’t think the Raiders have a chance. But is there one game out there that you want to talk about?

Yeah.

I think that Broncos,

Jacksonville.

That Broncos-Jacksonville game is going to be really interesting. I hope Jacksonville pulls it out because I always like to root for the ex-Raider players who are playing really well.

Do you think there’s something to this thing about Florida teams and Southern teams going to play in very cold environments?

Yes. Did you watch the Steelers last week against? Yeah, of course, I do, I mean, in Miami,

The fish got frozen in Acrisure Stadium. There’s no doubt about that.

Okay, so if you’re, if you’re, if you’re an owner out there, you’re a general manager out there, Tua has gone from Miami, do you want him as your quarterback or top? You want him as your starting quarterback?

You know what? Don’t take this the wrong way, Fred, but I think you and I have as good an arm as Tua right now. I mean, that one pass he threw out to the left sidelines,

Yeah.

That was a floater. And I mean, I’m like, wait a minute, you know, and I, I even wondered about it when, you know, when Hertz and he were competing at Alabama,

Yeah.

And he came in and you know, and a guy like that if you’re going to have an offense like that, you got to do the three-step and lay the ball out there, you know, get it out quick, let the guy run under it, you know? There’s been quarterbacks who have been successful with less than stellar arms. I look at Fran Tarkington in the old days, but I just don’t think, I think the concussions, everything that’s added up. This guy’s making $50 million a year, and I can’t rate him in the top 20 of the NFL quarterbacks.

Laura, final 30 seconds. Any comments?

I’m looking forward to watching football all weekend. Happy holidays to everybody. We’re still, we’re now, and this is the sixth night of Hanukkah, so Happy Hanukkah to everybody celebrating Hanukkah.

I want to send a shout out, I want to send a shout out to one of my favorite people of all time, who we lost last week, Mike White, the great football coach, University of California, just a wonderful man. Always was there, I mean, we used to, I used to see him all the time. He lived on Balboa Island. You know, he had some great teams with Cal. If I had made a 57-yard field goal in 1975, he would have went to the Rose Bowl with Muncie and Roth. And we always joked about it when I saw him at the Village Inn on Balboa Island; and just a super man, a great family man, a great coach, and a great life – 89 years. And I just wanted to make sure his family and everybody knows that we remember him and we love him.

Yeah. Unbelievably, we’re losing people. Unbelievable. Okay, for Art, for Laura, for Mario, I’m Fred. Stay tuned for much more of Fred and the Fantastics. Bye, everybody.