Hey, it’s that time again, folks. Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and on PodClips, with Art, with Laura, with Mark, and with you. Email us, [email protected]. [email protected]. We’re taping this about 1 o’clock Friday afternoon. And Art Sorce played for the Trojans; well, he kicked for the Trojans of USC a long, long time ago. He’s 129 years of age now. Last week, the Trojans go down to Oregon as Lincoln Riley loses again to the Ducks. Patterson, supposedly helping the defense, Oregon gained more than 500 yards. Art Sorce, your thoughts?

Well, I’ll tell you what, Dylan Raiola is the best backup quarterback in college football.

He is.

I think they had a chance with Dante Moore, and everywhere I read, Dante Moore’s the number one NFL draft pick. So, yes, the pressure on Lincoln Riley is getting intense. He’s got a $70 million buyout. This is going to be a huge week when they take on the University of Washington, Saturday night on NBC, 4:30 Pacific, 7:30 Eastern time. It’s going to be a dandy, and I got to tell you. Never has a coach in USC history, and we’ve got a lot of great coaches: Sarkisian, Kiffin; they all got the boot at SC. So, maybe that’s how you win a national championship. You get fired by SC, you go to another school. And make it happen. Sounds pretty interesting.

Laura, you’re a UCLA fan more than USC, but your thoughts about the Trojans’ lack of defense?

Well, you know, I think the worst thing about that game was that defensive penalty and the way Lincoln Riley and the offender approached it. First of all, sort of celebrating on the sideline when it wasn’t even clear if the guy could move his extremities or not.

That was really scary to me.

Yeah, and then just sort of Lincoln Riley, “Well, I don’t know. I didn’t see it,” or “I didn’t know. I didn’t notice”. I mean, you know, that, to me, was the worst part of that game. That, the lack of class that the Trojans showed in light of that injury. So, as a UCLA fan, I’m sorry, Art, I was not too sad to see the Trojans lose, as I know.

And I mean, you cannot give up 106 points in three weeks and expect to be a good college football team. Let’s get real here.

Mark Mancini, your Pittsburgh club doing pretty well on the collegiate side of it, but your thoughts about the Trojans’ lack of defense?

Well, I think this is the problem with college football. When you schedule El Camino Real High School, my wife’s Alemany High School, Mount SAC, Calmar Junior College out here.

Sisters of the Poor.

And then, and then you play somebody like Oregon, and Dan Lanning basically comes out and says, “If you want to play football, you go to Oregon. If you want to go see a Chris Brown concert, you go to USC”. So, I mean, that, that was a pretty bold statement, but I like Lincoln Riley a lot.

What does Oklahoma State think about that?

Yeah. I like, I like Lincoln Riley a lot, and I just think that, you know, these guys would,

He would be my offensive coordinator anytime, Mark.

Well, the Pitt Panthers are getting fat on a real easy schedule, too, but they don’t, that’s why you don’t move up on the ranks, because nobody’s taking you seriously unless you’re at Texas and Alabama, you know, some of the bigger schools that are, that are constantly playing teams every week. Look what Texas did.

So, you’re saying that Pitt goes to Virginia Tech tonight, and this could be a big problem for, for Pitt,

Yeah.

Because they played Bucknell last weekend?

Yeah, they played the Sisters of Mary. Yeah, exactly. It could be a tough one, but,

Talking about that, UCLA’s off this week, but next week, the Bruins at 4-0 face the Ducks in Eugene. They have absolutely no shot whatsoever. Chesney, of course, opening 4-0,

Joey Chestnut.

The, only the second UCLA coach in his first year opening 4-0, Red Sanders being the other.

No chance at all, Fred?

No. No chance.

They got no shot in Eugene, 38 to 23. Laura, do you give them a shot?

Um, well, there’s always a shot. I mean, yeah, they have a shot, but I don’t think they’re going to end up at the end of the game with a,

Iamaleava, Iamaleava has to have the game of his life, and if he does, they got a chance.

Oregon looked really good in that SC, I mean, they’ve looked really good all season, so.

Mark, you got to give the Bruins any shot?

You know, Fred, you know, we can always agree to disagree, but I’m on your side on this. I think this is a whitewash. It’s done by halftime, and everybody will do a duck dance on the field, even the fans.

Wayne Knight, Art, he’s got nine touchdowns in four games. And of course, Wayne Knight was this, one of the stars of Seinfeld years ago. He was the postman. But Wayne Knight’s not a bad running back for Bob Chesney and his UCLA Bruins. Art, what do you think’s going to happen in Eugene?

Well, see, my, my theory on that is, if you control the ball, keep that, that really good offense of the Oregon Ducks on the sideline, matriculate the ball down the field, as my favorite Hank Stram used to say. Work the clock a little bit, keep it close. You never know. Oregon has a penchant for not showing up on occasion. Now, I know it’s going to be a Big Ten game; it’s going to be a big game, but I’m telling you, this Bob Chesney has some Cignetti magic going on. I don’t know how he’s doing it, some pixie dust or whatever. But I just have heard from some great football people who think this guy is the real deal, so,

Folks, what do you think? Email us, [email protected],

I don’t think they have a shot.

[email protected]. We’ll come back with a whole lot more of Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and on PodClips right after this.

Hey, we’re back on Fred and the Fantastics on BLEAV and on PodClips. With Art, with Laura, with Mark, and with you. Email us, [email protected], [email protected]. All right, Art Sorce, I’m going to put you on the spot. J.J. McCarthy is going to help the New York Giants?

Yeah, I think he will. I mean, Jameis Winston led them to four field goals last week, and they, they won a nice big game. But, you know, Jim, Jim Harbaugh talked to John Harbaugh, because Jim Harbaugh coached him in Michigan, and he said the kid is a good kid. He’s got a lot of potential. You have to work with him just a little bit, and I think it could be a good situation. And I mean, if you look at it, Jackson Dart, J.J. McCarthy, and Jameis Winston, that’s a pretty good foundation for quarterbacks, for the Giants, and, and as they move forward, and I think it was a good move. They needed somebody.

Laura, you think J.J. McCarthy is a good move for the Giants, a fifth-round pick? There wasn’t a lot that they gave up, I don’t think. Laura, what do you think?

I don’t think J.J. McCarthy’s really had a chance. I mean, he’s had all these injuries. and, and he kind of got kicked to the curb with the, with, when they signed Kyler Murray. So, yeah, we’ll see. I mean, the Giants could use all the help they could get. But I want to talk about baseball. I mean, what do you guys think about the next round? I mean, the Dodgers had a losing record against the Braves, and we, we were going to go to the game tomorrow, but we are selling our tickets.

Why are you selling your tickets?

Because it’s a day game, and it’s going to be 104.

Is it really going to be that hot in LA?

In downtown, and I just, I can’t.

You know what kind of bothered me, you guys, in the playoffs? This, this Peacock, this whole deal with Peacock, and I couldn’t watch, you know, the, I couldn’t watch the White Sox and the Astros. I couldn’t watch the Padres play against the Cubbies. I mean. And I have Peacock, but it’s, it’s, you know, you can’t go back and forth. You can’t watch other things, because streaming back to linear TV, it’s tough. But I’ll tell you what excites me about this whole, this whole baseball playoffs. These Chicago White Sox and those Harry Guardinos from Cleveland, I mean, that is an A.L. Central Division battle. Wouldn’t they split those up? I mean, I’m looking at, you know, like, New York Yankees and Tampa Bay, they’re in the same division, and the Chi-Sox, and the, and the Guardians are in the same division. Wouldn’t they want to change, switch that up?

The Dodgers and the Padres are in the same division.

Yeah, but Tampa should have played the White Sox.

Yeah.

Mark, you’re, Mark, you’re a religious guy. Can Pope Leo help the White Sox win the World Series?

He’s trying.

Well, you know, I, you know, I’ve always liked those guys that, liked these teams that nobody ever pays attention to until they start winning. And, yeah, you know, I think Obama was a big White Sox fan, too, if I’m not mistaken, but I’m telling you, guys, watch out, man. Nobody’s seeing these guys coming. The Padres, 19 and 4 in their last 23. This is a team that can take out Milwaukee and the Dodgers and get to the World Series for the first time since 1998, since the Yankees swept them.

Mark, I must remind you and folks across America and around the world, listening right now to Fred and the Fantastics, that Mark is the world’s worst sports handicapper.

I’ve got my Dodgers World Series t-shirt on,

I get it, I get it.

Laura’s got her World Series sweater on, and, but, but let me just say this.

My marriage is a little bit better with the Padres winning.

Mark likes the Padres to win the World Series. I don’t think they’ll beat anybody. I think they’ll lose to Milwaukee.

Oh, come on.

Oh, come on. Okay, we’ll see what happens. All right, let’s, let’s get to it. End of the story. Right now, we’ve got eight teams left. Art, who wins the World Series?

The Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.

Oh, come on, Artie.

Laura, who wins the World Series?

You never bet against the Dodgers.

Mark, who wins the World Series?

The Padres are gonna win it. And the Padres win it because the Dodgers are old. They can’t field the pitching staff, and you can run all night on them.

All right, I got it.

They have to get on base before they can run them.

Mark, maybe it’s a – do you drink?

Maybe you should start.

Mark doesn’t drink.

I’m gonna have fun next week.

Here’s to you with my Margarita.

Hey, before we go.

The Padres are not gonna get past the Brewers.

Hey, Laura, I like, I still like your Raiders to do something.

Well, wait a minute.

You’re making me nervous.

I’m taking Kansas City and laying the four and a half.

What?

Laura, before we go, I want to talk about that game. Chiefs come to Las Vegas against your undefeated Raiders.

Yeah.

You’re not going, which I’m surprised at. Why aren’t you going, A? And B, who wins the game?

Well, first of all, we just adopted a new cat, so we’re not going anywhere because we’re new parents. And she’s absolutely adorable. She’s a year and a half. Her name is Sarina.

Oh, she plays tennis, huh?

Yeah.

With an I. Sarina, with an I. The Jewish spelling.

I like it.

Second of all, the Raiders, I think, I think the Raiders are gonna win the game. They are on a high, for sure. And it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be a crazy atmosphere in Las Vegas. And the Raider fans, Raider Nation is, like, on Cloud Nine right now. I have to tell you, so it’ll be interesting to see. I think it’s, I think it’s gonna be a good game. I think it’ll be a close game.

Kansas City 28, Las Vegas 17. We could double up our bet. We’ll make it a big dinner.

Okay, so wait a minute. Laura’s got one side. Art says 28-17. Mark, you’re gonna get the opportunity to screw somebody here. Who do you like?

Well.

What about our bet last week, Art?

First of all,

You already won. You’re up.

First of all, Laura had a birthday. She’s more finer than a nice wine. My birthday’s next month. I love the Raiders faithful. They’re gonna let the jails out in Las Vegas four hours prior to the game. It’s gonna be a festive atmosphere. I love Kirk Cousins. I love the Raiders just to smash these guys and make it.

Doubling up our bet right now.

Yeah.

Hang on, I gotta make my phone cut on my bookie. Hey, bookie, Laura, Chiefs big, Chiefs big. Hey, finally, Laura, you mentioned you’re Jewish. I knew that. We knew this on the show. You know, Laura, that there are 11 NHL players as we speak that are Jewish?

Yeah.

Now, I can think of a Jewish player playing basketball, even a little bit of football, baseball, for sure. I don’t see a lot of Jewish players playing hockey – 11 in the NHL, Laura.

Yeah.

Wow. Yeah, interesting. I don’t really follow hockey that much because my,

But you follow the,

My sports calendar is way too full already. But yeah, it’s interesting.

Art, you played football. You’ve played everything. You know the roughness in hockey. Eleven? What? You’re kind of,

That really surprises me. You know, but hey, you never know. The world is changing, as we say. And I just, I’m happy to see the NHL back. It’s just, it’s a great game.

Yeah.

I’ve never really been into it that much because I grew up in Southern California.

I love it.

But, you know, I remember watching the Kings and having great, great times with that. So, I mean, hey, that’s fantastic, Fred. Fred, who do you like in the Denver-San Francisco game? Denver, Denver, getting two and a half. What’s your thoughts on that?

The 49ers have all kinds of injuries. I’ll still take SF at home. I think Denver was lucky to beat the Rams on that bad penalty at the end.

Yeah.

And the Rams, again, you know, again, those, this is what I’m talking about as far as the coaching staff with the Rams. With the Rams taking the lead, you gotta keep going for more and more and more. And I’m talking in the first half.

He sits on the lead a lot, doesn’t he?

And also, we’ve got to talk about McVay very quickly. He walked out of the press conference after the loss. Art, tell me about that.

That’s pretty bizarre, but I will tell you this. Kirk Herbstreit re-signed with Amazon, and, of course, Al’s year-to-year. But there’s a deal in that contract that says if McVay becomes available, they’re willing to pay him $20 million to do the Thursday Night Football package. Maybe Sean McVay ought to think about taking that gig. Because I’ll tell you what, as great of a coach as they say he is, he blows a lot of football games, Fred.

So true.

What do you guys think?

Thanks, everybody, for listening to Fred and the Fantastics with Mark, with Art, with Laura. Mario, thank you very much. More straight away. Fred and the Fantastics. Bye, everybody.