Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / David Kaplan on the Bears struggles & Cubs, Matt Postins talks Big 12 & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports

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David Kaplan on the Bears struggles & Cubs, Matt Postins talks Big 12 & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:00
I'm Miller Condon, welcome back hour number two.
0:03
Still to come this hour, Matt Poston's Heartland College
0:06
sports.com and the Big 12. He will join us at the bottom of
0:09
the hour. Trent's plays of the day circus
0:11
sports sponsors that circus sports new app coming out on
0:15
September the 30th in the state of Iowa.
0:17
Right now Cappy joins us and Churion Stone of Iowa sponsors
0:21
him on a weekly basis. Cubs for for a peace with the
0:25
Pirates right now as the Cubs look to clinch a spot in the
0:30
post season, if not today, tomorrow.
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Hello Capper, how are you? I'm doing great.
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I'm actually looking at kind of replacing some stone work at my
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house, so we need to talk. Absolutely.
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I'll get I I got a guy. Yes, we do.
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I we we both have a guy. Yes, we do.
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You're 100% right, guy. That's good, good stuff.
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Well, Cap, let's let's save the Cubs as we but have to start
0:54
with the Bears because obviously there was a lot of I don't know
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where it was enthusiasts chasm coming into this season, new
1:02
coach, offensive minded coach, changing of the guard.
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Things are going to get better. They haven't two games into the
1:09
season kind of give us the mood of the fan base in Chicago.
1:13
I know what it's like on the other side of the glass with my
1:15
partner here. It's not good, but what what's
1:18
it like on your show Cap when it comes to the Bears?
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People are ticked off, especially with the defense.
1:26
The defense looks awful. I take the person who's getting
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the brunt of the criticism, you would probably say, oh, must be
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Caleb. No, not even close.
1:36
It's Ryan Polls. Ryan Polls is getting just
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blasted left and right. You know, you get beat. 5221,
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your number 10 overall pick didn't have a target.
1:47
Your #39 pick had one catch for five yards.
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The offensive lineman you took, I don't know what number he was,
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40, whatever. He didn't dress.
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The lineman that you took from Texas A&M to play defensive line
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in the second round, he didn't dress.
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And the third round pick from a year ago that you thought was
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your future left tackle, he didn't dress.
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So people are like, what's going on here?
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And then you get no pressure on Jared Goff.
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He throws 5 touchdowns. And for the second consecutive
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week, a quarterback that went up against the Bears is the NFC
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Offensive Player of the Week. That's a problem.
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So let's go down the let's go down the road of Ryan Polls and
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a guy that was an offensive lineman.
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You mentioned the guy out of Yale hasn't gone very well.
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We got healthy scratches all over the place.
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Is he in trouble if this isn't he just?
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Resigned him, right? But you sign him and you're
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going to have. To pay.
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He's got five years left. Oh.
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No. So this thing falls apart.
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They go forward and 13 this year, no problem.
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They're just going to run it back with polls once again.
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Who do you know? The owner of the Chicago Bears.
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This, unfortunately I do, yes. This is not an FEC team that
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buys out Jimbo Fisher for 75,000,000, right?
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Let's assume, let's just assume Ryan make 1,000,005, two
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million. Let's be really generous.
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He's making 2 million. I don't think he is, but let's
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assume that he is. OK, that's five years and he'll
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have worked one of them. That's this.
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So you'll have four more years after this season.
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So that's $8 million. What is $8,000,000 to a
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corporation worth 10 billion? It's nothing.
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But that's not how the Mccaskey's operate.
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It's not. So it is what it is.
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Fascinating. Well, what about Caleb Williams,
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cap? What's kind of the report card?
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Two games in the season for him. I thought he actually had a
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vastly improved game on Sunday. I went back and I'm actually,
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when you called watching again the All 22 film that I
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subscribed to. And for people out there,
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they're like, what does that mean?
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My wife always says, what's an All 22?
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It's coaches film where you get a view from coming into you or
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you're like the middle linebacker.
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Then you get a side view and you can you freeze it.
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There's no announcers, there's no scoreboards, there's no first
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down markers, nothing. And you freeze it and you go,
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you got a clean pocket. You got that guy open 25 yards
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down the field. You got that guy open over
4:20
there. Why didn't you RIP it?
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And that was the first week against Minnesota.
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It Colston Loveland would have been a gain of 25 or more, yet
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DJ Moore would have been a gain for 50, maybe more.
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And this week there's not as many egregious instances of
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that. I'm not the biggest DJ more guy
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nice man. But as a player I want I said a
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couple years ago when Justin was in his last year here, he's not
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a top 15 receiver in the league and you the thought I killed
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somebody's first born. Oh my God, did they come after
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me? You're an idiot.
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He's a top five receiver in the league.
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He's no more a top five receiver in the league than Trent is.
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I'm just being honest with you. He's he's fine.
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He's a nice guy. He's a solid football player.
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Is he a 27 and a half million dollar receiver?
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Absolutely. Not.
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Well, this week it's the Cowboys, who have their own set
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of issues, but that team certainly can score, and they
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got to be salivating at the thought of this Bears defense
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after what we saw back last week.
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And here comes Matt Eberfluse to town.
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There's a storyline for you this week, Cap Eberfluse's return.
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Well, having him come in here, I'm sure that he is like, OK,
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I'm the devil. I'm the reason you guys are
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losing now. I thought when you brought the
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Messiah in Ben and I like Ben, but that's I'm speaking as zebra
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flues. So I'm the guy that was all the
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ills in the Chicago franchise. Not so much.
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Look, this stuff starts at the top.
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It just does. George Mccaskey has been the
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chairman since 2011, I believe. He has as many playoff wins as
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me. Zippo, not one.
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And the hiring practices over the years, taking Mark Trustman
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over Bruce Arians and then bringing in John Fox when Ryan
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Pace didn't want him. Just one thing after another.
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Matt Eberfuss, are you kidding me?
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Over Dan Quinn, are you? Are you kidding?
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So everything rolls downhill, man.
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And that's the reason that they're mired in their
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difficulties. Got to get corrected.
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Has the luster kind of worn off? Ben Johnson a little bit here.
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Cap honeymoon over? No, too early.
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No, no way to her. People love that guy.
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No, absolutely not. And I do think the smart play
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this weekend is to bet the over and the Bears Cowboys game.
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What's the number? 49 was the last I saw, but both
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teams have bad defenses, both teams have injuries.
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Micah Parsons isn't there anymore.
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And I do think Caleb's going to have a big game.
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You mark it down. You have him in fantasy ads like
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Caleb Williams. No, that's a good one.
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You, you look at Ben Johnson, you mentioned people are not
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the, the pitchforks are not out yet for Ben Johnson.
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The thing that's frustrating is, and we heard a lot about
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discipline, you know, getting back and having a a real coach
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here running this organization. They look undisciplined.
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They look like they don't know what they're doing half the
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time. It's just that part of it.
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That was the part I anticipated was going to be cleaned up.
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Was it my expectations to have what I thought was a real coach
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in there? Maybe they were too far then.
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It takes more than just an offseason, a training camp, to
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right maybe some of the wrongs that were happening inside that
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organization with the team. It's going to take.
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They have to do a better job in draft and free agency.
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They just do. I know that they're big on
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character up there. We're not playing fiddlywinks.
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We're not in the choir. We are trying to win football
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games with men with evil intent when they come off the edge or
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people that are trying to knock you in the next week when they
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hit you. That's just what football is.
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And so when you leave, let's pick Jalen Carter on the table
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because we just don't feel our he fits our culture.
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But how did he fit the Philly culture?
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Because he won a Super Bowl? I mean, at some point, your
8:26
culture is going to have to be able to handle somebody who's
8:29
got some shaky past. I'm not talking about a
8:31
murderer, talking about somebody who stopped the coach who's had
8:35
some issues. Well, at some point you're
8:37
either going to have to do that, or you're going to have to be
8:39
really comfortable getting your head kicked in the dirt.
8:42
Let's switch to the Cubs. Matthew Boyd is already out he's
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didn't he made it through three and he's through 83 pitches gave
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up four earned runs cap this last O45 starts have not been
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the Matthew Boyd that we saw earlier in the year 1 of the
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bright spots on this team that got them had a huge part to
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where this team got off to with the with the beginning of the
9:03
regular season and into the summer months.
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So when comes to the playoffs and they're going to get in, if
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they don't win today, there's certainly will this weekend
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clinch their spot. Boog brought it up yesterday
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with JD on the broadcast. Well, you know, who's is Kate
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Horton going to start the playoffs?
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Kate Horton's going to be the starter in the playoffs, don't
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you think? Cap at this point.
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In game one? Yep, I think it's certainly in
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play. I asked that question yesterday.
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Who would you start? You know, I first thought, well,
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you start him at Wrigley where they're probably going to be in
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a playoff match in game one. But then it was pointed out to
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me correctly, Hey Cap, listen to me.
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If you lose game one now he's facing elimination.
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That's a bit more pressure packed situation than pitching
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Game 1. So I think you're right.
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He probably is the game one starter.
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That's fairpoint though. Let's say as we know information
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right now in these next two weeks definitely could change
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things, a four man playoff rotation and let's put Horton in
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that top spot who you go in two through 4.
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Then to wrap things up, in what order do you think makes the
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most sense? Oh, I think you go show the
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Imonaga game too. And then I think all bets are
10:20
off because you're in that short 3 best of three series.
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So if you're into game three, boy, I don't know if you, I
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mean, Tyone looked outstanding. Yeah, 2 days ago he was really
10:35
good. But it's the Pirates too.
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So you're facing the Padres. I guess it would depend on
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matchups. I mean, you may shorten that
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rotation a lot in round one. You're going to play all the
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games that Wrigley, it looks like, it looks like it'll be
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against the Padres. And so maybe I shorten it up if
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I get into A7 game series, I'm in the NLCS.
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Well, I'm starting Kate Horton. I'm probably not bringing him
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back for game 4, but I'll probably use him again in game
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five. Then I'll just fix and match the
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rest of it. What's the word on Matthew Boyd
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Kappa? Is there concern there?
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No, I think he's tired. I do.
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That's what it is, yeah. Yeah, he's had his share of
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injuries in his career and he's, you know, they did not bring him
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here to think he was an every fifth day All Star level
11:25
starter. They thought he'd be really
11:27
good. But there's a reason he got a
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two year, $29 million deal. Yeah, I thought it.
11:32
Was not what starting pitchers get.
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No, I thought it was a bargain after watching the playoffs last
11:36
year. So apparently there was some
11:38
disappointing news, maybe concerning news.
11:40
Better way to put it on Kyle Tucker, who's he's off to
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Florida for yet another opinion. This doesn't sound good.
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Now he's going with one of the members of the Cubs medical
11:50
staff to Tampa. That's his hometown, but that's
11:54
also a place where he had a leg issue before and they helped
11:58
him. And so he feels that might be
12:01
the best thing. It doesn't sound like it's
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horrific because counsel did say later in that interview, yeah,
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we're hoping that we have him back in the lineup next week, so
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he's ready to go for the playoffs.
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So, I mean, if you're even thinking about that, can it be
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that serious? Now, if you tell me he comes
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back Chicago on Sunday and goes, yeah, I'm out for the year,
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well, then that's a big problem. But right now he's down at Tampa
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getting some work done on his calf and we'll see.
12:28
Mike Soroka off the the gem of the trade deadline accusations
12:34
that they got and they got what, a couple innings out of him
12:36
before he went the IL? Is there any hope that he can
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help him out in the bullpen? Not in a starting role,
12:40
obviously, and he's in the bullpen already, but that he
12:43
could be a piece that is useful for the playoffs.
12:46
Well, he pitched 2 innings the other day and I thought threw
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the ball pretty well and he feels like he's back in the mid
12:53
90s velocity wise. He's not going to start for you.
12:56
But yeah, I mean, they like him a lot.
12:59
They think he's got really good stuff.
13:02
So if they're accurate, you have a lot of arms that you can mix
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and match with them. I just don't think they have
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that. Other than Horton, is there one
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starter, maybe a managa, the other?
13:15
Rest of the crew, do you go? That guy can go 7 innings and
13:19
get me to the back end of my pen.
13:20
I'm not convinced of that. Will they platoon when it comes
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to the DH cap with the Suzuki struggles?
13:26
I know he's playing right field today by Esteros.
13:29
Is is DH Ings hit home run today.
13:32
Do you keep his bat in the lineup?
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Because Suzuki's just proven that he's just not trustworthy
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in the batter's box this year. Do they platoon DH?
13:40
Oof. Look, I would have moisted by
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Esteros on the playoff roster. Craig has not shown a
13:50
propensity, which is one of the reasons I'm frustrated with him.
13:53
And I had somebody today say to me, bro, your favorite team is
13:57
the Cubs, they're going to win. Let's guesstimate 90. 290.
14:03
Three, they're going to be in the 90s.
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He's like, and you blast this manager all the time.
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I said like, blast is the wrong word.
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I'm critical of him because I don't like some of his moves.
14:14
You bring Owen Casey up and they sit.
14:16
Him on the bench. You bring by a sterile selfie,
14:19
gets the bases clearing double driving three against Milwaukee.
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Yeah, you can go back to Iowa now.
14:23
Back to Des Moines. Yep.
14:24
And you keep yeah. And you keep running these guys
14:29
back down to Iowa and you keep running out guys who are
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underperforming like Suzuki, like Tucker.
14:36
I mean those guys were having. So we're going like 6 weeks
14:38
Swamps so maybe you would be winning the division.
14:42
I don't know if he'd done something different, but I would
14:44
have Moises by a Stereos on the playoff roster.
14:46
For me, absolutely. If Carlos Santana and Justin
14:50
Turner are on the playoff roster over by a stereos, I look, I'm
14:54
not a Cubs fan. I'll be apoplectic.
14:56
I mean, there there's nothing that you can see in the year
14:58
2025 that either of those veterans should be in over a guy
15:02
like Bella Stairs. It's it's incredulous.
15:05
We got a little time before that.
15:06
But if that happens, I can't wait to see the recap for that
15:09
you have on that one. Oh, look, I think Turner is
15:13
going to be, I probably wouldn't have Carlos Santana.
15:18
Sometimes this, we've got to have experience, guys that have
15:22
done that before. You know what, sometimes you got
15:25
to have young guys who haven't done it before because they're
15:28
hungry and they'll get it done and they're just at a different
15:31
stage in their career. I haven't seen anything from
15:34
Willie Castro, Carlos Santana, Turner.
15:38
He's a great leader in there. Guess what?
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He was here all season, organized by Asteros for sure.
15:45
Cap Good stuff, my friend. Well, one more.
15:47
Is PCA kind of come to life a little bit?
15:50
Is he over his little slump? I know the council gave him some
15:53
time off. Has that helped you think Cap?
15:56
It has. He hit a rocket off the right
15:58
field wall today for a double and somebody with the Cubs said
16:03
to him in the clubhouse yesterday you are going to be a
16:06
monster in the playoffs. They really believe that, so
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we're going to find out. I hope they're right because
16:11
that's my favorite sports team in the world.
16:14
Indeed, we shall see and you shall hear from Centurion, Stone
16:17
Copper. Good stuff, buddy.
16:18
Appreciate you coming on. We'll talk to you in a week's
16:20
time, OK? I look forward to it.
16:23
See you, buddy David Kaplan joining us each and every
16:26
Wednesday. He'll make that happen.
16:27
TC get get the folks over there in touch with the capper
16:31
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He's to 5525 NE 22nd St. in Des Moines, 5525 NE 22nd St. in Des
17:14
Moines, and they do have Saturday morning hours from 8:00
17:17
until noon. Got a message from a listener
17:21
said, man, you're always so down on the Bears and I, you're a
17:24
Bears fan, a Bears fan, also a Bears fan that that sent the
17:27
message a lifetime. And I just thought of it this
17:31
way. So since I was in high school 30
17:33
years ago, you know how many times the Bears have just been a
17:37
playoff team in the last 30 years?
17:39
How many quarterbacks have they had?
17:41
That's another story. Dozens.
17:42
You know 6 appearances in the playoffs.
17:45
How many playoff wins I've seen in my adult life?
17:50
3/3 I am a man in my mid 40s. I've seen my team win three
17:56
games. So when you bitch and moan about
17:57
your Broncos it frustrates me to no end because you've seen 3
18:01
championships. But I got the Topper.
18:05
I mean, my team left town for 15 years.
18:07
They're back. OK, but they left for 15 years.
18:10
They're back. The Bears could have lost left
18:12
for 15 years, and guess what? It'd be of the same result as we
18:15
have right now. Three playoff wins in 30 years.
18:21
This organization is awful and Cap said it again.
18:27
Ryan Poles. Has done starts at the top a
18:28
terrible job and they just they just gave him a five year deal.
18:32
Why? Why were people beating down his
18:33
door to get his services? Well, the answer's no.
18:36
It's the same thing with college coaches.
18:38
We talked about a ton. Look, if somebody's going to
18:40
come get them, so be it. But these ridiculous buyouts and
18:43
this buyout's not ridiculous. It's just a cheap ass ownership.
18:47
As Cap just told us, it's the ownership.
18:50
This organization is right. It's worth billions.
18:54
Billions. They don't cheer you that way.
18:57
And it sounds like they are moving Darlington Heights,
18:59
right? I mean, does that seem like it's
19:01
done deal? Yes, absolutely.
19:03
The construction equipment is starting to head into place.
19:10
We'll take your time out. Come back, we'll talk Big 12
19:13
with our friend Matt Poston's. He covers the Big 12 for
19:17
Heartland College Sports. Look forward to catching up with
19:20
Matt Poston's on the Big 12 and a big, big tilt to start our
19:23
Saturday. Texas Tech in Utah, Miller and
19:26
Condon talking sports with you on the Iowa Sports Radio
19:29
Network. I won 30 on a Wednesday.
19:33
Miller and Condon, Iowa Sports Radio Network.
19:35
Couple of things. Apologies to Ben, I didn't mean
19:38
to hang up on you. I didn't, but I did.
19:42
And as Joe pointed out, those wins, most of them came during
19:47
2007 when you went to the Super Bowl.
19:49
Yeah, two of the three playoff wins by the Bears in the last 30
19:52
years came in the Super Bowl year, when they lost to Peyton
19:54
Manning and the Colts. They beat the Seahawks twice and
19:57
the Saints once. Do you remember who?
20:01
The quarterbacks were of those franchises at the time.
20:04
I don't. Rex Grossman oh of of those
20:06
franchises of. Of who they beat.
20:08
Oh. I think there was an injury,
20:11
maybe Dave Craig. No, no, not that far back.
20:13
It was like Hasselbeck. We're not going back to the 80s
20:16
and early 90s. We're going back to about 95 on.
20:20
So the Seattle first one was what?
20:22
I think it was Hasselbeck. OK.
20:24
All right. Well, nonetheless.
20:27
Not good. No Seattle and the Saints.
20:30
No Cowboys. No, no, nothing like that.
20:33
No Niners. In that same time period, the
20:35
Jaguars have won eight playoff games.
20:36
Yeah, that Lisa, Mark, let's get to Matt Poston's Heartland
20:39
College Sports where he covers the Big 12.
20:42
It's Utah hosting Texas Tech. We'll get into that as far as
20:46
the Big 12 goes. And let's start there.
20:48
Matt, first of all, thank you so much for coming on.
20:50
Appreciate it. Always do.
20:53
Boy, oh boy. 10:00 mountain time Saturday morning, Big noon
20:56
kickoff is going to be there. It has the feel of a big game to
21:00
me. Matt Postons, how about to you?
21:01
And what do you expect? We will see.
21:04
Yeah, it's not a cool start time to the folks out in Utah that
21:09
really ought to be banned. They shouldn't be starting
21:11
football games before 11:00 local time.
21:13
That's really unfortunate. And I think, you know, honestly,
21:16
I think that does have an impact on both teams having to start a
21:20
game that early. It's it's different when you go
21:22
out at like 8:00 AM to practice as opposed to going out to play
21:26
a game at 10 AM. You got to start your prep at
21:28
like 7:00 in the morning local. I I think that's going to have
21:31
an impact on what you see on the field on Saturday.
21:33
But you know, both of these teams, I feel like they have,
21:37
you know, they've played fairly stocked schedules coming into
21:41
this game. They've mastered those schedules
21:44
well. I feel like the team that plays
21:48
defense better is going to win this game.
21:50
I mean, both of these teams have really good offenses.
21:53
Texas Tech has racked up yards and points.
21:55
Utah has done the same thing. It's all about which of their
21:58
defenses is better. And I'll be honest with you,
22:01
based on what I've seen the first three weeks and based on
22:03
who they've played, I don't know whose defense is better.
22:06
I think I think Tech might have a better overall unit, but I
22:11
really feel like, you know, there's certain aspects of
22:14
Utah's defense that's going to get Texas Tech trouble
22:16
specifically. I think they've got a better
22:19
pass rush. So it's going to be one of those
22:21
games where we kind of finally start to get an idea of what
22:26
these two teams really are. But it's kind of hard for me to
22:29
say, hey, one's got a clear advantage over the other because
22:32
among the 16 teams in this conference, they probably played
22:34
two of the softest schedules among them.
22:36
Yeah, Utah 3, Nothing on Wyoming.
22:38
They get home and not only win the game but also get the cover.
22:41
Last weekend felt like a look ahead there from the utes.
22:44
Do you see Wyoming plays this week?
22:45
By the way? Colorado.
22:47
Oh really? Getting almost 2 touchdowns.
22:50
Sounds like something that might be on your list with you.
22:53
So we got that game and and like you said, it's really difficult
22:56
to kind of handicap it just because it doesn't feel like we
22:58
have a great feel for either of those squads.
23:01
Another one that's maybe a little difficult because North
23:04
Carolina's had their struggles is TCU.
23:06
They got the skillet game this week.
23:07
I know that's important. One down for you guys in the
23:09
Metroplex. SMUTCU Hoard Frogs as good as
23:14
they looked on that Monday night to begin the season.
23:18
I, I, I think it's definitely possible.
23:22
You know, The thing is they were off I think the day, the week
23:26
after the North Carolina or no, they played their cupcake game
23:29
the week after North Carolina. And they've had a week off.
23:31
So not only have they not played the conference game yet, they,
23:35
they're coming off of a bye week, I think in the last two
23:38
weeks. So they've got some rest.
23:40
And you know, this could be a game like the Baylor SMU game
23:42
where both teams put up a lot of points because this is #1 it's
23:46
the last iron skillet game for a while.
23:48
They're going to, they're not going to play the rivalry after
23:50
this year. There's more TCU's choice than
23:53
that's a news choice. And 2nd, you know, again, you
23:56
know, for TCU, I mean, North Carolina, I don't think they're
24:00
that good A-Team. So it's kind of hard to gauge
24:03
the quality of their team. I do know this just watching
24:07
their two games. The chemistry is clearly there
24:10
between Joshua and his receivers, and his receivers are
24:13
basically brand new. That's good news.
24:15
I think their defense is actually taking it up a notch
24:18
just in the quality of their play and understanding what they
24:21
want in the system. And I think that makes them, you
24:24
know, as they talked about before the season, they're one
24:26
of those teams that, you know, could win this conference if
24:29
they go right. I still feel like they're one of
24:31
those teams. And I think we we get a really
24:33
good sense of what they can do against a, a high octane offense
24:37
thing as SMU because they can put up a lot of points.
24:40
Their defense is in question, but they can put up a lot of
24:42
points. We obviously we'll get to Iowa
24:44
State at some point during our talk, but I do want to go to
24:47
Oklahoma State that they'll play Friday.
24:49
Does it feel to you like Boy, they better be Tulsa or or
24:53
Gundy's seat, which is already warm if not hot, it's going to
24:57
just ratchet up another degree. Is he on borrowed time in
25:02
Stillwater do you think? I, I don't know if he's on
25:06
borrowed time because it seems like every time Gundy is down,
25:09
he finds a way to bounce back. But I, I think you're right.
25:13
If for some reason they lose to Tulsa on Friday, he's got
25:16
problems. I mean, this is just not a team
25:18
they can lose to. And and Tulsa, on paper, they're
25:22
not a team that Oklahoma State should lose too.
25:25
Tulsa just lost the Navy over the weekend by double digits, as
25:29
a matter of fact. So, you know, going into this
25:31
game, the game is in Stillwater, OK State should win this one,
25:36
but pretty convincingly. And if they don't or if they end
25:39
up losing, then, yeah, I think it's going to be a very
25:43
untenable fall for Mike Dundee. Yeah, I feel like he kind of
25:47
escaped last year because they hadn't had that bad a season in
25:51
a really long time. I don't think he escapes the
25:54
second one, but I think he might actually be the one that just,
25:58
you know, pulls the plug, so to speak, if that happens again,
26:01
because there'll be so much heat on him at that point that he'll
26:05
just want out And remember he his contract's unusual because
26:09
it's a rolling five year deal. So every every year he coaches,
26:13
they roll another year on it at the end.
26:15
So it's a unique contract in that way.
26:17
And I think they negotiated the buyout down a little bit should
26:21
you decide to leave or should they decide to fire him after
26:23
the fee. Take that a step further.
26:26
T-bone Pickens changed Oklahoma State athletics and certainly
26:30
football. I mean, that was a laughing
26:31
stock after Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders went, they went
26:34
through 15 years of just awful, awful play.
26:37
Then he bought him back and and got all the bells and whistles
26:40
that went into well, he's passed on.
26:42
Is this kids involved? Is the trust him?
26:45
What's happening there? Because it felt like in today's
26:48
environment with NIL and Boone was still around, Oklahoma State
26:52
would be in good shape. I'd have to agree with you.
26:55
Because I mean, facility wise, I've been on that campus several
26:58
times. Facility wise, they have
27:00
everything they need. And that was the big push when
27:03
when T Boone was alive. You know, that was the big push
27:05
with everybody 10-15 years ago. Make sure your facilities can
27:08
compete with everybody in college football because you
27:11
couldn't pay players. Now that you can pay players and
27:14
now that you can share revenue, I really do feel like Oklahoma
27:17
State's one of those schools in the Big 12 where they're just
27:20
not there in that area where you look at a Texas Tech, you look
27:23
at ATCU, you look at BYU, you look at some of the other
27:27
schools around West Virginia, both all of those schools are
27:30
are very heavily invested in NIL.
27:33
Oklahoma State really hasn't been to the level of those other
27:37
schools. And I do believe that if you
27:38
know, T Boone was around, they'd have everything they need.
27:41
I I don't know how their trust is set up.
27:44
I don't know, set up to to shove money to nil, but I do think
27:48
that's a fact. I don't think they have the
27:50
money to move around at NIL the way other schools do in the Big
27:54
12. Interesting.
27:55
Well, let's. Get to Iowa State, they get a
27:57
bye week, they're four and O. The Arkansas State game was not
28:01
a thing of beauty, but you know what?
28:02
That's a daunting schedule that Iowa State was asked to play and
28:05
they did. They got through unscathed.
28:08
I don't care. Sunbelt team or not on the road,
28:10
nice win to get the four and O now they get the rest.
28:12
So does Arizona, who these two teams will play next week.
28:16
All of a sudden this game I think ratchets up a little bit.
28:19
It's going to be in prime time, ESP NS got that a week from
28:22
Saturday night. First of all, Iowa State.
28:24
And then just your thoughts on what you've seen from Fafita and
28:27
company with this, with this group of Wildcats.
28:31
Yeah, Iowa State. It's a well deserved break.
28:33
I mean, we talked about it before the season, both them and
28:35
Kansas State, you know, playing four games before, thereby going
28:40
to Ireland, all that travel, everything that goes along with
28:43
it. I think I said before, the loser
28:45
of that game is going to going to have a problem.
28:47
And if you don't get Kansas State, they lost that game and
28:49
they're one and three O and one in conference.
28:51
I think there's a there was a definite hangover there.
28:53
And for Iowa State, you know, again, the one thing I was
28:56
really worried about offensively was their ability to throw the
28:59
football, not from the perspective of Rocco back, but
29:02
who he was going to throw to. And the passing game has been
29:05
there. The chemistry has been there.
29:06
It's been really fun to watch them, you know, navigate a
29:10
season where they lost two of their best receivers to the NFL,
29:13
two guys who, you know, caught more than 2000 yards of passes
29:17
last year, and they've been able to negotiate it very nicely.
29:20
Arizona is going to present them an interesting challenge because
29:24
their defense is a lot better and a lot healthier than it was
29:27
a year ago. Danny Gonzalez has made them
29:29
more aggressive. They're creating more turnovers.
29:33
They're one of the best teams in the country right now.
29:35
And, you know, points allowed, turnovers created and and things
29:39
like that, things that can kind of flip a field and change a
29:41
game. I think they've actually
29:44
benefited. It's weird to say this, but you
29:47
know, but McMillan not there. I think they've actually
29:50
benefited from the standpoint that the beat is not as locked
29:53
on on as him, on him as he was a year ago.
29:56
And he's able to spread the football now more.
29:58
Not that they have a receiver in that that room that is of his
30:02
ability. But sometimes when you can, when
30:06
you can more freely throw the football around and you've got a
30:09
bunch of good receivers, sometimes it can make your
30:11
offense better. And I think they're running the
30:12
ball better too. And that was just something that
30:14
wasn't existed in their game last year.
30:16
They lost, They got an eligibility, they lost, they got
30:19
an injury. They're healthy in the backfield
30:20
now. They're running the ball better.
30:22
They look like a much better team right now.
30:24
And watching them, you know, hold Kansas State to 17 points,
30:28
I thought that was fairly impressive.
30:30
Houston's off this week. But they got the Friday night
30:32
win against Colorado. Willie Fritz doing what he did
30:35
at Tulane and did it before at Georgia Southern.
30:38
The guy just wins and he's a program builder.
30:40
They have the right guy. He's 65.
30:42
He's not going to be looking for jobs.
30:43
You wouldn't think at this point.
30:45
Houston, can you consider themselves a real contender this
30:48
year with what they have with Conor Wigman at the quarterback
30:51
spot and some of the playmakers they have on the outside?
30:54
Yeah, I mean. For first of all, for Fritz,
30:56
from year one to year 2, his team's average about a three win
31:00
improvement. They won five last year.
31:03
So if he holds to the average, that's eight wins.
31:05
That makes them a fringe contender in the conference.
31:08
What I really like about Houston right now is they're writing the
31:11
football well and they're playing really good defense and
31:14
those are the two things that really translate, especially
31:17
when you go on the road and you play a Big 12 game away from
31:19
home. I'm still not convinced Connor
31:22
Wakeman is the right guy. I don't think he's a guy
31:26
necessarily that can elevate them.
31:28
If you if you have to lean on him for 3540 passes a game, I
31:31
don't think he can be that guy for you because I'm just not
31:34
seeing him go through the progressions in the past game
31:37
enough. I saw him in person against even
31:39
of Austin and he was really locked in his first read most of
31:42
the night. Maybe that was just the first
31:44
week of the season, but I think the game he had against Houston,
31:48
Houston is, or excuse me, because Colorado is exactly the
31:52
kind of game you want from him. You know, good completion
31:55
percentage. There's about 200 yards.
31:57
Balance that out with a running game that rushes for more than
31:59
200 yards. If they do that consistently
32:01
week to week, I think they've got a chance to be a contender.
32:04
They've got two or three really tough games coming up.
32:07
If they can go 2 and one in that stretch, then they have an
32:10
opportunity to have an impact on the race.
32:12
My last thing. For you and it's a conference
32:15
game, it's Baylor and it's Arizona State in in Waco. 6:30 I
32:20
I'm going to be watching a ton of Illinois, Indiana, but this
32:22
is going to be my flip when I get a chance because I'm looking
32:25
forward to this game. I don't think, and I want to
32:28
hear your take on Arizona State that they have taken another
32:32
step forward. I mean, it's hard to right
32:34
running backs not there and he was pretty good.
32:37
So just just your thoughts on Arizona State and Baylor and
32:41
what it means in the big picture in the Big 12, well, for Arizona
32:46
State. You know, I really feel like
32:49
they acquitted themselves nicely when they played Mississippi
32:52
State, even though they lost that game, came back and they
32:54
went back. In the process they they've.
32:56
Got they have a really nice punch now in in Brown and Udo
33:00
that can that can help out Levitt and help out the passing
33:03
game in terms of taking the heat off of them.
33:06
Baylor offense is not their problem.
33:09
Sawyer Robertson is incredible. He's having a fantastic season.
33:12
He's among the top quarterbacks in the country just in terms of
33:15
yardage and completion percentage.
33:17
Their whole problem right now is defense.
33:19
I mean, they I don't know how they beat SMU two weeks ago.
33:22
I mean, that was just a crazy game.
33:26
They cannot let Arizona get ahead of them.
33:28
They cannot let Arizona be explosive.
33:30
Arizona has that ability to be explosive.
33:33
And Arizona State, you know, they kind of have a chip on
33:35
their shoulder now after losing that game to Mississippi State
33:37
after falling out of the top 25. You know, that's, that's exactly
33:41
what you don't want with Arizona State.
33:43
They love having a chip on their shoulder and that makes them
33:45
really dangerous this weekend. I think Arizona State goes into
33:49
Baylor and wins because I think their defense is just better.
33:52
Matt Poston's. Heartland College sports,
33:54
Heartland College sports where Matt and the entire team over
33:57
there does a terrific job keeping track of the Big 12,
34:00
both football and basketball and well, all sports, but these in
34:04
particular. Great stuff, Matt.
34:05
Thank you. As always.
34:06
We'll track you down in a couple of weeks.
34:08
Thank you, Matt. Thanks, guys.
34:10
Appreciate. It yeah, good to talk to you,
34:11
Matt Poston's. Heartland College sports as we
34:13
check in on the Big 12 Conference.
34:16
Yeah, Wyoming's, I think they're going to Colorado game.
34:20
Watched a little bit of their game.
34:21
Against the Panthers when you and I went out there a couple of
34:23
weeks back and they're not going to wow you offensively but
34:27
fundamentally sound really good on the defensive side of the
34:29
football and they had Dampier a little bit uncomfortable.
34:33
Dampier. Is a tremendous runner, Yeah.
34:35
Can he throw? That's a question.
34:36
That's going to be the question do.
34:38
You have an opinion on that? Game I don't I.
34:40
Just don't feel like I have a good enough base.
34:42
Can you get one when I ask? You in Bam on Friday I'll have
34:46
some information. Probably not a play, but I'll
34:48
I'll always have info for you. All right, the.
34:51
Cubs have extended their lead. They've got a three spot going
34:53
in the 6th inning, 7 to 4. If they win, they're in the
34:57
playoffs. Guess the boys will have some
34:59
fun in Cincinnati tonight when the plane lands there after
35:03
their day game, as that's where they go to for the weekend to
35:05
take on the red 74 Cubs midway through 6 trench plays of the
35:10
day there next. By the way, look out the window.
35:13
Oh, it's dark. It's dark in central Iowa.
35:15
I don't know which going to eastern Iowa or not, but it's
35:18
making its way there. I.
35:19
Think we're going to get clobbered?
35:20
Here pretty soon Miller and Condon trench plays of the day.
35:22
Speaking of being clobbered, how did you do yesterday?
35:25
Four and one. Jesus, I buy apologies.
35:27
Good for you. Only when they clobber be is
35:29
their. Stupid Blue Jays and they tried
35:31
to give that one away. They did they really?
35:33
Did well, the UMPS did oh boy. Milrin Condon, Iowa Sports Radio
35:38
Network Milrin Condon final couple of minutes here on a
35:41
Wednesday. Appreciate you being with us.
35:44
This time tomorrow, we will have just got through with Stephen M
35:48
Sipple, Nebraska, Michigan 230 going to do some NFL tomorrow.
35:53
What else we got. Bill Bender's going to be here.
35:56
Syndicate on the Packers. Dane Mizatani.
35:59
On the Vikings busy day, Lee Sterling's picks.
36:01
No, Lee's picks, too. That's right.
36:03
Got a lot going on. Put a cap.
36:05
On yesterday in the press conferences, my favorite moment,
36:07
which was, was I. Can't remember.
36:09
Which one of the defensive backs for Iowa was talking?
36:11
But apparently Seth Wallace has not called him the Dough Boys
36:14
anymore. OK, call them in the.
36:16
No boys, because. They haven't forced the card
36:18
over. Yeah, jeez.
36:20
Seth Wallace. I know he's a hard guy, he's but
36:23
he seems like he would be also a fun guy to play for.
36:27
Give it up a little crap and I like it and.
36:29
They're going to come up with one Friday.
36:31
Night. I hope so, Trent.
36:32
They'll get back to the dope. If I could only come up with one
36:34
thing they would come up with, it'd be that W get back on the
36:38
plane with that. That's what they.
36:39
Need Kirk's good in this spot. Yep.
36:41
Hopefully. Yeah.
36:42
I mean. Last time was the was the
36:43
Maryland game. Was the last Friday night the
36:45
game as I was missing UCLA? That's right.
36:48
And they're up to nothing before Brendan Sullivan.
36:50
But head first into the sideline and yeah, here comes Shaggy.
36:54
That was a Friday here. Comes Shaggy.
36:58
OK, I sniffed that one out last year though.
37:00
I tried to. You did.
37:01
Yeah, you did. You're all over.
37:02
It Let's get into games tonight, three of which are already
37:06
underway. Are what are you just all
37:08
baseball tonight 3 Baseball 1? In the WNBA, gonna play the
37:11
zigzag theory there. Phoenix though, it's different.
37:14
They're going on the road for Game 2.
37:15
They fell in game one against the Liberty.
37:17
I think they bounced back. Gonna grab the Mercury tonight
37:19
+5 in MSG, then 3IN baseball going right back to the well
37:23
again with the Yankees tonight -150 they're going to play the
37:27
Mariners this evening. They're plus one O 8 against
37:29
Cole Reagan's and the Royals and going to grab the plast money.
37:33
Guardians are playing great again and Williams has been
37:37
outstanding. He gets the ball tonight plus
37:38
128. Love the price on that one at
37:42
Circa as always. Yes, the best price by far is
37:46
what the Guardians plus 1/28. Have you looked ahead to the?
37:48
Betting slate for football this weekend I think stand out.
37:52
Did you love a lot of dogs in? College football this week.
37:55
A lot of dogs are barking, huh? Interesting, I always trying to
37:58
bark for me. That will do it for.
38:00
Us, we appreciate you being here.
38:02
Coming up next, the boys are coming off the bench and they'll
38:05
take you until 5:00. The first quarter gets underway
38:08
every morning at 6:00. And then Miller and Condon, more
38:11
local talk from noon to 2, Trenton higher, Monday through
38:13
Friday, noon to two, talking sports with you.
38:16
Thanks for being with us, Miller and Condon on the Iowa Sports
38:19
Radio Network.