Latest / The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon / David Kaplan talks Bears, retirements & Cubs, Dave Ommen on the brackets & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports

Transcript

David Kaplan talks Bears, retirements & Cubs, Dave Ommen on the brackets & Trent's Picks presented by Circa Sports · The Lunch Rush with Trent Condon

0:00
Hour number two, Miller and Condon welcome back.
0:02
Iowa Sports Radio Network. Trent Condon, Ken Miller, Dave
0:05
omenbracketville.com. He'll join us at the bottom of
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the hour. Trent's Plays of the Day Circus
0:11
sports sponsor about 10 minutes before 2 off to Chicago.
0:15
He's David Kaplan's Centurion Stone of Iowa sponsors.
0:18
Capi, Capi. Trent, Ken, thanks for coming
0:20
on. Capra, how are you?
0:22
I'm good. What's up with you boys?
0:24
Well, anxious to pick your brain on the Chicago Bears are
0:26
certainly in the news with the Max Crosby Willy or Won't T and
0:29
Drew Dahlman retiring and I guess we'll have to give back
0:33
some of that bonus one would assume, but Dahlman in a second.
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Let's start with Crosby. The betting markets have made
0:40
him the favorite. The Bears rather the favorite to
0:43
be where he plays football next year.
0:45
What are you hearing on the Max Crosby front cap?
0:49
Mean till the Drew Dahlman retirement, I think the bears
0:52
were certainly involved and I think they still will be
0:55
involved. But that Drew Dahlman saying
0:58
that popped yesterday. That's a big blow to what
1:02
they're trying to do. Because while you'll pick up 10
1:06
million in cap space, are you down grading at that position?
1:10
Tyler Biotic visited yesterday. He was released by the
1:13
Commanders. He's a downgrade, a clear
1:16
downgrade. Tyler Lindenbaum, he is a clear
1:21
upgrade. I thought the Owen Cruz
1:22
yesterday who's, you know, a future Hall of Famer, He's
1:25
ranked one of the 15 greatest centers.
1:27
So to have him on speed dial because he's one of my best
1:30
friends is a pretty amazing thing.
1:32
And he said, look, you get Tyler Linderbaum.
1:36
That is a massive upgrade. Massive.
1:39
He may be the best center in the National Football League.
1:42
So that's going to cost you instead of 14 million to Drew
1:46
Dahlman, 2122 million to Tyler Linderbaum, and he's got to pick
1:52
you. Is he leaving Baltimore?
1:55
There will be a lot of suitors if that dude's truly leaving the
1:58
only home he's had. So we'll see.
2:00
Hopefully good soul in eastern Iowa, boy, that he loved the
2:04
Bears growing up and and maybe that's something that could push
2:06
it over the edge. How about the financial
2:08
implications here of Dolman retiring?
2:10
I know there was a lot of information out there, some of
2:13
it right, some of it wrong. What this does to the Bear
2:15
salary cap, how they recoup things, Is this, is that a death
2:19
knell because the Bears still have cap room?
2:21
But financially, what did that mean with Dolman's retirement?
2:24
So you're going to get about $10 million back in cap space, which
2:31
is great on a team that was underwater when we got started
2:34
this offseason. But you're going to have to move
2:38
a lot more money. I don't see Tremaine Edmonds
2:41
being back here. That'll get you 15 back.
2:45
I think it's 5050. If they're going to be able to
2:48
move DJ more, he makes 28.5 million.
2:52
So all of a sudden after you do all the the gymnastics and the
2:56
math and the this and the that, that gets you, let's call it
3:00
approximately between those two guys, after all the cap charges,
3:04
that's 40 million. You're about 6,000,000 under the
3:08
cap right now, today. Now you're at 46.
3:12
Are you bringing DeAndre Swift back?
3:15
That's 8 million. You get 7.8.
3:17
Now you're over 50 million in space.
3:20
But how are you replacing your best running back?
3:23
How are you replacing your Pro Bowl center who took every snap
3:29
in 2025 after missing, I think 7 or 8 games in 2024?
3:35
So there's a lot that has to get done.
3:37
I ran down the laundry list of needs that this team has this
3:42
morning. People are like, whoa, I didn't
3:45
realize we need all that. Well, you is Kevin Byer coming
3:48
back? I think he is, but if he
3:50
doesn't, you need 2 starting safeties.
3:53
I think you'll get him back, but if you don't 2 starting
3:57
safeties, Deshawn writes Absolutely, 1000% gone.
4:02
That's a corner that started or played the lion's share of the
4:06
snaps. Can you tell me Kyler Gordon's
4:08
playing more than three games? Can you tell me Jaylen Johnson's
4:11
going to be healthy now? You're getting rid of Tremaine
4:14
Edmonds? You're starting off ball
4:16
linebacker who was playing at a Pro Bowl level till he got hurt
4:19
after Week 10, made it back in the playoffs, wasn't great, but
4:23
he wasn't healthy. Now you have TJ Edwards coming
4:26
off a broken leg. Your other starting linebacker,
4:29
Noah Sewell, Torres, Achilles. Now let's go to the defensive
4:33
line. And Andrew Billings is just not
4:36
he's getting old. He's not in great shape.
4:38
He's done. So I got to replace my nose guy.
4:42
Now everyone wants more pass rush.
4:44
OK, we got Montez Sweat who had his first double digit sack
4:48
season of his career. Is he doing that again?
4:51
Is Austin Booker taking another step?
4:53
I mean, you got a lot, and I haven't even gone to the
4:57
offensive line where you need a starting center, but starting
5:01
left tackle because Ozzy Drupillo is probably done for
5:04
the year with a patellar tendon injury.
5:07
That is a lot. If you cut DeAndre Swift, who's
5:10
replacing him at running back and I given you enough?
5:13
To be concerned about. You are sounding alarm bells
5:16
certainly, and it feels like it's going to be an incredibly
5:18
important draft coming up for the Bears.
5:20
With that to talk though, about trading draft capital in order
5:24
to land Max Crosby or if you have the money, spending the
5:28
money and getting Trey Hendrickson.
5:30
Of those two scenarios, what do you think is more likely going
5:32
out and getting Trey Henderson or trading for Crosby?
5:37
Well, I know Crosby wants to be here and he's made that pretty
5:40
clear. The people in Vegas, I think
5:44
they're going to trade them. I think they have to trade them.
5:47
Look, I think Fernando Mendoza is a really good prospect.
5:52
Do I think he is a slam dunk top five quarterback?
5:55
I don't. So if I ran the Raiders, unless
6:00
Tom Brady, my minority owner, worked him out and said, OK, we
6:04
got to have him. He's a superstar.
6:06
If Tom said yeah, he's good, but he's not, Oh my God, good.
6:11
I would trade that pick. Then I would draft down a little
6:16
bit in the first round to get an extra first round and I trade
6:19
Crosby and I'd get a first and a player and maybe a second.
6:23
That's how you rebuild a football team with a brand new
6:26
coach, new minority owner who's now in charge, GM's only, I
6:30
think, on his second year with the team.
6:33
So that's how I would do things if I was Vegas.
6:37
But you know, you're trading the face of your team.
6:40
I was in Vegas for the Bear game.
6:42
Every billboard in town has a sports theme to it.
6:45
Everyone has Max Crosby on it. So you're trading your identity.
6:51
But I think he wants out. I think he wants to be in
6:54
Chicago. We'll find out.
6:56
Fascinating to to see how this is going to play out.
6:59
No doubt about it. All right, Cap, let's go to
7:01
let's do a little baseball. You don't with the football TC
7:04
Well, just one more I guess on Dom and did it come out of
7:06
nowhere? And what is it with Stanford
7:08
players seemingly they're about to enter their prime.
7:11
They're smart. They're just good night of the.
7:13
Game, but with their right. With the with the few of
7:16
injuries as they have all the faculties intact, obviously
7:19
Andrew Luck quits when before anybody saw that coming.
7:22
Drew Dahlman, free agent coveted as anybody in last year's free
7:26
agency class. The Bears move very quickly to
7:28
sign him. Where did this come from, Cap
7:30
Hub? Were they completely floored by
7:32
this at Hallis Hall? I don't think they were floored.
7:38
You know, fans wore because it hadn't leaked.
7:40
There was no like, Oh my God, they what's what could possibly
7:44
happen. No, we didn't hear that until
7:46
two or three days ago. There were people saying, you
7:48
know, Drew Dolman's talking about maybe walking away from
7:52
football. His dad is a former player and a
7:56
coach. And this has been something he's
7:59
highly educated, went to Stanford.
8:01
This has been something that they have discussed in that
8:04
family before. And so the question is, is this
8:09
been on his mind before free agency?
8:11
I don't think so. But I think, you know, going
8:14
through all the injuries he went through in 2024 and then playing
8:18
every snap this year, obviously his body probably says to him,
8:22
boy, I don't feel great. What am I going to be like when
8:26
I get to 35 years old if I play that long?
8:29
He's 27. He's made a bunch of money.
8:32
He's a Family Guy, his wife very active being at the games
8:36
wearing his jersey. So I think they just got to the
8:40
point we've got enough money, I want to live a quality life, I'm
8:43
gone and that's it. Makes sense.
8:46
And yeah, get that? Even some, you know, I'm really
8:49
disappointed in fans who were going on social media.
8:54
What a jerk. He's leaving us high and dry.
8:57
Hey, this is his life. We're talking about life here
9:02
more than just football. And he gave them notice, you
9:05
know, to to walk away in August on a team that has legitimate
9:10
window to win a Super Bowl because of Caleb and Ben Johnson
9:14
and the talent that they do have.
9:17
If he had come to training camp and going, yeah, you know what?
9:20
I'm just not feeling it. I'm done.
9:22
That would be wrong to do it in March before free agency.
9:26
I commend them. Good stuff, baseball cap.
9:30
Let's start with the Cubs. What have you seen?
9:33
What's this last week brought when it comes to the Cubs?
9:35
What have you seen? What are your concerns?
9:39
My concerns are I don't know if they have enough in their
9:41
bullpen. I don't now we'll find out
9:45
because last year, you know, if you just said to me at the start
9:48
of spring training that Brad Keller is going to be just a
9:50
beast, I've been like, OK, he's not a minor league deal.
9:54
He was with the White Sox. He wasn't great.
9:56
The Cubs believe they're pitching infrastructure is legit
10:01
and that they're finding certain guys say, you know what, I want
10:05
to come to the Chicago Cubs because their pitch lab is
10:09
legitimately helping other pitchers.
10:12
I just read an article the other day where they said there are
10:15
players around the game that have said I'd go to Chicago for
10:19
less money because they have something some kind of secret
10:23
sauce how they fix certain guys and we'll see.
10:27
Hunter Harvey is the latest to take that opportunity.
10:30
If he stays healthy, he's got great stuff.
10:33
Danny Polenci, is he ready to take the next step?
10:35
Better be maybe Hobie Milner film a time like those are some
10:41
quality arms. Do they have enough?
10:43
I don't know. And you know me, I told you guys
10:46
I don't ever hold back when I come on this show because your
10:50
great listeners. Why should they listen if I'm
10:51
going to give you company line and not?
10:54
Thank you for that chap. Thank you for that.
10:57
That's the only way I know how to operate.
10:58
They get me in trouble at times with different executives and
11:02
coaches, but I'm going to. I may not be right.
11:05
I'm going to speak from the heart every time and show to
11:09
Imanaga. The other day I watched him give
11:11
up three home runs in 2 plus innings against the White Sox
11:16
and he looks exactly the same as the guy that they, not me.
11:20
They said yeah, we couldn't start him game five against the
11:24
Brewers, the decider because he just wasn't throwing the ball.
11:27
Well, he looked any different to me other than they said, well
11:30
the radar gun was up two miles an hour.
11:33
Guess what? I watched 3 baseballs fly out of
11:35
the ballpark. So I have my concerns about him.
11:39
I I think they have enough depth pitching wise, so we'll see.
11:44
I love their everyday lineup. Love.
11:46
Yeah, hard not to. Great.
11:47
And bolstering, obviously the rotation with the addition of
11:50
Edward Cabrera. I saw some numbers coming out of
11:53
his opening start. He used his four seamer a lot
11:56
more than he had certainly in the previous season when it
11:58
dropped down inside a 15% of the time.
12:01
People consider that normally most guys best pitch, his worst
12:04
pitch out of the mix that he uses.
12:06
What are they doing tweaking Cabrera?
12:08
What have you seen out of him? We know the upside is certainly
12:11
tremendous. It's a health question with him
12:13
and a start in maybe going to a different way of pitching for
12:16
Edward Cabrera. They are trying to get him to
12:19
use his fastball more and then he can play off of that with his
12:25
change up, which is awesome. He's throwing a change up in the
12:28
mid 90s. I mean it's amazing to watch
12:32
some of his pitch mix and you see a rising fastball at 98 and
12:37
then you see it off his version of off speed 94.6 like whoa.
12:44
And then he takes a lot off of it and he goes from 98 point
12:47
whatever to 87. Unless you know what's coming
12:52
you can't handle, you got to guess, right?
12:56
And he's legit. He's one of the guys I had a
13:00
scout on another team tell me if you can keep that guy healthy,
13:04
the way his stuff is and the way you guys work with pitchers.
13:09
Edward Cabrera could be a Cy Young candidate.
13:11
That's how good he is. But he's always injured.
13:15
He's had a bunch of blister issues.
13:17
He had, I think, a flexor tendon issue.
13:21
We'll find out because if he stays healthy, his stuff as good
13:24
as anybody in the game. Speaking of injured pitchers,
13:27
Justin Still read an article in The Athletic that they're going
13:29
to work backwards from October regarding his injury.
13:32
May start the year on the 60 day which would get him back maybe
13:36
June, early June, but by all accounts, CAP things are going
13:40
well. Is that what you're hearing?
13:42
And does the late May, early June timetable match up from
13:46
what you've been told? Yes, it does because he just got
13:50
cleared by his surgeon. No restrictions.
13:53
You can do whatever the heck you want.
13:55
I'm done with you. You're clear, which is great
13:58
news. And he was, you know, so excited
14:01
and he's been dealing, his wife has been dealing with a health
14:04
crisis in her life and he's talking about, you know, we've
14:08
just got this great news for me. Not it allows me to focus on my
14:11
wife and all of that. They're not going to pitch him
14:14
in April. I don't care how good he feels
14:16
when it's 46° and a wind chill down at 29, that'd just be
14:21
stupid. But I do think by June 1, he's
14:24
back pitching for you. Help me out with the Shelby
14:27
Miller signing, the Tommy John surgery.
14:30
What kind of is the game plan with him and what hope that he
14:33
went under the knife? What in October of last year?
14:36
He's not going to help him out for this year.
14:38
This is a 2 year type of thing. Yeah, they're paying them less
14:41
money in Year 1. Jed had told us when he was on
14:45
my YouTube channel, I don't know, four or five weeks ago, he
14:49
said go look at our books. We have about as clean of books
14:53
of any major market team in the game.
14:57
And when you look at their books, there's not a lot of
15:00
money that they're extended beyond 2027. 4 Dansby, Alex
15:06
Gregman, he said that's a great thing, but it's not a great
15:13
thing if we have a lockout and then they go, OK, we're starting
15:17
spring training in a week or we're going to have some kind of
15:20
training camp, and you don't have enough guys sign, he says.
15:24
It's great to not paint ourselves in a corner.
15:27
We don't know the new rules of the new collective bargaining,
15:31
but he said we could theoretically get a call in.
15:34
Let's say they do miss the first month of the season to be May
15:38
Hey, training camp start Friday and we're going to have games
15:43
going in four weeks. Uh oh, you better get that cell
15:46
phone charged up and start signing guys because you don't
15:50
have a lot. You have some young players you
15:51
control. Again, we don't know the new
15:54
rules. So I think bringing Shelby
15:57
Miller in, they'll be rehabbing with them in their pitch lab
16:00
this year and then they pay them more money next year, It gives
16:05
them a veteran right-handed arm which everyone will be killing
16:09
to get. Cap regarding to our 27, is that
16:11
kind of what the speculation is is there?
16:14
They will miss some time. I mean, it's gloom and doom
16:17
everything I read Cap. But you know, sooner or later I
16:19
would have to think that somebody's going to blink,
16:21
whether that be the owners or the players.
16:24
I mean, fingers crossed that's how it goes, right?
16:26
I don't care who blinks first. Just give me damn baseball.
16:29
What are you hearing cap? What?
16:30
What do you think is best case scenario?
16:32
Do you think that there's baseball missed in 27?
16:36
Boy, I want to be the most optimistic guy because that's
16:39
how I live my life. I'm an optimist.
16:42
You had record TV ratings for the 18 to 34 year old demo,
16:47
which there every sport is killing to try and get record
16:52
ratings. Now these guys and the
16:55
billionaires, the owners, the millionaires, the players, are
16:58
they that stupid to screw this up?
17:02
But then I hear not just the small markets, but the Cubs, the
17:07
Red Sox, the Yankees, not the not the Phillies, not the
17:12
Dodgers, not the Mets. Other than that, I keep hearing
17:16
all these other teams are like, we're going to unite with the
17:18
small markets. We have to fix the system.
17:20
Like there's an article out there, Liberty Media owns the
17:23
Braves. We're the only public company
17:25
that owns a Major League team. So they have to show their books
17:29
and record revenue in 2025. Yet they lost money.
17:35
So if their books are accurate, I have no reason to doubt.
17:38
You know, I'm not a forensic accountant.
17:40
If they're losing money with record revenues, well, then you
17:44
have to figure out some way to fix the system.
17:46
So I'll hope that the cooler heads prevail, but I'm not
17:49
encouraged. Cappy, help me with the White
17:51
Sox and give me a breakouts guy, a guy that maybe for the casual
17:56
baseball fan, maybe a guy preparing for his fantasy
17:58
baseball draft, says. Murakami.
18:01
Is he a breakout? Who's your breakout guy for the
18:03
White Sox? I'm not going to say Murakami,
18:08
he's got big power, but he also strikes out a ton.
18:11
I really like Kyle Teal, I really do.
18:14
I think he's going to have a really Goodyear like my Drop.
18:17
He's a spark plug type guy, but he's not a core guy.
18:20
He's not a top 4 player on your team, just a good player to have
18:24
in your 8 hole. I'm going to say it's Kyle Peel.
18:27
I really, really think that kid has a chance to be very good.
18:32
I bet one Major League Baseball win total and it didn't on it.
18:36
Not on it's own. I I coupled it with a couple of
18:37
other champion sports champions and it's the White Sox cap and I
18:41
got it at 66. They won 60 games last year.
18:44
I think they're better on paper anyways this year than last
18:47
year. The Twins going to stink.
18:49
The Royals Cleveland not sure I I think the White Sox their
18:56
arrow was pointing up at least Garafine and and Ozzy Guillen
18:59
said that saw that on TV last night to cap watching 665 S your
19:04
thoughts? Yeah, I do think that that's a
19:07
smart play. Now they don't have a lot of
19:09
starting pitching. That's the one concern that I
19:12
have for them who is their course.
19:15
If you've lost four in a row, you go if we we got to get a win
19:18
today, who is that guy that Eric Fetty not for me, Jonathan
19:24
Leisure, Jonathan Cannon, There's just a bunch of guys.
19:28
They don't have an A hoss, but things are looking up there.
19:32
Had the number one pick, the kid that they're probably taking one
19:35
Rock Cholowsky from UCLA. That dude is a legendary type
19:41
status as a prospect. Doesn't mean he's going to make
19:44
it, certainly means that you're picking the right guy at #1 So
19:49
we're going to see what they end up doing.
19:51
I do think they go over, but that starting pitching would be
19:53
my only concern. I would tell you the Chicago
19:56
Cubs are going over 88 1/2 where they're sitting.
19:59
At I agree there. I hate both codes both counts
20:02
Kathy good stuff as always pal. Thanks for jumping on talk to
20:05
you next week. Thank you, David Kaplan.
20:07
Have a great day. See you buddy.
20:09
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Centurion Stone of Iowa sponsors Kathy, Have you bet any win
20:55
totals? No, No baseball bats of any kind
20:58
yet? I don't.
21:00
Think so outside of a couple of championship parlays like we
21:03
like to do from time to time. I think I threw the Dodgers in
21:06
there with one of them. I tailed Mike Palmer, Garrett
21:08
Cole, a Elsa Young. OK, that's a big bounce back.
21:12
What's any 60 to 1? 60 to one, Yeah, that's a nice
21:15
price, right? I might have to tail that one
21:17
too. That's the only reason I did it
21:18
that sounds. Pretty tasty that front.
21:20
No, it's all losing college basketball bets for me.
21:23
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I gotta waste my money that way
21:25
before I waste my money in baseball.
21:27
But yeah, that's that's definitely where I am at this
21:30
point in time. Speaking of basketball, this
21:32
just jumped out to me. So Saint Louis is playing
21:34
tonight. They get Loyola.
21:37
Guess what Loyola's record is? They played 29 games this year.
21:39
No idea. The Ramblers, a Final Four
21:42
participant a couple years ago. They're 7 and 22.
21:46
Jesus. I mean, you talk about bad
21:47
decision. Wichita is in the Wilders,
21:50
right? Nothing awful decisions for not
21:55
much gain financially. It's not that suddenly these
21:57
programs are swimming in money. You talk about bad choices.
22:00
The one that worked was great, absolutely.
22:03
That's the one that absolutely. Basketball.
22:06
Yes, and you do wonder about their other sports now.
22:08
They've had other success, Baseball teams, good women's
22:11
programs, been to a spot. The travel budget would have to
22:14
be increased significantly. Absolutely.
22:16
You're just thinking back upon that, going after.
22:20
God, the Valley was so good trend with Wichita State and
22:22
great that Valley tournament with those two fan bases and
22:25
they, they were jerks. But you know what, they fit in
22:28
and they packed the place and they cheered and just made it.
22:31
It made the experience so much better.
22:33
It was so much fun. Because it's not going to be the
22:35
same attendance that we're used. To no, no, it never will be.
22:38
It never will be. Anyways, more on that tomorrow.
22:42
Josh Betts is going to join me. Trent is off tomorrow, not off.
22:45
No, I'm working. Just on a different, just on a
22:47
different frequency. He'll be over on the over on
22:50
what 96.9? You got it.
22:53
The Bull 96.9 KXOKX NO HD2 is where you can find that on your
22:58
radio and you can just search as well on the iHeartRadio app as
23:01
I'll bring you a doubleheader, the semifinals of the girls
23:05
state tournament in Class 5A. It's a all CIML affair in the
23:09
semifinals, Game one number one Johnston against Ankeny and then
23:14
Game 2 Waukee Northwest against Dahlane Catholic and we'll have
23:17
both those games for you. 10:00 for the first game with the
23:20
Dragons and the Hawks, and then Game 2 at about 11:45.
23:24
All right, good stuff. We will come back.
23:26
Finish up our guest list. Dave ullmanbracketville.com.
23:30
Let's go inside the brackets. We come back.
23:32
Trent's plays of the day are still to come.
23:33
Circus sports sponsor those. Miller and Condon, glad you're
23:36
with us on the Iowa Sports Radio Network.
23:39
Mary Condon, welcome back. Just past 130 on a Wednesday.
23:42
Coming up top of the hour off the bench.
23:46
Sean is off Lucas Strain. We'll be in tow coming up for
23:50
two until 5 overtime Iowa, 5 until 6:00.
23:53
Well, as we've done every single week for the past few weeks, our
23:56
bracket guy, bracketville.com, Dave Ullman joins the program.
24:00
Dave, we really appreciate the relationship.
24:03
Thank you, as always, for doing this for us as we talk brackets,
24:06
Trenton, Cannon, Des Moines, thanks for coming on.
24:08
Dave, how are things with you? I am doing well.
24:11
How are you guys now that we're into March and that we're coming
24:14
up on Championship Week? Yeah, I can't wait.
24:16
Love this time of year. So there's seemingly pick your
24:20
brain on this five teams for maybe, Well, we know three of
24:25
the Arizona, Michigan, Duke, they're for sure one seeds.
24:28
Then there's a couple of teams lingering for that final one
24:33
seed. Is that how you see it at this
24:35
point? Yeah, I think, you know, we're
24:38
it's pretty straightforward at this juncture and I I think it's
24:44
down between, you know, Connecticut in that pole
24:47
position right now for the final number one seed, largely due to
24:52
just their overall success this year.
24:54
And then again, with their terrific non conference success
24:59
that included, you know, wins over Florida, Illinois, Kansas,
25:04
BYU and Texas. You know, their only non
25:08
conference loss was that home game against Arizona.
25:11
So I think they're in the driver's seat.
25:14
But you know, Florida, I'm not sure.
25:16
There's too many teams playing better than Florida right now as
25:20
the defending national champs. And I think the committee would
25:24
have to give them a long look if they finish out this week as the
25:30
both the regular season champ and then roll through the SEC
25:34
tournament and win both of those titles without, you know, quick
25:39
in my map, that's going to put them somewhere in the
25:41
neighborhood of 28 or 29 and 6, something like that.
25:45
And would own two titles in a league that, while not last
25:51
year's SEC, is certainly stronger than the Big East
25:53
again. So, you know, Connecticut may
25:56
need to lose again for that to happen, but I think it'll come
25:58
down to those two for the final #1.
26:01
Well, looking through and keeping an eye on things,
26:04
certainly because of Iowa on the right side of the bubble.
26:06
They're in good shape still, even after the bad loss against
26:09
Penn State and their second bad loss here recently at the other
26:12
one against Maryland. The bubble teams around, we hear
26:15
it, I think every single year this is a bad year for the
26:18
bubble. Well, these are flawed teams.
26:19
Every single year we're talking about flawed teams, and now we
26:22
got to find 68 of them. Is it worse this year or is it
26:24
just our perception and we have this conversation every single
26:27
year? It's a bad year for the bubble.
26:30
I think it's probably more that we end up having the same
26:34
conversation every year because we kind of tend to forget what
26:38
the bubble actually looks like until we get back to it the
26:41
following year. What I've maybe noticed more
26:44
than anything is sometimes the depth of the bubble this year,
26:47
maybe not, is as deep as it's been in some previous years
26:52
where maybe you've got like, you know, 10 or 12 teams fighting
26:55
out for those spots. But obviously the whole caveat
27:00
to this is that until we get into later next week and we see
27:05
if we're going to have a bubble that gets squeezed, that
27:10
sometimes then changes where that bubble cut line is.
27:14
And so teams that you know, might be OK now might be really
27:18
close to that cut line before we're all set and done.
27:21
And that's why, you know, you hate to make.
27:24
We get asked a lot by fans, well, if we do this and this,
27:27
does that get us in? And it depends on where you are,
27:30
but there's so many variables because just take, for example,
27:34
if someone other than Saint Louis wins the A10, Miami wins
27:39
the regular season finale, goes unbeaten and gets beaten in the
27:42
conference tournament, let's say by Akron in the final.
27:45
And then maybe we have somebody come up like UNLV or somebody
27:49
come up out of the Mountain West.
27:51
Those all kinds of things come together.
27:54
And then all of a sudden you've lost two or three spots.
27:58
And so where the bubble line and the cut line actually is shifts.
28:03
Dave Ulman bracketville.com you mentioned Miami, the RedHawks.
28:07
There's certainly a hot topic right now whether they deserve a
28:11
an at large bid should they get beat in that conference
28:14
tournament or lose in the regular season finale. 30 and O
28:17
Akron pushed them last night was a close basketball game.
28:20
They'll be favored over Ohio, but that game is on the road.
28:23
If Miami doesn't go unbeaten, will they get in in your mind,
28:28
Dave Ulman I'm hearing I mean, obviously the strength of
28:30
schedule is not in their favor, putting it mildly.
28:32
Where do your your thoughts on Miami?
28:34
Do they need to win their tournament to punch their
28:37
ticket? Well, I'll start this way.
28:40
I think if they win their regular season finale and they
28:44
complete a undefeated regular season, despite what you just
28:50
mentioned, with the strength of schedule, I think if we're if
28:52
you're follow college basketball at all, even against maybe not
28:57
the same stringent competition, going undefeated over a four
29:01
month season is extremely difficult to do.
29:05
So I find it hard to believe that just optically that at
29:13
least unless we lose a ton of spots that the committee would
29:18
say you had a perfect regular season, you lost one game in
29:22
your conference tournament and we're not going to extend you an
29:25
invitation. I certainly can't stay with
29:28
those numbers that it's a guarantee.
29:30
I just have a hard time seeing it now.
29:32
If they lose to Ohio and then they lose early to a, you know,
29:38
and have been 2 poor losses, I think it maybe becomes a much
29:43
tougher call. Dave 1 jump into Iowa, mention
29:46
watching the bubble because of the Hawkeyes and they got a
29:49
difficult week. It's going to be Michigan at
29:51
home and then wrap up on the road against Nebraska Huskers
29:54
coming off the loss what happened a couple of weeks ago
29:56
in Iowa City. We know they're certainly going
29:58
to be ready if the Hawkeyes do go O and two as anticipated this
30:02
week and would lose their first game of the Big 10 tournament,
30:05
say to an Oregon or a Maryland, that very well could be the
30:08
potent that they first in that opening game.
30:10
How How scared should Hawkeye fans come Selection Sunday?
30:16
Well, in that scenario, without knowing again what else happens
30:21
around them because no team plays in a bubble, right?
30:24
Or in a vacuum. But I think there would be some
30:28
nervous moments if they go, if they go owing to this week and
30:33
lose and add a third loss to a quad 3 type of opponent.
30:42
Because then basically what you're left with, particularly
30:44
if Indiana doesn't end up getting in, right, you're
30:48
basically have a home win over Nebraska, which is a really good
30:52
win, and then a pair of home wins over Ohio State and UCLA,
30:56
who both are kind of still bubble teams.
30:59
So if you lose a third game to a non contender, that would be 4
31:04
on the year. Because unless Minnesota makes
31:06
them sort of crazy run and gets in, I'm not saying that they
31:10
would be out because their metrics are still favorable at
31:13
this point. But if you go on to this week
31:15
and lose that one, by the time you get to, you know, next
31:19
Friday, next Thursday or Friday, how their metrics on
31:22
particularly the resume side look it, it would be a little
31:26
too close for comfort. I think if they go O and two and
31:29
they win a couple of games, I think it's all probably going to
31:31
work out fine. But it it, I couldn't sit here
31:36
today and just say absolutely Iowa's in if, if that scenario
31:39
was. Full speaking too close for
31:42
comfort. I don't think that Iowa State
31:44
can fall to a four. I also don't think that they can
31:46
climb back up to A2 the way that they're playing right now.
31:49
Manhattled in Tucson on Monday night, They've got Arizona State
31:54
on on Saturday, but then off they go, obviously to Kansas
31:58
City for the Big 12 Tournament. Does it seem like you can get
32:01
out your pen on your bracket at this point that Iowa State will
32:05
be a three? Is there still possibility of
32:07
you falling or climbing for the Cyclones?
32:10
Well, I mean theoretically both are still on the table.
32:16
I think, you know, if they take care of business against Arizona
32:18
State, I think they're more that probably puts them at a three is
32:25
where they're, you know, the bottom of their landing point is
32:28
going to be. There's still a possibility
32:31
because of the big wins you could get in the Big 12
32:34
tournament and let's say a couple of teams that might be
32:39
right, a couple of spots ahead of you lose, you know, like say
32:44
Illinois and Michigan State or something lose early in the Big
32:46
10 tournament. I I wouldn't count out the fact
32:50
that they could get back to the end of the two line, but now
32:53
it's sort of out of their hands. If does that make sense?
32:56
So in other words, they've got to win or get a couple more big
32:59
wins, and they might need some help from a couple of people in
33:02
front of. Them well, if they do get to
33:03
Kansas City and beat Kansas and then Arizona, the following.
33:06
Day then we're having a different.
33:08
Talk. Exactly.
33:09
That's what I'm saying. You know, they got these big
33:10
wins and you know, Illinois, Michigan State in the, you know,
33:13
their quarter final round or something.
33:15
And so again, it's going to be where you're looking on that
33:18
Saturday of championship weekend is going to have a better idea
33:23
of where they're going to fall. But I think probably dropping to
33:26
a four is again, that's unless they lose at home to Arizona
33:30
State and bow out early. I think most likely they're
33:32
probably going to be on that three line.
33:34
Oh, what a. Solve.
33:35
A argument I had with a Cyclone friend of mine.
33:38
It was a bracket that was out there last week.
33:40
I was stayed at the time was on the two line and then the 710
33:43
match up. The seven seed was Saint Louis,
33:46
yet the game was played in Saint Louis.
33:47
He goes well that can't happen said yes I can because they're
33:50
not playing in Saint Louis building it is not considered a
33:53
home game. So break the tie here for me,
33:55
David, and tell my buddy that he's wrong.
33:57
Yes, Saint Louis can play in Saint Louis in the first two
34:01
rounds because it's not their home gym.
34:03
Do I have that right? That is correct.
34:05
It's a little bit like Houston being able to be in the South
34:10
region. And would it be their two games
34:12
in Houston? Because Houston pulled itself
34:15
out of the running and the Big 12 of being the host and they do
34:18
not play any games or at least not more than three games in the
34:23
Toyota Center or the Rockets play, which is where the event
34:26
is at. So, yeah, if you don't have more
34:29
than like two or three games in that arena, then it's not
34:33
considered a home floor. So now I would say this, they
34:39
they, the committee might be careful in doing that.
34:43
But with some of the brackets that we've had with these
34:46
bunches and clusters of teams from like the Big 10 SEC all
34:51
kind of chunk together. Sometimes it may be that Saint
34:56
Louis gets put in the spot because that's the only spot
34:59
they're going to go same way with a you know what I don't
35:01
know that Saint Louis is going to get back up to A7 line at
35:04
this point with kind of the way things have gone, but your point
35:06
is well made. They they could be in that spot
35:09
yes. If whether the committee would
35:11
put them there or not, I don't know, but they are eligible to
35:15
play there. You build brackets all the time.
35:17
You're. Building brackets all throughout
35:18
the year, Dave, we had it happened here a couple years ago
35:21
in the Boyd Regional when Michigan State and Minnesota
35:25
played in the second round. They played each other in the
35:27
regular season. Those rematches they stay away
35:29
from in round one, but it's not the old days where you try to do
35:32
it all the way through the Elite 8 and stay away from the
35:35
rematches. Do you still like that?
35:36
Would you like to push those off more or for you, it's somebody
35:39
that actually builds these brackets With so many teams in
35:42
the Big 10, in the SEC, etcetera, etcetera.
35:44
Is it just almost impossible to avoid those rematches even in
35:48
the second round? Well, it's getting much.
35:51
Harder, yes, because, you know, they they even had to relax some
35:56
of the principles because of the Super conferences.
35:58
You know, the Big 10 used to be 10 teams.
36:01
Imagine that, right? A conference named Big 10 Teams.
36:05
But you know, now I think it's. 18 So when you got chunks of
36:08
that and the same in the FCC and some of these others, the
36:13
bracket as of today simply couldn't work if they kept the
36:16
old rules of like unless you had more than eight teams in, they
36:20
couldn't beat till a regional final.
36:22
What happened a lot of those years that most people didn't
36:24
realize is to facilitate that there were always a handful of
36:30
teams that got moved to seed line one way or the other.
36:33
And so the committee ultimately decided, especially with these
36:37
new power conferences, it would be better to keep more teams on
36:40
their true seed because it keeps the bracket more in context the
36:45
way it was designed. So now even teams from the same
36:50
conference can play as early as the second round if they only
36:54
met once during the regular season.
36:57
So you know, for example, you know, they would again try to
37:01
avoid this, but it let's say like I'm trying to take off top
37:06
of my head here who but let's say like for example, Clemson
37:10
maybe gets an 8 or 9, but they only played Duke once.
37:12
And the only place they can find a way to fit Clemson in is to
37:16
put him opposite of Duke. Well, that's actually eligible
37:19
within the rules now, as long as they only played once.
37:22
If they played twice, they can't meet till the Sweet 16.
37:25
And if they were to meet a third time, like say in the conference
37:28
tournament, then they could not meet until the Elite 8 or the
37:31
regional final. So all this gets really
37:34
complicated, but what's happened is they try to avoid rematches
37:39
in the first round if at all possible.
37:41
But it's not a hard and fast rule.
37:43
Again, sometimes you get bunches of conferences and you got all
37:46
these teams on a right on like the five seed line or the four
37:49
seed line from the same conference.
37:51
And then you got a couple and the next one, well, somebody's
37:53
going to have to get pumped, you know, put there or you're going
37:56
to have to bump them. And then of course, you got the
37:58
BYU factor, which you know for them.
38:02
Yeah, you know, you basically lose half.
38:03
Of your first and second round sites and half of your regions.
38:08
So they have had to be moved some over the years, you know,
38:11
simply for that either or you have to, if some team is you
38:17
look like they're going to go there and you're like, OK, well
38:19
this three seat is equal roughly equidistant from this venue and
38:23
this venue and this one's a Thursday and that one's a
38:25
Friday. We're going to put them into
38:27
Thursday so we can put BYU there.
38:29
Dave Omen, Bracketville. Dot com on Twitter Bracket guy
38:33
Dave Follow Dave on Twitter Bracket guy dave.com our bracket
38:37
guy at Bracket Guy Dave. Good stuff Dave.
38:41
I appreciate what you do for us. As always, we will run you down
38:44
next week if your schedule allows.
38:45
Thank you Dave Oman have a great rest of your week.
38:48
All right, you guys too. Have a great week.
38:50
Yep. Thank you, Dave Oman.
38:51
Talkingbracketsbracketville.com for Dave's Bracket.
38:56
Trans plays You Today Internet Circus sports sponsor Miller and
38:58
Condon Iowa Sports Radio Network I'm Nori Condon final couple of
39:02
minutes of our program off the bench coming up next to until 5
39:05
overtime Iowa 5 until 6 Trents plays the day circus sports
39:09
sponsor those momentarily so you sent me a picture of the floor
39:14
for the Big 12 women's and men's basketball tournament it's a
39:17
glass floor wasn't there an issue with that floor last year
39:20
didn't wasn't it a a major two years ago was the press being
39:25
moved yes yes of the building then last year it was I think
39:31
there was an issue with the floor am I making that up
39:34
nothing jumps to. Mind.
39:35
Was it a logo that was slippery? Something Remember, I think that
39:39
we talked. About the floor being an
39:41
eyesore, not aesthetically pleasing, whatever, But now it's
39:45
a glass floor, so they've made a change.
39:48
It looks kind of. Dull Gray because at least the
39:51
way it is, I don't know, it was weird.
39:52
I was watching the K state women.
39:55
Can you guess why? What was?
39:57
The number they were laying 7 and. 1/2 And how are they doing?
40:01
They got home. Oh, good, yes.
40:02
So we're going to go back to the well again a couple of times
40:05
here in women's college basketball.
40:06
We're going to kick things off with a couple of Big 10 plays
40:10
going to start. With the Hoosiers getting 7 1/2
40:13
against Nebraska, that one tipping off here in a little
40:16
more than 1/2 hour in the Big 10 women's tournament, we're going
40:19
to grab Indiana in the points there, and then the nightcap
40:21
tonight going to lay it with Oregon -9 1/2 against Purdue.
40:26
Women's basketball, I think that's the only sport that I've
40:27
been able to be on the water. Keep my.
40:31
Neck. Not even.
40:32
My neck, my eyes above water, that's been about it.
40:35
It's been a disaster. 3 plays in men's college basketball
40:38
tonight. That's an automatic play.
40:40
Ohio State coming off their big win over the weekend.
40:43
Are they in the tournament? If they are.
40:45
They're they're in Dayton. Last four in yes, they go to
40:49
Penn State. We just saw this.
40:52
Ohio State is the embodiment of a bubble team.
40:55
You watch them something that's a good team.
40:57
You watch them other nights, that's an awful team.
40:59
Is this one they can't lose? It would hurt.
41:02
It would hurt badly. I think they have a decent
41:05
opportunity. I think they have somebody good
41:06
over the weekend that would probably bolster them back on
41:08
the right side. I'm grabbing the points.
41:10
Penn State plus 7 1/2 in that spot.
41:12
SMU is banged up. They bounce back, though.
41:15
They get it done tonight at home against Miami.
41:17
Speaking of important bubble games, that is a huge one for
41:19
them as they are hanging out on the bubble.
41:22
And then we're going to make our first official play for a
41:24
conference tournament game on the men's side.
41:28
That's a bad choice out of me, probably.
41:29
I'm fading Greg Campy in the Horizon League at Oakland.
41:33
The guy's been there for almost a half century now, going back
41:36
to his playing days. We're going to go with Northern
41:39
Kentucky. I also got a ticket on Northern
41:41
Kentucky, had a long shot to win the Horizon League, and we're
41:43
all going to play along. Where did you get that ticket
41:45
at? Do you remember?
41:46
Circa what? How?
41:48
No What price? Oh, Northern Kentucky, I'd have.
41:50
To look through my notes. I don't think I have it here.
41:53
They were maybe like 15 to 1, something like that.
41:56
I got a 25 to one on the Charleston Southern and then
41:59
some more realistic plays, but a couple of lottery tickets in
42:01
there and a couple of those lottery tickets, suddenly you're
42:03
in the greens. You feel good about your your
42:05
hoop season. You will be off tomorrow and
42:08
again, not off. You're going to be calling the
42:09
girls state basketball semifinals at the 4A level.
42:13
You have on the bull 96911 O'clock and 10 What time are the
42:19
games 10:00 for Johnston against.
42:21
Ankeny and then 11:45 with Darling Catholic as they'll face
42:25
off against Waukee Northwest. All right, good stuff.
42:28
We'll see you on. What's tomorrow for them?
42:29
So we'll see you on Friday. See you on Friday.
42:31
Good stuff, Matt. Snyder, who covers.
42:33
Baseball CBSSports.com Going to join me early in the program
42:36
tomorrow. I want to talk obviously
42:39
baseball with him a little WBC World Baseball Classic coming up
42:43
a little little basis conversation.
42:45
Look forward to that. I appreciate you being with us
42:49
as we talk sports with you every Monday through Friday from noon
42:52
until 2 off the bench. Coming up next first quarter
42:55
gets under ways they always do every single Monday through
42:57
Friday at 6:00 AM Miller Condon noon to two Des Moines sports
43:01
station one O 6.3 KX and O in the Iowa Sports Radio network.