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March Madness Predictions · Champions of Life

welcome to the champions of life podcast where 3 orangeblooded Tennessee alums discuss how there's always next year Hey everybody.
Welcome back to the Champions of Life podcast, where we are champions of life, and that's it.
There's nothing else that we're champions of.
No.
Hey, maybe the softball team.
I think they're still defeated.
Let's go.
Number one, team in the country.
Ladies' not impressed.
Nope.
Not at all.
I don't wanna be champions of softball.
That's not good enough.
At Tennessee.
Hey, I buy a shirt, but go Lady Falls.
Okay.
Yes.
Okay.
Sorry.
Oklahoma has dominated that for the last four or five years.
It's somebody else needs to come up and knock 'em off.
This is true.
It's time now.
I will say we've gone from, uh, trademark from Danny and everything School to a me.
We're competitive at everything school quickly.
That happened quickly.
Did happen fast.
When are the questions gonna start coming for him? I thought we were past this.
Not your question, not your question.
This is not even what the podcast is about, but does Randy Boy make that decision? Like who, who does this? Yes.
Probably.
I don't know.
I don't know how it works.
Yeah, that's the right answer.
Sorry, should I have said that? No, that's right.
When you mean it's Yeah.
The company, not the, um, I'm not sure.
Yeah.
It was a bummer we lost to Georgia.
Uh, and baseball.
I don't know if anybody saw that.
Oh, I saw that highlight.
Robbed.
Yeah.
Did you see him spike the bat? Boom.
That was painful.
Thought it real time was gone too.
I was like, no way.
Got him.
Oh, robbed.
Yeah.
And just watching Georgia come off the bench and like it's a rivalry 'cause we're SEC and his Georgia, but like people love to beat Tennessee Bay.
Right.
Even when Tony's not there.
Right.
And part of that is 'cause the guy's slamming the bat on the ground and.
Hy the, and then they celebrate like they won the College World series.
Yes, exactly.
They're running around the outfield dog piling out, out by the fence.
We're 19 and they're like eight or whatever.
And you're at home.
Right.
Anyways, great.
Great catch, buddy.
Yeah.
Good job.
Good for you.
But we're here to talk basketball.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
Here to talk.
Are you sure? Do we need to get anything else on her chest before we do? Uh, the US national team beat Dominican Republic last night who had an absolutely loaded.
Loaded team.
It was like an Allstar.
It was an Allstar team.
Yeah.
There was a, robbed home run hit.
Some guy from the US did dis similar.
Hmm.
Was it Aaron Judge? It was.
You almost had a bomb.
Someone went up and robbed him.
Mm.
Great game.
They are advancing to the championship.
Yes.
I don't even know who it's against.
I just watched game last night.
And, uh, ski Paralympics.
Hockey Beat Canada.
Oh yes, that's going on.
So Men's, women's and Paralympics Wow.
All took down Canada, which feels like a pretty major deal.
Caught a the old hat trick basketball.
Here we are.
It is March.
The madness has begun.
Remember when they tried to call March Mayhem one year? Oh really? Yeah.
They tried to change the whole Who? Who was that? The Wokes of America? Yeah.
I dunno.
Okay.
Can I ask this question? Which announcer do you prefer and who are you? Like, I really hope so and so is not calling this game that I'm about to watch for basketball.
Yes.
I like Gary.
Gary.
Well, I think Gary, I don't know some of the CBS guys, they've got some electric stuff.
But if I've got Jay on the ES ESPN call, yeah, I'm out.
I can't listen.
Billis, yeah's fair.
I can't do it.
I can't, especially if we're beating his alma mater like we did a couple years ago and he was crying about it the whole time.
That I can do now.
I agree with you there, Clark, Kellogg, CBS.
He's pretty good.
I love, eye and Eagle.
I think he's great.
Yes.
You know what I'm talking about.
Yes, I do.
Yep.
Yeah, he's great.
His son is in it now.
He's pretty good.
Really? Yep.
Billy, I got Billy over here.
I'm, I'm looking at the list right now, Billy, because I can't remember.
Rafferty, RAF.
Rafferty, RAF.
Bill Rafford, Billy Rafferty.
He's the, what's his.
His, oh, lead announced 13.
He has one.
I mean, he has several phrases, but there's one phrase.
Is he the onions guy? What does, what do you got? We don't know what the onion you gotta tell us.
What's the onion? No, he's the, he has a quote about onions that he says a lot, doesn't he? Yeah.
We're just gonna go with the app just so we can move on.
Yeah.
Yeah, like cooking onions makes you cry.
Your team losing.
No, he says onions.
I'm sorry guys.
You're thinking about the movie Shrek.
This is not basketball announcing saying he looks like Shrek.
No.
Okay.
Somebody listening.
Donkey big on onions and shk.
Somebody listening is gonna know exactly what I'm talking about.
Okay.
It's, well, please send your emails and comments to, yes, yes.
I just Googled.
Okay.
Legendary basketball broadcaster.
Bill Rafferty coined his iconic quote, onions unquote call to describe a player showing immense courage, toughness, or clutch shooting ability in high pressure situations, particularly game winning shots.
Alright, there you go.
Mike.
Draw on that one.
I prefer Mike Breen's bang or the elusive double bang.
Okay.
Anyway, we can move on from that one.
No, it's a great question.
I can't remember their name.
Sometimes I just put it on mute 'cause I don't, I just can't.
The comments? Yes, that's fair.
Okay, moving on.
I should note that it's savagely snowing here.
March 16th in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Yeah, whatever that means.
Hopefully you covered up all your fruit vegetables that already start blooming and Yep.
Welcome to East Tennessee.
All right, who do we got? How are we doing this? Um, what if we start with some upsets? Are there any upsets that you guys have called so far? Okay.
Yes.
Can that be the second thing? Yes.
Let's, I did think of something this morning, so I talked to Bobby about this when I walked in.
How do we have an entire division that has no SEC team? Wait, which one, sorry? The East Division there is, oh, there are zero SEC because they did this.
Oh yeah, they did this thing about the regional, there are flight issues.
Oh yeah.
And the regional outside factor tournament structure thing, and I don't like that because we are in the Midwest, right? With what? Four SEC teams total.
Oh, you're right.
Texas A.
So that's, that's such a joke to me, just throwing it out there.
I don't like it from the get go.
And I will say, I think Arizona, well, that gives away one of my picks, has the clearest path to the final four.
The easiest.
Yep.
And do you agree with the, all the, that Duke's got the hardest then Ohio State in the second round is tough.
And then Kansas.
Kansas has had it down here.
I mean, if they make St.
John's is gonna be tough.
Mm-hmm.
And then if they make it through that UConn.
UConn, yeah.
UConn is, yeah, maybe.
Maybe Duke.
But that's surprising.
It doesn't seem like they would do that to Duke.
I'm so happy.
That's why I said last night, I'm happy for the one time they have the.
Easy.
I mean most of my existence has been Duke Heaven.
Them in North Carolina cake walks in.
Yeah.
So I'm glad for once maybe the Duke guy retired from the board that picks these.
Okay.
You said upsets.
Yeah.
I don't really have many this year.
Got McNee, beating Vandy Classic five 12 matchup.
Interesting.
Nothing really motivating that other than McNeese had a big upset a couple seasons ago and I don't like Vandy, so it felt like a natural fit.
I would prefer that I didn't pick that I had BYU going to the Elite eight against the Arizona.
I feel like in March, you know, the rims get a little bit tighter.
Defenses lock in a little bit more.
And sometimes if you got the best player you can win a game.
And I feel like BY u's got one of the best players in the country.
They do.
I really don't have any.
I picked High Point over Wisconsin.
Mm-hmm.
In the West.
I picked them as well, and then I picked them over Arkansas.
Really? I went with Arkansas.
They're playing really good basketball right now.
They're playing good.
They are.
And their point guard is, and it's Cal, so I know he's so good.
But that was just more animosity towards Cal in that pick really was what That was.
That was more heart than head.
Yeah.
You didn't want him to win you.
Yeah.
Got a great blazer though.
Just look back here.
I picked Gonzaga over Purdue.
Hmm.
I mean, I just feel like.
In March.
Gonzaga, they're just always there.
Yep.
Yeah, I picked Purdue, but Fletcher, I don't know that I'm super confident in that.
Who's back? Okay.
So who's your final four? Wait, wait.
Do we wanna do Tennessee first and then get to the, because I don't know that any of us have Tennessee going to the Final Four.
Let, so we may wanna take care of that first.
Let's see where we have them going.
Yeah, that's great.
All right.
I've got 'em losing to Virginia.
Hmm.
Okay.
I got 'em winning, but I actually don't feel great about that, but I just feel like at least I gotta have win win one game.
Yep.
You'd hope you'd, you'd get that, that play in game that SMU or Miami, Ohio, which Tennessee's luck is whoever wins that game is gonna go on to the final four.
Like Sister Jean, you know, Bobby don't even, why would you? I'm evoking Sister Jean right now.
Remember BC you did that? Yes.
Mm-hmm.
I did the same thing I had us losing to Virginia.
Hmm.
I have us losing to Wright State.
Oh.
Who's gonna beat Virginia in the first round? Okay.
Whoa.
Yep.
Whoa.
I like that you're not swayed by the teams that are getting hot right now.
Mm-hmm.
Good for you.
So n none of us think that Tennessee's getting out of the round of 30.
30.
No, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
Wait.
Oh, okay.
Tennessee is going to beat right state because we did it in baseball.
So it's inevitable we are gonna lose to Iowa State.
Yeah, Iowa.
Iowa in the Sweet 16.
Very good.
Okay.
Alright.
Sweet.
16.
Okay.
You've got 'em going the furthest.
Wow.
Yes.
Sweet.
16.
Okay.
Rick's gonna coach him up.
Again, my comment that I just had about BYU and Arkansas, I think it still applies.
I think Nate has the ability to absolutely dominate a game.
Um, he also has the ability to hide and do absolutely nothing because moment may be too big.
I don't think that's happening now earlier in the season.
Yes, but I was gonna say if we go to him so much, even if he scores 30.
But no one, we forget to throw it down to Carrie or any big man.
We're, we're done.
Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm.
And if we can't finish around the rim, like you've talked about so many times, lay, just make your layups please.
And like 50% of your free throws.
That's, that's not asking for much.
No.
It's one out of two For those of you doing math at home and when they spread us out, no, that's not what it's about.
Big guys, they get, they spread 'em out.
Yeah.
And then they drive on us and it's wide open.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
All right.
Final four.
I'm embarrassed to say it's four One seeds.
I'm sorry.
I don't, I didn't mean for it to happen.
It just happened.
I did the same, Bobby.
Yeah.
I, I didn't want it to be, it was hard to put Florida in there.
Arizona and Michigan.
It's like, eh, it's hard for me to type Florida.
It is.
Well, I did Houston over Florida.
Wow.
And I have Virginia coming outta the Midwest.
See, those are two upsets.
So you got a two seed and a three seed in your final four? Yep.
And then I had, uh, I don't wanna do it, but I had Duke overall, please know John Shy or getting it done, please know it's his first championship.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've got all one seeds and I've got Arizona beating Duke.
Same two teams.
Hmm.
My total's 141 points.
So 70 to 71.
Wow.
We got Florida and Michigan.
Hmm.
Who? Okay.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Football matchup.
You also have a sad face next to Florida.
I wrote Florida with a frowny face 'cause it pained me to do that.
But I mean, they were playing so good until they got Slacked by Vandy, which I do think that they kind of mailed it in a little bit.
They were just like, let's just, who cares about the SEC tournament? Yeah, but okay.
You're not buying Virginia's hype.
Mm-hmm.
You're not buying Wisconsin's hype.
They did well in their tournament.
Mm-hmm.
You're buying Florida's hype.
Mm-hmm.
That they're getting hot at the right time.
I think they've been dominant in the last month.
Now that may not translate, but they've got size, so they've got the post.
Yeah.
They've got those big guys.
They've got good shooting, and they've got good defense, and they've got experience, and they've got experience.
I'm counting on.
Playing the SEC being tough for the whole season, wearing out in the SEC tournament and not having enough to get to the final floor.
We'll see.
Part of me doesn't want a Waka to get a ring, but then part of me does.
Yeah.
I'm cheering for him.
You're cheering for him? Yeah.
I want him to do well.
All right.
I just feel like if he were here in the room right now and he heard you say that, he'd give you a hug.
He's just, that's who he is.
Yeah.
You gotta cheer for that guy.
Is it like Tennessee winning a little bit? If he wins too, like, hey, we knew he was good.
We had the talent so good on for him.
Yes.
If Jonas was on Arkansas, I'd say no.
If he was still there and they won, I'd say, no, Jonas, yours does not count.
Where is he today? That's not with this, I think he's moved on.
Yeah.
Okay.
Like he graduated.
All right.
Is that it? Any, other sports updates, parting shots, Bobby? Pearls of wisdom? I would say this.
Steven.
Pearls of wisdom, I would say.
Sorry, Steven.
Wait, is Steven out? Was it a one and done with Steven? Oh no.
He's got a three year deal.
They can't fire him.
I mean, they can fire him.
They can fire him.
Gimme a break.
If it goes bad, he won't make it through next season.
If it starts going bad.
A third of the way through, he could be gone.
I would agree with that.
Okay.
That's a good prediction.
It's his first year coach and like if he's gonna be co you gotta give him a little bit.
I know it's, he hasn't, he's been assistant coach from, for his dad for his whole career.
But if you're being, it's not like he had a horrible, it's not like they won four games.
You know, if you get some big donors that are off the pearl.
Wagon that could turn it real quick.
Look at who they've picked for their football coaches.
I mean Hmm, that's fair.
Yeah.
The decision making skills over there on the planes ain't great.
Just when you feel bad about being a Tennessee fan, look elsewhere and you feel better sometimes.
I was talking with a friend this week, this past week.
I don't know what this means, and I personally don't buy into it, but.
Tennessee is a favorite, an early betting favorite to be in the college football playoffs.
Stop.
And McIntyre has decent Heisman odds currently.
Yeah, but he was like the eighth or ninth ranked quarterback in the SEC Bobby.
You what? Who I'm not Said that I'm not.
That's, that's percent I I said I'm not buying into, I'm just saying August is how far away.
It's like 10 months.
No.
How many eight months.
Roughly five.
Okay.
I can't even think football right now.
Yeah.
Bobby, that's just not right.
That's March.
That's not right.
We still have baseball to talk about after this.
Baseball's a thing.
It's still being played.
We've got a nice fancy stadium, but you know what pays for that? Stadium football, the football stadium.
That's what pays for it.
True.
That's true.
So love Rick.
I hope he does well.
I don't have high hopes for the tournament.
I think baseball's great.
I'm tuning into baseball when we're good.
If I'm being honest, I don't, I'm not watching if they're not that good.
Football's what makes the world go round.
And right now, if you're a betting person, which I'm not, you can put money on Tennessee doing very well next year, whatever that means.
I don't know what that means.
I will be surprised.
Me too.
I don't see it.
I don't see it.
You got a new coaching staff, you're bringing in different talent.
Quarterback is an unknown.
The unknown unknowns, the unknown unknowns outta Memphis, Tennessee, supposedly the new defensive coordinator, it takes him year or two to get his system really implemented.
His players, they really get it.
So I don't see us being great.
No.
Now we Defensive ball.
Yeah.
Yeah.
McIntyre will have a second.
He'll have two years left, right? Yeah.
Yeah.
In two years.
Where? Two years.
I'm with you, Bobby.
Maybe.
Unless some other team comes in and wants to pay him $5 million.
Look.
Look at where all your defensive transfers came from.
Penn State, right? This is true.
Okay.
They are familiar with the program.
That's fair.
I feel good about our linebackers.
We've got several.
I mean, Arianne Carter.
He's back.
He's back.
That's good.
Okay.
We, what are we? What are we? Okay.
We Alright? Basketball.
Basketball.
We're going undefeated.
Go.
We're going undefeated.
Tennessee National Champions.
We're all the way.
We're going all the way.
We didn't pick them to go all the way, but we're champions for we.
This is champions.
All right.
Y'all heard it here.