Mets/Yankees Offseason Buzz + Giants/Jets Fallout + Knicks Notes – The Michael Kay Show – 12/15/25
PN WHSQ and WCBS FM HD2 New York, a Good Karma Brands radio station. Michael K is on the radio today and he ain’t afraid to say what he’s thinking. It’s the Michael K show on 880 ESPN radio [Music] and a good afternoon everybody. This is indeed the Michael K show. We thank you for joining us on this Monday. It is December 15th, 2025. Me and you for two. Those are the rules of engagement. The fastest two hours in sports talk radio starts right now. Thank you for being part of it. Hope you all had a very, very good weekend. Uh, not a good weekend for Steve Wilks. Uh, his Jets defense got shredded by Jacksonville and this morning he was relieved of his duties by Aaron Glenn. Now, it’s funny. You could take two tacks with this. You could celebrate Aaron Glenn for making a decision on something that wasn’t working out. And I choose not to go that route. I choose to go to the route that the initial decisions that Aaron Glenn and Darren Muji have made have backfired. They’ve been wrong. So, their thought process and how they’re building this quote unquote culture in Floren Park has not worked. Um, this is the sixth straight job that Steve Wilks is one and done. He also was a coach for the Cardinals, the head coach of the Cardinals. One and done. Six straight jobs. One and done. And this is the guy that you decided should be your defensive coordinator when you are defensive coordinator at heart. And that’s how you got the job by the work that you did with the Detroit Lions. And then you hire a guy that does not run your defensive scheme, is not as aggressive uh as you are. If you looked at the Lions and what they did under Glenn, they blitzed a lot. That’s not Steve Wilks, he’s much more conservative. So, they fire him with three games left and we’re supposed to applaud the fact that, well, he made a decision. He saw it wasn’t working out and he got rid of Wils quickly. First of all, it’s not that quickly. That’s 14 games. The Jets are one of the worst teams in football. Their defense has been awful from the start and it took them 14 games to realize this was not the right move. Now, the Wilks decision on top of these other decisions. We all know that he decided that Justin Fields was going to be his quarterback. He and Muji decided that. They signed him to a two-year deal, $40 million, 30 million guaranteed. Now, the people that defend Aaron Glenn go, you know what? It doesn’t lock them down for that long. Uh, it’s not that much money. No, no, no, no, no, no. That’s not it. That’s the guy that you decided that you wanted to be your quarterback. That’s the guy you said, I’d rather have him than a 41 about to turn 42y old Aaron Rodgers. And I understand why they got Rogers out because he’s a hard dude to put into a situation that’s going to be a slow build. He doesn’t have many bullets left in the holster and obviously he wants to win and he might have undermined a young head coach in Aaron Glenn. I get it. But there are any number of other quarterbacks that you could have chosen and you go with Justin Fields. How’d that work out? Justin Fields other than the first game against the Steelers was absolutely dreadful. And now it’s been so bad that they’ve come up with some phantom knee injury where he’s not even activated. They had to get Blake Martinez to be the backup quarterback for the kid yesterday. How’s that good judgment by Aaron Glenn? He actually said he was a load to prepare for when he was with the Bears and we were with the Lions. Not so much. It didn’t work out that way here. Didn’t he see what happened with the Steelers? The guy started off four and two. They turned it over to Russell Wilson who had been injured. That’s why Justin Fields got the job. And then Russell Wilson toward the end couldn’t get anything done. They couldn’t get the ball in the end zone. And they still didn’t go to Justin Fields. So you lock him up for two years, 15 million a year guaranteed. That’s bad judgment number two. Now, the bad judgment number three, which might not seem so bad at this point, one of the first things you did was lock up Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner to long-term contracts, big money, long-term contracts, and before the season is over, it’s about halfway over, you decide, you know what, we’re going to trade Sauce Gardner to the Colts. Now, that has worked out beautifully. So, it’s hard to actually um rip that that that thought process because now with the Colts, they might not win another game this year. Not only are you going to have your first round draft pick, you’re going to have the Colts first round draft pick on top of it. And that could be anywhere from nine to 15 if the Colts don’t win another game behind Philip Rivers. So, that deal is going to work out great for you. has not worked out great for the Colts at all. They locked in a lot of money and a lot of draft capital for a guy so they could make a run. A, they’re not going to make a run because Daniel Jones went down and B, Sauce Gardner hurt his Achilles, didn’t tear it, so he’s going to get back. But the bottom line is that turns out to be a great trade for the Jets. But my complaint is that’s not why you signed S Gardner. You signed Sauce Gardner because you felt that he was going to be the lynch pin for your defense. He was not. So, I give Muji credit for the deal. I give Glenn blame for locking into Sauce Gardner. Now, it’s a contract the way it was structured. Again, I’m going to give Muji credit for this that you could get out of and it doesn’t really the Colts either, other than the fact that they gave up their first round draft pick. But let’s take a look at this and rather than celebrating Aaron Glenn’s decisiveness of getting rid of Steve Wilks, let’s look at the things he’s done wrong. So, he got rid of Steve Wilks. Let’s think for a second. Who hired Steve Wils? Aaron Glenn, right? He ends up benching the quarterback, Justin Fields. Who signed the quarterback Justin Fields? Aaron Glenn. The Jets end up trading Sauce Gardner who signed him to a long-term deal because he’s going to be the centerpiece of what we do here. He and Garrett Wilson, Aaron Glenn. Every one of his judgments has not been good. And they keep talking about, well, he’s changing the culture. That is some slowmoving culture. You think they played well yesterday? They were embarrassed. Trevor Lawrence with five touchdowns. Trevor Lawrence is a guy that you can actually get to. You can actually put pressure on and hit him. But you didn’t do it. Why? Because you have no pass rush. Trevor Lawrence is known to hold on to the ball forever. Forever. And you couldn’t get to him. Your defense is that bad. Now, I know you traded Quinnon Williams. I understand. But why couldn’t it work with Quinnon Williams? Is that another Aaron Glenn thing? awful, awful performance by them. You know, everybody got excited when they won three out of five. They won three out of five because they were playing trash teams. And yes, they played some better teams that they got close to. But you watch yesterday’s game and you tell me that they were allin. Come on, they were not allin. This team is not playing inspired football. And it’s hard to do it. You know, maybe some players are making business decisions. I’m not going to get hurt for this trash. But again, if you’re a guy who preaches culture, the culture is not good. The culture is not good. How could you say that it is? The entire first year of Aaron Glenn, in my opinion, has been an absolute abomination. A bust. And I’m not one of these people that’s going to get on the radio and say, “You got to get you got to get rid of them.” No. No. That’s not fair either. You got to give it time. But the early returns are in. several precincts reporting. Do you feel good about Aaron Glenn? Honestly, do you all feel good about Aaron Glenn? I mean, Ira from Staten Island, who’s been calling this station since we went on the air, you can actually hear it in his voice. This is an awful team that’s doing nothing well, that’s traded two important players. So, you could actually say, well, that that’s probably impacted the defense a lot. Well, of course it has, but they weren’t playing well before you traded them. So, how long is this going to take? And how many years do you give Glenn? Now, Glenn’s parachute is that Woody Johnson gave him the keys to the store and paid him an awful lot of money and paid all of his coaches an awful lot of money. So, if you get rid of him now, you got to pay all of those guys for five years. And you got to bring in another coach and sign up more coaches for a number of years. And although Woody’s a billionaire, you’re not gonna just throw away money. You wonder, did he get it right? Aaron Glenn probably at least gets another year to prove it, but do we trust his judgment? Who’s going to be his next defensive coordinator? And I keep hearing, well, he wanted somebody with head coaching um experience so he would know, you know, the right thing and the wrong thing to do. Steve Wilks is not exactly Bill Parcels’s. So, I don’t think he’s going to be a really font of information for you. Again, six jobs, one and done. You know how hard that is in the NFL where they give assistant coaches and defensive coordinators or coordinators long-term deals? You’re one and doneing him and his head coaching job with the Cardinals crashed and burned. That’s the guy you brought in to lead you as as an experienced head coach. Not experienced. It’s not experienced at all. And this is not me ripping Steve Wilks. It’s ripping the choice of Steve Wilks. Now, what great defensive coordinator is going to come in where they don’t know the long-term viability of Aaron Glenn? And really, why fire him now? These last three games mean so much cuz he said what he’s going to do is, you know, he’s going to advise the interim defensive coordinator. Oh, okay. Why would you hire a guy in your area of expertise who doesn’t run a defense that you are known to run? Please, somebody help me out. I’m willing to listen. Why would you do that? How does that make sense? It doesn’t make sense. So, the judgment of Glenn, he’s going to be the guy because I believe he has more power than Muji. He’s going to be the guy that’s going to decide who the next quarterback’s going to be. He’s going to be the guy who’s going to interview uh Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy over the weekend, and decide whether or not to empty the basket and try to move up to the number one pick to get him. That’s the guy. That’s the guy making the judgment. He’s going to be the guy who hires the next defensive coordinator. How’s the track record so far? That’s what I want to know. How’s the track record so far? It’s awful. And now you fired a defensive coordinator. So the players have had 14 games, 15 weeks because the by-week’s in there as well, including not including training camp. They’ve learned one system, and you can expect them to relearn something in a period of three games. How’d it work out last year when Jeff Albrich decided to institute some of his defensive philosophies and get rid of some of Robert Solah’s? Didn’t work out that well, did it? So, I don’t understand the wisdom of doing it now. They’re out of it. They’re out of it. Now, the Jets have to have a real rooting interest. if they have any thought about drafting Mendoza, they’ve got to be rooting for the Raiders to beat the Giants when those two teams meet. Because right now, the Giants have the number one pick. The Raiders are in second with the same record. And the only reason they’re in second with the same record is because their schedule pales in comparison to the Giants. But if the Raiders lose to the Giants, then the Raiders will have the number one pick. And they’re not going to trade it. If they like Mendoza, they’re going to take him. The Giants, well, they seem like they like their quarterback. So, if they finish with the number one draft pick, it’s right there for the Jets to make a deal. The Jets could also be rooting for Tennessee to have the worst record in the NFL because Tennessee looks like it’s found something in Ward. And the bottom line is they will probably trade the pick to the Jets, too. So, you have five draft picks in the next two years. Let’s see what you do with them. But the scary part is the guy who’s going to be deciding what you do with those picks is the guy his first year has been an absolute bust. Here’s Aaron Glenn today announcing Wils firing. I relieve Steve Wils from his duties this morning as our defensive coordinator. Chris Harris will actually be some of those duties right now and I will be helping him as he progresses through the week as our coordinator and everybody else will stay the same. this decision that I made late last night and I talked to him this morning when I felt like it was the best decision for the organization at this time. I’ve said this all along that I’m evaluating players, I’m evaluating coaches, I’m evaluating myself and I just felt like this was the best uh decision right now for the team and for this organization. All right, here’s Aaron Glenn after the game yesterday against Jacksonville evaluating Steve Wils. I brought Wils in for a reason. Listen, I want him to run his system and we have three games left for our guys to go out there and play. And I would tell you this, it’s it’s right now it’s not about the X’s and nos’s, you know, across the board. It’s about the character of the men on this team. And that’s what I’m evaluating, you know, and I’ll tell you what, I thought some of our guys really like really gave it up, you know, on that field today. We really pushed it and really continue playing no matter what the situation was. And I’m proud of those guys for that, you know, and I want to make sure I look at the tape and see, you know, did everybody do that? And then also evaluating the coaches also, just like I always do, you know, starting myself, coaches, and the players on the evaluations. Well, he’s not going to fire himself. So he decided to make Steve Wilks the sacrificial lamb. The guy that he chose when he got hired to be the defensive coordinator. Again, his area of expertise. This is who he chose. He also chose Justin Fields. That’s who he chose. He also decided to give a big money contract to S Gardner to be the lynchpin of the defense and then he was traded. How do you feel about Aaron Glenn’s judgment? Now, Glenn also talked today that this was the time to make this decision. Just thought that, you know, from last week going to this week that the improvement wasn’t wasn’t there. And I thought it was time to make a change, you know, and again, I I’m going to make the decision that that’s best for this organization at all times. And it’s my job to make sure I continue to evaluate everything that’s going on and and I told you guys that. And, you know, that’s my job as the head coach. And I just thought this was the time for me to make that decision. Their defense has been bad for a while. So you could actually land on the side of, well, he made the decision quickly. Did he? Did he? Making it quickly would be, you know, after eight games, h they don’t look good. They’re not running the scheme that I like. Want to get rid of him. He waited for 14 games to be over, the season essentially to be over. And that’s when he decided to pull the plug. Well, Glenn was asked, “What do you want to see from the defense in the final three games?” I want to see consistent improvement. I want to see structure that’s um consistent. I want to see play that’s consistent. And I want to see the character of this the culture of this football team come together. And that’s just the defense. I know you asked me about, but I’m just talking about in general. I want to see the culture of this football team in these last three games. He keeps preaching culture. Where have we seen any manifestation of any positive culture? That’s what I’d like to know. when I think he sold Woody Johnson on that. He’s going to change the culture. One thing that I would always warn everybody about every new head coach that gets brought into a bad situation because usually you don’t hire a coach into a good situation because the other coach would keep his job. They’re always preaching changing culture. They’re culture guys. Brian Dable, you know, preached changing culture. How’d it work out? Everybody, everybody, Joe Judge was going to preach culture. How’d it work out? I I could go chapter and verse of all the coaches that we’ve seen in New York. That’s just New York. Anytime a new coach comes in, it’s all about changing the culture. It doesn’t always work. Doesn’t always work. So, I am not here to celebrate Aaron Glenn. I’m here to sit down and go, “What is going on? Why would he make these awful decisions that have backfired that have led to another year, 15 years in a row with the Jets not in the postseason? The longest streak in North American sports. That’s hard to do. That is really, really hard to do. And you know who’s thanking the Jets and the firing of of Steve Wilks? The Giants. cuz the Giants laid an absolute egg yesterday. And when you don’t think, by the way, that young players could be adversely affected by being thrown into a train wreck, watch the first half of yesterday’s game and how Jackson Dart played. He played terribly. That’s not the same decisive guy who had an electricity running through him. Now, he played better in the second half, but the first half, Giants laid an egg. They looked awful and they lost again. This is the one game in forever that they were actually favored over a Commander team that didn’t have its starting quarterback that was starting Marcus Mariota. And they lost by eight points. They were terrible. And they weren’t booing at Metife Stadium. They didn’t even show up. That’s the ultimate. That’s apathy. And that’s the one thing that John Mara hates, apathy. Because if they’re in the stands and booing, at least they care. But if they’re not in the stands, and why would you even go in that weather yesterday? Why would you, you know, brave driving through the remnants of the snowstorm to go see that? Two terrible teams. And one more trip, the concussion tent for Jackson Dart. He didn’t have it. and he said, “Listen, they’re looking at him very harshly. I don’t blame them. Somebody’s watching out for him. This is a guy who’s who’s missed time with a concussion, who’s been in concussion tent a lot, and the Giants keep designing running plays for him. So, Mike Kofka is not going to be the head coach of the Giants. He’s not going to be the next head coach of the Giants. Rest assured, that’s not happening.” All right, time for the co-host. We have Steve Young coming up in the next segment. So, I want to talk to you. 1-800 919-3776 and we will start it off right now with Anthony and do Ferry. Anthony, Mike, I’m going to say something to you. I don’t know if you’re going to agree with it, but as a huge Jets fan who gets to two or three games a year, depending on my finances, who works hard for his money and spends it on this trash team every year, here’s my thought. Okay, we’re perfectly set up to move into that number one slot. Like you said, depending on if the Raiders get it or not. If Tennessee or our counterparts in New Jersey, the Giants, get it. I think we have a good shot of moving up for that pick. The pick has to be Mendoza. Okay. The guy’s played lights out. He has Indiana as the number one team in the country. And he’s the Heisman winner. You could win. You could you could live or die with that guy taking him. You have every backup saying it has to happen. Okay, here we go. You know who I bring along with him? I fire Glenn at the end of the season. I let him string out the last three games. and I fire him. If this guy Woody Johnson wants to make some My voice is shaking because I’m really upset about this. This is upsetting. But if he really wants to make some headlining news, you bring Mendoza and you bring his coach with him. You back up the the the the U-Haul truck of money to Curt Signetti. And I know he just signed a big deal with Indiana, but Indiana has a ceiling. This guy took the most losingest program in NCAA football history. I didn’t know that until this morning, but it’s the truth. And he has them as the number one team in the country. Okay? He’s not some young guy that just started and he’s an offensive mind. The guy’s been around. I’m taking Mendoza and I’m taking his coach and now you have something to build on as a Jet owner and giving us as Jet fans something that makes us want to be at the two games I went to this year. Mike, the stadium is pretty much empty. That’s the truth compared to years ago. Listen listen uh as I said earlier and I I don’t know if you fire Glenn after one year. That’s not fair to him either. You saw something in him in the hiring process where you said, you know, this is the guy to lead us forward. He’s had a bad first year. You got to give him a second year. And to bring in a college coach, I I I believe Sigetti is like 57 years old. Never never coached in the NFL. Just because you have success in college doesn’t mean you’re going to have success in the NFL. Just doesn’t mean it. So, I mean I that’s not the route either. The The thing that worries me about Glenn, what about his judgment? What is he seeing that that others don’t see? What is he seeing about Steve Wilks that others didn’t see or others did see and fired him five times after one and done? And is he going to look at Mendoza and go, “Yeah, that’s the guy.” I don’t know if Mendoza is the guy. Now, I’ll talk to Steve Young about this in just a moment as well. Very emotional. His interview on the field after the Big 10 Championship. He’s kind of a different sort of dude. Got very emotional on the the podium talking about his mom, which is wonderful. But will NFL teams look at that and go, that’s not the guy we want leading our men? Does he seem like he’s too emotional? I I don’t know. I’ll ask Steve Young about it, but I don’t know. I don’t know if Mendoza is the slam dunk. The Jets could look at it and go, you know, we’re going to wait for the bigger class in 2027. But then once again, you’re going to be putting them in a situation to get the bridge quarterback, the guy that’s going to fill the role. It’s not going to be Justin Fields, not going to be Terod Taylor. It’s just not. Let’s go to Greg. Uh he’s in the work truck. Greg, happy Monday, Michael. How are you doing? Good. Greg, by the way, Signetti is 64 years old. You’re not hiring him as a first-time NFL coach, but go ahead, Greg. Absolutely not. No, I agree with you on that. The Giant situation with Mike Kofka, I’m I’m trying to give him a chance, but these last four or so games, he has proven, at least to me, and I don’t know if he’s proven it to you, he can’t coach and he’s not a leader of men. The excuse me, the decision, the challenge on a third down conversion that was clearly converted. the playing it safe with Jackson Dart, which I get to an extent, but he’s wrapped him in 33 different layers of bubble wrap in the first half and the second he calls a quarterback draw play on on the one yard line. Yeah, help me make make it make sense. I I’m I want this season to end and I love the Giants. I want them to compete, but I cannot wait for this season to end and for Kafka to be gone. Well, I don’t think you have to worry about Kofkco being the guy. I mean, they they had to turn around their fortunes in a hurry. It’s not fair to judge him ultimately because he’s always been highly regarded as a future head coach, you know, taking over the mess that he took over. I mean, he would have had a really, really just energized this team and he didn’t do it. That doesn’t mean he’s not going to be a good head coach somewhere down the line, but he’s not getting the Giant job. He’s just not. Now, the only question is Joe Shane, is he gonna lose his job? Because this is not a good roster. I don’t care what people say. They have a lot of they have a lot of good young things to build around. Well, one of them is Andrew Thomas. That wasn’t his pick. The only good thing that came out of yesterday is Abdul Carter actually like he woke up and had a pretty good game. Pretty good game. But they don’t have that much. You could say they have their quarterback. They have Malik Neighbors who a pick that I could have made. Um, and Andrew Thomas. Okay. Brian Burns was a great trade, but that’s a that’s a roster that’s bereft of talent. You can’t tell me that Joe Shane is going to hang his hat and say, “Well, look at the team I built. The team you built is awful. They’re the worst team in football.” That’s not hyperbole. That’s fact. That’s why they’re sitting in the number one spot, number one spot for the draft. Two teams in New York, two absolute dumpster fires. Awful. Absolutely awful. When we get back, we’ll talk to Steve Young. talk to him about a 44 year old quarterback that did not embarrass himself yesterday by any stretch of the imagination. It’s the K show right here on ESPN New York. There are a lot of reasons why people buy at Ramsey Mazda. It’s their selection, it’s their customer service, and it’s their savings. During the more to move you event, lease a new 2025 Mazda CX32.5S all-wheel drive for 159 for 36 months. Start shopping now at Ramsey Mazda.com. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 8338532970 for details. 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All State North American Insurance Company and affiliates, Northwick, Illinois. At AT&T, we guarantee our network so you can talk college football with your BFF while taking Buster to the vet. Hey. Yeah. I can’t believe he ate the whole thing of chicken wings. And I can’t believe we’re staging a comeback. Touchdown. Staying connected matters. That’s why in the rare event of a network outage, you’ll automatically get a bill credit for a full day service. for wireless downtime lasting 60 minutes or more caused by a single incident impacting 10 or more towers must be connected to impacted tower don’t set about restrictions and exclusions apply c.com/g guarantee for full details welcome back to the show everybody Monday 1:30 we always get a chance to talk to the hall of famer Steve Young and he joins us now Steve how you doing great Michael how are you buddy good I want to know you’re sitting watching football were you a little jealous yesterday of Philip Rivers I when he said he was going to do it, he he had the same reaction. We’ve all of us that played and you guys just it’s not a get off my lawn thing. It’s not cuz I’m like I this is really factual truth. And I think all of us that played in a more sophisticated era before they changed the rules. We all see football today as for quarterbacks so much more fun, so much not easier but just better. people open all over the field. You run around and have a good time. You can throw it everywhere. It’s like it it felt like what college used to be. And so when I So Philip knows that and that’s and Tom knew it, Pton knew it, Drew knew it, you know, and I watched it and so I was like I was old enough, you know, I can’t dream about it, but Philip dreamed about like look, I can still And so I’m watching him play and I I literally I was like, I’m going to go warm up. I mean, it’s insanity, right? It’s not like it’s not serious, but it’s like I I the game today for those of us that are, you know, a little older is just it’s not it’s not jealousy. It’s just an appreciation for where the game’s gotten for the quarterback and you just oh, you just want to go out there. And so, it’s just funny. He fell down and tried to get up and run and I’m like, oh no, this is going to go badly. This is G, you know, he’s going to hurt him. Because when you’re not moving, when you when it’s not life or death, you don’t prepare for life or death in the pocket and your body can’t react, especially as you’re older. You’re going to pull everything. And he didn’t sound like at the end of the game he didn’t hurt himself. He was competent. He made a couple of nice throws like like let’s go. I you know, I mean, that’s how desperate the Colts are. But I definitely was thinking about it, you know, like It’s interesting though, Steve, cuz some of the guys on ESPN said it was insulting that, you know, a 44year-old who hadn’t played in 5 years actually thought that he could do it. And they they a lot of them predicted that it was going to be an embarrassment. It wasn’t an embarrassment. But Steve, let me ask you this. Is it an indictment of what the sport is that they can’t uh create quarterbacks, they can’t teach quarterbacking, that that the Colts had to go to a 44 year old that was on the Hall of Fame ballot this year? Michael, you’ve hit on a really important thread and a nerve that we gota I mean, if you love football, you have to be able to talk about it. The game for the sa, you know, for change rule rule changes for safety. I get that. Um, has changed the game to make it a lot less sophisticated. And that’s what one of the things I thought about last week that could be a problem for Philip doing this is if he can pull it off, it really is it’s a bad it’s a bad look for the NFL because it’s supposed to be an elite young man’s elite athletic game that cannot be mastered. And so I think that makes my point for me that the game for those of us that learned in a more sophisticated era now there’s two left. There’s Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rogers that are still playing that are taking advantage of it. I’m not going to say abusing the system because that’s the wrong word, but it’s like it’s that much of a benefit that it, you know, the game is different and I think that Phil having some success shows you how how how much it has changed because of that. So, I think you it’s something I thought about. Your question is a perfect one and it really does go to um what the game’s going to be in 20 years because they keep making it easier and easier for offense. You know, it’s the holding rules, all the context now. Well, he didn’t hold him from, you know, didn’t impede his progress and he held them, but it didn’t, you know, so they’re getting all these little iterations of rules that always go for the offense always and put defense in a tougher spot. And in the the game itself, it’s just it’s so wide open that it um you know, and then I don’t know if you notice this kind of feels like the NBA where you know lead lead changes late up by 10 in the fourth quarter early doesn’t mean that much. Uh uh the closers in the league that really make the difference the last two minutes last you know couple of possessions we can still you know and they get the and everyone gets the ball at the 35 or the 40. Um they the the football’s change. It’s not a it’s not a 100 yard field anymore. It’s like a 70-yard field, right? Because of how they they changed the rules. So, all of that, if you if you love traditional old school, you know, football, it’s going to be a little bit less a little bit more offensive to people. Do you um agree with what Brady said yesterday where, you know, he said matter of factly, “Oh, I could play, but I’m not allowed because I I have part ownership in the the Raiders.” Do you think he could step on the field and play? Oh, you saw Philip Rivers. There’s no question. Tom keeps himself I mean, you saw it. Yeah, he played 45 and and won a Super Bowl 44. Like like I’m the game. Okay, I repeat again. I’m sorry if it’s a repeat for everybody. Saw Tom when he was in Tampa pregame. We’re chatting about the changes and we all see it and he said, “Steve, it’s it’s amazing because the flats are always open. The middle of the field is unprolled where it used to be a like a you know, you put yourself risk of death in there, right? He says unprolled and no one could hit me.” He said it’s it’s it’s amazing to play today. And so that’s that’s the kind of thing that we all know and that’s why Matthew Stafford you there, you know, Matthew Stafford is the last of a breed, right? There will not be a a a quarterback showing up in um you know, in the NFL who can be, you know, elite who can’t go guards with his legs. You have to be able to go do that. If you don’t have that, you’re not going to you know, it’s just too hard. It’s way too hard in the game today and there’s too many free yards. So, so the prototype has changed and but Tom could take advantage of it because of his sophistication and there’s no question Tom can help a team win today. No question. And you know, you talk about Well, by the way, by the way, by the way, so could Payton still or Tom or Pton can’t throw, right? That’s my point, right? Is their arms gave out, right? every that’s why Tom can still do it because his arm didn’t give out where everyone else’s arm and believe me when their arm gave out they were super pissed about it right but it’s like well I could I could do this forever and uh so it’s I’m sure it’s super frustrating for the guys whose arms gave out now the game was different so I’m going to ask you this innocently your arm didn’t give out why did you retire when you retired because at a different era it’s like you you know you got to I was 38 or 39 and you just I I I don’t know. It’s just a different era. You didn’t It wasn’t It was It was It wasn’t as I don’t know. I I I I look back and um I don’t know. Michael, you make a great point. Like it almost felt like, you know, it felt like a kids game. I remember being in the, you know, in the locker room or the coach making a speech towards the end of my career and I’m like, “This is embarrassing that I’m here.” like it just felt it felt stupid like I can’t be talked to this way, you know what I mean? Like I and then so I think part of it was you didn’t see the potential of it. Um you you felt like you could but then there was such a um you know bias against it. Right. You he’s 30. I mean Right. It was time that it just accepted that it’s time. Right. Right. Right. And they they still do that for running backs. They still do that in certain places but for quarterbacks with the game today they just don’t. Now, as they sift through all the guys that learned, you know, you know, more than 10 years ago, the games change, too, because for the new guys, they don’t get taught, they don’t see, they don’t get the opportunity to to be trained in that environment. So, it’s like the whole game does change where um they they’ve they’ve, you know, in a way you you lower your your your standards. You you know, you don’t know that you don’t you don’t know any better, right? Because it’s what I it’s what I know. And uh that’s why the it’s fun to watch Matthew probably win the MVP and probably go to the Super Bowl on the on the fact that the rules change and allow for this. It’s awesome for him. Talking with Steve Young here on the Michael K show. Now, this is from the theater of the obvious, Steve, but I’m watching that that Patriot Bills game. And you talk about a prototypical quarterback, a guy he’s built like a beast. He runs, he throws. I mean, Josh Allen is it, man. He really is because that’s not a great Bills team. and he comes back from 21 to nothing to win that game and kind of if Drake May had a chance at the MVP, I think he lost it on that game. Yeah, I I I agree. And I think that you you’re watching you’re watching the game played in the, you know, the best the best quarterback being played right now is by him and by Patrick when he’s healthy and by Lamar when he’s healthy and got support. Uh that’s where it all happens. And Justin Herbert, look at Justin Herbert’s finally realized, you know what, I got to run. There’s too much out there to go. Yeah. So now all of a sudden, he’s running for 80 yards a game. And Joe Burrow, if he played enough and wasn’t hurt, he also recognizes that in the big games especially I I got to get on I got to get on and fun to watch a guy and that’s why particularly ask me the first question about how I feel about it. Man, I was a weird I was an oddity. Oh, no. Play that way. Yeah. Right. Yeah. And and now now it’s this is it. This is so it’s doubly hard for me because I’m like, oh my gosh, it’s a great time for a quarterback and and it’s my game. It’s the game that I So Josh is playing my game. I’m like, you know, so he is he is all of that. Not just is there’s no one else really that, you know, is definitely going to get there in the AFC. So, I I just I would love to see that for him. All right. You mentioned Momes. Uh I know you love the game and you love great players. How how much of a a gut punch is that for him to tear the ACL? And you know, he might not come back until the end of October or beginning of November next year. It’s a it’s a it’s for him, for the Chiefs, you know, it’s like you you you know, look, ACL’s you come back, you know, you be full speed, but but there’s a there’s a pause, right? There’s a there’s a realization that I can I’m not invincible. Uh that’s the hardest part for a young quarterback to learn, especially as old as he is now, and not being hurt. Like that you’re not invincible. And it’s like a shock to the system. You come back, but you come back smarter and you don’t come back scared. You just come back where your game isn’t probably as like you just you get more efficient about it. You’re not going to put yourself in spots that don’t make sense. And um and that’s why Josh has been amazing at being able to stay healthy. I’ve always said people said, “You run around, you’re going to make yourself you’re going to get hurt. You’re going to get hurt.” It’s like, “No, I feel safer.” Sitting in the pocket, let people just, you know, take running shots at you is much more difficult and more dangerous than running around and trying to avoid a linebacker and getting down to the ground. So, um uh you know, I I I feel for Patrick. It’s going to I feel for the Colt for the Chiefs because they’re, you know, they’ve got the offense. They got the innovative coach. They’ve had an amazing run. But now they have to turn another page. We have to go prove it in a different way again. So, it’s it’s new. It’s it’s a new space for them, which is it’s hard, but you can learn and grow and and hopefully they come back stronger. Now, you mentioned Herbert. Before I let you go, do you think Trevor Lawrence is finally has it clicked in for him? Feels Now, what happened? What? Tell me what happened for this year. Innovative coach. Yeah, they not Yes. How many time I mean I feel like I just a broken record but the guys that show up follow the follow the coaching trees from Shawn McVey, Kyle Shanahan, Andy Reid, and Shawn Shawn Payeyton. Just follow the coaching trees and and the league, the smart owners are finally getting to the point where look, I’m going to find one of those guys that’s innovative and and and I’m going to hire them because they’re they’re the quarterback position is the league and they’re going to be better. And that’s why I mean I I I I think Trevor’s I mean I think he’s suffering from a place where he wasn’t you know he wasn’t finding resonance with the coach and resonance with what you could do and now he’s with somebody that you know plays calls plays in in in in series that makes sense for the quarterback to put him in a great spot make it easier for the quarterback, harder for the defense, more complicated. It’s it’s the it’s that’s who’s dominating the league today and the Jacksonville Jaguars have a chance right now because of who they hired some kid out of Tampa. You know what I mean? Like who’s Liam Cohen? Like who all if you been around the league like what who’s this guy? Well, he’s been trained by the innovators and he’s he’s now one of them. And I think that’s the thing that people don’t see in the league. All right. I I would say to you, not that you need my advice, go out and start throwing. The Jets need a quarterback for next year. Look, no one’s no one look at Michael. Nobody says that Phil Rivers can go 16 games now. Come on. You know, but but to come in for you do dream. It’s like if I had to and I could stamp I I could sit in the shotgun and just throw the slant like could you do it? And Philip kind of showed this because his arm you can see his arm is is you know been reduced like he he could he could figure out some that’s why you can’t play 16 games. Defenses are too predatory. They’ll figure out what you can and can’t do. they’ll just take it away and then you know you got nothing. So, but Phil for a couple games I mean he almost he almost went into Seattle almost and really should have won a football game. That’s amazing to me. And think about what what the game of football means to him. He was on the finalist list for the Hall of Fame and knowing that if he did play he was going to reset the clock and not be eligible for another five years and he said, “I don’t care. Let’s do it.” I guess a lot of guys would think like that. I I I I I think that’s what people don’t understand about football players. We’re It’s a game where you’re at great risk, right? Not physically, but then also just from a perspect like the NFL’s not for long, right? You’re as soon as you start you you reduce your physical skills, you’re gone. And as soon as you don’t play well for four games in a row, you’re gone. And so, but when you’re really really good at it, like Philip is, and you’re and you’re look, you’re good at you might be decent at other things, but you’re not great at it. The thing you’re great at, you want to keep doing. And it’s not because you’re, you know, I I I I I I can’t figure out how to make my life better or or good without something else. No, it’s just that what I’m great at, I want to keep doing. And so he’s sitting there going, you’re going to give me a chance to kind of prove something cool that I can be off for four or five years and still kind of roll around with this? I think there’s not anybody. It’s kind of like the Olympics in 28 with the uh with uh flag football, right? Every every NFL player is going to try the NFL is trying to limit it by having a certain number of guys on the team. I I I can understand that. But every guy in the NFL is going to try to go get an Olympic medal. It’s just like Philip Rivers. If you called anybody that played three or four years ago, could you do you want to come try it again? They they’d probably show up. They love the game. In order to play this game, you have to love it. And as we’ve always said, you talk, you know, you got to be a little crazy. So that combination and boom, you’re going to be back. You’re back. But it’s not I don’t want to think people think, well, they’re just stupid. They’re just, you know, not not rational. They’re not. No. It’s like, think about it. If you were if you were worldrenowned brain surgeon, right? And and someone and you couldn’t do it for four years. You’re like, “Hey, do you want to do that?” I’m like, “Yeah, that’s what I’m best at. I want to do it.” So it’s like it’s it sound should sound rational to people. Great stuff, Steve. Thank you so much. and start warming up. You got it. Great check. All right, you got it, buddy. That is Steve Young. So, good stuff from him. And really, if if Seattle doesn’t kick that field goal, it’s an unbelievable story for all time for this guy to get off his couch coaching high school football, not playing for five years, obviously a little puffy in the face, and still not embarrass himself and to win the game. That 60-yard field goal looked like he was going to win the game. And it’s still a great story despite the fact that he lost because everybody thought he was gonna get blown out. Everybody thought he was going to get hurt. Everybody thought he was going to embarrass himself. None of that happened and he almost pulled off an incredible, incredible upset. All right, it’s time for the co-host. 1800 9193776. It’s the case show. We’re rolling until 3 right here on ESPN New York. At City Harvest, we believe no New Yorker has to go hungry. With your help, we’re on the road 365 days a year, rescuing over 77 million pounds of nutritious food and delivering it free to millions of New Yorkers. Transforming surplus food into sustenance, sustainability, and smiles. Rallying thousands of New Yorkers to power a network of nourishment across our city. One day, one meal, and one New Yorker at a time. That’s how we feed good. Donate at city harvest.org. This is Rick Brunson, the assistant coach for the New York Knicks. I’ll be driving to our games this season in style in my new Jeep Gladiator from Princeton Jeep. My friends at Princeton Jeep gave me all-star treatment and you can expect the same thing. Just mention I sent you and they’ll treat you like family. Princeton Jeep has tons of inventory and great deals on new vehicles. 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Check out the largest selection of official NBA gear at nbastore.com. A fanatics experience. [Applause] Game time brought to you by Tel Irish Whiskey because when it’s game time, it’s Tully time. 7 p.m. The Rangers host the Ducks at Madison Square Garden. Coverage will begin at 6:30 p.m. right here on ESPN New York. All the other locals are off. Tell them more. Do the original triple distilled, triple blended, triple C matured Irish whiskey. Be sure to grab a Telmordo or try the new Telmour honey during today’s action. Glass up to enjoying Telmodo responsibly. Dolphins and the Steelers tonight on Monday Night Football. We’ll talk with um our good buddy Scott Vanpelt about that when we get back. Uh let’s go to the phone. Steve and Chapqua. Steve, talk to me. Mike, you’re the best. I’ll start off with that. I love your show. I love uh uh Sims and uh Lupa and and you’re just the best. Thank you, man. I appreciate that. All right. My my question is on the Jets. I don’t know if he’s a a friend of the show, but Mike Tannbal was uh headed the search for the Jet coach, interviewed a dozen guys, and came up with Aaron Glenn. number one. Can you get him on the show to say what he saw in him and for him to give uh Glenn a report card after 14 games? Well, he he’s always on he’s he has a weekly with um with Barton Carlin, so they will ask him for sure. Now, he brought people together and was part of the interview process, but Woody Johnson made the ultimate decision. So, you can’t blame Mike Town. the the 33rd team, you know, is running due diligence, uh, putting the people together that are going to be interviewed. He did not select Aaron Glenn. That was Woody Johnson. You want to blame somebody, blame Woody Johnson. If you don’t like Aaron Glenn, let’s go to um, Mike in New Jersey. Mikey, what’s up? Hey, Mike, what’s going on? I usually agree with you on everything, but Okay, today I really disagree. Tell me. Um, I think I think your stance on the quarterback situation with the Jets is really inflated. The amount of money that they’re paying um, Justin Fields is so small compared to the general quarterback market. Sure, $30 million guaranteed is a lot of money, but relative to what starting quarterbacks in the NFL make, it’s peanuts. It’s like literally the lowest end of the market. So, they really didn’t put a lot of investment relative to the market into Justin Fields. They took a flyer on him. There were no good options as free agent quarterbacks other than him and Rogers. And Rogers would have been a complete eso if he stayed with the Jets. So, they took the better of two bad options knowing that they were going to have draft situations coming up to get their actual quarterback. No, no. I you know what? We’re essentially we’re we’re essentially uh Mike and I’ll finish point. We’re essentially on the same wavelength. But you still this was the guy because he didn’t just say he’s going to be a they thought they they this guy could be the quarterback for the future. So yeah, they’re not paying him a lot. You know why? Because he’s not an elite quarterback. So they’re paying him 15 million a year guaranteed, which is not a lot and it’s not a it’s not going to hamstring them. But the thing that I worry about, Mike, I wonder if you do. This is who they chose. There was nobody better out there. There was nobody better out there. There there wasn’t. I mean, there was nobody. The only other possibility was Marcus Mariota and he was locked in a contract with Washington. So I I would love to see them get Mariota next year since he’s a free agent, draft a quarterback and then go from there. But I think one one last thing about about Muji and like you know the trade with Sauce and with with U Quinnon Williams who got the got an interception last night which is funny and the Jets still don’t have one. Um he um unbelievable shrewd decision. He made a really shrewd decision that Jets personnel never make and I don’t think he gets enough credit. I think he made that deal knowing he was going to trade him. And just because he said he was a cornerstone of the team doesn’t mean anything. What they say publicly means nothing at all. It’s just what are they going to say? Like oh we he’s pretty good so we had to sign him. Like they had to say those things. Who cares what they say? Just watch what they do. And I think what they’re doing is better than we could really be expecting. Now, Glenn is a disaster on the field, but right now I think in the off season, let’s judge how good they are in the offseason before we judge if this whole regime is a is a is a disaster. Well, I I love I love your patient approach, Mike, but I I would ask you this. Um, yeah, I I actually take people at their word. So, you’re saying that they said one thing and they meant another. Okay, cool. All right, we’ll buy that. That’s the way we’ll roll. You didn’t have to You didn’t have to sign him. You could have traded him. He still was under contract. He wasn’t going anywhere. He wasn’t a free agent. So if your ultimate thought was, I’m going to trade him. Then why why give him that extension? I mean, is that the intent with Garrett Wilson, too? I don’t think it is. I think they look at Garrett Wilson as part of their future. I think they look at S Gardner. I think they misread the situation. I think it’s a great pivot by Muji to get what he got for S Gardner. But that was I I truly believe Mike that was not their intent. I think once again they screwed up with their judgment. They said this guy’s not all that. This guy, you know, this not this guy’s not what we thought he was. So let’s get the best that we can get. And they did. Great deal. It’s going to turn out to be even better because of the injury to Daniel Jones. But when they were seven and two, you were looking at a first round draft pick maybe about the 28th pick in the draft. Not going to be that. Now it’s going to be in the middle of the draft. That’s a nice extra pick to have. But I don’t believe that they were blowing smoke and saying, “Well, yeah, you let’s say he’s the the cornerstone.” Why would you embarrass yourself like that? You didn’t have to sign him to trade him. You could have played him with the contract that he had. See what you had, but I think they truly believe that this was the guy. But Muji was smart enough to structure the contract that it was tradable. I’m not talking about Muji now. I’m talking about Glenn and his judgment. his judgment on Wilks, his judgment on Fields, his judgment on Gardner. It’s all been wrong. And now he’s got bigger judgments that he has to make. Are you going to go move up in the draft for Mendoza? Are you going to trade up draft capital to get to number one if it’s not the Raiders who hold that pick? That’s the guy that’s going to be making those decisions. That worries me a little bit. Worries me just a little bit. Big Monday night game for playoff positioning. By the way, the Dolphins are still alive. Dolphins against the Steelers in Pittsburgh. How will the Dolphins play in this brutal weather they’re having in Pittsburgh? We’ll talk about it with Scott Vanpel when we get back right here on ESPN New York. [Music] When equipment breaks down and operations come to a halt, every single second counts. So why is your maintenance team spending 60% of their time doing anything but turning wrenches? Ah, Maintain X is the AI powered maintenance and asset management system that helps your team get back to actually fixing breakdowns. No more searching for manuals. No more hunting down parts. No more drowning in paperwork. With Maintain X, your team can access manuals from anywhere. 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So you can go from making payroll to making gingerbread houses, checking your books to decking the halls, spreadsheets to snow angels. Switch before the end of the year and there’s no need to transfer payroll history. Now that’s a reason to be married. Choose a future with Gusto and get more time for what matters. For a limited time, get 50% off your first 6 months at gusto.comradio. Welcome back to the show, hour two of our 2-hour radio program. At 3:00, Don, Han, and Rosenberg will take over. Another game with playoff implications tonight on Monday Night Football. Monday Night Football Countdown starts at 6:00 and Scott Vanpel is the leader of the band. Then at 8:15 on ESPN, it’s not on ABC today, ESPN Steelers against the Dolphins. And then at 11:30, um, Sports Center with Scott Vanpelt. And you keep hearing about that guy. He joins us now right here on the K show. Hello, Scott. How are you? I’m terrified, Michael. Terrified about about the ability to make words come out of my face tonight as we’re sitting outside. We’re literally, as we speak, driving over the confluence of rivers. I can see what used to be uh Hinesfield. It’s got a new name now. Uh driving into downtown Pittsburgh or should I say Danton. And it’s going to be cold. And I’m not I think I told you I was tough on a recent show. I’m not tough, Michael. I’m soft and I’m going to be uh very cold and I’m very very nervous about my ability to make the words come out of my mouth correctly tonight. Now, will we cover the ears and the head with a hat? What are we going to do? Yeah. See, I in in both Lambo and um in Foxboro this year, I went no hat. I is hued the hat and that was that was faux toughness. Tonight the hat is on. Tonight we’re going hat scarf the whole shebang. Now now for those that are listening right what Scott’s saying and it’s true. What like I’ve done games in cold weather you know like World Series games or whatever and when you’re really cold and Scott’s not lying your mouth doesn’t work. It it doesn’t operate the same way. Right. Scott. Right. Well I mean I mean look the the countdown’s two hours which is excessive. There’s there’s, you know, I mean, listen, Reese and the and my guys stand for Steve and the game day guys, they they do three, which is even more ridiculous, but that’s still show so immensely popular. I get it. Uh, two hours sitting outside, your face gets to the point where you’re literally your lips and your face are numb enough that you can’t articulate the words and it seems like I joke and I shouldn’t. People are afraid you’re having an episode. Is something is is he is he tapping out here medically? Uh, no. It’s just your face is too is unable to make the words come out. But we’ll I’m I’m kidding, but I’m not. I mean, sitting out there long enough, it it does get difficult. But we’ll be fine. All right. Now, you you you know, illadvisedly called yourself tough a couple of shows ago. Of the people that are on the show with you, who’s the toughest? Cuz the there three pretty tough guys. Who’s the toughest? I’m the least for sure. And then I would I would hesitate to say cuz well uh Swag Marcus Spears said when we were at Lambo two years ago that he was going to have to go to the hospital because it was cold. So he’s not as tough. He and and Ryan Clark was willing to risk life and limb because of medical conditions to play. I I think he and Kelsey maybe are tied then it’s swag. Then it’s certainly I’m I’m I’m bringing up the rear. But anybody that that played the sport professionally, these are these are tough men. It’s just we all complain about the cold like you know like not very tough people. A funny story, you know, when I started doing the games with John, you know, April games and and October games are really cold and he would not close the window to the booth, you know, he wanted to feel the game, right? And I, you know, I was just starting. I said, “Okay.” Then, you know, about year 10, he’s shutting the door. He’s I could hear it through my head. I said, “But that’s been the case for like last nine years. But as you get older, you get wiser.” I don’t understand people like keep the window open. Well, we’re not we’re we’re open up the window and we’re out. We’re sitting outside, baby. And it’s as I look at the on the car, it’s 19 and it’s going to be going down. So, this is as warm as it’s going to get. But, you know what’s interesting, Michael, as it relates to to the actual game is that this Miami team, as we know, Tua hasn’t won when it’s like under 40° or whatever. It’s going to be considerably worse than that. But, it is a legitimately fascinating matchup as it relates to the fact that Miami’s become a really good run team. Pittsburgh is a really poor rush defense team. and Pittsburgh needs it with Baltimore lurking. Um it’s kind of a little bit like Carolina and Tampa. Who wants to win the division? No one’s great, but it it doesn’t matter. By rule, someone’s going to win it. So for Pittsburgh, this is a monster football game tonight. But they’re they’re actually playing a team that the weathers might not be Miami’s on Miami side, but the way they play, uh it’s a fascinating strength on weakness matchup. It’s also fascinating that Miami has persevered. They fire their GM. You figure, well, you know, McDaniel is going to be next, but they’ve played much much better, Scott. Yes, they have. And I I gave him credit last week on the show because when they lost earlier, it was in October. They lost to Cleveland. They were one and six at the time. And that was one of the least professional efforts, least spirited efforts I can recall seeing. And I’m like, they’ve quit. He’s toast. They’re done. Complete opposite. They’ve won five of six since then. They’ve won four in a row. Look, they’ve beaten some bad teams, but it doesn’t make any difference. like they’ve won games. They beat Buffalo in that stretch. I’m I’ve been incredibly impressed with how a team I thought had tapped out. Quite the opposite. They fought hard and they’re I mean they’re on the graphic anyway for in the hunt. They need everything to go their way. But they’re not eliminated, which if you after that Cleveland game, I thought they were eliminated that day. That hasn’t been the case. Now yesterday, all of us in this business, we love great stories to go, “Wow, that that sounds like Hollywood.” Well, what happened with Philip Rivers yesterday? That’s Hollywood. I love stuff like that. Even the Even the fact that they despite the fact that they lost Scott, it was still a tremendous accomplishment. Many people were were predicting he was going to embarrass himself. He was embarrassing the NFL, he didn’t embarrass anybody and almost pulled off a huge upset. Yeah, he did. And I I thought his sound afterwards, I don’t know if you heard it or if you might have shared it with your listeners. If not, it’s worth seeking out. It was just a guy that is incredibly grateful. I think he was moved moved literally to tears about what it was to go out there and try. And I thought Tim Hasselback, who’s with us every Sunday on Sports Center, made a great point. Like, they didn’t win the game, but they had a chance to win, at least in part because of him. He he wasn’t going to take shots, but he understands how to put them in position to have a chance. And look, they lost because after their guy made a 60 yard. I mean, these guys have bionic legs now. Then Myers hits a 56 yarder. If not for that, then they go into an incredibly difficult place to to win and and nearly pull off a stunning upset. So, I loved it. I loved it afterwards and I agree. There were colleagues of mine that acted like this was some embarrassment. It was a total opposite of that. I think he I think he honored himself in defeat, which was really a cool thing to watch. Um, a sad story yesterday is Patrick Mahomes goes down. And before we get to that, Scott, if you look at the AFC right now, all the impediments that have thrown themselves in front of the Bills all these years kind of by the wayside. The Bills might have a chance and that’s not a great team because it’s not a great defense, but that was a big win for them yesterday against New England. It’s so true. And and you think about the people that have stood in Buffalo’s path and I mean, we we tend to do this quarterback versus quarterback thing, right? I mean, it’s been Burrow, it’s been Mahomes. Mahomes and Kansas City most clearly not having that boogeyman around the corner for Buffalo. I just wonder mentally what does that do for them? Because the two teams that have the better records, New England and and Denver, um you know, they beat Denver in the playoffs last year. Bon Knicks has, you know, played one playoff game. May May hasn’t played a playoff game. But it’s more than just that cuz this Buffalo team’s not great. Um Allen is, but the team’s not awesome. And it it it’s going to require maybe a Houdini from him to to to win playoff games. and they’ve already lost to a Houston team that’s not just CJ Stroud, it’s that defense as well. So, yes, some of the people that have been the and the teams that have knocked them off in the past are out of the way, but this isn’t a a vintage all-time great Buffalo team, but they they do have the MVP at quarterback and just mentally not having to deal with them is is a really intriguing subplot as we get closer to the playoffs. I think I know the answer to this, uh, but let me throw it to you anyway. Is this iteration of the Chiefs dead? I mean, have we seen the end of this dynasty? I don’t I don’t think so. Um, really? Wow. Because well, I here’s what I here’s what I mean. Momes isn’t done. And if if we look at the temptation when Brady hurt his ACL to wonder, well, how many more does he have in? And as it turned out, he doubled his Super Bowl total after that. Uh, the the team itself needs to get better, uh, significantly better. They were not great at all this year and we held on, I think all myself, I’ll speak for me, stubbornly to the idea that, well, they’ll figure it out. Well, they didn’t. Uh, they need to be way better at running back. They need to be better wide receiver. Their O line was somewhat improved, but they didn’t have all their pieces together and they got banged up. I don’t think the Chiefs are done. I don’t think they go away. I think the years of anyone being scared of them are long done. and the ascent of a couple of other teams. I mentioned Denver and New England already. Buffalo’s in the mix. Lamar Jackson and Baltimore, I don’t think they go anywhere, even though they’re currently not on the playoff right side of it. There’s a lot of company, but I just don’t think that we write off the Chiefs and say they’re done and they just become some pedestrian team just cuz at some point Mahomes will get better and I think he singularly gives him a chance. But did we see the end of Travis Kelce yesterday because of the way he tapped the wall when he walked by? You know, he’s got a lot of things going on in his life. You think that’s it for him? I’m sorry. I’m in downtown Pittsburgh and suddenly you were underwater. I couldn’t make that out. I apologize. Well, it’s okay. Do you believe that this is it for Travis Kelce? A lot going on in his life. The way he tapped the wall when he walked into the uh into the locker room. This could be it. No, this is bad now. I Because you said it again and now I It’s I’m 0 for two on that. No, that’s okay. I’m going to let you go. I’m I may have to punt. You have to punt. Please stay warm. We’ll be watching tonight. Not for anything bad to happen to you, but I thank you for coming on, Scott. And the NFL countdown, you got it. Monday Night Football Countdown um is going to be at 6. And Scott, we’ll try not to freeze. And then the game is at 8:15. It’s a big game. It’s a big game. The Steelers against the Dolphins. Dolphins still very much alive. Still very much alive. And um and then after the game 11:30, Scott Vampel with Sports Center. 1 800 919-3776. Um, Scott spoke about Philip Rivers and what he said after the game. Um, and Philip was asked how did it feel to get hit. Uh, I never minded that part of it. It actually was uh my wife always tells me I’m crazy cuz there’s been times in the last three or four years I said I kind of wish I could just throw one and get hit hard and she’s like you’re that’s not normal. I didn’t mind that part. The one with the uh, you know, the bubble snapper deal didn’t feel great. But the other ones kind of got me going in the game. It felt actually didn’t feel too far off. It was kind of crazy how normal it felt once we got going in the game. Now, Philip Rivers then spoke and got emotional uh about sending this message and what coming back for him means to young people. I was searching. I was enjoying myself kind of down there being coach in South Alabama, but uh these kind of things don’t come up. Obviously, this doesn’t come up every day. But I think maybe uh you know, maybe maybe it will I don’t know inspire or or teach you know to not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen. you know, hopefully, you know, certainly I think of my sons and those ball players, you know, that I’m in charge of at the school that they’ll say like crap, coach wasn’t scared. You know what I mean? It’s like shoot sometimes you uh there is doubt and it’s real and um the guaranteed safe bet is to is to go home or or to not go for it. And the other one is shoot, let’s see what happens. I I hope that in in that sense that it can it can be a positive to to some young people. You know, you look at it and I was surprised by my colleagues on the television side of ESPN. Most of them came down in a real negative way to Philip Rivers. I think that everybody in the world should be allowed to chase their dream. And you heard Steve Young, it never leaves you the love of wanting to play. Now, you don’t want to put your health in jeopardy, but although he’s older, he doesn’t throw the ball the way he used to, he certainly um not an infirm. And I think that he did himself proud. And that does send a message to people. Do what you want to do. Do what you love. And that’s in any walk of life. You know, if you walk away from something and then you want to come back, don’t be embarrassed about coming back. Come back. Don’t be embarrassed because you’re playing for you. The one thing that’s always bothered me is when people go, I’m so sorry that Willie Mays, you know, had to play in that 73 series and fell down in center field in the the World Series against the A’s and that’s how I remember him. That’s a U problem. That’s not a Willie Mays problem. That’s a you problem. I prefer to remember Willie Mays in his young days with his back to home plate at the polo grounds chasing down Vick Works fly Vic Works fly ball in the World Series. That’s what I prefer to remember. But you have to also remember everybody, you’re not living your life for others. You’re living your life for you. You get one of these. And if anything uh over the weekend has been proven, it could all be taken away in a moment in the weirdest and most sin uh sinister way. And if you want to do something, don’t worry about people laughing at you. Don’t worry about how it affects how people will think of you. Go do it. You have that right. Philip Rivers had that right. And so what? He pushed back his Hall of Fame candidacy another five years. So what? He did what he wanted to do. This was an opportunity which has not afforded many people at his age that have been out of the game as long as he has. And don’t you think for a second that Tom Brady, there’s part of him that probably thinks, I wonder if I could sell the Raiders if I can go play because I know preparing to play quarterback is really, really tough. And playing it over an 18week, 17g game season, it’s a bear. But for Philip Rivers to come in out of the bullpen, so to speak, why not? I mean, every old-timer’s day, I asked Mariano Rivera, “Do you think you can come in and get people out still?” And he said, “Yeah, definitely.” I said, “Then you should do it.” Why not? Again, don’t live your life for what other people think. Live your life for you. Again, you only get one of these, and it’s a lot shorter than we want it to be. And for some, it’s even shorter than that. So do what you want to do. That’s what Philip Rivers did. And today, no matter how much he’s aching because the times he got hit and after not playing for 5 years, he feels a sense of great accomplishment, I’m sure. And you heard how emotional he got. Why not play? Why not play? 1 800 919-3776. Go to Steve in Pearl River. Steve? Yeah. Hi, Michael. Um, first just happy holidays to you and everybody. Okay, same to you. That’s number one. Now, you know, Michael, you I’m s you Giant fans. I’m sitting there and that game and I’m watching Jaylen Hyatt run around and I’m watching Darius Sllayton run around and you know the four:00 games, you know, the late games were very uh were interesting. They were good games. So, I was watching Denver and Green Bay and who do I see making plays for Denver? Lil Jordan Humphrey. And I’m thinking to myself, why did Joe Shane value Jaylen Hyatt? It’s a case in point. He’s valuing Jaylen Hyatt and Darius Sllayton above a guy who’s in the mix, who’s making plays, big plays for a team that is certainly a Super Bowl contender at this point. Mhm. And I’m just wondering that it was a case in point and I and I started and so right away I’m starting to look I that’s the guy that was on the Giants two or three weeks ago and I you know I’m not keeping track of a waiver wire for the NFL or the Giants. I’m not looking at that stuff you know constantly looking at I’m not that involved and I said and that’s what I said to these people. I said, “So the Giants deemed that that guy the they evaluated that Jaylen Hy and you know what Jaylen Hyatt should be doing? Jaylen Hyatt should be passing off a baton running around a track in like second or third leg to some guy where he doesn’t have to worry about running a router anywhere. He just has to worry about running fast and handing off a baton or running sprints or something. Well, you know, you bring up a point, Steve, and uh I think it amplifies what I’ve been saying. Everybody who says how good a job Joe Shane has done, I I I I need proof. He was he was goated into taking Jackson Dart by his coach. He made a good deal for Brian Burns, but Evan Deal was an absolute bust. And until yesterday, we’ve seen nothing of Abdul Carter that would make you think, “Oh, that’s worthy of the third pick in the draft.” Where’s the talent on the Giant roster? Where is it that you you want to you want to go to war with Joe Shane? the way they keep laying an egg. It’s got to the the arrows got to point to him because if you want to keep Joe Shane and you’re going to allow him to play a role in hiring the coach, then you got to give him an extension. You gotta because you can’t let him play out the final year of his contract and then fire him and then the new GM comes in and stuck with a coach that Joe Shane hired and that never works. If you look at the history of it, it never works. It’s a recipe for disaster. The again the thing that just bothers me over and over and over and over again is when they say, “Well, they have a really good roster.” No, they don’t. They don’t have a really good roster. They don’t have a lot of guys to build around. They got a good front line defensively, but where’s a good roster? Where is it? How’s their secondary working out? At least the Jets could fall on the fact, you know what, Quinnon Williams, we traded. Saw Gardner, we traded. What’s the giant excuse? I just need somebody to educate me because I know I’m not the brightest guy. I need somebody to explain to me like I’m a child. Where’s this great roster the Giants have now? They have the one thing that people do covet and that’s the quarterback. At least that’s what they think and that’s what a lot of people in the NFL think. If they’re not destroying him by having them play a season like this where they’ve lost eight in a row. So you build around a quarterback that I get. But what else? What else we feeling good about people? Malik Neighbors. Okay. Okay. Theo Johnson. Well, okay. Not exactly Tony Gonzalez, but okay. Sllayton is to me, he’s an average receiver. And you gave him a contract. Jaylen Hired has never reached the heights that people thought he was going to reach because of his speed. Let’s go to Frank in Newark. Frankie. Hey, Mike. Good afternoon. I was going to say when it comes to Philip Rivers, you know, it’s I I took my hat off this because at 44 to be able to go out there and show that you can still kind of you can still play the game and and put up a respectful effort, it’s a lot to say. I mean, there are quarterbacks like uh that are still that are in the press box now that are watching the game live, commentating on it and trying to relive it. I remember in the Super Bowl without Pton Manning when Eli had that face and uh Payton said no, he’s just thinking about what what would be the next play he’s trying to run. They they live it all they live it in their mind the whole um all throughout their career. Now when it comes to the Giants, I mean uh I remember Donald Greco saying that you cannot pigeon hole the head coach and make it about the quarterback’s development. You just can’t. And now we’re going to we we really have to ask ourselves if we allow Joe Shane to hire a new head coach, we got to extend him. And that’s you know how he said it. You know how good you have to be to be extended. And I see no proof of him being any good. I mean, you can’t for me to say that he was going to we drafted very well the year before and say and base that on giving them a one-year extension is well also Frank the one thing that he can’t that he can’t get away from the stink of Evan Neil was a really bad pick. He can’t get on the field. This was a high firstrounder. That’s a dreadful dreadful thing on your resume to make that pick. It just is. That’s a costly mistake, man. That’s a costly mistake. You let McKini get away. You let Saquon get away when your owner didn’t want you to. You gave a Super Bowl championship to your hated rival uh down uh the New Jersey Turnpike. Those are things that you just can’t get away from. I am very intrigued to see um if they stay with him. And I’m not calling for him to be fired, but I need somebody to explain to me like I’m a child. What exactly has he done that should be celebrated? Where have the great drafts been? Where where Malik Neighbors again, I could have made that pick. And I’m not even going to I’m not going to criticize him for Abdul Carter. I would have made that pick. But what else? What else is floating your boat? We’ll talk about it. Some baseball news over the weekend. Both teams signed somebody. We’ll talk about that. see uh where it fits into the realm of what they’re doing. 1 800 919-3776. Hopefully, you’re watching us on the ESPN New York YouTube channel. And I know if I’m saying it and you’re absorbing it, you’re listening on ESPN New York. New York Lotteryy’s holiday scratchoff games are the perfect gift for everyone on your list. Like me, your aunt Jewels. I told you I didn’t need a gift this year, but I secretly really want one. Or me, your neighbor Frank. I hope you didn’t forget I’m coming to your holiday party tonight. Or me. Why does no one ever think of the voiceover guy? 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Switch to Optimum Fiber for the fastest, most reliable, and most consistent internet speeds starting at $25 a month. And this holiday season, get Netflix and so much more on us. Call 8884 Optimum or visit optimum.com today. Wa! Did you see that? Optimum. Don’t take slow for an answer. Netflix subscription required. Terms apply. See optimum.com for details. There are a lot of reasons why people buy at Ramsey Mazda. It’s their selection. It’s their customer service. And it’s their savings. During the more to move you event, lease a new Mazda 2025 CX50 2.5S Select with all-wheel drive for $1.99 for 36 months. Start shopping now at ramseymazda.com. Choose wisely. Choose Ramsey Mazda. Call 8338532970 for lease details. VIN SN385912 MSRP $32,795. Zero security deposit ends 1226. At Uline, they know firsthand the road to success is an uphill climb. Uline started in the family basement and through hard work is now North America’s most trusted shipping and industrial supplier. 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Cuz right now you can get a great deal on our most popular models including our adventure ready SUVs like the Hyundai Santa Fe and Santa Fe hybrid models. There’s also our bold and stylish Elantra packed with all the latest tech. Or go all electric with the Ionic 5 and Ionic 6. So get down to your local Hyundai dealer and get away with an awesome deal only during the Hyundai getaway sales event. Visit hyundaiusa.com for details. Hey fans, welcome back to Fansville’s Cheers and tears. Oh, okay. So, like everybody deals with losing, right? To a rival on a last second field goal. Whatever. It’s fine. I’m totally fine. But I cope with losing with an ice cold Dr. Pepper. Those 23 flavors are like so delicious. They totally wash away the pain of your college football team taking a big fat L. College football, it’s a Pepper thing. Welcome back to the show, Tom. Tom Bower. What we have to do over the next four days, we start have to play Christmas music beds. I think it’s important to get everybody into the holiday spirit. What you just played now, I don’t know what that was. What was that? There was some uh generic music that we have queued up that is YouTube appropriate. I love generic. Yeah. Oh, so you can’t play popular songs on YouTube. Certain songs have like a license issue that prevents it from playing over YouTube. So I can still play the music, right? Some of it just can’t play over YouTube. Interesting. I didn’t know that. Learning everything every day. Just been in the business what, 40 years, and that’s the first I’ve learned of it. Something new every day. So, can I sing like jingle bells or would that get us in trouble? Oh, no. You’re absolutely clear to do that. Oh, good. Maybe I’ll do that later on in the week. 1-800 919-3776. So, everybody’s sitting back and they’re anxiously awaiting what’s going to happen with our two teams in New York. Now, by the way, if you’re watching on the ESPN New York YouTube channel, I’ve got a a jacket and tie on. And the reason is I’ve got the Yankee Hot Stove tonight on Yes. And our special guest is actually going to be Carlos Rodon. So, we’ll talk to him. It’ll be me, Jack, and uh and Bob Loren. So, make sure to tune in for that. But we’ll start with the Mets. So, I’m driving um my son home from his basketball game on Saturday and I I hear that the Mets signed Jorge Palano. And before I hear, and by the way, I heard it from our very own Dan Graca on his show. And I said, “Well, that that’s he’s a good player, man. That’s that’s that’s a nice fit. You know, he could really help them in certain spots, you know, versatile switch hitter. Um, really hits well, right-handed.” Then I got the the price tag. Two years, $40 million. Now, that is a zoptic number for Jorge Palano. I mean, that’s aggressive. That’s aggressive. Now, I know what the Mets are trying to do, and I never understood this, by the way. Well, they don’t want to go to three, so they’ll pay him more for two. So, you wouldn’t have paid him 45 for three. To me, he’s more of a $15 million a year player than a $20 million a year player. And if it doesn’t work out in year three and you don’t like them, then you cut them and you you invested 5 million more than you did to get them two years at 40. All right. So, let’s let’s put the number aside. Put the number aside. It’s a lot of money. But the thing that is a concern of mine is that they’re looking at him to play first base and he’ll be doing dhing as well, but he’s going to play a lot of first base. The thing that gives me pause, he has never played first base professionally in his life. So, I just get the feel that the way David Sterns builds a team is he wants to be smarter than everybody else. He wants to think outside the box. And sometimes it works. And we saw him do that last year with Klay Holmes. Let’s think outside the box. Bring in a guy who’s been a reliever for most of his career and turn him into a starter. And for those that say that the Clay Holmes signing didn’t work, you don’t know what you’re talking about. That was a good signing. Did he tire toward the end? Yes. You have him for two more years a guy that could be a fourth or fifth starter, give you 30 starts, and he’s not making a lot of money. That was a smart play. But now what you’re doing with Palanco again, you’re trying to fit a a round peg into a square hole or vice versa. He has never played first base. He’s athletic. I get it. But is that what is that what they’re doing now? Or are they going to make a big signing and a big acquisition and it’s just just one move? We’ll see. Time will tell. That’s why I’m not going to sit here and criticize Sterns for his vision because I don’t know what his vision is. I don’t know where he’s going with this. Let’s wait and see. But if this is move number one, it’s got to be followed by something significant, I would think. I would think because at this point, the way the Mets are constructed, they’re not a playoff team. They’re not because you’ve lost NMO’s um numbers and you’ve lost the numbers of Alonzo and you lost your closer. So, you replace your closer with Devin Williams and you’re hoping that he recreates what he did with Milwaukee. And now you bring in Jorge Palano. So you haven’t quite replaced the guys that helped you win 83 games yesterday or last year. Palano is not going to hit as many home runs as Pete. And I don’t think Devin Williams is going to be as dominant as Edwin Diaz. And Marcus Simeon offensively I don’t think is going to match the numbers that Brandon Nmo has. So, right now, and I’m not saying that this is how you judge it right now, this is not a playoff team, but there’s more to come. I think they’ll sign a starter. I think they’ll sign somebody else in the bullpen, but they lost Rogers. And it sound like they wanted to get him back, but Toronto outbid them. So, it really looks like Steve Cohen’s money is not going to be a factor in all of this. It’s going to be where David Stern say, “Okay, this is what we think this guy is worth.” And if it’s more than that, we’re tapping out. They clearly did that with Diaz. They clearly did that with Rogers, and they never wanted to go above three years for Pete Alonzo. So, they’re being very, very responsible in putting together this team. Bold strategy, Cotton. Let’s see how it works out. Let’s see what they do after this. Now, as for the Yankees, everybody’s waiting for this big move, which might not happen, by the way. Might not happen because they’re looking at it and saying, “We won as many games as anybody in the American League last year, and we had a really bad series against Toronto. We’re not tearing it apart. We’re not.” So, they resigned Ahmed Rosario. Now, you might roll your eyes. 2.5 million, some incentives in there. That’s a good signing. He’s a good player. Not a great defender. Hits lefties very well. And I saw with him when the Yankees got him at the trade deadline, a guy who was allin, who became a leader in the clubhouse, particularly among the Latin players. Young guys like Jason Dominguez were always around Rosario. And the Yankees had tried to get Rosario twice before and he went somewhere else. But I guess he he liked his experience in the Bronx and he resigned. That’s a nice signing cuz you’ll sacrifice some defense when you play him against some left-handers at third base instead of McMahon, but you’re going to really up the ante offensively rather than with McMahon against lefties. But there’s still things the Yankees are doing. Supposedly, they still want Cody Bellinger. There’s some rumors about maybe trading um a guy like Jazz Chisum. Now, they trade Chisum. What that means to me is they like him, but they are not going to be in the market at the end of 2026 to resign him to a long-term deal. So, maybe they get somebody that fills some holes and they put somebody at second where they have more control over him. I still don’t think it’s a sure thing that they would trade Jazz, but we’ll see. Again, you can’t sit here and objectively judge what Sterns and Cashman have done because we don’t know what they’re going to do. And one final thing, you’ve listened to me over the last month or so. I was not on board with the Yankees giving Trent Gisham the qualifying offer. $22 million for a guy that was coming off his career year. They think that he tapped into something he’s going to continue to be that player. Okay? But if he was a free agent, I don’t think he would have gotten anywhere close to that. But here’s where I give you a big butt. And I know you like big butts. Cannot lie. Here’s what I give you. If Trent Gisham makes 22 and Jorge Palano makes 20, is Trent Gisham now that drastically overpaid. Think about it now. Palano is more versatile switch hitter, but they’re going to put him in a position they have no idea if he’s going to be great. And Gisham, although he might have lost a step, is still a gold glove winning center fielder. I would not have done it a 100 times out of a 100 times because I I would have liked to have brought back Trent, but maybe on a a three-year deal for 36 million for three years. But the way the market is now, would they have been able to do that? Would they have been able to do that? I’m not sure. 22 for Gisham, 20 for Palanco. It doesn’t seem as outrageous, right? And I’m not advocating for that. That they should have done it. But all of a sudden, the market has gone to a place where you’re paying 20 million for Palano, 22 for Gisham is not as outrageous as we thought. Jason in the Bronx. Jason. Hey, Michael. How’s it going, man? I just want to uh want to thank you for everything that you do. Really enjoy listening to you. Thank you, man. Me through a day in the car. It’s great. Thank you, Jason. I mean, I I grew up a Yankee fan. I I’m 35, so I went through all those glory days obviously, but like I it kind of starting to feel like these aren’t the Yankees that we grew up with. Like, what happened all of a sudden where they’re afraid to go out and be the Yankees that they were? Like, go get who you want. you’re the Yankees. What happened? Well, I think what happened is that there are other people that also can throw around money like the Mets and the Dodgers. And the Yankees are going to be very circumspect about, you know, just going out and and and out buying their problems. So, they’ll have a payroll at around 300. And if if House Burner’s wish comes true in an ideal situation be under under 300, then they’re going to be under 300. and and there’s going to be maybe some holes on the team, but they think they have enough to fill those holes from within. But I still reserve the right to rejudge this because I I think that if push comes to shove and the Yankees are a little short, I think that how would go over 300. I really truly believe that. I really truly believe that. But what happened is the rules have changed. The rules of engagement have changed and there’s competition that could throw money around just like the Yankees if not more so. Rogers Communications, Guggenheim Partners, Steve Cohen, George never had to deal with that. George never had to deal with what Hank or Hal has to deal with. Never. And there are ownorous uh negatives if you go over thresholds a lot. The Dodgers seem to ignore it. The Yankees don’t want to lose their first draft pick. The Yankees don’t want to pay 100% tax. It looks like the Mets don’t either, the way they’re going about this off season. So, the days of going out and shopping at Nean Marcus and getting whatever you want. I don’t I don’t think that’s happening. And I I think that’s why there’s a push within baseball to not have two teams completely outspend and have the ability to outspend everybody else. That’s why they’re pushing for cap. That’s it. That’s why they’re pushing for cap. Let’s go to Hondo in North Brunswick. Hondo. Hey Mike. How’s it going? Good. How you doing Hondo? Good. Good. I just quick question about the Yankees here in free agency and stuff like and I know you’ve talked about this in the past a little bit about like going all in when you have Judge in his prime like I know with the um talks coming up next year with the players association and stuff but are are they like going to try to go all in? Are they saying hey we’re going to be a little more reserved on this right now? Like I I don’t understand kind of what their process is right now. Well, I I think their process is, you know, the owner has come out and said that in an ideal situation, it would be under 300. So, they’re working under that, but again, it could go higher. And they really don’t think that they’re that far off with the pitching staff they have and Garrick Cole coming back. Uh, I think they’re going to try um for Bellinger, but if it gets to an outrageous spot where it’s a seven or eight year deal, I think they tap out. Uh, and I think they’ll go after the Japanese pitcher, Amay. But again, he’s represented by Boris and it becomes outrageous. They’ll tap out again. They look at this team and and Yankee fans don’t want to hear it because they get knocked out by the Blue Jays and they go, “We’re not that far away. If things had gone our way, we’d be in the World Series again.” They were in the World Series two years ago. Now, I can’t speak for them. They’re not telling me what they’re doing, but I’m just trying to read the Tea Leaves having been around this team for as long as I have been. They don’t think that they’re a bad team. They think they’re an excellent team. Remember one thing, when they went into the playoffs last year, Aaron Boon thought they had a real good chance to win a championship. He said they’re healthy. He’s got all these moves to make with the interchangeable parts in the on the bench. He liked everything about the team. Then they sneak by the Red Sox and they got they got a really hot Blue Jay team and they didn’t play well against the Blue Jays all year. But I don’t think they think they have to go out and they have to sign a big-time pitcher. They don’t. Their pitching is going to be great when they all come back. I think they need to tweak the bullpen a little bit, but they’ve got some nice pieces down there and I think that the hope is that they they could sign Bellinger. We’ll see. I’m excited about something. I wonder if you people are as well. The Knicks are in the NBA Cup final tomorrow against the Spurs. I’m really looking forward to this game. I am looking forward to sitting there in front of my TV and watching that game cuz the Knicks really punished the Orlando Magic in the in the semis. What are they going to do tomorrow? We’ll talk about it when we get back. Lead you right into Don Han and Rosenberg right here on ESPN New York77 [Music] for kids. A A R S cars for kids. 1877 Cars for Kids. Donate your car today. 1877 Cars for Kids. Donate your car today. Ready to get rid of that old car? Donate it to Cars for Kids. Call 1877 Cars for Kids to reach a friendly live agent. Donation super easy and your car can be picked up as soon as tomorrow. Call us now. 1877 Cars for Kids. That’s cars with a K to donate your car today. [Music] step for kids. Donate your car today. 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Four out of five employers who post on Ziprecruiter get a quality candidate within the first day. So try it now. Go to ziprecruiter.com/esbn. Once again, that’s ziprecruiter.com/esbdn. [Music] Recruit. Discover a driving experience crafted to inspire at Garden City Mazda. Exceptional design and sophisticated performance come together during the Mazda more to move you sales event. Lease the 2025 Mazda CX-5 for$229 a month for 33 months or the 2025 Mazda CX-50 for 239 a month for 33 months. Both with $49.95 to its signing. It’s the Mazda more to move you sales event at Garden City Mazda. At Garden City Mazda, expect the exceptional. Some stages celebrate. This one tests everything, every drive, every approach, every putt. Pressure builds. Resilience matters. and history waits for the bold. In June, the 2026 US Open Championship returns to the Hamptons at the iconic Shinikok Hills Golf Club. Experience the world’s best golfers competing on one of the sports most storied stages. Don’t just watch greatness, experience it live at the 126th US Open. Daily tickets are available now on SeatGeek. Hey fans, welcome back to Fansville’s Cheers and Tears. Oh, okay. So, like everybody deals with losing, right? To a rival and a last second field goal. Whatever. It’s fine. I’m totally fine. But I cope with losing with an ice cold Dr. Pepper. Those 23 flavors are like so delicious. They totally wash away the pain of your college football team taking a big fat L. College football. It’s a pepper thing. Harry Douglas here and the holidays are rolling in. And if men in your life are struggling with their holiday wish list, tell them to add Manscape to make gift giving easy and completely stress-free this year. From the beard hairdresser to the lawnmower trimmer, Manscape’s precision tools keep you looking sharp, feeling confident, and ready for every event and celebration. Right now at Target, get 20% off on the handyman shaver, beard hedger, and the chairman plus essentials kit. A must-have for a smooth face shave. Hurry up though. Offer ends December 27th. From the regular season to the Super Bowl, ESPN New York is your destination for football. We’ve got crazy fans. If the Giants somehow beat the Cowboys, I’m going to take a dump on your head. You can feel good cuz you’re a damn football team. Expert analysis. Marcus Spears joins us now. ESPN NFL analyst Damen Woody. Mel Kyper Jr. The Hall of Famer Steve Young. He’s kind of our resident general and manager Lewis Riddick. We got Mike Tannibal right now. And all your fantasy and waitering needs. This is ESPN New York. We are football. Oh yeah. Could feel it in the air snowing the other day. Oh yeah. Um first time in 27 years that there will be an NFL postseason without either Pton Manning, Tom Brady, or Patrick Mahomes. So that’s since 1998. That was the year the Yankees won 125 games and won the World Series. So, tying it all together. So, the Knicks will play for the NBA Cup tomorrow night in Vegas. And Brunson has been great in these cup games. He scored 40 uh on Saturday. And the one thing about Brunson that’s I mean so telling, he is a monster when it comes to elimination games. That’s how he was able to win two national championships with Villanovva. If if it’s all on the line, Brunson ups his game. He had a terrible cold on Saturday. Played great. Cat played great. Hart, they all did. Moved the ball beautifully. Uh Hart made a pass like you can’t even believe. Tyler Kick made a pass like you couldn’t believe starting a fast break. They played really, really wonderful basketball. And they’re going to face the San Antonio Spurs tomorrow. The Spurs knocked off the Oklahoma City Thunder in that semi-final and that’s only the second loss that the Thunder suffered all year. Now, does it matter to you to cup? It probably doesn’t cuz it’s new. But I will tell you this, everybody. I think it matters to the players because of the money. So, right now to get it to the game, each team, each player makes about 220 uh,000, but the winner of the game tomorrow gets over 550,000. And even if you make money like Cat or Brunson, 550 is 550, man. So, I’m looking forward to the game. I think it’s going to be fun to see play uh against the Knicks and how they defend him and his unicorn skills. Uh, I think the I really believe just watching them, the Knicks are playing excellent basketball and they even playing better defense than they have. Let’s see what Spike and St. Pete think. Spike. Well, thanks. I want to make a comment about what you said on Friday referring to a couple of people that lost their jobs. Your class shines brighter than ever and thank you for being who you are. That was wonderful. Now, as far as the Knicks go, uh, San Antonio coach, unless Oklahoma City and Mark Daniel wins 76 games, uh, this this kid, uh, Mitch Johnson, I think he’s a Spur Tree guy. It’s like 11 coaches in the NBA. He starts Harrison Bonds, Vassel, Castle, Fox, and WBY. And if I would have told you before the game that’s going to come down to a a play that they practice 20 times at the end of every practice and they just miss on it, you know, that was five hours of great basketball. The Knicks look great. Brunson’s playing like an MVP. OG’s playing like a second or first team all NBA offensive and defensive player. Hart and Bridges, you’re seeing the 250 games they played together with those bounce passes that you alluded to. It’s beautiful basketball. their defensive ratings up to 10th. Offensively, they’re second to third. And I got to give Mike Brown some credit. And Mitchell Robinson, if he could stay on that court 25 minutes, he reminded me of Bill Russell last night playing volleyball, batting the ball to himself. And this kid went by Michael Chamberlain. That’s what I see. I see Chamberlain. The way Chamberlain just just oh his strength, his size, he intimidated everybody. What a great play. I wonder if you feel the same way as as I do, Spike, that the Knicks right now are playing beautiful basketball. I mean, just lovely, aesthetically pleasing basketball, and I give Mike Brown credit for that. I do. Low turnovers, big rebounding team. They’re all shooting at careerh highs from three. They’ve improved their defense. Cat has to stop taking those ridiculous reachin fouls. But the squad, the Kick made a great bounce that you alluded to. The team has got a lot of depth and they look like they’re wired together. It’s a good bunch. They kick with each other, but don’t discount and no you don’t. The the three Villanova guys playing a couple hundred games together between the pros and college. They they know where they are every second. And Brunson gets more points in the paint other than a center than Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore. And I’m sure Spike that you you heard this as well and thank you for the phone call and nice words. Supposedly, the Knicks are talking uh with the Timberwolves about Devincenzo to bring all the Villanova guys together, but right now they can’t match up uh that well in a trade, but the fact that they’re even discussing it, what a what an addition to the bench that would be would be unbelievable. Hey, thanks for being part of the show today. We’ll be back again tomorrow at 1:00. Hope you are as well. Um coming up in just a moment is Don Han and Rosenberg. So, you want to stick around for that. I’ll get in the car right now and listen to them as I drive home. They have a great great show and I want you to enjoy them as well. Again, I’ll be back again tomorrow at 1:00 a.m. Not 1:00 a.m. 100 p.m. 1 to 3. Two hours me and you for two. In the words of Billy Joel, life is a series of hellos and goodbyes. I’m afraid it’s time for goodbye again. See everybody have a wonderful afternoon. If you’ve been injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, then you need a lawyer who knows New York’s unique personal injury and workers compensation laws.
The Michael Kay Show breaks down a packed sports weekend in New York and around the league. We dive into NFL Week 15, with reactions to the biggest moments, key performances, and what the Giants and Jets’ results mean moving forward.
We also take a closer look at the Knicks’ weekend action — what impressed us, what didn’t, and how the team is trending as they enter a critical stretch of the season.
Then, it’s time for New York baseball talk, with updates on the Mets and Yankees, offseason rumors, roster questions, and the latest buzz from around MLB.
Chapters
0:00:00 – Jets Culture + Aaron Glenn Trust
0:29:00 – Steve Young on Smart Quarterbacks’ Longevity
0:49:00 – Caller on Tannenbaum + Jets QB Situation
1:00:00 – Scott Van Pelt on Chiefs Dynasty + Lil’Jordan Humphrey
1:29:00 – Mets & Yankees Moves: Polanco and Rosario
1:45:00 – Jalen Brunson in Elimination Games + NBA Cup Final
Weekday Lineup:
DiPietro & Rothenberg — 6a-10a
Bart & Carlin — 10a-1p
The Michael Kay Show — 1p-3p
Don, Hahn, & Rosenberg — 3p-7p
#ESPNNewYork #NYsports #DiPietro&Rothenberg #BartAndCarlin #TheMichaelKayShow #Don,Hahn,&Rosenberg
4 comments
THE KAYSTER
I like Rosario, but this isn't moving the needle.
😜
Aaron needs to fire himself as well.