Episode 97

This week, the PGA and Bryson DeChambeau, Joey Legano and North Wilkesboro, MLB and The Yankees, NFL pre/post/off season prognostications and paper football tips and tricks!

To get in touch with King Nut, Fabio and Rodney, send an email to dontdropthesoapsports@gmail.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_05 0:00

There's a guy in Richmond, Virginia named King Nutt. You could pull off several firsts and a second and maybe a fifth and a seventh because you've got that much invested in. He ended up on the radio now and then talking sports. What happened on Saturday is not gonna happen on Sunday, just like what happened on Friday night doesn't happen on Saturday. He's even got good life advice.

SPEAKER_01 0:19

If you slap your wife, you're going to jail. With this kind of talent, he needs a sidekick. We'll call him Fabio. And I like the way you're talking. With cell phone in hand, he's a sports talk freak show.

SPEAKER_04 0:32

How are they gonna be able to bond as a team? And that defense hasn't proven anything. They're gonna be able to put up a ton of points, possibly, but how many are they gonna give up?

SPEAKER_01 0:41

But then along comes another sports talk know it all.

SPEAKER_02 0:44

They had every opportunity to win that game.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

His name is Rodney.

SPEAKER_02 0:47

Especially if they get home field advantage. Only got to win two games.

SPEAKER_01 0:50

He uh also sponsors the show. World-class talent like this shouldn't go to waste. So the next step, come up with a podcast with a stupid name. Don't drop the soap sports.

SPEAKER_05 1:01

Don't drop the soap sports.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Wow. From the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, this is the Don't Drop the Soap Sports Podcast. Here's the host, King Nutt, and the other host, Fabio.

SPEAKER_06 1:15

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode, close to 100, as I was just reminded from Ira Fabio Peters of Don't Drop the Soap Sports Podcast, brought to you by HVAC Mechanical, Rodney Cole Insurance Agency at 804-562-6208. Or you can go to Rodney ColeInsurance.com. Please give them a look. They got savings for you. Many, many companies. They underwrite for and they can insure about any damn thing you got. So give them a call. The very knowledgeable staff, great products over there. Or you can go in on any Tuesday night, Thursday night, Wednesday afternoon, Saturday afternoon, or Monday just after breakfast, and find Rodney Game Day Grove over on 301 at 804-789-8005. Great food, great service, great staff, and by golly, cold shock top on draft.

SPEAKER_03 2:10

You know, guys, the the basement flooded a couple weeks ago. I I fixed it, but I should have built an arc, I think. Um we've got enough damn uh rain to float a boat. So Was it raining yesterday?

SPEAKER_06 2:20

Did you get a lot yesterday?

SPEAKER_03 2:21

Hell yeah. It's raining now. I think it's gonna rain tomorrow. I think it's gonna rain in the next 37 days. Wow.

SPEAKER_06 2:28

Is that what we got Wednesday? Yeah, but uh they got the secondary part of that storm, did not make it here. It kept going south of us. Enough to get league games. Oh yeah, grass is green, and that damn creek that I hit into on your golf course is full of water. I wouldn't find that ball anymore. I wouldn't find that ball anymore. Hey, what about golf last week, Ira? What what how was that? I mean, I thought it was pretty damn entertaining. Your boy Bryson D sham show got into something with somebody.

SPEAKER_03 3:00

He got into it with every damn body, it looked like he uh got a little two shot penalty stroke for improving the backswing in the third round. Whether he did meant to do it or he didn't mean to do it, he definitely improved his shot uh backswing there. So it was a two-stroke penalty, ended up shooting, I think it was a tournament. Yeah, second round. You're right, second round. Yeah, because he almost said he wasn't gonna come back. Good call. But overall, I thought the the 154th Royal Burke Dell uh open was a pretty good and you know, pretty good uh tournament there. Ryan Fox, overnight success that's been around for about 10, 12 years, played really good the last two or three years, really. Known for how fast he plays the game, reminds me of you, Brian. Uh not really, but same but different. Just the speed. Yeah, just the speed.

SPEAKER_06 3:48

I was gonna I was gonna chime in there, Ira. If there's a two-stroke penalty for that, and if you're calling guilty. If you just put all my rounds over a lifetime, I'm about a thousand over par right now. I mean, I'm afraid I do that shit every time. Yeah. Whack the shit out of weeds. I I I will whack a weed down even if I don't move the ball.

SPEAKER_03 4:09

Most men don't carry a machete in their bag, but you do. That's cool. I got a ball fetcher and a machete. You had to re-grip the ball ball uh getter, did you? Yeah, that's right. No, but great final round, I thought. Uh Ryan ended up shooting minus two to win minus 10, but Cameron Young really put on a great show on on Sunday, uh, shooting minus six and really had a shot at it. If Frian Fox hadn't drained that last putt, which damn, I think they said from the time that Sam Burns made his putt to the time he made his, it was 33 seconds. So he got up there, looked at it, knocked it in the back of the hole, and went on to start celebrating. But uh for British Open, I thought it was uh uh pretty good. Uh the wind was down uh less than normal. The greens were really receptive. Not your typical links uh action, I thought, but um overall really good. Scotty in there once again, Sam Burns competing once again. So really good uh showing for the Americans at the British Open, even though they didn't take the uh championship. But uh looks like the team's coming along good, and I'm really excited about the President's Cup coming up with the American team. We typically handle the President's Cup Yeah, better a lot better than the Ryan.

SPEAKER_02 5:19

I thought watching that Cameron Young on the last hole, bogey in that hole was was difficult for him. But he was a few groups in front because he played really well. Shot a what did you I think six under? Yeah, six under.

SPEAKER_03 5:32

Hell, he finished over two hours before Ryan Fox did. That's how far out he was going in.

SPEAKER_02 5:37

So But same thing with Scotty, he had chance after chance after chance to just couldn't get putts to fall. The crazy thing we've talked about is with him, even when he's not playing his best, he's still in the running.

SPEAKER_06 5:49

I'd hate to play poker with that son, bitch. I can't tell he just got kicked in the nuts or just won the World Cup. I I don't he's calm. I'd hate to play poker with him.

SPEAKER_03 5:58

So that's your analogy? Kicked in the nuts or world cup?

SPEAKER_06 6:01

I'll try.

SPEAKER_03 6:03

I mean, in the spirit of things.

SPEAKER_06 6:04

I like that, Fabio. In the spirit of things, hey, right before we get into racing, ESPN made some changes. Yes, they did. Thank goodness. The ones that are gone. I I think it's prof you know, I watched Jason Whitlock and he talks about the professionals that they are at baiting what they bait and how they spend things on it. And to be frank with you, frankly, Fabio, ESPN's been fat anyway. Now, what they did not fire was any of their NASCAR coverage. So they go to Wilkesboro. You just told me Logano blistered it up. What made him, he's been there three times, you said a win, a second, and a win. What is he doing?

SPEAKER_03 6:48

Others aren't. You know, there's people, there's guys that can run somewhere really good, and his team has just figured out how to get around that that little short track. Um, yeah, like I said to you earlier before we got on air, um, all-star race there. He dominated it the first time, dominated the second time, and ended up finishing second and just put on a show. I think he lapped all the way up to six there at one time uh on Sunday. It's a track where you didn't need an arrow package. It didn't matter, and all you needed was mechanical grip, and they had that, and they had they had a lot of horsepower coming out of the turn. So he was able to apply all that and and control the race, really, on the track and in the pits. He just never felt like he was behind on anything, which the Fords have haven't done really well this year. Seems like they've been struggling. Uh, right behind it, though, you still had Denny Hamlin up there fighting, you had Bubba Wallace up there fighting. And the person that has shocked me over the last four or five races is Shane Van Gisberg. And he um he ran a great race again and really making a huge push for the playoffs. Looks like he's going, if he doesn't do something catastrophic, he's going to make the field a 16, which nobody would have given him a punch, even a puncher's chance at doing that earlier this year. It's knowing how he's just a road course ringer, but he has really stepped up his oval game, not only on these short tracks, but he was running, he ran good at Atlanta a couple weeks ago on a restrict on a restrictor plate track. So uh it's gonna be interesting. We're only a few races away from the chase and uh seeing how that's gonna come out. But Joey did put an ass whip him on it this week. Good for him. Uh Ford really needed that, but uh I think you'll see him go back to uh needing some arrow packages as we're going into indie this weekend. So we'll see what happens.

SPEAKER_06 8:26

Yeah, I saw Petty this week talk about the need for horsepower at smaller tracks that are not needed for the big ones where the arrow package comes in. And Penskey historically has made, no matter whether it was in Pontiacs or whether he was in Dodges or whether it was in Fords, they're a big motor manufacturer for other teams, so they know how to make horsepower. And I assume that's getting the horsepower to the wheels is what it meant, and that's what they got going. So, off to Indy we go. Rodney in America's pastime, our Yankees just can't get over the top. My pirates are hanging in like a bad case of hemorrhoids. The Padres uh could I I can't believe it. The Dodgers have clearly separated there. The AL West is in turmoil. The AS AL Central's got some strategy going on between a couple other teams. What are you seeing in baseball right now, Rodney, that's making you excited for this home stretch?

SPEAKER_02 9:34

The National League is turning out to be what we thought it would be. It's gonna come down to a couple teams on that side. I think the American League could be any of ten teams because nobody's that good. It's gonna be a situation of who gets hot at the right time, whose pitching comes together. I mean, Tampa has been the most consistent team. Yankees have been up and down and up and down. Look at the Red Sox coming.

SPEAKER_06 10:00

Two months ago, so far back, we didn't even think it was a team.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Two months ago. You're talking about. They were two and a half weeks ago, three weeks ago.

SPEAKER_06 10:07

They're third place. They're above 500. Yes. So here let me ask you this, Ira, and then Rodney will we'll close baseball. That's uh the trade deadline always gets excited in baseball. You always got somebody to unload and it's based on a contract. Somebody's gonna get scoopable. Do you gonna have to have if you are the Yankees Dodgers have endless money, they'll buy. I know, but if you're the Yankees or you're the Braves, or you're the the Brewers uh Iris team, I know that the the Indians, sorry, the mouth commanders or whatever the guardians, comrades, or whatever the hell they are, the White Sox, there's some play in there. Who do you think's the most active, Ira?

SPEAKER_03 10:53

I was sitting here thinking it might be the Red Sox, but I think they're afraid to screw what they've got up going. I think it'd be the Yankees. I think they have to have something big. Uh their inconsistency, especially in the bullpen, uh, they can't seem to get there. Uh they're gonna have to have something big and splash to get that team kick started. I don't see the Braves spending money. I mean, they typically aren't a team that does that. I don't think the Dodgers think they need anything, and I think the Brewers are really happy where they're at right now. So I if it if I had to pick, it's gonna be the Yankees doing something.

SPEAKER_06 11:26

I'm gonna get Rodney's, but I think the Dodgers are like Rodney Cole. So they don't need anything, but I'm gonna buy this anyway. I've walked in the store, this guy who has a bit, but he has the best set of shoes on the planet. He sees a pair of shoes he likes. That's something might not make it out of store. Might be like when we were kids. I remember a mom would take a shopping and say, Can I put them on now? And you put the kids back in the box because you get a pair of Nikes or Converse. Does he show you how fast he can run it? He runs them pretty well because a lot of times he he's scanning it on the way out, just hoping that the UPC hits it. He's got Apple Pay doing it by the way. He does more in a store with cards, data, and phone. One time I saw him scan his watch. I said, This guy's a little ballsy in here. I said, What the hell are you doing, Rodney? He said, I'm just paying for my stuff, man. I said, What do you got, superpowers or something? You're waving that watch across there? He said, Man, what generation are you from? You can do that now. I said, I didn't even see my wallet lately. I don't know how the hell to pay for something. What's a watch? Yeah. You got a pocket watch still, don't you? I do. And that's a bitch works twice a day. Whether you need it or not. That's always right. Who makes the biggest deal, Rodney? Who trades? Because you know somebody always there's something where you you the team that gives up, you go, What are you doing? He's not on his last year. It may be two years out. I'm gonna say Yankees. I'm gonna agree with that. Who do they what do they need? What are they gonna go get?

SPEAKER_02 12:49

Well, if you saw the last week, the lefty came back, Freel, uh, Freed, whatever his name is. That big three, you threw Scoobyl in with that. Their closer's been good. They're getting to their closer for the most part has been the problem. I don't know what they're gonna get in the bullpen, but I think they're gonna get Scoobyl.

SPEAKER_06 13:09

Time will tell. Last question on baseball, with this trade deadline coming up, and you think they're improved, are they are they able to pull that division out before the end of the year? Yes. So not a wild card team.

SPEAKER_02 13:22

I think they'll win the division. I think Tampa Bay will be a wild card.

SPEAKER_06 13:26

Is there two now in baseball?

unknown 13:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_06 13:29

So three division winners, two wild cards, or three wild cards.

SPEAKER_02 13:35

It's gotta be an even number. It's four divisions. No. It's three divisions. Three divisions, three wild cards.

SPEAKER_06 13:42

Yeah, there's six total wild card games. Three and eight. So you gotta figure maybe Boston's in place one of that, and what either Tampa or New York, but it it's probably biased biasly speaking here.

SPEAKER_02 13:54

When we talk about Boston in a month and a half, we might be saying the exact opposite of what they're doing now.

SPEAKER_06 13:58

Dude, I could. That happens frequently in baseball, in particular, the momentum swing. Golf, ESPN, NASCAR, baseball. Now we get to the passion. As you know, the last two weeks we covered the last place teams in each division, gave a little prognostication on them. Now we're gonna cover the second week third last week, and now we're up to second place teams. Fabio, I'm gonna start with you for our first one. The Buffalo Bills, who were uh, you know, over their expected win total, but they did not get to where they thought they would be. They were uh fourth out of 32 in points for and twelfth out of thirty-two in points allowed, yet fire ahead coach. Um a little bit difficult for me to understand that, but I mean I appreciate them changing. Uh total yards in uh the league. Uh they were fourth in offense, same as they were in scoring, but they were seventh in yards in defense and twelfth in points. I thought that was a pretty solid team. New England came out of anywhere. Fabio, I'll start with you and then we'll question Rodney with what came in from some listeners' question. Fabio, do they improve on that mark and get back to their rightful place at the top of that division?

SPEAKER_03 15:28

Yes, I think they win the division this year. I think the Patriots will slip significantly. I think the addition of Moore at the wide receiver position is going to be big for him. I think he needed a true number one. He hadn't had that in a while. Just been kind of spreading it around. And the offense has really, really been their staple. I think that's why they went with Joe Brady as their coach. Um what I think they're needing is still more defensive line. Get pressure on the other quarterback, other team's quarterback. But I like everything that they've done this in the preseason here. Um preseason, offseason. It was a pre-off season. The best.

SPEAKER_02 16:02

It was a pre-post offseason. A post-pre-off season.

SPEAKER_03 16:06

But I do like what they've done. It's been a solid team for the last four or five years. Um McDermott did a great job, just could not get them over the hump. But I think they had to do something to your point. Um, Joe Brady's been consistent for them, so they'll win that division, I think, going away this year.

SPEAKER_02 16:22

They may win that division and not have as good a record as they had last year. They could.

SPEAKER_06 16:26

Miami and Newton and the Jets, we both I don't think they get any better. Miami could shock some people. Everybody in New York thinks the Jets have found, you know, Geno Smith's second coming back is going to do something. Rodney, I had a listener question, particularly around the coach. So they make a head coaching change with Sean McDermott. He's out. If he was in Pittsburgh, he'd still be there. Yeah, well, he'd probably be there and about twenty-nine other teams too.

SPEAKER_02 16:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 16:53

So my question, the question was, what drove that decision, in your opinion, because the national media says that it was some internal squabbling what drove the uh decision to move on from him, in your opinion.

SPEAKER_02 17:09

I don't know if he had any issues with the quarterback, Josh Allen, but I think their decision came down to we've got Josh Allen in his prime, and you only have so many years. Look at the Chiefs. Everybody thought they were going to be great last year, and everything went wrong, couldn't win a close game after the year before winning every close game. You only have so many years that you're in that top upper echelon, you you can't waste them. I don't think he did anything per se wrong. Like you said, there's a lot of other teams that would love to have Buffalo's track record. But when you're going through that and you're that close that many times.

SPEAKER_06 17:48

Never won a Super Bowl, been to four of them, lost them in a row.

SPEAKER_02 17:51

I was even right now in the Josh Allen, they can't get there.

SPEAKER_06 17:57

If you're the ownership group, I think you're putting pressure like hell, we can't afford, we're wasting this guy's prime years.

SPEAKER_00 18:06

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SPEAKER_01 18:43

You're listening to the Don't Drop the Soap Sports Podcast with King Nutt, Fabio, and Rodney.

SPEAKER_06 18:51

Now, second question to that. Give me a yes or no on this. Is Josh Allen a top five quarterback in the league?

SPEAKER_02 19:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 19:01

Ira?

SPEAKER_03 19:02

Oh, most definitely. He's top two, I would imagine. Who do you got ahead of him? I would put Burrow ahead of him if he had the talent around him. Gotcha.

SPEAKER_02 19:11

Don't like you. He's got the weapons. He needs offensive line help. Yeah, that's what I'm meaning. Well, you got to be.

SPEAKER_06 19:25

Which leads me to the next underachievement organization to my great loving wit. The Baltimore Ravens, who finished a year ago at 8-9, missed a kick that could have sent them to the playoffs in the Steelers home. But they didn't. Fired a coach for the same situation. The other team fired a coach. Ira, do you believe it was time for Harbaugh to go?

SPEAKER_03 19:56

I do, man. He's underachieved for several years in a row. And maybe it's different behind closed doors, but I never saw the passion or fire out of him when I thought he needed it. And um, very, very conservative last two years, I would say, two to three years on his play calling. I just uh thought it was time for them to make a change. I think Jesse Mentor coming from the Chargers was a good pick for them. I think you'll see some uh some different energy in that group. Definitely needed. I think Harbaugh will be great for the Giants, but I think the Ravens needed a change as well. Just like Bills needed.

SPEAKER_06 20:30

Rodney, just like Tomlin out, both Harbaugh and Tomlin were known as defensive guys. Last few years, both of those defensive have kind of underachieved. They were 24th in yards to go along with what I tell you, 18th in points allowed. He is a defensive guy. And then the same guy you hired you fired, his offensive coordinator didn't know sh from third base, gets a head coaching job somewhere else. Rodney, I ask you what changes the outlook of the Baltimore Ravens this year that they didn't have last year.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

Well, anytime you have change in leadership, you're gonna have changes. You're gonna I see them being a team that will go back. I don't think Lamar Jackson is gonna be as good moving forward as he's been in the past. You get beat up and beat up and beat up, and I think they will be a team that will have a worse record this year than last year. Which I know you love.

SPEAKER_06 21:26

Oh yeah, if if you were right about everything, I'd like for you to be right about that. I they go backwards or forwards?

SPEAKER_03 21:32

They go forward. Uh, why is it? They're better than nine and eight. Is that is that's what they were last year? They're just a better team than that. Eight and nine, excuse me. I think they're more of a round and eleven win team, is where I have them projected to end up this year. Where are they without Lamar? Just like most teams are.

SPEAKER_02 21:48

I would say as most teams would be in trouble.

SPEAKER_03 21:51

Exactly where Kansas City was last year. They're gonna be struggling for wins, but as long as he's the last team.

SPEAKER_06 22:00

Again, his style was just different. It started early and it war on him. Even when he was finishing seasons early on, younger, that wear, even though he made it through that, begins to take its toll on him with age sort of like you running out of a store with your shoes, paying with your watch. You're just not as fast as you used to be doing that.

SPEAKER_03 22:19

What worries me about him the most is really their running back position with uh Henry getting older and really haven't they haven't addressed anything there. That's where I would worry more than anything. If something happens to him, I don't think Justice Hills is going to be able to pick up the pieces like like you would want him to, and that's where they're gonna struggle and really key in on uh Lamar.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

In that division, and we won't ask Bubba because he's with the Steelers like I am, the Vikings. Pittsburgh first, Baltimore second, Cincinnati third last year. You think Pittsburgh's better? No. You think Cincinnati's better? Yes. Than they were last year. Yes. I think Cincinnati will be better. I I see those two flipping. I think Cincinnati will be better in Baltimore. I didn't say Pittsburgh would be bet be worse.

SPEAKER_06 23:02

Well, I did, because he just likes nut kicking. He likes nut kicking through the computer. He's got Gensu Kong Fu through the computer.

SPEAKER_03 23:11

I'm pretty tough on the other end of this microphone. Hey, move on to the Texans. This is something And don't forget Trey Henderson. That'll be a big difference on the defense, guys.

SPEAKER_06 23:20

Well, they lost some, they lost at center. They just signed a guy that had coronary and carter act uh uh surgery. Missed guy had to pass a physical for league minimum. They think that's big. They're bringing him in. Uh the Texans, funny ass story, 13th and points for second and points allowed. In offensive yards, they're 18th, and defensive yards they're first. They're stout. D'Amico Ryans knows what the hell he's doing. They wore the assed in of the Pittsburgh Steelers out in the first round of playoffs, but they didn't have enough to get to Jacksonville.

SPEAKER_02 23:53

Do they have enough this year, Rodney? I think that division will end the same way it did last year. Jacksonville won, Houston two, Indian Tennessee are going to struggle. Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 24:03

Well, Ira, is the quarterback position a concern for you in Houston?

SPEAKER_03 24:08

Yes, because of the offensive line. I think that's their problem, is the offensive line. CJ, when he has time, he's he's been he's been accurate. He's made smart decisions. I think David Montgomery, them getting him as a great addition. Uh I think he's a good pro. He's a tough runner up the middle. He can catch it out of the backfield. I think that'll be a big deal. They can just share up that interi offensive line. That's that'll make a huge difference. You think about Stroud's uh rookie year. He had a great offensive line. You know, how how great he was compared to all the other quarterbacks that got drafted. Uh they were and then he's regressed ever since then. Defense made the playoffs for him last year at defense is nasty. We all talked about that last year, but I like them going to number one. I think they're better in Jacksonville. I think Trevor Lawrence will continue to ascend.

SPEAKER_06 24:56

And we'll get to that next week. But I I agree with you that there's something about that Liam, the coaching staff in Jacksonville is not going to give up. And I do say quickly before we run to the next team, which is the Chargers. That draft where we had CJ Stroud, Bryce Young coming out, we immediately went right to Bryce Young as a bus. CJ Stroud is the man. Do you still see it that way, Ira, or is it different?

SPEAKER_03 25:22

I don't see either one of them as being superstars right now. I see it. I see the progression of Carolina and I see the regression of CJ Stroud, really. It's just been him, it's been the offensive line. So I think they're very, very comparable to each other. I don't think uh I think they would either quarterback in the in the other position would be about where they're at. I won't say either one of them has a bust, though.

SPEAKER_06 25:42

Right, you agree with that? I do. All right. I do. Moving on to the Chargers, another horrible, loses the defensive quarter coordinator to take his brother's spot. This is getting a little embridged here. He goes to Baltimore, but he does get that sweatpant wearing ass former Miami Dolphin coaches as offensive coordinator, where they were 20th in points scored last year, ninth in points allowed, so there's a loss there. But they were twelfth in yards on offense, didn't equate to scoring, and fifth in yards on defense, which you know again, very solid. I think they got one of the better quarterbacks in the game. I think McDaniel will come over there. Mike, I think is the name, a sweatpant guy. I think he'll come over there and make a difference for them. He'll throw some wrinkles in it, some kind of uh run heavy type thing where he'll get them uh a lot of play action out of because I think that's where Herbert uh stands. Tough division, though. The Raiders had to have gotten better. Sign Madoza yesterday, by the way, to a fully guaranteed contract. Kansas City, you would think by just getting healthy, they would get a little better. And then clearly uh your winner in the Broncos, they think they did enough to make themselves Super Bowl contenders. We'll get into them next week. But Rodney first, are the Chargers real here? Chargers will win that division.

SPEAKER_02 27:07

Chargers will win the division. Denver will fall back some. They were 14-3, so it's hard not to fall back some. Kansas City is all dependent on how quickly he can come back from his knee.

SPEAKER_06 27:17

I don't think he comes back as quick.

SPEAKER_03 27:19

But anyway, Ira, I think um Chargers every year, every year for the last three or four years have just been hyped up so much, and they haven't they haven't been able to live up to it. I don't think they'll win the division. I think the biggest thing they've done, you talked about it. Mike McDaniel is a offensive genius. When it comes to designing plays, he's going to be good for them, but they they just can't stay healthy at what at uh running back. Hampton got hurt last year. Their wide receiver core isn't very dynamic at all. Um, I just don't think he has enough talent around him to make a deep run. Here's what I tell you.

SPEAKER_06 27:56

McDaniel reminds me of when I'd play Sega Genesis football with my brothers, and them some bitches would run trick plays all the time that worked. Yep. Now the other thing I want to do, remember I used to tell you I wanted to restitch the sleeves back on Belichick's hoodies. I literally want to run up the sideline and grab that some bitch's pants legs and pull them down. There's no need for one of your sweatpants legs to be higher than the other, particularly when you got two picks for legs. I'll move on. Move over to the East here. We're gonna do this quick. Rodney's got five minutes, so we're gonna do this one quick. The Dallas Cowboys, let me help you with my opinion. A year ago, they were seventh in points and second in total yards, but on defense they were 32nd in points, which means they were last and 30th in yards. They have enough sh on offense, and I'll tell you, Dakota Prescott has become, to me, one of the finest passers of the football in the league, and I think McCarthy helped him in his time there, and I think Schottenheimer's taken it's a little bit better. I know that they but they are the Dallas Cowboys, and for some reason, this 9-8, 8-9 is where I find them at again.

SPEAKER_03 29:07

Am I wrong, Ira? No, you're not wrong. At the most 10 games, I think. They haven't done enough to fix that defense. Their offense is to your point, is is second to none last year, and I think they'll be right there again. Uh they drafted five players on defense. It's gonna take time for them to figure out if they're gonna make it, what kind of impact they're gonna do. I just don't think they've done enough on that side of the ball. They don't have enough money to do anything with it.

SPEAKER_02 29:30

That division could be similar to the South of last year. I don't think anybody dominates that division. I don't think Philly's any better. And I do feel the Giants are better. The Giants automatically got better. I think Harbaugh is two wins, just culture. So see them being better, seeing Dallas being about the same, and I see Philly falling.

SPEAKER_06 29:52

That's about right. So now we go to your division, Rodney. I'll start with you first because it's your favorite team to pull for when not pulling for the Vikings. The Green Bay Packers last year under Matty LaFleur, uh, you know, they made a big trade to get Parsons. He's out at what I'm reading till October based on his heel need for healing, not heel. Healing. Uh 15th, this is ironic, sixteenth and points four on offense, fifteenth in yards, defense eleventh in points four and twelfth in yards. So very similar results. So where they were in yards, they were in points both sides. Rodney, do the Packers get better this year?

SPEAKER_02 30:33

No, they could be the last place team in the division, not because they're the least most uh the least talented or the worst team, but they're playing a second place schedule and Detroit's playing a fourth place schedule. Makes a difference. Much difference.

SPEAKER_03 30:49

Makes a difference. Ira, what about them? They're gonna they're gonna be another solid team. I think the problem is they they haven't done enough to uh sure up the offensive line. I mean, love struggles when he doesn't have time. Most quarterbacks struggle, but he really struggles when they when they can't do it. Now Josh Jacobs is getting a little bit long in the tooth as well for a running back, and they haven't done anything to address that either. So uh offensive line's not enough. I I see them staying about win record where they're at. I don't know where that will follow them in the division, but I think they'll stay very similar to where they were. You got them at 10 and 7? Oh right there. I mean 10 and yeah, somewhere right in that.

SPEAKER_06 31:24

Yeah, I think the over-under on them is nine and a half. So you know, you're you're nine, eight, ten and seven. I think that division is shockingly good. Uh for some reason I think Detroit, you know, I think our first week of doing this hour, we thought Detroit had missed their coaches and they could continue that missing stat, but I I don't know about it. So we'll give it a look-see. I like it. Uh Tampa Bay was second place in the division that had a first place winner that was under 500. That happens five or six times in the league's history. I think Tampa, you know, 18th in points for 21st in yards, 20th on points given, and 19th in yards. Not normal Todd Bowles type defense, but certainly not the offense that they had to come, you know, Baker's first year or two. Rodney, uh, let me go let me shot, let me switch this to Ira because Ira is a big Baker guy. Where do they finish in that division this year?

SPEAKER_03 32:25

I think they win the division this year. I don't maybe 10 wins will win it. Um Baker struggled last year without Mike Evans when he was out hurt. So who's taking Mike Evans' place is really what it matters. Is is Godwin gonna be able to stay healthy and take it? Is uh Abuka gonna be able to come up and take that position or running game struggle? Bucky Irving really struggled last year, and thus Baker struggled. So if they can find a consistent, consistent guy for him to get the ball to out of his hands quick and get some running game, they're gonna be hard to beat because uh nobody plays with more fire than he does. Uh definitely type of guy that uh hates to lose more than he likes to win, and and it shows, and I I like that on the field. So I got them winning that division.

SPEAKER_02 33:09

Tampa Falls. Atlanta and Carolina fight for the division.

SPEAKER_06 33:13

Well, I I watched Cam Newton sack a sh whatever he said about Matt Ryan's first decision was to bring in Kevin Stepan. And that was the right guy. I mean, they had had defensive coaches and their defense hadn't gotten any f better. You might as well give them a chance with an offensive guy. You got two left-handed quarterbacks until Penix comes back. You got Tua. If you want, you need a guy when that does they have a pretty solid offensive unit over there. So, but Tampa to me, I'm not sure. They just don't have firepower. Like, even they don't have that one guy where you say, damn, he's the best linebacker in football, or he's the best wide receiver in football. I think that's why that division's gonna go. Uh last one, the Rams, who I think's the best team in football. I did a year ago. They were first in points for first in yards, tenth in points against, uh, and seventeenth in yards, so they were a little stingy. They had some bend and don't break, middle of the pack on yards, but top third in uh points. Rodney, I'll start with you upon your exit. Are they the best team of football with Miles Garrett coming over?

SPEAKER_02 34:24

Or did not like them right now, and as we talked about before, be surprised if Donald comes back. Those two teams that fought for it last year will fight for it again. I know Fabio's a big 49er fan, but I think the the Seahawks and the and the Rams will decide that division.

SPEAKER_03 34:43

On paper, they're the best team in football right now. But we're not playing it on paper, right? It shocks me that a team that's gonna be. I did it at lunch.

SPEAKER_06 34:49

Remember that? We had those footballs we kick and squeeze, and that'll get you though. Overachieving. That'll be that'll be that's right. I one thing I was good at lunch.

SPEAKER_03 34:59

I was good there in school. A team that's a that's a right now win mentality shocks me with their with their first draft pick of Ty Simpson. Thinks they could have gone out and got another weapon for Stafford, but Aaron Donald maybe coming back is a big deal. And is it enough incentive to be playing a Super Bowl at home enough for them to get there? I mean, we'll see. Because if they're playing at SoFi this year, so it could be a it could be a home game for them. If it is, that will be a big deal, and it'll solidify Matt Stafford as a as a Hall of Famer.

SPEAKER_06 35:31

Let me ask you, if if you were drafting right now, and we talked about you know, quarterbacks, Josh and Burrow, and I still think Stafford's a top five slinger, man. I do too. I still think I and listen, I know this is biased and it has nothing to do with Rogers like being a Steeler, because I would have said this before that. You know, Brady says Rogers is the best throw of the football he'd ever seen, the thrower. So I still think Rogers at 43 can sling it, but Stafford has something different even as he's getting to that 4-0.

SPEAKER_03 36:05

I he throws it, dude. Yeah, and he's been beat all to death in his career before he got to the Rams, you know. So he's probably in age, uh football age, he's in his 40s, I would imagine, as many hits as that man's took. But he's when he's healthy in his back, he is he to your point, he throws a pretty football, and he's probably with the velocity and uh accuracy, he's definitely top five for sure.

SPEAKER_06 36:29

Still the best division in football, you think?

SPEAKER_03 36:31

Yeah, I think it is. Yeah, you can put anybody in there but the Cardinals, they would be that'd be a phenomenal division.

SPEAKER_06 36:37

Yeah, well, I mean, hella, I mean, even the A AFC West, you already had even when there were three good ones, there was always one bad one. It wasn't always the Raiders either. And the East got like that. Every year there's a division, but this one seems to be pretty damn consistent all the time. Um, really consistent.

SPEAKER_03 36:56

You just see what Seattle sold for? Yeah. Almost $10 billion.

SPEAKER_06 37:01

Yeah, I get Rodney had that sh on his watch.

SPEAKER_03 37:03

I would imagine he probably ran out the door.

SPEAKER_06 37:06

He could have probably sprinted right up to him and said, Look here, fellas. I got this. I got this. I got these new shoes on. And what they told me was he he says, Yeah, I'd love when he does it at lunch. I got this. Uh next time I go to buy something like the Seahawks, I'll see if he'll step up and do it again. You know, I got this. And I can just pop it off my watch, you know. He's a really, really, really, really nice. Really nice guy. That's what Al always said. Nice guy. In fact, I think maybe for the hundredth episode, we should do an hour long and get Al back on it to do some training cam shit too. That would be awesome. Hey, closing thoughts of this. Thank you all for listening. Uh, be kind to our sponsors, Jimmy Levy over at HVAC Mechanical, and certainly Rodney Cole at Rodney Cole Insurance, HC 804-569-6208 for Rodney Cole InsuranceAG.com.

SPEAKER_03 37:57

Closing thoughts there, Fabio. Yeah, next week we figure out uh we go to the winners. Um probably the hardest. They're they they did everything right last year. Uh, what happened to them in the offseason, preseason, postseason, all those type of seasons to get better. And uh obviously some of them are gonna slip. I think we're gonna talk about the Patriots next uh next week, and I believe that's a team that won't even make the playoffs. So uh there's there's a lot of movement that happened. Uh we're one week closer to this starting, and I love it. Uh can't wait for it. Got you.

SPEAKER_06 38:32

I'm looking forward to next. We're gonna go. This was a Friday tape. We're gonna go um Monday quick turnaround here, just based on my travel. I head to Vegas on Tuesday for a national meeting. I don't know why I'm going, but I am going to do that. Yeah, I don't I wouldn't say that. Um thank you for listening. Thank you for all the time. Thank you for our engineer Chris Weigel. If you need any work done like that, by golly, let us know. Send us an email. I appreciate the emails we got this week or the questions on the bills, keep them coming. Send us a Facebook message. You can go to our Facebook page and like it at Don't Drop the Soap Sports. Uh, and uh we will talk to you next week.

SPEAKER_03 39:11

You you did mention our hundredth episode coming up. I would love for some of our listeners to send their favorite moments of what we've done uh over the last several years now to get to this 100. Uh we enjoy doing this each week. Um, just kind of curious what the listeners have to say and uh what what they liked about the first uh hundred episodes.

SPEAKER_06 39:32

That's awesome. You're so smart.

SPEAKER_03 39:35

Brother, when I don't have anything to do, I'm a patch of hell.

SPEAKER_06 39:37

I love that, man. Like me in the lunch room with a football with the taper football. I tape the sh out of mine too. Some people stake with them, but that it that was always ended up in a bloody finger.

SPEAKER_03 39:48

See, it always went when they kick it, everybody kicked the big end, I flipped mine around and kicked the small end. Big too. I did too. Gives you more of a mass.

SPEAKER_06 39:56

I like that when a finger my size needs mass like that, because I could hook another one. Put a man's eye out with that if you ain't careful. For sure. All right, my man, we will talk to you all next week.

SPEAKER_01 40:09

If you want to reach out to King Nut or Fabio, do it by email. Don't drop the soapsports at gmail.com.