WEBVTT - 10-18-25 Sports Talk with Chick Ludwig 0:00:34.600 --> 0:00:44.280 Six nine in the Queen City of Cincinnati. Chicklag wigon 0:00:44.560 --> 0:00:48.040 seven hundred wl W. This is Sports Talk, a one 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:53.040 hour sprint to seven o'clock tonight leading into the University 0:00:53.040 --> 0:00:57.160 of Cincinnati football at Oklahoma State. And what a night 0:00:57.200 --> 0:00:59.160 we have here in the Natty, and what a week 0:00:59.200 --> 0:01:03.360 it's been. We have FC Cincinnati hosting CF Montreal as 0:01:03.400 --> 0:01:07.760 we speak on Fan Appreciation Night at TQL Stadium. The 0:01:07.760 --> 0:01:11.920 match can be heard on ESPN fifteen thirty. The Cincinnati 0:01:11.959 --> 0:01:15.520 Cyclones host the Wheeling Nailers with the puck dropping at 0:01:15.520 --> 0:01:17.559 seven thirty at the Heritage Bank Center. 0:01:18.000 --> 0:01:20.759 But I want to go back forty eight hours to. 0:01:20.760 --> 0:01:23.280 The Bengals thirty three to thirty one victory over the 0:01:23.280 --> 0:01:26.480 Pittsburgh Steelers, and we bring in our good friend Mike 0:01:26.520 --> 0:01:32.600 Petralia of CLNS Media clnssince he dot com and the 0:01:32.600 --> 0:01:36.760 host of the Jungle Roar podcast. Mike, Happy sweetest day 0:01:36.800 --> 0:01:39.640 of your significant other, Debbie, How are you tonight? 0:01:40.800 --> 0:01:41.840 That is very. 0:01:41.720 --> 0:01:46.160 Lovely of you, and Debbie no doubt appreciates this. I'm 0:01:46.160 --> 0:01:50.960 sure she's listening, so I'm sure she's cackling, laughing and smiling, 0:01:51.000 --> 0:01:54.040 So I appreciate that let me also add I've never 0:01:54.080 --> 0:01:58.840 been introduced by the Raspberries bumper music so outstanding seven 0:01:58.960 --> 0:01:59.960 early seventies choice. 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:04.640 Thank you, absolutely fantastic. First off, how exciting was that 0:02:04.760 --> 0:02:10.240 game on Thursday night, Mike PETRELLI was? It was spectacular, 0:02:10.280 --> 0:02:12.040 It really was. It was well played. 0:02:12.120 --> 0:02:14.880 Yes, there were a few penalties called chick, but you 0:02:14.960 --> 0:02:17.960 expect that on a short week when execution is not 0:02:18.560 --> 0:02:22.280 always at peak level. I would say, I think that's 0:02:22.320 --> 0:02:25.640 fair to say. But in terms of the offensive execution, 0:02:26.120 --> 0:02:28.480 it was great to see a gun slinging shootout for 0:02:28.560 --> 0:02:31.799 the final three quarters of that game. I must tell 0:02:31.840 --> 0:02:35.240 you early on I had my doubts ten to nothing Pittsburgh, 0:02:35.240 --> 0:02:38.520 and it felt like Pittsburgh was putting the Bengals in 0:02:38.560 --> 0:02:42.200 a meat grinder and kind of do the slow grind, 0:02:42.600 --> 0:02:48.080 slow boil of the Bengals when that game started. But 0:02:48.880 --> 0:02:52.840 when the Bengals got the two runs from Chase Brown 0:02:53.040 --> 0:02:56.280 of twenty seven and thirty seven yards and started to 0:02:56.400 --> 0:03:02.040 pry open that Pittsburgh defensive line, eyebrows were raised and like, well, 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:03.880 we haven't seen this before. 0:03:04.200 --> 0:03:05.400 Really at all this year. 0:03:05.600 --> 0:03:08.720 And when that started to happen and the Bengals started 0:03:08.720 --> 0:03:11.080 to get the short passing game going, and then Flacco 0:03:11.240 --> 0:03:16.320 found Jamar and t before halftime for touchdowns. I started 0:03:16.360 --> 0:03:19.280 to think to myself, well, now I think they have 0:03:19.360 --> 0:03:22.760 an offensive rhythm. And you know, the second half was 0:03:22.919 --> 0:03:25.839 just back and forth. Neither team could really stop each 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:29.120 other in the third quarter, and then for the Bengals 0:03:29.120 --> 0:03:30.959 to give up the lead and then come right down 0:03:31.000 --> 0:03:34.200 the field and win the game. And you saw hetty 0:03:34.240 --> 0:03:38.240 play from T Higgins. Kudos to Doug Rossveld, and I 0:03:38.320 --> 0:03:41.960 know Ted Kerris made mention in this to me after 0:03:42.000 --> 0:03:45.680 the game. They knew what they were doing situationally, and 0:03:45.720 --> 0:03:47.040 that's the reason they won the game. 0:03:47.080 --> 0:03:48.400 They were able to kill. 0:03:48.800 --> 0:03:51.960 Most of the remaining you know, minute and fifteen seconds, 0:03:52.520 --> 0:03:55.960 twenty seconds. When T Higgins made that sliding catch. 0:03:56.000 --> 0:03:57.360 I've never been so happy. 0:03:57.440 --> 0:04:01.080 Mike PETRELLI up to see Aaron Rodgers hook up with 0:04:01.880 --> 0:04:04.960 that tight end that kills the Bengals with two and 0:04:05.000 --> 0:04:07.800 a half minutes to go. I said, yeah, that hurts, 0:04:08.040 --> 0:04:10.720 but there's still plenty of time to go down and 0:04:11.040 --> 0:04:15.520 wipe out that wipe out that one one point lead. 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:17.160 Yeah. 0:04:17.200 --> 0:04:19.480 And I had the same kind of feeling, chick that 0:04:20.160 --> 0:04:23.839 Pat Fryarmouth kills the Bengals two more touchdowns, both in 0:04:23.880 --> 0:04:27.400 the second half on Thursday night. I think he's had 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:29.440 something like two hundred and twenty five two hundred and 0:04:29.440 --> 0:04:33.080 thirty yards against the Bengals in his last two seasons, 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:35.640 and he's just been a Bengal killer. But when I 0:04:35.680 --> 0:04:38.919 looked up and saw whatever it was to eighteen to 0:04:39.040 --> 0:04:44.760 go in the game and thought to myself, well, Flacco 0:04:45.040 --> 0:04:48.839 has an offensive rhythm behind him. This Bengal offense is 0:04:48.920 --> 0:04:51.799 finally playing with a degree of confidence and they only 0:04:51.839 --> 0:04:55.560 need a field goal. And Evan McPherson has his mojo 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:58.800 back this season. That's another thing that I think kind 0:04:58.800 --> 0:05:01.720 of got lost on Thursday night. Evan McPherson was four 0:05:01.800 --> 0:05:04.359 for four and he's back to the form that he 0:05:04.560 --> 0:05:07.080 was in twenty twenty one and twenty twenty two. But 0:05:07.920 --> 0:05:10.560 as soon as I saw that there was not much 0:05:10.600 --> 0:05:14.440 time left after the sixty eight yard touchdown pass, I thought, well, 0:05:14.480 --> 0:05:17.360 the Bengals definitely have a chance if they play this right, 0:05:17.440 --> 0:05:19.719 to kill out the clock and kick the field goal. 0:05:20.080 --> 0:05:24.480 Mike Petralia with us following on Twitter at trags and 0:05:24.920 --> 0:05:29.719 loved your story on Clnssincy dot com Bengals beat for 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:34.479 one night. Joe Flacco reignites the Bengals explosive offense. Now, 0:05:35.120 --> 0:05:37.800 Mike Petrellia, how can it continue for the rest of 0:05:37.839 --> 0:05:38.280 the season. 0:05:39.720 --> 0:05:42.159 The offensive line needs to play the way they did. 0:05:42.800 --> 0:05:44.240 I mean, it's not going to be perfect for the 0:05:44.240 --> 0:05:46.960 rest of the year, but they need to play with 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:49.800 physicality that was missing in the first five games of 0:05:49.839 --> 0:05:52.320 the season. There's no doubt for six games of the season, 0:05:53.440 --> 0:05:56.640 and there's no doubt that's why they struggled offensively in 0:05:56.680 --> 0:06:00.200 those games. And I think the other thing that needs 0:06:00.240 --> 0:06:03.800 to happen is they have to be committed to running 0:06:03.800 --> 0:06:07.000 the football. If you can run the football effectively, doesn't 0:06:07.000 --> 0:06:08.599 mean you have to run it twenty five or thirty 0:06:08.640 --> 0:06:11.240 times a game. If you can run it effectively and 0:06:11.279 --> 0:06:15.279 with purpose fifteen to twenty maybe twenty two times a game. 0:06:15.800 --> 0:06:19.359 And give Joe Flacco the option of play action and 0:06:19.440 --> 0:06:22.719 he is maybe not Boomer a Sizin level, but he's 0:06:22.760 --> 0:06:25.920 pretty darn close in terms of his ability to sell 0:06:26.000 --> 0:06:29.279 play action pass. The Bengals are going to have a 0:06:29.360 --> 0:06:32.440 chance to really start to get their offense going, and 0:06:32.480 --> 0:06:35.560 you're going up against the Jets and the Bears. Look, 0:06:35.560 --> 0:06:38.520 every team has a good defensive front, but those two 0:06:38.520 --> 0:06:42.200 teams are inconsistent. And I think with those two teams 0:06:42.240 --> 0:06:45.760 coming into pay Corps, you have a chance here to 0:06:45.960 --> 0:06:50.720 really get Flaco some offensive rhythm, get the defense. Well, 0:06:51.080 --> 0:06:53.479 they need to certainly work on some things during this 0:06:54.000 --> 0:06:57.280 mini buy and going into next week against the Jets. 0:06:57.680 --> 0:07:00.240 But the thing that is going to get Flaco and 0:07:00.320 --> 0:07:03.280 the offense are allow it to continue what it did 0:07:03.320 --> 0:07:06.520 on Thursday night is the offensive line playing at the 0:07:06.600 --> 0:07:07.840 level it did Thursday night. 0:07:08.200 --> 0:07:14.520 Totally agree Mike Petrellium. I can't the nickname Joe Cool 0:07:14.840 --> 0:07:18.920 is already taken by Joe Burrow. So love the Joe 0:07:19.040 --> 0:07:24.440 calm that the offensive coaches have labeled on Joe Flacco. Now, 0:07:24.600 --> 0:07:27.600 I will say that these two teams, the Steelers and 0:07:27.640 --> 0:07:31.840 the Bengals, they turned pay Course Stadium into Geriatric Park. 0:07:32.200 --> 0:07:35.560 That was just an unbelievable performance really by both quarterbacks. 0:07:36.400 --> 0:07:41.320 How much confidence does this give Joe Flacco and the Bengals. 0:07:42.680 --> 0:07:43.560 It's a great point. 0:07:43.640 --> 0:07:46.280 And by the way, may I add that Joe Cool, 0:07:46.400 --> 0:07:51.800 what Joe Flacco was Joe Cool originally? Just to be fair, 0:07:51.840 --> 0:07:54.840 It's just so we're actually and historically accurate here, chick. 0:07:55.560 --> 0:07:58.960 But the thing that I think we need to take 0:07:59.040 --> 0:08:04.520 from the two performances on Thursday night is that Aaron 0:08:04.600 --> 0:08:07.680 Rodgers was going to do what he did within the 0:08:07.720 --> 0:08:10.840 confines of throwing to his tight ends. He went deep 0:08:10.840 --> 0:08:14.760 a couple of times, but he loved the short passing game. 0:08:14.800 --> 0:08:18.720 And I thought when we saw what Joe Flacco, yes, 0:08:18.800 --> 0:08:21.560 what Joe Flacco was able to do with Chase Brown 0:08:22.560 --> 0:08:26.640 and get the wide receivers open in space, you know, 0:08:26.720 --> 0:08:29.840 ten to fifteen yards down the field, the most important 0:08:29.880 --> 0:08:32.520 takeaway to me was if Flacco was not holding onto 0:08:32.559 --> 0:08:37.720 the ball. Joe Burrow is a gifted generational quarterback. He 0:08:37.760 --> 0:08:41.120 can read things before the snap that very few others 0:08:41.200 --> 0:08:43.000 that have ever played the game can do. And he 0:08:43.080 --> 0:08:46.040 can do it without a wristband. I mean, he has 0:08:46.320 --> 0:08:49.320 just a photographic memory, there's no question about it. But 0:08:49.400 --> 0:08:51.360 he likes to hold on to the football, and he 0:08:51.559 --> 0:08:53.640 likes to hold onto it so he can see plays 0:08:53.679 --> 0:08:57.400 develop and wait till the last second. Joe Flacco is 0:08:57.440 --> 0:09:01.560 not that quarterback. He likes to one, two, maybe a 0:09:01.600 --> 0:09:03.840 third progression, but he's going to get rid of the 0:09:03.840 --> 0:09:06.680 ball and if he doesn't like what he sees. You 0:09:06.720 --> 0:09:09.080 saw it a couple of times Thursday night, He's going 0:09:09.120 --> 0:09:12.040 to throw it into the ground out of harm's way 0:09:12.960 --> 0:09:15.880 and live to play another down. And I think that's 0:09:15.880 --> 0:09:19.400 the difference between the two. And everything went right for 0:09:19.520 --> 0:09:23.440 Flacco on Thursday night. And it's easy to say, well, 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:26.120 why doesn't Joe Burrow get rid of the ball that fast? Well, 0:09:26.280 --> 0:09:28.480 it's not the way he plays the game. It's not 0:09:28.559 --> 0:09:31.240 the way he sees the game. So you know, before people, 0:09:31.400 --> 0:09:33.880 you know, jump the conclusions that you know, Joe Burrow 0:09:33.960 --> 0:09:36.960 needs to play the way Flaco plays. That's not realistic, 0:09:37.000 --> 0:09:40.720 and Zach Taylor doesn't want him doing that, but it is. 0:09:41.200 --> 0:09:44.040 It does show you that Flacco has the ability to 0:09:44.120 --> 0:09:47.720 adjust his game and get rid of the ball. Most importantly, 0:09:47.920 --> 0:09:52.480 Chick activate the two most talented players on their offense, 0:09:52.520 --> 0:09:55.920 and that is Jamar Chase and t Higgins. Get the 0:09:55.920 --> 0:09:59.080 ball to them as quickly as possible and let them 0:09:59.120 --> 0:10:00.360 make plays up the field. 0:10:01.160 --> 0:10:05.160 I can only imagine what Joe Flacco is thinking now 0:10:05.160 --> 0:10:08.200 that he's in Cincinnati for just over gosh, you know, 0:10:08.240 --> 0:10:10.760 coming up on just two weeks here. But to have 0:10:10.920 --> 0:10:14.640 those two guys and others tight ends, you know at 0:10:14.679 --> 0:10:21.120 his disposal in his arsenal. Gosh, finding the fountain of youth, man, 0:10:21.960 --> 0:10:22.600 it's awesome. 0:10:22.760 --> 0:10:25.640 Well, well, you know what, I'll hope that fountain of 0:10:25.679 --> 0:10:28.440 youth youth is a couple of drops of Jamar Chase 0:10:28.600 --> 0:10:32.719 no pun intended. What other metaphor should I use? 0:10:33.520 --> 0:10:34.040 A couple of. 0:10:34.000 --> 0:10:36.880 Doses of Jamar Chase and T Higgins in that pond? 0:10:37.280 --> 0:10:39.400 Because if you have guys like that to throw the 0:10:39.400 --> 0:10:42.960 ball to which he did not have, uh in Cleveland, Uh, 0:10:43.120 --> 0:10:45.080 it's going to make you look that much better as 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:49.120 a quarterback. And I think that's what Flacco and he 0:10:49.200 --> 0:10:52.360 acknowledged that after the game the other night. He has 0:10:52.400 --> 0:10:56.400 the ability to throw to two very very gifted receivers 0:10:56.760 --> 0:10:59.000 and put them in positions to make plays. 0:10:59.440 --> 0:11:02.000 The front office has often taken a lot of heat 0:11:02.440 --> 0:11:06.200 with draft picks with the free agents coming in, but 0:11:06.960 --> 0:11:12.199 it's it's you mentioned it giving them credit for really 0:11:12.559 --> 0:11:16.240 scanning the you know, the entire NFL, who can help 0:11:16.320 --> 0:11:19.800 us the most and man to pull off that trade 0:11:19.800 --> 0:11:23.240 with Cleveland Browns, fans have to be absolutely up in arms. 0:11:23.600 --> 0:11:26.600 But to credit the front office because like you mentioned 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:29.800 in your story. Flacco has something you can't teach, and 0:11:29.840 --> 0:11:31.280 that is a canon. 0:11:31.040 --> 0:11:36.560 Arm, correct, And that is an arm that Joe I'm sorry, 0:11:36.720 --> 0:11:40.440 Zach Taylor was looking for to as he likes to say, 0:11:40.440 --> 0:11:42.319 and I've said this often, drive. 0:11:42.040 --> 0:11:43.199 The ball downfield. 0:11:43.640 --> 0:11:45.600 You want you not only want to get the ball 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:48.160 to Jamar Chase, but you want to drive it vertically 0:11:48.280 --> 0:11:50.920 as much as possible, as much as the defense will 0:11:50.920 --> 0:11:51.840 allow you to do that. 0:11:52.320 --> 0:11:54.000 Drive the ball up the field. 0:11:54.480 --> 0:11:59.319 Uh so that uh Chase and t Higgins have momentum 0:11:59.320 --> 0:12:01.920 behind him when they catch the ball and have the 0:12:01.960 --> 0:12:05.120 ability to turn up field. Both of them have proven 0:12:05.200 --> 0:12:07.640 they can do that at the drop of a hat. 0:12:07.760 --> 0:12:10.640 And so that is tremendous. All you have to do 0:12:10.760 --> 0:12:15.439 to hear how upset Cleveland fans are is and personality 0:12:15.520 --> 0:12:19.000 sports radio personalities are in Cleveland has turned on the 0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:23.280 media up I seventy one and they are pretty outraged. 0:12:23.360 --> 0:12:26.040 I don't know if there is outraged as Mike Tomlin 0:12:26.240 --> 0:12:28.760 was last Monday when he said, what are you doing, 0:12:28.880 --> 0:12:32.200 Andrew Berry? But Andrew Berry has to do what he 0:12:32.240 --> 0:12:35.760 feels is in his best interest and in the best 0:12:35.800 --> 0:12:39.040 interest of the Browns franchise going forward. And to be 0:12:39.080 --> 0:12:42.360 fair to Andrew Berry, Andrew Berry does not have Jamar, 0:12:42.440 --> 0:12:45.520 Chase and t Haiggins on his roster, and nor does 0:12:45.520 --> 0:12:48.880 he really have Chase Brown, and he doesn't have a 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:52.640 lot of speed weapons. The defense is terrific. The defense 0:12:52.960 --> 0:12:56.400 has lots of speed and playmakers, but the offense does not. 0:12:56.880 --> 0:13:00.719 And Jerry Judy is not what he should have been 0:13:00.720 --> 0:13:04.480 coming out of Alabama, and that's his best receiving option. 0:13:04.640 --> 0:13:09.480 And that's not going to make Joe Flacco turn into 0:13:09.520 --> 0:13:11.560 Tom Brady or Peyton Manning overnight. 0:13:11.760 --> 0:13:14.720 So Andrew Berry had to take a look. 0:13:14.480 --> 0:13:18.280 At what his roster was, pick up the best trading 0:13:18.320 --> 0:13:20.360 ship he could, and that was a fifth round pick, 0:13:20.720 --> 0:13:21.600 and move forward. 0:13:22.200 --> 0:13:26.479 Unbelievable to think that Joe Flacco has thrown five touchdowns, 0:13:26.880 --> 0:13:30.840 no picks, in five hundred passing yards in two games 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:33.160 in his first two starts with the Bengals, and like 0:13:33.200 --> 0:13:35.880 you mentioned in your story, hasn't happened before. 0:13:37.160 --> 0:13:37.480 Ever. 0:13:38.800 --> 0:13:41.280 When I read that, and I did some of my 0:13:41.559 --> 0:13:43.959 own research on that, I couldn't believe it. I mean, 0:13:44.000 --> 0:13:47.560 I was blown away that no quarterback over the course 0:13:47.760 --> 0:13:51.559 of the long the litany of quarterbacks that have played 0:13:51.600 --> 0:13:54.079 in the history of the National Football League. You would 0:13:54.080 --> 0:13:57.880 have figured some hot shot would have been that hot 0:13:57.920 --> 0:14:01.160 coming out in his first two starts. Not accurate, and 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:03.880 it's never happened. I just think that's pretty amazing and 0:14:04.240 --> 0:14:07.160 good again for Joe Flacco. And you know, I don't 0:14:07.200 --> 0:14:09.840 want people jumping off the bandwagon. If he has a 0:14:09.880 --> 0:14:12.360 bad quarter or a bad half kind of like he 0:14:12.400 --> 0:14:15.200 did in the first half against Green Bay. That can happen. 0:14:15.960 --> 0:14:20.320 But the important thing watching Joe Flacco is his ability 0:14:20.480 --> 0:14:22.560 not to put the ball in harm's way, and that 0:14:22.800 --> 0:14:26.440 was the fundamental problem with Jake Browning. He had six 0:14:26.520 --> 0:14:29.720 touchdown passes and he brought the team back in that 0:14:29.800 --> 0:14:33.040 critical win over Jacksonville, which could very much be proved 0:14:33.040 --> 0:14:35.040 to be a critical win towards the end of the 0:14:35.040 --> 0:14:37.440 season if the Bengals are in it. He threw six 0:14:37.520 --> 0:14:41.440 touchdown passes, but he also threw eight interceptions, and that's 0:14:41.480 --> 0:14:45.960 not a ratio that any competitive contending team can live 0:14:46.040 --> 0:14:47.880 with at their starting quarterback position. 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:50.600 Mike Petrelli with us just for a couple more minutes, 0:14:50.600 --> 0:14:53.280 and you're absolutely right. The offensive line played its best 0:14:53.320 --> 0:14:57.560 game on Thursday night, got the running game going. The 0:14:56.680 --> 0:15:01.400 best friend for a quarterback and if that can continue, 0:15:01.600 --> 0:15:05.920 and if the defense can continue to improve and create turnovers, 0:15:06.280 --> 0:15:07.760 and that's how they've won. 0:15:08.720 --> 0:15:12.960 You know, on defense, with the turnovers in their three victories. 0:15:13.720 --> 0:15:16.360 Chick, they've got to be able to tackle better. They 0:15:16.400 --> 0:15:19.360 are one of the worst tackling teams in the National 0:15:19.360 --> 0:15:22.600 Football League. And combine that with they are one of 0:15:22.640 --> 0:15:27.200 the worst pass rush win rate teams in the NFL. 0:15:27.280 --> 0:15:31.160 In terms of defensively getting after the quarterback, that's disaster. 0:15:31.280 --> 0:15:33.920 And you saw what a quarterback like Aaron Rodgers that's 0:15:33.920 --> 0:15:36.440 going to do to you. He gave you two picks. 0:15:37.040 --> 0:15:40.720 One was a deflection. But again the Bengals made great plays. 0:15:40.800 --> 0:15:44.600 DJ Turner's interception was clutch. I mean, I was a 0:15:44.640 --> 0:15:45.720 remarkable play. 0:15:45.520 --> 0:15:46.520 On DK metcalf. 0:15:47.440 --> 0:15:50.320 But you've got to be able to bring ball carriers 0:15:50.360 --> 0:15:51.000 to the ground. 0:15:51.320 --> 0:15:52.920 They've done a poor job. 0:15:52.640 --> 0:15:57.200 At the last couple of weeks, and that, unfortunately is 0:15:57.240 --> 0:16:00.720 a reminder of what got the Bengals into TRUP. In 0:16:01.200 --> 0:16:05.040 a lot of great portions, great segments of last year 0:16:05.080 --> 0:16:08.800 as well, they just didn't tackle well. And we thought, 0:16:08.880 --> 0:16:11.240 and I think early on that the Bengals had addressed that. 0:16:11.360 --> 0:16:14.720 But last couple of games they have allowed I think 0:16:15.640 --> 0:16:21.720 over three hundred yards and mistackled, miss tackles, and I 0:16:21.760 --> 0:16:24.440 think they've had something like thirty four miss tackles in 0:16:24.480 --> 0:16:25.440 the last two games. 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:28.200 That's got to be cleaned up one way or another 0:16:28.240 --> 0:16:30.240 by Al Golden, no doubt about that. 0:16:30.480 --> 0:16:33.920 And gosh, I wish we had more time to talk baseball, 0:16:34.200 --> 0:16:36.600 because that's how good you have to be to get 0:16:36.640 --> 0:16:39.600 to the World Series, you know, facing the lost like 0:16:39.640 --> 0:16:43.280 the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the great season that Milwaukee had, 0:16:43.560 --> 0:16:45.080 They're gone in four games. 0:16:45.120 --> 0:16:46.200 Just incredible. Mike. 0:16:48.120 --> 0:16:51.760 I don't know about you, but Shohei Otani's performance last 0:16:51.840 --> 0:16:53.720 night has to be I'm not going to say it's 0:16:53.760 --> 0:16:55.920 the greatest, but certainly has to be in the discussion 0:16:55.960 --> 0:16:59.360 of top five performances all time, right up there with 0:16:59.400 --> 0:17:02.760 Reggie Jackson in Game six of the seventy seven World Series. 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:05.760 That's what came to my mind anyway. But Reggie Jackson 0:17:06.640 --> 0:17:09.920 was not the winning picture, and he was not you know, 0:17:10.320 --> 0:17:14.280 in terms of great picture. He wasn't Roger Clemens in 0:17:14.320 --> 0:17:14.800 that game. 0:17:15.160 --> 0:17:16.160 Was Reggie Jackson? 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:19.760 Last night, watching that game was like watching Reggie Jackson 0:17:20.240 --> 0:17:24.000 and Roger Clemens in the same game as the same player. 0:17:24.040 --> 0:17:24.960 That's how great it was. 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:27.320 That's right. He may not be the greatest of all time, 0:17:27.359 --> 0:17:30.080 but it's sure. Don't take long to call roll. Didn't 0:17:30.080 --> 0:17:35.760 that right? Yes, Mike, fantastic stuff. Really appreciate your time tonight, 0:17:36.880 --> 0:17:39.760 All right, Chick, have a good one, you two. Mike Petralia. 0:17:39.880 --> 0:17:44.480 You can follow him on Twitter at trags, cl NS Media, 0:17:44.840 --> 0:17:48.160 CNS since eat dot com. It is a sports talk 0:17:48.200 --> 0:17:50.679 with your host, Chick luod We till seven o'clock tonight 0:17:51.200 --> 0:17:55.159 when you see rumbles with Oklahoma State and Stillwater on 0:17:55.280 --> 0:17:57.600 seven hundred WLW. 0:18:03.840 --> 0:18:06.200 Six forty one in the Queen City of Cincinnati. 0:18:06.280 --> 0:18:10.120 Chick Ludwig, seven hundred WLW, this is sports talk. We're 0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:14.199 going till seven o'clock and then University of Cincinnati football 0:18:14.800 --> 0:18:19.120 takes over these airwaves and the twenty fourth ranked Bearcats 0:18:19.680 --> 0:18:22.720 are bringing their five game winning streak, their five and 0:18:22.800 --> 0:18:26.240 one record three and zero in the Big Twelve. They're 0:18:26.240 --> 0:18:32.280 in Stillwater, Oklahoma to face the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Kickoff 0:18:32.400 --> 0:18:37.040 is at eight o'clock tonight. And do we have the 0:18:37.119 --> 0:18:40.560 University of Cincinnati beat writer from the Cincinnati en Choir 0:18:40.680 --> 0:18:45.160 with us Scott Springer Scott, how are you tonight, chick. 0:18:45.200 --> 0:18:46.480 I'm in the broadcast booth. 0:18:46.520 --> 0:18:46.680 Man. 0:18:46.720 --> 0:18:49.520 I came down and saw my friend Moe, and he 0:18:49.560 --> 0:18:51.760 hooked me up with a nice little connection here, so 0:18:51.840 --> 0:18:54.919 a little bit better than my cell phone there. But 0:18:55.200 --> 0:18:57.680 I always like coming to the broadcast booth. It's something 0:18:57.680 --> 0:19:00.240 that I did for fourteen years with these guys. Guys, 0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:03.200 and honestly, I always love coming to see Jim Kelly, 0:19:03.320 --> 0:19:05.919 and was talking with Moe not long ago. It's just 0:19:05.960 --> 0:19:08.760 surreal that he's not here. I'm so used to talking 0:19:08.760 --> 0:19:11.600 to him before a game, seeing him, hanging out with 0:19:11.680 --> 0:19:13.880 him and all that. And I'm sure that the guys 0:19:13.880 --> 0:19:17.560 will talk about it during the broadcast, but Jim's really missed. 0:19:17.600 --> 0:19:19.800 It's a neat thing that you see is doing with 0:19:19.880 --> 0:19:22.720 their helmets today, the white helmets. They have the number 0:19:22.760 --> 0:19:26.239 seven on the back with the microphone logo. And I 0:19:26.280 --> 0:19:28.280 hope I don't have any say so, but I hope 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:30.240 at some point in nipperd State you can seeing number 0:19:30.280 --> 0:19:32.840 seven with a microphone under the broadcast booth. 0:19:33.040 --> 0:19:37.600 That is so true. Man, missing Jim Kelly Junior, no doubt. 0:19:38.080 --> 0:19:41.159 And on the broadcast tonight, of course, the voice of 0:19:41.200 --> 0:19:44.639 the UC Bearcats Stan hoard with Tony Pike and with 0:19:44.800 --> 0:19:48.760 Moeger looking forward to the broadcast tonight and Scott I 0:19:48.800 --> 0:19:53.560 find myself doing some scoreboard watching here Arizona State with 0:19:54.600 --> 0:19:58.040 in the final minute here the third quarter leads number 0:19:58.080 --> 0:20:01.840 seven Texas Tech sixteen to seven at Arizona State. 0:20:02.000 --> 0:20:05.080 So Utah is at BYU tonight. 0:20:04.920 --> 0:20:08.400 The number twenty three ranked Utes at the number fifteen 0:20:08.480 --> 0:20:11.520 rank Cougars, So man, there could be a little shaken 0:20:11.600 --> 0:20:13.760 up at the top of the Big Twelve standings here. 0:20:14.040 --> 0:20:17.159 This game is really important tonight for the UC Bearcats. 0:20:17.880 --> 0:20:20.520 Well, it was important to begin with because this could 0:20:20.560 --> 0:20:23.240 be win number six, which makes you Bowl eligible. Now, 0:20:23.280 --> 0:20:25.800 that's not their goal, their long term goal. You walk 0:20:25.800 --> 0:20:28.080 into the Shafety Performance Center and every week they have 0:20:28.400 --> 0:20:30.440 three or four goals, but the last one is always 0:20:30.480 --> 0:20:34.679 get to Dallas, which technically Arlington, but Jerry's world, that's 0:20:34.720 --> 0:20:37.439 where the Big Twelve Championship game will be played, and 0:20:37.440 --> 0:20:40.320 that's December the sixth, on a Saturday. 0:20:40.560 --> 0:20:41.640 That's their ultimate goal. 0:20:41.960 --> 0:20:44.480 And if things like that happen, if Texas Tech gets 0:20:44.520 --> 0:20:46.800 knocked off, if you see takes care of business, if 0:20:47.200 --> 0:20:49.840 who knows what happens in the Holy War between Utah 0:20:49.880 --> 0:20:52.840 and BYU. That's probably where a game they should have 0:20:52.880 --> 0:20:55.920 been today, quite honestly. But that's a heck of a game. 0:20:55.960 --> 0:20:59.720 And I don't know. The Big twelve football is becoming 0:20:59.720 --> 0:21:04.320 as entertaining is VIC twelve basketball, and it's a neat league. 0:21:04.320 --> 0:21:08.040 It's I've told people to try to be patient because 0:21:08.920 --> 0:21:11.720 you were judging what happened here in the past from 0:21:11.760 --> 0:21:16.160 the AAC. This is a much more difficult league. I'm 0:21:16.160 --> 0:21:18.160 not sure you know. And you can look at what 0:21:18.280 --> 0:21:21.520 Luke Fickle's done in Wisconsin, and Luke Fickle had great 0:21:21.560 --> 0:21:24.399 players here and those were great times, but I'm not 0:21:24.440 --> 0:21:27.240 sure those teams would have done as well in the 0:21:27.280 --> 0:21:30.119 Big Twelve. Certainly, some of those guys were pros, and 0:21:30.440 --> 0:21:31.880 they've got great reputations. 0:21:31.920 --> 0:21:32.920 They've proved themselves. 0:21:32.960 --> 0:21:35.159 But I think this league is a lot better than 0:21:35.760 --> 0:21:37.159 people realize. 0:21:36.720 --> 0:21:37.160 No doubt. 0:21:37.240 --> 0:21:40.080 Scott Springer with us from The Enquirer and Cincinnati dot 0:21:40.119 --> 0:21:43.359 Com of the opening lost in Nebraska twenty to seventeen, 0:21:43.720 --> 0:21:47.480 then Victory's over Bowling Green and Northwestern State, and then 0:21:47.560 --> 0:21:51.600 the Big Twelve Kansas, Ioways State and the Cyclones were 0:21:51.640 --> 0:21:54.359 ranked fourteenth at the time, and then UCF last week 0:21:54.440 --> 0:21:57.840 man a defensive struggle, twenty to eleven victory for the 0:21:57.920 --> 0:22:00.920 UC Bearcats. Now it's Oklahoma State team that's been down, 0:22:01.440 --> 0:22:05.000 that they've gotten rid of their coach, and man, this 0:22:05.080 --> 0:22:06.360 cannot be a trap game. 0:22:06.440 --> 0:22:06.800 You see. 0:22:06.840 --> 0:22:10.080 Has to come out strong early and try to put 0:22:10.080 --> 0:22:12.320 these guys away, punch. 0:22:12.119 --> 0:22:14.199 Them in the mouth. Everybody has a plan until they 0:22:14.200 --> 0:22:16.600 get punched in the mouth, said Mike Tyson. He's a genius. 0:22:16.640 --> 0:22:20.080 I think, yeah, there may be some gamesmanship at quarterback. 0:22:20.600 --> 0:22:23.879 Sam Jackson, the fifth who was a wide receiver but 0:22:24.000 --> 0:22:27.520 played last week, is slated to start, but they put 0:22:27.520 --> 0:22:30.280