00:00:19
Speaker 1: I think we can go back to Aaron Hall. You know, I think on a day-to-day basis, he just, he bought it every single day. And credit to him, you know, and his mindset and the way he attacked every day, the way that he approached every day, not just out on the field, but here in the building, in the training room, in the weight room, in the classroom. Like he's, you know, mature beyond his years I would.
00:00:43
Speaker 2: Say Dan Morgan giving a little bit of love yesterday in the presser to Aaron Hull. One of three undrafted free agents to make this roster. D-lineman out of Duke. And he was asked, I talked about him earlier, Bone. And then at the end of the presser, Dan was asked, is there someone that going into camp you kind of thought they were a long shot? And they ended up surprising you with their performance. And he went to Aaron Hull right there. And that's what you heard yesterday. So kudos to that kid, man. And we'll see. I'm very curious to see. And we're getting ready to talk about this defense. And do we still have the same confidence in this defense bone we had before camp started, before the scort and injury? I'm very interested to see which of these young D linemen end up getting the most snaps. You've got Cam Jackson, Lee Hunter. You got Edwards, who they just signed, and you got Aaron Hall. And it's it's three dudes that have never played a snap in the NFL. And Cam Jackson, who played just, you know, a bit a little bit of snaps last year in one year. I'm very fascinated to see who joins, you know, the Browns in terms of snap load.
00:01:59
Speaker 3: You know what I mean? Yeah, no, no doubt. Also, Aaron Hall.
00:02:01
Speaker 4: We're working on him to hopefully join the the radio show here at some point soon. Not today, but sometime in the future. I mean, why wouldn't you?
00:02:08
Speaker 3: What a story he is also. He's a champion, baby. He's a champion. You know what I mean? Why wouldn't we get him on?
00:02:13
Speaker 4: The rare college football player now spent his entire career back at one school. He was at Duke since 2021. He doesn't want to go back to Duke, does he?
00:02:21
Speaker 3: And he's from Durham. He's not going back to Duke, is he? We got him.
00:02:24
Speaker 5: We got him here.
00:02:26
Speaker 3: Well, I mean, if he decides to go back there. No, he's not.
00:02:30
Speaker 4: But no, he's a I listened to him interviewed yesterday and checked out multiple things. He's a as they said, mature, but beyond his years, kid.
00:02:37
Speaker 3: He is. And when you go to Duke, that's what you get.
00:02:40
Speaker 2: He is also one of the rare undrafted free agents who I focused on. after the signing period, and it actually worked out for him. Usually we do this thing where we try to act like we know which undrafted free agent. Coker was one that felt obvious, and I remember looking at the undrafted free agents and saying, you know, I think this kid could be, you know, somebody that could make it. And I didn't know it would be first year. I didn't know it would be first year on the active roster. So let's talk about this defense, Bone Man. I think getting a unit that was 15th or 16th in many categories last year. And getting that unit with the new additions of Devin Lloyd and Jalen Phillips into the top 10, I think has really been a rallying cry, a goal for us in the fan base. And then we lose Nick Scorton right away in training camp. Um, We've had the preseason play out. I think we know everybody is worried sick about the offense and the offensive line specifically. We hadn't really focused much on the defense.
00:03:52
Speaker 4: Speaking of focus, Max, stay strong here.
00:03:54
Speaker 2: Tampa Tammy is trying to distract me right now, and she is a very distracting human.
00:03:58
Speaker 3: I have to tell you right now. She's doing a second place dance.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: Oh, are we sure? Are we sure she's not going to be in third place this year? She's celebrating Clemson right now is what she's doing.
00:04:08
Speaker 6: Oh, oh, oh.
00:04:09
Speaker 2: A little Dabo talk coming up later, Tampa Tammy, about your Tigers. So what do you think, Bone? The scoring injury happened. Preseason plays out. I thought the defense, first-team defense, when they played was... good, not great necessarily. What do you think? Do you still have the top 10 confidence or no?
00:04:31
Speaker 4: I think with score in there and what we thought he was going to be, as a texter pointed out, it felt like that they were going to make that leap, like another leap from where they were to last year to this year. I still think it's possible. I'm not quite as sure. I think they might be either in the range of last year or approaching top 12. I know it's not far from top 10, but I think that they're going to be semi-near it. We just have to see how that other edge spot plays out. They're replacing Nick's score. But I do, with the moves that they made, adding Phillips, adding Lloyd, I think that there's no reason, Mac, for them to go backwards. I don't think that should be a thing by any means. They're only moving forward. It's just a matter of... How far?
00:05:20
Speaker 7: Yeah.
00:05:20
Speaker 3: I listen. If you were to ask me, I love Nick Scorton.
00:05:23
Speaker 5: All right.
00:05:23
Speaker 2: So I feel bad even saying this, but I want to profess my belief that this defense is going to make another move this year. And I still believe they can be in that back portion of the top 10. I'm not talking anything crazy. But if you were given the choice of, OK, you got Nick Scorton and no Lloyd and Phillips or you got Lloyd and Phillips and no Scorton. I think we know which one we would take. Now, listen, the best choice is Nick Skorton with those guys. And that would be special. But this defense is still improved. The personnel is still improved from last season because you added two big-time ballers to this defense. You saw Phillips. He didn't play much in the preseason. You saw his impact bone in that Buffalo drive, that first drive. The dude ended the drive. Literally, him and Prince Lee literally snatched four points away from Josh Allen. And I just think the pass rush bone, this team was 15th or 16th in most defense categories last year, most of the big ones. And their pass rush was absolute dog crap. I mean, absolutely terrible. So you look forward to this year and what Jalen Phillips is going to provide. um and i think i think pat jones is maybe one of the most maybe the most underrated player on the team he had a real good preseason when he was out there and i think this is a guy that had a good start to the season last year and no one ever talks about i think princely really uh opened our eyes with the way he played in the preseason after the canton game after that game um so i'm sorry man i like I don't sense the early techs. I don't sense people still believe in this defense, but I think it's still going to find their way into the bottom half of the top 10.
00:07:10
Speaker 3: I still think it's an improved year.
00:07:11
Speaker 4: I mean, Pat Jones did have seven sacks his last year in Minnesota. Can he get to that seven, eight range again? And then you throw in, can Prince Lee Mack get Three, four, five, and they end up with 10 to 12 sacks where we thought Skorton may be getting to this year. Also, I know that they're different positions, but how much does the O'Kara case signing make you feel better about the loss of Skorton? I'm not comparing the positions, but does the presence of Bobby O and his impact, does that make you feel a lot better now that there's not two areas that you're quite— We're still wanting to see the edge, but we had the edge and then the linebacker questions. Now that the linebacker spot's solidified, how much better does that make you feel?
00:07:56
Speaker 3: That's a great point, too.
00:07:57
Speaker 2: Last year, it was Roseboom, some combination of Roseboom, Wallace, Cherilis, and Bam Martin-Scott starting at linebacker, depending on who was hurt. This year, it's Lloyd Okereke, and I'm telling you right now, don't sleep on Tyrell Dotson. That dude had five sacks from a linebacker spot and 120 tackles last year for Miami, and he started almost 50 games. Right there, I'm telling you right there, we got three linebackers better than any linebacker on the roster last year. So that's a major upgrade as well. And Avero and company still finished in the middle of the pack defensively last year with all those restrictions. I brought up the stat yesterday, Bone, that Robert Mays was saying on the Athletic Football Show preview of the Panthers. that they were last or next to last in about every metric when it comes to the pass rush. But coverage metrics were right there around 20. Imagine when you up the pass rush where the coverage metrics go with that corner. We think Mike Jack and JC Horn had great seasons last year. And by the way, we didn't even talk about the pass rush from blitzers. Devin Lloyd had an amazing season as a blitzer last year. He did tell us bone. He doesn't think he's going to blitz as much here, probably because they want to more in coverage on passing downs. But how about JC Horn in the slot? He's going to get used as a blitzer more. Merrick's a great blitzer. So I wonder if we have more blitz success this year too. I just think this defense is still going to be all that. And I just, I would like, I'd like to find something bone where Panther fans aren't shook by the preseason and aren't crying to their mamas. Like seriously, this fan base came into the preseason bone with all kinds of pee and vinegar and I think that's the only way I can say that phrase on the air. It doesn't sound quite as good. Doesn't hit the same way, does it?
00:09:43
Speaker 3: Boy, they're coming in with that pee and vinegar.
00:09:44
Speaker 2: Doesn't quite hit the same way. And I feel like y'all are so shook. And the O-line, I get it. I'm shook a bit there, too. But this defense, man, I think this is going to be the best unit we've had.
00:10:00
Speaker 3: Since Avero's been here. I do, man.
00:10:02
Speaker 4: The timing of this is quite unbelievable. We do have some breaking news this morning.
00:10:06
Speaker 3: Matt D.
00:10:07
Speaker 4: Ringer has put out at 641 a.m. their NFL defensive ranking predictions.
00:10:14
Speaker 3: For the 2026 season.
00:10:15
Speaker 6: Oh, God.
00:10:15
Speaker 3: Where are we going to be? Where would you think that we are on this list?
00:10:19
Speaker 5: 14th.
00:10:20
Speaker 7: No.
00:10:22
Speaker 3: Lower than that?
00:10:23
Speaker 5: 24th.
00:10:24
Speaker 3: What the bleep are you doing, Ringer? Seriously.
00:10:27
Speaker 4: They praise Derek Brown in the addition of Devin Lloyd. They're worried about how fragile Phillips is with injuries. And the biggest concern and why they're 24th is the secondary.
00:10:41
Speaker 3: The secondary?
00:10:42
Speaker 4: Outside of JC Horn, the coverage depth behind him is very thin.
00:10:45
Speaker 3: Really? Really.
00:10:47
Speaker 5: Did they not watch Mike Jack and how he was a better corner the back half of the year last year than J.C. Horn was? Did they not understand the chess piece that Trayvon Merrick is as he can bump up and be a third linebacker?
00:11:00
Speaker 3: Preach fitting.
00:11:01
Speaker 4: I also think the ringer might put this out knowing that this would be promoting right what we're talking about.
00:11:06
Speaker 3: Who timed this on purpose ringer to get me even more fired up?
00:11:09
Speaker 5: But who wrote the article?
00:11:11
Speaker 3: Bill Simmons. No, I'm just kidding. Anthony... Dabundo.
00:11:18
Speaker 5: All right. I'm going to go find him.
00:11:20
Speaker 3: Anthony Dabundo.
00:11:21
Speaker 5: I'm going to go book him.
00:11:23
Speaker 2: This is personal now to Finney. Great point, though, Finney, about guys in the secondary.
00:11:29
Speaker 3: He's an Eagles fan.
00:11:31
Speaker 5: Oh, that makes so much sense. How about he chokes on a freaking cheesesteak for crying out loud? Easy.
00:11:37
Speaker 7: Damn.
00:11:37
Speaker 3: You got your Dabundos in a wad over there.
00:11:42
Speaker 2: Oh, man. He's on the Ringer Gambling Show, and he writes these things for them. DVR Dave says, last LOL, I guessed 25th. John says, I was in my car, I guessed 20th. Yeah, I must add, the best guess, the highest ranked guess. How does that happen at Arwalk? That comes out at 6.41 a.m., right? right during our show.
00:12:02
Speaker 3: I'm telling you right now, defense, y'all hear that over there?
00:12:05
Speaker 2: JJ, pass that along to the defensive players.
00:12:07
Speaker 4: That's disrespect, man. JJ, put on a sign. You got disrespected by... Anthony Dabundo.
00:12:14
Speaker 3: That damn Dabundo.
00:12:18
Speaker 2: This dude says, y'all never heard of the guy. Why are you so offended? I don't know, because I'm Mac.
00:12:22
Speaker 3: I don't know.
00:12:23
Speaker 2: It's football season, and I believe in this defense, and we're being questioned. I don't care if I have no idea who the guy is. That's not important here, sir.
00:12:33
Speaker 3: Dabundo. Dabundo. What a name, too, man.
00:12:37
Speaker 1: Oh, gee, 7045709610.
00:12:38
Speaker 3: More like Dabundo.
00:12:42
Speaker 2: Da dumbo uh this texter said mice you got him baby you got him uh texter says mike jack had a good year last year do we really think he's going to duplicate it i don't think he has to even have the same sort of year where statistically he was an absolute standout and all the pff metrics and stuff like that i don't think he even needs to have like even if he does tick down come back a little bit and and he got had a I still think he is a really good second corner. I think the question will be the third corner. Is it Shaw Smith-Wade who had a good camp? Is it Will Lee, the blanket? I do think that's maybe where the question is. But I love our versatility, the way they can play ransom and move Merrick up into the box. I like that versatility. The linebackers are better. I do think this dude says Mac just on here yesterday whining about our defensive tackles today. Mac on here acting like we got the steel curtain defense.
00:13:41
Speaker 3: From the 70s. Ain't no whining.
00:13:43
Speaker 2: I was just pointing out, Bone, we got a lot of inexperience there other than Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown.
00:13:47
Speaker 3: It's probably the weakest spot. It probably is. Can my guy Mack whine? Absolutely.
00:13:53
Speaker 4: He's an all-time whiner, right? Like Mount Rushmore whining. But he ain't whining here.
00:13:58
Speaker 3: Settle down.
00:13:59
Speaker 5: We didn't say we were going to be the steel curtain. Maybe the purple people eater. So maybe that's what we're going to be from the 70s.
00:14:03
Speaker 3: By the way, Mack, how much can J.C.
00:14:06
Speaker 4: Horn benefit from the year that Mike Jack had a year ago, because he's now on team's radar where a lot of times they would not want to throw towards JC Horn. Well, Mike Jack is a no commodity now too. So our team's going to say, well, you know, Mike Jack is a guy we also don't want to test. Do they try JC Horn a little more than they used to this year? Because of Mike Jack's growing reputation. Yeah, it does need to be said.
00:14:30
Speaker 3: J.C. Horn is a deterrent of the ball going in his direction. Yes.
00:14:36
Speaker 2: So when people talk about J.C. Horn's PFF numbers aren't that good and all that stuff, he was 10th. in percentage of targets against. To me, Bone, the best thing you can do as a corner, I mean, I guess you could say taking the ball away, but to me, watching corners over the years, Deion Sanders, they wouldn't even look his way. If you are a deterrent to where that portion of the field, you're just like, no, I ain't going to do it. To me, that's an extreme service that can't be quantified on a PFF website. Like that, that's, that's just huge. Cause then you can roll double teams over to the other side. You could do stuff to try to make sure that, okay, they're not going after him. So let's try to load up and make sure we're prepared for when they come to these other sides. So I think it's, I think it's a great corner tandem married to me as an underrated safety. I just, Derek Brown is good to me, going to wreck shop. Like, it's another year back from the injury. I don't think Derrick Brown was back to his best last year. I think he was very good. I got a feeling, Bo, if he can stay healthy, knock on wood, he's going to be back to his best the next year.
00:15:43
Speaker 4: The year after the return, right? This texter says he knows Anthony Dibundo. His government name is Anthony Pagnotta.
00:15:50
Speaker 5: Exactly.
00:15:50
Speaker 3: Oh, no. Come on. Flounder, is this an inside job? Is this an inside job for the Floundino crime family?
00:15:57
Speaker 4: Hey, if Flounder made a prediction, though, Mac, I don't know what that's guaranteed to go right for that guy. Flounder's got a history of saying stuff, and it goes the opposite.
00:16:05
Speaker 2: Not that we don't. Mac is right. Our D should be one of the best in years. Another texter, 704 number. Mac is in Homer mode, but his little henchman, Fitty, even tops him. Fitty is now the biggest Panther homer on this show.
00:16:26
Speaker 5: What did I say that was out of line? By the way, I spent 30 minutes yesterday filling in for Colin, voicing my concerns about where this offense is going into the opener. So get a Q-tip, clean the wax, and do a better damn job at listening.
00:16:42
Speaker 3: Tell him, Fitt, you made great points, man.
00:16:45
Speaker 5: Am I going to pick them to win every single Friday?
00:16:48
Speaker 6: Absolutely.
00:16:48
Speaker 5: Absolutely. I still have my concerns about where this team is entering the opener.
00:16:54
Speaker 3: Both things can be true. Someone compared you and Finney to Austin Powers and Mini-Me. Oh, let's get him, Mini-Me. Let's get him, baby. Oh, man. I shall call him Mini-Mac.
00:17:06
Speaker 2: This texter says, sure enough, I bet that was flounder. Y'all have been pouched.
00:17:11
Speaker 5: Oh, come on.
00:17:12
Speaker 3: He turned it into. Okay. He turned that thing into a verb or something. Was it a verb? How's that word used? Anyway, I'm not smart enough to figure that out. That's well played.
00:17:22
Speaker 4: The only evidence would be of where this guy would have the Giants defense on this defensive rankings list. If they're ahead of the Panthers, that might be a problem. If this guy has the Giants ahead of the Panthers, this might be a... Flounder Pagnotta. Anyhow, let's see. Giants at 21 on the list.
00:17:39
Speaker 2: Oh, man, we caught you. We caught you, Flound. Another texter says, we got to chill with the Mike Jack hype.
00:17:46
Speaker 3: Contract year? Motivation to go get that cheddar? Come on, baby. He's a guy in that defense. We saw it during camp. He is a.
00:17:55
Speaker 4: He's a guy that has some fire. Whenever there's something chippy going on, Mac, he is involved in a lot of that.
00:18:00
Speaker 3: I love it. I think that's a big thing to have. I love it.
00:18:03
Speaker 2: Tampa Matt says, where's the rest of the NFC South in the ringer defensive rankings?
00:18:08
Speaker 3: Do you have it, Boney? Yeah, just give me one second here.
00:18:12
Speaker 4: Atlanta, Matt, they don't have a defense, so they're not listed. Atlanta's 28. As I said, Panthers are 24. I'm scrolling here as I talk, so bear with me for one second here. Saints are 19. On this list. Although they lost Brian Brzee, right? So that's got to be a factor for them. Tampa Bay, still scrolling, still scrolling, still scrolling. Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay, I'm now in the top ten. Tampa Bay's eight.
00:18:38
Speaker 3: What are you smoking? Derundalo, what are you smoking? And just to make sure. What's the guy's name? The Bundo. Okay.
00:18:48
Speaker 4: I want to make sure I'm not on the 2002 Buccaneers here.
00:18:52
Speaker 3: This is 2026. I mean, really?
00:18:54
Speaker 2: I know they added Ruben Bain, but is there going to be pass rush? I don't remember much pass rush last year.
00:18:58
Speaker 4: He praises Vita Vea, Yaya Diaby, Ruben Bain, Todd Bowles being there.
00:19:04
Speaker 3: Todd Bowles was there last year. How'd that work out down the stretch? He says even the loss of Jamel Dean, though, overcome that one. Of course. I mean, but the Panthers can't overcome anything.
00:19:14
Speaker 6: Yes.
00:19:14
Speaker 2: But the Bucs going, oh, yeah, they'll just overcome that. What were the Bucs rankings on defense last year, Bone Man?
00:19:19
Speaker 4: The Bucs ranked fifth in EPA per drive the first nine weeks. Yeah, and then what happened? They ranked 28th in the same stat the second half of the season. So I don't know. They don't have their exact.
00:19:30
Speaker 3: Number on here.
00:19:31
Speaker 2: Were they right? I'm sorry, man. I don't know why I'm apologizing to you, Bone. But that defense was doo-doo for much of that season. 20th last year in points and yards allowed.
00:19:45
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: Pass rush was 22nd in the league. Reuben Bain's a rookie, man. He's really talented. We expect him to go in and just completely flip that pass rush.
00:19:55
Speaker 4: His reasoning was offensive injuries may have derailed the Buccaneers last season, but the defense's fall off was the biggest reason they didn't make the playoffs.
00:20:02
Speaker 3: They run a lot of the same back. So why are they eighth then? Yeah.
00:20:07
Speaker 2: Isn't that more of like the one that should be like in the 20s? Todd Bowles is a defensive coach. Shouldn't he have been able to keep that side of the ball from falling off?
00:20:13
Speaker 3: This is the maddest I've ever been at.
00:20:15
Speaker 7: Anthony.
00:20:16
Speaker 3: Anthony... Dabundo. There you go. There you go, baby. That damn Dabundo caught us again, Matt. Come on, Derek. Don't tell Derek Brown about this disrespect from Dabumble. All right?
00:20:29
Speaker 6: Dabumble.
00:20:30
Speaker 3: That's where Finney found his girl, by the way, on Dabumble. Hinge.
00:20:34
Speaker 7: A hinge.
00:20:34
Speaker 3: That's right. As long as it's not unhinged. That's a whole other app.
00:20:36
Speaker 4: When we come back, Dabo calls out Wayne Kiffin. Are we worried he just gave LSU motivation? Is LSU distracted? Plus the bone man. That's me.
00:20:49
Speaker 3: Am I rooting for Clemson this weekend?
00:20:51
Speaker 6: What? What?
00:20:53
Speaker 3: I'll explain. Sports Radio 92.7. This year, it's like. Dude, we haven't talked about Clemson at all nationally.
00:21:19
Speaker 7: It's been all about LSU, all about the roster building, all about Lane Kiffin. Meanwhile, Davo, self-proclaimed bunch of nobodies at Clemson still have dudes. So I would not be that surprised if this is a game in the third quarter. At that point, all the pressure is on LSU, right? Because they're supposed to be the team. Meanwhile, Clemson has zero expectations, no pressure, and is playing with house money. So I think it's a very dangerous game if you're LSU to go in and kind of overlook a team that still has guys on the other side that will play on Sundays.
00:21:49
Speaker 3: I like it.
00:21:50
Speaker 2: Greg McIlroy thinks little old Clemson is dangerous on Saturday.
00:21:55
Speaker 3: Little old Clemson.
00:21:57
Speaker 2: Listen, I know Clemson fans sometimes will get angry at us about things we say about the program or if we have a problem with something Dabo said or did or whatever.
00:22:08
Speaker 1: Not me.
00:22:10
Speaker 3: But I need to say this.
00:22:12
Speaker 2: I desperately want y'all to beat Lane Kiffin on Saturday night. I want it just for Clemson. I want it for the ACC. But I also want it to happen against that smarmy I'm S.O.B. Lane Kiffin. And you started saying this yesterday, Bone, that you wonder if this thing will be closer than people think in the fourth quarter of this game. I'd love for them just to give themselves a shot in the fourth quarter. That's a tough environment to go into. I think Zena's performance is going to be a very important one, Bone. But I said it earlier, it does feel like the best time to play this team with new schemes on both sides of the ball, with transfers from all over, literally with a couple of transfers from the NFL possibly playing if a Louisiana court doesn't rule it out on Thursday morning. There's a lot of intriguing subplots in this game, man.
00:23:11
Speaker 4: I was reading one article today that was like, what's the best week one bet for college football? Were they listed two or three to go from? And Clemson plus ten and a half was their best bet back at RG.org.
00:23:26
Speaker 3: Gambling expert it.
00:23:27
Speaker 4: Was clemson 10 and plus 10 and a half was the best one because for all the hype of lsu all the talent it's all new to each other it's a new offense it's a new head coach it's a new quarterback they may end up being great along the way but who's to say right away we automatically think lsu night game dominance also clemson mac has first round draft choices at every level of that defense up front Now, linebacker, Hampton, they have defensive talent still there.
00:23:57
Speaker 3: If you read mock drafts, they're all first-rounders. They got studs. So you're saying health, Sammy Brown, and Hampton?
00:24:03
Speaker 4: Yeah.
00:24:04
Speaker 2: I don't know if I'd go first-round. By the way, I don't know if you noticed, Bo, they had a lot of draft picks last year.
00:24:09
Speaker 3: No, I know, but I've.
00:24:10
Speaker 4: Seen mock drafts that has all three guys listed somewhere within the first round.
00:24:15
Speaker 3: That's interesting. Definitely three balls.
00:24:16
Speaker 4: So I'm not saying that Clemson's going to win, but I think that the vibe about this game throughout the summer was, wow, LSU's favored by 11, 11 and a half. Boy, Clemson's going to get their doors blown off. I don't think so anymore. I'm not sure about the focus level of that football program when you've got court cases going on two days before. You've got– what's the chemistry like? You're bringing in players from the NFL. You're taking time away from other guys. What's the chemistry level like right now in general? But then you throw all this in there.
00:24:48
Speaker 3: I don't know. I can't see LSU being a– Judge or not, right away. Finish product. Right away.
00:24:54
Speaker 2: I'm starting to think that, too. I thought during the summer, double-digit win. I'm starting, too, to feel like, can Clemson have themselves in this game? I don't know if I'm saying win it, but can they have themselves in this game? Now, there are some people— I' m already seeing it on the text line— that think— that what Dabo said yesterday, Bone, is going to hurt Clemson. I'll read one of those texts. 704 number. Guys, all these points about Clemson covering the spread sound good, but I fear that Dabo uncovered the spread himself yesterday when he took shots at Lane Kiffin. Lane Kiffin going to want to hang half a hundred on Dabo. Here is that comment. This is a theory, too, that we could explore as well. Is LSU distracted, or did Dabo Sweeney just motivate them? Listen to what Dabo said, which, by the way, I agree with 100% of what Dabo said.
00:25:55
Speaker 8: Rarely am I at a loss for words, but Chapel Womack, kind of a loss of words. I would just say it's kind of embarrassing. I mean, honestly, it's just embarrassing that that's where we are. I don't blame the kids and people trying to take advantage of the system. I just think it's embarrassing where we are with college football. We've been there for a while, so I just keep my energy and my focus and my energy on the things that I control and the things that matter, and that's these kids here and our team. But all that outside stuff, we just kind of, no pun intended, we just stay in our lane here at.
00:26:35
Speaker 3: Clemson, try to.
00:26:37
Speaker 8: Every now and then somebody will ram into us, but we try to just kind of handle our business here.
00:26:43
Speaker 3: But it's embarrassing.
00:26:44
Speaker 8: I mean, it really is. You know, we have no rules. There's no governance.
00:26:49
Speaker 6: I mean, it's a joke.
00:26:52
Speaker 8: There's zero rules. And when you enforce rules, somebody just goes and finds a judge to say, no, you can't enforce that rule. So, I mean, never did I think I'd be living in an era like this, but that's where we are. You know, hopefully, eventually there'll be different things coming down the pipe.
00:27:10
Speaker 3: Preach, baby. Preach, Dabo.
00:27:11
Speaker 4: People are laughing at Dabo saying he's at a loss for words that he spoke for five straight minutes.
00:27:16
Speaker 3: Yellow snow.
00:27:17
Speaker 2: That's Mac every day from 6 to 10. Yellow snow. I don't even try to tell you I'm at a loss for words. That's funny. By the way, the narrator voice, pun was intended. The pun was intended 100%. And it was funny. Stay in our lane. So what do you believe? This dude says, earlier in the show, first hour, we got a text. I guess I didn't save it or copy and paste it. It was an LSU fan bone that said, Dabo... noted lane kiffin is going to try his best to embarrass dabbo after his gun dabbo did say in another part in the presser he's very proud of lane and how lane has worked to improve himself as a human being he did throw that in there even though he doesn't know a little bit What do you think, Bone? You seem to subscribe to the LSU could be distracted theory by all that's going on with the NFL players and stuff. Do you not subscribe at all to Lane Kiffin now?
00:28:16
Speaker 3: It's personal.
00:28:17
Speaker 4: If Lane Kiffin, Mac, has to keep track of all that's said about him, he's going to be a very busy man throughout his days. His bulletin board, Mac, is like three miles wide right now. I think it's more of the distraction than the focus. It's not just that. It's the combination of what I said. This isn't a team that knows each other where we've seen them compartmentalize and focus on the task at hand. We don't know what that looks like yet. We don't know what this operation looks like yet, even without the distracted stuff going on. So to me, it's going to be hard to think that you're going to get the best of LSU with all that surrounds it right now and then all the newness. So the more we talk about it, the more this goes on, I think that LSU wins. But this is going to be... This is going to be a lot closer than I thought it was. This is such a juicy, fun matchup. And it was only 17-10 last year. It wasn't like LSU went in there and blew out Clemson last year. Well, Clemson was supposed to be the team. Last year, Clemson was the team. Everybody thought it was the Heat. Everybody thought Clemson was going to have the LSU in their Death Valley. So it's a complete role reversal, no doubt about it. If you are a Clemson fan, are you starting to feel a little more positive about this game?
00:29:34
Speaker 3: Maybe you felt positive the whole way.
00:29:36
Speaker 5: 704-570-9610.
00:29:40
Speaker 2: I do want to ask about who people are rooting for in this matchup because Gator Rube says, I hate both of these bleepity bleepers. Meaning Dabo and Lane. Another texter, Bone. Where was our guy at? Country something. Big country. Big country. What was he saying? Did you read his text, Bone? It says, who does Bone want to win? I'm confused myself. That's someone who hates both these teams and these guys. Okay, so we have another South Carolina fan. Bone, I have not told anybody this. I also am wondering in a weird way, do I actually want Clemson to win? This is a weird one. Explain yourself already. I don't know if rooting is the right word. It's one of those odd, like if Clemson gets their doors blown off, I'm not like, oh, golly gee, boy, that was horrible. I'm not sitting there singing, you know, hold that tiger. But most of the time, if not.
00:30:31
Speaker 4: 100% of the time, Mac, I'm full anti-Clemson in this particular game here. If they found a way to win and LSU got embarrassed, it's not a normal situation where I'm like, oh, my God, I can't. I'm not rooting for Clemson, but I'm all right if they do win this football game.
00:30:49
Speaker 3: Does that make any sense? Okay.
00:30:52
Speaker 4: Also, a couple reasons here. Number one, I don't view Clemson as the threat they used to be anymore. South Carolina has proven they can hang with them. But you're right about that. South Carolina is the better team going into this season. Also, think about South Carolina two years ago when they were– fighting for the playoff spot, think about who they were fighting with.
00:31:15
Speaker 3: It was Alabama. It was Ole Miss.
00:31:16
Speaker 4: They were compared to teams within their conference. So if LSU has a loss on the board already.
00:31:24
Speaker 2: Are you already rooting against playoff contenders?
00:31:29
Speaker 4: Do you feel that frisky about your Gamecocks? Looking ahead, LSU gets some losses. That does benefit South Carolina if you're doing resume stuff.
00:31:38
Speaker 2: I just don't view South Carolina as a playoff contender.
00:31:42
Speaker 4: Here's what we're going to do. You're going to give your opinion because I just gave mine, Hondo.
00:31:53
Speaker 2: Oh, I respect what you're saying because Lane Kiffin is public enemy number one. AC says, I can promise you this, nobody outside of Louisiana is pulling for LSU. Well, are Gamecock fans pulling for LSU? There's someone here that are. Bone talked about why he's torn.
00:32:09
Speaker 5: Oh, they are?
00:32:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, there's someone here that are. You want Clemson to have this huge win? That's the only thing.
00:32:14
Speaker 2: I get what you're saying, Bone, but if you're a Gamecock fan, do you realize how celebrated nationally Clemson will be? Do you realize the promo Dabo will cut? With Holly Roe or whoever it is.
00:32:25
Speaker 3: I don't even know.
00:32:26
Speaker 5: Laura Rutledge will be on the sidelines.
00:32:27
Speaker 3: Whoever the sideline reporter is. Can you imagine, Bo? We brought our own guts, everybody.
00:32:31
Speaker 9: It was a bring your own guts game and a bunch of nobodies went out there and beat some somebodies.
00:32:35
Speaker 3: Little old Clemson rose up. We rode in here with the rest of y'all buds.
00:32:39
Speaker 2: Do you want that South Carolina fan? Do you know why it doesn't bother me? Do you know why it doesn't bother me? Because South Carolina will take care of that end of the season. So let them be good. South Carolina could use a big one at the end of the year. Make sure you're good, Clemson. So if South Carolina beats you, it adds to the resume. Fitty, you and I looked at each other when Bone dismissed Clemson and said, we're a better team than you anyway.
00:33:06
Speaker 3: We both looked at each other. Do you feel like... Are they that far apart?
00:33:10
Speaker 2: It feels very even to me, and you said they are better than them, like they're like a high school team.
00:33:17
Speaker 3: I just.
00:33:19
Speaker 2: That's a toss-up to me. I know this. I would pick Clemson to win more games.
00:33:24
Speaker 4: Think about having this discussion five years ago and how far it's come for South Carolina and where Clemson is now.
00:33:30
Speaker 5: It's more about Clemson's regression than the progression of South Carolina, though. South Carolina's come some ways under Shane Beamer, but we can't rule out this program could fall flat on its face once again, whereas Clemson five years ago was coming off right there with Bama, the greatest run in the modern era of the sport in the playoff era. And they have regressed to that. I think they're very even. I think that'll be a really good game that weekend of Thanksgiving. But I wouldn't have said it the way that you said it. You made it seem like it was night and day that South Carolina is better than Clemson. And I don't get that sense going into the year. Because I think Clemson won will win more games.
00:34:08
Speaker 3: Well, you know what? It was my opinion and not yours. So I'll say what I want to say. That's fine. And also, he asked me my opinion and I gave it. Did we ask for your opinion?
00:34:16
Speaker 5: He actually did.
00:34:17
Speaker 3: Oh, did you? Yeah, I did.
00:34:18
Speaker 2: Thank you for chiming in. 919 number. Rev Kev has your back. RevKev says, Bone, that was beautiful. As a South Carolina fan, that was well said. 919Number says, Bone, how do you do it every day? Max sometimes just wants to argue to argue. Yeah, the nerve of me on a sports talk show to tell Bone I see it differently. I didn't know the Boneyacs out there were so damn sensitive. that I couldn't bring up a counterpoint.
00:34:47
Speaker 4: Siddy, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're going to let down Laura Rutledge Nation, by the way. She's no longer on the college football stuff.
00:34:54
Speaker 5: Oh, I thought you were going to yesterday see you in Baton Rouge.
00:34:56
Speaker 3: Oh, is she there for this? Oh, oh.
00:34:58
Speaker 4: Because it's Holly Rowe on the sidelines now. Because remember, Laura Rutledge is off SEC Nation. She's doing the NFL stuff now.
00:35:04
Speaker 5: Are they putting two sideline reporters on for this game?
00:35:07
Speaker 3: That might be it.
00:35:09
Speaker 4: She's not listed for this game.
00:35:13
Speaker 3: We might have both been right.
00:35:15
Speaker 2: This texter says, Max Dabo victory speech, fake victory speech was gold. Yeah, I felt good about it.
00:35:23
Speaker 3: I heard a lot of those. It's been a minute.
00:35:25
Speaker 2: But I feel pretty good about it.
00:35:28
Speaker 9: We brought our own guts today. Everybody got off that rest of y'all butts. Will you send us a break, my ass dabble, sweetie? We're going to take a break, everybody. I'm telling you, we got a bunch of nobodies around here. But we're going to become somebodies before the.
00:35:40
Speaker 3: Show is over.
00:35:57
Speaker 2: Oh, man. How dare you, Salty Pirate? Salty Pirate says my dabbo sounds more like Jimbo. Does that make you Dumbo, Salty Pirate?
00:36:07
Speaker 3: Oh! Oh! Oh!
00:36:10
Speaker 2: Love you, though, Salty Pirate, and I am rooting for your ECU Pirates. I'm not sure that's going to help, though, against Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, but I would love to see your boys. put on a good show, despite that text that you sent in there. Our next guest, Boney, he and the boys of Charlotte FC are on an absolute roll right now. Man, they're playing well. And I love it when it happens in Atlanta, a house that we are now owning when it comes to Charlotte FC and Atlanta United.
00:36:46
Speaker 3: Rivalry? What rivalry?
00:36:48
Speaker 2: Charlotte's gone in there now. after the 2-0 win on Saturday and won four straight. And the captain, Ashley Westwood, is here for a Westy win Wednesday on the Mac and Bone Show.
00:37:00
Speaker 3: Westy, congrats, man. How you doing?
00:37:03
Speaker 6: Thank you, mate. Yeah, good morning.
00:37:05
Speaker 5: Good morning.
00:37:05
Speaker 6: We're all good.
00:37:06
Speaker 5: We're all good.
00:37:06
Speaker 6: Yeah, it was a good result in our second home.
00:37:09
Speaker 4: Hey, I was going to say congrats on owning another home.
00:37:15
Speaker 3: I love it.
00:37:15
Speaker 2: Westy, you've obviously played in a lot of, you know, what y'all call derbies over there, right?
00:37:20
Speaker 3: A lot of rivalries.
00:37:21
Speaker 2: This one, you travel a little further, right, than those local rivalries have. um, where you're from, but man, fans show up every time. There's two things that are guaranteed to happen. It feels like y'all are going to win and fans are going to be loud as heck that, that has to feel good winning a match specifically like that. Right.
00:37:41
Speaker 6: Yeah. It's especially, that's probably one of the only games where you get a good number of away supporters. So for them to turn up again, it goes, I said it a lot of time. That's the reason our home form is so good. when our fans turn up, we turn up, and it's the same in Atlanta. It's unique. Before the game, we go over and clap, and then after, it's just like a tradition that we do at home. We do appreciate it, and the performances we put in are always for them.
00:38:11
Speaker 4: The other day on the broadcast, Dax McCarthy was the analyst for the game, and multiple times he was putting Pep in the MVP conversation. How happy does that make you feel that Pep could get at least recognition and put up in a conversation like that from a national analyst?
00:38:30
Speaker 6: He deserves it, and I think last year he was very close to it. Unfortunately, he just suffered an injury in the league's cup games, which I think was his hamstring, but This year, he stayed fit. He's picked off from where he left off last year. I think it's just the contributions he gives to the team. Whenever we're playing well, Pep's usually the one that delivers.
00:38:52
Speaker 2: Dude, those guys in front of you right now, you can feel something happening, right? Pep is Mr.
00:38:58
Speaker 3: Consistent. If he's healthy, you're right.
00:39:00
Speaker 2: He's there all the time producing goal contributions. But Maxie feels like he gets better and more fit every time out. I mean, that second goal when he ran through half the dang defense to set up a Bata, and then a Bata, He's a new guy since the World Cup break. And then I feel like Toklamati's rounding back into form. Like, how good do you feel when you can get it to those four dudes in front of you?
00:39:26
Speaker 6: Makes my job easier. I don't have to do as much running. I think Maxi was electric the other night. And I think the way we're, listen, we're a team, you would class us as a European team. We're very much, we sit in our 4-4-2, we defend, we're very organized team. And I think you find a lot of the MLS teams, they can be a bit chaos. They just all go forward man for man. So it could suit us with Maxi just exploiting it the way he can run at people 1v1. And you've got Liel's the same. You've got Idan. And then you've got, to be fair, Archie. Archie Goodwin's been pushing Idan as well. And I say all the time, you need competition for places. And we've certainly got that.
00:40:06
Speaker 4: We have a listener text question for you here, Cap. Since you now are the mayor of Atlanta, do you enjoy the Waffle House?
00:40:17
Speaker 6: I'm not a big fan of the Waffle House. I probably need a few drinks and a late night for that. Henry Kessler took over the aquarium as well on Sunday. He stayed over and walked around the aquarium. We've took over the Mercedes-Benz, and Charlotte now owns the aquarium.
00:40:33
Speaker 3: Oh, my God. That is hilarious.
00:40:35
Speaker 2: I thought for sure he might be a Waffle House guy. So what is it, Westy? What is it with the Waffle House that you don't like? Because I feel like that's a Southern institution in this country.
00:40:46
Speaker 6: I've never tried it. Obviously, I'm an English breakfast guy. I can't get my head around eating waffles in the morning.
00:40:53
Speaker 3: What is English? Let Mac and I take the lads out. We'll have a waffle house day.
00:40:58
Speaker 6: Field trip? We should do a show from the waffle house one week.
00:41:02
Speaker 5: We would.
00:41:02
Speaker 3: We've done it before. We did.
00:41:04
Speaker 2: We, we broadcasted it. We lost a bet and had to broadcast from a waffle house in Georgia. We had to drive three hours away.
00:41:10
Speaker 3: Oh my God. That's your state, you know, Georgia. Yeah.
00:41:14
Speaker 2: Westy, what, okay. For, for those of us here in the States that think of our breakfast, right. Of, you know, it might be eggs or it might be like you say, waffles, pancakes, French toast. What is the quintessential English breakfast?
00:41:28
Speaker 6: It's a big fry-up. See, you'd have– and the bacon's different. We'd have back bacon, sausage links, poached or fried eggs or scrambled, mushrooms, tomatoes, and baked beans with a few slices of toast.
00:41:44
Speaker 3: Yeah, that bean.
00:41:45
Speaker 2: That beans part is where you lose me, though.
00:41:49
Speaker 3: Beans in the morning?
00:41:52
Speaker 6: I will get you some. I'm going to send some into the studio for you. You can try it.
00:41:57
Speaker 5: Westy, we don't need this man eating beans anymore.
00:42:00
Speaker 3: Let's just not send those. Why not pick those up from you? That would be dangerous.
00:42:06
Speaker 4: Now, as a former player myself, my pregame meal in my playing days was burgers and fries. What's your normal pregame meal consist of?
00:42:16
Speaker 6: I hope our nutritionist isn't listening.
00:42:21
Speaker 3: No, they're not.
00:42:22
Speaker 6: So a home game, obviously I take the little girl, we go, she does horse riding. So I'll drop her off at the stables and then I'll go, I'll go Starbucks and get a ham and cheese baguette.
00:42:33
Speaker 3: Okay.
00:42:35
Speaker 6: Which is not the healthiest. I'll come home and then I'll, I won't eat them until about two o'clock. I'm not a big eater on match day. On about two o'clock, I'll then order, I order a little mama's takeaway. I have a vodka pasta chicken.
00:42:49
Speaker 3: Okay, all right.
00:42:50
Speaker 2: That's a good carb loading there for you on game day.
00:42:55
Speaker 3: Okay, I like that.
00:42:55
Speaker 6: I'm simple. I'm very easy.
00:42:57
Speaker 2: I like that. Ashley Westwood, captain of Charlotte FC, joining us. They're on fire. Fifth in the East right now. And this match on Saturday, like, Houston's not a team, you know, that we necessarily see, you know, routinely. It's not like one of the Eastern Conference squads that we know better. But this team is having a heck of a season. This is a hell of a match if y'all are looking for something to do on Saturday night. Houston is second in the table. You guys are one of the hottest teams in the league post-World Cup break. What's this Houston team do well? And how big of a deal? This is a good litmus test match for y'all. Plus, y'all want to keep rising up the standings, too.
00:43:39
Speaker 6: Yeah, it's going to be a real tough game. Like you said, they're second in their league. But we're at home and I don't think they've been to us yet. So it'll be interesting to see how they do the turf. I know they've just lost the midfielder to... He's just gone to Stoke City, so that's good for us. They can keep losing players. But no, it's going to be a tough game. But I think we go into any game at home feeling confident. So we should... We're looking to go and get the win, and like you said, we're one of the formed teams, so we need to carry that momentum into Saturday.
00:44:16
Speaker 3: It's also Christian Kalina bobblehead night, isn't it? There you go.
00:44:21
Speaker 6: Yeah, I've seen it. It's great. It's very good. Awesome.
00:44:25
Speaker 2: All right, get there early. Grab yourself a Cali bobblehead. Westy, we always have fun. We're guaranteed to talk soccer or football, as you would call it, and then we never know where the rest of it's going to go.
00:44:38
Speaker 3: But you do it. You are amazing.
00:44:40
Speaker 2: At playing along with our shenanigans. And we learned a lot about English Breakfast today. We appreciate you, brother. Good luck on Saturday, man. We hope to talk to you on another Win Wednesday next week.
00:44:53
Speaker 6: Thanks for having me again. See you next week.
00:44:54
Speaker 3: All right, be good. There you go. Oh, he called his shot. He said, we'll be on here next week.
00:44:59
Speaker 2: Although they got a Wednesday match at Montreal, but we can work them in Tuesday, win Tuesday, but they got to go do it against Houston. Tickets available, charlottefootballclub.com. I'm telling you, this is a hell of a matchup on Saturday night. I did want to mention, Bone, the MLS transfer window closes later today. I don't know if Charlotte FC is going to do anything else tonight. I had really been hopeful that they would do something else. Dean Smith had been kind of saying, I think we're going to add to that final, you know, fill that final senior member spot. I don't know if anything's going to happen on the final day, but they're playing so well, it's almost like I don't think, I don't know if it's worth freaking out.
00:45:37
Speaker 3: If they don't, they're playing so well.
00:45:39
Speaker 4: When we come back here on the Mac and Bone Show, Sounds of the Panthers, Dan and Dave, post-cut edition on Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ.
Speaker 1: I think we can go back to Aaron Hall. You know, I think on a day-to-day basis, he just, he bought it every single day. And credit to him, you know, and his mindset and the way he attacked every day, the way that he approached every day, not just out on the field, but here in the building, in the training room, in the weight room, in the classroom. Like he's, you know, mature beyond his years I would.
00:00:43
Speaker 2: Say Dan Morgan giving a little bit of love yesterday in the presser to Aaron Hull. One of three undrafted free agents to make this roster. D-lineman out of Duke. And he was asked, I talked about him earlier, Bone. And then at the end of the presser, Dan was asked, is there someone that going into camp you kind of thought they were a long shot? And they ended up surprising you with their performance. And he went to Aaron Hull right there. And that's what you heard yesterday. So kudos to that kid, man. And we'll see. I'm very curious to see. And we're getting ready to talk about this defense. And do we still have the same confidence in this defense bone we had before camp started, before the scort and injury? I'm very interested to see which of these young D linemen end up getting the most snaps. You've got Cam Jackson, Lee Hunter. You got Edwards, who they just signed, and you got Aaron Hall. And it's it's three dudes that have never played a snap in the NFL. And Cam Jackson, who played just, you know, a bit a little bit of snaps last year in one year. I'm very fascinated to see who joins, you know, the Browns in terms of snap load.
00:01:59
Speaker 3: You know what I mean? Yeah, no, no doubt. Also, Aaron Hall.
00:02:01
Speaker 4: We're working on him to hopefully join the the radio show here at some point soon. Not today, but sometime in the future. I mean, why wouldn't you?
00:02:08
Speaker 3: What a story he is also. He's a champion, baby. He's a champion. You know what I mean? Why wouldn't we get him on?
00:02:13
Speaker 4: The rare college football player now spent his entire career back at one school. He was at Duke since 2021. He doesn't want to go back to Duke, does he?
00:02:21
Speaker 3: And he's from Durham. He's not going back to Duke, is he? We got him.
00:02:24
Speaker 5: We got him here.
00:02:26
Speaker 3: Well, I mean, if he decides to go back there. No, he's not.
00:02:30
Speaker 4: But no, he's a I listened to him interviewed yesterday and checked out multiple things. He's a as they said, mature, but beyond his years, kid.
00:02:37
Speaker 3: He is. And when you go to Duke, that's what you get.
00:02:40
Speaker 2: He is also one of the rare undrafted free agents who I focused on. after the signing period, and it actually worked out for him. Usually we do this thing where we try to act like we know which undrafted free agent. Coker was one that felt obvious, and I remember looking at the undrafted free agents and saying, you know, I think this kid could be, you know, somebody that could make it. And I didn't know it would be first year. I didn't know it would be first year on the active roster. So let's talk about this defense, Bone Man. I think getting a unit that was 15th or 16th in many categories last year. And getting that unit with the new additions of Devin Lloyd and Jalen Phillips into the top 10, I think has really been a rallying cry, a goal for us in the fan base. And then we lose Nick Scorton right away in training camp. Um, We've had the preseason play out. I think we know everybody is worried sick about the offense and the offensive line specifically. We hadn't really focused much on the defense.
00:03:52
Speaker 4: Speaking of focus, Max, stay strong here.
00:03:54
Speaker 2: Tampa Tammy is trying to distract me right now, and she is a very distracting human.
00:03:58
Speaker 3: I have to tell you right now. She's doing a second place dance.
00:04:03
Speaker 2: Oh, are we sure? Are we sure she's not going to be in third place this year? She's celebrating Clemson right now is what she's doing.
00:04:08
Speaker 6: Oh, oh, oh.
00:04:09
Speaker 2: A little Dabo talk coming up later, Tampa Tammy, about your Tigers. So what do you think, Bone? The scoring injury happened. Preseason plays out. I thought the defense, first-team defense, when they played was... good, not great necessarily. What do you think? Do you still have the top 10 confidence or no?
00:04:31
Speaker 4: I think with score in there and what we thought he was going to be, as a texter pointed out, it felt like that they were going to make that leap, like another leap from where they were to last year to this year. I still think it's possible. I'm not quite as sure. I think they might be either in the range of last year or approaching top 12. I know it's not far from top 10, but I think that they're going to be semi-near it. We just have to see how that other edge spot plays out. They're replacing Nick's score. But I do, with the moves that they made, adding Phillips, adding Lloyd, I think that there's no reason, Mac, for them to go backwards. I don't think that should be a thing by any means. They're only moving forward. It's just a matter of... How far?
00:05:20
Speaker 7: Yeah.
00:05:20
Speaker 3: I listen. If you were to ask me, I love Nick Scorton.
00:05:23
Speaker 5: All right.
00:05:23
Speaker 2: So I feel bad even saying this, but I want to profess my belief that this defense is going to make another move this year. And I still believe they can be in that back portion of the top 10. I'm not talking anything crazy. But if you were given the choice of, OK, you got Nick Scorton and no Lloyd and Phillips or you got Lloyd and Phillips and no Scorton. I think we know which one we would take. Now, listen, the best choice is Nick Skorton with those guys. And that would be special. But this defense is still improved. The personnel is still improved from last season because you added two big-time ballers to this defense. You saw Phillips. He didn't play much in the preseason. You saw his impact bone in that Buffalo drive, that first drive. The dude ended the drive. Literally, him and Prince Lee literally snatched four points away from Josh Allen. And I just think the pass rush bone, this team was 15th or 16th in most defense categories last year, most of the big ones. And their pass rush was absolute dog crap. I mean, absolutely terrible. So you look forward to this year and what Jalen Phillips is going to provide. um and i think i think pat jones is maybe one of the most maybe the most underrated player on the team he had a real good preseason when he was out there and i think this is a guy that had a good start to the season last year and no one ever talks about i think princely really uh opened our eyes with the way he played in the preseason after the canton game after that game um so i'm sorry man i like I don't sense the early techs. I don't sense people still believe in this defense, but I think it's still going to find their way into the bottom half of the top 10.
00:07:10
Speaker 3: I still think it's an improved year.
00:07:11
Speaker 4: I mean, Pat Jones did have seven sacks his last year in Minnesota. Can he get to that seven, eight range again? And then you throw in, can Prince Lee Mack get Three, four, five, and they end up with 10 to 12 sacks where we thought Skorton may be getting to this year. Also, I know that they're different positions, but how much does the O'Kara case signing make you feel better about the loss of Skorton? I'm not comparing the positions, but does the presence of Bobby O and his impact, does that make you feel a lot better now that there's not two areas that you're quite— We're still wanting to see the edge, but we had the edge and then the linebacker questions. Now that the linebacker spot's solidified, how much better does that make you feel?
00:07:56
Speaker 3: That's a great point, too.
00:07:57
Speaker 2: Last year, it was Roseboom, some combination of Roseboom, Wallace, Cherilis, and Bam Martin-Scott starting at linebacker, depending on who was hurt. This year, it's Lloyd Okereke, and I'm telling you right now, don't sleep on Tyrell Dotson. That dude had five sacks from a linebacker spot and 120 tackles last year for Miami, and he started almost 50 games. Right there, I'm telling you right there, we got three linebackers better than any linebacker on the roster last year. So that's a major upgrade as well. And Avero and company still finished in the middle of the pack defensively last year with all those restrictions. I brought up the stat yesterday, Bone, that Robert Mays was saying on the Athletic Football Show preview of the Panthers. that they were last or next to last in about every metric when it comes to the pass rush. But coverage metrics were right there around 20. Imagine when you up the pass rush where the coverage metrics go with that corner. We think Mike Jack and JC Horn had great seasons last year. And by the way, we didn't even talk about the pass rush from blitzers. Devin Lloyd had an amazing season as a blitzer last year. He did tell us bone. He doesn't think he's going to blitz as much here, probably because they want to more in coverage on passing downs. But how about JC Horn in the slot? He's going to get used as a blitzer more. Merrick's a great blitzer. So I wonder if we have more blitz success this year too. I just think this defense is still going to be all that. And I just, I would like, I'd like to find something bone where Panther fans aren't shook by the preseason and aren't crying to their mamas. Like seriously, this fan base came into the preseason bone with all kinds of pee and vinegar and I think that's the only way I can say that phrase on the air. It doesn't sound quite as good. Doesn't hit the same way, does it?
00:09:43
Speaker 3: Boy, they're coming in with that pee and vinegar.
00:09:44
Speaker 2: Doesn't quite hit the same way. And I feel like y'all are so shook. And the O-line, I get it. I'm shook a bit there, too. But this defense, man, I think this is going to be the best unit we've had.
00:10:00
Speaker 3: Since Avero's been here. I do, man.
00:10:02
Speaker 4: The timing of this is quite unbelievable. We do have some breaking news this morning.
00:10:06
Speaker 3: Matt D.
00:10:07
Speaker 4: Ringer has put out at 641 a.m. their NFL defensive ranking predictions.
00:10:14
Speaker 3: For the 2026 season.
00:10:15
Speaker 6: Oh, God.
00:10:15
Speaker 3: Where are we going to be? Where would you think that we are on this list?
00:10:19
Speaker 5: 14th.
00:10:20
Speaker 7: No.
00:10:22
Speaker 3: Lower than that?
00:10:23
Speaker 5: 24th.
00:10:24
Speaker 3: What the bleep are you doing, Ringer? Seriously.
00:10:27
Speaker 4: They praise Derek Brown in the addition of Devin Lloyd. They're worried about how fragile Phillips is with injuries. And the biggest concern and why they're 24th is the secondary.
00:10:41
Speaker 3: The secondary?
00:10:42
Speaker 4: Outside of JC Horn, the coverage depth behind him is very thin.
00:10:45
Speaker 3: Really? Really.
00:10:47
Speaker 5: Did they not watch Mike Jack and how he was a better corner the back half of the year last year than J.C. Horn was? Did they not understand the chess piece that Trayvon Merrick is as he can bump up and be a third linebacker?
00:11:00
Speaker 3: Preach fitting.
00:11:01
Speaker 4: I also think the ringer might put this out knowing that this would be promoting right what we're talking about.
00:11:06
Speaker 3: Who timed this on purpose ringer to get me even more fired up?
00:11:09
Speaker 5: But who wrote the article?
00:11:11
Speaker 3: Bill Simmons. No, I'm just kidding. Anthony... Dabundo.
00:11:18
Speaker 5: All right. I'm going to go find him.
00:11:20
Speaker 3: Anthony Dabundo.
00:11:21
Speaker 5: I'm going to go book him.
00:11:23
Speaker 2: This is personal now to Finney. Great point, though, Finney, about guys in the secondary.
00:11:29
Speaker 3: He's an Eagles fan.
00:11:31
Speaker 5: Oh, that makes so much sense. How about he chokes on a freaking cheesesteak for crying out loud? Easy.
00:11:37
Speaker 7: Damn.
00:11:37
Speaker 3: You got your Dabundos in a wad over there.
00:11:42
Speaker 2: Oh, man. He's on the Ringer Gambling Show, and he writes these things for them. DVR Dave says, last LOL, I guessed 25th. John says, I was in my car, I guessed 20th. Yeah, I must add, the best guess, the highest ranked guess. How does that happen at Arwalk? That comes out at 6.41 a.m., right? right during our show.
00:12:02
Speaker 3: I'm telling you right now, defense, y'all hear that over there?
00:12:05
Speaker 2: JJ, pass that along to the defensive players.
00:12:07
Speaker 4: That's disrespect, man. JJ, put on a sign. You got disrespected by... Anthony Dabundo.
00:12:14
Speaker 3: That damn Dabundo.
00:12:18
Speaker 2: This dude says, y'all never heard of the guy. Why are you so offended? I don't know, because I'm Mac.
00:12:22
Speaker 3: I don't know.
00:12:23
Speaker 2: It's football season, and I believe in this defense, and we're being questioned. I don't care if I have no idea who the guy is. That's not important here, sir.
00:12:33
Speaker 3: Dabundo. Dabundo. What a name, too, man.
00:12:37
Speaker 1: Oh, gee, 7045709610.
00:12:38
Speaker 3: More like Dabundo.
00:12:42
Speaker 2: Da dumbo uh this texter said mice you got him baby you got him uh texter says mike jack had a good year last year do we really think he's going to duplicate it i don't think he has to even have the same sort of year where statistically he was an absolute standout and all the pff metrics and stuff like that i don't think he even needs to have like even if he does tick down come back a little bit and and he got had a I still think he is a really good second corner. I think the question will be the third corner. Is it Shaw Smith-Wade who had a good camp? Is it Will Lee, the blanket? I do think that's maybe where the question is. But I love our versatility, the way they can play ransom and move Merrick up into the box. I like that versatility. The linebackers are better. I do think this dude says Mac just on here yesterday whining about our defensive tackles today. Mac on here acting like we got the steel curtain defense.
00:13:41
Speaker 3: From the 70s. Ain't no whining.
00:13:43
Speaker 2: I was just pointing out, Bone, we got a lot of inexperience there other than Derrick Brown and Bobby Brown.
00:13:47
Speaker 3: It's probably the weakest spot. It probably is. Can my guy Mack whine? Absolutely.
00:13:53
Speaker 4: He's an all-time whiner, right? Like Mount Rushmore whining. But he ain't whining here.
00:13:58
Speaker 3: Settle down.
00:13:59
Speaker 5: We didn't say we were going to be the steel curtain. Maybe the purple people eater. So maybe that's what we're going to be from the 70s.
00:14:03
Speaker 3: By the way, Mack, how much can J.C.
00:14:06
Speaker 4: Horn benefit from the year that Mike Jack had a year ago, because he's now on team's radar where a lot of times they would not want to throw towards JC Horn. Well, Mike Jack is a no commodity now too. So our team's going to say, well, you know, Mike Jack is a guy we also don't want to test. Do they try JC Horn a little more than they used to this year? Because of Mike Jack's growing reputation. Yeah, it does need to be said.
00:14:30
Speaker 3: J.C. Horn is a deterrent of the ball going in his direction. Yes.
00:14:36
Speaker 2: So when people talk about J.C. Horn's PFF numbers aren't that good and all that stuff, he was 10th. in percentage of targets against. To me, Bone, the best thing you can do as a corner, I mean, I guess you could say taking the ball away, but to me, watching corners over the years, Deion Sanders, they wouldn't even look his way. If you are a deterrent to where that portion of the field, you're just like, no, I ain't going to do it. To me, that's an extreme service that can't be quantified on a PFF website. Like that, that's, that's just huge. Cause then you can roll double teams over to the other side. You could do stuff to try to make sure that, okay, they're not going after him. So let's try to load up and make sure we're prepared for when they come to these other sides. So I think it's, I think it's a great corner tandem married to me as an underrated safety. I just, Derek Brown is good to me, going to wreck shop. Like, it's another year back from the injury. I don't think Derrick Brown was back to his best last year. I think he was very good. I got a feeling, Bo, if he can stay healthy, knock on wood, he's going to be back to his best the next year.
00:15:43
Speaker 4: The year after the return, right? This texter says he knows Anthony Dibundo. His government name is Anthony Pagnotta.
00:15:50
Speaker 5: Exactly.
00:15:50
Speaker 3: Oh, no. Come on. Flounder, is this an inside job? Is this an inside job for the Floundino crime family?
00:15:57
Speaker 4: Hey, if Flounder made a prediction, though, Mac, I don't know what that's guaranteed to go right for that guy. Flounder's got a history of saying stuff, and it goes the opposite.
00:16:05
Speaker 2: Not that we don't. Mac is right. Our D should be one of the best in years. Another texter, 704 number. Mac is in Homer mode, but his little henchman, Fitty, even tops him. Fitty is now the biggest Panther homer on this show.
00:16:26
Speaker 5: What did I say that was out of line? By the way, I spent 30 minutes yesterday filling in for Colin, voicing my concerns about where this offense is going into the opener. So get a Q-tip, clean the wax, and do a better damn job at listening.
00:16:42
Speaker 3: Tell him, Fitt, you made great points, man.
00:16:45
Speaker 5: Am I going to pick them to win every single Friday?
00:16:48
Speaker 6: Absolutely.
00:16:48
Speaker 5: Absolutely. I still have my concerns about where this team is entering the opener.
00:16:54
Speaker 3: Both things can be true. Someone compared you and Finney to Austin Powers and Mini-Me. Oh, let's get him, Mini-Me. Let's get him, baby. Oh, man. I shall call him Mini-Mac.
00:17:06
Speaker 2: This texter says, sure enough, I bet that was flounder. Y'all have been pouched.
00:17:11
Speaker 5: Oh, come on.
00:17:12
Speaker 3: He turned it into. Okay. He turned that thing into a verb or something. Was it a verb? How's that word used? Anyway, I'm not smart enough to figure that out. That's well played.
00:17:22
Speaker 4: The only evidence would be of where this guy would have the Giants defense on this defensive rankings list. If they're ahead of the Panthers, that might be a problem. If this guy has the Giants ahead of the Panthers, this might be a... Flounder Pagnotta. Anyhow, let's see. Giants at 21 on the list.
00:17:39
Speaker 2: Oh, man, we caught you. We caught you, Flound. Another texter says, we got to chill with the Mike Jack hype.
00:17:46
Speaker 3: Contract year? Motivation to go get that cheddar? Come on, baby. He's a guy in that defense. We saw it during camp. He is a.
00:17:55
Speaker 4: He's a guy that has some fire. Whenever there's something chippy going on, Mac, he is involved in a lot of that.
00:18:00
Speaker 3: I love it. I think that's a big thing to have. I love it.
00:18:03
Speaker 2: Tampa Matt says, where's the rest of the NFC South in the ringer defensive rankings?
00:18:08
Speaker 3: Do you have it, Boney? Yeah, just give me one second here.
00:18:12
Speaker 4: Atlanta, Matt, they don't have a defense, so they're not listed. Atlanta's 28. As I said, Panthers are 24. I'm scrolling here as I talk, so bear with me for one second here. Saints are 19. On this list. Although they lost Brian Brzee, right? So that's got to be a factor for them. Tampa Bay, still scrolling, still scrolling, still scrolling. Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay, I'm now in the top ten. Tampa Bay's eight.
00:18:38
Speaker 3: What are you smoking? Derundalo, what are you smoking? And just to make sure. What's the guy's name? The Bundo. Okay.
00:18:48
Speaker 4: I want to make sure I'm not on the 2002 Buccaneers here.
00:18:52
Speaker 3: This is 2026. I mean, really?
00:18:54
Speaker 2: I know they added Ruben Bain, but is there going to be pass rush? I don't remember much pass rush last year.
00:18:58
Speaker 4: He praises Vita Vea, Yaya Diaby, Ruben Bain, Todd Bowles being there.
00:19:04
Speaker 3: Todd Bowles was there last year. How'd that work out down the stretch? He says even the loss of Jamel Dean, though, overcome that one. Of course. I mean, but the Panthers can't overcome anything.
00:19:14
Speaker 6: Yes.
00:19:14
Speaker 2: But the Bucs going, oh, yeah, they'll just overcome that. What were the Bucs rankings on defense last year, Bone Man?
00:19:19
Speaker 4: The Bucs ranked fifth in EPA per drive the first nine weeks. Yeah, and then what happened? They ranked 28th in the same stat the second half of the season. So I don't know. They don't have their exact.
00:19:30
Speaker 3: Number on here.
00:19:31
Speaker 2: Were they right? I'm sorry, man. I don't know why I'm apologizing to you, Bone. But that defense was doo-doo for much of that season. 20th last year in points and yards allowed.
00:19:45
Speaker 3: Yeah.
00:19:46
Speaker 2: Pass rush was 22nd in the league. Reuben Bain's a rookie, man. He's really talented. We expect him to go in and just completely flip that pass rush.
00:19:55
Speaker 4: His reasoning was offensive injuries may have derailed the Buccaneers last season, but the defense's fall off was the biggest reason they didn't make the playoffs.
00:20:02
Speaker 3: They run a lot of the same back. So why are they eighth then? Yeah.
00:20:07
Speaker 2: Isn't that more of like the one that should be like in the 20s? Todd Bowles is a defensive coach. Shouldn't he have been able to keep that side of the ball from falling off?
00:20:13
Speaker 3: This is the maddest I've ever been at.
00:20:15
Speaker 7: Anthony.
00:20:16
Speaker 3: Anthony... Dabundo. There you go. There you go, baby. That damn Dabundo caught us again, Matt. Come on, Derek. Don't tell Derek Brown about this disrespect from Dabumble. All right?
00:20:29
Speaker 6: Dabumble.
00:20:30
Speaker 3: That's where Finney found his girl, by the way, on Dabumble. Hinge.
00:20:34
Speaker 7: A hinge.
00:20:34
Speaker 3: That's right. As long as it's not unhinged. That's a whole other app.
00:20:36
Speaker 4: When we come back, Dabo calls out Wayne Kiffin. Are we worried he just gave LSU motivation? Is LSU distracted? Plus the bone man. That's me.
00:20:49
Speaker 3: Am I rooting for Clemson this weekend?
00:20:51
Speaker 6: What? What?
00:20:53
Speaker 3: I'll explain. Sports Radio 92.7. This year, it's like. Dude, we haven't talked about Clemson at all nationally.
00:21:19
Speaker 7: It's been all about LSU, all about the roster building, all about Lane Kiffin. Meanwhile, Davo, self-proclaimed bunch of nobodies at Clemson still have dudes. So I would not be that surprised if this is a game in the third quarter. At that point, all the pressure is on LSU, right? Because they're supposed to be the team. Meanwhile, Clemson has zero expectations, no pressure, and is playing with house money. So I think it's a very dangerous game if you're LSU to go in and kind of overlook a team that still has guys on the other side that will play on Sundays.
00:21:49
Speaker 3: I like it.
00:21:50
Speaker 2: Greg McIlroy thinks little old Clemson is dangerous on Saturday.
00:21:55
Speaker 3: Little old Clemson.
00:21:57
Speaker 2: Listen, I know Clemson fans sometimes will get angry at us about things we say about the program or if we have a problem with something Dabo said or did or whatever.
00:22:08
Speaker 1: Not me.
00:22:10
Speaker 3: But I need to say this.
00:22:12
Speaker 2: I desperately want y'all to beat Lane Kiffin on Saturday night. I want it just for Clemson. I want it for the ACC. But I also want it to happen against that smarmy I'm S.O.B. Lane Kiffin. And you started saying this yesterday, Bone, that you wonder if this thing will be closer than people think in the fourth quarter of this game. I'd love for them just to give themselves a shot in the fourth quarter. That's a tough environment to go into. I think Zena's performance is going to be a very important one, Bone. But I said it earlier, it does feel like the best time to play this team with new schemes on both sides of the ball, with transfers from all over, literally with a couple of transfers from the NFL possibly playing if a Louisiana court doesn't rule it out on Thursday morning. There's a lot of intriguing subplots in this game, man.
00:23:11
Speaker 4: I was reading one article today that was like, what's the best week one bet for college football? Were they listed two or three to go from? And Clemson plus ten and a half was their best bet back at RG.org.
00:23:26
Speaker 3: Gambling expert it.
00:23:27
Speaker 4: Was clemson 10 and plus 10 and a half was the best one because for all the hype of lsu all the talent it's all new to each other it's a new offense it's a new head coach it's a new quarterback they may end up being great along the way but who's to say right away we automatically think lsu night game dominance also clemson mac has first round draft choices at every level of that defense up front Now, linebacker, Hampton, they have defensive talent still there.
00:23:57
Speaker 3: If you read mock drafts, they're all first-rounders. They got studs. So you're saying health, Sammy Brown, and Hampton?
00:24:03
Speaker 4: Yeah.
00:24:04
Speaker 2: I don't know if I'd go first-round. By the way, I don't know if you noticed, Bo, they had a lot of draft picks last year.
00:24:09
Speaker 3: No, I know, but I've.
00:24:10
Speaker 4: Seen mock drafts that has all three guys listed somewhere within the first round.
00:24:15
Speaker 3: That's interesting. Definitely three balls.
00:24:16
Speaker 4: So I'm not saying that Clemson's going to win, but I think that the vibe about this game throughout the summer was, wow, LSU's favored by 11, 11 and a half. Boy, Clemson's going to get their doors blown off. I don't think so anymore. I'm not sure about the focus level of that football program when you've got court cases going on two days before. You've got– what's the chemistry like? You're bringing in players from the NFL. You're taking time away from other guys. What's the chemistry level like right now in general? But then you throw all this in there.
00:24:48
Speaker 3: I don't know. I can't see LSU being a– Judge or not, right away. Finish product. Right away.
00:24:54
Speaker 2: I'm starting to think that, too. I thought during the summer, double-digit win. I'm starting, too, to feel like, can Clemson have themselves in this game? I don't know if I'm saying win it, but can they have themselves in this game? Now, there are some people— I' m already seeing it on the text line— that think— that what Dabo said yesterday, Bone, is going to hurt Clemson. I'll read one of those texts. 704 number. Guys, all these points about Clemson covering the spread sound good, but I fear that Dabo uncovered the spread himself yesterday when he took shots at Lane Kiffin. Lane Kiffin going to want to hang half a hundred on Dabo. Here is that comment. This is a theory, too, that we could explore as well. Is LSU distracted, or did Dabo Sweeney just motivate them? Listen to what Dabo said, which, by the way, I agree with 100% of what Dabo said.
00:25:55
Speaker 8: Rarely am I at a loss for words, but Chapel Womack, kind of a loss of words. I would just say it's kind of embarrassing. I mean, honestly, it's just embarrassing that that's where we are. I don't blame the kids and people trying to take advantage of the system. I just think it's embarrassing where we are with college football. We've been there for a while, so I just keep my energy and my focus and my energy on the things that I control and the things that matter, and that's these kids here and our team. But all that outside stuff, we just kind of, no pun intended, we just stay in our lane here at.
00:26:35
Speaker 3: Clemson, try to.
00:26:37
Speaker 8: Every now and then somebody will ram into us, but we try to just kind of handle our business here.
00:26:43
Speaker 3: But it's embarrassing.
00:26:44
Speaker 8: I mean, it really is. You know, we have no rules. There's no governance.
00:26:49
Speaker 6: I mean, it's a joke.
00:26:52
Speaker 8: There's zero rules. And when you enforce rules, somebody just goes and finds a judge to say, no, you can't enforce that rule. So, I mean, never did I think I'd be living in an era like this, but that's where we are. You know, hopefully, eventually there'll be different things coming down the pipe.
00:27:10
Speaker 3: Preach, baby. Preach, Dabo.
00:27:11
Speaker 4: People are laughing at Dabo saying he's at a loss for words that he spoke for five straight minutes.
00:27:16
Speaker 3: Yellow snow.
00:27:17
Speaker 2: That's Mac every day from 6 to 10. Yellow snow. I don't even try to tell you I'm at a loss for words. That's funny. By the way, the narrator voice, pun was intended. The pun was intended 100%. And it was funny. Stay in our lane. So what do you believe? This dude says, earlier in the show, first hour, we got a text. I guess I didn't save it or copy and paste it. It was an LSU fan bone that said, Dabo... noted lane kiffin is going to try his best to embarrass dabbo after his gun dabbo did say in another part in the presser he's very proud of lane and how lane has worked to improve himself as a human being he did throw that in there even though he doesn't know a little bit What do you think, Bone? You seem to subscribe to the LSU could be distracted theory by all that's going on with the NFL players and stuff. Do you not subscribe at all to Lane Kiffin now?
00:28:16
Speaker 3: It's personal.
00:28:17
Speaker 4: If Lane Kiffin, Mac, has to keep track of all that's said about him, he's going to be a very busy man throughout his days. His bulletin board, Mac, is like three miles wide right now. I think it's more of the distraction than the focus. It's not just that. It's the combination of what I said. This isn't a team that knows each other where we've seen them compartmentalize and focus on the task at hand. We don't know what that looks like yet. We don't know what this operation looks like yet, even without the distracted stuff going on. So to me, it's going to be hard to think that you're going to get the best of LSU with all that surrounds it right now and then all the newness. So the more we talk about it, the more this goes on, I think that LSU wins. But this is going to be... This is going to be a lot closer than I thought it was. This is such a juicy, fun matchup. And it was only 17-10 last year. It wasn't like LSU went in there and blew out Clemson last year. Well, Clemson was supposed to be the team. Last year, Clemson was the team. Everybody thought it was the Heat. Everybody thought Clemson was going to have the LSU in their Death Valley. So it's a complete role reversal, no doubt about it. If you are a Clemson fan, are you starting to feel a little more positive about this game?
00:29:34
Speaker 3: Maybe you felt positive the whole way.
00:29:36
Speaker 5: 704-570-9610.
00:29:40
Speaker 2: I do want to ask about who people are rooting for in this matchup because Gator Rube says, I hate both of these bleepity bleepers. Meaning Dabo and Lane. Another texter, Bone. Where was our guy at? Country something. Big country. Big country. What was he saying? Did you read his text, Bone? It says, who does Bone want to win? I'm confused myself. That's someone who hates both these teams and these guys. Okay, so we have another South Carolina fan. Bone, I have not told anybody this. I also am wondering in a weird way, do I actually want Clemson to win? This is a weird one. Explain yourself already. I don't know if rooting is the right word. It's one of those odd, like if Clemson gets their doors blown off, I'm not like, oh, golly gee, boy, that was horrible. I'm not sitting there singing, you know, hold that tiger. But most of the time, if not.
00:30:31
Speaker 4: 100% of the time, Mac, I'm full anti-Clemson in this particular game here. If they found a way to win and LSU got embarrassed, it's not a normal situation where I'm like, oh, my God, I can't. I'm not rooting for Clemson, but I'm all right if they do win this football game.
00:30:49
Speaker 3: Does that make any sense? Okay.
00:30:52
Speaker 4: Also, a couple reasons here. Number one, I don't view Clemson as the threat they used to be anymore. South Carolina has proven they can hang with them. But you're right about that. South Carolina is the better team going into this season. Also, think about South Carolina two years ago when they were– fighting for the playoff spot, think about who they were fighting with.
00:31:15
Speaker 3: It was Alabama. It was Ole Miss.
00:31:16
Speaker 4: They were compared to teams within their conference. So if LSU has a loss on the board already.
00:31:24
Speaker 2: Are you already rooting against playoff contenders?
00:31:29
Speaker 4: Do you feel that frisky about your Gamecocks? Looking ahead, LSU gets some losses. That does benefit South Carolina if you're doing resume stuff.
00:31:38
Speaker 2: I just don't view South Carolina as a playoff contender.
00:31:42
Speaker 4: Here's what we're going to do. You're going to give your opinion because I just gave mine, Hondo.
00:31:53
Speaker 2: Oh, I respect what you're saying because Lane Kiffin is public enemy number one. AC says, I can promise you this, nobody outside of Louisiana is pulling for LSU. Well, are Gamecock fans pulling for LSU? There's someone here that are. Bone talked about why he's torn.
00:32:09
Speaker 5: Oh, they are?
00:32:10
Speaker 3: Yeah, there's someone here that are. You want Clemson to have this huge win? That's the only thing.
00:32:14
Speaker 2: I get what you're saying, Bone, but if you're a Gamecock fan, do you realize how celebrated nationally Clemson will be? Do you realize the promo Dabo will cut? With Holly Roe or whoever it is.
00:32:25
Speaker 3: I don't even know.
00:32:26
Speaker 5: Laura Rutledge will be on the sidelines.
00:32:27
Speaker 3: Whoever the sideline reporter is. Can you imagine, Bo? We brought our own guts, everybody.
00:32:31
Speaker 9: It was a bring your own guts game and a bunch of nobodies went out there and beat some somebodies.
00:32:35
Speaker 3: Little old Clemson rose up. We rode in here with the rest of y'all buds.
00:32:39
Speaker 2: Do you want that South Carolina fan? Do you know why it doesn't bother me? Do you know why it doesn't bother me? Because South Carolina will take care of that end of the season. So let them be good. South Carolina could use a big one at the end of the year. Make sure you're good, Clemson. So if South Carolina beats you, it adds to the resume. Fitty, you and I looked at each other when Bone dismissed Clemson and said, we're a better team than you anyway.
00:33:06
Speaker 3: We both looked at each other. Do you feel like... Are they that far apart?
00:33:10
Speaker 2: It feels very even to me, and you said they are better than them, like they're like a high school team.
00:33:17
Speaker 3: I just.
00:33:19
Speaker 2: That's a toss-up to me. I know this. I would pick Clemson to win more games.
00:33:24
Speaker 4: Think about having this discussion five years ago and how far it's come for South Carolina and where Clemson is now.
00:33:30
Speaker 5: It's more about Clemson's regression than the progression of South Carolina, though. South Carolina's come some ways under Shane Beamer, but we can't rule out this program could fall flat on its face once again, whereas Clemson five years ago was coming off right there with Bama, the greatest run in the modern era of the sport in the playoff era. And they have regressed to that. I think they're very even. I think that'll be a really good game that weekend of Thanksgiving. But I wouldn't have said it the way that you said it. You made it seem like it was night and day that South Carolina is better than Clemson. And I don't get that sense going into the year. Because I think Clemson won will win more games.
00:34:08
Speaker 3: Well, you know what? It was my opinion and not yours. So I'll say what I want to say. That's fine. And also, he asked me my opinion and I gave it. Did we ask for your opinion?
00:34:16
Speaker 5: He actually did.
00:34:17
Speaker 3: Oh, did you? Yeah, I did.
00:34:18
Speaker 2: Thank you for chiming in. 919 number. Rev Kev has your back. RevKev says, Bone, that was beautiful. As a South Carolina fan, that was well said. 919Number says, Bone, how do you do it every day? Max sometimes just wants to argue to argue. Yeah, the nerve of me on a sports talk show to tell Bone I see it differently. I didn't know the Boneyacs out there were so damn sensitive. that I couldn't bring up a counterpoint.
00:34:47
Speaker 4: Siddy, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you're going to let down Laura Rutledge Nation, by the way. She's no longer on the college football stuff.
00:34:54
Speaker 5: Oh, I thought you were going to yesterday see you in Baton Rouge.
00:34:56
Speaker 3: Oh, is she there for this? Oh, oh.
00:34:58
Speaker 4: Because it's Holly Rowe on the sidelines now. Because remember, Laura Rutledge is off SEC Nation. She's doing the NFL stuff now.
00:35:04
Speaker 5: Are they putting two sideline reporters on for this game?
00:35:07
Speaker 3: That might be it.
00:35:09
Speaker 4: She's not listed for this game.
00:35:13
Speaker 3: We might have both been right.
00:35:15
Speaker 2: This texter says, Max Dabo victory speech, fake victory speech was gold. Yeah, I felt good about it.
00:35:23
Speaker 3: I heard a lot of those. It's been a minute.
00:35:25
Speaker 2: But I feel pretty good about it.
00:35:28
Speaker 9: We brought our own guts today. Everybody got off that rest of y'all butts. Will you send us a break, my ass dabble, sweetie? We're going to take a break, everybody. I'm telling you, we got a bunch of nobodies around here. But we're going to become somebodies before the.
00:35:40
Speaker 3: Show is over.
00:35:57
Speaker 2: Oh, man. How dare you, Salty Pirate? Salty Pirate says my dabbo sounds more like Jimbo. Does that make you Dumbo, Salty Pirate?
00:36:07
Speaker 3: Oh! Oh! Oh!
00:36:10
Speaker 2: Love you, though, Salty Pirate, and I am rooting for your ECU Pirates. I'm not sure that's going to help, though, against Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Saturday, but I would love to see your boys. put on a good show, despite that text that you sent in there. Our next guest, Boney, he and the boys of Charlotte FC are on an absolute roll right now. Man, they're playing well. And I love it when it happens in Atlanta, a house that we are now owning when it comes to Charlotte FC and Atlanta United.
00:36:46
Speaker 3: Rivalry? What rivalry?
00:36:48
Speaker 2: Charlotte's gone in there now. after the 2-0 win on Saturday and won four straight. And the captain, Ashley Westwood, is here for a Westy win Wednesday on the Mac and Bone Show.
00:37:00
Speaker 3: Westy, congrats, man. How you doing?
00:37:03
Speaker 6: Thank you, mate. Yeah, good morning.
00:37:05
Speaker 5: Good morning.
00:37:05
Speaker 6: We're all good.
00:37:06
Speaker 5: We're all good.
00:37:06
Speaker 6: Yeah, it was a good result in our second home.
00:37:09
Speaker 4: Hey, I was going to say congrats on owning another home.
00:37:15
Speaker 3: I love it.
00:37:15
Speaker 2: Westy, you've obviously played in a lot of, you know, what y'all call derbies over there, right?
00:37:20
Speaker 3: A lot of rivalries.
00:37:21
Speaker 2: This one, you travel a little further, right, than those local rivalries have. um, where you're from, but man, fans show up every time. There's two things that are guaranteed to happen. It feels like y'all are going to win and fans are going to be loud as heck that, that has to feel good winning a match specifically like that. Right.
00:37:41
Speaker 6: Yeah. It's especially, that's probably one of the only games where you get a good number of away supporters. So for them to turn up again, it goes, I said it a lot of time. That's the reason our home form is so good. when our fans turn up, we turn up, and it's the same in Atlanta. It's unique. Before the game, we go over and clap, and then after, it's just like a tradition that we do at home. We do appreciate it, and the performances we put in are always for them.
00:38:11
Speaker 4: The other day on the broadcast, Dax McCarthy was the analyst for the game, and multiple times he was putting Pep in the MVP conversation. How happy does that make you feel that Pep could get at least recognition and put up in a conversation like that from a national analyst?
00:38:30
Speaker 6: He deserves it, and I think last year he was very close to it. Unfortunately, he just suffered an injury in the league's cup games, which I think was his hamstring, but This year, he stayed fit. He's picked off from where he left off last year. I think it's just the contributions he gives to the team. Whenever we're playing well, Pep's usually the one that delivers.
00:38:52
Speaker 2: Dude, those guys in front of you right now, you can feel something happening, right? Pep is Mr.
00:38:58
Speaker 3: Consistent. If he's healthy, you're right.
00:39:00
Speaker 2: He's there all the time producing goal contributions. But Maxie feels like he gets better and more fit every time out. I mean, that second goal when he ran through half the dang defense to set up a Bata, and then a Bata, He's a new guy since the World Cup break. And then I feel like Toklamati's rounding back into form. Like, how good do you feel when you can get it to those four dudes in front of you?
00:39:26
Speaker 6: Makes my job easier. I don't have to do as much running. I think Maxi was electric the other night. And I think the way we're, listen, we're a team, you would class us as a European team. We're very much, we sit in our 4-4-2, we defend, we're very organized team. And I think you find a lot of the MLS teams, they can be a bit chaos. They just all go forward man for man. So it could suit us with Maxi just exploiting it the way he can run at people 1v1. And you've got Liel's the same. You've got Idan. And then you've got, to be fair, Archie. Archie Goodwin's been pushing Idan as well. And I say all the time, you need competition for places. And we've certainly got that.
00:40:06
Speaker 4: We have a listener text question for you here, Cap. Since you now are the mayor of Atlanta, do you enjoy the Waffle House?
00:40:17
Speaker 6: I'm not a big fan of the Waffle House. I probably need a few drinks and a late night for that. Henry Kessler took over the aquarium as well on Sunday. He stayed over and walked around the aquarium. We've took over the Mercedes-Benz, and Charlotte now owns the aquarium.
00:40:33
Speaker 3: Oh, my God. That is hilarious.
00:40:35
Speaker 2: I thought for sure he might be a Waffle House guy. So what is it, Westy? What is it with the Waffle House that you don't like? Because I feel like that's a Southern institution in this country.
00:40:46
Speaker 6: I've never tried it. Obviously, I'm an English breakfast guy. I can't get my head around eating waffles in the morning.
00:40:53
Speaker 3: What is English? Let Mac and I take the lads out. We'll have a waffle house day.
00:40:58
Speaker 6: Field trip? We should do a show from the waffle house one week.
00:41:02
Speaker 5: We would.
00:41:02
Speaker 3: We've done it before. We did.
00:41:04
Speaker 2: We, we broadcasted it. We lost a bet and had to broadcast from a waffle house in Georgia. We had to drive three hours away.
00:41:10
Speaker 3: Oh my God. That's your state, you know, Georgia. Yeah.
00:41:14
Speaker 2: Westy, what, okay. For, for those of us here in the States that think of our breakfast, right. Of, you know, it might be eggs or it might be like you say, waffles, pancakes, French toast. What is the quintessential English breakfast?
00:41:28
Speaker 6: It's a big fry-up. See, you'd have– and the bacon's different. We'd have back bacon, sausage links, poached or fried eggs or scrambled, mushrooms, tomatoes, and baked beans with a few slices of toast.
00:41:44
Speaker 3: Yeah, that bean.
00:41:45
Speaker 2: That beans part is where you lose me, though.
00:41:49
Speaker 3: Beans in the morning?
00:41:52
Speaker 6: I will get you some. I'm going to send some into the studio for you. You can try it.
00:41:57
Speaker 5: Westy, we don't need this man eating beans anymore.
00:42:00
Speaker 3: Let's just not send those. Why not pick those up from you? That would be dangerous.
00:42:06
Speaker 4: Now, as a former player myself, my pregame meal in my playing days was burgers and fries. What's your normal pregame meal consist of?
00:42:16
Speaker 6: I hope our nutritionist isn't listening.
00:42:21
Speaker 3: No, they're not.
00:42:22
Speaker 6: So a home game, obviously I take the little girl, we go, she does horse riding. So I'll drop her off at the stables and then I'll go, I'll go Starbucks and get a ham and cheese baguette.
00:42:33
Speaker 3: Okay.
00:42:35
Speaker 6: Which is not the healthiest. I'll come home and then I'll, I won't eat them until about two o'clock. I'm not a big eater on match day. On about two o'clock, I'll then order, I order a little mama's takeaway. I have a vodka pasta chicken.
00:42:49
Speaker 3: Okay, all right.
00:42:50
Speaker 2: That's a good carb loading there for you on game day.
00:42:55
Speaker 3: Okay, I like that.
00:42:55
Speaker 6: I'm simple. I'm very easy.
00:42:57
Speaker 2: I like that. Ashley Westwood, captain of Charlotte FC, joining us. They're on fire. Fifth in the East right now. And this match on Saturday, like, Houston's not a team, you know, that we necessarily see, you know, routinely. It's not like one of the Eastern Conference squads that we know better. But this team is having a heck of a season. This is a hell of a match if y'all are looking for something to do on Saturday night. Houston is second in the table. You guys are one of the hottest teams in the league post-World Cup break. What's this Houston team do well? And how big of a deal? This is a good litmus test match for y'all. Plus, y'all want to keep rising up the standings, too.
00:43:39
Speaker 6: Yeah, it's going to be a real tough game. Like you said, they're second in their league. But we're at home and I don't think they've been to us yet. So it'll be interesting to see how they do the turf. I know they've just lost the midfielder to... He's just gone to Stoke City, so that's good for us. They can keep losing players. But no, it's going to be a tough game. But I think we go into any game at home feeling confident. So we should... We're looking to go and get the win, and like you said, we're one of the formed teams, so we need to carry that momentum into Saturday.
00:44:16
Speaker 3: It's also Christian Kalina bobblehead night, isn't it? There you go.
00:44:21
Speaker 6: Yeah, I've seen it. It's great. It's very good. Awesome.
00:44:25
Speaker 2: All right, get there early. Grab yourself a Cali bobblehead. Westy, we always have fun. We're guaranteed to talk soccer or football, as you would call it, and then we never know where the rest of it's going to go.
00:44:38
Speaker 3: But you do it. You are amazing.
00:44:40
Speaker 2: At playing along with our shenanigans. And we learned a lot about English Breakfast today. We appreciate you, brother. Good luck on Saturday, man. We hope to talk to you on another Win Wednesday next week.
00:44:53
Speaker 6: Thanks for having me again. See you next week.
00:44:54
Speaker 3: All right, be good. There you go. Oh, he called his shot. He said, we'll be on here next week.
00:44:59
Speaker 2: Although they got a Wednesday match at Montreal, but we can work them in Tuesday, win Tuesday, but they got to go do it against Houston. Tickets available, charlottefootballclub.com. I'm telling you, this is a hell of a matchup on Saturday night. I did want to mention, Bone, the MLS transfer window closes later today. I don't know if Charlotte FC is going to do anything else tonight. I had really been hopeful that they would do something else. Dean Smith had been kind of saying, I think we're going to add to that final, you know, fill that final senior member spot. I don't know if anything's going to happen on the final day, but they're playing so well, it's almost like I don't think, I don't know if it's worth freaking out.
00:45:37
Speaker 3: If they don't, they're playing so well.
00:45:39
Speaker 4: When we come back here on the Mac and Bone Show, Sounds of the Panthers, Dan and Dave, post-cut edition on Sports Radio 92.7 WFNZ.
