Sports Strategy Session NFL Playoff Debate and Hockey Power Struggles

Ever find yourself screaming at the TV, wondering why your favorite team made that call? That's how I felt watching the AFC Championship, and in this episode, I don't hold back on my thoughts about Baltimore's eyebrow-raising tactics against Kansas City. It's a full press on the decision to sideline Lamar Jackson's running game, and I'm tossing the challenge flag, questioning if the Ravens missed their best shot at glory. We also tackle Kansas City's strategic win and Spagnuolo's defensive wizardry, plus I weigh in on the early Mahomes-Brady GOAT debate—trust me, you'll want to hear this take.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg; we also dissect the 49ers' nail-biter against Detroit. As a die-hard fan, the tension was palpable, and it got personal—I'll share how my son's wardrobe change might've swung the Niners' luck (hey, don't underestimate the power of sports superstitions!). On a more serious note, we examine Lamar Jackson's uphill battle to regain MVP form amidst the chaos of NFL free agency and the coaching carousel. Hear my thoughts on how these factors shape the gridiron we love.

Shifting from the field to the ice, this episode glides into an analysis of the NHL's movers and shakers. I chat about the Vegas Golden Knights' struggle for dominance in the Pacific Division, Edmonton's sizzling streak, and Boston's surprising staying power, despite some big goodbyes. But before we drop the gloves on all the hockey action, we take a breather to center ourselves. It's not all about the scores and stats—I share insights into maintaining mental stability and self-care, because even the most dedicated sports fan needs to take a timeout for their well-being. So, lace up for a session that promises to be as thrilling as a game-winning goal in overtime!

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:06

All right, everybody, welcome back to another episode of Vegas guys locker room. I'm your host, jesse. Hey guys, super Bowl is on the way. It has been decided. We're gonna break down some games of the championships Baltimore vs Casey, and the Niners and the Lions. So first we're gonna talk the conference championship in the FC. We're gonna talk about this Baltimore Kansas City game. A lot of people took looking to take Baltimore to get there. I mean they look like the far superior team. During the whole offseason Baltimore was favored by four. I just don't think they played to this strength. I mean you got to get back to me on this one. Why are we trying to have Lamar win the game when your biggest asset all year long was running the football? You did not run the ball. Another aspect of it is you didn't see Lamar use his legs to create plays, especially when momentum was all on Kansas City side in that first half. Did we get enough action out of Lamar Jackson? I saw many opportunities where he could have just tucked it, ran, pick up some yardage, get the ball moving. Try to get some momentum going for your team. He's trying to win the game from the pocket. Listen, spagnola challenge that he couldn't beat him from the pocket. Did that plan is my word, yes, I'm going to and he decided that he wasn't going to run the football. A lot of those things were interesting to watch. I don't think Lamar played the game to his strength. I think he tried to do more than he really should have. Kansas City gets out to that early lead and never look back. Baltimore's defense did well the first half. They kind of struggled, but it looked like in the second half. It's kind of two way street. A lot of people say, listen, they held them three points in the second half. Or was it at that point Patrick Mahomes just game managing? Because he does that very well. He does that just pick up first downs. Okay, we didn't get a punt. Let the defense play defense. Especially with this Kansas City team. The defense has played great. Spagnola has got that team playing amazing football on the outside of the ball. And listen, you could say it either way. You can say Baltimore's defense played great or you can say Kansas City managed the clock and just kept running the clock out, which, which is it, could be viable. Kansas City's run game though it looked legit during that game Really really ran the ball. Isaiah Pacheco was. I think they mixed it in well. The play calling was fantastic by Andy Reardon company. I think they did a hell of a job mixing that in Travis Kelsey doing Travis Kelsey things. Really, it probably wasn't the toughest challenges for him this year explaining us his Baltimore defense and he held his own. I got to give him some held his own even though he'd you know all them Swifties out there. God, I'm sorry, I can't take that Swiftie stuff. That is ridiculous. I mean, you got grown people watching the game that don't know nothing about it and all they want to talk about is Taylor Swift being in the booth. And my God, how many times is the camera need the pan to Taylor Swift in the boot like, come on, man, nobody cares, nobody cares. I know, as a football fan, I don't care. I don't care that Taylor Swift is there, I don't care, gosh. Anyways, with this win, is my home's now the new goat. I know there's been a lot of talk in the media. Everybody's saying that he's. He is far better than Tom Brady. Here's my thing. I don't think you can go in that discussion yet. I think it's a little too early. I think the only time you can compare people is when their careers are finished. You know Kobe and you know they did this with Kobe and like, and when Kobe was still playing, you couldn't get there. You got to see what the final product is. Let me listen. He's 28. Yeah great, he's on a great path. We don't know what next year brings. He could maybe never make the Super Bowl again. You know this team could get worse and he reads, not getting any younger If he leaves his team fall apart. You can't. You can't decide that an injury boom he's. Anything can happen like. You can't label him the goat already. Let's wait. You know Tom's got seven Super Bowl. So listen to me, that's the benchmark. You can get the seven Super Bowls. All right, now You're in the discussion. Otherwise I'm moving on, moving on anybody else here that Tom Brady's emerging his company with the noble company you know the same Owner that's has, you know was responsible for body armor and vitamin water and all that good stuff. So, hey, kudos to Tom Brady. Fucking congratulations man. Awesome, awesome job, really, really probably a smart move to merge with that company. God knows what he's doing. Everything he touches business wise seems to work out. Tom Brady doing his own entrepreneurship probably a good move, too special, with him getting into the broadcasting this this coming up next season with Fox it's gonna cover the Super Bowl guys. So, hey, can the goat be goat at the? At the booth? The booth job there. Right, my biggest takeaway from Baltimore, kansas City? This, especially with Lamar are these games just too big for him? Are they too big for Lamar? It seems that every time he gets into these big games he he tries to do things that maybe you're not in his comfort zone. That is the wheelhouse. I Just, I wish. I would like to see him stick to what his strengths are and Really get that matchup, because every time you look at it he's trying to do the pocket passer thing. That's not your game, Lamar. Let's not your game and it's fine. It wasn't Cam Newton's game. It wasn't Colin Kaepernick's game, it's Russell Wilson. Extended plays you have got some amazing athletic ability. Utilize it. You know, don't be afraid of it. Don't think anybody's thinking any less of you. I don't care. Win games, that's what the NFL is about. Just win the games and then move on. You know you're gonna have critics, no matter how you play the game. At least win it. Win it and you don't have to ate. Did I win the game? Good, leave me alone. Now, when you lose a game, it gets amplified 20 times. So, listen, I don't know With Lamar if the games are too much or if he tries to do too much and tries to be somebody who's not. I'd really like to see him be the guy that gets him there, that MVP that played throughout the whole season. I'd really like to see that and hopefully one of these years you can get that. I it's gonna be tough with Baltimore. I just, I don't know, with them getting back, I think this was the best shot that the Ravens had. Listen, it's it's kind of that situation where the Colts and the Patriots in the early 2000s, where you had Peyton Manning on one side and you had Tom Brady on the other and it just seemed like Tom always had the edge. Now You're waiting for that game where the ball probably but finally breaks through, as Peyton did against Tom. But hopefully you. On today's free agent market, I mean a lot of players move a lot of money. I mean there's a lot of money being being moved around, especially if your team successful coaching changes now or Got a yearly thing, like you do, two good years as an OC or DC and you're moving on a head coaching job, but there's it's just a whole different ballgame, especially in the front office nowadays. So they kudos to Kansas City for holding it together, but the Ravens, hey, you got to prove that you can do it, just as case he's done. Next game on top out is, of course, the Niners and Detroit. And man, was I nervous watching this game, I'm telling you. I think at one point I was like should I just turn this off and just save myself some heartache, because it was getting Hard to watch? I'm sitting there, I'm yelling at the TV, I'm not happy, very angry, you know. Then you see how the defense is playing against the run of Detroit and Detroit is just running the football All over this Niners defense who, I'm starting to think, is maybe a little overrated. I Think who was it that said it best? I can't remember who said the good breakdown on the Niners front, for they, when they comes a rushing, a passer, they are like the Avengers, marvel Avengers. When it comes to stopping a run, they're like the Care Bears. I mean, jay, just man, they fold, they fold, they just let people run through there. We are not stopping the run. We haven't. We didn't do it against Green Bay, we didn't do it against Detroit, but Detroit did come back and give us a hand because they ran the ball seven times in the second half. I'm sorry, didn't you have a 17 point lead? You had a 17 point lead and you threw the ball I believe it was 21 times and ran the ball seven. It was completely flip-flopped in the first half. I think it was 20 rushes to seven passes and you dominated. And Then you changed up your whole entire scheme, which I get, I think. I think the pressure got to it and that was the only way I could see the Niners getting back in. I remember sitting there just thinking how, how in the world Can we get back in this game? Okay, we're getting the ball half, we've got a score, you've got a score, you get in there, you score and you get the turnover and you score again. Bam, like that. You see it, it's a, it's a new ball game, it's a brand new ball game, just like that. Here was the big thing. Then it really, I think Detroit kind of got into the alright, let's get this lead back, let's get this, let's steal the momentum. I think they kept trying to get the big plays really getting away from the run. Unfortunately, because the run, the running game was your big play. You were just taking chunks out of the Niners ass. I mean, come on, just go, go, just run that rock. I mean really. I mean Detroit, you ran that rock, you probably win the game because you they weren't stopping you, there was, they had no answer to your run game with Jamir Gibbs and and David Montgomery. There was no answer. But I think the biggest change was my son and and at halftime he got a little hot and took his sweater off, which was a Niners sweater. And then I was talking to my father during a half and he explained to me that you know, his mom is a big Green Bay Packers fan and he found it kind of interesting that as he's sitting at my father's house on the weekend because I have to work, it's cheering on and wanting the Green Bay Packers to beat the Niners while he is wearing his Niners gear. So I was like, okay, let's take this off, since you jinxed it, since you've tainted this sweatshirt, and they come back, comes back, and then we come down their score. We look good, we're good on offense. Offense is finally clicking. I'm a tribute to taking off the tainted sweater that Jason was wearing during the game. So you know, that's my, that's my take on it and that's how we made the comeback. Was we got bad? We got rid of the bad juju that Jason brought on that sweatshirt? No, but it was. It was interesting to watch that a lot of people playing in Dan Campbell for costing them the game with those Two fourth downs. This and I agree with the first one. I think the first one was very aggressive. I like the call the second one, though by that time the Niners had stolen all the momentum and I truly believe that momentum is the thing you needed to kind of plug the bleeding and getting it to a tie game and going okay, guys, reset Could have helped change maybe the momentum in that game and maybe got your guys back on track. But instead of going for it and you don't pick it up, Everybody now on the sidelines in that panic mode. Oh my god, we're coming away with no points again and we're still losing. So now, instead of Resetting and calming down and trying to get the momentum back, you go straight into panic mode, and I think that's what ended up happening with Detroit. A Lot of people like, well, he's made those calls all year. Yes, I get it, I get it, he's made those calls all year. But this is the conference championship and sometimes you got to go okay, take the points. We haven't had many this this half. Yeah, I mean, at that point you, just you, you hadn't scored, you hadn't scored. Get the points, try to get something building, try to hemorrhage that bleeding and then reset and get your guys back on track. So, but it's alright, hey, my nighter, get to the Super Bowl. I'm happy, I'm happy. So Thank you to the Lions for pulling a what usually is a kind of shanhand move, where we're gonna go in with a big lead and, rather than run the ball, we're just gonna throw the ball. You know, a bunch of times, like we did in Super Bowl, we played Kansas City last, where we had the lead, and Rather than trying to run the ball, like we're, like our team was built for, let's, let's throw passes. So usually that's something that Kyle Shanahan does, but this time it was Dan Campbell and Ben Johnson. So what's next for Detroit? Can they get back to where the you know, to this championship game? You know they're probably gonna lose their OC. It has not happened yet but I know he's favorited in a couple places to go. He's got some interviews lined up, I believe. I believe the Seahawks and the commanders are kind of in the mix, so it's gonna be kind of interesting to see how Detroit handles losing their offensive coordinator For next season. Does this team look different? Do they look the same? I mean, listen, if you just stick to the running backs, you know you got the running back side of you got some great Young players. You guys hit on rookies at an unbelievable rate this past year. Jameson William starting to look like he. He can contribute a little bit in that wide receiving core. I'm on roster, looks awesome. Laporta looks like a stud, looks like a stud. And of course you got Gibbs and Montgomery. You got Thunder and lightning back there. Montgomery still got some, got some juice left, and Gibbs it's just handling his own on the outside of minutes like the speed of that guy just crushes defenses. Now you got it. You got to try to keep that whole thing together. I mean guys are gonna want to get paid. You know you're gonna have to try to figure it out. That offensive line. Keep that old line together. D line was really looking good. That's one thing that I got to give Detroit this year. They really focus on, on listen. That defense was horrendous and they finally decided let's focus on one thing, let's be good at one thing, and that was stopping the run. And I got to give kudos, you know, to Aaron Glenn do the defense, the DC over there in Detroit Really making that transition being a listen, okay, rather than just trying to be an overall defensive. Let's focus on one thing, to be dominant at that. So kudos to Detroit. But I don't know what's next for you. I don't know if you can get it back between these two teams, baltimore and Detroit. I think Detroit's the more likely of of those two teams to try to get back, simply because there's so much Talent in that a of C. I mean you still have Josh Allen. You're hoping that Justin Herbert comes back now with Harbaugh being his coach. You've got a lot of good QB's and that in that, that division and that conference alone, trying to get back to this, it's this no small feat, I mean. That's why I thought this was Lamar's chance, you know, to really get back. You know burrow could be back. You know he's gonna. He's gonna have his, his comeback season next year. There's this just a lot. There's a lot going on out there and I think that with those talent, those guys are hungry. Especially with my home's owning it. It's gonna be tough to get back there. Now let's talk about we got the Super Bowl coming here to Vegas. Our lovely Vegas town is gonna be hosting its first ever Super Bowl. It's gonna be a madhouse in town. I mean I've looked at hotel prices and ticket prices. How the hell do you afford to go to this game? My god, that is ridiculousness. And Whoo kudos at a view. You got the money to show that out. Good for you. I just can't see spending that kind of money. I mean you're looking at nosebleed seats going for six grand and hotel rooms going for four. You're looking at $10,000 just to watch a football game. Yeah, I'll watch it at home. I'm good. I'm good I can watch that and have a couple cocktails and relax on my couch. So I think that's where I'll go with this. So it should be interesting, could be a fun time here in the Sin City. It's gonna be an interesting weekend. You know, we got the. We got some events going off in town. You got lunar new year and, of course, the Super Bowl, so should be interesting. Guys, please be careful out there on the roads. That coming up weekend it's gonna be kektx gonna be crazy. Stay your ass at home. Just stay at home. If you guys don't need to be out, don't be out, because it's gonna be a madhouse in town. I mean there's gonna be people from everywhere here. So listen, that NFL experience that's gonna start this coming up week. So Listen, if you can get to that, go enjoy that. Be here. Be careful down there on the strip. You know still doing a lot of construction, traffic's a pain in, but but hey, it's it's. It'll be good for the city. Hopefully brings us some, some revenue and Hopefully we can make out with that game going there. All right, now let's gonna bring us through our NHL coverage. We're gonna break down some NHL news. Of course we're at the all-star break here. New kind of concept to the all-star weekend with the. They're Picking teams. Almost I believe the NBA does the same thing. I don't know, I'm not a big NBA guy. I Believe they do that same thing where they they pick their teams. Should be interesting a new spin on it. But we're gonna break down some of the Conference leaders, division leaders and what it looks like going forward. Biggest story, though, of course, is the Edmonton Oilers. That win streak is getting insane and I believe we have to play them coming out of the all-star break shortly. The Western Conference, especially the Pacific Division that the Vegas Golden Knights are in Really we really struggled. Our injuries have caught up to us. We won, we held our own for the most part, but it's starting to take its toll. We were losing games we should win. Vancouver has a game in hand on us and they're up seven points on us. Vancouver looks legit this year. That Rick Tocket hired being hired last year really changed the tide there. Hughes on the blue line has been fantastic. That team is playing lights out. They've made a lot of moves and they it is really paid off for them. So kudos to Vancouver. They look strong this year. It's. Hopefully we can challenge them, hopefully we can get healthy. But the big thing is we Edmonton is right on our tail. Edmonton sitting third in Pacific Pacific with that big, long, long win streak and Also five games in hand on the Vegas Golden Knights and four games on in hand against the Canucks. That team looks unstoppable. At this point. Team looks like it's on a mission. Hey, it's, it's, it's got a flip sooner or later. You know Edmonton was gonna want to break out. Years and years of heartbreak. I you got two of the best players in the world on that team and Leon dryside and Connor Mcdaven, who would definitely be any teams best player, you put them on any team. Right now that the best player on a team hands down. You got both of them on the same team and Edmonton is finally trying to start figuring this out. They the big thing with those guys is defense has always been there kind of their struggle. Goaltending has not been great, but they're finding ways to win. Now it look and they look like they're really playing a huge 200 foot game. This win streak is gonna be enormous. Hopefully they can break the record. I'm rooting for them Just because Edmonton and Connor Mcdaven to see the best player win is always good for the sport Leads us into the central Colorado, of course still leading that by one point. That's a very tight division. One, two and three all separate by one point apiece. You got Colorado was 67 points, dallas with 66 and, yeah, winnipeg sitting there. A third was 65, but Winnipeg does have two games in hand against both teams Could be interesting. Dallas I really like Dallas in the in the central Colorado Though is never gonna give that up without a fight. And Winnipeg has really kind of moved into its own, I think, taking a step forward as sooner than we thought they would, especially with that team. We thought that team was kind of at the end of the last season. We thought some guys were gonna leave, decide to stick it out and listen. There they're pressuring, they're pressuring Colorado for number one. So, hey, good for them. The LA has kind of taken a fall backwards a little bit. Maybe this was a good break for them when the All-Star break, st Louis, seattle he got Nashville still in the wild card hunt. So, western Conference, I still think right now the Edmonton Oilers are the best team with the Vancouver right behind them. I think those guys are the two best teams in the Western Conference as of now. In my opinion, even though Edmonton doesn't have the points, say, as Vegas, colorado, dallas and Winnipeg do, I just think that's the way they're playing right now. It's you got to get with Mikudos on that one. Let's move it on to the East. Boston still doing, staying. I just I can't believe it Boston has done this year after last year. You thought there was gonna be some fallback and especially there are two top line centers retiring in Creechy and Bergeron Patrice Bergeron retiring. You thought those guys would take a step backwards. You didn't know who's gonna fill that that in and you know that's always your most important position is that, that center position, especially in that front line, and and your second line and guys have really filled it in coils look great this year as as kind of that journeyman players always been on that third and fourth line where he's going kind of moving up in the In the roster. He's he's look good this year. Florida, of course, getting back on track in Tampa Bay Hanging in there. It doesn't seem like Tampa Bay's that dominant as they once were. You know Vasco Lussi of course missed the beginning part of that season, so they he was coming back from the injury. It's gonna be curious to see what this all-star break does for them. They have played one more game Then, both Boston and Florida. So Florida and Boston do have one game in hand on third place lightning. Let's see if those you them listen. Those guys have had their run. But that's a lot of hockey to play and they're not getting any younger. That's a lot of hockey to play and they're not getting any younger. Not a lot of hockey to be playing. And they they capitalized on a lot of winning those cups, so kudos to them, but they're still in the fight. Metro you're looking at New York who's who's stumbled lately? They've really been struggling. Shostarkin has not looked as as dominant as he has in the past. I think right now he's one of the bottom Insta in statistics as far as goal tending wise. Carolina's hanging star quietly in that mix is Philadelphia, philadelphia's, you know, changing that culture there and the flyers gonna get back to them, getting back to the basics. I don't know about the flyers. I think they've. They've won some games. They should have lost their, their goal differential. Of course they're in the minus there, but still in third place should be interesting. You got to keep your eye on, of course, toronto. Detroit looks great. What do they look like when they get it's Caner back? And of course, you know, I Was kind of curious to see what the Devils would look like this year, but losing Jack Hughes has has definitely heard him, and the Buffalo Sabres who I'd high hopes where you know I'm a big Alex Tuck fan. I Love he's probably my favorite player in the sport right now. To see that Buffalo Sabres team just continually, year after year, struggle, I just I I don't know what else they had. They're looking at the Ross. You're like the talent is there. They just can't seem to break that culture of losing there in Buffalo and it's unfortunate with a gold differential minus nine and a losing record at this point with 48 points, 49 games played. I'm hoping they can get some magic going in that second half because I'm really pulling for him. I'd like to see Buffalo Sabres getting back in the playoffs. Big thing is the fall depends. The penguins have really listen. They tried to revamp and make one big more push. I know we, riley Smith, went over there and in a trade we had to do some salary camp dump and I thought that was gonna be a good move to play with those guys. In Pittsburgh they went and got Eric Carlson To go along with Chris Littang on the blue line. I thought that was gonna be huge and the power play is the one that struggles. You got Chris Littang and Eric Carlson on the blue line in your power play struggling. Not a good sign, not a good sign. That depends kind of showing their age. Sydney Get and said the kid is still looking good. I mean, he's still dominant, as ever. He's still one of the best players in the league. You're never gonna be, you know, breakdown Crosby, he's. He's been the the rock in that locker room and on the ice for those guys. So hopefully maybe the pens can make a push and get back in the playoffs. But Toronto, detroit, detroit's looking great. I just think it's gonna be a little tough for the pens to sneak in this, especially with these, some of these, these teams you were hoping that we're gonna make a move the Devils, the Islanders, of course. Now, with their, their coaching change of Patrick Waugh, that always gives you a boost that they get back in this playoff race. And you know, with the Elias or okan there and go to enter, you can never count out a team that has great go to any. And so Roken is a great goaltender. Can Patrick Walsh sure up that defense? Because their goal differentials horrendous. I mean, they're in the wildcard hunt. They are five points behind Detroit who currently home holds the last wildcard spot. But what a goal differential minus 23. You really got it. You got to make some changes. So hopefully Patrick Wauh can get this team back on track and we'll see what goes on there. But, guys, we're running out of time so just want to talk about mental health with you guys, especially for men. Listen, guys, times are tough. Times get hard as a you know, full-time. I have a full-time job and I'm a full-time dad Trying to do this podcast. On the side, you're trying trying to do anything for your family and, listen, times can get tough. Please, please, reach out to someone if you just need somebody to talk to a friend or get professional help. But please keep a track and I know that right now, a mental Mental health is a big thing and I think most people don't realize how bad you can struggle. I think you know I, I meditate, I do things that try to help keep my mental stability. Listen, you got to look at it this way. It's funny because now, in a day where so much information is accessible to all of us, you look at things and I remember I was taking a Meditation class and I believe this study came out and it's in one day we will we process more information Than William Shakespeare did in his entire lifetime. We do it in one day. You got to take that time for yourself. You got to get mentally right. Don't try to take on too much. Make sure your goals don't get down on yourself, and if you need somebody to talk to reach out to someone, all right. So anyways, guys, it's all the time we have for today. I will see you next time on the Vegas guys locker room. Have a great one, guys, and enjoy the all-star weekend for the antichop. Have a good one, boys.