SMQB Episode 238: The Best of Sports, The Worst of Buyouts, and Ohtani’s Unforgettable Night
Bison and Rooster anchor a powerful episode of **SMQB** this week, diving deep into the biggest stories across the NFL, MLB, college football, and the NBA. The hosts offer their signature takes on the state of the leagues, including surprising team revelations, a historic baseball performance, and a scathing critique of college sports economics.
š Gridiron Gains and Growing Pains
The NFL Week 7 breakdown revealed a separation of the cream of the crop, with the AFC’s elite now including the Chiefs, Bills, Pats, and Colts. Rooster heaped praise on Patriots coach Mike Vrabel for turning the team around quickly, a testament to hiring an experienced veteran coach. Meanwhile, the NFC’s top tier remains the Eagles, Lions, Rams, and a “tough” 49ers squad. The team also acknowledged Jalen Hurts’ “best passing game of the year” and his mastery of figuring out how to win. A key discussion point revolved around second-year quarterbacks, with Caleb Williams and Bo Nix showing progress, and Bryce Young being “a lot better than he was” after a rough start to his career. The weekly Plaxico Picks were submitted, with House taking Tampa -5.5, Rooster on the Bills -7.5, Pope on the Bengals, and Bison backing the Cowboys +3.5.
ā¾Ā Baseballās Babe Ruth Comparison and a Game 7 Thriller
Baseball provided some unforgettable moments, starting with Shohei Ohtaniās jaw-dropping performance of three home runs and ten strikeouts in a single postseason gameāan unparalleled statistical feat. The hosts were in awe, agreeing that Ohtani’s two-way talent has only one historical parallel: Babe Ruth. The American League Championship Series reached a climactic Game 7 tonight between the Blue Jays and Mariners. Bison and Rooster expressed enthusiasm for the Blue Jays, driven by the inspirational performance of Vlad Guerrero Jr. and the “pretty cool story” of rookie pitcher Savage, who held the Mariners scoreless for five innings in the must-win Game 6. The pitching matchup for Game 7 is slated to be Shane Bieber for Toronto and George Kirby for Seattle.
The conversation turned sour when discussing the staggering financial landscape of college football. The hosts were appalled by the tens of millions of dollars guaranteed in coaching buyouts, singling out James Franklin’s $45 million and Brian Kelly’s $52 million. Bison noted that this makes it “hard to feel really good about college sports”. Despite the financial absurdity, the hosts highlighted positive stories on the field, including the shocking rise of the Indiana Hoosiers into the top five rankings and the unexpected success of Virginia, which may be on track to win the ACC.
Looking ahead to the start of the NBA season, the hosts expressed a lack of early excitement due to the league’s perennial late-season roster churn via trades and buyouts. They noted the league’s advertising for Christmas games continues to lean on the old guardāLeBron, KD, and Curryārather than focusing on the actual emerging title contenders like the Cavaliers, Knicks, Magic, Thunder, and Rockets. The hosts highlight the dominance of international players, noting the last American MVP was James Harden in 2018, and celebrating the current crop of global superstars like Jokic, Giannis, and SGA. They also revealed a surprising statistic: the Cleveland Cavaliers currently have the highest payroll in the league at $207 million.