Will the Panthers Win Another Game?
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00:00 This is Desmond Johnson on the Believe in Carolina Panthers Podcast, here on the Believe
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00:48 And welcome to a brand new edition of the Believe in Carolina Panthers Podcast, brought
00:51 to you by BET Online, here on the Believe Podcast Network.
00:54 I'm your host, Desmond Johnson, joined by Sports Illustrated Panthers beat writer Skylar
00:59 Callahan and Panthers all-time leading rusher Jonathan Stewart, who will be in with us here
01:03 shortly.
01:04 Bit of a smaller, condensed show tonight.
01:07 Not a whole lot to really discuss on Sunday.
01:11 Panthers fall to 1-11, 21-18 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road.
01:17 Just real quick before we get into what the meat of today's episode is going to be about,
01:20 which is the college football playoff, and if you guys got anything you want to say about
01:23 the college football playoff, who got picked, who didn't get picked, you can pop them in
01:26 the comments section like we normally do.
01:29 Give us your opinion on who should have been in there.
01:33 Before we do all of that, though, I almost forgot, well, I did forget to do this last
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02:09 That is BET Online, where the game starts.
02:11 We'll start with Panthers and Bucs, 21-18 losers to the Bucs, fall to 1-11.
02:16 >> Pretty close.
02:17 >> I started thinking about it in this game.
02:22 I was like, is this gonna be the worst Panther season of all time?
02:25 I feel like we're trending towards that track because I'm looking at the games that are
02:29 left.
02:30 I don't know if we're gonna win any of them.
02:32 >> I mean, I don't think so.
02:33 I would say the divisional games probably you have the best chance in because let's
02:41 face it, the division sucks still.
02:43 >> That's what hurts the most.
02:45 >> The funny thing about this is I was talking about this with my buddy who's a Saints fan,
02:51 and we kind of came up with this idea of if you took the star players and formulated
02:56 an all-star roster of the NFC South, will they even have a winning record?
03:02 Who's your quarterback, Baker Mayfield?
03:03 >> Gosh.
03:04 >> Who's your head coach?
03:05 >> Man, James Whittler.
03:06 >> James Whittler, Todd Bold, Arthur Smith, Chris Tabor.
03:10 I mean, if you look at the receivers, you probably feel good about because there's some
03:17 good receivers in this division.
03:18 But outside of that, man, it's slim picking.
03:21 So I mean, yeah, I mean, it's been a tough year.
03:25 I don't see another one on the schedule unless just some crazy things happen, which it is
03:29 the NFL and that does happen every now and then.
03:31 So I'd be willing to bet something happens and they find a way to get a second win, but
03:38 I wouldn't hold my breath necessarily.
03:41 >> I don't know where it's come.
03:43 I mean, at this point, it's become a game of-
03:45 >> Hey, Trey Lawrence is out.
03:48 >> We don't know how long that's gonna be, how long Trevor Lawrence is gonna be out.
03:53 So I mean- >> Yeah, but who's her backup?
03:56 >> CJ Beathard.
03:58 >> He's probably gonna have the game of his life.
04:01 >> He's a Tyson's agent, so.
04:04 >> So I mean- >> Any who.
04:06 >> Just I mean, my only observations from the game from Sunday, I said it to, I was
04:11 actually on something last week previewing that game.
04:14 And I think I said it on Believe in Panthers last week, we've said it every week.
04:17 It's gonna be the same script that we've seen every week.
04:20 It doesn't matter who's driving the car, the car is still the same.
04:23 It's gonna be a rock fight, it's gonna be close.
04:26 The weather didn't help, that actually added on to it.
04:28 So it was just like a messy kind of game.
04:30 I don't remember if we had a specific, yeah, no Bryce threw a turnover at the end of the
04:34 interception.
04:35 So I was like, Bryce is gonna give him an interception, or the offense is gonna do something
04:38 to give him a turnover.
04:39 We're gonna lose by a possession.
04:40 You're gonna look at the box score and go, man, this was kind of a close game.
04:43 And it really wasn't.
04:44 >> I don't know what the reads were on that play, but I saw it live.
04:50 And when I went back and watched it on replay, I was like, my gosh, he had Miles Sanders
04:55 wide open coming out of the backfield on the backside of the play.
05:00 No one was paying attention.
05:01 I mean, he had a safety or a corner kind of draping down a little bit, but he could have
05:05 easily just, boom, slung that thing out there.
05:09 But tough way to lose, felt like they had a chance.
05:13 If anything, they sure fight, so.
05:16 >> Yeah, and I've been having this, I've had a back and forth with my guy, Monte Fetty,
05:20 from the Foreman Rush on Twitter about Bryce.
05:22 Cuz really the past two weeks, I've started to shift more towards from blindly defending
05:28 Bryce because of the stuff around him, to actually looking at Bryce.
05:32 And I'm like, okay, yes, I understand the offensive line is trash.
05:35 I get it, the receivers can't get separation.
05:38 But there are times where there's, like you just said, there's open guys that he's missing.
05:42 And I'm like, okay, if we're firing Frank Wright and you're firing Josh McCown and
05:47 do Staley's out in four two.
05:49 And we assume Scott Fitter is gonna be gone at the end of the year, although reports are
05:53 starting to come in now that that's not necessarily a certainty.
05:56 If they're the ones that built this roster, Scott Fitter in particular, for being here
06:00 what, three years?
06:01 He has not drafted a pro bowler in three years in these drafts, which is a huge indication
06:07 that maybe he's not doing what he's supposed to be doing.
06:11 But we're supposed to believe that even though they messed up these other draft picks, some
06:15 of them that came in on the field, they got the biggest one right.
06:19 That's what we're supposed to sit here and just kind of absorb right now that-
06:22 >> I mean, it is kind of hard because again, it'd be like asking a home builder to go build
06:30 a house with a $2 wrench and a 50 cent hammer.
06:33 I mean, he doesn't have anything to work with.
06:35 >> It's gonna take some time.
06:37 >> But I did tweak this out today.
06:39 I'm sure you probably saw it.
06:41 Scott Fitter's record, or the Panthers records and Scott Fitter has been the GM is 13 and
06:47 33.
06:48 That's a winning percentage of 28.282.
06:51 So that's actually worse than Matt Rule in his time.
07:00 I don't see a path or a scenario in which he stays, I just don't.
07:05 >> See, and the problem now is because we gave up so much through multiple trades, we went
07:08 over this in the last episode just to get Bryce.
07:11 You can't just cut bait with him like Arizona did with Josh Rosen a couple years ago, draft
07:16 him in top ten.
07:17 A year or so later, he's gone.
07:19 >> That's probably my only defense, I think, for Scott is that part of, well, when Rule's
07:24 here, he didn't have complete control of the roster, right?
07:27 So I mean, that could be part of it.
07:29 But two is, look, if David Tepper sold on Bryce Young, I mean, Scott Fitter is the one
07:35 that kind of helped facilitate that trade.
07:38 So if you're gonna see it through with Bryce, I mean, do you wanna see it through with Scott?
07:43 Because if it ends up being the right thing and it works out, then no one really cares
07:47 about this god awful season.
07:50 It's just a one.
07:51 >> It's just a one.
07:52 >> So I don't know.
07:54 >> I mean, it comes down to right now this season, 2001, and which one am I missing?
08:03 2010.
08:04 >> Yeah.
08:05 >> Those are in the running for worse.
08:07 And 2001, that was the one in 15 season.
08:09 They won the first game, I think it was against Minnesota, and then lost to the next 15.
08:15 That was Chris Winky, I believe, at quarterback.
08:17 And that was the end of, that was George Seifert, I think it was, that era.
08:22 And then John Fox came in right after that.
08:25 2010, that was the end of the John Fox era.
08:28 That was Jimmy Claussen at quarterback.
08:31 That team was different as Mr. Jonathan Stewart joins us here on the Believe in Panthers podcast.
08:36 Stewart was on that team in 2010.
08:38 They actually had pieces.
08:40 That was a team where you could parachute a quarterback in and go.
08:43 They actually had a left tackle.
08:45 They had two running backs.
08:46 They had a Hall of Fame wide receiver.
08:49 They had defense.
08:50 They had all this stuff.
08:51 They just didn't have a quarterback.
08:52 So 2010 is different.
08:55 2001 was like, we were still riding the wave a little bit from expansion era, making it
09:02 to the NCAA championship game in '96.
09:04 And then those vets they hired all retired and started moving on.
09:07 And then you really had to build the team.
09:09 So 2001 was kind of the bottoming out of that.
09:11 This year, I'm not sure what it is.
09:13 I'm not sure if it's more like 2001 or, well, no, I guess I just-
09:18 >> It's definitely '20.
09:19 >> Yeah, it's like 2001.
09:20 [LAUGH]
09:21 Because 2010, they had a team there.
09:23 They had pieces there that were former pro bowlers and still in their prime for the most
09:27 part.
09:28 Stu, before we move on to the college football playoff, cuz I got here in about ten minutes,
09:32 so I don't wanna get everybody else's opinion on this as a former player of the Pac-12 and
09:36 as a current writer for the Big 12.
09:38 What was your takeaway from Panthers versus Bucks on Sunday?
09:45 >> Boy.
09:46 [LAUGH]
09:47 >> Apologize for being a little late.
09:52 But I mean, not all bad, more good than previous weeks.
09:59 >> Yeah, more normal, yeah.
10:01 >> And I think that's, I mean, I'll start with Chuba.
10:05 I mean, he's been the most consistent, I think, piece of the offense this whole entire season.
10:12 I mean, I'll even go back to the Seattle Seahawks game where we didn't run the ball that much.
10:18 And just looking at, that was a winnable game.
10:23 And seeing how well he has been playing throughout this whole year, that's a bright spot.
10:35 >> He's actually gotten better as the year's gone on, he's one of the few.
10:38 >> I think there's a maturity level that has taken place throughout this year.
10:45 Having Miles Sanders come in and him having to really kind of show even more why he belongs
10:55 on this team.
10:56 And the competitive nature when you get a guy that comes in at your position that's
11:02 just as talented as you are.
11:06 And I just love his professionalism as he's gone throughout this whole entire season so
11:12 far.
11:13 And just hopefully he stays healthy and he's able to just continue to show how dominant
11:19 he is as a runner.
11:20 Because I mean, you look at that second touchdown run he had, how he inside shouldered that
11:24 guy at the goal line.
11:28 That's something that's not taught, that's second nature.
11:31 That's something that's within him.
11:36 And I would say Mingo, I saw some bright spots with Mingo.
11:40 >> Probably the best game he's ever had.
11:43 >> Yeah.
11:44 >> And you talk about, I mean, Steve Smith talks about Mingo in a very high regard.
11:50 And I think you're starting to actually see what he's actually talking about.
11:56 He's physical and I think him and Bryce and their connection is just getting better.
12:04 And I think that to me is positive because we can sit here all day and like we've been
12:11 saying all year, it's a reset button and new staff, quarterback situation, young guy, people
12:21 develop differently.
12:24 And we have to be mindful of that in the sense of who these guys are on the field and their
12:30 situation.
12:33 What I saw between him and Mingo was growth right before our eyes.
12:41 And I think that's a positive.
12:43 Mingo seems like a guy that when he does come into his own, it can be very special.
12:52 And then everybody talks badly and poorly right now about Scott Fitter.
12:59 But I mean, if you look at it, I mean, the defense has been solid.
13:05 >> Yeah.
13:06 >> You know what I'm saying?
13:07 And they've been solid because of the depth that they brought in, the guys that they brought
13:13 in throughout free agency.
13:17 And that's a credit to Scott Fitter.
13:19 And I don't think people should ignore that piece.
13:24 I mean, he brought in some very key figures while he's been here that makes that defense
13:33 go, especially while they're injured.
13:37 We wouldn't be in any of these games if it wasn't for the defense.
13:41 And so looking at that game, defense gave us an opportunity yet again.
13:47 >> We're still, we're ranked seventh overall in total yards allowed on defense, which sounds
13:51 insane when you say it out loud when you're watching these games.
13:54 But I don't know if it's short fields or maybe it's just the defense doing their thing.
13:58 But you're absolutely right.
13:59 We haven't really had our full complement of players.
14:01 That's probably the healthiest the defense has been since week one, what we saw on Sunday.
14:06 It was good to see JC Horn out there.
14:09 So there's some things they've got to work on.
14:13 It's not like the cupboard's bare, whoever comes in here next, they're gonna have a defense.
14:17 They're gonna have, well, I shouldn't say that because there's some free agents that
14:20 they got to deal with.
14:21 They're gonna have the ability to start off with a defense and some sort of identity.
14:25 That's what I was kind of waiting on on Sunday.
14:27 What is the identity of this team now?
14:29 And play wise, offensive play wise, they look like the same playbook.
14:33 There's still no pre snap.
14:34 Well, they were actually doing pre snap motion in the beginning of the game.
14:37 And then he just went away.
14:38 >> And they started the game out under center a lot, which I liked.
14:42 >> Yeah.
14:43 >> Just kind of giving a different look and a different feel to the offensive line.
14:49 It's so important to allow the offensive line to figure out how to play together.
14:55 I mean, they've been, I don't even think, just looking at that last game, it's not that
15:02 we're, our offensive line, them as players in general, they're not bad players.
15:08 They're just in a system right now that they're trying to figure out just as coaching staff
15:13 is figuring it out.
15:14 And it just kind of leaves them in this unfair disadvantage when they show up on game day.
15:23 Because if you look at other teams, man, like other teams, they're a bit seasoned.
15:29 I mean, you look at Cincinnati Bengals last night, they have a, I guess their second string
15:36 quarterback come in the game.
15:37 >> Like Joe Burrow.
15:38 >> I mean, and basically, you have a system that's seasoned, you know what I'm saying?
15:46 And it goes to, I don't know what kind of explanation you want to give.
15:52 Like if you have a car that's a sports car, anybody gonna get in it and they're gonna
16:00 be like, yo, look, my man's got a sports car.
16:05 But the man driving it has never driven a sports car, but because he's in a sports car,
16:11 he must be rich.
16:13 >> Yeah, perception is key.
16:16 >> But it also gives that guy the confidence that's driving the sports car, you know what
16:21 I'm saying?
16:22 Because he knows he's in something very valuable, in something very special in the season.
16:26 >> I'm glad you said perception, cuz that's a good segue into what the meat of today is
16:29 gonna be.
16:30 Cuz Scott, I got here in the next couple of minutes, so I'm gonna let him go first.
16:33 >> French football playoff chaos.
16:35 Yeah, buddy.
16:38 Skyler Wright's for West Virginia, who's a member of the Big 12.
16:42 Texas got in, along with Michigan, Washington, and Alabama.
16:47 Skyler, you go ahead.
16:49 What are your thoughts on this?
16:52 >> I could go for an hour and if I didn't have to get off here, it's probably a good
16:56 thing cuz you're gonna get annoyed.
16:58 Look, in some respects, I don't have any sympathy for Florida State.
17:04 The reason- >> Wow, really?
17:07 >> Hold on, hold on.
17:09 The reason is because West Virginia went undefeated in 1993 and
17:13 should have been in the National Championship game.
17:17 They got left out because Florida State,
17:19 who got into the National Championship with one loss.
17:23 >> There it is.
17:24 There it is.
17:25 >> No sympathy there.
17:26 But Florida State should have been in, what the hell are we doing?
17:31 >> Thank you.
17:32 >> I don't understand- >> That's a look, look.
17:33 >> Undefeated Power Five Conference Champion.
17:36 >> No one's ever been left out that way, ever.
17:38 >> I don't care that Jordan Travis hurt.
17:41 >> This is the reason.
17:42 >> Even Danilovski has been saying, this is not the same team.
17:49 You're right, it's not.
17:50 This is a better team.
17:53 >> You're not.
17:53 >> This is the reason why I'm not upset.
17:57 Because next year, this problem will be resolved.
18:00 >> No, no, no, I'm not doing that, cuz that's the 84-
18:03 >> No, because this is the reason why
18:05 you can't be upset.
18:09 Because they are operating under the policy that's already set.
18:14 You should have already known this was gonna happen.
18:16 >> No, no, no.
18:18 >> And this is why they are not operating.
18:22 That's the reason why next year, they're changing it.
18:25 >> Here's where they messed up.
18:28 >> But what I do hate, I do hate it for the players.
18:31 Because at the end of the day, the guys that show up, they play to win.
18:35 And that's not their fault that the world and the people in the committee
18:40 is saying, hey, look, the chances of you going out there and winning is slim to none.
18:45 And the thing is, TCU last year, okay?
18:50 >> They earned it too.
18:52 >> They earned it, yes.
18:53 But what happened when they got up there?
18:55 >> They won the semifinal game, and
18:57 then they got blown out by the best team in the country.
18:59 That could have been anybody.
19:01 >> Blown out.
19:02 >> You can't use TCU to play Florida State.
19:05 You just can't do that.
19:07 This is where the committee messed up.
19:10 I don't have a problem with the football team in Florida State.
19:13 >> TCU's team last year was put together.
19:15 There was no injuries, no nothing.
19:17 >> Florida State was definitely- >> [CROSSTALK]
19:20 >> But unfortunately-
19:21 >> This is where they messed up.
19:22 >> The quarterback is hurt.
19:24 >> They messed up right here.
19:25 I don't mind letting them put Florida State.
19:28 I don't mind them putting Florida State at five and Alabama at four.
19:30 That's fine.
19:30 >> It hurts my heart to know that these guys had to watch the TV show talking about
19:35 who's gonna get in.
19:37 >> Is Florida State better than Georgia?
19:40 >> They were left out in the dry saying, god, I thought we was gonna get in.
19:44 >> Is Florida State a better team than Georgia?
19:46 Are they better than Georgia?
19:48 >> No.
19:48 >> Then why are they ranked higher than Georgia?
19:50 That's where they messed up.
19:51 They put them at five, not six.
19:53 >> Listen, all of this jacked up.
19:54 But that's the reason why we can't feel bad,
19:56 because it's already a system that's jacked up.
19:58 >> No. >> [CROSSTALK]
20:00 >> Come on, man.
20:01 You can't say- >> [CROSSTALK]
20:04 >> Here's my final thing before I get out.
20:06 >> Florida State.
20:07 >> Even though- >> Florida State is a good team.
20:09 >> We can say that the system is what it is.
20:12 It doesn't mean that they didn't make the right decision.
20:16 >> But you might as well say, if they make it to the championship and
20:21 they lose, you might as well say, hey, here's a participation trophy.
20:26 >> But- >> What if Florida State makes it?
20:27 >> Here's the thing.
20:28 >> What happens then?
20:29 What if Florida State makes it?
20:31 >> Florida State won two games with their second and third string quarterback,
20:35 while the other two teams that got in lost the games with their starting quarterback.
20:40 >> Yes.
20:41 >> You can't go to Texas, you can't go to Alabama, you can go to Georgia and
20:45 say, all you had to do was win to get in.
20:48 To Florida State, what are you gonna say?
20:50 Don't get hurt?
20:50 >> Yeah, don't break your leg.
20:51 >> [CROSSTALK] >> Everybody else on that team.
20:55 >> I wish you as a former player, it hurts my heart.
21:04 But what I'm trying to say is, there's nothing you can do about it because,
21:09 listen, these people operate off of money and policy, period.
21:13 That's what they do.
21:14 >> They need to be a pro.
21:15 >> So what are we gonna do, bashing our heads?
21:18 Scott, you've been bashing your head against the wall all day,
21:22 all week about this topic.
21:24 >> They should just tell us the truth.
21:25 Just tell us the truth.
21:26 You wanted the two best semifinal matchups.
21:28 That's what they wanted.
21:29 >> That is the truth.
21:29 >> They didn't tell us that.
21:30 >> They don't have to tell you that.
21:35 They don't have to tell you that.
21:36 >> They didn't want to be an ROTC champion.
21:38 >> Then they didn't need to tell us why Florida State didn't make it.
21:40 You know what I mean?
21:40 They didn't have to go through the trouble.
21:41 That's my problem.
21:42 >> I don't care that Alabama got into a real estate.
21:44 That's one.
21:45 >> That can be one of the three reasons.
21:47 >> [INAUDIBLE]
21:51 >> Tell us that.
21:52 Tell, that's why I'm mad at the committee.
21:54 That's, see, I don't even got the- >> Tell them why you're mad.
21:56 Tell them why you're mad.
21:57 >> I don't even got the button ready for the, that's why,
21:59 I'm not mad at the committee for putting them in.
22:01 I'm not mad at them.
22:02 I completely understand the argument.
22:03 >> Last thing, I seriously gotta go.
22:06 >> Yeah, I seriously gotta go.
22:07 So all I'm gonna say is, whether it's the right decision or not,
22:13 in my humble opinion, you cannot punish the rest of that team for
22:18 overcoming adversity.
22:21 Florida State overcame more adversity than anybody in the college football playoff.
22:27 Those guys deserve to be there.
22:29 They've proven that they can win games with their back quarterback.
22:32 It is purely subjective to look at this and say, they can't go out there and
22:36 beat the number one seed.
22:39 You're projecting at that point.
22:40 Your job's not to project.
22:42 >> Yeah, you're projecting that you can't.
22:43 >> Your job is to put the poor teams in there that are supposed to be in there, so.
22:46 >> You're supposed to get a chance.
22:47 >> I promise you- >> I promise you,
22:49 I promise you- >> I promise you,
22:50 I'm gonna come back on this show next week and finish my segment here.
22:55 But I'm gonna hop off here and I'm gonna rewatch this,
22:59 cuz I wanna see you guys go at it.
23:00 So y'all go for it.
23:02 I'm gonna grab my popcorn when I get back.
23:03 >> [LAUGH] >> There you go.
23:05 >> [LAUGH] >> Skylar Callahan from Sports Illustrated.
23:08 But that's my thing.
23:09 I don't care that they put out, I even see the argument for putting Alabama in.
23:12 Yeah, Alabama, Michigan, that sounds like a great semifinal.
23:15 Washington versus Texas, that sounds great.
23:18 Is that better than Michigan, Florida State?
23:19 Probably, but don't say that Florida State is a worse team when they did
23:24 everything they could.
23:26 >> So you about the principle.
23:27 >> Yeah, like the block.
23:28 >> You are arguing the principle.
23:30 >> Exactly, like don't say that they're- >> I would say the principle too.
23:32 >> And the principle is what hurts, right?
23:35 The principle of all this is that you play the game to win.
23:40 Florida State has done that, despite what they've gone through.
23:45 So give them a shot.
23:47 Okay, well, you're not giving them a shot because you don't want a bad product on
23:50 the field when it comes to this big money spending and
23:54 the money that's coming into the championship run for these four teams.
23:59 And that's what you would like to hear, but you ain't gonna hear that.
24:03 So that's why I'm saying no, you can't feel nothing.
24:08 You gotta get over it.
24:09 >> I feel for these kids.
24:10 I do feel for these kids.
24:12 Because the Florida State kids, they poured their, I mean,
24:14 Florida State's been down for years.
24:15 This was the reemergence of Florida State.
24:17 And then somebody asked this question to me the other day, and I was like,
24:20 you know what, I don't know.
24:22 What if Florida State was 13 and 0, and all this had happened,
24:26 they're on their backup court, everyone keeps saying third string, but
24:28 the second string guy has a concussion.
24:29 They're not gonna play till January 1st.
24:30 He would probably be playing that game.
24:33 What if Deion Sanders was the head coach of Florida State and
24:35 not Mike Norvell, what Florida State got?
24:37 >> That's a great, boy, you didn't hit a whole nother switch.
24:41 >> [LAUGH] You know how we don't believe in pandemics.
24:44 >> That's my whole mind shift.
24:45 So now my whole brain went away from everything I just said.
24:49 >> Now you see what I'm saying.
24:50 They put in Alabama because of Godfather Nick Saban and the reputation.
24:56 So what you're really saying is what we already know.
24:59 And what you mad about is that they just won't tell us that.
25:02 >> Yes. >> I'm gonna tell you why we mad,
25:04 son, I'm gonna tell you why we mad, son.
25:05 >> Just be upfront with us, we want the best two matchups.
25:08 Don't be like, well, Jordan Travis broke his leg, and
25:10 we don't know if they can beat him, and blah, blah, blah.
25:12 You already circumvented that in 2014 when you let Ohio State in, and
25:15 they were on their third string quarterback, Cardale Jones.
25:18 And what'd they do?
25:18 They blew out Wisconsin, got to the playoff, and won the whole thing.
25:21 >> They don't, the problem is that when you're dealing with people making a lot of
25:26 money like that, they ain't got an answer to us.
25:29 >> Yeah, for real.
25:30 >> That's how they treat us.
25:32 That's really how they treat us.
25:33 >> But it's the other answer.
25:35 They don't have to, but they're trying to explain themselves.
25:38 They know they got their hand caught in the cookie jar.
25:40 See, I think they expected, if we leave Florida State out,
25:44 there's way less Florida State fans will be mad at us than if we leave Alabama out.
25:48 And there's gonna be a whole state of Alabama mad at us that we left Alabama out
25:52 two years in a row.
25:53 They weren't gonna, no SEC team at all in the playoff.
25:56 >> Yeah, yeah. >> I think that's what it came down to,
25:57 cuz you couldn't put Georgia in, they just lost to Bama.
25:59 >> Yeah, and you know Nissan.
26:03 Where's Nissan built at?
26:04 >> Japan?
26:07 >> [LAUGH] >> But you know they got that,
26:10 they the Heisman, they the Heismans.
26:13 >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:14 >> So you know the Heisman car is like, hey, hey, hey, hey,
26:16 you got a lot of dealers in Alabama.
26:18 >> What y'all doing?
26:19 >> Got a lot of Heisman guys over here.
26:21 >> Yeah, I will say Michigan and Washington deserve to be in the spots that
26:24 they're in.
26:25 >> Absolutely.
26:26 >> They're probably the two best teams in the country.
26:28 My problem, Alabama's gonna mess this whole thing up.
26:32 You know they are, they're gonna end up being national champions.
26:35 Now- >> They are.
26:37 >> I know. >> I don't think so.
26:38 >> I don't think so.
26:40 >> I feel like Michigan should beat Alabama.
26:41 They feel like they've been the best team.
26:43 >> But it's Alabama.
26:44 >> I feel like Michigan is the closest,
26:47 they're the closest team to Alabama in how they win games.
26:52 >> Yeah, I will agree with that.
26:53 Harbaugh, man, the way he builds these teams, it's just.
26:56 That's another thing too somebody brought up.
26:58 Why are we mad at Alabama and not talking about Michigan?
27:03 And while they're included, their coach got suspended twice this year.
27:06 They're in the middle of a cheating scandal, and
27:07 they're sitting at the top of the poll.
27:09 Ain't nobody saying nothing about them.
27:10 So it's- >> That's basically because everybody does
27:13 what he did, baby.
27:14 >> Yeah, because when we asked you about it weeks ago,
27:17 we were like, is that a big deal?
27:18 You're like, no.
27:19 [LAUGH] Not really, everybody does it.
27:21 >> You ain't cheating, you ain't trying.
27:23 >> [LAUGH] What was the other thing he got suspended for?
27:26 He bought three cheeseburgers or something on a recruiting trip for
27:28 some kids or something.
27:29 That was the first one back in the summer.
27:31 Cuz remember, he had to miss the first three games of the year for that.
27:34 >> Cuz the kids was hungry.
27:36 >> Well, he didn't report it or something, or he lied about it or something.
27:39 I don't know, something stupid.
27:39 >> At the end of the day, with all this money flying around at NIL,
27:43 I don't wanna do this anymore.
27:44 >> Dude, there's 1,100 kids in the world.
27:46 >> You got quarterbacks in the portal that's worth $4 million.
27:50 Are you kidding me?
27:51 >> Yeah.
27:52 [LAUGH] I'm Caleb Williams, I'm probably coming back to school.
27:54 He's already taken himself out of the bowl game, so I guess he's coming.
27:57 But yeah, man, I think somebody told me Bryce Shelling made a couple million
28:01 dollars in NIL money in a year?
28:04 For last year, he was at Alabama.
28:06 Some of these guys, man, they don't even need to go.
28:10 They're set up, and now the NCAA's setting up this whole thing where
28:13 the schools can pay them directly through a trust fund and all this other stuff.
28:16 It's pay for play, he's about a decade too early.
28:21 >> I was too.
28:21 >> Yeah, cuz you couldn't.
28:23 >> If I was, I could have been a super, super, super, super, super, super.
28:28 >> [LAUGH] >> Hey, you're senior.
28:30 >> I could have came up a little bit.
28:34 >> So I mean, and that comes circles back around too,
28:37 cuz Jim Harpaw was actually in Charlotte today,
28:40 which threw up some alarm bells there.
28:43 Well, not alarm bells, but some bells and whistles.
28:45 Not for what people think,
28:46 although he might have snuck over to BOA while he was here.
28:49 The number one quarterback- >> I don't think that's allowed right now,
28:53 so I don't think that would happen.
28:54 >> Well, they can't talk to coaches whose teams are in the playoffs until
28:59 the divisional round, but that ain't Jim Harpaw.
29:01 They can talk to him, they can talk to college coaches, whoever.
29:04 He was here visiting Jaden Davis,
29:07 the quarterback at Providence Day who's committed to Michigan.
29:10 I think he's the number one quarterback prospect in the country.
29:12 And their number two wide receiver's going to Michigan too, so
29:16 it was a house visit.
29:18 But it was in Charlotte, Harpaw called last year, things are open.
29:22 We were talking about Scott Fitter and if he was gonna stay, or
29:27 if they're gonna let him go.
29:28 I could kinda see a scenario where Fitter remains, but
29:32 the general manager roster stuff kinda goes back to the coach,
29:37 like the way it was with Matt Rule.
29:38 I'd rather Jim Harpaw doing the power that Matt Rule had than Matt Rule having
29:43 the power he had, cuz we've seen Jim Harpaw kinda built teams before.
29:48 >> Yeah, 49ers, they were real dominant with Patrick Willis.
29:53 >> Yeah, man.
29:54 >> And they had Frank Gore.
29:56 >> Yeah, nasty.
29:58 >> They was out there doing their thing, man.
30:00 It was incredible to watch.
30:02 >> The identity, they had identity.
30:04 You knew what they were about.
30:05 >> You knew what they were gonna do.
30:07 >> Especially with Frank Gore back there.
30:08 I mean, without Frank Gore, they'd be in trouble, but.
30:12 [LAUGH] >> Yeah, especially in the very beginning.
30:14 And then he found Kaepernick.
30:16 >> Kaepernick came in and they really did their thing for a minute there.
30:21 >> So we'll keep an eye on that too, the Jim Harpaw stuff.
30:24 And then like I said with the college football playoff,
30:28 it's going to 12 next year.
30:30 And the argument then will be who are the three lost teams that are gonna get in
30:35 the 11th and 12th seeds or whatever, is 12 too many?
30:38 [BLANK_AUDIO]
30:41 >> No, I don't think so.
30:42 I think that's pretty good.
30:44 Cuz I mean, you'll be able to get a mixture of who really belongs, right?
30:48 >> Yeah.
30:49 >> Guys that are right there on the fringe of top ten.
30:54 And those guys beat somebody that is top four, top eight.
31:01 Then you really get a good idea as far as the competitive level of the NCAA.
31:11 >> That was another telltale sign.
31:13 This was a steal by the committee.
31:14 Like they literally, I think they went into this last week and were like, okay,
31:18 this is what we're gonna do.
31:20 This is what happens, this is what we're gonna do to make this right.
31:23 Cuz Florida State's quarterback's been hurt for what, two, three weeks?
31:27 Why didn't they drop right after?
31:29 They kept them at four this whole time until the last week when they actually won.
31:33 Why wouldn't they have dropped them then?
31:34 It's the same argument, right?
31:35 >> That's a good argument.
31:37 I mean, everything that I was saying earlier was basically like,
31:42 look, Florida State, do they deserve to be in the playoffs?
31:48 Yes.
31:48 >> Yeah. >> Every last one of those players
31:52 deserves a chance to be able to be awarded the same
31:57 opportunity to be able to play on a level of excellence.
32:04 Because that's exactly what they've been all year was excellent.
32:07 They've been able to prove by being undefeated that, hey, look,
32:12 we are the best or at least one of the best without our starting quarterback.
32:17 You know what I'm saying?
32:18 So, and at the end of the day, too, at the college level,
32:23 you never know what could happen.
32:25 You know what I'm saying?
32:26 A star could be born like with Alabama's, we've seen time and
32:30 time after time again with Tua and Jalen Hurts, that whole situation where one
32:35 guy goes down and the guy comes in and still wins a national title.
32:39 >> Kind of robbing us of a special storyline.
32:41 Like what if Florida State had won the whole thing without their start quarterback?
32:45 That would have been a huge thing, not just for Florida State, but the ACC.
32:49 I feel bad for the ACC cuz to me it's almost like-
32:51 >> But I honestly think you can blame TCU last year.
32:56 >> Yeah, it was a nice thing too, but Stephen A messed it up.
33:01 >> That's the biggest thing.
33:02 So, but yo, look, man, I gotta jet out.
33:06 >> Yeah, this is gonna be a short episode anyway,
33:07 cuz I got something right here at 630.
33:09 So, yeah, we didn't really hit a whole lot on Panther Saints, or
33:13 Panther's Bucks, Panther Saints this Sunday, I believe it's at 1 o'clock on Fox.
33:18 >> Yeah.
33:18 >> We'll have more with that, and by then we'll have a little bit more information
33:23 in terms of the Panthers front office, what's going on there.
33:26 We'll kind of dive a little bit deeper into the personnel that they have and
33:29 what they're trying to do.
33:30 Cuz we'll have two games to kind of look at and
33:32 figure out if anything's changed at all, or if they're just going through the motions.
33:35 So we'll see what that is.
33:37 But yeah, we're gonna cut it right here for Skylar Callahan, from Jonathan Stewart.
33:41 I'm Desmond Johnson.
33:42 You've been listening and watching a condensed version of Believe in Carolina
33:44 Panthers for this week here on Believe Podcast Networks, presented by BET Online.
33:49 Keep at it.