Welcome back to the Sports Shots Pod! Isaiah’s under the weather (definitely COVID, according to Kyle), but that’s not stopping us from diving into the biggest sports stories from the past two weeks. From college football playoff chaos to controversial MVP votes, we’re breaking it all down.
Texas Longhorns Reality Check: Arch Manning’s Struggles Continue
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Texas just lost a game they were expected to lose. Isaiah, a UT fan himself, admits he expected the loss against Georgia and doesn’t really care at this point. The Longhorns are now ranked 17th after what’s been a disappointing season.
The biggest issue? Arch Manning.
Isaiah doesn’t mince words: “The only thing that’s been off for us is Arch. That’s it. That’s the problem. When the most important position is off on your team, then the whole team’s gonna suffer no matter how good your defense is or how many first-round picks you have on your defense.”
It’s hard to believe Manning was the Heisman favorite to open the season. Kyle’s reaction says it all: “That was only delusional UT fans that would believe in that shit.”
The preseason all-SEC quarterback picks included Manning, South Carolina’s QB, and LSU’s QB. None of them has lived up to expectations. Isaiah admits the only reason Texas is ranked 17th right now is “because of who they play”, their strength of schedule is carrying them, not their performance.
The bottom line: When your quarterback is average or below average, it doesn’t matter how talented the rest of your roster is. Texas has a top recruiting class and elite defensive talent, but without solid play from the most important position on the field, they’re struggling.
SEC Bias and the Three-Loss Team Debate
Here’s where things get spicy. Kyle doesn’t hold back: “Just say you’re sucking on the SEC’s tit. Why don’t you?”
The debate rages on about whether three-loss SEC teams deserve playoff spots over Group of Five schools with better records. Isaiah’s stance is clear: “No three-loss team deserves to be in playoffs. I don’t care who you played.”
But the reality is that the college football playoff selection process has historically favored power conferences, especially the SEC. Whether it’s Alabama, Texas, or Missouri with three losses, the committee seems willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Kyle points out the absurdity: “We gotta make room for that three lost Alabama. Or three lost Texas. Or three lost Missouri. Or fuck it, it doesn’t matter. It’s an SEC school.”
Notre Dame Gets Away With Murder (Again)
Speaking of bias, let’s talk about Notre Dame staying in the top 10 despite playing cupcakes like Syracuse and Bowling Green.
Kyle sums it up perfectly: “That’s why Notre Dame is always so high… We’re going to go ahead and keep them in the top 10.”
Blue blood programs like Notre Dame benefit from name recognition and historical prestige, even when their strength of schedule doesn’t justify their ranking. It’s the same story every year, and fans of other programs are tired of it.
University of Houston: Ranked (Behind James Madison?)
In lighter news, U of H is back! They’re ranked #25… just underneath James Madison, Toledo, and North Texas.
Kyle’s reaction? “Wow. The disrespect.”
Isaiah can’t believe James Madison is ranked at all, leading to a heated FCS football debate. Kyle defends the smaller conferences: “Real football fans who want to watch a real playoff system at the end of December” tune into FCS.
Isaiah’s counterpoint is brutal: “That’s like a baseball fan saying like, I’d rather watch the minors than the major.”
The debate gets personal when they discuss FCS transfers and whether these players deserve more recognition. Ultimately, they agree to disagree, but Kyle stands firm: “Give them some love.”
Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Disaster
Now for the biggest hot take of the episode: Bill Belichick is washed.
Belichick was hired by North Carolina in December 2024 for a whopping $50 million over five years, making him the highest-paid state employee in North Carolina history. His first game? A 48-14 blowout loss to TCU, the most points he’s ever allowed as a head coach.
Isaiah’s take settles the Tom Brady vs. Bill Belichick debate once and for all: “The whole ‘it was Bill Belichick’ argument is now tarnished. It’s out the window.”
Want more proof? Matt Patricia, who struggled as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator under Belichick, is now thriving as a defensive coordinator. Meanwhile, Belichick is “shitting the bed at his first year as a head coach at North Carolina.”
Kyle thought the argument ended when Brady won his seventh Super Bowl in Tampa Bay, but Isaiah points out that people kept making excuses. Not anymore.
The Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh MVP Controversy
Switching gears to baseball, let’s talk about the American League MVP race.
Aaron Judge won his third MVP award, but Kyle and Isaiah both believe Cal Raleigh deserved it more.
Kyle’s argument is simple: “A guy who played catcher and hit 60 home runs? The main argument is the position he plays.”
Raleigh didn’t just hit 60 homers, he shattered the MLB record for home runs by a catcher, sitting 12 ahead of Salvador Perez’s previous record of 48. As Mariners manager Dan Wilson said: “When you come off the field, you’re mentally and physically exhausted. For him to do what he’s done offensively and to do what he does behind the plate, I honestly don’t think we’ve seen this before.”
Isaiah acknowledges Judge had a great year, winning the batting title and hitting 50+ homers is incredible. But Raleigh did something no other catcher has ever done. That’s the definition of valuable.
Judge won with 17 first-place votes compared to Raleigh’s 13 first-place votes, making it one of the closest MVP races in recent memory.
Thanks for tuning in to Episode 47! We’ll be back in two weeks for Episode 48, where we’ll cover the Texas vs. Texas A&M rivalry game. Will Isaiah be celebrating or spiraling? Tune in to find out.
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