The Big Suey: Why Do You Have Me On The Show? (feat. Dianna Russini)

The Bills keep winning wild shootouts, and Josh Allen has owned fourth quarters, but we start with congratulations for Pablo Torrey, who just took sports media person of the year. Why aren’t we more excited for our teammate? Also, at what age do birthdays stop feeling happy—about fifty?

Dianna Russini is here. She’s on Netflix’s Christmas Day doubleheader, first in D.C., then Lions–Vikings in Minnesota. Have you scoped out the weather?

I’m thrilled it’s indoors and a cozy seventy‑one degrees. Minneapolis in Super Bowl week was brutal—Mina Kimes and I literally huddled to stay warm—so I’m eyeing those sideline capes. They’re quilted, sometimes heated, and some teams add sleeves so players don’t look soft; think Rodgers in the big cape versus guys who want to look tougher.

The cape treatment is pure royalty—peasants at the ready on the sideline.

Quick football: I like Seattle’s balance, but I’d still take Stafford over Darnold down the stretch. Anyone favor the Seahawks over the Rams?

Darnold still has to prove it in a high‑pressure spot, but Seattle’s run game has been real. John Schneider nailed the post‑Russ rebuild, and Mike Macdonald is a Coach of the Year contender; the Seahawks are the Rams’ toughest NFC foil.

You mentioned the Raiders. With their quarterback mess, do you think that situation is fixable for the current regime?

It’s tough. Max Crosby’s greatness deserves contention, and Tom Brady’s influence is there even when he’s not in the building. People around the league are watching Mark Davis and wondering if the head coach survives because they still don’t have the quarterback right.

On Joe Burrow, I said yesterday the Bengals facility feels cheap and cold. That has to grind on a star, right?

Burrow was raw about not having fun, which set off alarms, so I checked in. He’s intensely private, but he’s been more communicative since coming back, and he’s obsessed with winning—he even cut off his own cast to speed rehab. He hasn’t asked out; he’s just sick of losing, and Cincinnati’s lagging investment and amenities don’t help.

Exactly—he’s not going to feel like a star sitting in a sad, brown whirlpool.

Around the league even bad teams have upgraded facilities, training, and support. Cincinnati’s behind, and players notice.

We got distracted guessing which buildings are dumpy. Back to the field: people talked Bills–Patriots, but Rams and Lions looked better to me. Vrabel called his team’s loss a learning experience—learn what?

Losses expose flaws a winning streak can hide. That game showed shaky pass rush and quarterback play, and it reset expectations. Also, Vrabel enjoys the underdog lane; he thrived there with the Titans.

How’s your house handling Christmas when you’re on the Netflix assignment? Your husband’s hosting twenty‑plus without you?

He’s fine; my family finds it weird. I’m trying to distract Kevin from me choosing football on Christmas, but my siblings keep pointing out how odd it is, which is not helping.

Before you go, Marcus Freeman: has your reporting caught up? The scenario is great for his agent.

It’s early, but the Giants are serious about meeting him, and other NFL teams are watching even if they have coaches. And Mike, you can’t just swoop in as an insider; this is daily grind stuff.

Early Merry Christmas and thanks for a great year. Also, thanks for the birthday hat.

Happy birthday. My gift offer is Mikey and Joey for a weekend. It’d be good for you.

I’m better at renting kids than owning. I’ll give them back.

Confession: I tried feeding Dianna the Marcus Freeman item a week early to sabotage Notre Dame’s playoff hopes. She did her own reporting, as she should.

Heisman talk: that ceremony used to be so stuffy that sunglasses caused controversy. Now it’s a glossy TV show, and Diego Pavia’s nightclub antics were jarring for that weekend.

Saying bleep the voters might’ve been brushed off as heat of the moment, but the bottle‑sign stunt aimed at Mendoza right after spending days together made it worse. His apology only highlighted the contrast with Mendoza’s poise.

That wasn’t a slip; it was an entire night of choosing to be that guy. Own it.

His statement even included “have my six,” which sent us into a side debate.

Six means your back in clock‑face speak—twelve ahead, six behind. It’s military shorthand.

If Indiana loses by a field goal, is Pavia the winner? Odds swung hard after the Big Ten title game, but it felt like Mendoza sealed it with big moments, not just stats.

Mendoza had the undefeated run, a road win at Eugene, and signature TV moments. Pavia’s case was more accumulation and softer résumés.

Another aging thought: do kids even know analog time anymore, or is everything digital now?

Some schools still teach clock faces, but it’s going the way of cursive—learned, then forgotten.

By the way, I’m casual with the mic. I lean back like I’m talking to friends.

And we can’t hear you.

Not really?

Not really. Not really. Not really.