The Killer B's: Joel Blank & Jeremy Branham
9/20/24- Killer B's Hour 1
[MUSIC PLAYING] Now at T-Mobile, get four 5G phones on us and four lines for $25 a line per month when you switch with eligible traders, all on America's largest 5G network. [MUSIC PLAYING] Minimum of four lines for $25 per line per month without a paid discount using debit or bank account, $5 more per line without auto pay, plus taxes and fees and $10 device connection charge. Phones would be a 24-monthly bill credits for well qualified customers, contact us before canceling entire accounts to continue bill credits or credit stop and balance on a required finance agreement to bill credit and if you pay off devices early, ctmobile.com. [MUSIC PLAYING] Please. ESPN 97.5 and 92.5 proudly present, the Killer B. It's definitely a fan of the Killer B's. Don't sweat the technique. Now from a Veritex community bank studios, bring you the fastest three hours in Houston sports radio. Here's Joel Blank and Jeremy Branham. Ooh, what a breakdown. Hey, how are we doing? He's blank on Branham. It's Brian behind the glass. And it is a Friday edition of the Killer B's on ESPN 97.5 and ESPN 92.5. And get away, edition of the Killer B's busy show or jam-packed, jam-packed. Alex Breggman's playing mind games. Alex Lewis, Alex Lewis will be joining us to talk about the Minnesota Viking skull. Busy money, I'm going to hand you out some winners coming up at 4 o'clock. Todd Callis joins us at 4.30. DJP anime at 5, who said it, jam-packed show? You're not going to want to miss any of it. All right, here on ESPN 97.5, ESPN 92.5. Astros winners yesterday made it interesting against one of the worst teams in all the baseball. Angels are awful, awful. And the Astros got some heroic slate. Win it three to one. All's well, that ends well, I guess. - I guess, yeah. I mean, I start with the positives, which we normally do when they win. And you talk about another good start from Kukuchi. And you know, he had the hip-up in the first at bat. And then just, I mean, he battled for you. And maybe his stuff wasn't his best, best stuff. But once again, you get another start and another win when he starts another ball game for you. And he goes deeper into the game yet again. And he's not just going, you know, getting in the fifth inning plus. Now he's giving you more pitches, going deeper into games, and he's effective only giving up one run. So you got to like that. - The Kukuchi start reminded me of his first start with the Astros, where he gave up a tank in the very first at bat, and it was dominant the rest of the way. It was almost like, it was a mirror of his first start with the Astros. So that great pitch well, you're not nigh to know in games where you say Kukuchi has pitched in. It's not, you know, the big unit, Randy Johnson, when he came in, when you acquired him from Seattle, and he, you know, posted the numbers that he posted, the, you know, the ERA, he became one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball. But it's a pretty dang good run. The Astros are 9 and 0 in games where you say Kukuchi has pitched. I can't put it in the Randy Johnson big unit tier, but it's kind of close. It's not as dominant like the ERA. It's not as, I mean, his strikeouts are still pretty high, but it's not as dominant with the Randy Johnson strikeouts. But the fact that you're 9 and 0 and you say Kukuchi games, it's a pretty dang good number, and like the Kukuchi train rolls on. - Yeah, and I think that's the key, Jeremy. I think that when you see a number like that, you would expect it was Prime Verlander, or Prime Randy Johnson, or Prime Roger Clemens, or guys that were like when they were at their best, they were just dominant to a point where you could not look away from it or miss that as part of the equation. He just kind of does his job. And it's not like overwhelmingly wow. And it's not like all of a sudden you look down and he's got this many strikeouts and he's been doing this, he's been doing that. But he's been phenomenal. And no matter what you thought about the trade and we've voiced what we thought, another great start. And I think that's the franchise record now for starts in a row for the Astros franchise and being undefeated at night. - Is it really? - Yeah, he surpassed Clemens, and I believe Randy Johnson. - That's pretty dang good. - Yeah. - So it's not quite big unit, but it kind of-- - It might have been Verlander. - Yeah, I think he was, I think they were tied. - Yeah, I think that's right. - I think Randy Johnson, Verlander, Kukuchi. Now that you mentioned it, it does register. I remember them playing the graphic, not the last start yesterday, but two starts ago. And it was a tie. Kukuchi with the Astros. Now they're not knowing the nine games that he started. He's five and O himself with a three ERA, and he has 68 strikeouts, 13 walks and 54 innings. If you're one of those people that lose your mind with fit, 330, he's got a whip of under one. Yeah, he's been really stinking good. I didn't like the trade, but I love what you say Kukuchi's been doing. I want to extend you, say Kukuchi. I, you say Kukuchi has, has won me over. I've already been there too. It didn't take last night for me to be all in on you, say Kukuchi. I've been all in for like half of his starts. So, but that was awesome to see. I really liked too, that he was able to get through the sixth inning yesterday, like save the bullpen a little bit. Kind of curious that Ryan Presley was the only high leverage guy that didn't pitch, but a good work by Kukuchi to get through six. He entered the sixth inning with 92 pitches, gave up a lead off single, still got you out of the inning. I thought that was big. And the other thing that's big is when you were talking about the fact that, because I'm with you, I didn't like the trade when it was made. I love the results I've seen, but he's also been kind of more honest in his press around the last couple of starts of saying, I heard some of the noise. I wanted to do good for this team, and I wanted to make sure that he did his best to make sure the trade looked good for him. But he now really, the more important thing is, he really likes being here. He's talked to several people in Julia was talking about, I think last night again, but even to the press about how he likes the way that they've done what they've done to kind of change his sequencing and use his pitches differently. He loves his teammates. I don't know if that, obviously money's gonna be the ultimate deciding force and anybody that's a free agent, but you really would consider bringing him back now because of the results he's gotten since he got here. - Yeah, I would be interested in that. Probably a conversation for a different day. Big Bad John Singleton, a hero, two strikes, two outs, tie game, John Singleton delivers. Double into the gap in left center, drives in two. Actually, I don't even think it was a double, but the bat flip won a job by Big Bad John Singleton, who's kind of making a career a little bit this year with the Astros. - Multi-hit game. Look, I mean, I was the one thinking that his days was an Astros were done when we were dealing with him and a Bray U and just the abomination that was first base. Thankfully, they've kept him around because in the last couple of months, you kind of blink your eyes and look at the box score and go, "John Singleton got two hits. "John Singleton got another hit," but he's hitting the ball more consistently. The bat flip tells you when he knows that he's gonna get a ball that's gonna get down or do something good, but we've had a couple of these situations. Now, late in ball games, when we need a clutch hit, John Singleton's been able to provide some hits for you too. So kudos to him and the fact that when he's in the lineup, he's been productive. - Yeah, that was, I mean, since you send down to Zinzo, like he's pretty much your everyday first baseman. You're gonna see Yiner there every now and then, depending on who the catcher is that day, depending on what you're doing in left field, what you're doing at DH, but Singleton has pretty much evolved into the everyday first baseman for the Astros. I think he should be in the lineup pretty much every day against righties, against lefties. I don't need to see him in the lineup, but he has evolved into that guy for the Astros. It's had a solid season, like his average is around 240, has an OPS plus that's greater than 100, which isn't great for a first baseman, but it's way better than the production you were getting. So he's evolved into that role for the Astros. - Yeah, and it's nice to see because you know that he's got it, you know, the start here and all the trials and the tribulations. And look, his wife's gotten into it with fans on Twitter and everybody. - Yeah, that's weird. - Yeah, it's just, some people take it too far as we know on social media, but the fact is it's a good uptick in the story. Instead of talking about, oh, remember when he had the two home run game and everybody was talking about his comeback and then everything got lost again? Well, now he's found again. And hopefully he stays that way through the end of the season because he's turned into a guy that's been productive and that's not something I thought I would say with John Singleton, especially with a team that's now where they are based as opposed to where he was and they were when we were talking about this the last time. - Why do you think Presley didn't pitch yesterday? - I think there might be something going on. I think kinda maybe not to the extent of Alex Bregman, but I think that maybe he's experiencing some stuff with his arm. I'm just speculating. I don't know anything. I didn't stay out of holiday and select last night, but it just seems to me like they've always handled him with kid gloves, but if it's getting to be a situation where he wasn't available last night, I start wondering about is there something that doesn't feel right there, giving him an extra day or arrested him a little bit more? - Yeah, it was kind of odd 'cause I mean, it was tie game, so it wasn't two to one, but you go narrows to Bray, you hate her. Don't use Presley. I don't think there's too much to it, quite frankly. I think it just kinda worked out that way, but it is something that I paid attention to. - 'Cause the other thing that like we were talking about, and maybe it's because of that situation, we were wondering who after the big three in the back of the bullpen, who the next guy up was gonna be, and I think a lot of it was spelled out for you again last night when they went to narrows right away if they weren't gonna go to Presley and they're relying on him more to hopefully be that guy. So I think that was a telltale sign. I hope there's nothing to the Presley thing, but I definitely think it's something you gotta watch. - Yeah, I'll give some credit to Geiner Diaz, who's not been great at the plate lately. Like he's been in a bit of a slump. I think he's going through it right now, but I'll give him credit for hustling. Eighth inning, first and second base after Jordon and Tucker get on base, which Tucker, by the way, I thought I had a really good day at the plate yesterday. Saw a lot of pitches, tough at bats, he hammered a ball the other way that was caught just in front of the Crawford boxes. Tucker's getting closer and closer to being Kyle Tucker, which is incredibly encouraging. But Geiner Diaz, first and second, nobody out, hits a rolls one over to shortstop, could have been a double play, bust it down the line, beats out the double play. Then the Peña Tapper, right in front of the plate, bust it to second base, a tall throw, he's able to slide under the force play there, get to second base, but especially the rollover. 'Cause there's a lot of guys, some guys on this team, I won't say the guys on this team, because if I do, everybody's gonna be mad at me. But there are some guys on this team that aren't very tall, that'll hit a rollover to shortstop in that situation, it won't hustle to the bag at first. Credit to Geiner Diaz for doing that last night. - Multiple guys that aren't very tall to do that, because I can tell you this from coaching up my daughter, and now getting her, which I love, she's into watching Astro's baseball now, and I'm always stressing on her that she's gotta bust her butt down the line when she hits the ball, and she'll be watching the game going, why isn't he running down the first base? And there was a runner on, why isn't he doing that? I'm like, how do I try to explain that Major League Baseball players of a certain status at a certain point, pulled the plug in the parachute, and don't have to do it, because you are supposed to do it. And I will say, to the example you gave, 'cause I noticed the same thing, he was hustling, especially to eliminate the double play, Peña had the same kind of ball, Peña was trying to hustle it out, but his turn into a double play, Geiner was actually able to beat it out, and that was a significant thing to do, so you could tell he was frustrated, even after he beat it out, he was pissed that he didn't succeed, but yeah, I like the fact that he's still always kind of busting it when he's on the base pass. - Yeah, a lot of guys wouldn't do that. A lot of guys wouldn't do that, especially at the top of the order. 3-2-8-3 should the Astros re-sign Kakuchi and let Verlander walk. There's not any part of me anymore that wants Justin Verlander on this team beyond this year. - Could not agree more, could not agree more. I don't wanna go through any possibilities of the injuries of this year, and on top of that, I don't firmly believe that you're ever gonna see anything close to the real Justin Verlander again. I think that's a knock on him, it's more like Father Time has finally caught up to him, and this is the point in the stage we are at his career. If he so chooses to try and stay in the game and chase 300, I just don't think it should be here. I don't think it will be here, and I think they would move on, and if Kakuchi's a possibility, I would be all over that. - Yeah, the answer to that is a hard yes. I do want Kakuchi back up to a certain number. I'm not taking Verlander back. - Nope. - I've moved on from the idea of Justin Verlander as an Astro. - And we've talked about the fact that you should have internal candidates coming back to work into your rotation, depending on guys coming back from injury, but you should also be looking at at least adding one starting pitcher. If it's Kakuchi or someone else, it's not just in Verlander. - Yeah, that Wagonman guy too, for the third baseman for the halos. That guy's a butcher. He has three errors in the first four innings yesterday. I mean, how many times in baseball has that happened where you have three errors in the first four innings? It can't be very much. - I know two. - Two? - Yeah, it happened here this year. - That's insane. - It was, what's his name from Pittsburgh that they-- - Oh, Neil Dersch. - Who's up at the minute? - Oh, Neil Crews. - Yeah, Neil Crews had two errors in the first three or four innings when they played here, but three is, the hat trick is a lot. - Yeah, that's incredible. All right, seven, one, three, seven, eight, zero, ESPN, busy show. Danny and Pierce has already been rolled out for Sunday's game. Joe Mixon is doubtful. So we'll discuss that later, who's gonna step up in that running back room for the Texans. Beasy money gonna hand you out some winners. Todd Callis, who's set a DJB anime. Alec Lewis will give us the Vikings perspective on Sunday's game as well. But when we come back, is Alex Bregman telling us something with his new walk up song "Troubadour" by George Strait? We'll discuss. seven, one, three, seven, eight, zero, three, seven, seven, six, we're on Twitch, Twitch.tv/espn975 on YouTube and ESPN Houston. Blankers on Twitter's @PagManJoe. Brian's at sec by BMAC. I'm at Jeremy Branham. It is the bees on ESPN975 and ESPN925. (upbeat music) Broadcasting Live for the Veritex Community Bank Studios. It's the Killer Bees with Joel Blanken, Jeremy Branham. On ESPN975 and 925. This is Alex Bregman's walk up song that he changed it to yesterday. "Troubadour", George Strait, Brian McTaggart eloquently called it a song that's a ballad in which the narrator reflects in his life as a troubadour, feeling that he's confident with what he's accomplished. I was once a young troubadour when I wrote in on a song, I mean old troubadour when I'm gone. He also put it on his social media accounts. Bregman didn't? Yep. So he made sure it was all over there. It wasn't just for walk ups. Is Alex Bregman telling us something? I love this song, by the way. Anything George Strait is the king for a reason. Alex Bregman loves to utilize all of social media. We know that from promoting all of his salsa and other things to the fact he puts all of his family videos out there and all of his other interests. I thought you were gonna say Alex Bregman loves Alex Bregman. Well that too. I think that's part of it 'cause you know he's always putting out his hitting stuff and that, I think just like- I love me some meat. Just like a lot of athletes these days. I think that he also likes to play the mental games to see who's paying attention and maybe get some more run. This is probably associated with that more than anything else. I feel like I'm like any other man where you cover up your feelings, you'll let them boil over to the surface. Anytime you wanna tear in your eye, you kinda hide it, you cover it up 'cause we're tough and we're men. It's made me a little sad. It made me a little sad here in this yesterday 'cause I'm okay with Alex Bregman leaving, like I'm good with him leaving in free agency. But this did make me think about all the times with Alex Bregman in the Astros and all the greatness that has happened while he's here. This made me a little bit sad. It made me a little bit, I'm not gonna say emotional, but it made me think about the good times, the old times. Did it make me wanna Alex Bregman back a little bit? Ah, no, not at all, not at that price, but I definitely think that this was a not so subliminal message to everybody. - And I think that I didn't have that kind of reaction because I mean, I think that no one, Alex Bregman and watching him the way we have, I think that this was calculated to some degree, but-- - It doesn't make you sad that Bregman could be gone after what he's meant to this organization. - No, it doesn't. - Really? - Yeah. - Because it could come down to finances and it could be-- - Sure, but you'd be a little sad. - I mean-- - Like you get it, you're willing to move on. - What I like for him to stay. - Yeah, but I'm not gonna be sad if it was unrealistic in terms of what he wanted or where he got elsewhere that the Astros weren't willing to pay within reason because of the fact that we've seen it happen so many times before. And there were other players that I liked a lot that they let walk away. - And you weren't sad? - No. - Really? - Joel's cold, you're a heartless. - Yeah, you're a heartless. - You're a heartless. - I love George Springer. I wanted him to be an Astros entire career. When George Springer walked, - Outschool. - That's fine. - Yeah, you have no heart. You like the scarecrow. - Pretty much. - You're like the scarecrow. - I was about to make that reference, but I thought it was the lion. - Well, I think you're right. - Well, I thought the scarecrow was empty. - Which one needed a brain? - I know that Tin Man was missing a brain, but-- - Oh, maybe that's what it was. - But I thought the lion was missing a heart. - You might be thinking-- - I think that's right, 'cause-- - I've never seen that movie. - Heartless lion is always-- - I've never seen the movie, so I really do that. - But anyway, Joel's the cowardly lion. No heartless. - Yeah, that's crazy. - It's me. - I never want to pay them as you know. - And I want to hear you roar. - Like I think it's bad business to pay these people, but I was sad when Corea left. I was sad when Springer left. I was sad when Garrett Cole-- - I wasn't sad. - I didn't think he would've been-- - Garrett Cole pissed me off, and I wasn't sad about Corea. - I didn't think he would've been sad about this. Yeah, Corea, I wouldn't have taken-- - I was super sad about Corea. Corea's my favorite player. - Was he? - Yeah. Okay. - Springer was mine. - Yeah, Grandma's my favorite player. No, I didn't want to pay him. I didn't want to pay him. There's a difference to me between business and like emotion. Like, and look, I don't want to pay a pregnant. At the same time, do I think that Alex Breggman's been one of the best players in organization history? Yes. Do I get a little sentimental whenever I hear the greatness of George Strait, and Troubadour, and how it parallels and is synonymous with the career of Alex Breggman? And you see, yeah, it makes me a little sad. Makes me a little sad. Do I want to pay him to want to keep him? No, but just maybe sad? Yeah. Just like it made me sound like Corea left. That's not, I guess that's why I'm not sad, because of the, will I think that there's a chance they could miss him? Sure. Am I always going to be thinking positively as I reminisce on the days that he had here and the good times that they had? Sure. But at a certain point, I know how they operate, and I know that he only-- But why can't you compartmentalize? Because I think there's two different things. Exactly. I don't have to compartmentalizing is. Right. And I think that, right. But I think that, you're trying to put it into, I'm not, because I'm not sad, that I don't, I won't look back fondly on the memory. No, no, that's all I'm saying. That's all I'm saying. Because I just think that you can have like the business mindset of, okay, like we understand that this probably needs to be a relationship that ends, but at the same time, be like, man, this guy's about to go, and he's meant so much for the organization, and that does pull at the heartstrings a little bit. Yeah, I don't get to the heartstrings part. I think there's, I am a little concerned that they're going to miss him when he's gone because of what he's done. And whether he can do it or not is probably the reason, going forward is the reason why. But I'll always think of him fondly in terms of what he did as an astro. This just makes me a little sad. It's the first time that I like, it hit me, they're like, "Ah, Brehman might be done." Like, of course, like the business mind is, yeah, he's probably gone. But it's the first time it's like, okay, Brehman's going to be in a different uniform. This is the final homestead. Here's this old troubadour that's going to leave us. Definitely doesn't seem very subtle. Yeah, and again, I don't want to re-sign them. If there's a number where I'm willing to go with Brehman, like, I think we've talked about it. It's like 75 to 90 million for three years. Anything beyond that, I'm out. So like, I'm not completely ruling it out. I do expect him to get more than that, which is why I'm pretty confident he's going to be gone. 694-1 song did say, "But Lord, I'm still right here with him." So maybe more HEB commercials are in store, okay. I think he's just saying, like, I'm here, let's one more run. I'm still with you here to the bitter end, to the contract runs out. Let's make one more run at it. That's the kind of the way I took it. J.V. borrows it tonight when he comes out into the mouth. I did think about that. Good day. On the way, we got a quick call. It was Tin Man with no heart. We were a bunch of people who were texting into Tin Man. Well, that's what I said. I know, you're right. I know, I'm telling you, you're right. We have idiot textures throughout the week. Like, Brian, I'm always thinks he's right. Well, here's your receipt, I am. I am always right. You are right. Even when I'm right, I don't even think I'm right. I'm right. That's how right I am. Is that even when I don't think I'm right, I'm right. But Brian is the true influencer, because he influenced you into believing you were wrong. I did change your mind on a very quick ride. I wasn't confident. I should have been more confident in me and less confident in you. Did you not learn today? I didn't like the way that turned. Did you hear Dana yesterday on the flag? I didn't listen to that this week. He mentioned, because someone, I think QB1, actually pressed him a little bit on Braggman. And when do you start talking to him? And then running into Boris and Anaheim. And he said, we talked briefly, but we made our feelings known. We really love him and want him to stay. He seems to, he seems, Scott seems to indicate that he would love to stay here as well. We're going to talk at a certain point and try and make that happen. Now that might all be just media speak. Was that on the flagship? I thought that was a McTaggart's newsletter. No, that was, that was QB1 doing the one on one because they used the sound in the pregame. I gotcha. So, that sounds like he's gone to me when I hear that quote. That sounds like, hey, we made our offer and if he gets more than that, then-- He said it sounds like he stressed to Boris. Look, we, we, we, we want to keep him. We love him. And we do know what he's done for the franchise. And he said, Boris understands we don't have to do it now, but at a certain point, we will sit down to talk about it. Yeah, I mean, everything, anything that Dana Brown says goes in one ear and out the other. Like, I don't, I just, I can't take anything he says seriously. I understand that because we've talked about it. I mean, the fact that he is diarrhea the mouth a lot of times is, and a lot of times too, when he sets deadlines that don't happen and he tells you things that are completely opposite, there's no reason to believe it. Yeah, I just, I, anything that Dana Brown says I don't believe. Now, do I think that they're going to be in on Braggman? I do. I do up to a certain price. And I don't think Braggman's, I don't think Braggman's getting five, six years from anybody quite frankly. 694-1, well, Tubernoer says he still feels like 25. Well, Braggie, those days are long gone. True. He's so unathletic, Braggman is, 4-4-8-8. And the Astros, I remember when I said that, be like, what are you talking about? He's unathletic. 4-4-8-8, can the Astros win it all with a six ring pitching staff and a 13th place offense? Great show, guys. Yeah, they can still win it all. They have the players. There's enough talent there. 8, Honeyglaze, Branham, what are you talking about, Branham? George, George Strait has been straight trash post 2000. Complete garbage, just like all country post 2000. How dare you talk down to the king? Honeyglaze, Branham, Honeyglaze, Branham, I'm not reading your text for the rest of the week because you're talking poorly about George Strait. That George Strait slander will not be tolerated on the killer bees. Honeyglaze, Branham, you idiot. It's Heartless Tin Man, Brainless Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion, Brainless Branham, Heartless Joel, and Cowardly Brian. You just read another text from Brandon T. Would you rank Braggman as a top five franchise player of all time? No. I'd have to squiggle this down. Now, he's, I firmly believe he's the greatest third baseman of all time in franchise history. There is no doubt about it. That's a list of two, really. I think it's a list of one. I think it's the only person you would need to go to the conversation, it's Cameron. Cameron, your life. Best years were in San Diego. He was here as one, but his best years were in San Diego. He never had a great year with the Houston Astros. Braggman's clearly at number one. Top five franchise player of all time. I don't think so. You got, I mean, you would have out two vase number one. You got the big girl. Well, Bizio are there. Braggman. You go to the pitching. I have to have Braggman at number. So I think Bragglander's top five. Braggman's close, Braggman's close. Like, if you value championships, how could he not be in the conversation? You put him above Braggman? I wouldn't. I don't think he was ever as great of an offensive player. Braggman's portal in Hall of Fame. So, Braggman, I mean, Braggman had a top, Braggman finished second in the P-1. Yeah, it seems when he never had a top two, maybe he finished. No, but Braggman had a much longer ride at the top of his position. Depends on what you value. Depends on what you value. 'Cause if you go peak, you could probably go Braggman. If you want to have a championship bias, which I do, Braggman's in that conversation. Top five's probably too high. You're gonna go top seven, top eight, probably where he lies. Space City Kev, if there's any two players for life, it's Altuve and Braggman because of how Jim Crane marched them out in front of everyone during that lame press conference when the scandal dropped. They're the only players that I will say this about, but we owe them, keep them for life. I think it's a fair point. Altuve said that he's not going anywhere, so. Yeah, I just think that Altuve doesn't speak with Jim Crane's checkbook, and we've seen it. The only one that we've seen them relent on at all has been Altuve, and that wasn't that long of a deal or that monstrous of a deal. But overall, I'll believe it when I see it, I just don't think he's gonna be back. I think he wants a lot more than they're gonna be willing to give. 0-6-1-2, World Series winning ass show, his left and his good now, Cole Sucks. Crane is still good, he's just always hurt, which is why I didn't want to pay him. I also didn't think he's worth the money. I'm sure there's been some good ones. I think Cole had a really good year last year, and I think Cole's hurt. Cole's been awful this year though, so that Troy's not wrong with Cole Sucking this year. Potentially walking where Rafael Deverse, how soft was that? I'm sure there's been some good guys, some players. Not the star guys though. Tonight we drink for Bragman and J.V. I hear you on that. George Strait never wrote a song. I don't care. I don't care if he ever wrote a song. He's the king. You don't slander George Strait. Brandon T, Bigio Bagua didn't win championships, so championship bias there. Bragman certainly did much less coke than Kamenetty. Come on, 6-9-4-1, we're not gonna read that kind of text message on the show. 4-9 Josh, Bragman has been a cornerstone of the most dominant era of Astros baseball. How is he not top five? There you go. Little championship bias, golden era bias. Yeah, I think Bragman- I think it's a fair bias to have. I think for just the totality of Bragman's career and the majority of it being here, I think Bragman's got those kind of numbers from the length of his career to bump him above. Bump him above Alex Bragman right now. Yeah. All right, 7-1-3-7-8-0-ESP. Let's get to Alec Lewis, Vikings, beat writer at the athletic. Host to the podcast, the Alec Lewis Show on YouTube. Let's go behind enemy lines and see the Vikings perspective. When we return, it is the bees on ESPN 97-5 and ESPN 92-5. Hey guys, before we go to the break, a word from a good friend, Doc Lindville. We got the listener party tonight. I had to get a little gussied up, did the hair, so you can see it. The treatments that Doc Lindville and his staff do, the ability to get your hair back, they're game changers. 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All you gotta do is start the process today, get in contact with Doc Lindell by going to 975hair.com. (upbeat music) - You are back with a killer V's on ESPN 97.5 and 92.5, live from the Veritex Community Bank Studios. Here's Joel Plank and Jeremy Branham. - Joining us now on the HR&P guest line, Alec Lewis, biking speed rider at the athletic, Texans don't have one of those, and host of the podcast, the Alec Lewis Show on YouTube. Alec, thanks for taking a few minutes ahead of game day, Sunday to hang out with a couple of jabronis in Houston. Are the Vikings for real at 2-0? Are you surprised by their record at all? - Oh, well, first, thank you guys for having me. I wish we had a Texans rider. We used to have a guy named Aaron Reese who I'm very close with and I wish he was still doing it because he's a better rider than I am. Are the Vikings for real? Yeah, it's a great question and it's something that, I mean, I don't know, like you try to figure it out, you sort through it, but what I'd say is it's not that surprising, I should say, no, I mean, it really isn't. And part of that is defensively from the time that Brian Flores got here, you saw kind of the vision of what they could ultimately become and then just being here for the two years that Kevin O'Connell's been here two years plus now, like the way that he thinks about quarterbacks, his ability to empower players offensively and just the growth, even from him, from a play color and intentionality standpoint, you've seen it, you kind of expected it. So is it for real? I kind of think so, is it that surprising, not fully to the people I think who have been around every day, like I have for the last two plus years? - Well, Alec, then tell me about Sam Darnell because all we heard was J.J. McCarthy and then J.J. McCarthy was gonna be the guy, probably from day one and J.J. McCarthy is the franchise quarterback of the future. And now all of a sudden, Sam Darnell goes from backup to starter and now succeeding and really kind of early on, looking like he can revitalize his career. Can it last the Cinderella slipper get involved in all this or has he looked like a different quarterback? - Yeah, well, I mean, first what I'd say is I don't think J.J. McCarthy was gonna start from day one. I never thought that. I think if you'd talk to people internally and just watch the way they went about it, it was all, when they drafted J.J. McCarthy, and really before they drafted J.J. and when they set out to draft a quarterback after Kurt Cousins left, they're one of their priorities and I'm talking Kevin O'Connell, the GM pointed out from it, the organization as a whole was to think long-term with that investment, which very few teams do. And obviously you guys know being in Houston, like sometimes you don't have to, sometimes a guy is surrounded by such optimal situation from a coaching staff and skilled player standpoint that he can succeed, but I think that's probably the rarity. And the Vikings wanted to guard against that from the get-go, which is why they ended up signing San Bernal because they felt like whether he was a bridge for five games, whether he was a bridge for eight games, whether he was a bridge for the whole season that he could be a guy who could perform in this system. And so the still in a row, a slipper kind of analogy, like I get it because obviously given his situations and specifically turnover history in the past, it is concerning and it provided reason for pessimism, pessimism in terms of what could happen, but this is the best skill group he's ever been around. It's the best coaching he's ever been around. It's probably the first time he's ever really felt believed in as a quarterback. If you talk to any of the legends who have rebuilt their careers over time, that is a critical aspect of it. So I expect the success to continue. Now, are there going to be bumps in the road? Probably. Any given week in this league, as you guys know and have done it probably longer than I have, like it is very tough, it is very difficult, even since they're going to throw a lot at you. And so I'm sure there's going to be bumps in the road whether it's this weekend or in the weeks that come. - You're giving us too much credit, Alec. We don't really know a whole lot. We just kind of blab on a microphone. Alec Lewis Vikings, beat writer at the Athletic Host to the podcast, the Alex Lewis Show, Alec Lewis Show on YouTube. A lot of players returning to Minnesota here. There's some former Texans, obviously, on the Minnesota Viking side as well, in Cashman, in Grenard, in Griffin, even. What do you think the reaction's going to be for Daniel Hunter and Stefan Diggs on Sunday? - Yeah, you know, Daniel specifically, like I expect people to, I expect to be a rave response. I mean, Daniel, you guys are probably found out, like pretty quiet guy, kind of sticks to himself. He's probably the best sculpted athlete I've ever been around. I would walk around the locker room, talk to him, be like, this guy's absolutely unbelievable. He's got muffles inside of his muscle. And he chose it on the field with his ability to set an edge and pass for us. I expect Viking fans who are very appreciative of what he accomplished here to give him an ovation. Stefan Diggs, I mean, obviously, it's an interesting situation with the way that he left here, but it's also been a while since then. He accomplished a lot here. Obviously, he's a part of the Minneapolis miracle. So I'd be stunned just knowing kind of the way this market is if they really give him a crazy, it's not like a Philadelphia vibe, but you'll probably get a mixed reaction. And then, you know, I sat down with Jonathan Grenard yesterday and we talked about going against the Texans and I wrote about that for this morning. And John was like, look, like I really respect that organization specifically ownership. And the way that they really like helped him get back for when his young daughter was born last year right after the game against the Jaguars in September. So I think it's a pretty, like even Cam Acres, who was in Minnesota last year, like Kevin O'Connell has a mint respect for that guy going back to their time together with the Rams. So I think it's like some of these return games, you get these like want to stick it to them. And I'm sure there is that with these competitors, but I expect it to be pretty cordial on both sides. And I could be, again, like just more wrong than anything with that. But that's just kind of the vibe I've gotten thus far. - What's your vibe on Aaron Jones? Aaron Jones coming over from Green Bay was good at the end of the years, been dinged up the last couple of years. Obviously he was a staple with the Packers for a long time, but it seems like he's been a good fit. The offense seems to fit him and he's had some success early on. - Yeah, he's been phenomenal. And partly that is because when you follow a guy and last year the running back here was Alexander Madison who they had belief in and he's a phenomenal guy. So I'm not, it's nothing like that. But just from an ability to create your depth of contact, Aaron Jones is just miles different than what Alexander Madison brought. And it is enhanced their run game which paired with Justin Jefferson who dictates too high coverage all the time. It has helped them on first down which has put them in optimal second down situations which is why right now they're averaging more yards on second down offensively than any other team in the league. So he's, Aaron Jones, it's been a phenomenal fit. I've always thought just like from a football, fantasy football, fan type vibe. Like he's always a guy, that's always really impressive. And when the Packers decided to move forward and ultimately sign Josh Jacobs as a younger guy and the Vikings swooped in pretty quickly to stagger Jones, it seemed like a pretty solid fit. He's been great in the locker room. So the one two punch with he and Ty Chandler who looked phenomenal after he can get to the 49ers and I expect him to get a pretty good amount of run this weekend as well. It has been a boon for an offense that wants to run the ball well too as we talked about the top, but stand Arnold in optimal circumstances to kind of to thrive the way he has. - I'm really curious, Alec, how the Texans will defend Jefferson. Yeah, Addison, it looks like he's trending. Might have even been already ruled out. Jefferson's off of the injury report. Naylor's coming on this year, a very fast guy. I'm curious how Dameka will defend Jefferson. Usually doesn't travel his top corner, although he's willing to change it. Like he changed it last year with Amari in the postseason. How do you see other teams defend Justin Jefferson when it comes to their top corner? - It's a phenomenal question and it's funny because when you talk to the Vikings of staff, they will say they're like over the last two years and this staff has mostly been together and there hasn't been much departure. Like they go into every game trying to figure out what the opposing team's Justin Jefferson plan is. And they literally call that like, we're gonna get the Jefferson plan from them. And so a lot of their free, I get a lot of their during the week study is like so general and then they enter the game, not really, I mean, in a similar spiral, it's like we don't know if they double him this way, if they bracket him here, if they travel, they're extremely what have you, whoever it is, then they will kind of enact their plan from there. So I mean, you see, like there are very few staff where you see Justin Jefferson and singled up. And if the Texans decide to do that this weekend and more power to them, because this guy is unbelievable. Now, you mentioned the secondary passcatchers and that was a concern I had last weekend in the 49ers game, it's like, could a Jalen Naylor step up? Could a Brandon Powell Tristan Jackson step up? And they did throughout the game and they did even after Justin Jefferson got hurt late in the game. So yeah, it'll be very interesting to see. Again, like it's one of those puzzle pieces that I'm always curious every week, what do these opposing teams do? Some are better than others at it. And like I said, like the Vikings offensive staff is very on top of it in terms of ensuring they have answers regardless of what the test presents to them. - How do you see it playing out then Alec? Because look, we know Brian Flores is gonna be getting his flowers and we know that CJ's been very, very positive in the fact that he respects the hell out of what Flores is doing defensively. He's got a lot of weapons on defense. How does this game play out in your mind? - Well, I mean, you nailed it, in my opinion. I mean, it is, can Brian Flores affect CJ Strada? A guy who, I mean, I don't need, I don't need to say anything to anybody listening to these airways. Like they obviously know what this guy's about, but anybody within the Viking facility this week was very effusive in their praise for the arm talent and his ability to create the arm's strength, the accuracy, the processing speed, like all of that showed up and came up in conversation. So, can Brian Flores, a guy who is as good at mixing it up and making you think something that is coming, that isn't coming, that might be coming, a guy somewhere and then he's over there and you don't really know why. It is kind of like unbelievable to watch the way he coordinates a defense every single week and there's a lot of on-field decision-making and checking from the players. So, yeah, I mean, how does it play out? I just haven't watched this Flores even and maybe being close to it. I think, you know, I would not be shocked if they affect CJ in some regard. The Texans interior offensive line, I'm also a little skeptical of that. I do think Cam Acres is really good, so not having Joe Mixon to me. I don't think that's like some disqualifier, but, and then can the Texans create pressure on San Darnold and speed him up and put him in uncomfortable situations the way he has not been thus far in the first two weeks. And if they, if Strout can handle Flores and they can do that with San Darnold, the Texans try to leave here with a victory, but I can tell you it is going to be a rocket environment in there and that will probably be going in the Viking favor as well. - Should be a lot of fun. Yeah, the Texans interior offensive line has been terrible at passing off assignments. I'm sure you see Brian Flores do a whole lot of that. Alec, great stuff, go ahead. - Yeah, yeah, no problem. Yeah, Brian Flores will catch those guys through their bitter end and they will probably have a headache by the end of the game. That's just the way this thing goes. So, it'll be very interesting. I'm glad you could probably tell, I can't wait for the matchup, but appreciate you guys having me. And I mean, I'm looking forward to watching that team because I have a lot of respect for what they've done. So, should be pretty cool. - We appreciate you coming on. It was great insight. Alec Lewis, Vikings beat rider at the athletic host of the podcast, the Alec Lewis show on YouTube. A phenomenal guest. Alec Lewis really enjoyed that. - Very informative. I'm sure they're looking forward to hearing a lot of (vocalizing) Skoll. - I'm sure they are. How much more of a loseable game do you think that this is now Sunday versus the start of the year? - It is the bees on ESPN 97.5 and ESPN 92.5. (upbeat music) - Coming to you live from the Veritex community bank studios, it's the killer bees. - On ESPN 97.5 and 92.5. - Here's Joel Blanken, Jeremy Branham. - A lot of injuries in the NFL this weekend. - Yeah, Texans have mixed in, who's doubtful. Damien Pierce out. Vikings will not have Jordan Addison, where's Hawkinsons out. No AJ Brown for the Eagles again. Mckinith Walker for the Seahawks is listed as doubtful. - I believe Keaton Allen's officially out again. - He's not even traveling. - Yeah. - Personal reasons for that. So like, hey, I don't know why you idiots play fantasy football. - They have no clue what you're doing. - I guess the guy with how many? - Yeah. - How many? - A lot of something. - Why would you play fantasy football? Dummies. Is this game more loseable now than you would have thunk at the start of the year? 7-1-3-7-8-0-3-7-7-6. 0-9-7-9. Darnell is gonna have at least two picks. He nailed the defensive line going to pressure him and he'll show his old tendencies like seeing ghost. Texans definitely going to cover this week. So 0-9-7-9 is confident. I said yesterday I would be disappointed if the Texans lost this game, but I do feel like it's gonna be a close game. - Yeah, I have a different perspective than I did before the season started because I just didn't believe the quarterback situation in Minnesota was a solid one no matter who started that quarterback. And I liked the weapons that they had in Minnesota, but without that key piece, I just didn't think they were gonna be very good. And that's why when we were talking about the fact with draft picks, we were constantly talking about the fact that given up that Minnesota draft pick probably had more value because of the fact that we thought Minnesota was gonna be really bad. Therefore, that was a higher pick that was gonna be really good. Now you look at it and say, man, it's a totally different game on the schedule. I thought that the Texans would win this game, start undefeated for their first six, I think I said, but this was one of those games that I thought was gonna be an easier game. Now I'm deeply concerned because there is an environment in Minneapolis, it is a rockus environment, it is a loud building, but they have a good thing going right now and coming off a win against the Niners where you can't get much better unless you beat the Chiefs. That's a hell of a lot of momentum coming into this game too to say, hey, statement game there, keep it rolling now, home game with a loud environment, crowd's gonna be behind us, Darnold's got a lot of momentum and confidence on his side. That's a scary proposition. I still think the Texans are going to win, but I definitely look at it entirely differently than I did before the season started. - A6589, heck no, we've taken this dub easy peasy. - I hope you're right. - You're sweating this way too much, okay. Twitcher, Rare Candy, after beating the 49ers, yes, they're more scary than they were pre-season. That's where I'm at. Like, how can you say the Vikings who, well, look, we talked about the Vikings in their 2024 outlook, why? Because the Texans had their second rounder and then they traded them for Stefan Diggs and we talked about how this pick could potentially land in the top 40. So we saw the Vikings as a team who would be one of the bottom eight teams in the NFL. I mean, 32 plus eight, 40, talking about them as a top 40 pick. So they'd have to be in the bottom eight. They're playing way better than that. They beat San Francisco last week. So if they're beating San Francisco last week, how are you saying easy peasy dub against Skoll inside the bank? That's kind of crazy talk to me. - Oh, it absolutely is. And I mean, all you gotta look is around the field and say, hey, you look at their defense and you know that they got a guy you're very familiar with with Bernard, but they've got Harrison Smith, they've got veterans, you know, they signed Gilmore. They've got some guys defensively along with their youth and Brian Flores does a hell of a job as a defensive coordinator. But offensively, any team that's got Justin Jefferson, you have to respect. And you realize that Kevin O'Connell is a mind that knows how to call plays and maximize guys on his roster. When the, if you don't believe any of that, how can you not be a little bit more concerned with the fact that this team is two and O and this team has looked like the better team against teams like the 49ers. - Yeah, I mean, they kind of beat the 49ers. Not to say it was like an easy victory for Minnesota, it was kind of an easy victory for Minnesota. - Wire to wire? I don't think that they were losing it maybe early early on, but they every time I checked the score, Minnesota was clearly in front and looked like they were dominating the football game. - No, there's wire to wire. They had, I mean, they had a two possession lead twice. They had a two possession lead in the third quarter. They had a two possession lead in the fourth quarter. Like the 49ers made a field goal with a minute 12 left to make it a six point game. Like they led by two possessions for basically the final three and a half minutes. Like that, that was a bit of a, it was a bit of a weapon. Again, San Francisco and yes, San Francisco didn't have McCaffrey and, you know, they had some injuries, but they're still San Francisco. Their defense is good. The Vikings hung 400 yards up on San Francisco with Sam Darnold. Well, Sam Darnold is kind of legit under O'Connell, by the way. - I was going to say. - O'Connell's really, really talented and that's what exactly what Shanahan's supposed to do. No matter who's hurt or who's not, he's supposed to be the offensive genius that's going to maximize who he's got to get the result that he needed. Well, that's kind of what O'Connell did to him. He maximized who he's got. He's getting the most out of the players that they've signed that they're playing and they're putting up numbers where you have to respect them. This shouldn't, I don't see, I hope there's a way. I just don't see this being an easy, peasy game. - No, River to the Sea says, Niners pulled a Notre Dame and blew it. They didn't show up that day. I think that's a fair point. I think that point is plausible, which makes you happy if you're DeMico Ryan's that it happened the week prior to you playing them. Because now it's not you that's not going to show up. DeMico Ryan's all week, I'm sure is saying. Look, they just beat San Francisco. They just beat the best team in the NFC. They just had a two possession lead against San Francisco for a majority of the second half. They just hung 400 points up on San Francisco. It's very easy to get the attention of your team after the opponent you're going to play coming up, just beat one of the best teams in the NFL. - If you want to hope for a huge win hangover, then go ahead and hope for it because that's what you got. Because that one, I don't think anybody on the schedule looked at and said Vikings in that game. And because the Niners looked so good to start the season on Monday Night Football, you realize that that was one that they're going to put a gold star on at the end of the year and go look who we beat and look at how we beat them. So if you're hoping for a hangover, like there's a letdown after that game. - I don't think that's possible. - But I don't think in this viking, that's what I was going to say. A lot of times that's something that happens. You see it in a lot of sports where after you get a really big win, sometimes it's a letdown in week two, this is just the opposite because I don't think a lot was expected of the Vikings this year. Now coming off again, a win against the Niners. Your fan base is going to be fired up. Your players are now totally believing more than ever before that this is a team that could do a lot of good things. You've got veterans on this roster that are talented, starting with what I think is the best receiver in the NFL. And their defense is flying around all over the place and throwing exotic looks and blitzes at you that's going to keep CJ on his toes to where you have to respect them. - Yeah, I think they're a pretty solid. I just don't think you're going to get a letdown. Like the Vikings aren't good enough to have a victory hangover. Six, five, eight, nine, I'm an everyday listener. Thank you. Let's make a general bin bet. I'll buy you a bottle if the Texans lose by three. You buy me a bottle if we win by seven. Yeah, think about this. The spread, what was the spread in the Texans viking game? - It's two. Texans are getting two points. Sounds like I'm losing value here. I, you buy me a bottle if the Texans lose. I would be taking the underdog for a straight up bet. I'm losing value there, six, five, eight, nine. That makes no sense for me. No sense. - Then don't do it. - It doesn't make any sense. - Tell them to revisit and make another promotion. - You're going to have to come with me with a little bit better of an offer. I'm losing value in that six, five, eight, nine, but I admire the hustle. I actually appreciate it. I tip my cap to you, but I ain't no fool. Not giving away value. Come on, man. All right, seven, one, three, seven, eight, zero, three, seven, seven, six. Speaking of value, it's great value, and we're handing out winners. Bees-y money. Who are the killer bees going to bet on this week? It is the bees on ESPN 97.5 and ESPN 97.25. - Owning a rental property sounds like a dream until you realize how much work goes into getting it ready. Determine a competitive rent price, market the property, schedule the showing screen. Tenants drop the lease at a rent collection, handling it's request, making it a communication. Whew, sound complicated? Renters warehouse is here to take the hard work off your rental to-do list. Qualified tenants, check, rent collection, check. Maintenance coordination, you got it. Go to runnerswarehouse.com for a free rental analysis to find out how much your home can rent for. Or call 303-974-9444. Because from now on, the only thing you need on your to-do list is to call runners warehouse. - Hey, your job. 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