Episode 63 — The Sklar Triplets

[admin 330]

Randy and Jason are out on the road so it's time to call in the 12th man...and the 13th man...and the 14th woman. Matt Besser, Howard Kremer, and Danielle Schneider are slapping some paint on their faces and getting in the gridiron! First some basic drills with the Hank Williams Jr fiasco, the intrinsic hypocrisy of Fantasy Football, and the NBA lockout, but then the real game begins: Explaining football terminology to Danielle (as a surrogate for our other non-sports fan listeners). Which of our replacement hosts are YOU voting for?

[Podus 108]

Hell yeah, this is gonna be awesome!

[SDGerry 2]

This episode was fun. They should have an episode with all 5 Sklars.

[Julia 477]

Howard's representative of North Jersey sports fans. In South Jersey, we cheer for Philly teams.
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Speaking of which, the Vick talk around my neck of the woods regarding Vick's hits haven't touched on his criminal past. The debate has centered moreso on the fact that he runs more than other QBs and is more of a threat on his feet. In fact, his comments got a lot of criticism from his own fans too. (As many know, Philly sports fans let their players know what they're thinking - for better or worse.) Vick should understand that running QBs, like Randall Cunningham, have always taken hits. But with the increasing athleticism and severity of injuries in the league, I think the NFL needs to come up with a rule that would protect QBs anywhere on the field, not just in the pocket, or at least be more consistent when calling late hits. It shouldn't become ordinary for the guy to leave the field with an injury nearly every game.
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P.S. Great job guest hosting, triplets. From the moment the show started with Birdman/Lil Wayne's "Pop Bottles," I knew this was going to be an awesome episode.

[elliot1326655057 0]

That was an even better episode than I could have expected. Great job to all three of you! And on the topic of fantasy football rooting interests, I'll give this example: I'm a Dallas Cowboys fan, and when they played the Lions last Sunday, I was faced with the dilemma you're speaking of since I have Calvin Johnson on my fantasy team. When I first started playing fantasy a couple years ago I took it more seriously, so I probably would have been torn over who I was rooting for. But as you mention, fantasy football is based so much on luck and chance, and as I've come to realize that I now can put aside fantasy rooting interests and just root for my Boys. When Calvin Johnson caught the game-winning TD, I did not groan but celebrate for my fantasy team. I instead fell off the couch, onto the floor and laid there for a few seconds, feeling the pain a sports fan is supposed to feel when his team takes a dump in his mouth.

[Alec 31]

Nice Job, guys! I was looking forward to this, and it did not disappoint!

[TheFurman 0]

Blake Griffin has said that his jump-over-the-car dunk was a goof and a spoof of the baroque nature of the modern dunk contest. Check episode 3 of The Champs podcast (Moshe Kasher, Dj Douggpound and Neal Brennan) for his explanation. Don't know if I believe him or not but viewed in that light it is pretty funny...

[Gil 0]

I must have laughed for five minutes when Matt said there is no silk in Omaha. Comedy gold...and I'm not even done listening to the whole episode! Going to be a fun drive home.

[rdriley 21]

Thank God! Since the Earwolf Challenge ended, there's been very little opportunity to give Besser an internet beatdown!
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Matt, for future reference when you reunite with your quint siblings to guest host a sports podcast, the blackout rule applies to every team in the NFL. There's actually an official rule of what constitutes a given team's "home" broadcast area, and if a game doesn't sell out, the game is blacked out on stations in the "home" broadcast area.
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Boom! Sports broadcasting knowledge dropped, Besser!

[jparkeriv 8]

Matt's wife is annoying as all get out. Can't stand women on a sports show.

[The Feverish Dingo 2]

"Like Gehrig for Pipp, like Brady for Bledsoe...."

Great job with the pinch hit.....it was a great episode.

But just don't make it a habit...we want our Sklars!

[Podcast Pete 1]

These three sklar kids need their own podcast... i was at work and listening to this literally made me lol..

[ostrichheaven 1]

Holy shit. Lou Holtz *has* to be the biological father of Sloppy Timmy.

[sweetjimmyt 0]

Sooooooooo-weee!! Besser & Co. had me Barking at Life on this one. I'm replacing Henderson with "HOLTZ" for one week only. Nice job. Sklars.. I'll see you in Portland.

[Bigwig 0]

Great job guys!

However, we need to talk a little bit about Rugby Football before you start saying that "Australian football" is what Danielle is looking for.

Rugby is a worldwide sport, that, currently, right now, at this moment, is having it's world cup. Next weekend, Wales and France, and also New Zealand, three countries that are distinctly not Australia will be in the semi-finals. Australia will also be there. Rugby is an umbrella term for two sports that share some similar rules. These general rules are easy to explain. First off, you cannot advance the ball forward using your hands. So, there is no forward passing, which means that running is much more important. Second, you can kick the ball forward. Third, there are no pads, no headwear other than scrum caps, and all hits are legal except neck hits.

There are two codes of Rugby Football. Personally, I'm a Union man, so I will be more informed about that one, so it will go second. So, let's talk League. League is a game of advancement much like American Football. There are six downs, allowing the team to hold possession. At the end of each down, a tackle is made, and 10 meters are given from the point of the tackle to the start of the defense. This is the most football like rule. So, the game is very tv friendly, it encourages the players to look like Adonises and it's a lot of fun to watch. League might be a good way in for you guys, because it is a pretty game, and it's very brutal, but similar to American Football.

Union is the most brutal, fun, enjoyable game that has ever existed. The only way to lose possession is for the team to lose the ball. If you can contain the ball, you can keep the play going. The players range the entirety of human size, from tiny little prettyboy backs to brutal hard charging forwards. The game is elegance in motion. It's all skill. There is the addition of contested scrums, which means that from time to time, you have two Lincoln Continentals of human beings shoving each other to gain possession of the ball. It's awesome.

So, if you guys want, next Friday, watch Wales v. France on NBC, so you can see some Rugby Football Union played at the highest level. And see if Wales can make it to their first final.

Matt

[ToucheCostMart 20]

Great episode!!

[kingsley_zissou 2]

Julia's succinct explanation aside, Besser's system of on-field punishment is pitch-perfect. Of course, I also think the league should install those force-impact pads into everyone's jersey, so I don't want them killed on national television.

[Bucho 188]

There couldn't be a more perfect SBC reserve team than these three gems of human beings. Loved every second of this episode and cried when it ended.
 
Also, Mathew's right that Rugby Union can be a fun game to watch, but of the 80 minutes on the game clock they really only play about 23. The rest is waiting for things to happen. Rugby league also runs 80 minutes but there are about 77 minutes of action. League is fierce. If you want a sport more fierce than Rugby League you won't find it outside of a cage.

[Kristi_Lynne 16]

I guess I'm in the minority of not loving this episode. Danielle reminded me of those sorority sisters at football games in their cocktail dresses and heels who don't give a toss about what's happening on the field. Which was confirmed when she didn't know what "First and 10" means. Would have rather had a bye week with the brothers out of town, but some time in Sklarbro Country is better than none.

[DrMorganFreeman 0]

Great podcast! I for one enjoy an outsider's opinion on sports and the rules. I would love a week by week exemption from horse collar tackles for unlawful position of a fire arm (I'm a Giants fan like Kremer so Plaxico references were in order).

Also kudos to Besser for running the show so well and the music choices (especially Mountain Goats).

Loved every minute of it guys!

-Tim

[sjt2115 0]

I enjoyed this episode a lot more than I thought I would at first. Until the end, that is, when they started talking about the NFL tv blackout rules like this was some crazy new tactic by the team to sell tickets. The blackout rules have been in effect for DECADES, this isn't new at all. Hell, before 1971 all home games were blacked out locally, sell out or not. I have to wonder how two supposed lifelong NFL fans had never even heard of these rules. In this down economy a lot of teams have had trouble selling out, to the point that entire seasons have been blacked out in some markets.

[PuncturedJesus 354]

Get these three together for another podcast. Maybe a bonus i4h?

 

LOVED the discussion at the end about naming improv4humans. Matt made the right call.