Hour 2: Chris Simms

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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SPEAKER_2 (0:30)

This is The Michael Kay Show Podcast.

Michael Kay (0:32)

I gotta get more Kay.

SPEAKER_2 (0:34)

Listen live weekdays at 1 on the Espn New York app and your smart speaker.

SPEAKER_4 (0:42)

A lot of Yankee talk as I get ready for the postseason.

Michael Kay (0:48)

First up will probably be the Red Sox, but there are some permutations where it wouldn't be the Red Sox. And you know what? That would benefit the Red Sox. If the Red Sox could get into the other side of the draw by finishing third, that's their chance to go into the World Series, I think, increases. Because look who they have to face. Nobody wants to win the West. Houston and Texas continues to lose.

Someone's going to win that division with an under 500 record. And then you got Cleveland and you got the White Sox. So one's going to win the Central. The other one's going to be the other wild card. So if the Red Sox, they won last night. By the way, what a great year for Sunny Gray. 18 and 5, 2.72. They won one nothing over Cleveland last night.

If Cleveland beats the Red Sox today, and then Cleveland wins two of three against Kansas City, and the Cubs sweep the Red Sox, and the White Sox win their final four, well, then the Red Sox are the third wild card.

And they avoid playing the Yankees. And they avoid playing Tampa Bay. So they'll get an easy draw in their side of the wild card. They have to beat either White Sox or the Guardians. And then for the right to go to the ALCS, they have to beat either the Guardians, the White Sox or Texas or Houston.

The reason that's up in the air is you have to see, you know, the record they finished with. So in all likelihood, that's a lot of permutations there for the Red Sox to avoid facing the Yankees. But you know, you got to be careful what you wish for. You could say, oh, this is the matchup that we want, and then the matchup that you want ends up beating you. But I will tell you, without like trying to maneuver, being the third wild card is preferable to being the first or the second. Just because there's an easier path to get to the ALCS. All right, it's time now for Chris Simms. Brought to you by Super Bowl 61 You could hear Chris on the family of NBC Networks. He does everything, pro football live, unbuttoned podcast, NFL analyst, college football. He's a busy man, but he always carves out time for us on a Thursday. Hey, Chris, how are you doing?

Chris Simms (2:58)

I'm good, Mike. What's up, man? How are you doing today?

Michael Kay (3:00)

I'm doing great. Now, I want to-

Chris Simms (3:03)

Does anybody call you Mike or do they call you Michael? I just felt weird calling you Michael.

Michael Kay (3:06)

Most people call me Michael, but I don't mind if somebody calls me Mike.

Chris Simms (3:10)

Okay, that was a flip-up.

Michael Kay (3:11)

I'll never do that again.

Chris Simms (3:12)

Of course, you know what? You can. Most people call me Chris. But if you know me long enough and you're part of the family, anybody that's known me for a long time calls me Christopher. You could be in that club. You're definitely worthy of that.

Michael Kay (3:24)

Mom and dad, when they got mad at you, was it Christopher or Chris?

Chris Simms (3:27)

Oh, it's Christopher all the time. In fact, there was a time in my life where my friends would, Chris, Chris, Chris, and they'd be like, you know, my dad would go, you know, we did name him Christopher.

We named him Christopher for a reason. So he always would say stuff like that. I'd be like, shut up, dad. It's all right. I've told them to call me Chris. I'd get over it.

SPEAKER_6 (3:45)

And you know what?

Michael Kay (3:46)

People always ask me about it. I go with Michael because I used to be a writer, and Mike Kay looks like a 4-year-old's name in print. And then my mom always wanted me to be called Michael, and not Mike.