Hour 2: Scott Van Pelt

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

Espn's going to Super Bowl 61, and so can you. Enter for a chance to win the trip of a lifetime. Four tickets to Super Bowl 61, plus a three-night stay at Disneyland Resort, where you and up to three guests can enjoy the magic of Disney, plus the Super Bowl Champion Cavalcade. Enter at www.espn.com/sblxi by December 31st, 2026, for your chance to win. No purchase necessary. It's 123126 at 1159 p.m. Eastern. Open only to legal residents of the 50 US states in Washington, DC., who are 18 plus at time of entry. For odds of winning and full official rules, visit www.espn.com/sblxi. Avoid where prohibited.

SPEAKER_2 (0:31)

This is The Michael Kay Show podcast.

Michael Kay (0:34)

I gotta get more Kay.

SPEAKER_2 (0:35)

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

Michael Kay (0:41)

Welcome back to the show, our two of our two hour radio program. Time now for Scott Van Pelt brought to you by Super Bowl 61, 6 p.m. Monday night countdown on Espn TV, 8 p.m. Monday night kickoff, leading up to 8:15 p.m. The Bears host the Eagles on Espn TV and ABC7, and then 11.30, Sports Center, with the aforementioned Scott Van Pelt. And Scott's nice enough to join us now. Scott, it's been too long.

Scott Van Pelt (1:10)

It has. Always great. Always great to say hello, Michael. Excited to hear you call some playoff baseball, by the way, that's exciting. But it's great to be with you anytime.

Michael Kay (1:18)

Did you have a nice summer?

Scott Van Pelt (1:20)

It was magnificent, yes. We, you know, it's, we got the very most out of it, traveled a bunch with the family, and I mean, once football starts, I mean, you're grinding. I'm seeing the great city of Chicago ahead as we're driving there. I mean, you know, you're going to be on a plane every Monday, but I mean, it's, it's awesome. I'm grateful to get to do it and had a wonderful time. I hope you did the same. Although I know you got a lot to do with your day job, so.

Michael Kay (1:46)

Absolutely. What do you think of the JJ. McCarthy pick up by the Giants?

Scott Van Pelt (1:53)

I shrug because I don't know who he is at this level.

I understand the move from the Giants' perspective. Jameis has played a lot of football, but I think you kind of know what the ceiling and floor look like with him and with McCarthy, and the fact that you've got the Harbaugh brothers, clearly, John can call Jim and go, what do we got here? What are we talking about?

You don't know what the ceiling is, right? I mean, maybe you can unlock something and maybe he could be a better version of what he wasn't here in Chicago. But I just hate it. I hate it for New York. We were obviously there last week in Los Angeles when Dart gets injured, and you want to see what's it look like for him. And health is the most important thing for any of us, people listening, you, me, anyone. But in this game, man, your availability is your best ability. And losing Dart puts New York in a situation where it's week three and you got to make a move and you only have to give up a fifth round to see if you can find it. So I get it from New York's perspective, but I'd be making it up if I told you I knew what he could be because I don't.

Michael Kay (2:59)

You know what's so depressing about the sport that we all love? We plan our Sundays and Mondays around it, is that everything is predicated on the likelihood of an injury. So the Giants lost Jackson Dart, they lost Brian Burns yesterday. And this goes on around the league. And this is a league that's so reliant on a quarterback.

If your top quarterback goes down, your whole season goes down the drain. It really does.

Scott Van Pelt (3:23)

And I mean, as a Washingtonian and a fan of the Commanders, I mean, Daniels, and thankfully, they got optimistic news regarding his elbow. But I mean, he's had it pop out three times in less than a year. And this is the guy that you're planning your future around. It's just so tenuous. But you're right. I mean, whether it's the NFC East, whether it's here in Chicago, Caleb Williams won't go tonight. Looks like it'll be Case Keenum, a veteran who's been around for a long time. But I mean, with respect, you know, Chicago is clearly not the same team with him as with Caleb Williams, but no team is.