How To Pretend To Like Sports

Notre Dame said "no thanks" to a bowl game and everyone has opinions. Monica and Karlee break down what actually happened, why being an independent team in college football is weird, and which bowl games are worth your time. They're ranking bowl games by entertainment value, explaining how playoffs work now versus 2014, and discussing this season's most unexpected NFL storylines. The Notre Dame Dilemma: Independence vs. Conference00:00 Introduction and Initial Questions02:21 Notre Dame's Controversy and Playoff Snub06:11 Bowl Game Decisions and Team Dynamics10:58 Ranking Unique Bowl Games15:43 Food-Themed Bowl Games and Their Quirks20:33 Childhood Memories and Humor21:23 The Cotton Bowl Confusion23:01 Bowl Game Sponsorships and Their Impact24:16 Understanding Bowl Game Eligibility25:33 Playoff Structure and Rankings28:25 The Evolution of College Football Playoffs34:36 NFL Updates and Team PerformancesFollow Monica & KarleeKarleeInstagram @karlee.reaTikTok @karlee.reaMonicaInstagram @monicawoodhamsTikTok @oversharesbymonica

Monica and Karlee catch up about Thanksgiving, football, and all the chaos that came with both. They talk through the biggest surprises from recent games, how coaching shake-ups totally shifted team vibes, and why certain rivalries feel borderline emotional warfare.They also try to break down the whole college football ecosystem, like why players keep transferring, and the difference between bowl games and the actual playoffs.They wrap up with the quick-hit highlights from the NFL and what matchups everyone’s excited about next.00:00 Thanksgiving Reflections and Football Culture02:58 Understanding Football Rules and Fan Dynamics06:03 Game Surprises and Rivalry Tensions08:52 Coaching Changes and Fan Reactions21:22 The Commitment Debate: One Year vs. Two Years28:51 Post Malone Halftime Show: 31:30 Understanding Bowl Games vs. Playoffs36:00 Conference Championships: The Road to the Playoffs

The episode covers TV size debates, celebrity sports fans (Glenn Powell vs Matthew McConaughey for UT), and builds up to rivalry week in college football, particularly Ohio State vs Michigan and the Iron Bowl

Topics CoveredBill Belichick's Cheer Competition Appearance (03:25)Bill attended Jordan Hudson's adult cheerleading competitionHe looked exactly as miserable as you'd expectWhy this proves the age gap even moreMonica's cautionary tale about trying to tumble at 28Vegas F1 Drama (09:21)Las Vegas is flooding right before the F1 race this weekendLast year Vegas had pothole issues that damaged carsWhy drivers hate the celebrity/pop culture vibe of Vegas racesThe European-to-Vegas culture shock is realImportant side note: Buc-ee's > Vegas (confirmed)College Football Coaching Carousel (14:28)James Franklin left Penn State for Virginia Tech (and lost $41M doing it)His payout dropped from $50M to $9MLane Kiffin at Ole Miss got an ultimatum: decide by ThanksgivingWhy rebuilding at a new school seems like starting over for no reasonTHE COMMITTEE REVEALED (20:03)We found out who decides the college football playoffs!Spoiler: It's mostly CURRENT athletic directors (which feels wrong?)Two members have already stepped down this seasonDoes it change every year? Every week? We're investigatingA&M vs South Carolina Chaos (25:45)A&M was down 32-3 at halftime to South CarolinaThey came back to win 31-30 (barely)A state trooper INTENTIONALLY ran into a South Carolina playerHe was immediately sent home (good)Everyone's calling this a "Heisman game" but... shouldn't they not have been losing in the first place?This Weekend's GamesPretty chill weekend—most SEC teams are playing "nothingness teams" before rivalry week hits next week. Save your energy for next week when Ohio State plays Michigan and everything gets intense.Mentioned Teams & PeopleBill Belichick, Jordan HudsonPenn State, Virginia Tech, Ole Miss, LSUTexas A&M, South CarolinaJames Franklin, Lane KiffinThe mysterious playoff committee membersPost Malone (Cowboys halftime show)Follow Monica & KarleeKarleeInstagram @karlee.reaTikTok @karlee.reaMonicaInstagram @monicawoodhamsTikTok @oversharesbymonica

This week, Monica and Karlee why the man behind the Mavs' devastating Luka trade (worst in NBA history?) is gone, LSU's "firing with cause" drama. Plus: For the F1 girlies - Charles Leclerc launches a creative agency, Premier League soccer explained, and the weirdest jersey-switching rule in football that's going to be your fun fact of the week.Show NotesNBA Drama (00:16)Nico Harrison fired as Mavs GM after trading Luka DončićWhy fans are calling it the worst trade in NBA historySecurity banning “Fire Nico” shirts from gamesThe kid who wore a Lakers Luka jersey to apologize to ownershipMiscellaneous Sports (09:21)Premier League relegation system explainedAttending lower-tier soccer matches in LondonCharles Leclerc’s new creative agency “SideQuest”Why storytelling beats traditional athlete endorsementsThe influencer vs. QVC infomercial approachNFL Updates (24:12)Patriots are top of the league without Bill BelichickCollege Football (26:58)Jersey number-switching rules explainedLSU now claiming they fired Brian Kelly “with cause”- Is this about avoiding the payout?Top playoff contenders: Ohio State, Indiana, AlabamaTexas vs. Georgia is a make-or-break gameBYU knocked out of playoff contention by Texas TechHow expanded playoffs change everythingFun Facts & QuestionsMultiple players can wear the same number if they play different positionsPremier League teams can get relegated to lower leaguesMentioned Teams & PlayersDallas Mavericks, LA LakersLuka Dončić, Anthony Davis, Nico HarrisonNew England Patriots, UNCBill BelichickCharles Leclerc (Ferrari F1)LSU, Alabama, Ohio State, Indiana, Texas, Georgia, BYU, Texas TechArch ManningFollow Monica & KarleeKarleeInstagram @karlee.reaTikTok @karlee.reaMonicaInstagram @monicawoodhamsTikTok @oversharesbymonica