Jeff:00:06:00:23
Welcome to week 13 of the Season Pass, the AF1's official podcast. I am your host, Jeff Levack, joined by my, now co-host, you've been here enough weeks, you get co-host rights, Tom Gozgeslowski. We lovingly call you Goz. Luckily, you all can't see him. He looks like he just opened his best present on Christmas morning.

Goz:00:23:00:32

A co-host, oh, I've always wanted one. Now what comes with this co-host title? Is there some type of paycheck, some type of prize, something like that?

Jeff:00:33:01:37

More blame and more work. All right, here we go. Let's get into the week that was, week 12. In the AF1, three games, six teams in action. Albany and Southwest Kansas both had a bye week. Albany will have another bye week coming up, but this one, Two games that weren't exactly games, and one that if you had asked me, I probably would have said wouldn't have been a game either, but it was a barn burner. We'll start with one that was a beat down. The Washington Wolfpack went to Celina, face the Liberty. Guys, final score of this one, 71 to four. The Liberty win this one. Washington put the four points on the board early, but after that it was never really in doubt. Cato and Kilgo, the quarterbacks, four. Celina, both had three touchdowns each. Malik Honeycutt got player of the week, 77 yards, three touchdowns. Not a, not a ton to talk about. It kind of got chippy towards the end. Feels as though maybe, just maybe the Wolfpack players are having a little trouble, you know, staying in the game, knowing that they've been eliminated on this rough season in their, their first year in the AF1.

Goz:01:38:02:33

well, that's the spot on cake right there at the end that once they knew they were out of it, how much gas is left in the tank, how much more effort than they want to put into it. Rakeem Kato was awesome. That entire Salina team, you mentioned a honey cut, not just the player of the game in the league for that one, but the previous week Also a player of the week in the television interview, all that stuff back to back. Great performances by him. You and I on last week's episode of this, we mentioned that Celina is the most dangerous team potentially in the postseason. Celina has to go out and show why they can be a top four team. Washington was likely going to be a far better test than a 60 plus point blowout. But Celina showed how they've gotten better every season. And by the way, the story started on the first play of the game. special teams, offense, a defense that is at the lowest point total. Any team has allowed this entire season, just four points and complete dominant performance by Salina. This blowout win.

Jeff:02:34:03:45

Yeah. And I mean, Salina is that team back against the wall, nothing to lose. Basically people wrote them off weeks ago. You know, my, my, forecast for them was find a quarterback and everything turns around for you. Kilgo's good, but you can see that he still needed some time, a little, a little seasoning, you know, in arena football, Raheem Cato, he knows exactly what he's doing and they're proving it. And, you know, Kilgo, like I said, he even ran in a touchdown. He's a big dude, man. You don't realize how big he is until you see him stand next to other guys in this league. But again, Salani gets it. They needed this win. They get this win. Washington, one game left, and that's a week from now. They will have to travel to Albany. That will 100% be their arena championship game. Another game wasn't very close. The Oregon Lightning, who we begin to really, you know, kind of root for the Lightning. You like the logo, you like Dalton Cole, you like the way they're getting things done out there in the West. The Billings Outlaws look like they've got new life. 58-7 Outlaws win. Darius Prince keeps running over the wall to catch these touchdowns. He has three TDs, two of them, he looks like he's getting cut in half by the wall. He is an absolute beast on offense. Does he know he doesn't have to do that all the time?

Goz:03:45:04:03

I don't think so. I think he thinks he does. We know Darius is very active on social media, especially Instagram. He likes sharing some of his plays, DP the goat. What if he's just like, you know what, let's do another highlight. I know it's painful. I've been doing this for a long time. Let's just do another one. Ask the billions.

Jeff:04:04:04:06

I think Darius thinks it's a 51 yard field, right?

Goz:04:08:05:07

I don't want to call them the drama team of 2025 because sometimes drama and excitement makes our jobs a lot easier. But from where they came in is potentially someone considered them the preseason favorite, the lineal champ. I know you, me, me, you get hyped like me. And then they had a lot, what, 75%, 80% of a roster change. Steve Titus has been active. He might've been the loudest donor all season long. Then Darius every week, there's something different. The billions outlaws wonderful victory for them in this matchup. I know I've kind of moved this take around like the shell from the old shell game. We're trying to find where the P Who is the hardest team to figure out an AF one? And every week, that's what made this league so much fun this summer is how do you get a grab a grip on what teams, what billions is a great example of this now, as we hit June, because that's the best game they've played all season. And is it too little too late for the outlaws? That's the question. They look great, but you wish you would have had that in April and March and not in late May.

Jeff:05:07:06:01

Two things that, you know, we, we always talk about Darius Prince and you talk about Malik Henry and that connection that seems to be getting brighter and bolder and better. Dwayne Hollis, shut down Island, looked phenomenal in this game. He had a pick six and he broke up a catch that Moore was able to use for an interception. So to see Hollis kind of rejuvenate, get out there and go, I ain't a coach no more. I'm going to get in here and play some defense. That was good to see. But I got to be honest with you guys, the guy that I was most impressed with and the guy I think will be the most important if Billings is able to get that fourth seed, if they're able to get in the playoffs. Swoboda, the running game is so important to what Billings is trying to do. Three touchdowns on the ground for this guy. You know, early in the year, they thought they had the running game figured out, some injuries. Now all of a sudden, Swoboda looks like he's been born to run. That could be all the difference for this team.

Goz:06:02:06:51

And remember, going back to April, McFarland, you and I talked about him. I'm not sure if it was this show or off air on the local side where McFarland number 13 for billions was perceived to be the best running back in AF one. He gets scratched before the Albany game out in billions. He hasn't really seen the field. I believe in all the turf for the rest of the season. And it's one of these odd things when we talk about all league votes and who gets the votes for this across the Lee, there's an argument to be made that the Russian attack has probably been far below what a lot of people would have projected it to be. Statistically, the running back position just carries per game have been a little lower than we thought. It's not wild to think that he might end up being like a second team, all the guy, if he finishes the season strong, because that's how good he's been in that most recent outing.

Jeff:06:52:07:40

And we will talk about next week's games coming up, but one of the biggest marquee games, he will have a chance to put a stamp on. One game left on the docket for week 12 in the recap. And this was the best game of the, this might be the best game of the season. This is one of the most entertaining games we've seen all year in the AF1. The Nashville Cats go to Corpus Christi to take on the Tritons. The Tritons obviously have had some issues, some growing pains this year. But they were in this thing the entire time, 44-39, the Cats get this thing done. Fred Payton Jr. said, hey, by the way, I hear you guys talk about Dalton Cole and Sam Castronova and all these other guys. I'm pretty damn good. 190 yards in the air, three touchdowns, 41 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Fred Payton Jr. has entered the chat.

Goz:07:41:08:43

that last part about Peyton jr was the biggest thing I took away from last week where I was like, he's so good out of the pocket. Yeah. He's a fine passer. He can make plays. He's got a fantastic arm. But if there was one criticism about how he's played in may and I get it, if it's coaching, if it's him, it's the defense he's facing, let him go. Let him run a little bit, 41 and a touchdown. He has potential to put up 50 or 60 yard games on the ground because he's that big, that strong. And sometimes his receivers, a fine group of receivers, they're not always getting open. You mentioned this earlier. There's certain guys in AF one that when they're on the turf, you have to see them to see how big and how difficult they are to tackle Peyton juniors in that same category too. I'm glad they finally found that rush attack for those people who might've wanted a 16 postseason rather than a four. Wouldn't this have been a fun opening round that catch up. I know, look, that's what it's supposed to be. The end of the regular season gives you the best games and the schedule lays out in comparison of the two blowouts. But the season ends in a few weeks that felt like a post-season game between the cats and the trains.

Jeff:08:44:10:06

And you can't like, I've seen it like start to sweep the rest of the, the interwebs Kolka mania, baby. Oh yeah, brother. And Tyler Kolka, 196 in the air, five passing touchdowns. You know, we keep talking about some of these teams that used to be, these players that used to be part of this undefeated Albany franchise. How about Pudge? who's not pudgy at all Calvin fans, you know, active on the offense as a running threat for Nashville. And then ice is the game with an interception towards the end with, you know, with time getting close to expiring, you know, these talented, talented players throughout the league. And if you've been watching long enough, you know, whether you watch the soap opera that you said drama team that, you know, the outlaws kind of, they kind of took that, they've changed their logo. It's outlaws football now. I talked to their owner earlier this week, Steve Titus. And I was like, dude, nobody stirs the pot like you. And he goes, I'm just trying to get my team what they deserve. And I was like, I respect it. You call them the mouth of Montana. Obviously the drama team in the past has always been in the capital region of New York, Albany, whether it be former all pro NFL players or whatever it was that was causing issues. These guys who were part of that franchise, man, you thought maybe they were just, they were in the spotlight because of the drama. No, they were in the spotlight because they're that dang good.

Goz:10:07:10:48

Yes. A combination where sometimes motivating tactics, depending on who does and how they work, it always be interesting. Sometimes they work. Sometimes they don't answer the tritons and the cats. They've all, they've, I would say the cats, I was gonna say the cats that have no drama this season, but when you add John Gruden to your executive staff, you're making headlines and the trains what about six weeks ago? We're talked about as a playoff team. Statistically, they're in the post season in mid May. Now you wonder if Peyton jr. And everybody with the new roster, if they just couldn't was the old boats putting on water, it's out quick enough to get the water out of the boat. That was sinky. It's I feel for Triton fans.

Jeff:10:48:11:50

Yeah, and it'll be interesting to see where that organization goes, you know, in the future. They still not eliminated. We will talk about the playoff picture in just a little bit for you right here on the season past the AF1's official podcast. But I mean that week fun games. Lot of fun to be had there's more games on the way There's two weeks left in the regular season before the playoffs playoffs will be the the week of June 20th That'll be the first round and then the week weekend. I should say of June 27th So prepare yourself for some postseason football right here season pass. We'll have everything you need to know ready for you I'm Jeff Lovac. That's Tom God's Kozlowski and guys. Let's do the standings. Let's take a look at this Washington again, we knew they were already eliminated. They have one game left there two and nine There's a lot to learn from a season like this. It'll be interesting to see what they do in the years to come. And then Oregon in at seven, four and seven, they've got Corpus and Billings both coming to them. So Oregon still has a lot to say about the post-season.

Goz:11:51:12:12

that's exciting for lighting fans and how this shakes out at the end and how you do those storylines back to Washington quickly. And I know we'll talk more about this game coming up. Curious to see how that game plays out on the 14th against the fire birds because they close out the season with not much to play for in the fire birds. Don't have much to play for after back-to-back bye weeks, but that'll be it.

Jeff:12:12:13:20

I'll reserve my comments. That's right. Yeah next week's conversation Number six, you got the Corpus Christi Tritons. They fell there three and five, but they're still still to mathematically alive They've they have to go to Oregon and to Nashville still and now this is where I think I think Four of these five remaining teams, I believe, will make up your playoff picture. And at number five, the drama laws, the Billings outlaws, four and six, they've got to, they get to host Nashville and go to Oregon. This game, this Nashville Billings game, I mean, forget, let me just run through the lines real quick. Salina's at four right now. Nashville's at three. Southwest Kansas Storm is two. They're locked in the playoffs. Nashville's now locked in the playoffs. Albany's locked in at number one. The game for me, that really kind of says everything is going to be this Nashville Billings game. And that's considering the fact that Celina and Southwest Kansas have a home and away series left. They get to play each other. That's amazing. I think if you go, the series is Celina Southwest Kansas. The game that deserves the biggest billing is going to be Nashville at Billings.

Goz:13:20:13:53

Yes, it seems like some would argue with us and say that Southwest versus Celina would be bigger, but it's almost a series. you know, game versus a series is that, okay, once it plays out for game one, we find out the impact of game two, just like any other series where you used to five or seven or three game sets. I know it's only two games, but the situations of how the playoff picture and seating will figure out, we'll decide what game two is. As when you flip it over to the other one involving billions, there's a strong case to be made here that the season's on the line for the outlaws.

Jeff:13:54:13:57

No, that is the case. They gotta win.

Goz:13:57:14:17

They gotta win. They have to win. That's it. And when you come off such an important performance in the most recent game, how can they match the intensity, the offensive output? I don't think it was a fluke. Maybe they're going to be favored in this game, which is interesting to think about for how much this team's gone through. But that's what it means for the Outlaws coming up in this one.

Jeff:14:18:14:41

You know, we mentioned that we're very familiar with Darius Prince and Dwayne Hollis. Great players, proud men. If you're either one of those guys, can you take the humble pill, can you swallow that down and go watch the footage of what your former team, Corpus Christi, was able to do to stay in the game against Nashville to get the notes you need to potentially beat Nashville?

Goz:14:42:15:07

Yes, because there's no other choice. Turn the film on, figure it out. All the cliches you love in sports back against the wall, winner take all that stuff. This is the last opportunity for the outlaws to continue their season. And when I was talking about storylines, I know we mentioned it last week's episode, the storyline is not going to go away. The fact that billions gave a third matchup with Albany and Prince at halls can play their former team in the opening round. That is still very much in play.

Jeff:15:08:15:53

Yeah, so I'll just put this warning out now to the restaurant and tavern owners of the Capital Region of New York. Stock up on tequila just in case. Just stock up. Because if there's one thing the GOAT likes, and Hollis likes… It's it's it's some Casamigos. They'll go to work on that stuff for you. There's your standings right now as it stands, you know, Albany, Southwest Kansas, Nashville. You're going to the dance. We don't know exactly where you're going to slot in some of those things. And then Celina, Billings, Corpus. And I believe Oregon's still technically alive mathematically, but realistically, you're looking at Celina, Billings and Corpus fighting it out for that fourth and final spot as we approach the end of the regular season of the AF1's first year in existence.

Bill:15:57:16:19

Hello and welcome to the Season Pass, the AF1 podcast. I am the producer, Bill Huffman, and I am joined today by the host of the Season Pass podcast, that is Jeff Levesque. He is also the president of the Albany Firebirds, and we're going to talk a little bit about the season. How are you doing today, Jeff?

Jeff:16:20:16:31

Good. Is this, is this like a first ever? It's like, it's like breaking the fourth wall. Like I go from hosting one second to you flip around. Like we, we literally are in a teacup right now. You just spun it around and now you're the host and I'm being interviewed.

Bill:16:32:17:07

This is what we do sometimes. Yes, absolutely. This is sometimes how it gets made. And it isn't always pretty, but finished product is what we always shoot for. And I appreciate you joining me today to give us a little insight into the league. I know each week you talk about all the different games and some of the different things that have gone on throughout the season. But now that we've gotten pretty much 90% of the season out of the way. And we have a clearer picture on where teams stand. What have you learned about the league this season?

Jeff:17:09:18:49

Um, that's actually a great question. Um, so this would be my third league that I've been, I've been a part of. And each one is, is, is different actually fourth, because I was on the field for the, the last AFL and then the AFL before that. So each one I learned a little bit about like while we were with the NAL, you kind of learn to be a survivor because it's a smaller league. Each team is kind of on their own. You almost feel like an independent contractor, you know, but The cool thing about the AF one is, yes, we are, you know, eight individual teams right now, but everybody's working together. Everybody, you know, everybody always says the line like, Hey, we're, we're in this together from Sunday to Friday, and then we'll fight it out on Saturday. But that actually is real with this group of owners and this front office that, you know, end of the day, my, my ultimate responsibility is to make sure the Firebirds have, you know, what they need to continue on and to, to be the team that we are. But also, you know, um, Corey Cunningham, one of the new owners in Corpus Christi, like he's reached out to me and, Hey, how do you, how did you do this? And I'm like, this is how I do it. And then, you know, I reach out to Jerry Curtis in the front office and go, you know, you're the godfather of arena football. What am I doing wrong? And then he'll teach me. And then we all got together in Chicago before the season started and kind of picked each other's brains. You know, how do you run your game day? How do you do this? How do you do that? How do you get more sponsorships? How do you get ticket sales? So it's the coolest thing about the AF1 is we all do come together as one and everybody in this realizes your team can be great, but if you're not part of a great league, you can only go so far.

Bill:18:50:19:24

Yeah, that actually leads me right into the next question I was actually going to ask. That was a good response. And I certainly think it's awesome how well you guys collaborate. And with that being said, you guys are basically doing you know, traveling the country on a minor league budget, and like you had just mentioned, you talk to them about how you make things work. Yeah, I mean, how exactly do you make it work? I mean, you don't have to tell me how the sausage is made, of course, you know, because, you know, sometimes it gets a little dirty, but, you know, I mean, how do you make it week to week?

Jeff:19:26:22:14

I keep asking ownership for more money. The running joke between, you know, Mike Korda, Andy Gelcher, Richie says that the owners here in Albany is that I'm really, really good at spending their money. And if I was better looking, I might be their wife. It's, you know, it's definitely not. People think that you get into this kind of stuff to get rich or to be famous or whatever and it's not that like you have to get into it knowing it's a community service and If you can get to that point where the team and the league feed themselves Then you can really start worrying about getting to that next level. But right now it is it's it's you take every single sponsorship dollar you take every single ticket dollar and Everywhere that money comes from it goes directly into taking care of these players taking care of the league taking care of the team. So You know when you do your your home when you look at your schedule in the beginning of the year It really is one of those deals where you're like Okay, we're we're starting on the road. Okay, so I need an additional X amount of dollars before we even start playing because I don't have any ticket revenue yet Like it's all sponsorship dollars in the beginning and then you have to look at those home games and go. Okay, we made enough money in the home games to cover the next two trips. So now we got to worry about the third trip, the fourth trip, you know, it really is, you know, if I can get to a point where the, the budget is net zero, everybody feels like they won. We're not there yet. You know, we're still, we're still getting it back on its feet. You know, this is this is especially in Albany. I can't speak for every team, but Albany's got a, It's a weird vibe to it when it comes to pro sports teams, because the fans here have been hurt before. The Firebirds, they left early 2000. They took off. They came back. The Conquests came back. They all left. We ran the Albany Empire. That fiasco was played out in the newspaper. But they now are starting to look at us as like, OK, wait. These guys are willing to do whatever it takes to be here. So they're coming back to us. And I guess that's what it is. really extending the story of it. You need to have a really solid footprint in your community because the vice sports and the evergreens of the world can come in and help you, you know, make money and get exposure nationally. But when it, when it all comes down to it, you know, you need Trans Finder, who's a local sponsor, who now sponsors the football for the whole league. And, you know, MVP Arena works with us and, you know, all those people, but you also need, you know, the Van Rankins who are the first people to jump onto fan jerseys and, and, you know, VIP packages. And they want to, they want to be around the team because the team is a group, great group of guys. So it's the shortest way to answer that, even though I just rambled on is, you, it's, it's a community project. And if the community doesn't believe you're in it for the right reason, you ain't going to be around very long.

Bill:22:16:22:41

Yeah, that makes sense. I mean, it's, uh, definitely one of those leagues where, yeah, every week you're kind of looking at that, uh, bottom line and just making sure that you're bringing in enough to make sure you live to see another week. And as you mentioned, you were part of three other leagues and again, like you mentioned too, you haven't made it yet. This is just the first season, but so far so good, I would say. Yeah.

Jeff:22:42:23:59

Yeah. We like the other teams will call us the standard because we've done it. And, you know, we've, we were in the championship game, uh, in the league we were in the year before, and then we won a couple in this other league that we were in. And, you know, we, we really, we really do work hard to help other teams. I think it started as kind of an insult, like a, Oh, here comes the standard. Oh, you know, but I think now that we've, you know, they've met with, you know, Mike Kordo a bunch and, and they know that as much as I'm going to roast you, whenever I get a chance for the fun of it, we're going to pick up the phone the second you call us and need us. And, um, one of the cool things I've noticed this year is. The home team is doing more to help book travel for the road team. So like you've always done it where there's like a little bit of help, but this league in particular, it's like, hey, I'll tell you what, while we're in town, you make sure that our hotel and meals and everything are set with the people you know. And then when you come to us, we'll do the same thing. And you know, and everybody's taking great care of each other because, well, you know, one, you want to make sure that you get taken care of when you come to town, but it just makes more sense than me, like cold calling an olive garden. Hey, my guys are going to be there Saturday. Could you feed 30 dudes, please? You know, like you go and go, Hey, we've got this restaurant we work great with. You're going to go there at this time and you're going to have a great meal.

Bill:23:59:24:14

Yeah, that's smart. Yeah. You don't want to bombard somebody that worked in the restaurant industry. Last thing you want to see is a team of football players in their twenties and thirties coming in to just destroy your stock.

Jeff:24:15:24:17

Yeah, the buffets do not survive when my boys walk in.

Bill:24:18:24:54

I can only imagine as a lowly cross-country runner. I was just gonna say we actually could put out we could put down our fair share. It just didn't stick to our bones My guys needed to stick. Yes, they do and that's and that's the difference between being a football player and being a runner but they're all athletes at the end of the day and you know, you talk about Albany and you guys being the standard and and I mean, this season, you guys really turned it on. I mean, how are you feeling about the season so far?

Jeff:24:55:26:45

It's been amazing. So Damon Ware, head coach, general manager, he does like my favorite thing is like, I go, I'll do like a local radio hit here, you know, in Albany and everybody will be like, how did you do this? How is this team nine and oh, and so good. And you, you know, you scored a hundred points on the road. And I'm like, well, Uh, it's a very, it's a, it's a secret. I can't write no Damon where he does, he does all of that. He's, he's just one of those guys that he's, he's a great guy. So he gets it. Like you want a group that can win on the field, but also when they walk into those local restaurants and everything, like you, I would have no problem having my, my team over to my house for dinner because they're good guys. And that makes it so much easier to root for them. But also man, can they ball? Like this is a, this is probably the best group of men we've, we've had top to bottom ever. Sam Castronova coming back this year and the way he's been playing. And my favorite is I hear all these like MVP conversations and like people are like, well, I'd put Castro the second, I'd put them third. It's like, you're just reading the stat sheets. You're not watching what's happening out there. That man is straight up delivering the football. And he's taken a step in his career that is impressive. Like he doesn't play the fourth quarter. We usually we're up and, you know, Robert McCoy comes in and plays the fourth quarter, but it is, it's a, it's a really fine mix. somehow so far, there's been no looking ahead from the players. You know, I have to sit there and worry about scheduling and everything like that, but these guys are staying in the moment, they're playing the games, they're adjusting on the fly. And Coach Damon Ware and Brandon Cisse, you know, just to name a few, they're getting this. And Arthur Hobbs, who played defensive back for us a year ago, now he's our D-back coach. I mean, they've got these guys marching in the same direction, and it's great.

Bill:26:47:26:56

Again, you led me into my next question. I mean we have the playoffs Just around the corner and I mean you said they start in what what's the date they officially start?

Jeff:26:56:27:09

So it's the weekend of the 20th Our game here because we're the one seat. So we're gonna get the hosts. It's gonna be Saturday the 21st 7 o'clock in MVP arena. We we don't know who we're playing yet We just know that we're playing that day

Bill:27:09:27:26

So with everything you just said about your team and how good they've been this season, like, dude, how do you chill on the expectations and temper some of those feelings that you have, you know, the energy coming into the playoffs has got to feel pretty, pretty high.

Jeff:27:27:29:19

It's yeah. And, and that's, some of these guys have seen it before, you know, Brandon Cisse is our defensive coordinator. Arthur Hobbs is our secondary coach. They played for the 2018 Albany Empire in the other AFL. And that year, it was like, it was this really crazy season. There were four teams in the league. So everybody played everybody, everybody played everybody. you knew you were in the postseason. So here's Albany, who starts a little slow and then takes off and is the number one seed. And the fourth team, the Valor, end up winning the whole thing because they were meshing perfectly at the end and they won the championship. So these guys have seen what happens. And last season in that other league that we were in, our guys looked great all year, just finding ways to win, doing what needs to be done. The final game, our kicker, Marco Roscoe gets hurt. So you have to bring in a new kicker and we play in a mall. So it kind of like everything was upside down. Nobody knew what to do. And we ended up coming up short and the Billings outlaws adapted better and beat us in a championship game. And they've not let us forget that one second of any day. And so I think these guys have all kind of seen it. At least the leadership has seen what happens when you take your foot off the gas and you know, nobody, Tim Capper from ArenaFan, he's like, he's my historian. Like, if you want to know about arena football, you talk to Tim Capper. He's a crazy Canadian. He said no, like, top league has ever had an undefeated champion. So if we're able to go 10 and 0 in the regular season, win on the 21st, hopefully win on, it would be the weekend of the 27th. So I would assume the 28th would be the championship game. We'd be the first team to ever do it. And everybody wants history. You know, everybody wants to make history. So they're not gonna take their foot off the gas. That's awesome.

Bill:29:19:29:47

Yeah. I was just thinking like, about the the situation that you find yourself in, you know, being the host of season pass throughout the year, seeing all these other teams compete and kind of recapping each week on what what you've seen and what the league has experienced. Have you really enjoyed or have you enjoyed doing the podcast?

Jeff:29:48:30:47

I love it because what normally happens, Bill, is I get stuck in Albany. Like I, it's, it's literally like, do we have the standby ambulance? Do I have, you know, the equipment we need? Do we have this? And sometimes I'll, I, you know, for lack of a better word, I'll get lazy about the rest of the league. So, you know, I only know about the team we're about to play or just played. So this being, you know, on season pass with, you know, you, you know, keeping me honest, making sure I'm doing the right thing, getting the work in, it's kept me dialed in. So, you know, I, when I have the conversations about, you know, who, who do you think is the best this, who do you think that I'm watching? you know, honey cut, make all these great catches. I'm watching Tyler Kolka, the Nashville quarterback, who's one of the most amazing stories out there. Just, just ball out and Dalton Cole, who we don't play Oregon this year. I wouldn't have known about one of my favorite players in a normal season. So the season passes, you know, it keeps me honest. So I really, I really do enjoy it.

Bill:30:47:31:26

Yeah, it's been, I mean, as your producer, it's been a blast. I think bringing Gaz on has been an excellent addition. Don't say that out loud. Well, you know, sometimes, you know, don't let it go to his head. You just make sure you remind him later today when you see him. But, you know, it's just been a really fun season. And I just think that, you know, You can only build on what you've built on, but I'm gonna have to mention something you just said, and I'm not gonna let it pass. You played in the mall. I've seen, I've seen highlights of football in the mall, football in the mall is all I'm going to say.

Jeff:31:27:33:15

Yup. The American dream ball in New Jersey. It was ultimately a lot of people saw the game, you know what I mean? Sports for the sports center mocked it, which, you know, whatever, Hey, at least you knew what happened. So ultimately the plan kind of worked. The problem was you're in this, you're in a mall in New Jersey and you have to retrofit a mall hockey rink or ice skating rink into an arena football field. So like we, so Albany brought our dasher pads. Um, we sent our guys who do like the design to clean everything up. Um, they, they moved in the nets, I think came from, um, West Texas or something. Like it was, it was one of those things where you had to do all these crazy logistics just to have the game. And then that actual room of the mall. is there's three stories. So people are just wandering, like literally people are going to orange Julius, getting a drink and going, Oh look, football. Like it was, it was crazy. And it was hot because the sun was coming through the skylight for most of the game. So it was probably 90 degrees, 90 plus degrees on the field where the guys are playing. It was Nashville's field. where our quarterback Jake Medlock tweaked his knee in Nashville earlier in the season. And we were, you know, keeping him good. He tweaks his knee again on the exact same field, but it was in New Jersey mall. It was just, it was, it's one of those things looking back, I'm glad we did it. Cause I have that experience in my head and I know why it makes sense for the home team to host. but it's hard to not have a little sour taste in my mouth and like, Hey, if we'd played that in Albany, if we played that in Billings, I think we would have won. I think we would have had the championship, but, but it was, there's also the novelty of it.

Bill:33:15:33:21

Come on, let's be honest. It's pretty cool to walk me walking through the mall and be like, it's a football game going on in the mall.

Jeff:33:22:33:57

It really was and the best part about it was it actually kind of like just on a fan standpoint became a home game I reached out to one of the local bus companies. I got a good friend who who handles logistics for him I'm like, how cheap can you get me a bunch of bosses? And he's like well tell him to start calling and we'll book him as we go and we had we had each bus with about 50 people we had three buses so we had 150 people and hop on, you know, Yankee trails, head to New Jersey, come to the mall and watch, watch us win. So it was, it was more fiber gear in that mall than any other thing. Like it was, it was, it was more fibers than giants gear in a, in a Jersey mall.

Bill:33:57:34:26

Wow. Wow. That's a, that's pretty cool. And Jeff, I I appreciate you coming on to give us a little insight into the season. I know that you're a very busy man as the season wraps up, being the team president and being the host of the Season Pass podcast. Do you have anything you'd like to say to the fans about the season and what to look forward to in the playoffs? I just, just, just keep coming.

Jeff:34:26:34:58

I mean, you think it's good now, it's only going to get better. We, we, I just listen, the Firebirds just brought back Sean Brown, one of the best offensive linemen and you know, outdoor and indoor football. So, so we're, we're still tweaking getting better, but you know, thanks to Evergreen and vice for getting, getting the message out, letting people consume this and, Just trust me, the AF1 is, you know, you keep coming back and we'll keep getting better and giving you something you can really enjoy while you wait. I know a lot of people, it's like, well, it's not the NFL, but at least it's football. Hey, I don't care why you're here, keep coming back.

Bill:34:58:35:12

That's a great answer. Well, Jeff, thank you so much for your time and look forward to a brand new episode again next week. And yeah, appreciate your time, Jeff, and get back to your duties as president.

Jeff:35:13:35:14

Absolutely. Thanks, Bill, man. I appreciate you.

Bill:35:14:35:15

Thank you, Jeff.

Jeff:35:19:36:09

Now I mentioned there's two weeks left of regular season football. Week 13, you've got three games. You got two teams in a bye week. Those two teams are the top seed and the eighth seed. The Albany Firebirds and the Washington Wolfpack will not be playing this week. However… You do still have three great games for you. Let's start with Saturday, June 7th, 7 p.m. Eastern time. The Celina Liberty go to the Southwest Kansas Storm. Southwest Kansas has got it for me. They're my surprise team of the year. I knew they were good, but I really, really thought they'd be fighting for that fourth spot, not looking at a chance to lock up the two seed with two weeks to go in the regular season. And then Celina. Hey, go get a quarterback, go do this, change that. They did it all. So now, now this game will kind of, in my mind, tell us which one of these two teams is going to be the hottest going into the postseason.

Goz:36:09:37:00

This is why we have a difference between playoff previews, breaking down matchups and power rankings, because of how good Salinas playing right now. If they go out and beat Southwest Kansas this week and then do it a second time, there's a real argument to be made. Salinas is the second best team in AF1. That could happen. That realistically could play out. And the way they're playing, I can make a prediction on this game. I'm taking Salina and that's not a heat on Southwest Kansas at all, but it's where their schedules laid out the opponents that they beat and the significance of the game for either team Southwest Kansas goal should be to wrap up a home playoff game. They can't catch Albany. So at least get the semifinals on your home turf, which is still the goal of that team. But Celina needs this more. Celina's been playing better. I would take the Liberty. And how much more fun would it be if the Liberty take game one and we see what that scenario looks like for the final week of the regular season involving Celina.

Jeff:37:01:37:36

Absolutely. Yeah. I mean, kind of for the drama of it, that's what you're looking at. Obviously Southwest Kansas is like, yeah, save the drama for your mama. I ain't going to do it. We're going to go ahead and get this win. We're going to get everything locked up and be on our way son. So actually three games this week, three different days. So that's your Saturday game Sunday. June 8th, 9.30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the Corpus Christi Tritons, not dead yet, travel to Oregon to take on the lightning. This is the, you know, who can resuscitate themselves? Like, who's got a chance to, you know, kind of prove that they're not dead yet?

Goz:37:37:38:01

this is the blowout Corpus Christi blows them out. And this is like a 28 point win for the Tritons. They need it. They have to have it Corpus Christi hard team, but they hung with Albany. They had a nice matchup with Nashville. They leave everything out on the turf. This is like a three to four touchdown blowout win for the trains.

Jeff:38:03:39:01

going against St. Dalton Cole. Not gonna get it done, man. See, a lot of you people don't know this. So Goss is my co-host on Terrestrial Radio, Fox Sports Radio, 980-959. And I like to call him Hot Take Tommy. And I think you just met Hot Take Tommy for the first time. I think it's gonna be a fist fight. I really don't know what to expect. I think both these quarterbacks are proven. They can put their team on their back. As Phil Sims, former giant great would say, they're both fixed on bitches. They both big dudes, they can run the ball if they need to, big cannon arms, they'll get it done. I'm very excited about that game. And then rounding out your weekend, going right into your work week, Monday, the 9th, 8 p.m., the Nashville Cats at the Billings Outlaw. This is a marquee matchup. This, for me, is basically playoff football. These two teams I feel like should be in the postseason. And let's remember, if the rules hadn't changed, They'd be in, there'd be six teams in, and they would both basically have already locked up their spots.

Goz:39:03:40:04

Billings outlaw fans, Billings residents. I hope they go out and support that team and have a big number on a Monday night because of the significance of that game, because of what the home turf advantage can mean for the outlaws and the tradition of that franchise, because this is a playoff game. This is the season, all these things. And if you get a hot crowd rooting you on in that game, can we put the over under at 0.5 boards? Darius Prince flips over again. I know that we said three earlier in the show. So Prince can give you highlights as for Nashville. You wonder sometimes when a post-season birth is already secured, how much are you playing for? You want the home playoff game or do you flip a two threes? You versus the Southwest you're already in. So you want to get the home playoff game or avoid Albany as often as possible. So there's a lot there. Come on, billions. I'm taking the outlaws in this one. And this is almost a, we're back. The undertaker GIF mean game.

Jeff:40:05:42:35

It feels like for the outlaws, they set up and open their eyes and just white, just bright white eyes right there. All right, that's what you're looking forward to this weekend in AF1 action. This is the season pass. Brought to you by our good friends over at Evergreen. Now make sure you've got Evergreen on all of your smart devices. So easy on Roku, Fire Stick, your phone. It is free. All you gotta do is make an account with your email and you get tons and tons of viewing hours ready to go just for you. Thanks to our good friends over at Evergreen. All right, so I wanna do kind of a power rankings, but I also wanna give you the official playoff picture. Here's the thing. because of the way this season ended up being structured, right? Not every team played the same amount of games, things of that nature. It's a, it's a, it's a bit messy. It's a bit like, if I'm being perfectly honest with you, it's a bit messy. Albany is the one seed. The path to the first AF1 championship goes through the MVP arena on Trans Finder Field. That we know. Southwest Kansas Storm are locked in. They have a playoff spot. They are, they need to either win one game or have Nashville lose a game, and they are locked into that two spot. They're basically there, they're like mathematically there, but it's not quite official. And guys, you know me, I am a stickler for the decimal point. If it still exists, I ain't gonna, listen, it's, sorry, it's like I tell the ladies, good things come in small packages, okay? Right now the cats are sitting in there and Celina are sitting in there. You still have billings, Corpus Christi in Oregon are all alive. The game between Oregon and Corpus Christi is an elimination game this weekend. We now know that officially. Whoever loses between the Lightning and the Tritons, as God says, when the Lightning lose, they will be officially eliminated. This has been, if you like playoff drama, if you like seasons that matter, you have to actually love the way this season's played out because each and every week has mattered. And now this one will matter. Billings has to win this week also to make sure they get in. So Billings, Nashville, if Nashville's slipping at all, Billings has a chance to get right back up into this playoff mix. It looks like Celina again, Celina Southwest, If Southwest wins this week, how much do they bring against Salina in the final week? It's kind of a mess. Guys, to give you the playoff picture officially, this is what, stay tuned. How's that?

Goz:42:36:42:43

You know what? You did your best you could with that, with so many variables still in play, with so many combinations of teams that could already move around.

Jeff:42:43:42:47

I need a real American beer. I gotta be honest with you right now. I do need one. I need to chug one right now.

Goz:42:47:43:32

I was going to say with winning percentages, it's a little bit harder trying to catch up the games and trying to figure it all out. It goes back to what we've been saying in may, as we now do our first show in June, the 14 playoff decision has made the 2025 season of AF1 so much more exciting because only half the league gets in in comparison to 75% of the league. 75 is too high. 50 is right around what we see for other professional sports. If not even a lower number than that. And we get to see the battles for CD. We have to find out the playoff picture. Fans have a storyline that's easy for them to follow when they come to the games. All of those things are there. We're going to have a lot clearer of a picture day by day this weekend of what it really means.

Jeff:43:33:44:42

Yeah, it's, uh, this is the week you have to watch. Alright, so, um, we here on, uh, on Evergreen now, on the season pass, we like to do power rankings. Guys, um, I will just point out that most recently, I believe the last two to three, mine have been 100% online with the league's power rankings, and that's without me seeing the league's power rankings before I do mine. And yours, uh, generally are, um, uh, let me see, let me, what's the, I'm looking for the scientific, uh, definition. Cuckoo Puff crazy. I think is what they would say about yours. So I'm gonna go ahead and let you go first. And then, I mean, obviously we know who we, listen, let's, you know what? Why don't we work together on this? Because we both know that we both are gonna have the same eight and seven, right? We know we have the same one, eight, and seven. So we both have Washington at eight. You obviously, I still have Oregon at seven. You, well, actually, I moved Oregon back to seven, because Corpus, I put Corpus now at six. Because Corpus's game against Nashville, in my mind, showed me that they still have a lot of play left in them and a lot of fight left in them. That moves them up to six. What do you think?

Goz:44:43:45:09

Yes. So far we're three for three. I think last week we wondered about Corpus Christi. I know that's a loss, but it's hard for me to make a better argument that Oregon's better than Corpus Christi. Now it's Washington, a Oregon seven Corpus Christi at six, which still much more to prove than Oregon does. I get it. The lightning are still in the playoff picture, but if they rolled up right now, I would take Corpus Christi over Orizo 6-7.

Jeff:45:10:45:43

I'm actually really, really close to the actual rankings right now, the standings with my ranking, because I also think Billings, I think Billings is a fitting five. I think where they are, like, I'm not giving up on you. It's like a rougher relationship. All your friends are like, No, don't do it. Stay away. She's done. She's no good for you But I still see something in you and then you can prove yourself to me in the next two weeks So I've got billings at five you phrased it like that I was gonna take another cheap way out and say I've seen both these teams play in person saline and impressed me more than billions

Bill:45:44:45:44

That's it.

Goz:45:44:46:00

Like I thought billions was going to beat Albany the first time they played them. They were disappointed in both match-ups defensively. There were big plays made by the Firebirds. If Celina and Billings played again, I believe Slido would be favored in that game. So I'd have billions at five and Celina at four.

Jeff:46:01:46:35

This is the first place that I've got kind of a, a little bit of a question in my mind. I believe Celina should be four and Nashville should be three, but I could 100% change my mind on that. If Celina were to go out this week, beat Southwest Kansas, or even take them to the wire, and Nashville doesn't look stellar against Billings, I could flip flop and put Celina ahead of Nashville in my rankings, but right now I'm going to leave Celina at four where, where, where they are in the, in the actual standings.

Goz:46:37:46:52

Not much of a pushback for me on that either. Celina is almost there. If there were a car, if there were a horse, like the Belmont we're going to see here in the capital region, they haven't passed them yet. They got a little bit more track in front of them to make that pass just hasn't happened in the race yet.

Jeff:46:53:47:20

Nashville is that team that I honestly, most of the year had Nashville at two, but I cannot, I can't disrespect Southwest Kansas. So, I mean, just to make it easy for everybody, Albany one, Southwest Kansas two, Nashville three. I am completely online with the standings right now, which I think speaks to the way everything is sorting out. They kind of, the teams are slotting in where, air quote, they belong. Mark this down.

Goz:47:20:47:58

Well, that can, I have the same power rankings. So whoever's doing the graphic this week, it's not my fault. As you said, back to back weeks, they agreed with your power rankings dead on. So whoever makes the graphic, just tag us on Twitter at the Jeff Levesque at Tom gauze. T-O-M-G is easy. Look how smart these guys in the season pass are. Cause I, that's my ranking too. Now look, you should have a better understanding with an 18 league by the time there's two regular season weeks left with the power rankings look like. So I'm just going to offer that up as a compliment to how competitive AF1 that this season, not anything else. And I want to get credited on the graphic.

Jeff:47:58:49:25

And you just, you just want credit for the graphic. That's all guys ever wants is credit. I just, I've been telling guys this for at least 10 years now, maybe more just agree with me and you'll be right. That is the season pass. We will get a lot of answers this weekend with the three games that are being played, but realistically speaking that fourth and final playoff spot, or at least the seating to which who will be sitting in it could very well come right down to the last game of the year. And that is what you love about AF one football. Gotta thank Better Edge. I mean, if you wanna wager against the fans, just like yourself on all kinds of sports, including AF1, Arena Football 1, Better Edge app is the way to get it done. Vice TV, thank you so much for making us a part of this, man, to be on, featured on Vice TV. The same place that God's watch his dark side of the ring when he's, when he gets like an alone moment. That means a lot to us. We love it. Hulk Hogan's Real American Beer. My lawnmower thanks you. Cause that's, you've been the lawnmower beer of choice. The three times this, this rainy year, I've been able to mow my lawn. You've been in the cooler, ready to go. And of course, Evergreen Now. Evergreen Now, home of the Season Pass, AF1's official podcast. Again, get it wherever you get your entertainment, wherever you go ahead, just download it. It's free. Tons of entertainment. You'll come in for the AF1 football, you'll stay for a bunch of movies you've never heard of that are pretty dang good. Guys, thank you to you for hanging out yet again. Appreciate you, and probably see you in like 20 minutes.

Goz:49:25:49:41

Well, Mac, thank you for having me. I cannot believe I'm a co-host now. I feel honored. We wrap up the regular season on next week's episode. It's officially playoff time after that. Get ready for rulers, protractors, graphs, as we figure out that playoff picture on next week's episode.

Jeff:49:42:50:15

And of course, we couldn't get it done without Wild Bill Huffman back in the studios, cleaning us up, making us sound like we actually know what the hell we're talking about. We appreciate you as always, brother. We will be back next week and hopefully we'll have some of this playoff. Hopefully I won't have to go, so I think this team could carry this. No, no, next week hopefully we'll have an idea of who goes where and how they get there. Maybe we'll even know who's gonna play in Albany when they take on the number one seed Firebirds in week two. well, the first week of the playoffs, the semifinals. Thanks to everybody. Peace. Guys, let's go get beers. You ready? All right, let's go. Bill's buying.

Bill:50:18:50:42

Season Pass, the AF1 podcast, is an Evergreen Podcast production. I'm the producer, Bill Huffman, and special thanks to executive producer, Dave Douglas, and our audio engineer, Nate Corson. Find all of our content on evergreenpodcast.com and stream every game of the Arena Football League One season on evergreennow.tv. We appreciate you listening.