FOJ SHOW

FOJ SHOW
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Sports
  • Updated Weekly

This is the FOJ (Friends of Jeff) podcast. For FOJ by FOJ.

  1. Sep 21

    FOJ 87 - Bears Bad, Bocce Good, Caleb Hurt

    Jeff and Jason open with the trip to Chicago, Portillo's after a conference happy hour, and a career night in Jeff's Sunday bocce league (rules included for the uninitiated). From there, baseball talk covers the Cubs clinching a playoff spot, Pete Crow-Armstrong's franchise home run record, Alex Bregman's scary foul-ball injury, and the White Sox playoff push. Then it's on to the Bears, who lose 9-3 to the Vikings in a sloppy, penalty-filled Week 2 setback that ends with Caleb Williams sidelined by a hamstring injury and Tyson Bagent taking over behind center. FOJ AI weighs in on what the offensive line needs to fix, and the guys survey backup quarterbacks around the league before diving into an all-time tight end debate (Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce, Jason Witten, Rob Gronkowski, and Antonio Gates) with detours into Tim Tebow's baseball career and Jameis Winston's cologne habit. Jeff previews a fall packed with conference travel, Jason gets ready for his first trip to Lambeau Field, and the two make their picks for next week's Bears-Eagles matchup. FOJ AI closes out the show with its weekly recap, plus a birthday shoutout to a longtime listener. 0:00 - Intro and Week 2 NFL setup 1:31 - Chicago recap: Portillo's, NYC, and the mural project 4:06 - Bocce league rules and Jeff's career night 12:17 - Cubs clinch, Bregman's scary foul ball, and PCA's home run record 18:22 - White Sox playoff push and MLB postseason predictions 26:47 - Last week's guest recap: Bob talks youth sports coaching 31:32 - Bears fall 9-3 to the Vikings in a sloppy Week 2 33:10 - Caleb Williams' hamstring injury and Tyson Bagent in relief 36:36 - Offensive line penalties and a broken pass protection 51:42 - FOJ AI on fixing the Bears' O-line 55:09 - Around the NFL: Panthers, Saints, Bills, and more Week 2 results 1:04:46 - Legendary backup QBs: Chase Daniel, Fitzmagic, and Jameis Winston 1:07:13 - FOJ AI and the Heisman winners who played baseball 1:11:01 - Bears-Eagles Week 3 predictions 1:16:58 - Jeff's fall conference gauntlet and Jason's Lambeau Field trip 1:22:15 - Chiefs-Colts check-in and Travis Kelce talk 1:27:01 - Tight end GOAT debate and FOJ AI's Antonio Gates fact-check 1:30:27 - Caleb Williams' injury outlook and the Bears' backup QB options 1:39:22 - Blackhawks, Bulls, and the rest of Chicago sports 1:42:00 - FOJ AI recaps the episode, plus a birthday shoutout FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff podcast, Chicago Bears podcast, Caleb Williams injury, Caleb Williams hamstring, Tyson Bagent, Bears vs Vikings, Bears Vikings recap, Chicago Bears week 2, Jaylon Johnson, Colston Loveland, Sam Roush, Dillon Thieneman, Chicago Cubs playoffs, Pete Crow-Armstrong home run record, Alex Bregman injury, White Sox playoff race, Chicago sports podcast, bocce ball rules, Tim Tebow baseball career, Jameis Winston, best tight end of all time, Tony Gonzalez vs Travis Kelce, Antonio Gates Hall of Fame, Lambeau Field, Bears Eagles preview, Chicago Blackhawks, fantasy football week 2

  2. Sep 14

    FOJ 86 - Bob Russell wants us to be better than we are and braver than we are

    Jeff and Jason welcome Jason's forty-seven-year friend Bob Russell, a veteran youth football and baseball coach, for FOJ's longest episode yet at two and a half hours. The guys trace Bob and Jason's friendship back to their Green Trails neighborhood, unveil the 3D-printed FOJ Listener of the Year trophy, and dig into youth sports culture: entitled parents, travel ball politics, coaching certification gaps, and the life lessons that matter more than wins. Team USA's FIBA World Cup gold over France gets a quick shout before the guys turn to NFL Week 1, breaking down the Bears' record-setting 59-37 demolition of the Panthers, Caleb Williams' Chicago takeover, Ben Johnson's coaching ceiling, and the rest of the league's opening slate. FOJ AI closes the show with a few thoughts of its own. 00:00 - NFL Week 1 kicks off: football vs. baseball allegiance banter 01:30 - Guest intro: Bob Russell joins the show 01:48 - Bob and Jason's forty-seven-year friendship story 07:52 - How Jeff and Jason started FOJ (Chili's Bowling Brook, Cruz's 50th) 13:00 - FOJ Listener of the Year trophy revealed, nominees explained 17:53 - Early NFL check-in: Vikings blast Packers, JJ McCarthy benched 19:17 - Coaching together on the JR Stars, travel ball structure 20:25 - Travel ball politics and players jumping teams 24:31 - Parents living through their kids, the QB-switch saga 32:11 - Jason's philosophy: sports, life lessons, and "ending on your own terms" 44:05 - Proudest coaching moments: team captains and turning a kid's grades around 55:33 - The text message that "melted" Bob's heart 1:02:07 - What does it actually take to become a youth coach? 1:10:02 - No governing body for travel ball, learning from Saban and Lou Holtz 1:20:36 - When coaching stops being fun: parent drama and burnout 1:22:09 - Jason's path into coaching Bob's team 1:29:09 - Bob's career regret: the Marine Corps advice that steered him from teaching 1:32:56 - "Be better than you are, braver than you are" 1:37:19 - Coaching wisdom: always be coaching, it's okay to get smarter, don't waste my time 1:44:54 - Team USA wins FIBA World Cup gold, Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese talk 1:47:38 - Bears 59, Panthers 37: the recap begins 1:52:46 - Bob's Caleb Williams redemption arc and Chicago's new golden era 1:56:18 - Travis Kelce oversaturation and the Chiefs 2:04:16 - Ben Johnson's coaching ceiling and the Bears' shaky defense 2:07:00 - Bears QB history: Trubisky, Erik Kramer, and ghosts of drafts past 2:11:01 - The Harbaugh brothers and a Bo Schembechler recruiting story 2:14:01 - Around the NFL: Rams collapse, Myles Garrett injury, Saints' passing surprise 2:20:19 - Jordan Love's punchable losing face 2:20:41 - NFL honors 9/11 across every stadium 2:27:44 - FOJ AI closes the show and calls out Bob's defense take 2:28:42 - Wrap: Jeff's bocce league debut and sign-off FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff podcast, Jeff and Jason podcast, Bob Russell FOJ, Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson Bears coach, Bears vs Panthers recap, Bears 59-37, D'Andre Swift, Kalif Raymond, Colston Loveland, Luther Burden, Pete Crow-Armstrong, PCA, Chicago sports, youth football coaching, youth baseball coaching, travel ball politics, men's league baseball, FOJ Listener of the Year, FOJ AI, FIBA Women's World Cup, Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, JJ McCarthy Carson Wentz, NFL Week 1 recap, Jordan Love, Jim Harbaugh John Harbaugh

  3. Sep 8

    FOJ 85 - Baseball Champs, Caleb's Mustache, and 2026 Bears Predictions

    Jason closes out an undefeated men's league season, going 23-1 and winning Manager of the Year, and walks Jeff through the title-clinching doubleheader, the ice water bath, and what next year's roster might look like. From there the guys shift into peak baseball season with Pete Crow-Armstrong's 40 homer, 30-30 chase and an MVP debate against Alex Bregman, Kyle Schwarber, and Shohei Ohtani. A detour into PCA's Hollywood family tree leads into remembering Tim Curry, Hayden Panettiere, and Bears great Matt Suhey. The back half is all Bears: ESPN's playoff odds, the Coby Bryant and Kyler Gordon injuries, a full game by game 2026 schedule debate, and two visits from FOJ AI, who lands on a 10-7 prediction. Caleb Williams stat over/unders, his mustache, and the young Chicago superstar "rat pack" round out the football talk before the guys close with an F Mary Kill on Office Space, Tropic Thunder, and Super Troopers, a reunion story with old Chili's Bolingbrook coworkers, and an update on the FOJ Listener of the Year race. 0:00 Intro and Labor Day catch-up 0:04 Jason's championship recap: 23-1 and Manager of the Year 7:51 Season stats and the 250-plus run differential 10:56 Player poaching and pay-for-play in men's league ball 15:24 League expansion and team fees for next season 17:05 Offseason training plans 19:02 MVP and pitcher shoutouts from the championship run 21:11 Coaching the kids and high school team captains 25:52 Why Jason keeps coaching 28:02 Pete Crow-Armstrong hits 40 home runs 30:09 The NL MVP debate 34:09 The Javy Baez trade that brought PCA to Chicago 35:41 PCA's Hollywood parents and the Heroes connection 39:32 High school reminiscing 42:16 Growing up between Naperville and Rochester 45:37 Remembering Tim Curry and Hayden Panettiere 47:31 Remembering Bears great Matt Suhey 49:23 Bears season preview begins 52:48 Caleb Williams' year three expectations 55:04 Jason's game by game Bears predictions 1:03:24 Jeff's game by game Bears predictions 1:07:57 FOJ AI breaks down the real 2026 schedule 1:11:51 FOJ AI's Bears win total prediction 1:16:56 Is anything short of the playoffs a bust? 1:18:05 Ben Johnson's offense-first blueprint 1:21:08 What Chicago sports radio is saying 1:22:12 Caleb Williams' mustache and Hot Ones 1:24:51 The young Chicago superstar "rat pack" 1:27:44 Does Caleb Williams have a personality problem? 1:32:28 Caleb Williams stat line over/unders 1:37:57 Caleb as the face of the NFL, plus Madden 26 1:39:24 Tecmo Bowl vs NFL 2K5 vs Madden nostalgia 1:41:04 F Mary Kill: Office Space, Tropic Thunder, Super Troopers 1:48:50 Reuniting with old Chili's Bolingbrook friends 1:53:00 Chili's Bolingbrook memories 1:56:10 FOJ Listener of the Year update 1:58:06 Jeff's Chicago and NYC conference schedule 2:01:04 FOJ AI previews Bears-Panthers week one 2:04:45 Wrap-up FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff podcast, Chicago Bears 2026 season preview, Caleb Williams year 3, Coby Bryant injury, Kyler Gordon PUP list, Pete Crow-Armstrong MVP, Pete Crow-Armstrong 40 home runs, Cubs NL MVP race, Alex Bregman Cubs, Jacob Misiorowski Cy Young, Bears schedule 2026 predictions, FOJ AI, Ben Johnson Bears offense, Matt Suhey obituary, Walter Payton Bears, Chicago men's league baseball championship, Office Space vs Tropic Thunder, F Mary Kill, Chili's Bolingbrook, FOJ Listener of the Year, Bears vs Panthers week 1, Caleb Williams mustache, Colston Loveland Bears, Luther Burden Bears, Rome Odunze Bears

  4. Aug 31

    FOJ 84 - Banana Ball, Bears Cuts, and a Live Fantasy Football Draft

    Jeff and Jason catch up after Jeff's trip to the Providence/Foxboro area, where he toured the entertainment complex growing up around Gillette Stadium which was preparing for a Savannah Bananas sellout. Jason's men's league baseball team sweeps into the championship series, and the guys kick around ideas for a real FOJ Cup and Listener of the Year trophy. The bulk of the episode is a live fantasy football snake draft with FOJ AI grading picks, interspersed with Pete Crow-Armstrong's monster August for the Cubs, the Bears trimming their roster to 53 (including the Coby Bryant IR move), Aaron Donald's return to the Rams, and Odell Beckham Jr. making the Giants. Jeff and Jason also swap home-project updates, debate a nightmare-fuel bipedal robot race, remember Dolly Parton, and check in on Jeff's 3D-printed FOJ coins. 0:00 - Gillette Stadium recap and the Savannah Bananas sellout 8:03 - Jason's baseball team sweeps into the championship series 17:15 - FOJ Cup and Listener of the Year trophy talk 21:53 - New iPhone and Apple leasing plans 23:43 - Live fantasy football draft begins 33:53 - Pete Crow-Armstrong's monster August for the Cubs 48:09 - Bears trim their roster to 53 59:10 - Draft resumes: kickers, tight ends, and depth picks 1:06:23 - FOJ AI grades Jason's fantasy roster 1:11:56 - Breaking down the sons' fantasy teams 1:17:42 - Aaron Donald returns to the Rams, Odell Beckham makes the Giants 1:22:13 - Chicago trip, FOJ listener meetup, and coins 1:24:47 - AC installs, power washers, and house projects 1:33:16 - Polestar vs. Rivian street race 1:35:19 - Remembering Dolly Parton 1:38:37 - Jeff's 3D-printed FOJ coins and filament switch mount 1:42:17 - FOJ AI recaps the episode and sign-off FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff podcast, Chicago Bears 53 man roster, Bears roster cuts 2026, Coby Bryant injured reserve, fantasy football live draft, fantasy football draft 2026, Pete Crow-Armstrong Cubs, PCA MVP case, Cubs leadoff home run, Aaron Donald Rams return, Odell Beckham Jr Giants, Savannah Bananas Gillette Stadium, Banana Ball, Chicago sports podcast, bipedal robot races, Dolly Parton tribute, Dolly Parton documentary, Polestar vs Rivian, Rivian R2, men's league baseball championship, FOJ AI, Caleb Williams Bears

  5. Aug 24

    FOJ 83 - Manager of the Year, Highmark Stadium Headaches, and the FOJ Cup

    Jeff and Jason catch up on Jason's men's league baseball playoff run and his CPBL Manager of the Year award, then dig into Bears preseason (Caleb Williams' cameo, Case Keenum), the Deshaun Watson booing controversy, the Myles Garrett trade, and NFL international expansion. A Bears jersey trivia battle leads into Cubs vs. White Sox, headlined by Pete Crow-Armstrong's historic bookend walk-off homers. They talk Jeff's NYC trip, road trips, Joshua's 21st birthday and golf round, the endless Bears stadium saga, and Jeff's 3D-printed FOJ coins, plus early ideas for a "FOJ Cup" and Listener of the Year award. 00:00 - Intro & catching up 00:03 - Jason's baseball playoffs recap 01:07 - Breaking down the semifinal games 05:51 - Jason wins CPBL Manager of the Year 07:42 - Shoutout to listener Phil 08:14 - FOJ listener-of-the-week coins debut 09:34 - Bears preseason: Caleb Williams' cameo 10:57 - Deshaun Watson booed, Browns controversy 13:07 - Watson's guaranteed money & fallout 14:24 - Myles Garrett trade & Browns rebuild 15:39 - NFL's international expansion plans 17:38 - Aussie/rugby players & NFL's global reach 19:19 - Bears #83 trivia: Willie Gault 22:15 - Cubs vs. White Sox series recap 22:33 - Crow-Armstrong's historic walk-offs 25:33 - Cubs/Sox playoff positioning 27:12 - Blackhawks, Bulls camps & "Great Purge" 28:09 - Jeff's NYC trip: clean streets, food 29:53 - NYC boroughs trivia with FOJ AI 32:41 - Is Times Square overrated? 34:53 - NYC travel costs & Utopia Bagels 35:37 - Upcoming Chicago & NYC trip plans 36:20 - FOJ coins heading to Chicago 37:10 - Jason's road trip history 39:21 - Retirement travel dreams 40:34 - Jeremy's visit & 18 holes of golf 41:15 - Joshua's personal-best round 42:47 - Jeff's upcoming Mallorca, Spain trip 43:59 - Friend Chad's anniversary 44:38 - Joshua's 21st birthday plans 45:38 - Flashback: brother Michael's 21st in Vegas 46:26 - Jason's Vegas memories 47:19 - Vegas as a conference destination 48:23 - Bears stadium: Kevin Warren's non-answers 50:16 - Mapping the Hammond, Indiana sites 51:52 - Political fallout if Bears leave Illinois 52:26 - NFL's push to keep Bears in state 53:01 - Jets/Giants-in-New-Jersey comparison 54:07 - Barclays Center & arena relocations 54:52 - NFL/college stadium capacity rankings 56:04 - Highmark Stadium's view controversy 57:00 - Domed vs. outdoor stadiums debate 57:40 - Memorable weather games (Fog Bowl) 58:26 - Bills' snow-shoveling crew callback 59:03 - Jeff's 3D printing deep dive 1:00:00 - How long the coin batch took 1:01:47 - Automated material system & filament 1:02:36 - Print failures & troubleshooting 1:04:17 - QR code keychains & future coin ideas 1:06:08 - Coin size, material & durability 1:06:24 - FOJ Cup & Super Bowl coin-toss pitch 1:07:43 - Brainstorming the FOJ Cup 1:08:27 - FOJ Listener of the Year concept FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff, Chicago sports podcast, Chicago Bears, Bears preseason, Caleb Williams, Bears stadium, Kevin Warren, Hammond Indiana, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cubs vs White Sox, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cleveland Browns, Deshaun Watson, Myles Garrett, Shedeur Sanders, NFL international expansion, Willie Gault, Blackhawks, Bulls, Highmark Stadium, Soldier Field, MetLife Stadium, AT&T Stadium, Fog Bowl, New York City, Times Square, 3D printing, FOJ coins, FOJ AI, Las Vegas, golf, road trip, Chicago podcast

  6. Aug 17

    FOJ 82 - No AC, an 18-1 Squad & the Bears' 34-10 Win Over the Browns

    Jeff and Jason battle a brutal, AC-less Chicago summer, and Jeff's new 3D printer has become an obsession — from a listener-requested FOJ coin to homemade dog gear. Jason's men's league baseball team rolls into the playoffs at 18-1 behind newly named MVP (and FOJ Listener of the Week) Mitch Jordan, plus Jason picks up a Manager of the Year award of his own. On the MLB side: the White Sox sweep Detroit to take control of the AL Central, Cardinals rookie Joshua Báez's stunning 3-homer debut against the Cubs, Pete Crow-Armstrong's MVP case against Shohei Ohtani, and a tribute to the late Tommy John. Then it's all Bears: a 34-10 preseason win over the Browns, Ozzie Trapilo's surprise activation, fallout from the Hammond stadium news, and a big Caleb Williams vs. Jaden Daniels debate. Foji AI closes out the show with its own recap. 0:00 - Intro: AC struggles & Chicago's brutal heat 3:29 - Fall > summer (hoodie weather) 4:29 - Birthday shoutout & an open invite to Chad 6:04 - Jeff's 3D printer & the FOJ coin project 7:46 - Filament costs & a Brother printer shoutout 9:51 - Printing dog gear, hooks & desk accessories 11:20 - How 3D printing actually works 16:23 - Multi-color AMS system explained 20:52 - Jeff's travel: NYC, Foxboro & fall road trips 21:39 - Jason's team wins playoff opener 24-2 24:56 - Mitch Jordan: league MVP & FOJ Listener of the Week 26:30 - Jason named Manager of the Year 28:25 - Roster breakdown & next round vs. Chicago PD 31:26 - Joshua Báez's historic 3-HR debut vs. Cubs 34:23 - White Sox sweep Tigers, tighten AL Central grip 38:23 - Breaking down ESPN's playoff percentage columns 41:38 - Ohtani shut down from pitching; PCA's MVP case 43:40 - Remembering Tommy John 46:28 - Youth pitching workloads & Tommy John surgery risk 53:35 - Bears open preseason with a 34-10 win over Browns 57:08 - Keenum, Bagent & Miller Moss at QB 1:00:31 - Randle El calls plays; injury notes 1:03:12 - McCaskey, Kevin Warren & the Hammond stadium presser 1:06:00 - Bear Down lyrics, taxpayer money & fan reaction 1:08:15 - Could Chicago land a second NFL team someday? 1:11:13 - Deshaun Watson's rocky Browns tenure 1:13:09 - Ozzie Trapilo activated off PUP 1:15:27 - Kyler Gordon mystery & Shanahan's car accident 1:16:19 - Bengals joint practices & camp standouts 1:19:12 - Bears' 2026 primetime schedule 1:20:44 - Caleb Williams vs. Jaden Daniels 1:22:19 - Jaden Daniels' Netflix "diva" storyline 1:24:04 - Caleb's future extension & Bears QB history 1:25:04 - NFC North odds & division outlook 1:29:04 - Counting down to Week 1 1:29:57 - Bears vs. Cubs/Sox: who wins Chicago's attention? 1:35:38 - FOJ AI recaps the show FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff, Jeff Steadman, Jason, Chicago sports podcast, Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson Bears, Bears vs Browns preseason, Ozzie Trapilo, Beanie Bishop, Jordan van den Berg, Devin Bush Bears, Bears Hammond Indiana stadium, Arlington Heights Bears stadium, Kevin Warren Bears, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Joshua Baez Cardinals, AL Central race, Tommy John surgery, Jaden Daniels Commanders, Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers Tarik Skubal, 3D printing hobby, Bambu Lab printer, men's league baseball Chicago, Foji AI, Chicago podcast

  7. Aug 11

    FOJ 81 - Connie's Pizza, 3D Printers & Bears Training Camp Chaos

    Jeff and Jason are back with a loaded one: Jeff finally buys a 3D printer (and gets grilled by FOJ AI on whether 3D-printed food is real), the guys debate what they'd print first (Connie's Pizza deep dish vs. a chocolate dessert), and then it's straight into a brutal Bears training camp injury report - Coby Bryant, Luther Burden, Cam Lewis, Kyler Gordon, Shemar Turner and more. They break down Caleb Williams' bargain rookie contract next to Patrick Mahomes' record extension, and dig into the NFL Hall of Fame ballot (Torry Holt, Eli Manning vs. Ben Roethlisberger, Bill Belichick, and more). Then things get musical: a Michael Jackson documentary sparks a Beatles vs. MJ vs. Elvis album-sales debate, Jeff shares his AI music project's very modest streaming numbers, and the two argue about whether AI-made music can really be "art" before trading industrial/EDM recommendations. Plus: Jeff's John Mulaney show in Asheville, a great jukebox-prank story, and a Cubs/White Sox playoff race check-in. FOJ AI closes things out with a self-graded performance review. 00:00 - Intro & Chicago sports optimism 01:12 - Trivia: Jeff's mystery gadget reveal (3D printer!) 05:53 - From pagers to 3D printers: a tech nostalgia detour 09:46 - FOJ AI: Is 3D-printed food real? 10:49 - Trivia: What food would you 3D print? (Connie's Pizza deep dish vs. dessert) 14:13 - Bears training camp injury report 17:45 - Why are so many Bears getting hurt? 19:56 - Raiders' Kirk Cousins vs. Maxx Crosby scuffle 21:39 - Full NFL injury report rundown 22:41 - Bears season predictions: how much does Caleb play Saturday? 24:27 - Bears QB depth chart & backup battle 24:42 - Offensive line contracts: Darnell Wright's record deal 26:23 - Caleb Williams' rookie contract bargain 27:57 - Patrick Mahomes' massive extension breakdown 36:47 - Hall of Fame Game recap & preseason talk 37:34 - 2025 Hall of Fame class: Brees, Fitzgerald, Kuechly, Vinatieri, Craig 39:00 - 2026 first-year Hall of Fame candidates debate 40:04 - Returning HOF candidates: Torry Holt, Eli Manning vs. Ben Roethlisberger, Belichick 44:42 - FOJ AI picks its Hall of Famer 45:14 - Michael Jackson documentary & the Beatles vs. MJ debate 52:08 - Top 25 best-selling music artists of all time (trivia) 56:47 - Jeff's AI music project, Stead States, streaming stats 1:00:00 - Is AI music art? The great debate 1:03:41 - AI as a creative collaborator for musicians 1:07:11 - Music recommendations: Prodigy, Nine Inch Nails, Boys Noize 1:14:17 - John Mulaney live in Asheville 1:16:12 - The Wild Onion jukebox prank story 1:18:37 - Cubs & White Sox playoff race update 1:20:00 - Could Chicago see a Cubs-Sox World Series? 1:22:47 - Jeff's Chicago trip, conference talk & Bears week one 1:26:12 - FOJ AI's final grade and last word Friends of Jeff, FOJ podcast, Chicago sports podcast, Chicago Bears, Bears training camp, Bears injury report, Coby Bryant injury, Kyler Gordon, Luther Burden injury, Cam Lewis, Shemar Turner, Caleb Williams contract, Caleb Williams Bears, Darnell Wright contract, Patrick Mahomes contract, NFL Hall of Fame 2026, Torry Holt Hall of Fame, Eli Manning Hall of Fame, Ben Roethlisberger, Bill Belichick Hall of Fame, Pro Football Hall of Fame Game, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cubs Sox playoff race, 3D printing, Bambu Lab 3D printer, Connie's Pizza, Beatles vs Michael Jackson, best selling music artists of all time, AI music debate, Nine Inch Nails, Boys Noize, Nine Inch Noise album, Prodigy Firestarter, John Mulaney Asheville, FOJ AI, Jeff and Jason podcast

  8. Aug 4

    FOJ 80 - Bears, Baseball & Bots

    Jeff and Jason kick off episode 80 by debuting FOJ's brand-new AI co-host — built on ElevenLabs, Claude, Groq, and Maneku — and immediately put it to work fact-checking their Chicago Bears trivia. From there it's a loaded show: Coby Bryant's training camp knee injury, Caleb Williams' Madden NFL 27 rating and NFL Top 100 ranking, Patrick Kane's emotional return to the Blackhawks alongside the Bowen Byram trade, and LeBron James' rumored move to Philadelphia. The guys dig deep into the MLB trade deadline (Cubs land Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, Dodgers grab Tarik Skubal) and spend a big chunk of the show debating whether baseball needs a salary cap and floor before the CBA expires this year. Jeff recaps a minor league night with the Asheville Tourists, Jason relives the original 1996 Lollapalooza in Pecatonica, Illinois (and nearly beaning a cop with garbage), and both compare notes on this year's Lollapalooza in Grant Park. Plus: Jeff's new Rivian R2, the end of the road for his Polestar 3, and upcoming travel plans. 0:00 - Intro: Jason's AC is broken, Chicago heat wave 1:36 - Debuting FOJ's new AI co-host 4:01 - Bears jersey #80 trivia (Curtis Conway, Earl Bennett, Qadir Ismail) 5:56 - Bears training camp: Coby Bryant's knee injury 10:04 - Caleb Williams' offseason look & Ben Johnson's praise 11:22 - Bears preseason opener vs. Cleveland & ticket prices 13:58 - Bears camp buzz: offense vs. defense 15:41 - Caleb Williams' Madden NFL 27 ratings breakdown 17:09 - NFL Top 100: Caleb Williams & Montez Sweat 20:41 - Aaron Donald, Deebo Samuel's 49ers return, Ricky Pearsall injury 22:29 - Blackhawks: Patrick Kane's return & the Bowen Byram trade 26:46 - LeBron James to Philadelphia rumors 29:53 - NBA championship odds 31:06 - FOJ AI's gambling-advice disclaimer bit 31:34 - Behind the scenes of the AI co-host setup 35:41 - MLB trade deadline: Cubs and Dodgers make moves 40:34 - Should baseball have a salary cap? 50:10 - White Sox's surprise season & MLB payroll gaps 59:12 - Salary floor debate, minor league pay, relegation idea 1:09:12 - Chicago soccer note & Derrick Rose/Bulls talk 1:12:05 - Jeff's trip to see the Asheville Tourists 1:20:07 - Flashback: 1996 Lollapalooza in Pecatonica 1:25:10 - Jason & Michelle at Lollapalooza 2026 1:44:29 - Jason's son's travel ball update 1:44:59 - Jeff's new Rivian R2 1:51:10 - Saying goodbye to the Polestar 3 1:55:19 - Jeff's conference recap & upcoming travel plans 2:00:33 - FOJ AI wraps up the episode 2:11:01 - Sign-off Chicago Bears, Coby Bryant injury, Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson Bears, Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Kane, Bowen Byram, Connor Bedard, Chicago Cubs, MLB trade deadline 2026, Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, Tarik Skubal, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, MLB salary cap, LeBron James 76ers, Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose, Lollapalooza 2026, Lollapalooza 1996, Rivian R2, Polestar 3, Asheville Tourists, minor league baseball, AI co-host podcast, Chicago sports podcast, Friends of Jeff podcast, FOJ AI

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

This is the FOJ (Friends of Jeff) podcast. For FOJ by FOJ.

Information

  • Creator
    FOJ SHOW
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    87
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © FOJ SHOW
  • Show Website
    FOJ SHOW