FOJ SHOW

FOJ SHOW
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  • Weekly

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

  1. 2d ago

    FOJ 92 - The Bears are him

    FOJ 92 opens with Jason's 53rd birthday and a Halloween surprise: his wife's ramen-over-candy experiment outdrew the candy three to one. Jason checks in on his 15U travel baseball team, now managed by his son Josh. Jeff updates his finger surgery, plots a sleeveless Ricky Vaughn sport coat for conference season, and the guys pitch wrestling entrances for keynote talks. Jeff asks Jason about biohacking implants and cryogenics, then they react to the Tesla Roadster flying car demo. Jason breaks down the Brewers' first World Series title, the looming MLB lockout and salary cap, Cubs free agents, PCA's MVP case, and Munetaka Murakami's White Sox future. Then it's Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson, the Blackhawks, and Angel Reese vs. Caitlin Clark. The main event: the Bears dominate the Seahawks on Monday Night Football behind new DT Jeffrey Simmons and a maturing Caleb Williams. Plus trade deadline targets, Tyson Bagent trade talk, the Bucs' three-pass win, Next Gen Stats, election night, and a Bears stadium update. 00:00 Intro and Jason's 53rd birthday 01:01 Halloween: ramen beats candy 06:26 Best suburban Chicago ramen spots 08:14 Jason's 15U travel baseball returns 11:19 High school season rules and expectations 15:04 New players and team chemistry 18:00 Josh's first year as manager 20:33 Jeff's finger surgery and the pins 23:02 Conference travel and the Ricky Vaughn plan 24:28 Wrestling entrances for keynote talks 27:10 Pins-out countdown and Vegas 28:46 Biohacking and tech implants 33:25 Would you freeze yourself? 34:52 Tesla Roadster flying car demo 36:57 Brewers win the World Series 39:15 MLB salary cap and lockout outlook 42:56 Cubs free agents: Suzuki, Happ, the rotation 45:37 PCA and a Cubs reload 47:10 White Sox, Murakami, and Montgomery 52:09 Will there be a lockout? 56:02 Jason negotiates for players and owners 59:51 Blackhawks, Bulls, and Caleb Wilson 1:04:14 WNBA Finals, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark 1:10:37 Bears beat the Seahawks on MNF 1:11:12 The Jeffrey Simmons trade 1:15:16 FOJ Listener of the Week 1:15:24 JSN and the secondary problem 1:20:54 Caleb Williams by the numbers 1:24:10 Power rankings and statement wins 1:26:18 Trade targets: CJGJ, Nahshon Wright, Khalil Mack 1:38:50 Bucs win with three pass attempts 1:43:44 Joe Burrow and the MVP race 1:45:23 Super Bowl odds and prime time Bears 1:49:48 Who the Bears can't afford to lose 1:53:32 Should the Bears trade Tyson Bagent? 1:56:11 Cornerback vs. Khalil Mack 2:04:47 Jaylon Johnson's rankings 2:05:41 Next Gen Stats 2:09:06 Election night 2:15:42 Bears stadium update: Arlington Heights 2:16:50 Outro FOJ, Friends of Jeff, Chicago sports podcast, Chicago Bears, Bears vs Seahawks, Monday Night Football, Jeffrey Simmons, Jeffrey Simmons trade, Caleb Williams, Montez Sweat, Austin Booker, Jaylon Johnson, Tyrique Stevenson, Bears trade deadline, Khalil Mack, Tyson Bagent, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Baker Mayfield, Joe Burrow, NFL MVP, Next Gen Stats, Brewers World Series, MLB lockout, MLB salary cap, Chicago Cubs, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, White Sox, Munetaka Murakami, Colson Montgomery, Chicago Bulls, Caleb Wilson, Blackhawks, Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, WNBA, travel baseball, biohacking, Tesla Roadster, Halloween ramen, Bears stadium Arlington Heights

  2. Oct 26

    FOJ 91 - Jeff's Fingers Are as Immobile as Jaylon Johnson

    FOJ 91 kicks off with the Bears who wore No. 91 and Jason's Naperville Central class of '91, which includes Pete Crow-Armstrong's dad. Jason is handing out the first Listener of the Week coins, his wife Michelle is opening a Greek restaurant in Plainfield, and Jeff is recovering from finger surgery with two pins and a cast. The guys preview a Brewers vs. Rays World Series, react to the Blackhawks' slow start and Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson's historic debut, then go deep on Caleb Williams' latest 300-yard game, Cairo Santos' redemption kick, Jaylon Johnson's struggles, Khalil Mack trade talk, and Bears record predictions. Plus the Jalen Hurts blood clot investigation, broadcast booth rankings from Tom Brady to Chris Collinsworth, and Jeff's Rivian R2 order. 00:00 FOJ 91 intro and Bears who wore No. 91 01:07 Class of '91 and skipping high school reunions 03:41 Graduating with PCA's dad 04:31 First Listener of the Week coins and Listener of the Year plans 06:17 Chicago's warm fall weather 08:16 Jason's long weekend and the driveway oil spill 12:24 Michelle's new Greek restaurant in Plainfield 17:57 Jeff's finger surgery, two pins, and a cast 25:08 Turning 50 and aging in bursts 28:12 Weight loss and walking three dogs 31:14 Wag Bar, the dog park with a bar 33:40 World Series: Brewers vs. Rays 36:20 The looming MLB lockout 37:22 Dodgers: dynasty or anomaly? 39:02 World Series prediction 40:34 Why the Cowboys are so easy to dislike 41:49 The White Sox playoff hangover 43:51 Blackhawks struggles and the coaching debate 46:52 Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson's historic start 50:38 League Pass vs. Chicago Sports Network 52:26 Bulls bench Patrick Williams 54:17 Caleb Williams' 300-yard game 55:30 Cairo Santos' 58-yard redemption 58:11 Caleb's pocket presence and elite throws 1:00:31 Is Caleb a top-five QB? 1:02:30 Jameis Winston and JJ McCarthy 1:03:41 Check-downs and the 70 percent goal 1:04:03 Luther Burden III breakout, Cole Kmet injury 1:06:01 Colston Loveland's role 1:08:10 Bears defense and the Jaylon Johnson problem 1:14:19 Khalil Mack and DeForest Buckner rumors 1:18:12 Dennis Allen's defense and the Bears' run game 1:19:41 Bears schedule and record predictions 1:24:18 Jalen Hurts blood clot controversy 1:32:49 The Hurts timeline and NFL review 1:41:24 Eagles QB options 1:45:41 Seahawks top Chiefs, JSN dominates 1:47:14 Ohio State: Wide Receiver U 1:48:39 NFL roundup: Niners, Falcons, Steelers in Paris 1:51:42 The Browns' surprising start 1:54:09 NFC contenders and Caleb's leadership 1:56:29 Bears schedule quirk and injury report 1:59:13 Tight end depth and the Joe Thuney trick play 2:02:31 Broadcast booth: Brady, Collinsworth, Olsen, Watt 2:06:20 Kirk Herbstreit and Pat McAfee 2:08:14 Jason Kelce and Peyton Manning everywhere 2:12:17 Is Arch Manning overrated? 2:13:17 Jeff orders a Rivian R2 2:13:51 Jason turns 53 and lands a new work account 2:15:33 Cruises and Charles' travel tips 2:17:27 Caleb top five and sign-off FOJ, Friends of Jeff, Chicago sports podcast, Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson, Cairo Santos, Luther Burden III, Rome Odunze, Colston Loveland, Cole Kmet, Jaylon Johnson, Khalil Mack, Bears trade rumors, Bears predictions, Jalen Hurts blood clot, Eagles, World Series, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays, MLB lockout, White Sox, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Blackhawks, Connor Bedard, Chicago Bulls, Caleb Wilson, Patrick Williams, Chris Collinsworth, Tom Brady, Pat McAfee, Jason Kelce, Arch Manning, Listener of the Week, Rivian R2

  3. Oct 19

    FOJ 90 - Pins in the Finger, Pucks in Pockets, Falcons on the Floor

    Jeff's broken finger needs surgery after all, which kills his California trip, so the guys break down the pins-and-twist plan before turning to sports. Jason recaps the Brewers sweeping the Dodgers, the looming December 1 MLB lockout, salary cap fights, and Shohei Ohtani's playoff slump. On the ice, Connor Bedard returns, the Blackhawks get blanked by Dallas, and Patrick Kane sets the US-born assist record, earning FOJ Listener of the Week. That sparks a debate on where Kane ranks among all-time Chicago athletes and a deep dive into the missing 2010 Stanley Cup puck. The Bears move to 4-2 behind a fired-up Caleb Williams and a historic three-sack, two-forced-fumble day from Kyler Gordon, plus a Green Bay Sucks chant in Atlanta. Around the NFL: the Browns' fool's gold, Vikings defense, Rams and Eagles disappointments, Patrick Mahomes, Tua's contract, and Travis Hunter. They close with Bulls rookie Caleb Wilson, Daniel Tosh's podcast, Ron Bennington's Portcast, and Jason's son launching an app built with Claude. 00:00 Intro 00:31 Jeff's broken finger and surgery plan 06:05 Canceled California trip 10:39 Jason's fall yard work and PTO math 13:10 Brewers sweep the Dodgers 15:30 MLB lockout and salary cap debate 21:28 Dodgers future and Ohtani's slump 26:52 Payroll vs player development, World Series pick 28:08 Blackhawks: Bedard returns, Dallas shutout 30:55 Patrick Kane record, FOJ Listener of the Week 32:43 Is Kane a top 10 Chicago athlete? 38:24 The missing 2010 Stanley Cup puck 43:41 Bears beat Falcons: Caleb Williams fired up 47:18 Penalties and Atlanta's late push 48:38 Kyler Gordon's historic day 51:14 Bears at 4-2 and the NFC North 53:40 Surprise and disappointing teams 57:24 Point differentials and Patrick Mahomes 1:00:40 Chargers, Dolphins, and the Tua contract 1:02:05 Browns fool's gold 1:05:14 Caleb's season stats and sacks 1:07:24 Penix, Bears pass rush, Sweat and Khalil Mack rumors 1:09:00 Jaylon Johnson and the cornerback question 1:12:07 Giants vs Saints 1:13:08 Travis Hunter two-way update 1:14:41 International games 1:15:46 Bears fans take over Atlanta 1:17:03 Bulls opener and Caleb Wilson 1:19:17 Chicago sports and Carolina college hoops 1:20:30 Daniel Tosh and The Tosh Show podcast 1:22:57 Ron Bennington's Portcast 1:25:14 Surgery day details 1:26:56 Jason's son's app built with Claude 1:29:37 Outro FOJ, Friends of Jeff, Chicago sports podcast, Chicago Bears, Caleb Williams, Bears vs Falcons, Kyler Gordon, Bears 4-2, NFC North, Green Bay Sucks, Bijan Robinson, Montez Sweat, Khalil Mack, Jaylon Johnson, Milwaukee Brewers, Brewers sweep Dodgers, MLB playoffs, MLB lockout, salary cap, Shohei Ohtani, Chicago Blackhawks, Connor Bedard, Patrick Kane, Spencer Knight, 2010 Stanley Cup puck, Chicago Bulls, Caleb Wilson, Cleveland Browns, Minnesota Vikings, Patrick Mahomes, Tua contract, Travis Hunter, Daniel Tosh, Tosh Show, Ron Bennington, Portcast, finger surgery, Claude app

  4. Oct 14

    FOJ 89 - Broken Fingers & Hearts & Bears

    Jeff and Jason are back after two weeks off, and it was a rough stretch for Chicago. Jeff breaks his finger in the Atlanta airport, splints it with electrical tape from his podcast bag, and gets it reset in Orlando. The guys pay tribute to Mike Ditka, who passed away at 86, with Jason revisiting the '85 Bears, the Buddy Ryan feud, the Ricky Williams trade, and Chicago's sports Mount Rushmore. On the field, the Bears dominate the Jets on time of possession, then get drubbed by the Packers. Is Tyson Bagent an NFL starter? Plus Montez Sweat's suspension, the pass defense, and a Falcons preview. Jason breaks down the White Sox playoff exit after 21 strikeouts in Game 5, picks the Brewers, and shares his son's run-in with Pete Crow-Armstrong. Also: Connor Bedard's return, Caleb Wilson and the Bulls, and Jeff's second Rivian R2 order. 00:00 FOJ 89 intro 00:50 Jeff breaks his finger in the Atlanta airport 04:47 Electrical tape splint and airport EMS 07:12 Urgent care and the Orlando bone reset 11:03 Jason's broken bone stories 13:43 Bocce availability and the Jordan Flu Game angle 15:33 Mike Ditka passes away at 86 16:21 Walter Payton and the blocked kick in Green Bay 17:41 Bears beat the Jets: Kyle Monangai, 89 plays to 32 19:31 Is Tyson Bagent an NFL starter? Trade value debate 22:48 Case Keenum in relief and Ben Johnson's worst game 24:10 No Monangai, Roschon Johnson, 9 carries for D'Andre Swift 26:41 Pass defense collapse vs Jordan Love 29:10 Montez Sweat suspended 30:20 Grady Jarrett, Shemar Turner and the pass rush 31:13 Falcons preview: Bijan Robinson, Drake London, Michael Penix 31:49 From the Eagles high to the Packers low 33:10 Bears -3 in Atlanta and the division record 34:49 Bagent or Keenum? Caleb Williams update 37:01 Jameis Winston as the Bears backup? 38:02 Caleb's ceiling and the NFC North race 42:08 White Sox eliminated: 21 strikeouts in Game 5 44:12 Sean Burke's gem and Jose Ramirez's golf shot 47:15 A successful season for the Sox? 48:47 Brewers, Dodgers, Rays, Guardians and payroll 51:07 Who Jason is rooting for and Shohei Ohtani's slump 53:59 Would Tom Brady bench himself? 55:05 Are these the four best teams? Cubs season 57:46 You can't win the division in April 59:47 Pete Crow-Armstrong in Naperville 1:01:06 Blackhawks: Connor Bedard returns 1:02:48 Bulls: Caleb Wilson, Josh Giddey, Buddy Hield 1:04:31 Rough week in Chicago and the Ditka legacy 1:06:15 Ditka vs Buddy Ryan and the '85 Bears 1:08:19 Jordan, Ditka, Payton 1:10:38 Saints and the Ricky Williams trade 1:12:10 Leaf blowing and Asheville winters 1:16:12 Jeff orders a second Rivian R2 1:17:26 Travel plans and wrap FOJ, Friends of Jeff, Chicago sports podcast, Mike Ditka, Ditka dies, Ditka tribute, 1985 Bears, Buddy Ryan, Super Bowl XX, Chicago Bears, Bears vs Packers, Bears vs Jets, Bears vs Falcons, Tyson Bagent, Case Keenum, Caleb Williams, Ben Johnson, Kyle Monangai, D'Andre Swift, Montez Sweat suspension, Jaylon Johnson, Jordan Love, Bijan Robinson, Jameis Winston, NFC North, Chicago White Sox, White Sox playoffs, Guardians, Jose Ramirez, Sean Burke, Brewers, Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani, MLB playoffs 2026, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs, Chicago Blackhawks, Connor Bedard, Chicago Bulls, Caleb Wilson, Josh Giddey, Ricky Williams, broken finger, Rivian R2

  5. Oct 1

    FOJ 88 - In Case We Trust

    FOJ 88 was recorded late Wednesday night with both Chicago baseball teams in the playoffs and the Bears fresh off a Monday Night Football shocker. Jason opens with Patrick Kane back in the number 88 Blackhawks sweater, then walks through the White Sox beating the Astros in Houston, Chase Meidroth's no-doubt homer, and the first Sox playoff series win since 2005. Jeff reports in from Atlanta with a Hyatt Regency Wi-Fi and cold shower rant, plus the story of a flaming pizza box, an ADT fire alarm, and a fire truck in the driveway. The guys cover the Cubs' brutal travel week, Game 1 against the Padres, Pete Crow-Armstrong's check swing arguments, and whether a first-round exit would make it a failed season. They also debate how short the MLB season should be (Jason says 120 games, Jeff says 100). From there, football: Case Keenum and the Bears' 27-7 win over the Eagles, Ben Johnson's game plan, Dillon Thieneman and the defense, the Hurts timeout debate, who starts at QB with Caleb Williams out and Tyson Bagent cleared, Caleb's bathrobe, JJ McCarthy landing with the Giants, Brock Purdy vs Josh Allen, and the FOJ Listener of the Year trophy and coins. 00:00 Intro, Patrick Kane in 88, Hawks opener in Vegas 02:00 Jeff's Atlanta trip and Bulls hopes with Caleb Wilson 10:35 Hyatt Regency Atlanta rant: Wi-Fi and the cold shower 15:19 The flaming pizza box, ADT, and the fire truck 23:16 White Sox beat the Astros, Meidroth goes deep 29:17 Why this Sox team hits Jason so hard (2005 flashback) 31:37 Astros stigma and a get well card for Cruz 34:17 Jeff jinxes the Cubs, plus their wild travel week 37:40 Is 162 games too many? Jason says 120, Jeff says 100 45:18 Cubs vs Padres Game 1 and PCA's check swing beef 48:17 Failed season if the Cubs lose? Padres vs Cubs 50:54 Yankees-Red Sox home run controversy 51:58 Dreaming of a Cubs-Sox World Series 53:40 Bears vs Eagles: Case Keenum and Ben Johnson's best game 1:01:28 Burden, Raymond, Roush, Loveland and the drops 1:04:19 Thieneman, the defense, and the Hurts timeout debate 1:07:38 Why the Eagles stopped running Saquon 1:09:25 Keenum's inspiration: Jason's baseball game 1:10:54 FOJ Listener of the Year trophy and coins 1:13:08 We traded JJ McCarthy to the Giants (thanks, Jameis) 1:17:26 Caleb Williams' bathrobe vs Jameis' cologne 1:21:09 Hamstring gamesmanship and the QB decision 1:25:26 Jets, Packers, Falcons, Patriots: the road ahead 1:26:06 2024 QB class check-in and best QB right now 1:30:36 Bears QB room, net points, Kyler Gordon return 1:34:23 Packers game flexed to noon, Jeff's travel plans 1:36:24 Deebo's 80 yards on zero catches 1:37:06 Keenum gets the Listener of the Week coin FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff, Chicago sports podcast, Case Keenum, Bears vs Eagles, Bears Eagles Monday Night Football, Bears 27-7 Eagles, Caleb Williams hamstring injury, Caleb Williams bathrobe, Tyson Bagent, Ben Johnson Bears, Dillon Thieneman, Luther Burden, Kalif Raymond, Colston Loveland, Dennis Allen defense, Jalen Hurts timeout, Bears quarterback controversy, Bears vs Jets, Bears Packers, White Sox playoffs, White Sox beat Astros, White Sox Guardians, Chase Meidroth, Cubs Padres wild card, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs playoffs, Cubs White Sox World Series, shorten MLB season, 162 games too many, JJ McCarthy Giants trade, Jameis Winston, Brock Purdy, Josh Allen, best quarterback in the NFL, Deebo Samuel hook and ladder, Patrick Kane 88, Blackhawks opener, Chicago Bulls Caleb Wilson, flaming pizza box fire, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, FOJ Listener of the Year

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

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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
    92
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © FOJ SHOW
  • Show Website
    FOJ SHOW