Episode 354 - Tight Sphincter Muscles in Toronto

RUNDOWN

 

Was this the single greatest weekend in Seattle sports history? Mitch and Hotshot relive Friday night’s 15-inning epic at T-Mobile Park as the Mariners advanced to the ALCS — Hotshot shares his in-stadium perspective, spilled beer and all, describing the crowd as “ear-splitting, like 1995 all over again.” Mitch calls Bryce Miller’s Game 1 masterpiece in Toronto “legendary” and compares it to the Mariners’ own must-win over Detroit.

Then comes the forgotten hero of the weekend: Washington QB Damon Williams Jr., whose 538-yard, four-touchdown night went largely unseen while fans watched baseball on their phones. Add in the Seahawks’ 20–12 win over Jacksonville (seven sacks despite missing key defenders), a Kraken overtime winner, and even Humpy the Salmon’s long-awaited race victory — and Mitch declares it “the most joy-filled Seattle weekend in decades.”

Mitch welcomes Joe Doyle (Over Slot) and Brady Farkas (Refuse to Lose Podcast) after Seattle’s gritty 3–1 win to open the ALCS in Toronto — a game nobody expected them to take. The trio break down Bryce Miller’s six-inning gem on three days’ rest, the early escape that steadied him, and how his righty-righty splitter and held-velocity heater set the tone. They praise the bullpen trio of Spire, Brash, and Muñoz, the clutch base-running by Randy Arozarena, and Cal Raleigh’s homer that flipped the energy of the entire series.

Mitch is joined by Brady Henderson (ESPN.com) and Jacson Bevens (Cigar Thoughts) after the Seahawks’ 20-12 road win over Jacksonville — a cross-country statement built on a revived pass rush and Sam Darnold’s continued efficiency. The trio break down Byron Murphy’s monster day (2 sacks, 7 pressures), a seven-sack team effort that could’ve reached double digits, and the coaching adjustments Mike McDonald made one week after the Tampa Bay meltdown. They highlight Darnold’s nearly flawless 295-yard, 2-TD outing and debate whether he’s already a top-tier QB in the NFC.

CBS analyst Rick Neuheisel joins Mitch after witnessing Indiana’s stunning 30–20 win over Oregon in Eugene — the Hoosiers’ first-ever road win over a top-five team. Rick praises head coach Kurt Signetti for his “keep-it-inside” defensive discipline and authenticity, calling him “hotter than Texas chili” as Penn State’s likely next target after James Franklin’s firing. They discuss the money storm brewing in the Big Ten’s upcoming $2.4 billion media deal, why booster influence now drives coaching turnover, and how NIL has reshaped the sport’s economy.

Rick breaks down SEC chaos after Auburn’s controversial finish versus Georgia, the Texas rebound behind Steve Sarkisian, and why parity is spreading as defensive-line depth thins across power programs. Mitch “plants his spear” for Washington QB Damon Williams Jr., claiming him for Taco Time’s Doing Some Work honors after a 538-yard night, while Rick awards his crispy burritos to Texas A&M’s defense — 2-for-33 on third downs over three games.

 

GUESTS

 

• Brady Farkas | Host, Refuse to Lose Podcast (Mariners on SI)
• Joe Doyle | MLB Draft & Mariners Analyst, Over-Slot Substack
• Brady Henderson | Seahawks Insider, ESPN
• Jacson Bevens | Writer, Cigar Thoughts
• Rick Neuheisel | CBS College Football Analyst, Former Head Coach & Rose Bowl Champion

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

0:00 | Greatest Seattle Sports Weekend Ever? Mariners, Huskies, Seahawks (and Even the Kraken) Deliver in One Unforgettable Stretch

18:45 | BEAT THE BOYS - Register at MitchUnfiltered.com

21:24 | GUEST: Mariners No-Table; Bryce Miller’s Redemption Game: Mariners Shock Toronto to Steal Game 1 on the Road

43:38 | GUEST: Seahawks No-Table; Four-and-Two and Flying East: Seattle’s Defense Dominates Jacksonville in a Statement Win

1:07:12 | GUEST: Rick Neuheisel; Hoosier Shockwave, Saban Shadows & Doing Some Work — Rick Neuheisel on a Wild Weekend in College Football

1:37:12 | Other Stuff Segment: Area code 354 takes us to Montreal, Canada, birthplace of Celine Dion and Corey Hart, Hotshot’s surprising love for “Never Surrender,” and a nostalgic detour to Mariners’ former outfielder Corey Hart, Mitch’s jokes about spilled beer and sunglasses at night, updates on the bizarre Mark Sanchez stabbing case as his ex calls it “not surprising,” Oregon’s stunning loss to Indiana, James Franklin’s $50 million Penn State buyout, Trent Dilfer fired at UAB, Paul Pierce blames his DUI on being “old and tired,” Tiger Woods undergoes his seventh back surgery before turning 50, and Gene Simmons’ wife says the KISS icon can no longer drive after crashing in Malibu.

RIPs: John Lodge, longtime bassist of The Moody Blues (82), Mike Greenwell, beloved Red Sox outfielder (62), Sister Jean, Loyola Chicago icon (106), Diane Keaton, Oscar-winning actress (79). Headlines: Woman dumps 75 used tampons on her ex’s lawn, police find thermos lodged in man’s backside, Chinese woman swallows eight live frogs to cure back pain and “croaks,” tennis player blames failed drug test on “meth kiss,” elderly woman scammed by a fake astronaut in a romance hoax, Hotshot serenades the show with his “Counting Stars” parody to close Episode 354.