Couch and The Rube

Episoder

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  UPDATED: Ep. 1164: Hot Take Tuesday: MSU hires a new AD, as football season looms 18.08.2026 1t 56min

  NOTE: The audio has been fixed to include the start of the show.We dug into our takes and yours — on MSU hiring WMU's Dan Bartholomae as its next athletic director, on the Spartans' looming football season and hopes, excitement and lack thereof for it, on the Tigers, the Lions, the start of the Premier League, life's pet peeves and more.
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  Ep. 1163: Twitter Questions: MSU football gets rolling, and did we give up on the Tigers too early? 07.08.2026 1t 51min

  We answered your questions — on Michigan State football and early thoughts on Pat Fitzgerald and his team as fall camp begins, on MSU basketball and the roster coming out of the summer, on the Tigers and whether we gave up on them too soon, on the Lions, now that Jahmyr Gibbs has signed, and more.
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  Ep. 1162: Hot Take Tuesday: Tigers trades, MSU football with a chance, and Jaxon Kohler's next move 04.08.2026 1t 56min

  We dug into our takes and yours, beginning with ours on the Tigers' trades of Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize and the return they got back (6:30), on the Lions' negotiations with Jahmyr Gibbs (22:00), and on MSU basketball's roster, the five-year eligibility rule and why Jaxon Kohler is unlikely to return (30:30), followed by listener takes and our reactions to them — on MSU football this season, Pat Fitzgerald, the Tigers' trades, Jaxon Kohler and MSU basketball, Tom Izzo and more (41:00).
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  Ep. 1161: Twitter Question Friday: Pat Fitzgerald gets folks fired up, and a looming Skubal trade 31.07.2026 1t 55min

  We answered your questions — on MSU football, hopes for this season and whether what Pat Fitzgerald said at Big Ten media day got you fired up and believing, on Michigan football and the coverage of it, the Tigers and a looming Tarik Skubal trade, the Lions at training camp and the Jahmyr Gibbs contract situation, and more.
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  Ep. 1160: Hot Takes: MSU football, trading Skubal, Warde Manuel's hush money, and pent-up July takes 27.07.2026 1t 37min

  We dug into our takes and yours — on MSU football expectations, Warde Manuel's cushy go-away-quietly package, the frustrating Tigers and trading Tarik Skubal, the Lions' window, and a number of July takes that listeners just needed to get off their chests.
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  Ep. 1159: Twitter Question Friday: Why media tiptoes around criticism of Michigan athletics 24.07.2026 1t 48min

  We answered your questions on Michigan athletics and how the media covers the Wolverines, on MSU football and basketball, ways to fix college football, on the Tigers, the World Cup, life and more.
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  Ep. 1158: Joe Rexrode on college football and the saga at Michigan and situation at MSU 22.07.2026 1t 23min

  The Athletic's Joe Rexrode joined us for a conversation on the saga at Michigan and the situation at Michigan State (and why MSU is a football school), and on the state of college football and future of the sport (13:00). Then we discuss what the Tigers should do at the trade deadline, given their uneven play and the struggles of Framber Valdez, etc. (1:00:00), followed by a discussion on the Lions as camp nears (1:11:00), and then Tre Holloman's appearance at the Moneyball Pro-Am (1:13:30). Plus, Norm's golf bets for this week's 3M Open (1:18:00).
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  Ep. 1157: Hot Take Monday: Warde Manuel's exit; MSU football on the mind; World Cup fever lingers 20.07.2026 1t 50min

  We dug into our takes and yours — on accountability at Michigan and for athletic director Warde Manuel, on MSU football, on lingering World Cup Fever, on The Open, the Tigers, and life.
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  Ep. 1156: Twitter Questions: MSU football and hoops, U-M's mess, and who the Tigers should trade 17.07.2026 1t 33min

  We answered your questions — increasingly on Michigan State football, on MSU basketball too, on the mess at Michigan, on the World Cup, the Tigers and who they should trade, the Red Wings and Steve Yzerman, betting advice with the World Cup and MSU football, and life advice.
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  Ep. 1155: Shawn Windsor on the drama in Michigan athletics, MSU, Pistons, and our British Open picks 15.07.2026 1t 18min

  We open talking about the mess with University of Michigan athletics. Then a conversation with Detroit Free Press columnist Shawn Windsor on the drama at U-M, Warde Manuel, the former president and a problematic lawsuit, on U-M basketball, the Pistons and Jalen Duren, the Tigers, and farting through your chest after surgery (20:00). Plus, our best bets for this week's British Open golf tournament (67:00).
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  Ep. 1154: We are BACK with Hot Take Monday: Drama at MSU and U-M, the World Cup, Tigers and more 13.07.2026 1t 53min

  We opened with our takes — on the drama at Michigan State, with President Kevin Guskiewicz returning and AD J Batt's departurne to Kentucky, on what to make of the Tigers, on the impact of the World Cup and more. Then we dug into listener takes on MSU's administration, MSU basketball, the mess at Michigan, the Tigers, Lions, lots of World Cup and more (52:00). 
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  Ep. 1153: Twitter Question Friday: MSU basketball, J Batt, Dusty May, the Pistons, and the World Cup 26.06.2026 1t 52min

  In our last show before a two-week break, we answered your questions on what we're learning about Michigan State's basketball team at the Moneyball Pro-Am, on the administrative mess at MSU, including AD J Batt still being there, despite intending to leave for Kentucky, on U-M basketball and Dusty May, on the Pistons' possible signings and Jalen Duren, on the World Cup, Tigers and more.
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  Ep. 1152: MSU's basketball team debuts at Moneyball, and Cody Stavenhagen on the Tigers 24.06.2026 57min

  We opened talking MSU basketball after the opening night of the Moneyball Pro-Am — who stood out and what we saw, especially among MSU's freshmen, big guys and Jeremy Fears Jr.. Then a conversation with The Athletic's Cody Stavenhagen on the Tigers, where things go from here, criticism of A.J. Hinch and Scott Harris, and the trade deadline (20:00). Plus, we talk NBA draft, the three Michigan players and the Pistons' first-round selection (46:30).
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  Ep. 1151: Hot Take Monday: Dusty May leaves U-M for the NBA, while MSU athletics remains in flux 22.06.2026 1t 56min

  We dug into our takes and yours — on Dusty May's departure from Michigan, J Batt's exit from MSU, on MSU basketball and football, the Tigers, U.S. Open, World Cup and more.
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  Ep. 1150: Twitter Question Friday: MSU basketball buzz, MSU athletics woes and World Cup mania 19.06.2026 1t 43min

  We answered your questions on Michigan State basketball's roster heading into the summer and Moneyball Pro-Am, on the dram with MSU and MSU athletics, including with departing AD J Batt, president Kevin Guskiewicz and the board of trustees, on the World Cup experience and more.
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  Ep. 1149: J Batt bolts, MSU in flux; James Edwards on covering the Knicks and the Pistons' future 17.06.2026 1t 23min

  We opened with a conversation on J Batt bolting MSU after one year as athletic director, following the news that President Kevin Guskiewicz would leave, and who's to blame and what now? Then The Athletic's James Edwards joined us for conversation on covering the Knicks' NBA championship run and the Pistons' future (29:00). Plus, intern Nolan chimes in (55:00), and Norm/The Rube's U.S. Open best bets. (1:17:00).
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  Ep. 1148: Twitter Questions, and Chris Vannini on college football, Brendan Sorsby and MSU 11.06.2026 1t 57min

  The Athletic's Chris Vannini joined us for a conversation on Brendan Sorsby, Texas Tech, what's coming down the pike in college football and hope for MSU's football program (13:00). Then the saga with MSU and trustee Rema Vassar (37:00) and can't-miss World Cup bets (47:00). Plus, we answered your questions on MSU football recruiting, NIL, the Tigers, Knicks, and more (51:00).
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  Ep. 1147: Hot Take Monday: MSU football, basketball and the president; and the Brendan Sorsby ruling 08.06.2026 1t 45min

  We dug into our takes and yours — on the Brendan Sorsby ruling, allowing the QB to play for Texas Tech after betting on college football, including his team, on MSU football recruiting, on MSU basketball, and why MSU should fight to keep President Kevin Guskiewicz, on the Tigers and what to make of their recent recovery, The Rube's anniversary trip to the Memorial golf tournament, and more.
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  Ep. 1146: Chris Castellani on the Tigers; and Twitter questions on MSU basketball and football 03.06.2026 1t 50min

  Chris Castellani joined us for a conversation on the state of the Detroit Tigers, the roster, trade deadline decisions, best prospects in the organization and more (8:30); Plus, we answered your questions on MSU basketball and football, the board of trustees, the Tigers, life and more (37:00).
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  Ep. 1145: Hot Take Monday: MSU basketball, football and the BOT, and Hinch, Harris and the Tigers 01.06.2026 1t 37min

  We dug into our takes and yours — the Tigers' and A.J. Hinch and Scott Harris, on MSU football and the Spartans' recruiting momentum, MSU basketball and the center position, the mess with MSU's president and board of trustees, the most hated prominent MSU figures, the Pistons and Wemby regret, and more.