The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima

The Cleveland Browns just suffered a humiliating 27-6 beatdown in Pittsburgh, and the game film reveals a total breakdown in trust. Step inside the film room with Daryl Ruiter and Lance Reisland to see who is truly to blame before this season completely derails.

Ken and Lima analyze the firing of Mike Norvell at Florida State and the unsustainable nature of massive coaching buyouts. They argue that programs should pivot to a professionalized model that prioritizes player compensation over inflated coaching salaries to handle the volatility of the transfer portal era.

(00:02:16) Norvell Fired At Florida State

(00:06:12) Incentivizing College Coaching Contracts

(00:09:18) Recruiting In The Transfer Era

(00:12:56) Assessing Bob Chesney’s Impact

(00:17:51) Impact On NFL Player Development

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima evaluate the Cleveland Cavaliers' performance against Oklahoma City and the emergence of rookie talent Meleek Thomas. They also analyze the Cleveland Browns' loss to the Steelers, the future of the quarterback position, and the legal controversy surrounding high school football eligibility.

(00:01:50) Cavs vs. Thunder Recap

(00:06:01) Glenville High School Lawsuit

(00:10:30) Jaylon Tyson Cavs Debut

(00:16:15) NBA In-Season Cup

(00:20:35) Deshaun Watson Review

(00:26:45) NFL Quarterback Market

(00:35:44) Browns Culture Test

(00:40:55) Seven In Heaven Predictions

(00:53:38) Voting Sticker Banter

(01:00:57) Judge Santoli Ruling

(01:10:52) Cavs Free Throw Struggles

(01:17:55) Zac Jackson Analysis

(01:27:05) Future Of Browns QB

(01:34:50) Browns Vs. Saints Preview

(01:45:54) Lamar Jackson Injury

(01:56:06) Doug Lesmerises On Buckeyes

(02:08:15) Ryan Day Job Security

(02:16:31) College Football Attendance

(02:27:55) Rhodes High School Gear

Ken and Lima analyze the Cavaliers' home loss to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, finding reasons for optimism in Jaylon Tyson's confident debut. They transition to a heated debate over Deshaun Watson's performance against the Steelers, questioning if the offensive line or the quarterback is primarily to blame for the defeat. They also look ahead to the Browns' culture test in New Orleans and the impact of young offensive prospects.

(00:02:50) Cavs Loss To Thunder

(00:06:45) Glenville Court Case Update

(00:09:35) Jaylon Tyson's Confidence

(00:14:25) NBA Cup Outlook

(00:18:50) Deshaun Watson Debate

(00:25:30) Comparing Elite Quarterbacks

(00:33:45) Browns Offensive Weapons

(00:37:15) Previewing Browns Versus Saints

Ken and Lima dissect the AFC playoff picture during the "7-in-Heaven" segment, debating whether their belief in the Browns is based on reality or false hope. They also discuss the legal battle involving Glenville high school football and the Cleveland Cavaliers' recent struggles at the free-throw line. Finally, Ken explains his strong aversion to "I Voted" stickers on Election Day.

(00:01:50) 7-In-Heaven Seeding Debate

(00:06:17) Browns Playoff Reality Check

(00:10:58) AFC Playoff Race Analysis

(00:15:58) Ken's Election Sticker Rant

(00:22:20) Glenville Eligibility Legal Battle

(00:35:08) Cavs' Free Throw Issues

(00:37:55) Guardians MLB Award Finalists

The Athletic's Zac Jackson provides a blunt assessment of the Cleveland Browns' offensive woes and the long-term outlook for Deshaun Watson. The discussion transitions into current NFL headlines, including Lamar Jackson's season-threatening injury and a debate over the current MVP frontrunners. They also analyze the upcoming matchup against the Saints and the validity of social media criticism regarding the quarterback room.

(00:01:50) Zac Jackson Browns Interview

(00:06:30) Browns Quarterback Future Talk

(00:11:54) Defense And Trade Market

(00:17:41) Saints Matchup Betting Lines

(00:23:45) Quarterback Room Social Debates

(00:31:19) Lamar Jackson Injury Status

(00:36:00) Evaluating NFL Team Rankings

(00:38:56) NFL MVP Race Discussion

Doug Lesmerises joins the program to discuss Ohio State's offensive struggles and whether Ryan Day's job security is tied to a win over Michigan. They also analyze how NIL and the transfer portal are affecting fan loyalty and stadium attendance across the country. Additionally, the conversation addresses the Browns' quarterback situation and the legal battle involving the Glenville high school football playoffs.

(00:01:50) Ohio State Offensive Struggles

(00:07:43) College Football Playoff Contenders

(00:13:26) College Football Attendance Trends

(00:19:30) Portal And NIL Realities

(00:24:31) Browns Quarterback Options

(00:30:36) Glenville Playoff Legal Drama

Ken and Lime react to Judge Santoli's harsh criticism of the University School administration regarding their stance against playing Glenville in the football playoffs. They also thank Rhodes High School for sending new gear and respond to a listener's accusations about tax reporting.

(00:01:04) Rhodes High School Gear

(00:03:30) Glenville Playoff Legal Battle

(00:05:12) Listener Tax Evasion Accusations

Ken and Lima continue the college football attendance discussion, arguing that the transfer portal, higher ticket prices and fans having less reason to buy in are emptying stadiums. They then return to the Browns quarterback debate, saying the NFL has changed since the Watson trade and that a vocal minority of fans wants to see him fail. They challenge listeners to name better options, running through Kirk Cousins, Spencer Rattler, Joe Flacco, Jacoby Brissett and Jameis Winston before concluding the list gets bleak in a hurry.

Doug Lesmerises joins Ken and Lima to say Ryan Day shouldn’t be fired after the USC loss, but that red zone offense, the offensive line and the tight end heavy approach are real concerns, and he’d be surprised if the entire offensive staff returns. He explains how the young quarterback and a poor day in pass protection threw the offense off, and says Ohio State is in the mix of a flat college football landscape with no true super team but likely has to win out. He also says Day keeps his job even with a loss to Michigan, argues that Ohio State’s standard shouldn’t be lowered, and defends the health of the sport despite attendance dips.

In The Neutral Zone, Ken, Lima and producer John discusses Lamar Jackson’s thumb injury, which could end his season, and whether the Ravens should commit long-term to a 30-year-old with 29 missed games and a shaky playoff record. That leads to a heated argument over whether Joe Burrow is this generation’s Dan Marino and whether he is headed for the Hall of Fame. They also tease Jon about wearing an Eagles hat after the Browns’ loss, debate which NFL teams are actually good, and weigh the MVP race.

Ken and Lima go through the social media backlash to their claim that few quarterbacks could have saved the Browns on Sunday, including a reply saying 20 would have won. They argue Shedeur Sanders would have been routed behind that offensive line, point to the league-wide lack of great quarterbacks, and say they can’t take anyone in the room other than Deshaun Watson seriously. They also discuss whether the Browns should keep Watson and draft LaNorris Sellers, and note the Saints game is a near pick’em at the Superdome.

The Athletic’s Zac Jackson joins Ken and Lima to say the Browns’ flaws weren’t exclusive to the Steelers loss, pointing to the eight sacks, a 31st-ranked offense and a run defense that opponents have figured out. He says the Browns are in a rebuilding year, are likely to look for a veteran and a draft pick at quarterback, and might see a minor trade or two rather than a big move. He also says Deshaun Watson gives them the best chance to win right now, that Jared Verse and Quinshon Judkins are having down years, and that Jerry Jeudy is a trade candidate.

Ken and Lima bring in producer John recap the Cavs’ 117-112 loss to the Thunder, focusing on Cleveland shooting 14 of 24 at the line while OKC went 21 of 23. They agree there’s no new analysis to offer on free throws beyond it being mostly mental, and they say they’re excited about Meleek Thomas and Tyrese Proctor. They then cover the MLB award finalists, with Parker Messick up for Cy Young and Rookie of the Year and Cade Smith up for Reliever of the Year, while Stephen Vogt’s absence from the Manager of the Year list is chalked up to voter fatigue.

Ken and Lima start Election Day with Ken’s refusal to wear an “I Voted” sticker, the flood of political texts, and whether they’ll treat tonight like a sporting event. They then focus on the Glenville eligibility case, where a frustrated judge is set to decide whether Glenville can keep playing, leaving Salem not knowing who it will face. They break down the OHSAA rule on Ginn Academy players and debate whether city schools are being held to a different standard than open-enrollment schools.

Ken and Lima reveal their Week 9 Seven in Heaven picks after the Steelers loss, with Pittsburgh replacing Baltimore as the AFC North winner and both reluctantly keeping the Browns as the seventh seed over the Bengals. Ken questions whether they are hoping instead of predicting, and says he may shelve the bit if the Browns lose in New Orleans, which Lima argues would mean abandoning the season. They break down the rest of the Browns’ schedule, call the Saints game bigger than it looks, and note that the Browns still control their own destiny.

Ken and Lima continue the Deshaun Watson discussion, with Ken saying Watson’s throwing has been the best of his Browns tenure and wanting more than one receiver to be a real threat, since the offense is back under 19 points per game and Todd Monken’s offense has scored 13 or fewer in four of eight games. A caller says the Steelers loss was a team-wide beating and wants to see how the Browns respond against the Saints. Ken agrees that the response will show their culture, since 5-3 looks fine at 6-3 but turns into doubt at 5-4 after a loss to a bad team.

Ken and Lima address the pushback from Sunday’s Browns loss to the Steelers, with Ken saying he wanted more accountability from the team after all the pregame talk. They argue that only a few quarterbacks, such as Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes and Joe Burrow, could have saved that game given the pass protection and the lack of a running game. They also debate whether defending Deshaun Watson is making excuses for his contract, point to the league-wide quarterback struggles, and say the 5-3 Browns have made the most of a tough situation before opening the phones.

Ken and Lima react to the Cavs’ 117-112 loss to the Thunder, with Ken wondering whether he’s losing his anger edge after not getting mad at the loss. The conversation detours into the Glenville playoff eligibility dispute and the old days of trading VHS tapes. Then Lima makes the glass-half-full case, pointing to rookie Meleek Thomas starting, Tyrese Proctor’s growth, and the value of experimenting with lineups before a tough stretch against OKC, Philadelphia and the Knicks.

Tune in for a selection of Monday reaction conversations from the The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima, Baskin & Phelps, and The Afternoon Drive. The guys break down the Browns' ugly loss at the hands of the rival Steelers, what exactly went wrong, and what it means for the rest of the season -- if anything.