Overreaction Tuesday: Rich Talks Rams, Belichick, Fantasy FB & Ohtani I The Rich Eisen Show

Overreaction Monday's latest edition was closing in on 180,000 views on the show's YouTube channel in its first 25 hours, and Rich said they had never seen numbers like that for an edition two weeks before the regular season. So the show ran it back a day late. Overreaction Monday, on a Tuesday.

The show opened with what has become a daily ritual, the Rams. The comment section is convinced someone upstairs is ordering all that Rams talk. The explanation on set was simpler. "It's just the story of the year."

First up from Chris: the Rams will have multiple end-of-year award winners this season. Defensive player of the year, MVP and offensive player of the year all got floated. Coach of the year drew an immediate objection. "I'll tell you one thing Sean McVay's not going to win."

Even at 16 and 1, the problem is perception, not performance. "Everyone thinks all he does is roll the footballs out." Rich allowed that McVay "may deserve it," and the table landed on a consolation prize instead: McVay has already won a version of the award, since Aaron Donald's return traces back to their relationship. "He's already won coach of the year in a way just for 99 being there."

Les Snead, meanwhile, might win GM of the year. Donald's own comeback player of the year case ran into a technicality, because the award is meant for players returning from injury. "People still vote," came the reply, and the room took it from there. Coming back from retirement. Coming back from the couch. Coming back from his workout.

Rich also mentioned he had just filed the digital paperwork for his NFL Honors and All-Pro vote, during the commercial break, no less.

Next, Chris took a swing at the 49ers, predicting De'Zhaun Stribling becomes the team's best non-CMC pass catcher this year. Rich called that "quite a subset," then conceded the bigger point. He is happy the Niners seem to have hit on a player they were highly criticized for taking.

Bill Belichick got the next overreaction: UNC in a bowl game this season. The math offered on set was simple enough, six more wins. Then a light bulb went off, and the segment belonged to Rich.

His dream scenario is Belichick at the Pop-Tart Bowl. "What would be more entertaining, American, delightful than Bill Belichick having a photograph with a Pop-Tart?" He even wrote the one question he wants asked at a pregame press conference. "Bill, your favorite Pop-Tart flavor."

Cinnamon brown sugar got a vote. The follow-up, toasted or straight out of the box, split the room. The room agreed "there's no wrong answers," and the mission was set: "Let's speak it into existence." The Cheez-It Bowl was floated as a backup.

"I'm in the zone," Rich said.

Chris's fantasy overreaction was that in person is the best and only way to hold a fantasy draft, which Rich ruled was not an overreaction at all. The show's league drafted the night before at The Pawn Shop in Los Angeles, with 90 seconds on the clock and some barking once people let it run halfway down. Not everyone made it. Smitty was in Norway. One remote drafter reportedly left it on auto draft and came away with two quarterbacks.

Last came Chris's demand that Rich finally admit he was right that Shohei Ohtani should never pitch again, since Ohtani has been hurt and now isn't hitting well either.

Rich was not moving. "I will never agree to this. The guy loves pitching. When the guy is healthy, he is a dominant pitcher."

He pointed to the contract as proof. "There's a reason why they paid him $700 million," Rich said. "It's to do both."

Baseball did hand Rich one small mercy. The Yankees played easily their worst game of the year the same night as the draft, and it was the game he and Cooper had circled for months for a trip to Anaheim. They picked the draft instead and skipped the 10-1 debacle in person.