FOJ 75 - From Berlin Bistros to Midwest Parking Lots

FOJ 75 - From Berlin Bistros to Midwest Parking Lots

Jeff and Jason are back for episode 75 and they've got a full plate. Jeff just returned from Berlin for his annual industry conference and breaks down the trip — from jet-lagged Five Guys runs to a Michelin-rated dinner he'd rather forget, a five-mile walking tour past the Brandenburg Gate, and some sharp observations about EVs, car culture, and the surprising absence of dealership stickers on German vehicles. The guys also riff on European wages, the rising cost of living in the US, and whether America could ever get its act together on a wage floor. Back stateside, Jason recounts a spicy Memorial Day weekend parking lot standoff with an oversized F-150 and reflects on how much less patient he's become with age. Jeff's dealing with a recurring calf injury from the Berlin walking tour, and both hosts bond over the general misery of getting older. On the sports front, the guys dig into the wild quirks of the 2026 NFL schedule — including the 49ers traveling 38,000 miles, Wednesday Night Football debuts, the Jaguars hosting two London home games, the Bears earning five primetime slots, and the Arizona Cardinals being underdogs in all 17 games. They also check in on the NBA playoffs with the Knicks rolling at 11-0 and OKC and San Antonio knotted at 2-2. To close things out: a Gallup poll reveals 72% of Americans would rather live next to a nuclear plant than a data center, and Jason's son Jeremy officially flies the nest. Congrats to Jeremy and Morgan — FOJ Listeners of the Week! TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Bears Jersey #75: The History (or Lack Thereof)2:28 - FOJ Podcast Stats: Vietnam and Denmark Are Listening5:36 - Memorial Day & 30 Years Since Bradley Nowell Passed7:40 - Jeff's Berlin Trip: Flights, Five Guys & Conference Life12:21 - The Michelin Dinner He'd Rather Forget30:00 - European Wages vs. US Cost of Living49:00 - Jason's Parking Lot F-150 Showdown55:22 - Getting Old: Torn Calves & Baseball Tournament Pain1:03:14 - 2026 NFL Schedule Quirks Breakdown1:11:37 - NBA Playoffs: Knicks Undefeated, OKC-Spurs Tied1:12:55 - Data Centers vs. Nuclear Plants: The Gallup Poll1:19:50 - Cubs Skid, Sox Hanging In & Jeremy Moves Out KEYWORDS:FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff, Jeff and Jason podcast, Berlin travel 2026, Michelin restaurant Berlin, Five Guys Berlin, NFL 2026 schedule, 49ers Australia game, Wednesday Night Football, Bears primetime games, Jacksonville Jaguars London, Arizona Cardinals underdogs, NBA playoffs 2026, New York Knicks undefeated, OKC Thunder Spurs, data centers noise pollution, data center vs nuclear plant poll, minimum wage debate, cost of living USA, getting older humor, Memorial Day podcast, Bradley Nowell Sublime anniversary, parking lot road rage, Cheetos debate, College World Series Omaha

FOJ 74 - He Hate Me, Steak Love Me

Jeff and Jason are back for FOJ 74 — dedicated to Bears Hall of Fame offensive tackle Jimbo Covert, the man who wore #74. The guys kick things off with the shortest NFL career in recent memory (RIP the Squirrel White era), dive deep into Bears retired jerseys, and somehow end up down a Rod "He Hate Me" Smart rabbit hole. Jay's Wide World of Sports covers a hot Cubs squad, a White Sox glow-up, NBA playoff action, the NBA Draft Lottery (Bulls land #4!), and Blackhawks rebuild news. Jeff recommends Letterkenny, previews his upcoming trip to Berlin, and drops a fun fact about why the Berlin Wall really fell. Then things get emotional — Jason's son wraps up his college baseball career. To close it out, Jeff recaps a legendary dinner at Salt Steakhouse in New Jersey, complete with a $400 tomahawk steak and the best mashed potatoes of his life. 00:00 - Intro & Episode Numbering Drama02:00 - Jim Covert, #74, and the NFL Draft07:30 - Squirrel White Retires After One Rookie Mini Camp12:00 - Bears Retired Jerseys Deep Dive19:00 - Rod "He Hate Me" Smart & The XFL25:00 - Jay's Wide World of Sports: Cubs, White Sox & MLB Standings30:00 - NBA Playoffs: Knicks, Wembanyama Ejection, Cavs/Pistons32:30 - NBA Draft Lottery: Bulls Get the #4 Pick38:00 - Blackhawks Update: NHL Draft & Roman Kancerov43:30 - Letterkenny Recommendation46:00 - Which Major Sport Would You Kill Off?52:00 - Jeff's Berlin Trip Preview1:02:00 - The Real Reason the Berlin Wall Fell1:07:00 - Man in the High Castle Review1:13:00 - Jason's Son's Final College Baseball Game1:18:00 - Buffalo Wild Wings Gets One Right (Bradley, IL)1:19:30 - Salt Steakhouse NJ: The $400 Tomahawk & Epic Dinner1:32:00 - Delta Airlines Rant FOJ, Friends of Jeff, FOJ podcast, Chicago Bears, Jim Covert, Squirrel White, NFL rookie minicamp, Bears retired jerseys, Rod Smart He Hate Me, XFL, Chicago Cubs winning streak, White Sox 2025, MLB standings, NBA playoffs, Knicks, Wembanyama ejection, NBA draft lottery, Chicago Bulls, Cam Boozer, Blackhawks rebuild, Roman Kancerov KHL, Letterkenny, Berlin travel, Berlin Wall history, Man in the High Castle, college baseball, Buffalo Wild Wings, Salt Steakhouse New Jersey, tomahawk steak, sports podcast, sports and food podcast

FOJ 73 - Bears Draft Grades, NFL State Stats, and Dark Comedy Is For Smart People

Jeff and Jason are back after a brief hiatus — Jason's been riding out a nasty head cold, but he's at 90% and ready to roll. The guys dig deep into the Chicago Bears' 2025 NFL Draft, debating grades, missed opportunities on the defensive line, and whether this team is built to outscore everyone or just hoping for the best. They also hit the broader draft landscape, from Jeremiah Love going third overall to the Cardinals, to Arch Manning's future, to Cam Mendoza heading to Las Vegas. Then it's a full pivot to NFL player representation by state (Louisiana dominates, Vermont has zero), cost of living comparisons, a fascinating NIH study linking dark humor to intelligence, a rabbit hole on stand-up comedy legends, and finally — the dogs. Always the dogs. TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro & Jason's head cold recovery3:10 - Bears 2025 NFL Draft grades (B to B+)7:45 - Defensive line neglect — only one edge rusher in 35 new players14:20 - Bears offense: replacing DJ Moore, Caleb's next step20:00 - Jeremiah Love #3 overall, Cardinals, Arch Manning talk25:30 - Cam Mendoza, Raiders, and Kirk Cousins as mentor29:00 - Russell Wilson to CBS? Romo, Aikman, Tomlin at NBC33:15 - Mike Vrabel and Diana Russini situation37:40 - NFL players per million by state — Louisiana leads, Vermont has zero44:00 - Cost of living by state: Hawaii, Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois48:30 - Dark humor and intelligence: NIH study breakdown52:00 - Anthony Jeselnik, Jimmy Carr, Ricky Gervais, George Carlin57:15 - Whose Line Is It Anyway & Robin Williams memories1:01:00 - Kevin Hart's NBC sports show1:04:30 - Dog updates: Pepper, Archie, Duncan's cancer surgery, and Tux the tackler1:10:00 - Travel plans: Jersey, Berlin, Milwaukee, Chicago KEYWORDS:Friends of Jeff podcast, FOJ 73, Chicago Bears NFL Draft 2025, Bears draft grade, Bears defensive line, Caleb Williams, NFL Draft analysis, Jeremiah Love Cardinals, Arch Manning NFL, Cam Mendoza Raiders, Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson CBS, Mike Vrabel Diana Russini, NFL players by state, Louisiana NFL players, Vermont NFL, cost of living by state, dark humor intelligence study, NIH humor study, Anthony Jeselnik, Jimmy Carr, Ricky Gervais, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Robin Williams, Kevin Hart NBC sports, dog stories, sports podcast, NFL offseason

FOJ 72 - Astronauts, Baby Rabbits, and the 31% Who'd Date Their Dogs

Jeff and Jason are back for episode 72, opening with the legacy of the number itself — The Fridge — and a riff on how NFL players have physically evolved over the decades. Jeff's morning starts with full rabbit nest carnage courtesy of the dogs, while Jason's dealing with birds actively constructing a nest inside his porch. From there: a rant on LinkedIn etiquette, a big tournament win for Jason's youth baseball team, and a full Chicago sports roundup — Bulls firing their GM, Bears draft countdown, and White Sox pitching prospect Noah Schultz making a chaotic but promising MLB debut. Jeff floats the idea of Bears coach Ben Johnson running every Chicago franchise simultaneously. The guys also break down Powerball going international, warn of the Kardashian Curse on Caleb Williams after his Coachella sighting with Kendall Jenner, react to a survey claiming 31% of people would date their pets, recap the Artemis mission (including Trump's awkward astronaut phone call), swap sci-fi movie recs, debate skydiving, and dig into the 2025 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class — including Jason's suspiciously encyclopedic knowledge of New Edition.  0:00 - The Fridge: Refrigerator Perry and how athletes have physically evolved  4:00 - Rabbit nest carnage and birds invading Jason's porch 9:15 - LinkedIn is not Facebook: A social media PSA  12:00 - Jason's youth baseball team wins their first tournament 19:00 - Chicago sports: Bears draft hype, Bulls fire their GM  24:00 - The Ben Johnson Plan: One coach to rule all Chicago sports  27:45 - Noah Schultz's MLB debut: Big arm, rough first inning  34:30 - Ichiro's statue needs some structural attention  35:45 - Powerball goes international (and the states that refuse to play)  42:30 - Caleb Williams spotted with Kendall Jenner: Kardashian Curse invoked  45:50 - 31% of people would date their pet if given the chance  52:45 - Artemis mission recap and Trump's awkward call to astronauts in space  1:05:30 - Movie recs: Interstellar, Project Hail Mary, Gravity, The Martian  1:09:40 - Skydiving debate: Fear of heights, family pressure, and hard no's  1:15:00 - Rock Hall 2025: Iron Maiden, Wu-Tang, Oasis, Billy Idol and more  1:21:00 - New Edition: The original boy band blueprint FOJ, Friends of Jeff, Chicago Bears, Chicago Bulls, Chicago White Sox, Noah Schultz, Ben Johnson Bears, Caleb Williams Kendall Jenner, Kardashian curse NFL, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2025, Iron Maiden Hall of Fame, Wu-Tang Clan, Oasis, New Edition, Artemis mission NASA, Interstellar movie, Project Hail Mary, skydiving fear of heights, Powerball international, youth baseball tournament, pet dating survey, LinkedIn etiquette, Refrigerator Perry, Chicago sports podcast, FOJ podcast

FOJ 71 - USA Flag Football Humiliates the NFL & How Much To Quit Baseball?

FOJ is back for Episode 71! Jeff and Jason kick things off with a live internet speed test after Jason's connection struggles derail Take One. Jeff goes full IT department — breaking down upload vs. download speeds, fiber vs. cable, power line adapters, MoCA adapters, and why upgrading to 2 gigabit probably won't fix Jason's son's Call of Duty lag. Spoiler: it's the Wi-Fi. From tech support to the gridiron — the guys dig into the NFL Flag Football event and how Team USA's actual flag players absolutely destroyed Brady's and Burrow's NFL squads. Is Tom Brady the future of Olympic flag football? Probably not. They also catch up on Odell Beckham Jr.'s career arc, that legendary one-handed catch, and a possible return to the Giants. Baseball season is heating up and so is the conversation. Jason gives Cubs updates including a concerning Cade Horton injury, the White Sox's surprising sweep of the Blue Jays, and early Dodgers/Yankees hot starts. Plus — Jason's own arm rehab journey and the kids' team gearing up for their season opener. Jeff throws out some deep hypotheticals: How much money would it take for Jason to give up baseball forever? What about Jeff giving up music and tech gear? The guys also debate legendary-but-hated athlete vs. beloved bench warmer. Then it's on to real estate taxes in Texas and Illinois, dreaming about leaving the Midwest, and the underrated case for living in Las Vegas. The episode closes out with food talk — hot pot 101, a strong endorsement for Other Mama sushi in Vegas, Budlong Southern Chicken vs. Zaxby's, and nostalgia for the Naperville/Fox Valley area. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 – Intro / Take Two / Happy Easter 00:07 – Live speed test & Jeff's tech support deep dive 08:00 – Fiber vs. cable, power line adapters & MoCA explained 13:00 – Upgrading to 2 gigabit: worth it or not? 29:00 – NFL Flag Football: Team USA destroys Brady & Burrow 36:40 – Odell Beckham Jr.: career recap & possible Giants return 41:30 – MLB check-in: White Sox, Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees 46:45 – Kids baseball + Jason's arm rehab plan 1:04:30 – How much to give up baseball forever? The negotiation 1:15:00 – Legendary but hated vs. beloved bench player hypothetical 1:23:00 – What would Jeff give up music or tech gear for? 1:28:00 – Property taxes, real estate, and dreaming of leaving Illinois 1:33:00 – Travel talk: Texas, Arizona, Las Vegas living 1:34:30 – Other Mama sushi + hot pot explained 1:37:30 – Chicken sandwich rankings: Budlong vs. Zaxby's vs. Hillman 1:40:00 – Naperville/Fox Valley nostalgia & Topgolf send-off KEYWORDS: FOJ podcast, Friends of Jeff, Jeff and Jason podcast, sports talk podcast, NFL flag football Olympics 2028, Tom Brady flag football, Joe Burrow flag football, Team USA flag football, Odell Beckham Jr Giants, Cubs Cade Horton injury, White Sox Blue Jays sweep, MLB 2025 early season, Dodgers 2025, Yankees hot start, recreational baseball, adult baseball league, internet speed test, fiber vs cable internet, Xfinity upload speed, power line adapter, MoCA adapter, give up baseball for money, sports hypotheticals, Las Vegas living, Other Mama Las Vegas sushi, Budlong Southern Chicken, Zaxby's chicken sandwich, hot pot explained, Naperville Fox Valley, Illinois real estate, moving out of Illinois