Stories Inside the Man Cave
Stories Inside the Man Cave
Episode 503: The debut of SHE CALLS IT with Tes Sawyer
We launch She Calls It with Tes Sawyer, dig into the transfer portal’s January window, and ask how NIL, opt-outs, and timing reshape Texas and the wider college game. Bowl season’s prestige, CFP expansion, and the lost “bowl experience” take center stage before a light finish on white elephant gifts.
• why a female-led series adds needed perspective to sports talk
• sponsor highlight for Spirit Dress and promo awareness
• transfer portal timing colliding with bowls and signing day
• NIL valuations shaping retention and roster strategy
• Texas case study on RB decisions and depth via portal
• development versus announcement culture critique
• bowl season overshadowed by CFP and opt-outs
• preserving the bowl experience for players and fans
• quick look at upcoming matchups and expectations
• community moment with white elephant gift stories
Go to spiritdress.com and use our promo code from the show. Follow us at StoriesManCave on X/Twitter and subscribe to our YouTube page.
Please like and follow each of Stories Inside the Man Cave Podcast social media links on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Tik Tok.
We have a familiar face, uh, new series, but a familiar face. She adds a lot of uh, let's say, personality and knowledge for every sport. I don't think there's a sport she doesn't like, doesn't have knowledge of, and she represents all the female fans. It's just a bunch of dudes talking all the time, and we we needed to lower the testosterone level in the man cave. And so Tess Sawyer's back. No longer is it coming up, it's happening, it's happening. We have a brand new name, and in case you were not aware of what my name is, I'm Sean Clinch, the host of Stories Inside the Man Cave. We're calling this She Cause It, and we're gonna let her tell you how we came up with that name. I had nothing to do with it, I was just on the other end of the phone. You were missed by Stevie, uh, even Mike Adams, everybody. They, you know, it just where where did Tess go?
SPEAKER_02:I was always here. Thank you for welcoming me back to the room of sausage. Um, I am so happy to uh to bring um as a female perspective or just another perspective uh to my love of sports. So thank you so much for having me back and uh want to thank uh our my dear friend Mercer Black and her company Spirit Dress for being our main sponsor. Uh you know, as you can see, Mercer's uh Mercer's clothing is very popular. Uh you've probably seen it at Game Days this year. And it's not just for the University of Texas, it is for all schools, high school, and college. Um, she also has other apparel. So highly recommend checking it out. She has a great website, all kinds of options, new collections coming out all the time. So I have some of her OG gear on right now. So um we are so happy. And we have a promo cave, uh man cave. Should you want to go on there or find something you like? And uh, guys, you can go shopping for your ladies too. So, you know, you need a gift, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, birthday, great place to go. And uh so highly recommend that. Uh we came up with the name she calls it. I I don't know, I was thinking of something uh catchy that still had a female connotation to it and uh just kind of popped up. So um I have known to be uh coin a tagline or two, kind of do that a little bit um on my uh on my main job. So anyway, I was happy to contribute and I hope everybody enjoys this new series.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, we're gonna have fun with it, and we're gonna do it twice a month, so semi-monthly. And uh we'll be promoting Mercer's company, Spirit Dress. You can go visit spiritdress.com. We'll be promoting it on our socials, if you will. And if anything changes as far as that promo code, we'll figure out a way to communicate that to you. And also be sure to follow us on each of our social media platforms, they're all listed right there, and you can subscribe for free to the stories inside the Man Cave YouTube page. Now, Tess, being the big sports fan that she is, she's I I mentioned it. Um, her knowledge goes way beyond the majority of the population. Um, but one thing we we pick out so basically our format here three topics one viewer, fan poll, interaction here, and these are topics which have been circulating for a while, especially here in the recent last two weeks. And it's college football transfer portal opens January 2nd. I did not want to go back and figure out the number of individuals across the country who are in the transfer portal. I'm all for NIL and the portal, but now we're down to one transfer portal window that opens January 2nd. You've probably seen the announcements, they've been since the middle of the season for some programs and for specifically the Longhorns. Last check, I think there were you know, Trey Weisner, the running backs, the most recent one, kind of a shocker. But for those logical Texas fans, they knew that was a possibility. New running backs coach, and Trey has honestly earned the right to say, listen, I'm a first-team type guy, I deserve potential first team money, uh, premiere back. But when you look at this transfer portal, when you think about it now as the the window that opens January 2nd, and what it's doing to programs right now, because they have to enter or proclaim or say, hey, look, these are my announcements. This these are my plans. What's your thoughts on it from your perspective?
SPEAKER_02:I mean, yeah, I think I think the timing and the deadline of the transfer port portal right around like the before the bowl season uh and um signing day and things like that, I think it's disrupting it because you have a lot of uh a lot of players who are gonna enter and obviously they're not gonna play in the bowl game. Why would they? You know, they're gonna they don't want to get injured and lose potential to um, you know, use their last years of eligibility at a school and then get higher um, you know, rank up in the draft. So I mean, I think it there's obviously something to be looked at, and it might be it might be also when we go from a 12 to a 16 team CFP playoff, which I know that hasn't happened yet, but I think, you know, we're all we're all hoping for it. I'm hoping for it. Um, how does that change the bowl outlook? But then how does that change this transfer portal? And then do you also have to look at is there some sort of agreement that has to be with these um players when they sign their contract? You know, like, hey, you gotta play in the bowl game, or even some of them are opting out of a playoff game. And um, and so you gotta look at that, like, does that need to be in something in the agreement, or do they need to have some sort of monetary, you know, uh dangle a carrot, you know, what have you. And so they they will be, you know, they're willing to take the risk to play in the bowl game or the playoff game because they could get injured. And, you know, I understand the NFL guys opting out. That one makes sense to me, but it is it does, it does hurt when you lose these guys going to the portal or um, you know, before your bowl or your playoff game.
SPEAKER_01:No, I I can't, I mean, no, that's a great perspective. I I think a lot of fans are just like they are with uh you know the the donor fatigue, you know, the raising money, they're starting to get a little fatigued with players leaving and the constant turnover of the roster. That's where we are right now. That's not going to change. However, you you kind of mentioned it. I just don't think there is a perfect solution. I mean, maybe limiting um guys to one, you can go transfer, you get jump in the portal once, but you know, there's right like DA DA Gopavia's, he's trying to legally go through the court system to get another year.
SPEAKER_02:Wow, I get another one.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, it's insane. But but keeping an SEC, uh, I mean, you ask Kirby Smart, let's just say they they've kind of been the the flavor and and the uh gold star of college football here recently, you know, they they're so consistent, and they're homegrown, yes. And I mean they get portal guys, and and Texas is in one program that has gained former Bulldogs. Um when you ask him about all this, he his one big question is, and I can't disagree with him on this. It's you know, I feel it's almost like players are worried or more concerned. What it looks like. I don't say it is, it's more worried about getting that announcement on social media. This is Kirby talking about that.
SPEAKER_00:Did you come here to develop? Did you truly come here to develop? Because if you did, all your buddies are out there right now. Everybody's you know announcing what they're doing. I'm announcing that I'm going in the portal, I'm announcing that I'm resigning. How about you announce that you're getting better and you're gonna practice and like actually do what the 20 and 30 years of college football players did before you, which was practice in December when they're on good teams and get better. Because if you're gonna play somewhere else, you know what you need to do, you need to get better. If you're gonna play here, you know what you need to do, you you need to get better.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, yeah, I disagree. I mean, I totally agree with it, but also, you know, like I I do agree with it, and I think that's what's happening too, is that like you said, there's so much churn, there's so much turnover. And I think as a as a program and as like a I guess a quote unquote CEO of a program, what you want is you want your top half not to turn over, but your bottom half is always gonna turn over. I mean, that is just now the nature. It's just going to. The guys that didn't get any playtime, or maybe a guy that only got like two reps, like, of course they're gonna leave. They're gonna they want to play and they wanna, you know. So I mean, but it's like I think the key right now is is retention. And you know, you got to retain those starters. So I would say, yeah, I think the the starters that we probably lost were, I think we knew DeAndre Moore was leaving. He was, I think we've all thought he was going to the draft. I think probably Leongo LaFalle and uh Wisner, I don't think we expected them to leave, but I also think we didn't weren't prepared to make them. I don't think we were prepared to make Wisner RB1. He's a third-down quarterback. You know, I mean, like I think we were gonna go into the portal, and this was before he decided to leave. And I love Trey Weisner, I really do. I think he's a hero. He ran uh, you know, all over A M and O U, and he'll never pay for a drink in Austin, Texas. But I mean, I'm just saying, like, you know, if you look at him compared to like Rojo or Bichon or Brooks, it's not the same running back, and I think we're going to go get one. And I think he knew that. So I mean, I think he made a a move for his well-being. One for money, and two, because uh, yeah, and two, because he wants his his best shot, he wants to be uh, you know, so he can get up in the draft. So I mean, I can't fault him for that. I mean, God bless him. I love Trey Weisner. So um, anyway.
SPEAKER_01:Business decision, yeah, exactly. A business decision. Um, you know, it it's hard because you see a guy like that who is uh part of the big culture at Texas. Uh he's he's endeared himself to the fans, like and as you mentioned, showed up big time back-to-back years against both OU and Texas AM. I mean, you could you could say he's one of the main reasons why Texas beat both of those teams.
SPEAKER_02:I mean 100%.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, but then you could also say, well, why didn't Texas go after the portal last year for offensive linemen? But we'll stay on track because I will say, here's what I think is happening. I think Wisner is a good example saying I want X amount money. And Texas probably said Sark and whoever the uh CEO of the front of almost said the franchise about the program said this is what we'll offer you. Um okay, you want to leave or you want to stay, this is what we can pay you. Um, but we're gonna go to the portal, and for the amount that he might be requesting, this is just scenario, hypothetically, they could get a premiere back and another running back for depth for probably what Trey may be asking for. I'm just assuming as that's one of the scenarios, right? Um because the players now they receive these valuations of their worth, so he's going to, I think, end up somewhere who is willing to pay his valuation, probably to your point, probably so, and and play more and start more.
SPEAKER_02:So, I mean, that would be the best scenario for Trey Weissner.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, but if you look at the list, I think this is going to be the norm as it has been the last few years. It's just shocking when you see because Texas gonna be without I think 21 players in the uh Citrus Bowl, um, including the guys who are opting out and entering the NFL draft. Um, it's a new norm, but a lot of the guys in this list, you hate to see him go, but you understand why. Like, you know, Trey Owens, you know, he's buried on that great quarterback coming out of high school. He has the tools, has the ability. He's going to find a place where he can start.
SPEAKER_02:Yes, he is. And absolutely.
SPEAKER_01:But it could be an entire podcast episode on the portal, like you know, the FCS level, they get pillaged every year. Um, there were 13 guys who FPS programs approached Stephen F. Austin alone last year.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, yeah. These smaller schools, yeah, they just get destroyed. Everybody just comes in there and just cherry picks.
SPEAKER_01:Scoops them up because there's great players who may be overlooked in high school, and that's just how the system works. That's right. But I don't know, I don't know the answer of how to improve it. But one area that what do we count?
SPEAKER_02:There are 46 bowl games and 11 playoff games right now. 46 bowl games.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's a lot. That's a lot, that's a lot, and not all the teams were technically bowl eligible, meaning 500 or six wins uh the season. So, what's your thought? I I I I love the bowl games, but I feel like they're now being a little overshadowed possibly across the country because the CFP is where the focus is.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I mean, I think they're being very overshadowed. And um, you know, I I read this today. I did not know this. They have been around for 123 years. So pretty cool. I had no idea about that. Um, but you know, yeah, they're being overshadowed, and and like you said, um, you know, I don't know how many teams opted out. I think it was at least 10 or around this year, probably uh, you know, unprecedented amount of people that have opted out. And then you've got then you've got the bulls that are being played, and half of the players aren't playing. So then you've got what's going on is the viewership and the seats aren't getting filled because nobody wants to go because the team that was supposed to play, like Notre Dame versus you know, Joe, you know, no name team, and then now you've got the teams that are playing, they don't have the the star players that everybody wants to watch. So, but I mean it is about the sponsorship and the money, and they're not gonna stop. But I'm wondering, is it you know, to make it more prestigious, you know, where it used to be if you got into a bowl, that was just that was the coolest, right? And then now we've got we still have our our big playoff games or the big bowls, you know, like the rose and the orange and the cotton and all that stuff. And then you got your little ones like Citrus, where um, you know, Texas will play Michigan, things like that. But I'm just wondering, you know, is it if they move to a 16 team playoff, is that just all the bowl games? But I mean, I don't think you're gonna get rid of these other sideboard games because of because money and other teams want to play. I don't know, what do you think?
SPEAKER_01:I agree. I I I think I don't think we need as many bowl games. Yeah, and I think a lot of people agree, but what you and I say is not gonna have any bearing on on these corporate sponsors. But I what I will say though, and I I talked to the other night, I talked to Clint Small, whose son Ed plays at TCU, and they're playing in the Alamo Bowl on the 30th, and that's always a well-viewed, well-attended game. Um brought up a good point that I didn't think about. He said, you know, the teams that go to the CFP, you know, obviously first rounds on campus, but when you get to the second round, you're technically playing those big bowl games that because they they shift each year, the circulation or the rotation, but you don't get the true bowl game experience. Most bowl games, even the ones that are now in the CFP rotations, sugar, the orange, the cotton, and uh, and rose, you get there five to seven days before, and you're prepping, you go to all these events, you get all this media, yeah, and get all this swag, and you do these little mini competitions at these dinners and go to Disney World, whatnot. You don't get that anymore because they're in there a day or two before, and the CFP takes control of it, right? Or sometimes the night before, or the day before. If you win that, you gotta get back home and and prepare prepare for the semifinals. Yeah, and you get like a koozie, and and you just so you're not getting the same experience because I tell you what, the Alamo Bowl, uh, as a media member who covered it about four or five of them, and then that one time as a fan, it it they're the most one of the best run, and it's a great experience for the players. I just you know, I I don't know. It's I I feel like we're gonna continue to evolve and get better with this. I mean, the CFP's already they improved from last year. That's right. People forget. They forget, they just like to bitch and moan about everything. And I get it. I get it. I I just don't see, I don't know. I I just feel like the CFP participants, it's like, all right, done. You're you you lost, you're over with, like AM in Oklahoma, done. But Texas still has one more game.
SPEAKER_02:That's right. Yeah, I mean, I agree. It it really is the end of the road if you lose in that first round. I mean, you're just you're automatically just kind of wiped off the face of the earth. Like ever nobody even remembers what those teams are now.
SPEAKER_01:Everybody's like, who? All the memes were created.
SPEAKER_02:Now that's right.
SPEAKER_01:Now it's over.
SPEAKER_02:It's over.
SPEAKER_01:Well, you get like Texas, for example, and a lot of other teams, you know, that are depleted by the portal or whatnot. It's a great opportunity for people to see the up-and-coming teams to play.
SPEAKER_02:Yes, exactly. And I think you just like you said, we're about gonna have like what a you said 21 players not playing. So if you want to see some of our our young bucks, you know, um out there that didn't get a lot of uh snaps and things like that. I mean, it's gonna be kind of fun to see them out on the field. I mean, maybe do some shining and things like that. So I'm excited before we fill it up with portal people, which we're gonna point.
SPEAKER_01:You you know Sark and that staff, they're gonna go hard at the portal.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I mean, we're we're gonna have to get quite a few starters, which we usually don't do. So it's gonna it's gonna look like a real different team. That Michigan game is gonna be very different than the um uh let's see, who are we playing first? Uh why can I think Texas State, Texas State game, yeah. It's gonna look very different.
SPEAKER_01:Seven home games for Texas.
SPEAKER_02:I know, so fun.
SPEAKER_01:That's and instead of uh there's no month without a home game this time.
SPEAKER_02:So I know because we we it was a a downright drought in October.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, that was terrible. That was it was weird, very weird. Hey, just uh real quick, you know, remind everybody go to spiritdress.com, buy your lady friend, or that special woman in your life, or just your friend, you know. Uh girls, girls, guess for your friends. Go to uh spiritdress.com, check it out, check out our friend Mercer's company. She's doing well, it's been around since 2016, and she is uh Tex Proud Texas alum, but she's not afraid to say, um, hook 'em. What'd she say? She was pulling for Texas Tech.
SPEAKER_02:She said, Hook 'em Red Raiders.
SPEAKER_01:That's what she said. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:She did not burst into a flame, but she didn't.
SPEAKER_01:She didn't.
SPEAKER_02:And she was she was trying to root for all of our Texas teams, and you can't falter for that.
SPEAKER_01:And she has quite a few Red Raider fans who are um they're customers of hers.
SPEAKER_02:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01:Are you giving the Red Raiders a chance against Oregon in that uh quarterfinal game?
SPEAKER_02:I am giving them a chance.
SPEAKER_01:I think they win.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I um I am actually thinking that might be one of the better, I'm hoping it's one of the better games to watch. Um, so I yeah, I think uh Texas Tech has just as good a chance of anyone to beat Oregon. So um yeah, we'll definitely be reading for them. And um, but I'm looking forward to watching it.
SPEAKER_01:I am too. And then you know, you got Georgia, Ole Miss, SEC uh match up there. It it's it's gonna be a fun day. And then Oregon, Bama. I'm not Oregon, Bama, uh Bama, Indiana, excuse me, uh on New Year's Day. And that's where the yeah, Thursday.
SPEAKER_02:It is a bowl bonanza on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Yeah, too much fun.
SPEAKER_01:Hey, we're gonna take a quick break, very quick break, because gotta pay homage to a place. Speaking of New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, if uh whatever you may be uh thirsty for, you need some some type of combination of beverages for your New Year's Eve party, or just that New Year's Day of watching college football all day. I've got a solution for you, and it's in North Northwest Austin. Northwest Hills Liquor. Tell Dave Ramirez you are a fan of the Man Cave, and uh now she calls it with Tess Sawyer. Uh great, he may be smaller, but it's he's they deliver, they do deliver, but his knowledge of everything you can imagine under the sun, wine, beer, all spirits, bourbons, things of that nature, he will educate you. And he's really, really into he's a great owner. And he says, you know, you're you're not a customer, you're a guest at Northwest Hills Liquor. All right, so let's wrap it up with something fun. Um, you know, I you and I have the same sense of humor, and you know, Christmas time is great and all gifts. I love giving, especially white elephant gifts. What is did you did you have any white elephant parties this year?
SPEAKER_02:I did. I'm not allowed to disclose the gifts on air. They are not appropriate, but I did have one um that I found online I did not give. And I thought I thought you would appreciate this. It is a um, it's a book for gun safety for your cats.
SPEAKER_01:I want to see it.
SPEAKER_02:So um, so just in case, you know, because cats could, you know, a lot of us might might have uh guns or something in our home as a as a source of protection. Maybe you do, maybe you don't. I do not, but um, but uh you definitely don't want your Mr. Whiskers getting in there and uh and getting in trouble. So uh I was uh you that may end up in your stocking one year, Sean.
SPEAKER_01:Uh I would I would appreciate it. We don't want little Vincent Royal to set off a handgun.
SPEAKER_02:No, we don't, we don't. That would be uh that would be tragic.
SPEAKER_01:Well, the lady friend and I, the lovely lady friend, uh and I went to one uh middle of this month, not two weeks ago, and I bought an eggplant from the good old HCB, wrapped it up in tissue paper. Then I wrapped up a um small bottle of astroglide. You know, and and then a candle it says um light me if you want to be jetness and uh the perse the perfect person to get it was at that party because that individual humors everything. Everything. Hey, we want to know what was your favorite white elephant gift this Christmas? Hit us up at StoriesMan Cave on X slash Twitter, whatever you're calling it. Um have you heard of any interesting ones from other people that you can actually talk about?
SPEAKER_02:Who me?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Oh Sean, I told you mine are all X-rated.
SPEAKER_01:I can't say mine's teetering on the edge, but as far as I can go.
SPEAKER_02:I'll have to come up with my G-rated ones. I well, I did I will say one year I did just take a uh I did just take an actual potato and wrapped it in foil and just gave it to my uncle.
SPEAKER_01:So that's beautiful.
SPEAKER_02:It's pretty easy.
SPEAKER_01:That's you know, those are those are real nice. That you know, that that one potato can become a meal.
SPEAKER_02:That's right. I've also known to be gift somebody just the stamp. One stamp.
SPEAKER_01:Stamp of approval.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, wrap it in a really big box. I think it's something exciting.
SPEAKER_01:That is lovely.
SPEAKER_02:One stamp.
SPEAKER_01:That is lovely. That's well done. Well done. Real nice, real nice there, Tess Sawyer and Clark. Um, hey, thanks to Mercer and Spirit Dress. This is the first edition of She Calls It with Tess Sawyer. Great job there, Sawyer. No worries, Clinch. For the Tess Sawyer and Mercer and Spirit Dress, jump on spirit dress dot com. Just remember, she calls it.
SPEAKER_02:Calls it.
SPEAKER_01:Let's go.