Hour 2 - The City of Losers

September 3, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

The Raiders, Lane Kiffin, and the SEC's Legal Mess: A Night in Sports Radio

The Las Vegas Raiders just named 38-year-old Kirk Cousins their starting quarterback over Fernando Mendoza, the number one overall pick in the 2026 draft. Ben Maller calls it "a pure humiliation situation" — the team intentionally lost games last season to secure that top pick, and now they're telling the world that a quarterback who was run out of Minnesota and then Atlanta couldn't be beaten out by their supposed franchise savior. "You do not draft a project at number one," Maller says. "This is like buying the most expensive mega mansion, so you can brag to all your friends, and then you go in there and realize the plumbing isn't hooked up."

The Mendoza Problem

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What you'll learn

1 (03:34) **Intro & Vegas Setting** - Ben Maller opens the hour from Las Vegas, setting up the show's themes.
2 (07:00) **Raiders Name Kirk Cousins QB1 Over Fernando Mendoza** - The Raiders' decision to start the veteran over the #1 pick is analyzed as a humiliation.
3 (12:09) **Lane Kiffin's Joey Freshwater Era Resurfaces** - New book excerpts detail Kiffin's Alabama years, including Nick Saban telling staff to keep him away from sorority girls.
4 (17:02) **Georgia AG Threatens to Kick LSU Out of the SEC** - The Attorney General of Georgia wants the SEC to use "all measures" against LSU for using former NFL players.
5 (21:41) **Transition & Clippers/NBA Talk** - Ben briefly mentions the Clippers' recent punishment and opens the lines for calls.
6 (27:00) **Fan Calls & Banter on Raiders and Kiffin** - Ben takes calls, including a discussion on Mendoza's failure and a call from "Hollering James."
7 (43:00) **Insta Trivia & Mallard to the Third Degree** - Ben runs a trivia segment asking who was the last #1 pick to not start Week 1.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Ben Maller talks about the Raiders naming Kirk Cousins QB1 over Fernando Mendoza, the timing of these Lane Kiffin stories right before LSU plays Ole Miss, Georgia's Attorney General threatening to kick LSU out of the conference, Maller to the Third Degree, and more!

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