Desert Donkeys

At 6:00 AM on October 27 heading into NFL Week 8, Ryan and Artie riff on Halloween costumes, Arizona’s sudden cold mornings, and chaotic parenting and youth sports—from a brutal Mesa soccer trek to a solo flag-football coaching debut and dealing with kids’ “negative town” mindset. They recap an LA Halloween party story (vampire teeth mishaps) and catching up with Nicky “Belshevitz,” then dive into sports and betting: praising Pat McAfee and Nick Saban on College GameDay, venting about NFL owners micromanaging, and breaking down recent results, injuries, and bad beats across MLB, NFL, and fantasy. They argue about underdogs, regret chasing the Chiefs, discuss teams like the Broncos, Cardinals, Vikings, Eagles, Giants, Texans, Raiders, Seahawks, 49ers, Rams and Chargers, and share picks including Carolina–Packers over, Chargers +6.5 (plus some moneyline), Commanders–Eagles over, plus college dogs Arizona, Florida, USC, and ASU, while debating Colorado’s struggles and Heisman candidates Jeremiah Smith and Malachi Toney.

00:00 Early Morning Kickoff
00:16 Halloween Costume Talk
01:14 Cold Snap and CrossFit
03:23 Vampire Costume Fails
05:16 LA Party and Nicky
07:48 Holiday Birthday Debate
09:07 Parenting Shorts Drama
11:26 Kids Sports Weekend Grind
13:06 Coaching Flag Football
17:18 Pat McAfee on GameDay
19:00 Owners Micromanaging Teams
21:50 Gambling Recap and Baseball
29:43 College Football Chaos
32:39 NFL Upsets and The Beast
34:10 Running Back Accountability
35:17 Eagles Injury Meltdown
36:08 Fantasy Week Recap
37:40 Bye Week Roster Chaos
39:52 Baker And Raiders Reality
41:12 Bo Nix Breakout Run
43:25 Super Bowl And Rams Talk
45:07 Betting Slump And Parlays
47:38 NFL Picks For The Week
48:49 Rodgers Rips NFL Europe
52:15 College Dogs And Coin Flip
54:11 Colorado Drama And Juju
57:09 More Picks And Mahomes Rant
01:04:01 Halloween Sign Off

Ryan and Artie return for Week 7 NFL talk after a week off, starting with gambling frustration and a survivor pool collapse when Dallas lost to Tampa Bay, plus fantasy updates including a non-contact injury ending Terry McLaurin’s season and discussion of Jalen Hurts’ blood clots and being out for the year. They recap chaotic travel and golf stories: a Head Trip festival evacuation that canceled Calvin Harris, late-night house parties in Madison, a windy member-guest at Driftwood, and Ryan’s Riviera Centennial gala and tournament round including an almost-holed chip from a steep hill on 18. They debate college football parity, officiating issues, and national title uncertainty, touch on MLB postseason thoughts with a Brewers pick, share betting records and soccer success, give new picks (LSU–Auburn over, Texas A&M–Bama over, Indiana -7.5 at Michigan), and close with Chargers struggles, local game plans, golf practice goals, and Halloween costume anxiety.

00:00 Week Seven Kickoff

01:01 Survivor Pool Heartbreak

05:31 Fantasy Bounce Back

09:24 Hurts Health Scare

11:56 Worst Draft Ever

13:22 Desert Festival Chaos

19:30 Driftwood Golf Trip

24:42 Riviera Gala Weekend

28:06 Riviera Hilltop Chip

29:27 Why Riviera Is Brutal

30:00 Par Five Split Fairway

31:08 Riviera Membership Mystery

31:55 Caddie Life And Hustle

34:18 Back To Betting Talk

36:15 Referees Under Fire

40:19 NIL Parity And Rankings

43:34 World Series Predictions

46:20 This Weeks Picks

48:23 NFL Takes And Chargers

50:45 Soccer Tournament Chaos

52:31 Golf Practice And Punta

54:39 Halloween Costume Stress

56:09 Wrap Up And Goodbye

In week five of Desert Donkeys, Ryan and Artie recap a hectic sports and betting week, including a brutal Saints loss, debating sharp vs “Instagram-influenced” picks, and a late-arriving but fun USA–Mexico match in Glendale that turned into a traffic nightmare. They talk golf—Ryan’s first full round back after back surgery, breaking 90, and ideas for the upcoming “Clubhouse” ledger app from Golden Camel to track games like Wolf and Nassau. The guys review recent bets (LSU over, Vandy, Clemson over, Colorado scare), free-play touchdown parlays (Bowers, Waddle, Ladd McConkey), and futures talk including a White Sox World Series obsession. They discuss survivor pool drama, NFL/CFB picks (Georgia vs Alabama, Texas vs Oklahoma, UCLA at Oregon), and upcoming leans like Saints–Vikings, Giants–Washington, Raiders–Patriots, and Browns–Jets.

00:00 Early Morning Banter
00:55 Baseball Practice Rant
02:18 Saints Bet Fallout
04:04 Golf Tips Rabbit Hole
05:42 First Round Back
07:30 Golf Cart Chaos
09:17 Clubhouse App Preview
11:47 Recapping Last Week Bets
13:14 Global Drinks Story
18:54 USA Mexico Game Drama
21:33 Stadium Location Rant
24:06 Sunday Wins and White Sox
02:36 Bankroll Reality Check
28:56 Yankees Youth Movement
30:21 Swim Meet Betting Bender
31:22 Survivor Pool Sweats
33:35 Vegas Dreams And Markers
34:06 College Picks And SEC Chaos
36:42 NIL Money Dumpster Fire
39:09 NFL Picks And Line Traps
42:05 Browns Defense And Fantasy Talk
45:39 Bad Beats And Betting Rules
51:55 Unders Versus Overs Debate
54:08 World Series Travel Plans
55:48 Wrap Up And Next Week

Ryan and Artie catch up on early fall weather in Arizona, a charity golf round at Papago (including standout play from ex-pro hockey player Robert Nilsson), and Artie’s LA trip featuring Javier’s, an over-the-top bar mitzvah, martinis at the Beverly Hills Hotel, and dinner at Mr. Chow. They pivot to Week 4 NFL and betting, reacting to surprise teams like the 0–3 Chargers and 3–0 Raiders, discussing survivor pool strategy, and breaking down games and moments including Josh Allen and James Cook, Stafford and the Rams (without Puka), DeVante vs. Patrick Surtain, and the Eagles-Bears finish with Hurts leaving and a late interception. They also vent about fantasy football frustrations, touch on the USC–Oregon hit on Dante Moore and USC’s suspension, share college picks (Vandy +24.5, Florida -5.5 vs. Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State at Iowa), preview Saints–Falcons, and close with MLB playoff talk and homer/TD parlay ideas. Subscribe to Desert Donkeys and follow Golden Camel.

00:00 Welcome Back and Fall Vibes

00:37 Morning Workouts and Neighborhood Show

01:21 Charity Golf at Papago

03:21 Hockey Player Golf Swing Secrets

06:33 LA Trip with Bob Hoff

07:24 Next Level Bar Mitzvah Party

11:20 Beverly Hills Nightcap and Mr Chow

03:10 Margaritas and the 30 Day Reset

15:07 Fantasy Football Frustrations

16:35 NFL Betting Beats and Bad Beats

24:28 Week Four Takeaways and Eagles Talk

25:25 Concussion Penalty Fallout

26:09 Bad Beat Touchdowns

26:55 Fantasy Standings Check

28:17 USC Hit Controversy

31:31 College Picks Week Ahead

34:38 Patriots Panic Talk

35:43 Super Bowl Contenders

38:34 NFL Picks And Overs

44:19 Goal Line Playcalling Rant

47:45 Baseball Playoffs Bets

49:57 Vegas Trip Manifesting

51:51 Wrap Up And Clips

Artie Baxter and Ryan Magrum grind through a brutally tired Week 3 morning after flying to a San Diego charity event and getting home around 5:00 AM, recapping Cameron Whitcomb’s standout performance, late-night partying, and watching LSU vs. Ole Miss mid-concert while betting. They break down a rough weekend of sports betting (LSU, Colorado, Packers, Bears, and SNF/MNF frustration), including a massive near-miss touchdown parlay centered on Jaylen Waddle, plus NFL takes on teams like the Bengals, Jets, Falcons, Saints, Bills, Chargers, Cowboys, and Giants/Rams. They also hit fantasy football injuries and results, debate Caleb Williams’ sideline theatrics, discuss Golden Camel app/model performance and camel coins, preview college football lines (Texas–Tennessee, Ole Miss–Florida, Oregon–USC, LSU–Texas A&M), and close with Artie’s cautious return to golf ahead of a scramble tournament.

00:00 Morning After Hangover

00:57 San Diego Charity Trip

03:59 Cameron Whitcomb Show

06:14 Degenerate Game Watching

07:44 Bad Beats and Betting Apps

09:46 Tequila Shot Regrets

10:56 Sunday Parlays Heartbreak

16:49 Fantasy Injuries and Caleb

20:48 Celebrity Boxing Talk

24:21 NFL Week Three Chaos

26:00 NFL Team Rundown

26:25 Cowboys Goal Line Disaster

27:45 Injury Reaction Debate

29:56 Fantasy Death Pool Update

31:36 College Picks And Kiffin Chaos

34:20 Saturday Lines And Trap Games

37:06 Survivor Pool And Saints Hype

38:30 NFL Picks And Brutal Schedules

41:57 App Model Insights Surge

44:19 Back To Golf After Injury

46:08 Tournament Plans And Wrap Up

47:52 Bad Beats And Closing Stories

Ryan and Artie recap a late-week Desert Donkeys episode filled with travel and betting stories, including Ryan’s storm diversion from Phoenix to Las Vegas, a quick Wynn blackjack loss, a sleepless night, and a partial win-back before flying home. Artie shares learning mahjong, beating his wife in multiple games (with one asterisk win), and finally getting a haircut, as they pivot into Week 2 NFL and college football betting chaos—Artie’s brutal Saturday run with ASU and Kentucky before more losses, plus a DraftKings bet that never registered despite sweating Chiefs–Broncos. They debate Denver’s play-calling, Deshaun Watson’s struggles, and Ryan’s hot streak capped by touchdown-scorer parlays and a big cash-out, then preview LSU–Ole Miss (and the over), Colorado at Northwestern, NFL leans like Saints–Ravens over, Packers at Jets, Giants +7.5 vs Rams, and a Chase/Wilson/DeVonta Smith TD parlay.

00:00 Back After 10 Days

00:32 Flight Diverted to Vegas

05:07 Blackjack Losses and Rules

07:45 Early Morning Redemption

11:20 Learning Mahjong at Home

15:26 Haircut Talk and Staying Fresh

18:07 Saturday Betting Meltdown

22:35 DraftKings Bet Vanishes

25:56 NFL Heater and Cashing Out

30:25 Josh Allen vs Fantasy Hopes

31:36 Protect The QB

32:14 Cook Gets His Due

32:56 Bills Look Unbeatable

34:28 Stadium Energy And Tables

34:54 Kiffin Gamesmanship

36:42 LSU Ole Miss Betting

37:55 Week Games To Watch

38:59 Wrigley Field Chaos

43:20 Colorado Win Total Talk

44:53 Watson Meltdown

48:11 App Strongest Leans

49:04 Degenerate Betting Stories

50:17 Sunday Picks And Parlay

53:18 NFL Takeaways And Futures

57:03 VIP Bonuses And Volume

01:00:35 Wrap Up And Golf Plans

NFL Week 1 Is Here: Seahawks-Patriots, Buffs Late Drama, Vegas Blackjack Win & Betting Picks

On the Desert Donkeys podcast, Ryan and Artie count down to NFL Week 1, react to the Seahawks–Patriots season-opening matchup, and talk fantasy football nerves and confidence. They recap a hectic birthday weekend that included travel for a memorial service, Lake Pleasant tubing, and Artie’s surprise Wynn blackjack run where he went up about $13K before cashing out a winner. The guys break down Colorado’s 14–13 win over Georgia Tech (including a late blocked field goal), debate ASU and Clemson after LSU’s big win, and share frustrations with FanDuel/DraftKings restrictions and prediction markets. They discuss SMU vs Florida State clock management, the Michigan–Western Michigan ending, NIL concerns, and preview upcoming games with picks like the Bucs–Bengals over, Cowboys–Giants over, Broncos +2.5 at the Chiefs, and thoughts on Texas vs Ohio State and Oklahoma vs Michigan. Subscribe to Desert Donkeys and follow Golden Camel.

00:00 NFL Eve Jitters
01:04 Football All Week
01:37 International Game Confusion
03:23 Super Bowl Rematch Preview
05:50 Fantasy Leagues Pressure
06:30 Birthday Weekend Chaos
09:01 Colorado Buffs Bet Recap
13:10 Lane Kiffin and LSU Talk
15:18 Broadcast Booth Goes Off Rails
17:11 Vegas Birthday Blackjack Heater
21:40 Greed and Golden Plays
22:16 Chasing Unders Regret
23:16 FSU SMU Blackout
24:35 Clock Management Meltdown
26:06 Michigan Hail Mary Drama
28:25 Recapping Winning Bets
29:45 NFL Week Picks
31:12 Browns Watson Debate
33:00 Cardinals Fantasy Angles
35:16 College Slate Preview
39:19 App Store Approval Update
42:33 Prediction Markets Confusion
45:38 Wrap Up Next Week

Desert Donkeys: Back Surgery Relief, Vibe Coding the Golden Camel App & Week 1 College Football Bets

Ryan and Artie record early in a new studio space, reflect on a chaotic but energizing nine months, and joke about hair, birthdays, and getting older. The conversation turns serious as Ryan shares years of chronic back pain, an MRI showing collapsed discs (L4-5 and L5-S1), successful disc replacement surgery in LA with Dr. Perry, and the mental toll pain can take, including losing a friend to suicide. They discuss recovery, PT, sleep tracking, drinking less, and daily optimization habits. On the business side, they explain how AI and “vibe coding” (Claude and ChatGPT) helped them rapidly rebuild and add features to the Golden Camel app, including golf and betting research tools, plus their Golden Edge predictor (57% and up 27 units). They preview Week 1 football, fantasy drafts, and picks like Colorado vs Georgia Tech, ASU over its win total, and opinions on LSU, Ole Miss, and Arch Manning at Texas.

00:00 Desert Donkeys Intro
00:41 New Studio Catch Up
01:56 Hair Age And Cubs
03:59 Wrigley Field Stories
07:09 Chicago Summers And Weather
09:00 Back Pain MRI And Surgery
12:22 Pain Mental Health Reality
14:48 Alternatives To Surgery
19:23 Entrepreneur Chaos And Closure
21:20 Optimizing Life And Happiness
24:23 Sleep Drinking And Recovery
28:33 AI And Vibe Coding Shift
30:31 Vibe Coding Breakthrough
32:18 AI Speed And Agility
35:45 Golden Edge Betting Tools
38:49 Fantasy Draft Chaos
43:30 Remembering Dawson
49:05 College Football Picks
56:51 Wrap Up And Sign Off

Desert Donkeys Ep. 26: Disney Money Printers, March Madness Meltdowns & a Spring Break Broken Arm

After a kid-chaos spring break hiatus, the Desert Donkeys return to recap how spring break used to mean PB&Js and video games, not Disneyland price-gouging and two-hour lines for Guardians of the Galaxy. They break down Duke’s brutal March Madness collapse, debate UConn vs Illinois and Michigan vs U of A, and swap gambling takes—plus shout out “Wyatt,” their new AI picks bot that sometimes tells them to stop being degenerates. The conversation pivots to golf picks and Masters speculation, then to Tiger’s latest legal trouble and the logic of not having a driver. They close with a brutal spring break ski story: Max breaks his arm on a jump, sparking a wider rant about how dangerous skiing really is, and they make a bet on who wins it all.

00:00 Back From Hiatus

00:14 Spring Break Chaos

01:04 Growing Up Broke

02:12 Disneyland Money Trap

03:39 Guardians Ride Trauma

06:28 Disney Hacks And Weirdos

07:55 Mushrooms At Disney

08:15 Duke Collapse Breakdown

10:54 UConn Betting Trends

12:51 Gambling Recap And Picks

16:56 March Madness Stakes

17:21 Record Viewership Buzz

18:17 AI Betting Picks

19:20 Golf Pool Strategy

20:13 Masters Predictions

22:20 Tiger Crash Fallout

28:02 Ski Trip Injury

31:17 Skiing Danger Stories

33:57 Wrap Up And Wagers

Desert Donkeys Ep. 25: The Pharaoh Joins—Bad Beats, March Madness, and the State of College Sports

In episode 25 of Desert Donkeys presented by Golden Camel, the hosts welcome special guest Rami “The Pharaoh” from Los Angeles, their reigning fantasy football champion, and revisit a notorious trade that still fuels his competitive edge. The conversation ranges from ongoing betting struggles and golf pool losses to classic bad beats, including Washington’s last-second collapse, plus reflections on how the 3-point era, missed fundamentals, and relaxed travel calls have changed basketball. Rami criticizes NIL, the transfer portal, conference realignment (Pac-12 to Big Ten), and player empowerment, arguing it hurts rivalries, accountability, and defense. They debate March Madness favorites, coaching and guard play, swap stories about Disneyland costs, World Cup ticket prices in LA, the LA Marathon finish, and close with Rami’s worst gambling losses (28–3, Seahawks goal-line) and a favorite win (Denver over Carolina).

00:00 Meet the Pharaoh
01:25 Fantasy Champ Talk
03:52 On Brand Chaos
05:10 Another Betting Loss
05:54 Golf Pool Misery
09:46 Do We Know Anything
12:03 Bad Beats and Hoops
13:16 LeBron Travel Rant
14:21 MJ Sighting Story
17:23 March Madness Begins
17:41 Pac 12 Breakup Fallout
20:56 NIL Money Madness
23:18 Who Wins the Tourney
27:28 Transfer Portal Problem
29:24 Fixing the Portal Rules
31:20 Player Power and Contracts
33:17 Lakers Roster Gripes
33:39 LeBron No Killer Switch
33:53 Defense Accountability Missing
35:14 Pat Riley Old School Heat
35:54 Athletes Too Soft Today
37:43 Disneyland Price Rant
41:35 World Cup LA Reality Check
43:50 LA Marathon Photo Finish
47:01 Marathon Training Life Balance
49:07 College Hoops Rivalry Energy
53:02 March Madness Picks And Tiers
57:41 Gambling Strategy Guard Play
59:45 Bad Beats And Big Wins
01:03:29 Golden Camel Farewell