Second String Opinions

Lambeau Field Fire Fallout: The most exciting part of the Packers offseason the last several weeks has been the extinguished fire at Lambeau Field on Tuesday, and we break down the bizarre, wild reaction around it.

Rich Bisaccia Saga: We rehash the strange Rich Bisaccia story that has led him to become the special teams coordinator at Clemson — and all the twists that came with it.

McDaniel & LaFleur Coaching Debate: Raheem Mostert said former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was too much of a “player’s coach” to be truly successful, and the guys wonder if Matt LaFleur might have a similar issue.

One Word Wednesday: We react to today’s biggest stories using just one powerful word.

Bucks Bounce Back Tonight: The Bucks look to bounce back tonight against the Hawks after a brutal performance in their loss to the Celtics on Monday and a catastrophic 27-0 run loss to the Bulls that snapped Chicago’s 11-game skid.

What We Missed: We wrap with our signature segment highlighting the under-the-radar stories and takeaways from around the sports world that you might’ve missed this week.

On today's Mr. Irrelevant: Combine Fallout: We react to the fallout from Strouf’s viral NFL Combine attempt, including a retweet from Bears QB Caleb Williams — and discuss whether there’s any real beef there.

Weekend Follow-Ups: Josh DiMaggio follows up on a few things from Strouf’s weekend.

Packers Special Teams Shakeup: The Packers have hired Cam Achord as their new special teams coordinator following Rich Bisaccia’s departure, but Strouf argues it doesn’t really matter because the Packers’ special teams are always doomed.

Achord’s Diet: We break down Achord’s insane diet — six coffees and three Pepsis per day — and what that type of energy might mean for the role.

Brewers Karma Debate: Marc Silverman of ESPN Chicago said the Brewers cursed Wisconsin sports after pulling out the ‘L’ flag in their postseason series — we debate whether karma is real.

Bucks Worst Loss: The Milwaukee Bucks suffered their worst loss of the season on Sunday, allowing a 27-0 run by the Chicago Bulls — a team that’d lost 11 straight entering that matchup.

What We Missed: Wrapping up with our signature segment highlighting under-the-radar moments and takeaways from across the sports world.

March Mode is live. ESPN Wisconsin’s Alex Strouf and Wisconsin legend Ben Brust kick off a twice-weekly NCAA Tournament sprint with a full breakdown of the Wisconsin Badgers as March arrives.

The Badgers looked like two different teams on the West Coast: a rough loss at Oregon, then a 17-point win at Washington sparked by Braden Carrington’s 32 points and 9 threes. So what does it mean for Wisconsin’s NCAA Tournament seed, their Big Ten Tournament outlook, and the matchups they do (and do not) want?

Plus: Ben gives his take on the national title picture, the conferences he trusts most, why he’s skeptical of Duke in March, and quick-hits on Big Ten contenders like Michigan, Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Drop your questions in the comments and we’ll hit them on the next episode.

Chapters

0:00 March Mode begins

0:56 Badgers: Oregon loss, Washington blowout

2:30 NCAA Tournament seeding: 7 seed vs 6 seed conversation

5:06 Matchups the Badgers should avoid

6:00 Wisconsin’s analytics jump (KenPom/Bart Torvik talk)

10:55 Maryland + Purdue preview

15:20 National contenders and why Ben doubts Duke

22:25 Big Ten “say something nice” lightning round

28:20 Audience questions callout + Ben’s March résumé

🏃 Combine Rewind: We review the second annual Mr. Irrelevant Combine, where Strouf once again fully embarrassed himself — and it may have been the wakeup call we all expected.

📋 NFLPA Report Cards Reaction: The latest NFLPA report cards were released and the Packers didn’t look great — ranking near the bottom overall, with Matt LaFleur earning a B- and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich getting a C.

💰 NFL Salary Cap News: The NFL salary cap is increasing by around $22 million in 2026, giving teams more flexibility — we discuss what that means for the Packers’ offseason strategy.

🏀 Bucks Tank Job Update: The Milwaukee Bucks’ supposed tank job isn’t working — they’ve won 8 of their last 10 games and find themselves just 1.5 games out of the Eastern Conference play-in picture as Giannis’ return looms.

👋 Farewell to Hunter Vaughn: Today is Hunter Vaughn’s final show on Mr. Irrelevant — we relive a classic Hunter moment and bid him adieu as he moves on to other opportunities with ESPN Madison.

🔎 What We Missed: We close out with our signature segment highlighting the under-the-radar storylines and key takeaways from around the sports world this week.

🏈 Reacting to Gutekunst at the Combine: We break down Packers GM Brian Gutekunst’s comments at the NFL Scouting Combine — from offensive line philosophy to roster needs and salary cap realities — and what it suggests for Green Bay’s offseason direction.

💪 Rashan Gary’s Future: After another up-and-down season, will DE Rashan Gary return to the Packers? We debate the options and what his future could mean for this defense.

🐻 Bears HC Ben Johnson Takes a Shot: Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson has once again targeted the Packers in his public comments, and Strouf admits he actually enjoyed the fire.

🎟️ Packers Ticket Revocations: The Packers are again revoking season tickets from ticketholders who sold 100% of their tickets last season, and fans are angry — but Strouf sees no problem with the policy.

🤔 Josh’s Conspiracy Theory: Josh has a wild theory about what the Packers’ future could hold — and we break down if there’s any merit to it.

🔤 One Word Wednesday: We react to today’s biggest stories with just one word each.

🔎 What We Missed: Wrap-up of the under-the-radar sports moments and takeaways heading into the weekend, including a special show announcement.

On Mr. Irrelevant with Alex Strouf, Josh DiMaggio, Will Sommers & Hunter Vaughn:

🏈 Packers Catch-Up: We get everyone up to speed — Rich Bisaccia has stepped down as the Packers’ special teams coordinator after four seasons with the team, marking another major coaching change for Green Bay this offseason.

🏀 Giannis Future: Giannis Antetokounmpo made comments about his future in Milwaukee, and we discuss what that means now that he’s staying with the Bucks for the moment.

⚾ Brewers Fun News: The Brewers paid the City of Milwaukee to include their logo on street potholes, sparking reactions — and we break down what this says about the team and the city vibe.

💍 Strouf Life Update: Huge personal news — Strouf got engaged! We celebrate and share the story with the crew.

📋 Packers Offseason Blueprint: What you’ve all been waiting for — Strouf and Joshy simulated the Packers’ offseason and laid out a blueprint from free agents to the draft, even if we’re not entirely sure how good the plan really is.

🔎 What We Learned: We close the show with key takeaways and under-the-radar storylines from around the sports world that you might have missed.

On Mr. Irrelevant with Alex Strouf, Josh DiMaggio, Will Sommers & Hunter Vaughn:

📊 NFL Draft Class Rankings: We break down NFL.com’s ranking of the 2025 draft classes, where the Green Bay Packers rank dead last (#32) while the rival Chicago Bears come in #1 — and discuss whether that’s concerning or expected given how few rookies saw meaningful opportunity last season.

📉 Packers Draft Reality: Strouf digs into how the lack of rookie contributions since 2023 has impacted team success, especially compared to how Seattle and last year’s Eagles thrived en route to a Lombardi Trophy.

🤔 Confidence in Gutekunst?: We debate the confidence level in Packers GM Brian Gutekunst’s ability to nail the draft after eight years on the job and what it means for building a contender.

💰 Offseason Concerns: Strouf explains his concern about how the Packers can elevate this team in free agency and the draft with limited salary cap room and several key decisions looming, while Josh tries to calm him down.

🏀 Bucks Update: The Milwaukee Bucks keep rolling, defeating the Thunder to enter the All-Star Break with no signs of tanking as they await Giannis Antetokounmpo’s return.

🔎 What We Missed: As always, we wrap with under-the-radar storylines and key takeaways you might have overlooked ahead of the weekend.

One more for the road. The Season 2 finale of the weekly edition of Weekly Wilde is here, and Jason Wilde and Alex Strouf close the book by diving into what’s next for the Packers after Super Bowl week.

They start with the most unsurprising (and most debated) hire of the offseason: Luke Getsy returning as quarterbacks coach after Sean Mannion leaves. From there, they get into the backup quarterback plan with Malik Willis expected to depart, and why the Packers are clearly stacking reclamation projects behind Jordan Love.

Then it’s rapid-fire offseason triage: Josh Jacobs and the value of leadership and toughness, the reality of offensive line decisions (Elgton Jenkins, Aaron Banks, Sean Rhyan), and the looming Rashan Gary cap and production conversation. Plus: why “change for change’s sake” is tempting, but not always better.

On Mr. Irrelevant with Alex Strouf, Josh DiMaggio, Hunter Vaughn & Will Sommers:

🤔 Packers’ Big Free Agent Questions: With free agency one month away, we break down Strouf’s five biggest questions for the Packers — including whether Green Bay will make tough decisions like cutting Rashan Gary and if Josh Jacobs is the running back of the future.

🏀 Ben Brust Joins: Ben Brust host of Kyle, Brust and Nortman joins to defend his take that you shouldn't want an MVP QB if you want to win a Super Bowl.

🏔️ Olympic Drama: We react to Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Lægreid’s viral moment at the 2026 Winter Olympics, where he publicly admitted to cheating on his girlfriend after winning a bronze medal — a confession that has sparked debate over timing, integrity, and impact.

🔎 What We Missed: Our signature wrap-up of the under-the-radar storylines and key takeaways you might’ve overlooked as the sports world heads deeper into February.

On Mr. Irrelevant with Alex Strouf & Josh DiMaggio:

• 🏆 Packers vs Seahawks Gap: The Seattle Seahawks won the Super Bowl — but how far away from that level are the Green Bay Packers? Strouf breaks down the numbers and explains plainly how recent Packers draft classes since 2023 have contributed minimally to team success compared to teams like Seattle and last year’s Eagles.

• ✍️ Ed Policy on Continuity & Strategy: We take a look at Packers President and CEO Ed Policy’s comments about extending Matt LaFleur, Brian Gutekunst, and Russ Ball. Policy emphasized the need to rise above emotion and evaluate the entire body of work when making long-term decisions to compete for Super Bowls year in and year out.

• ⚾ Brewers Trade Reaction: The Milwaukee Brewers made a Monday morning deal with the Boston Red Sox, sending third baseman Caleb Durbin — a key contributor last season — along with Anthony Seigler and Andruw Monasterio in exchange for pitchers Kyle Harrison and Shane Drohan and infielder David Hamilton. We discuss what the Brewers’ plan at third base might be and whether it’s something that should concern Brewers fans.

• 🔎 What We Missed: We close with our signature wrap-up of storylines and angles from around the sports world you might’ve overlooked this week.