39. Bri Martinez (Hot Girls Talk Sports): Chatting Conference Championships

0:22Hey, it's Victoria. The game's on. Welcome back to another episode of your favorite football podcast by the girls for everyone, the game. Today, we're yapping and recapping the conference championship games between the Patriots and the Broncos and the Rams and the Seahawks. Today, to chat with me through the weekend, I have Brie Martinez, the creator of Hot Girls Talk Sports on Instagram and TikTok. And she is a Jets fan, an avid football lover. She has incredible sports content, super funny posts, really, really honest takes on how it feels to be a Jets fan amidst a Patriots win. So without further ado, let's get into it.

1:08If you're not following us already, make sure that you hit subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, et cetera, so that you never miss an episode from us. We have some great interviews as well. We just dropped our interview with Carly Teller. She is the wife of Wyatt Teller, who is a Browns guard. Also in the archive, we have our interview with Alexandra Francisco. She is inside the Patriots organization on their media and journalism team. And she talks a lot about how it works inside the organization. So a really on-topic episode for you to listen to this week. If you're not following us on Substack, the game, the podcast.substack.com and the all girls group chat there on Substack as well.

1:47All right, without further ado, let's get into it. Brie, welcome to the game. Hello. Happy to be here. So excited to chat with you about the weekend. There was only two games, but I feel like we have nothing short of a ton to talk about. I know you have some fiery opinions from yesterday's games. So we're going to get into all of the drama, the details, everything we need to know about last week or last week yesterday. And then we'll get into our ins and outs list. We're going to start with the Pats Broncos game. First of all, the winter storm coming at this time is so psychotic. The did you see like the Instagram that was like first quarter to fourth quarter?

2:35Insane. Like I did not think that was coming, but I mean, it was snowing by us. And I was like, wow, it looks so beautiful in Denver. It's going to be a perfect game. Like it's cold, but like what a beautiful day to play some fricking football. And I was like, what is going on? I know it's like a couple of beers and you'll be warm. It'll be great. And then I'm like, keep watching. Like what is happening over there? And the most perfect opportune time for the snow to come right when the Patriots go up by three points. And it's like now no one can play football. Might as well have ended the game there because not a point was scored.

3:12Yeah. Once it started snowing, everyone was like, well, that was enough. Thank you, everybody, for coming. We're cold. And I'm here, like, in fetal position, like, please, Denver, score points. I can't. I can't. Ugh. Yeah, so the Pats are back. Brie is a big Jets fan if you didn't know. Please help me. A Jets queen. I am blinking twice and I do need help. It's not not a good place to be. Who is worse off right now? The Jets or the Bills fans? You know what? I would say like I'm very used to this. So as much as painful as this is, I think going to the frickin playoffs seven years in a row and nothing transpiring from that is really rough.

4:03And then the year where you have the best route, like I was full send. I almost put like a thousand dollars on a bet to be like, Josh Allen is winning the Superbowl this year. Like how can he not? And that the fact that Drake may is going to the Superbowl over Josh Allen is unimaginable for bills fans and the bills mafia. So I really feel for that. That game was, was brutal but i saw this most insane stat this morning okay what i think it was like since 2000 guess how many times any team in the afcs has been to the super bowl 26 years how many teams in the afc in the afc like afc east and our in our four i missed the east part And I was like, every single year, what is this weird stuff?

4:52Since 2000, Dolphins, Bills, Jets, Pats. Who's been to the zero? Since 2000. Like how many times? I don't know. Well, let me tell you. Just the Patriots. And they've been there 10 times. Miami Dolphins, zero. Bills, zero. Jets, zero. 26 years. Insane. Okay, but this is one of the things that's crazy to me because if your rivalry games are against other teams who aren't winning, then how are you going to get better? We're not. We can't get out of this. I actually feel like we're in jail and we just can't. I just wish there could be a position to change and switch up divisions because I actually had hope two years ago.

5:37I was like, you know what? Finally, we have some justice in the world and we're going to make it to at least 500, you know? Not even, I don't even need to get to the playoffs yet. Just give me 10 wins, you know? It's not too much to ask. Yeah, 10 wins is so great. Eight, you know what? Six, six. Give me six wins. I can't even have that. And now this baby is taking the Patriots to the Super Bowl. And I went to UMass, so all of my friends are Patriots fans and they just, I also saw a Super Bowl win while I was in school. So they won the Super Bowl in 2016 when I was a senior. And it was brutal. Brutal.

6:19But yeah, so the Patriots have this beautiful riding into the sunset season, you know? Great, easy schedule. Go Knicks gets hurt. Come on. That is so insane. But Drake May is essentially the NFL's Nepo baby. No, literally. They're like the most... Everyone's saying now, it's like the rich team is making it. They're all these super freaking... Have billions of dollars. And what's his wife's name? She's so freaking cute. I actually meant to say, the one thing that I like about the Patriots is her. She's the only thing you could find? The only thing. There's only one. And it's Drake Mason. It's the queen.

7:07What are they calling her? The queen of the East? Yeah. Yeah. Unreal. But anyways. They really are like the Dodgers of the NFL. Yep. Yeah. Except with the salary cap. Yeah. But the fact that they have this backup quarterback. Also, all these fans are like acting like they just did something outrageous. They're jumping up and down. Like you just beat a backup quarterback who's had four NFL starts in his entire career by three points, who had a two handed reversed pass in order for you to get one touchdown, one in the end zone. And it was because of that. I, I cannot. OK, I. First of all, the social media posts.

7:58OK, listen, I do not hate the Patriots. I was not a huge fan. I know. I saw your post yesterday. Yeah, I was not. I'm not. I wasn't around in the Tom Brady era. I don't think Tom Brady is hot. I'm not his biggest fan, but I can respect him. And this is how I feel about most sports. I mean, he's great. I can't say he's not. Yeah, like if someone is that good or a team is that good, like I can respect them. And I do think that every team needs to be looking at what the Patriots are doing and taking notes because they have been, you know, one of the most successful franchises of all time. they have is insane yeah and so like every team should be looking at them and saying what is going on in that organization that we do not have going on here because there's a lot of teams who had every ingredient necessary to be that good and something is like missing and i personally we interviewed this girl alexandra she is like a journalist for them and she's like inside the organization is amazing.

8:56She's like, the culture there is amazing. The owner is amazing. Like, Mike Vrabel is so great. And I'm like, then you look at the Bills press conferences, though, and you're like, obviously, that is like trouble in paradise. Like, that is the couple that you see being so in love online. And then you meet them in real life and they get in a fight on your trip to like, where are the Bahamas? And you're like, you guys seem so perfect. What is going on? And so I think that the Patriots might just be the soulmates, like the people who are like soulmates forever. And it just like works out for them.

9:26Like everyone wants to be there. It's like no one is going to go to a team that's, I mean, obviously I think there's some coaches that are like, I want to change the culture and I really want, and most of the time I feel like those are players that were there. So maybe like specifically Aaron Glenn right now is like, I was a Jets player. Like I want to turn this culture around and then be like 14 and you know, nothing changes. So I don't know. I really don't know what also amazed me about this game, but I don't know if you saw this or noticed this, but the last kick that the Broncos tried to kick was actually slightly tipped by what was his name?

10:05Leonard Taylor. Yes. You know who this man is? Because obviously the Jets had actually taken him and we said, Oh, let's, we're not going to give this man any minutes. So we released him six weeks into the season and then New England picked him up and now he's going to Super Bowl. First time he's ever blocked a kick in his life was that game. Was active to the roster. He was on the practice squad and they activated him the day before. I think they activated him Saturday morning to play. Jets to Super Bowl is a psychotic turn. insane insane you're like oh i'm going from 0-16 to the super bowl to the super bowl i love how when that happened like there's all the stuff about like the clips of it on social media but then also the announcers are like he's played however many snaps and like he's like barely we said goodbye we released you're not good enough to play for our team but rabel definitely But I love it.

11:06That guy, like, he's definitely going to make more money next year. No, I am very happy for him, but it's just like so typical. Excruciating. But that's how it happens. But did you see, what's the kicker for Denver? Lutz? Is that his name? Yeah, I think it's Will Lutz. Lutz. So he said something like the holder had held like a yard closer to the line of scrimmage than he should have because they couldn't see, obviously, because there was so much snow. and they had to like estimate where it was. So in the NFL, the holder is usually supposed to be, I think eight yards behind the line of scrimmage, but the holder, I don't know his name.

11:44I think it was like Croc, Crash, something like that. He was only seven yards back instead of eight. So he never would have touched that if there was no snow. Yeah. Yeah. That's wild. That's wild. I also am so impressed with Stidham. I loved all of the posters that said, like, we stand with Stidham. I think he did an insanely good job. I think that he's going to get picked up for a, you know, QB1 spot somewhere. I really, I had, I had a whole post about Stidham. I was like, I have faith in this man. I think you could just do some easy, nice passes. You've been in the league a little while. You know what's happening.

12:27You know what kind of game you have to play today. Two very strong defensive teams. and for the most part, I think he played great. He had some great throws and big moments of the game and he just got a little anxious and scared and then he decided to, I don't know what that was, but that two-handed flick, honey, no. But like, okay, isn't that like kind of weirdly reminiscent of when Josh Allen just like threw the ball behind him completely randomly? Like guys, get it together. Like, that's what cost the game, if you really think about it. That's the only time that they got into the end zone after that.

13:08And Drake May, king of the freaking north, gets it in there.

13:15I, yeah. I'm crashing out. Also, I don't know if you saw this. I posted this, that the game ended and I'm already like, okay, this sucks. But I did put in a nice little hefty bet the second that Bo Nix went down. and I was like, Patriots are going to Super Bowl and the Seahawks are going to Super Bowl. Like I was full send and I was like, I'm locking this in before the numbers change. So, but everyone's like, Brianna, like, are you okay with that? I'm like, it is what it is. I'll be happy if they lose and I don't really care about my bet. But anyways, I win the bet. I'm not even happy. I'm crashing out.

13:53And, but I'm starting to be like, okay, the Seahawks game's coming on. Like, I'll just forget about it. And then I look on my phone on social media and the Empire State Building posted the Patriots colors and congratulated them. What? The audacity. How dare you do that? Blasphemy. Betrayal. Like, does the Boston-New York City rivalry mean nothing to New York anymore? They have gone soft. I don't understand. Can't anyone light up the Empire State Building? I don't know. Is that a thing? I think it's an app. I'm pretty sure it's an app. And you can change the color of the Empire State Building. I think that's wrong.

14:35Why? Why? There's so many other things that you could do in your own city, okay? I don't even think that the Patriots wanted that. Why would they want that? Why would they want support from New York? They don't care. They would never do it for us. That's for sure. I'll have you know that I've reported that Instagram post over a hundred times. that is an exact duration i literally reported over 100 times i said no like up at four o 'clock in the morning like in your in your depression reporting from every account you're like making new instagram accounts to report who okayed this like boston would never do that never so that that just sent me to a really dark place and yeah I was like it's time for some wine it's time for some wine okay let's move on from that like somewhat boring game honestly like nothing really happened you know it was what it was paths are going back to the Super Bowl and we get to see more of Ann Michael May the queen who also by the way made M &M cookies did your outfit she was so cute yeah she's so cute okay also though she went from like cutie girl to like high fashion yes but like in her own way yes like she's not trying to be everyone else she's not like that typical wag she's not like in high heels and she's like i'm in my sneakers but i have a badass jacket on it's like patchworked it's so cute so different i think there was another wag i think hunter henry's wife or girlfriend i don't know if he's married but she also had a jacket and they were there was a cute posted them doing like snow angels and I was like I hate you but I love you and I hate you and I love you but I hate you yes I saw that like yeah not okay we'll root her on we'll watch her stories and no one else's okay let's move on to the Seahawks Rams games what are your takes like pre this game what were your takes on Seahawks and Rams because they're divisional rivals I was like, they know each other very, very well.

16:51It could kind of go either way. But I feel like the Seahawks have just been so dominant. And you can't ignore the fact that, one, they had a bye week. Then they demolished the 49ers. They took out starters at the end of the game. Like, that's embarrassing in a playoff game. So embarrassing. And they're home. They're home two times in a row where, you know, the Rams played away, played again, had a overtime game, which is draining on the body. And then they're going to Seattle. I was like, that alone is a huge factor that I feel like people don't really take into account as much as they should.

17:30Like, Oh, the Rams are good. Matt Stafford is amazing. And I'm not going to knock my Stafford. I think he's a great quarterback, but I was leaning towards the Seahawks. And I think the game should have been way more than it was. And I think that it was the refs versus the Seahawks. That's my take on that game. That's super interesting. I think the Seahawks being at home and the Rams traveling and overtime and all of that kind of makes sense. But I did go in person to the Rams-Cardinals game where the Rams almost lost to the Cardinals. And so I kind of just think that the Rams hype is BS because of Matt Stafford and Puka Nakua.

18:13But if you delete both of those names from your vocabulary. They're a joke. And they never win by very much. They've had no blowout games this season. They have not had any like truly dominant wins. They almost lost to the Panthers. And I think the Panthers are good. Me too. I think the Panthers are just as good as. So underrated. It's one of my favorite things to talk about. But they, like, I think that the Rams-Panthers matchup was a pretty good matchup. And so I felt like there was no way that the Rams were going to win unless they did it in a last-minute buzzer-beater situation. Because that's really all that they've showed us that they can, like, really do this season.

18:57And the Seahawks on both sides of the ball are really, really good. and they have multiple running backs and receivers that they use in every single game that produce in every single game. Like you're not just relying on one person to like make it happen. And I mean, the Rams are not a bad team. I just don't, I think that they're overhyped for the season. They actually are out. I had an article come out. My hometown online newspaper wrote an article about me but it came out today and I was reading it and they asked me who my Super Bowl predictions were and I did predict it was going to be Broncos Seahawks before Bo Nix went out and but in there I'm like talking about the teams and I'm I'm like these are the people that I like these are the people that I want to see these are who I actually think and then I think the line says like and I don't care about the Rams did something happen to you did something happen to you I just think they're overrated.

20:02I'm like so bored of them. I'm bored of the last minute win. If you're not good enough to actually win, then I don't care about you. But then like, how do you feel about the Bears? Okay. I love the Bears because one Simone Biles and two, I love Ben Johnston. Yeah. And period. And the Pope. Yeah. No, I don't think that the Bears could have beat the Seahawks in the Super Bowl. So I don't necessarily think that the Bears were ready to go all the way this season. I would have loved to watch them, but I don't think that they were ready to go for the same reason. Like winning in the final drive is not a good strategy.

20:46And it's not something that you want your team and all of your fan bases to come to expect. Right. Okay. You don't have any money. Like you want to get money at the at the 23rd hour and 59 minutes until you have to have it. Like, nobody wants that. Like, it's good for TV. And I love football because I love the reality TV of it all. So I love the Bears. I love what they have going on. I think Caleb Williams is an absolute gem. I also think that Caleb Williams is doing a lot for the ideas of what an NFL player should be with his painted nails and his matcha and his his just like fearlessness of like being himself, which in the NFL should not be bold, but it is.

21:25And so overall, I love what the Bears are doing. I think that if they can refine next year to make some of those big plays during the season, and if they keep their quality and can push it up to third quarter instead of last drive, then they can be a really great contender for the Super Bowl next year. And I think the NFC North is going to be insane next year. Love it. Love it. So that's my Bears rant. You're like, what do you think about the Bears? And I'm like, do you have 35 minutes? Because let me tell you. No, I love them. I love them. I really do. I think they're similar to the Lions. Yes.

22:04Yes. Lions are my second love. So I knew we would get along. Yeah. But anyways, let's talk about daddy. Daddy is Sam Darnold. Excuse me. Yes. 300 yards plus three touchdowns yesterday. JSN and Kenneth Walker came to work yesterday to work. It was I feel like they played such a clean game. I wasn't stressed out because the way that they were playing wasn't keeping me on the edge of my seat. Obviously the score was close, but I feel like Sam Darnold was just making it happen like over and over and over again. He was, he was doing exactly what he, I think he had the best game of his life. Like I think he played with such precision.

22:52Like his throws were just right on target. He was on it. I feel like he was reading the defense so well. I don't know. I think he was, he was ready for that in every way, shape or form. I agree. And so Sam Darnold is also the only quarterback from the 2018 draft class to make it to the Super Bowl. He was not given a chance. He wasn't. Of course, the Jets drafted another baddie. And, you know, we're just notorious for giving up young quarterbacks and we just that don't produce immediately. We're like, oh, sorry, you can't do it now. Bye. And go on and blossom to this beautiful flower. I also feel like this is like an ex-boyfriend that I wish I like never let go of.

23:35And I was like too young to really understand what true love was. And I was just like needed to explore other options. And he's just like the one that got away. And speaking of that, we fell in love in 2018. I don't know if you know that. We met and we fell in love. But you met. Wait, oh yes. I was like, I was like, are you making a reference to Rihanna? Like we fell in love in a hopeless place. No, no. I wasn't really trying to get on board. And I was like, okay, okay, Victoria, like you're intelligent. I'm being serious. I saw the video and I like how the video, I mean, at least in the part that I saw, like you're not facing the camera at all, ever.

24:13I didn't, first of all, I didn't know the camera is being like played. My mom was behind there and was like, just started recording me. I'm like this. I'm 24. I'm petrified to meet this giant. Who's also a baby, but I was so scared. I'm not good with talking to anyone famous. Like I actually black out and I'm just like, Hey, so like, I don't even know what team you're playing on. Oh, you play for my team. I'm not sure. No. Okay. So we met. He immediately put his arm around my back and he told me I had a nice butt. And that's a fact. And I was like, are we in love? But then I forgot how to speak.

24:57Is that real? I swear. I tell this to everybody. it's like my favorite my my proudest moment of my entire life okay i'm looking up sam darnold in 2018 to like see what he looked like in 2018 because he's like hot now i know no he was cute he was cute always he's cute yeah he's always he's always been like cute looks like decently taken care of then yeah he's massive yeah no he's big but anyway so we spoke for a solid like 30 seconds like everyone there there was hundreds of people there they were speaking to him for like 10 seconds if you notice it or re-watch the video link it in there whenever you post this is he like grabs his pen to like sign something because that's typically what he was doing he was like coming up saying hi like handshake sign quick photo out of here i mean like conversated put his arm around me put the sharpie down and was like hey meanwhile i'm the most awkward person ever.

25:56My shoulders are forward. I'm like, okay. I feel like though, when you, when you're in that position and then you just meet someone who like feels like they could be your friend, then you're just like, Oh, Hey, what's up? Yeah. I think a second time had I had a second opportunity game over and his soon to be wife now would not be there. Would have been you guys. I was watching the posts of his fiance and them too. I mean, they're super cute, but I was like, he's the one that got away that you never actually knew. Never knew. He got away from both you and the Jets. Yeah. Yep. But I am like fully taking on, like we are in the Superbowl.

26:41Like I am a hundred percent claiming Sam Darnold as, as our own and we are making it there. Like that's, that's how, how I feel. Yeah. Okay. I, yeah, I love Sam Darnold and I like that you're on the Sam train. He played like such a clean game that it's like, I can't, it's almost like I couldn't imagine them not going to the Superbowl. Yeah. Like I couldn't imagine that game going any other way. It was destined to happen. Like this was meant to be, but you know, when you said he's the first one, he, he like, he was in an interview yesterday and said, actually I was in the Superbowl with the 49ers which i didn't even i forgot that he was even on the 40s but okay maybe yeah maybe the stat is like starters you know that the men in the stats building like always are saying crazy things like don't matter how do we feel how do we feel about the taunting call did you see that okay okay this is the one where where the patriots were taunting no no no this was the game the most recent game the sea the seahawks game where i think his name is woolen on the the seahawks and he like went to the ref after he blocked like puka on like a third it was like an important drive i think it was like 31 to 20 the seahawks and it was fourth and 12 right yes and he's like yeah he went over to the ram sideline it was like saying stuff and then i don't even think the ref was close he He definitely couldn't hear what he had to say.

28:13And then Devontae Adams goes to the ref and was like, hey, that's a taunting penalty. And he's like, throws the flag. And obviously that leads to Puka touchdown. That's what it meant by the refs. What is America? Not America. America wanted the Seahawks to go to the Super Bowl. But I think NFL wanted the Rams to go to the Super Bowl yesterday. Right after that, also, the next drive that the Seahawks had, Sam gets bodied. Like, huge, horrible, like, I was like, this man broke his leg. I was scared. Yeah. Yeah, like, he's out. And no roughing the passer play. They didn't call it. I was like, okay, I know what they're trying to do here.

28:54I've been getting fired up all season about inconsistencies in refs. That's what I'm saying. I think that, like, the nature of the game is that refs are human people. But if we're going to use replay assist and AI and all of these things, then let's use them. Yeah. And let's force some consistency because using them without consistency is like a disservice to everybody. It's just, it's not fair at all. I don't know what a catch is. I don't know what a roughing the passer is anymore. I really don't. It's changing the game in a bad way. Like they're not letting the players play. And there's just too many calls that are just really making people crash out because one team is so different from the next.

29:43Yeah. I mean, all of Bill's Mafia is on the crash out still. Still. Still freaking out. I would be. Which, but it is true. And it's like for the players, it's millions and millions and millions of dollars on the line. Yeah. Yeah. I said this in a previous episode, but I think that there should only be like safety calls. Sure. Right. So like helmet to helmet. Right. Not okay. Right. Like always not okay. Things like that. But like, I think that other than that, we should only choose five penalties that you can call in a game. Get really clear on exactly what they are and what they're not. Yeah.

30:19And only call those five. So like this year we're calling tripping and we're calling pass interference. Yeah. And like offsides doesn't matter. in the wrong spot, whatever. What is it? Like, illegal lineup or something? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I'm like, stupid penalty. And I'm like, I don't care. I literally don't care. And maybe deep, deep football heads will get so mad at me for that. But like, I just... Like, let's just pick five and get them right. And then we can like add on or like pick a new five next year. Switch it up. But everyone's on the same page. Like, the past interferences have gone so out of control.

30:56And they're always like the end of the game. And it's really like it totally alters who wins the game with that. I don't know. That frustrates me. I think I think all of every NFL fan feels the same the same way about it. And I'm like, who's leading the refs? Like we need more information. I need more information. I need a ref to get on TikTok. I need him to tell me everything I need to know. I need him to break down everything and explain whether it was the right call or wrong call. We have an NFL ref that goes to my gym and he trains there. And I have gone up to him before and he'll be like, yeah, that call was horrible.