The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima

Latest Episodes:

Should We Be Meaner to Deshaun Watson? Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Social media reaction pushes Ken and Anthony to admit they might not have been hard enough on Deshaun Watson, sparking a breakdown of the PFF grading controversy that pinned every sack and the interception on Watson rather than crediting the shaky offensive line play. They contrast the grace fans extend to a likeable performer like Brayan Rocchio with the total lack of goodwill toward Watson, tying it back to the guaranteed-money business decision that never won fans over emotionally. Callers weigh in from both sides, one arguing Browns fans should just root for wins regardless of quarterback given decades of futility, another floating a tongue-in-cheek "heel turn" strategy for Watson to embrace the boos instead of playing the victim.

Have Fans and Media Been Too Hard on Deshaun Watson? Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

A caller named David pushes back hard on the public-private playoff debate, arguing recruiting disparities in sports like soccer and tennis make competition fundamentally unfair to schools like his in Avon Lake, prompting Ken and Anthony to concede the point while noting life and competition were never designed to be fair. The show pivots to Albert Breer's take that Deshaun Watson's shaky return performance shouldn't be judged in isolation, with Ken admitting he's likely been overly critical of Watson based on years of frustration rather than this one game. Anthony points to Mary Kay Cabot's tweet about Watson's 63-yard completed bomb drawing backlash as proof that fans have already made up their minds, regardless of any positive plays he puts on tape.

Should Ohio Split Public and Private School Sports Playoffs? Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Ken and Anthony react to a suburban-league AD petition pushing to separate OHSAA public and private postseason tournaments across sports, with Ken admitting that for the first time in his life he's actually leaning toward supporting a split. They trace how playoff expansion since the 1999 football season (from 4 to 8 to 16 teams, plus seven basketball divisions) has watered down what a state championship means, while debating whether private-school "rings culture" and recruiting perception is really driving parents to send kids to schools like Archbishop or St. Ignatius. They land on the tension between wanting bigger participation numbers at public schools and losing the classic public-vs-private storyline that used to settle who was actually best.

Are the Guardians Magical? Sep 16, 2026

Show notes

Ken and Anthony dig into whether the Guardians' walk-off wins and division push amount to genuine "magic" or just well-built "Guardians ball," backing it up with a decade of walk-off stats to show the current pace isn't actually unusual. They map out a hypothetical playoff rotation (Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, Tanner Bibee) and debate whether fans would trust Foster Griffin as a third starter given his rocky Cleveland numbers so far. The conversation widens into a comparison with the Browns and Bills fanbases, with the hosts landing on the idea that the Guardians' sustained competitiveness, even without a title, is a rare and underrated baseline compared to teams stuck in long playoff droughts.

What went wrong in the Browns Week 1 blowout & Is sticking with Deshaun Watson the right call? Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Daryl Ruiter and Lance Reisland break down the Browns' 34-10 blowout loss in the opener, and evaluate if sticking with Deshaun Watson is the best move

PODCAST: Is a Wednesday Primetime NFL Game Too Much? Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima analyze the start of the football season and debate if the NFL is oversaturating the market with games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. They compare current viewing habits to the scarcity of the 1980s and discuss how streaming affects live game attendance for college and high school programs.

(00:01:40) Opening Week Football Recap

(00:04:25) NFL Midweek Game Discussion

(00:07:33) Losing The Scarcity Factor

(00:11:48) Historical Sports Popularity Comparison

(00:16:38) Streaming Impact On Attendance

Full Show: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima analyze the fallout of a difficult performance in a simulated sports season. They weigh the decision to stick with Deshaun Watson over Shedeur Sanders, discuss Ohio State's loss to Texas with Doug Lesmerises, and recap recent Guardians and Cavaliers news.

(00:02:27) Week Two Quarterback Discussion

(00:07:13) Evaluating Watson's Performance

(00:11:40) Todd Monken's Decision

(00:17:16) Comparing Watson and Shedeur

(00:24:05) Coaching Expectations and Logic

(00:28:31) Ronnie Hickman Soundbite

(00:33:12) Ohio State Loss Reaction

(00:38:36) Marketing the Quarterback Situation

(00:47:20) Analyzing Offensive Failures

(00:55:50) Free Cavaliers Broadcasts

(01:02:20) Media and Quarterback Misinformation

(01:10:31) Guardians Baseball Recap

(01:18:10) James Franklin's Presser

(01:26:41) Renaming the Gulf of Cleveland

(01:32:43) Albert Breer on Tanking

(01:39:15) Potential Manning Influence

(01:51:04) The Neutral Zone Segment

(02:01:18) Doug Lesmerises Interview

(02:12:00) Ohio State's Young Talent

(02:23:15) Case for Starting Watson

Hour 1: Deshaun Watson Stays While Browns Fans Root for Baker Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima react to Todd Monken’s decision to start Deshaun Watson in Week 2 despite a disastrous season opener. They explore the growing divide between the organization and a fan base that seems more interested in Baker Mayfield’s success than Watson’s redemption. The discussion also touches on the pressure facing Ryan Day at Ohio State following their recent performance.

(00:02:27) Week Two Quarterback Decision

(00:05:46) Fans Rooting For Baker

(00:08:52) Shedeur Sanders Potential

(00:14:05) Monken's Offensive Philosophy

(00:23:55) Coaching Preconceived Notions

(00:28:39) Hickman On Watson

(00:34:56) Ryan Day Hot Seat

(00:38:23) Haslam’s Business Decisions

Hour 2: Ken and Lima Debate if Browns Fans Should Root Against Deshaun Watson Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima break down the growing resentment toward Deshaun Watson and the ethics of rooting against the Browns to hasten a quarterback change. They also analyze the Cavaliers' new local television deal and recap a busy night for the Guardians and the Chiefs.

(00:02:15) Rooting Against Watson

(00:06:15) Browns Performance Analysis

(00:13:50) Cavs Television Deal

(00:21:40) Media Information Debate

(00:27:10) Shedeur Sanders Discussion

(00:32:15) Guardians and Chiefs Recap

(00:36:45) College Football News

Hour 3: Could Arch Manning Pull a John Elway on the Browns? Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima analyze Albert Breer's comments regarding top draft prospects potentially avoiding the Browns organization. They also weigh in on the 'Gulf of Cleveland' renaming controversy and evaluate Josh Allen's historic rushing touchdown pace compared to NFL legends.

(00:01:50) Guardians Rotation Struggles

(00:06:25) Gulf of Cleveland Renaming

(00:12:00) Drafting Rejection Fears

(00:17:30) Arch Manning Draft Strategy

(00:22:30) Quarterback Contract Leverage

(00:26:30) College Production Projections

(00:32:01) Neutral Zone Rivalry Tensions

(00:36:00) NFL Star Quarterback Analysis