The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima

Latest Episodes:

Ari Wasserman on Ohio State's Brutal Slate and Deion Sanders' Sinking Ship Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Ari Wasserman joins the show to argue Ohio State's daunting slate makes a four-loss season nearly unthinkable, while also praising Curt Cignetti's "cocky but lovable" rebuild at Indiana and calling Jeremiah Smith a rare throwback in an era where players rarely stay loyal to one program. He also weighs in on Deion Sanders' shaky standing at Colorado, noting the Buffaloes have faded fast since losing stars like Travis Hunter. The segment closes with a quick Browns tangent, as Ari says he can't find a football reason for Deshaun Watson to be starting over Shedeur Sanders.

Ken Breaks Down the "Break Glass" Watson-to-Sanders Escape Plan Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Ken and Anthony game out the Browns' quarterback situation, floating a theory that Deshaun Watson starts as a bridge while Dillon Gabriel's mystery back injury conveniently keeps him out until Shedeur Sanders is ready to take over. A caller backs the theory, suggesting Watson rides out a "charade" before the team quietly moves on to Sanders for the rest of the season. The show closes on a heated debate over whether it's fair to question Todd Monken's offense and whether Cleveland has real odds against Jacksonville in the opener.

New Theory:Deshaun Watson Could Get Benched for Dillon Gabriel, Not Shedeur Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima float a wrinkle on the quarterback drama, wondering if Todd Monken skips Shedeur Sanders altogether and instead swaps Deshaun Watson straight for Dillon Gabriel once his four-week IR stint ends, using Gabriel's familiarity with the offense as a bridge before Shedeur eventually takes over. They dig into the mechanics of Gabriel's 21-day practice window and needle each other over the suspicious timing of his back injury, joking that Watson could develop the same mysterious ailment. The guys also debate whether Watson's diminished scrambling ability makes his "bad back" excuse more believable than it first seemed.

Daryl Ruiter's on How Long Deshaun Watson's Leash Really Is Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Daryl Ruiter joins Ken Carman and Anthony Lima to break down the Browns' 53-man roster fallout, predicting Luke Floriea clears waivers onto the practice squad and putting Deshaun Watson's runway at four to six weeks rather than a quick two-game hook. He shares some fun with the suspicious timing of Dillon Gabriel's back injury without going full conspiracy, and flags real concerns about depth on both lines and in the secondary after a rough preseason. Ruiter also weighs in on Austin Barber's chances of overtaking Teven Jenkins at guard and lands on six to eight wins as a realistic ceiling for this year's roster.

Why the Browns' Defense Might Quietly Be the Bigger Problem This Year Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman lays out his case for why the Browns' defense, not just the quarterback situation, deserves real concern this season, pointing to a lack of depth exposed by preseason absences from Denzel Ward, Tyson Campbell, and Carson Schwesinger. He argues that replacing Myles Garrett's production is only half the issue since the attention he drew opened things up for everyone else on defense, and worries Mike Rutenberg could take unfair blame if the unit slips from top-five to top-fifteen. Anthony pushes back some on the doom, and the two also debate whether the leaguewide preseason quarterback blackout traces back to Sean McVay before closing with more ribbing about Odell Beckham Jr.'s appearance.

Lima Likes: Jose Ramirez's Bomb and Odell's Mysterious New Face Aug 31, 2026

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In this edition of Lima Likes, Anthony Lima celebrates Jose Ramirez snapping his home run drought during an 11-1 rout of the Royals that keeps Cleveland's Wild Card hopes alive, while noting the Guardians remain firmly in "can" not "will" territory with 25 games left. He and Ken dig into Chris Antonetti's non-committal stance on prospect Ralphy Velasquez's call-up case, run through a sloppy college football weekend for Browns quarterback prospects like CJ Bailey, and close with an extended, mostly unserious debate over whether Odell Beckham Jr. has had work done.

Why the Shedeur Sanders Switch Might Be Coming Sooner Than You Think Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman doubles down on his prediction that Deshaun Watson gets benched for Shedeur Sanders by week three, arguing he doesn't believe Watson can play well anywhere, while Anthony and Owen push back with historical precedent on how long teams typically stick with a struggling starter. They bring in NFL Live analysis from Jason McCourty and Chase Daniel, both of whom argue the current setup could actually benefit Sanders' long-term development rather than rushing him into a sink-or-swim situation. The guys also flag the Romeo Crennel-Derek Anderson comparison as a cautionary tale for what happens if a backup gets hot.

Would Todd Monken Actually Bench Deshaun Watson by Week 3? Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima argue over whether Todd Monken would really pull the plug on Deshaun Watson just two weeks into the season, with Ken insisting Monken's inflexibility and gut-driven decision to start Watson week one means he sticks with him regardless of performance. Anthony pushes back that a disastrous 0-2 start with multiple picks would force Monken's hand, and the two debate whether it's easier to bench Watson for Shedeur Sanders than to go back to Watson afterward. They bring in Ryan Fitzpatrick's blunt take from Thursday night's broadcast and open the phone lines to see what fans think Monken owes his locker room.

Private Eye: A Guardians Prospect With a Fake Identity... and a Fake Grave Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima unpack a bizarre international scouting scandal involving a Guardians prospect who was actually two years older than the identity his trainer fabricated for him, complete with falsified birth records and a fake gravestone for his "deceased" true self. They debate whether MLB's age-13 signing system is fundamentally broken and push for an international draft, while noting the Guardians face no discipline since they were the deceived party. The guys can't resist riffing on the absurdity of a real headstone existing for a kid who never actually died.

Browns Fans Are Furious Luke Floriea Got Cut Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

Ken Carman and Anthony Lima break down the outpouring of fan anger over Kent State favorite Luke Floriea missing the 53-man roster, weighing the cold football logic of a crowded wide receiver room against the emotional pull of a hometown story fans desperately want to rally around. They also revisit Anthony's "hot take" on Taylen Green's long-term future at quarterback and take a caller's question about their draft-prediction track record. The guys agree that in a season many expect to be rough, Floriea's absence stings differently than a typical roster cut.