The Homer Hour

On The Homer Hour, Homer and Gary Ellerson celebrate the Brewers reaching their first World Series in 44 years after completing a historic sweep of the Dodgers. Gary breaks out a vintage Hank Aaron Milwaukee Braves jersey to honor the city's baseball history, while the guys debate whether a Brewers World Series championship would mean more to Wisconsin than another Packers Super Bowl. Then, is Pat Murphy the most important person in Milwaukee sports right now? Gary explains why Murphy's ability to connect with young players and create a winning culture has transformed the Brewers. The guys also praise Garrett Mitchell's incredible postseason and Gary shares a personal story about his son's experience with Type 1 diabetes and the challenges of competing at a high level. Plus, Josh Jacobs is set to return from the Commissioner's Exempt List, and the guys preview Packers-Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. They also debate whether Milwaukee should change its roster-building philosophy to keep stars like William Contreras and whether this Brewers team has a better chance to win the World Series than the 1982 squad.

On The Homer Hour, Homer gets ready for Brewers-Dodgers Game 3 with another edition of Rain Man, where a caller nearly sets a trivia record answering questions about Milwaukee's postseason run. Homer also debates whether the Brewers and Packers could both be playing Sunday night and why Milwaukee's incredible October has fans dreaming of their first World Series appearance since 1982. Then, Jason Wilde joins the show with the latest on Micah Parsons and Josh Jacobs. Wilde explains why Parsons could remain sidelined until mid-November and why his recovery requires patience. He also discusses the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Jacobs' status on the Commissioner's Exempt List, the NFL's efforts to obtain video evidence and how long Jacobs might need to get back into football shape once he's cleared to return. Finally, Brewers legend Jerry Augustine joins Homer to explain why Milwaukee's relentless approach is giving the Dodgers so much trouble. Augustine breaks down how the Brewers wore down Tarik Skubal and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, why their bullpen gives them a championship advantage and how Pat Murphy's leadership compares to Harvey Kuenn's 1982 Brewers. Plus, Augustine praises Milwaukee's incredible outfield speed and Brice Turang's defense as the Brewers look to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

On The Homer Hour, Steve "Homer" True and Gary Ellerson remember legendary Bears coach Mike Ditka following his passing at 86, and Gary shares an incredible firsthand story about the hatred between Ditka and former Packers coach Forrest Gregg. Gary recalls the two coaches charging at each other underneath Soldier Field before a game, forcing Ezra Johnson and Richard Dent to physically restrain them. The tension was so intense that Gregg warned his players to put their helmets on before entering the field because Chicago fans were dumping beer on them. Gary remembers Gregg's message perfectly: "We might lose the game, but we better not lose the fight." That sparks a fascinating comparison to today's Matt LaFleur vs. Ben Johnson rivalry. Gary explains why LaFleur shouldn't try to become the fiery personality that Gregg and Ditka were, arguing that players can immediately recognize when a coach is pretending to be someone he's not. But he also believes Green Bay needs to match Chicago's physicality and intensity on Sunday. Gary warns that Johnson's aggressive play-calling will create opportunities for the Packers, but only if they're prepared to capitalize. And with Chicago's dominant rushing attack, he expects a physical battle that could resemble the old-school Packers-Bears games. The guys also debate whether Green Bay's 2-2 start is actually more impressive than it looks considering the injuries, offensive-line instability and difficult circumstances surrounding the team. Gary believes Kevin Zeitler can immediately improve the offensive line and says the Packers could become an ascending team during the second half of the season, especially as players like Tucker Kraft continue recovering from injuries. The bigger question isn't necessarily whether Green Bay beats Chicago, but whether the team can survive long enough to start playing its best football later in the year. Plus, Gary shares another unforgettable Packers memory involving legendary running back Tony Canadeo, whose larger-than-life presence left him speechless when they first met. The conversation eventually shifts to the Brewers, where Gary explains why Pat Murphy's leadership and accountability have transformed Milwaukee's clubhouse. From making difficult lineup decisions to naming Christian Yelich captain, Gary believes Murphy has created the kind of culture players genuinely want to be part of, and says he'd love to play for a manager like him.

On The Homer Hour, Homer is completely consumed by Brewers-Padres Game 4 after three games he calls unlike anything he’s ever experienced. Every matchup has remained razor-close into the ninth inning, with runners on base and one play capable of flipping the entire series. Homer’s confidence hasn’t changed: the Brewers will find a way. In fact, he says the Packers could lose by 50 Sunday and he wouldn’t care if Milwaukee finishes off San Diego. Jason Wilde joins the show and shifts the conversation to Packers-Bears, calling Sunday an opportunity for Green Bay to make a statement and finally generate some momentum. Wilde pushes back against the idea that Matt LaFleur’s quieter approach means the Packers care less about the rivalry and believes a win could completely change the feel of the season. Homer remains far less optimistic, calling Green Bay a mess and saying there’s currently nothing special about this team. But Wilde isn’t abandoning the season yet. If Laken Tomlinson and Kevin Zeitler can turn the offensive line into merely an average NFL unit, he still believes Green Bay could finish around 11-6. He also shares his conversation with Tucker Kraft about the tight end’s uncharacteristic drops, explaining why Kraft’s return from injury has been more difficult than expected and how thinking about yards after the catch may be causing him to lose focus on securing the football first. And with Micah Parsons still working his way back, Homer argues Green Bay should be extremely cautious when its star pass rusher returns. Wilde says November is beginning to look like the realistic window, and Homer would rather see Parsons limited to high-impact passing situations than rush him back into a full workload. Then it’s right back to October baseball, with Homer opening the phones to Brewers fans trying to survive a series where seemingly every pitch, bounce and defensive play could decide who moves on.

On The Homer Hour, Steve “Homer” True and Bryan Bulaga react to another Packers win that somehow came with a devastating price. Edgerrin Cooper is lost for the season, and Bulaga calls it a massive blow because Green Bay simply cannot scheme its way into replacing his athleticism. Cooper was the defense’s coverage linebacker and one of the few players capable of tilting the field, making his absence even more painful with Micah Parsons still sidelined. And Cooper’s injury arrives at the worst possible time. Chicago comes to Lambeau with a dominant rushing attack, and Bulaga expects the Bears to repeatedly attack the middle of Green Bay’s defense until the Packers prove they can stop it. Atlanta and Tampa Bay have already put the blueprint on tape, and without Cooper, Bulaga says stopping the run becomes the entire game. Green Bay’s offense also needs to sustain drives to keep an already vulnerable defense from getting worn down. Jason Wilde joins the show and agrees there’s no real replacement for Cooper. He also warns that Green Bay’s improved offensive-line performance against Tampa Bay needs context: the Buccaneers entered the game blitzing on 44% of snaps but blitzed Green Bay only 17% of the time. That luxury disappears against Chicago, with Wilde and Bulaga expecting Dennis Allen to aggressively test whether the rebuilt Packers line has actually improved. Plus, the guys hand out their Three Pillars from the win, including Evan Williams, Anthony Belton and Matthew Golden, before Homer unveils his solution to Green Bay’s running-game problems: load the field with tight ends. Bulaga doesn’t quite endorse Homer’s running-back-free revolution, but he does believe heavier two- and three-tight-end packages could help Green Bay finally establish something consistent on the ground.

On The Homer Hour, Steve “Homer” True and Bryan Bulaga explain why fixing the offensive line matters more than anything else happening with the Packers, including losing Jayden Reed for the season. Bulaga says Green Bay still has receiving options like Matthew Golden, but none of them matter if Jordan Love is getting hit before routes can develop. The bigger concern is whether veterans Kevin Zeitler, Laken Tomlinson and Mekhi Becton can stay healthy enough to stabilize the line while Green Bay’s younger players continue developing. Bulaga also questions why Green Bay waited until Week 4 to make these moves. He says the warning signs were there throughout the summer, especially with Zach Tom’s uncertain health and the young linemen struggling to prove they were ready. After watching Jagger Burton and others during camp, Bulaga says he would have been calling veterans like Zeitler and Tomlinson before the season started, rather than scrambling to add three experienced linemen after three games. Jason Wilde joins the show and breaks down what the revamped line could actually look like against Tampa Bay. Laken Tomlinson appears likely to start at left guard, while Kevin Zeitler remains a possibility at right guard despite only recently returning to padded practices. Wilde also raises major questions about Aaron Banks’ future, saying his knee problems date back to June and Green Bay would face significant financial consequences if it eventually moves on from him. Finally, Homer asks Bulaga what he would be asking if he were Ed Policy evaluating this mess. Bulaga’s first question is simple: what did the Packers see in training camp that convinced them this offensive line was good enough? If Green Bay truly believes the rest of this roster can contend, waiting until the season was already 1-2 to address such an obvious weakness may have cost them valuable time

On The Homer Hour, Homer reacts to the Packers continuing their frantic search for offensive-line help, including a visit with 36-year-old Kevin Zeitler. Jason Wilde explains why Zeitler would be different from the additions of Laken Tomlinson and Mekhi Becton, especially if Green Bay is willing to spend significant money to bring him in. The guys debate whether a completely revamped line featuring Tomlinson, Zeitler and Becton could be coming and what that would say about Brian Gutekunst’s preseason confidence in the group he originally assembled. Wilde says the Packers’ sudden activity is an admission that both the evaluation and development of the offensive line failed. Jacob Monk hasn’t developed into a dependable starter, Jagger Burton struggled badly in his first start and Becton may not even be physically ready to contribute immediately. Meanwhile, Jordan Love continues taking punishment behind a unit that simply cannot function. Homer and Wilde also question Matt LaFleur’s response, including why Green Bay abandoned the running game despite being even worse in pass protection. Plus, Tim Van Vooren joins Homer to explain why Green Bay’s biggest problem isn’t just losing, it’s how quickly the team has rolled over when adversity hits. TVV says the Packers must protect Love before the constant pressure permanently changes how he plays quarterback. Then the mood brightens with the Brewers’ October formula: Homer says Milwaukee only needs to go 11-8 to win it all, while TVV believes Pat Murphy’s team should embrace exactly what made it successful over 103 regular-season wins instead of trying to become something different in the postseason

On The Homer Hour, Steve “Homer” True and Gary Ellerson try to make sense of the Packers after their humiliating loss to Atlanta. Homer asks a question that hasn’t felt legitimate in decades: are the Packers one of the worst teams in football? Gary boils Green Bay’s problems down to three fundamentals: they can’t run the football, they can’t stop the run and they lead the league in penalties. As Gary puts it, “so goes the line, so goes the team.” The guys debate whether Matt LaFleur is capable of completely changing how he coaches this team. Homer believes LaFleur looks lost because he’s trying to operate like he still has the roster from previous seasons, while Gary says this version of the Packers requires a more conservative approach. They also question Green Bay’s philosophy of drafting smaller, versatile offensive linemen after Jagger Burton’s struggles and wonder whether Brian Gutekunst has simply built the wrong group up front. Plus, Homer and Gary debate who deserves the most blame between Gutekunst, LaFleur and the players, while Gary explains why Tucker Kraft deserves some patience as he works his way back physically and mentally. And in the Three Pillars, they identify Jordan Love, Matthew Golden and Christian Watson as the pieces Green Bay must build around if there’s any hope of creating a functional quick-game offense behind this struggling line.

The Homer Hour is live from American Family Field for the Rally for October as Homer and Jerry Augustine celebrate a Brewers organization headed to the postseason for the eighth time in nine years and coming off its fourth consecutive NL Central championship. Augustine explains how Milwaukee has built one of baseball’s premier organizations through player development, pitching infrastructure and finding players who fit the culture, with Jacob Misiorowski serving as a perfect example of how the Brewers turn raw talent into polished major-league pitching. Then Homer is joined by Brewers fan favorites Corey Hart and Jeff Jenkins to ask the big October question: is this Milwaukee’s best opportunity to reach the World Series since 1982? Hart and Jenkins explain why this Brewers team feels different from some of their own playoff clubs, praising the organization’s ability to continually replace departing stars, develop young players and create a clubhouse where everyone embraces their role. Jenkins also compares the current Brewers’ chemistry to the 2008 Phillies team he won a World Series with. Plus, Hart and Jenkins explain what changes once October arrives and why Milwaukee’s biggest challenge may be resisting the urge to change anything at all. Jenkins says “every pitch is an event” in the postseason, while Hart believes the Brewers need to stay within themselves instead of chasing power or trying to become a different team. Their formula is simple: keep playing the same brand of baseball that got them here.

On The Homer Hour, Steve “Homer” True and Gary Ellerson are still trying to understand how the Packers let another game completely unravel. Gary’s biggest concern remains an offensive line in “shambles,” especially after Green Bay spent the offseason evaluating Anthony Belton and Jagger Burton only to start Jacob Monk and Donovan Jennings. The guys question why changes weren’t made during the Vikings game and whether Belton and Burton could now find themselves in the lineup against the Jets. Homer believes he’s finally found the phrase that defines the Matt LaFleur Packers: “Hall of Fame flinchers.” Borrowing from Barry Alvarez’s Don’t Flinch philosophy, Homer argues Green Bay’s biggest issue isn’t simply toughness. When adversity arrives, one bad moment snowballs into another instead of the Packers settling down and regaining control. Gary pushes back on how much blame belongs specifically on LaFleur, leading to a debate over whether these late-game failures are really unique to this era. Gary also explains why the protection disaster against Brian Flores bothered him so much. Offensive linemen, tight ends and running backs all have to communicate against pressure packages, and Gary says Green Bay looked completely unprepared despite having plenty of film on Minnesota’s scheme. Looking ahead, he expects changes at guard and believes the Packers finally respond against the Jets, predicting a 28-10 Green Bay win.

On The Homer Hour, Steve “Homer” True gets the latest from Jason Wilde on how the Packers could respond to their Week 1 offensive-line disaster. Aaron Banks returned to practice on a limited basis, but Wilde says Green Bay could turn to Jagger Burton at left guard and even move Anthony Belton back to right guard. With the Jets looming, Wilde explains why an 0-2 start would turn the volume way up on Matt LaFleur and the Packers. Wilde also shares what he learned from Jordan Love and Jayden Reed about Love’s unusual ability to make accurate throws while fading away from pressure. Reed compares it to Kobe Bryant’s fadeaway jumper, and Wilde explains why that unconventional skill became a lifesaver with Love constantly running for his life against Minnesota. Plus, why didn’t Green Bay use screens to slow down the Vikings’ relentless pass rush? Tim Van Voren joins the show to turn toward the Brewers after their fourth straight NL Central title. TVV explains why he feels better about Milwaukee’s World Series chances than he did a year ago, how the first-round bye could allow the Brewers to line up Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson atop their playoff rotation and why Robert Gasser and Dustin May could become crucial October arms.

On The Homer Hour, Steve “Homer” True and Bryan Bulaga try to explain how the Packers went from controlling Minnesota for three quarters to completely collapsing in the fourth. Bulaga argues the warning signs were there all afternoon, with Jordan Love repeatedly escaping pressure and making spectacular plays despite shaky protection. He explains why Green Bay failed to properly adjust with screens, draws and quick throws before the pressure finally overwhelmed the offense. Then surprise guest TJ Lang joins his former teammate for an offensive-line summit. Lang and Bulaga discuss what they believe is missing from the current Packers line, including the toughness, attitude and accountability their units played with. Lang explains why protecting Jordan Love goes beyond simply blocking and why offensive linemen need to make opponents understand there are consequences for taking shots at their quarterback. He also delivers a message directly to Green Bay’s offensive line about the responsibility that comes with wearing the Packers helmet.