Cousin Sal

Sal recounts telling his son that his conspicuous outfit and empty-handed visit made it reasonable for a store manager to suspect shoplifting.

“I feel like you look like a curious case, like someone who might walk off with something”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:40:35

Sal criticized the NFL for scheduling three NFC South teams across the Sunday and Monday night games.

“who schedules three NFC South teams in the two night games?”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Drake Mayday, a Raiders Revival, Bleakest 0-3 Teams, MLB Playoffs, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 1:19:07

Sal proposed that a 'year from hell' requires, among other criteria, finishing four or more games under win expectation.

“I would say four plus games under win expectation, right? That's one”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Drake Mayday, a Raiders Revival, Bleakest 0-3 Teams, MLB Playoffs, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 21:21

Sal sticks with his 10-to-1 futures bet on the Brewers beating the Rays in the World Series.

“I got Brewers over Rays 10-1. Please let me win something”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:36:59

Sal argued the Red Sox had a real chance against a Yankees team missing Aaron Judge in a weak American League.

“You have 87 wins in the garbage AL. Of course you have a chance”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Drake Mayday, a Raiders Revival, Bleakest 0-3 Teams, MLB Playoffs, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 1:20:44

Sal predicts Victor Wembanyama will become widely disliked by April and that Caleb Wilson will win NBA Rookie of the Year.

“I think Wemby's going to be one of the most hated players by April. Caleb Wilson, who everyone will call Caleb Williams, is going to win Rookie of the Year”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 1:39:09

Sal argues the Rams should have run the ball rather than scoring quickly late in the game against Arizona.

“47 seconds left. Second and three at the six. The opposing team has no timeouts. That is a run”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 38:49

Sal argues the Jets should be crossed off, while noting he still feels good about his futures bet on them finishing third in the AFC East.

“my biggest futures bet was the Jets to come in third place in the AFC East. And I still feel good about that”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Rams Blame Game, Indy in Purgatory, the Pack’s Back, OJ’s Helper, Aikman Vs. Buck, the Slapper, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Oct 19, 2026) · Listen from 12:39

Sal said his 10-millimeter kidney stone was too large to pass and could not yet be treated.

“It was 10 millimeters. So it's big, too big to pass and in a weird place where they can't zap it right now”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Drake Mayday, a Raiders Revival, Bleakest 0-3 Teams, MLB Playoffs, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 1:32:26

Sal questioned the need for physical therapy for his 12-year-old son, arguing rest alone should suffice.

“We need physical therapy for a 12-year-old who's x-rayed fine”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Drake Mayday, a Raiders Revival, Bleakest 0-3 Teams, MLB Playoffs, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 1:32:09

Sal argued Joe Burrow's 1-34 record when trailing late should keep him out of top-four quarterback rankings.

“That guy shouldn't be in everybody's top four quarterbacks”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Drake Mayday, a Raiders Revival, Bleakest 0-3 Teams, MLB Playoffs, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 51:02

Sal blamed Dak Prescott for the loss for throwing away a pass with George Pickens open at the pylon.

“he's got pickings wide open right at the pylon and he sells it into the sixth row”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: Drake Mayday, a Raiders Revival, Bleakest 0-3 Teams, MLB Playoffs, and Guess the Lines With Cousin Sal (Sep 28, 2026) · Listen from 9:58

Cousin Sal's value pick is for a European team to win the World Cup.

“My value pick, believe it or not, is Europe to win at minus 350”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Knicks Miracle (and an All-Time Spurs Collapse), a Mini-Mailbag, and a World Cup Preview | With Joe House, Kirk Goldsberry, Anthony Dabbundo, and Cousin Sal (Jun 11, 2026) · Listen from 1:22:03

Cousin Sal believes the U.S. odds to reach the round of 16 are badly inflated by public betting.

“I think that number that you just read, minus 130, it probably should be plus 140”

The Bill Simmons Podcast: A Knicks Miracle (and an All-Time Spurs Collapse), a Mini-Mailbag, and a World Cup Preview | With Joe House, Kirk Goldsberry, Anthony Dabbundo, and Cousin Sal (Jun 11, 2026) · Listen from 1:14:37