E.P.I.C. Podcast "Every Play Is Crucial"
Life is full of moments you cannot predict or control only experience and enjoy right? Come join Vernon, Isaac, Justin, and Jared every Wednesday where we lend our opinions about current event going on in sports. Every episode is promising to be entertaining, not necessarily informational.
E.P.I.C. Podcast "Every Play Is Crucial"
Tide Turning for Joe Burrow? NFL Insights, NBA Trades, and College Bowl Week Preview
We'll see right back, always look both ways, even on a crossway Driving down Cross Bay. Our town park lays Really on big teams. Came up a small way Championship rings baby, that's a ball game. Oh, she want a little bag, baby, that's small change.
Speaker 2:Yo, yo yo. Welcome back to another episode of the Epic Podcast. I'm joined tonight by my guy, jared, and Justin man. How was y'all's sports weekend?
Speaker 3:I'm trying to think of what happened, man. I'm not even sure I had a sports weekend this weekend, man, I just was kicking it. Man. You know we had a little Christmas party. Y'all seen you, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, that was fun, that was fun.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I don't even know.
Speaker 2:What about the Bengals man? I hear a lot of people dumping on Burrow right now, man, what's up with that?
Speaker 3:You say you do or you don't. I do.
Speaker 2:Just talking about like just a lot of the games you know have been close or one-score games for the most part and just timely turnovers, even though he don't have a bunch just at the time that they happen kind of kind of blaming him, in a sense we have not done some things, at times where the only thing that you could not do is not do what we didn't do, right, right that makes no sense a whole bunch yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so yeah.
Speaker 3:Nah, I mean I get it because, even like that dallas game, I mean we should once that. Once that punt got blocked, I feel like our chances of winning were like probably like 1% or even less than that really. So we got a break. You know, we got one of them Kansas City Chief wins there. But I mean I don't know, man, you can't really blame Burrow. I do think, like the schemes and the strategy, gets dumb at times.
Speaker 3:But I mean I feel like man, like I was telling one of my other homeboys like man, you put Burrow on like the Eagles, Come on, man, I think if you put Burrow on a few teams they're undefeated. So I can't really blame Burrow. I mean, like I said, he's made a couple, you know turnovers that's like dang bro, but still, even in those games we had chances to win and multiple chances to win. So can't really blame him.
Speaker 2:But I mean, you know, yeah, and I think at all, like you've been saying most of the year, like it also goes back around to the defense too, like maybe five stops.
Speaker 3:Yeah, y'all record is totally flipped over the course of the season, over the course of the season, over the course of the season. Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:Like five key stops.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean. Over the season could have flipped that I can spread throughout the season.
Speaker 2:We probably are Record easily flipped or better For sure. So yeah, I don't put it all on Burrow. Like I said, I think some games it's just like oh, we couldn't have that fumble right there, oh, we couldn't have that interception right there. Like I said, it wasn't a lot, but, like you said, when you got four losses, when you scored 30 or more points and I think, eight, when y'all scored 20 or more 25 or more something like that.
Speaker 2:you know what I mean. It's just like maybe, like I said, the record's probably flipped if in key situations, there's not a turnover or, like you said, we get five punts to spread over the season. I think record's completely different. And if you're going to say that about Burrow, you got to kind of go to the other side of that, I think too, with KC, and be like, OK, well, hey, there's been at least five games which, like we got a toe, we got a penalty, we got a block punt, a field goal at the end of the game. Like you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:There's just been like one situation where it's just been like bam, bam, bam, bam, where their record, you know, is closer to nine and five you know what I'm saying than undefeated, or something like that. So no, I agree with that. What about you, justin man? How was your sports weekend man? Oh, did he? I think he got kicked off. He'll jump back in when he gets back. How was your sports weekend, brother man? Oh, shoot man, the Colts man. Multiple chances to win that game. But after that, jt, after he dropped the ball at the you know what I mean? Just wow, it was just bam, it was just like nothing. After that, I think that just like killed the momentum for the game and after we had.
Speaker 2:We had denver, we was locking them down, we got the turnovers, but it was just like after that, uh, after that overturn which I heard that they overturned it somewhere else, but I mean it don't matter at this point, but it was like right, then we could have went up two scores going into halftime and kind of had that whole momentum, you know, throughout the second half. And I just think it was just like after that it was like kind of demoralizing to the team, even though the defense was still playing tough. It was like they were tired, like we wasn't moving the ball, uh, and M1, we couldn't move the ball no more after that. So yeah.
Speaker 3:Hey, we did something like that too, man. We had a fumble return by a guy from Alabama, jordan Battle, returned all the way to the goal line and then fumbled the ball right at the goal line, of course, dropped it through the end zone.
Speaker 2:And yeah, and which is odd for JT, because he's not a big celebrator and he don't usually do that he usually runs through the end zone most of the time, especially on his long runs. He usually runs through the end zone. But being at an away game, you're not going to run all the way to the wall like you would at Lucas Oil to celebrate, but just that nonetheless. And then again after that it was just drops after drops, couldn't get no offense going. You know what I mean? Yeah, b-design runs wasn't working anymore because they kind of honed in on it and, like I said, a lot of scores after that because they went on 24 straight. Almost after that, denver scoring without us scoring a point. So yeah, it was tough, but I mean, you know it is what it is. Justin, we was asking you before you slid out how was your sports weekend man?
Speaker 4:Anything going on in Baltimore. We need to know about? No, not really Same old, same old, you think he going to win MVP over Josh Lamar, or do you think?
Speaker 2:he deserves it. That's a better question.
Speaker 4:I'll say it this way At this point in the season. I'm sorry. I made this comment to a buddy of mine earlier and I said I'm very curious to see how the national media will spin this because from statistically speaking, it should be Lamar. It's no question. And I mean the reality is, at the rate he's going, he's going to rush for 1,000 and throw for over 4,000 and be top two in the league, if not number one, in passing touchdowns. I mean you know. So statistically speaking, his numbers are dumb. Now what comes into question is they're going to say Buffalo's won more games, and for me it goes back to quarterbacks get all the credit when they win, and that's a very flawed system. So I would say this Does he deserve to win?
Speaker 3:Probably for what he's doing?
Speaker 4:Is he going to win? No, to a degree it's probably a little bit of voter fatigue as well when it comes to Lamar, because each year it's like he's winning, because guys that they expect to win don't end up having the season. Whether it's Mahomes or the Hurts or Jared Goss or whoever, they don't end up having the season. And it seems like Lamar, year in, year out, is just having really good seasons in the regular season and then you always have to couple his running ability too.
Speaker 2:So rushing touchdowns, stuff like that, and yards. Like Josh Allen, he gets a lot of touchdowns because he runs in the red zone a lot, but he doesn't really get the yardage. He doesn't break the type of runs that Lamar does, yeah, and I think the other quarterback that's kind of in that conversation is Goff, but he doesn't have any of the Russian stats. You know what I mean.
Speaker 4:So it's kind of like yeah, goff, I don't think, yeah, I don't think Goff has a chance. I think it's between Allen and Lamar, and I think the Russian is what separates them. Yeah, that's kind of where I well, I think it's impressive. If I'm not mistaken, last time I looked, lamar was up to like 37 touchdowns to three interceptions. You know what I'm saying, which is, more touchdowns than Josh and less interceptions than Josh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think he's leading the league in QBR.
Speaker 4:Like 120 or something. Yeah, so I mean when it I think he's leading the league in QBR, like 120 or something. Yeah, like. So I mean when it comes down to it. I mean statistically, they won't be able to justify giving it, not giving it to Lamar. So I'm just curious to see how they try to spend it in the national media, as to why Josh gets it, because the only thing they'll be able to say is the Bills have a better record the Bills will have a better record.
Speaker 4:Right but we'll see, because I mean I was just going to say. I think, more importantly, I don't think Lamar has a chance to win it if they lose to Pittsburgh this weekend. I think if they lose to Pittsburgh, I don't think he has a chance.
Speaker 2:If they beat Pittsburgh, I think it gives them a good chance to win the division, then that argument yep, and then that argument's right back in play for play for him winning mvp, because they win the division, you know yeah which we which, going into the season, based on last year, we were saying that it probably was the toughest division in football, um, even though the browns really ain't been, you know, uh, nowhere near what they was last year, and or you know, uh, sensi, uh, in a sense.
Speaker 2:But I mean bal Baltimore is the Steelers and they still all play each other tough, so I mean you can still kind of give them a night as far as a tough division, but, um, but yeah, no, I agree with that. Like I think it's going to come down to record, cause they're going to be like, all right, well, been a bigger impact on their team. You know what I mean and all that, even though, yep, buffalo's schedule hasn't been baltimore's schedule. But but no, I, I agree. I agree with that as far as definitely the media is going to push it towards yours and, like you said, voting fatigue, like it will be lamar's third and what? Seven years, or something like that. So, yeah, like I think, I think, give josh allen one, and I think next year Lamar will probably be right back in that conversation again.
Speaker 3:Who knows what the bills will be, you know, hey, I have a question, though what do y'all think about two quarterbacks getting MVP and then oh, can't forget about co-MVP? I don't think we've seen one of those in a minute, but that is a real thing. I think it's happening.
Speaker 2:Yes, the last time it happened was Peyton Manning and McNair.
Speaker 3:What do y'all think about? Well, I guess that answers my question. I was going to say what do y'all think about one getting MVP and one getting Offensive Player of the Year I? Think it's well. Yeah, I mean, I guess it could happen, yeah but I think right now what Chase is doing.
Speaker 2:Chase, I think he may get offensive player of the year. You got to look at Saquon and and Henry. Yeah Well, I won't be.
Speaker 4:I think it's Saquon Well.
Speaker 4:I was just thinking about the reason being is because Saquon is surpassing in yards. I hate that tush-push FY, like Jalen Hurts, leads the league in touchdowns. But I hate it because, like Saquon's statistics would look stupid if they gave him the ball like Baltimore gives, like Derek Henry, within the two, three yards they are tush push their way to the end zone, which kind of sucks for Saquon. I actually asked this question and my buddy still told me he said no, he still wouldn wouldn't get. I said what if Saquon breaks Eric Dickerson's record? Does he get MVP?
Speaker 3:And he said no.
Speaker 4:I'm like. I'm like. I mean, I understand why, because it you know it always goes to quarterbacks, but at the same time you know it's, it's I don't know man, it's crazy.
Speaker 2:If he breaks that record, I think he gets MVP. And then you just give a quarterback offensive player to you. You give Josh Allen or whoever you know between him and Lamar, whoever comes out stat-wise. You give them offensive player of the year Only because for one they've been talking about the running back position.
Speaker 2:But to break that record, which a lot of people have been close to, you got the, the Jamal Adams, the, the Petersons, the like it's been a lot of running backs who got close. I think LaDainian's got close, uh, chris John, like it's been a lot of running backs who ran for 2000. You know what I mean, but like to break that record. I think, then, like you kind of got to take a step back and you got to respect that part of it, because I mean, even though Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are having great seasons, like to break that record in a time where running backs you really ain't paying.
Speaker 2:Running backs ain't getting paid, like we just been saying. You know what I mean. They haven't been valued. The right way To put that output out that's going to, I think, a that will change the outlook on running backs and probably get a slight boost in pay. But I think you give them the MVP best on that, because there's been a lot of great running backs, even back in the day when they were running it 25 to 30 times, for that record not to be broken yet and now, in the age where it's mostly passing to have somebody break it.
Speaker 4:I think that would deliver A lot of those records. Don't forget they do have an extra game now, so you also got to take that into consideration.
Speaker 2:But you also got to look at Saquon where it's been games where he done went crazy and he ain't played a fourth. You know what I mean. Like I think he done had like two games where he didn't really have that many attempts in the fourth, maybe one or two because they were.
Speaker 4:You know, philly was up big and he already had you know, Like I can't look at the only reason why I don't look at that. I just look at the total carries, because I don't. I can't remember when Eric Dickerson did it, if he ever set the like, so I can't really put that into play, for myself, because I don't know.
Speaker 4:I just can look at the total carries and see you know what from a carry standpoint, what's the total carries, and then you can kind of go based upon that. But we got a comment from Dennis talking about. He said but Lamar has done that with King Henry. I agree and I disagree. He's. He's. He was doing this last year. Yeah, I mean, he did it. He's been doing this. Are his numbers more efficient this last year? He's been doing this. Are his numbers more efficient?
Speaker 4:Yes, but I don't necessarily give Derrick Henry all the credit for that, because they've actually incorporated Justice Hill a whole lot more too into their run in their past game. Don't get me wrong. Derrick Henry helps, but at the same time I also think it's more of an evolution of Lamar as well. You know he's still having to be Superman to win games. So it's you know. That's one thing I will say. And then he said he doesn't like that record because they got more games, which we were talking about with the Russian record. So I agree, but, like I just said, I think I look at attempts and see if the discrepancy in attempts is huge versus the number of games that they play.
Speaker 2:I'm looking at it right now they didn't even show. I'm trying to find the carries because that's very important, because, regardless of how many extra games a guy, how many times did they get the ball?
Speaker 4:Yeah, what was the number of carries? I think is what's important. Because I think Do you know how many Saquon has right now?
Speaker 2:Pulling it up right now my computer is taking forever. Okay, there we go, carries. Right now he has on this regular season 285. 285.
Speaker 4:285. And Eric Dickerson in his let's see here, let me see, let me see, hold on. He's averaging almost Hold on. You said 285?
Speaker 2:285 right now.
Speaker 4:And that year he had 379.
Speaker 2:So that's where five games left. So that's probably. You said 379?. So that's a little under 100 games, so 94 carries right now.
Speaker 4:Yep.
Speaker 2:So it'll be about comparable. It'll be about comparable if he breaks it. So in the next five games. If you divide that, that's about 20 rushes a game. Yeah, let's say 20 carries, yeah.
Speaker 4:So if he breaks it, I think within that scope, even though on paper it's going to show an extra game by carries, it's going to be.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and he's been averaging right around there too. So I mean, as far as carries, carries, if I'm looking back through the games, yeah, one game he only had 10 and that was a loss against tampa bay. Uh, yeah, that's the least amount he had in the season 14 against doubt, yeah, so he's averaging on most games 20 to 20 to 26, 27, yeah, he, yeah, I think, like you said, if he, if he stay, if he gets close to that mark, then yeah, I think you give him MVP. I don't argue, I wouldn't be mad about that. Especially, like you said, if Josh Allen and Lamar's stats are super close, too close to decipher a clear winner, then if he breaks that record, then I wouldn't, I wouldn't be, I wouldn't argue with that, I wouldn't be like, oh, he don't deserve it, or anything of that nature.
Speaker 4:Does Chase win the triple crown that?
Speaker 2:I don't. I think so Like. I mean, I think, that's all I'm about to say, I think I think as long as nobody gets hurt and bingos keep doing what they've been doing I mean I don't see them putting on the season and putting in the backup or nothing like that, you know, I mean they're sitting in these starters it's because of you know their record we better not, but I wouldn't put it past us but we better not no, y'all can't play this all even if we do, I think if the broncos win tonight, I think we're done yeah, yeah, same thing with us too, so we're going to talk about that here in a minute.
Speaker 2:Let's jump into a few topics. I just wanted to touch on NBA real quick. Of course, milwaukee wins the NBA Cup. I don't know, man, year two of it. A lot of mixed feelings out there. Anything y'all think they should change, or they should make it more games?
Speaker 3:They should make it more games. They should just do it by overall record, whoever has the best record in the Number one yeah. Yes, because for the Celtics to not make it, the Cavs to not Come on, bro, what are we really doing if the best teams aren't even playing?
Speaker 2:Right right. You just have a bad game at the wrong time and you're out, or after two games, people are eliminated.
Speaker 3:It just doesn't make much sense. Doesn't make much sense, yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't think so what about you, Justin? Anything you would change with the NBA Cup?
Speaker 4:I mean I'll have to look at that.
Speaker 2:I mean would it be early? Would it only have been, you know, his second season. This is the time to really make improvements. You know you don't want to get into year 10 and start trying to make changes.
Speaker 4:I'll be honest with you as a whole, I can't give y'all really a good opinion on it, because now this is just me and I'm not trying to knock any of it. The way I say this. The NBA today just hasn't been very appealing to me so I haven't watched much of it. It's just everybody kind of plays the same. I mean, it just hasn't been entertaining for me to watch it. So I just haven't watched a lot of basketball this year. Nba, I should say, you know, I'll watch some college, but NBA not so much. I'm kind of over a lot of it.
Speaker 3:You like college better than the NBA.
Speaker 4:I didn't say I like it better. I said I watched more college. Yeah, I mean I could care less At the end of the day, when it comes to sports you guys should know this by now. But I mean I care less. They don't change my lifestyle one bit, whether they win, lose, draw, I could care less. But from an entertainment standpoint, college just has more energy. Those players are, you know, a little different type of playing in terms of that. So a little bit more interest in watching.
Speaker 2:How they get after it and things like that. Yeah, how they get after it.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so I mean even like just seeing the home crowds or you know, in college it's still fun to watch. You know how rowdy them crowds get and all that. So it's just for me that right now in college it's just been more entertaining than NBA. So I ain't really watching much NBA.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's fair. But yeah, I agree with you, jared, definitely more games and, like you said, see them based on where they are in the season, not just the kind of the soccer-style elimination, just like you said, rank them and make it a real tournament. And I think a half a million, let's bump that up. Let's just make it a smooth million per player.
Speaker 3:Nah, save some of that for the All-Star game, because I think people are sleeping on the fact that our whole childhood has just been wiped away.
Speaker 2:No, and I hear you on that. First off, there's enough money to do both.
Speaker 3:Yeah, true that.
Speaker 2:But I think a lot of the guys, even at the back of the bench, is close to making that half a million anyway. But I think you've got to make people play harder. You know what I mean. Especially, if you put more games in there, you're going to be like, okay, you're going to have to raise the stakes a little more. So I definitely think a million just sounds better than half a million, especially the NBA players. And then, like you said, for the All-Star game, like I mean you got to put some money out there, especially for a dunk contest, Everybody should be getting paid an extra amount of money.
Speaker 3:You got to have some kind of incentive, man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, to do it and to play hard. If I'm going to go out there and risk injury or anything else, then let's make it worth it. You know what I mean.
Speaker 3:I'd almost rather see them out there lollygagging and whatever they switched it. I mean that's crazy. Nba all-star game is like my favorite thing in sports like I'd rather watch the nba all-star game than the super bowl, like that's just. That's just something that I've enjoyed watching from you know a kid like it's just always interests me and it's just something that I've enjoyed watching from you know a kid Like it just always interests me and it's just like for them to just take it away is crazy to me. Like, absolutely crazy.
Speaker 3:And I don't even know if they really thought it through before they did it. Like I mean, you're literally throwing all the history that they're just getting rid of is insane to me, Absolutely insane.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they got the the new format.
Speaker 3:Um yeah but I was able to attend the last all-star game because if I hadn't went to an all-star game like I'd be sol, because they're done like there ain't no such thing anymore, which is great.
Speaker 2:So it's going to be like three teams plus a winning team from friday night rising stars. Okay, we'll be entered to a four-team knockout. So they're doing another tournament which teams will play to 40. That's crazy NBA hope. They want it to be fast-paced up and down, get the players competing and then the winner of the top two games will meet in the championship game. This doesn't impact Saturday night events such as Doug Tess and three-point shootout, how they will be chosen. So all-star game starters five from each conference will be selected by the votes. So it's based on votes, nba players, social media, whatever counts to 50%, blah, blah, blah blah. The seven reserves from each conference will be selected by the head coaches and then those players starters and reserves will go into a pool and be drawn into a three all-star team teams of eight. So yeah, so they're really just breaking it up. So people can't.
Speaker 3:That's terrible bro.
Speaker 2:I agree. The GMs of those all-star teams right now Charles Barkley, shaq and Kenny Smith were signed as honorary team GMs and drafted the 24 all-stars until they took the spot.
Speaker 3:It's like why would they agree to it? They always bad-mouthing something Like why do they? I guess they don't have a choice.
Speaker 2:But I guess if you don't, you got to put a first of all. Most of it's on TNT anyway, but you got to put faces that people listen to already in basketball in a sense, because you can't just throw some random real GMs up there or you know even random coaches or somebody. You got to have some respectable names and I think when you think of basketball and the coverage, you know TNT they kind of run that with the inside NBA. So I'm not mad about it. I don't know Like they got to do something I wouldn't say mad.
Speaker 2:Ultimately, I don't care they got to do something I wouldn't say mad, but ultimately I don't care. I like the All-Star game.
Speaker 3:That's my favorite sporting event, I'd take the All-Star game over to Final Four. There's nothing to me that compares to all of my favorite players out there playing with each other, even if it is just an exhibition where they're just Nothing compares to it.
Speaker 2:So it's just like I mean they ruined it for me but like if they're going hard though, I don't even care, just see them out there joking around.
Speaker 3:I'm. I love it like I was. I was never. Now, granted, I would like to see them, like, play harder a little bit, but just to see them out there just doing what they're doing and laughing, have a good time and just being themselves is what I like to see. It's just something that I've liked. I've just like I said, I would trade any sporting event in the world for the All-Star game.
Speaker 2:So that's just me what you think about it, Justin. Yeah same same format or try to switch it up. Try to find something that's more appealing and gets to, gets us more people engaged in it, I guess.
Speaker 4:Just to say first of all, jerry, you're the first person I've ever heard say that bro me too, like for real. That's crazy, um, but I mean, I feel you teach us on on that. I I would almost even say this, though kind of to your point I think the reason they're trying to switch it up is because people have lost interest, because they don't play hard, like I'll say, even for myself, I couldn't tell you the last time I watched an All-Star game.
Speaker 4:Oh yeah no, like I had tickets to the one here and I sold them. So like I couldn't tell you the last time I watched. I mean no offense, but like it's just again, that's not basketball that attracts me. Like I like to see basketball, I like to see them actually try and play and like so the All-Star game, but that's just like the Pro Bowl and most of the All-Star type stuff today is just not very appealing. So I couldn't tell you the last time I watched any of that stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah that's crazy. I couldn't live life without the NBA All-Star game man, but I guess I'm going to have to figure it out. I enjoy it. I don't know how you enjoy that.
Speaker 4:I like the introductions.
Speaker 3:I like the accolades and the respect on the players that they put. I like the accolades and the respect on the players that they put. You know, like I like the jackets. I like, I love everything about the NBA All-Star game.
Speaker 4:Like I love everything about it. I mean I think so you like the voting. I mean you like when players don't play in a season and they still get voted to be All-Stars, like that stuff is crazy to me.
Speaker 3:That don't really happen often Like pretty stuff is crazy to me that don't really happen often Like pretty much everybody.
Speaker 4:It's not all of them, but it happens or they'll be replaced by somebody.
Speaker 3:But yeah, I want to see the best players. Like, if you got hurt, you got hurt. That don't mean that you ain't better than other people. Like I just don't look too hard into it, man. I mean it's a free game, it's an exhibition. I've never got with the notion that they need to just be trying to break their ankles and shit out there. I mean I can't really be mad. It's kind of like the NILs. I like what it means. Obviously I would love to see a more serious basketball game, but I'm just going to take what I can get. I mean I just I hate that it's gone. Like I enjoy it. I mean the whole weekend.
Speaker 3:I liked the rookie-sophomore game. I hate that they changed it to whatever format they changed it to, and now they changed the All-Star game. That's going to suck. But like, I watched the All-Star game from start to finish. Like I said, I liked the introductions. I liked the introductions. I liked the gear. I liked the shoes. I like to see Steph Curry throwing oops to LeBron. I like to see Katie, you know, throwing back doors at Anthony. Anthony, I like it. I'm sorry, I'm a fan of the NBA all-star game. I think there could be some incentive added to it. Maybe you know, the East or the West, whoever wins it finals, the team gets phone court.
Speaker 2:I'm with that, I'm with making Kind of how they do it in baseball.
Speaker 3:I'm with finding ways to make it a little. It would be more entertaining if it was competitive, but I wouldn't trade that game for nothing.
Speaker 2:Like you said, if you, again, if you drop a million, as you know what I mean yeah, for the winning team, each player get a million or put some guys in it, that's gone.
Speaker 3:I mean I, I don't know how you fix it, I don't know how you fix it instead of like putting some incentive on it. But then I was watching the podcast early. They brought up a good, good point. They're like well, shit, if you got, if you do give the winning conference home court advantage, and then you got LeBron starting and he's in the 10th place, but you got like Shea coming off the bench who actually could possibly make the finals, you know. And then you kind of like, well, hold up, man, if this is for home court advantage, you know you got to get a players that's actually competing, that's probably going to be in the finals, more minutes.
Speaker 4:You know what I'm saying yeah, but that's that's.
Speaker 3:That was an interesting point because I'm like yeah, okay, I can see that you know I don't, I mean I don't.
Speaker 2:It's for the conference, though, so whoever make it, I get that, but like it makes the west play for the west and the east.
Speaker 3:But if you got guys in it starting that aren't in contention. There's much more on the line.
Speaker 4:That's why it goes back to the voting stuff.
Speaker 3:I haven't liked the voting stuff. If you're Shea and he's coming off the bench and I'm the number one seed, but I'm getting 15 minutes in the All-Star game and somebody that's LeBron, for example, and AD are sitting in the 11th place in the conference and they're getting the bulk of the minutes. They don't really I have more interest in this game than they do because they're probably they're not even good enough to make the finals.
Speaker 2:I see what you're saying.
Speaker 3:So I'm taking it serious. They don't give a fuck because they're not making the finals. So it's just like I can get how that can be a point too, but my idea was to try to incentivize it, or even, at that moment, every team that has the possibility to make the playoffs.
Speaker 2:So let's just say, you know the play-in, whatever through 10, you know 1 through 10. Shoot, those players are the ones that play. Hey, y'all all in playoff contention right now. Now, even though we know the last couple months of the season, like things tend to ramp up, and you know what I mean. Spots, people move especially out at the the play-in tournament. People jump around all the time, um, but whoever at that mark is in playoff contention, those are the players who you know what I mean, the all-stars from that team, those, those are the ones that get to, you know, go in and execute and fight for it.
Speaker 3:But then you will leave out AD LeBron, steph Curry, even possibly Kevin Durant. They're playing awesome with Kevin Durant in the lineup, but without him he's missed like 10 to 12 games. I want to say they suck without him, so their record is not good, but he's missing time. Yeah, they suck without him, so their record is not good, but he's missing time.
Speaker 4:I think naturally, though, when and I'm not saying that your point or their point is irrelevant, but I think, naturally speaking, let's just say, like you said, a Shays out there, a Sabonis or whoever playing hard, naturally everybody else is going to start playing hard because they don't want to get embarrassed. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4:They still might be taking it chill and then, one or two times down, shea, come, put you in a blender, dunk on you or whatever. I guarantee you boys are going to start stepping it up because they don't want to be embarrassed either.
Speaker 3:All it takes is one person to start going hard.
Speaker 4:That's why I still I don't think that. I don't think that would be an issue, because even like, let's just be real, lebron starts cna. What you think, I don't care, he don't care. If he 12, 4, 11, he gonna get hyped. Lebron gonna start getting out there like oh yeah, we already get it.
Speaker 2:Like it don't really take much to rip lebron for sure.
Speaker 4:So I think it could work. I just think, like from an incentive standpoint, I think the home court would be good, like I said, if it was more competitive, because I used to like the All-Star game. I really like I did Back in the day the All-Star game was a big, big, big big, Because they used to play. You know what I mean. Guys used to play. They were trying to show, hey, I'm better than you. But I also liked it when it was East versus West. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:And I think they're going back to that too. By the way, you know it's too late now.
Speaker 4:They should have gave it a year or two back to that format and then you know, like I used to be a fan of it but, like I said, it's probably been a few years since I've actually watched any like when I say any any of an all-star game like I've been more of a fan of, like the three-point shootout or the skills challenge or something like that. Like I'll watch those little events, but the game itself, no, Like I'm actually like with you, I hadn't been a fan so much as, since they changed it to the US versus the world, I used to like the rookies versus sophomores. I just like I don't know why you change that?
Speaker 4:Yeah, like I don't know why they change that, because that naturally it made those guys compete. You know what I'm saying? Like they naturally competed against each other because of that. But the NBA always finds a way to mess these things up, so it is what it is.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, we'll see. Only other thing I have for the NBA is Jimmy Butler man, everybody talking about trades where he might go, teams that want him and where he wants to go. I guess he's made a list.
Speaker 3:Why do the Warriors? How do the Warriors? Just get everybody.
Speaker 2:Dallas, golden State, rockets and Phoenix are the places that he wants to go and that could make it work for his assets and money.
Speaker 3:But none of the teams that need him are on the list.
Speaker 2:That's true, because a lot of those teams are probably is cap strap. They came for this contract. You got to think that's $40 million that they're going to need.
Speaker 3:How in the world can a Dallas Mavericks take on another contract, how million that they're going to need? How in the world can a Dallas Mavericks take on another contract.
Speaker 2:How can the Warriors take on another contract? But you also got to think Dallas, outside of their big guy, outside of like Luka. I don't even think Kyrie is making that amount of money. He's not in that 50-60 range. Yeah, that's what.
Speaker 4:I'm saying he's not in that 50-60 range. Yeah, because he's still on his old contract. Don't forget he's up for contract.
Speaker 3:How did you sign they?
Speaker 4:just re-signed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they just got him in the offseason. He's not 40-50-60,.
Speaker 3:I don't think right now he might be 40s.
Speaker 2:I don't think he's 50s, though I'm looking it up right now but I think also too like they got a lot of young guys too. So like majority of roster is young guys, they're not super, super, top heavy with a bunch of heavy contracts, and I think if you put a clay in there, then I mean you can make that move I don't think he's powerful. Okay, 42 it was three years 126.
Speaker 2:But I don't think he, I think yeah, I think you put a clay and some more pieces and you can get it and still make the money work.
Speaker 3:You think that would trade clay already?
Speaker 2:I just think. I mean, I'm just saying like if Trash.
Speaker 4:You would have to, you would have to.
Speaker 2:I mean just to make the money work. If nothing else, I think PJ washington would be included in that. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Maybe one of the young guys you put with a vet who makes some money and there's a couple picks you can make that move. Um, just I mean, like I said, to make the money work, would you?
Speaker 3:would y'all trade pj and uh and clay for like?
Speaker 4:I don't like, I'm not a jimmy guy, but I mean, I see where, I see why that is.
Speaker 3:He does everything, though.
Speaker 2:And if you know that you're, and if you know that, like in a playoff first off, I think with Dallas, they need that toughness. They need a better on-ball defender. Klay is not back where he was before the injuries, so you need somebody who can really really hold up the God. I want a star in the playoffs and I think Jimmy is definitely that.
Speaker 3:How is Jimmy off the ball, though? I mean that's Off the ball, that's a lot of balls out there you're going to need if you bring Jimmy. I feel like Clay is a, but I think that's a shooter, but I think Jimmy can also create too in those tough situations you bring Jimmy.
Speaker 2:I feel like Clay is a catch and shooter, but I think Jimmy can also create two in those tough situations where you're not going to be able to double Luke and Kyrie.
Speaker 3:I don't know if it's enough basketball for him to be able to create Kyrie.
Speaker 2:But I think he could fit as a third option in those games. You got to think of the playoffs. It was really hit or miss with Luka and Kyrie in those games, especially against Boston. You couldn't get nothing out of them.
Speaker 4:I don't see Jimmy Butler being okay, being the third option at the end of a game.
Speaker 2:I'm not necessarily saying at the end of the game, but I'm just saying you think Luka or Kyrie is passing Jimmy the ball.
Speaker 4:It's not happening bro, it's over with. I'm just saying it's not happening bro. Okay, it's not happening.
Speaker 2:Uh-uh, I'm just thinking if we look, if somebody like Jimmy's walking in with his playoff resume and what he's done in the playoffs over the years, like I don't think, you just say, all right, come playoff time, like we're not going to incorporate him, like you got to figure that out because you've seen what Luke, like I said, kyrie, especially in the finals, horrible games in the finals, you know what I mean. And Kyrie last year.
Speaker 2:No, he has, and Jimmy like I said, and Jimmy in the playoffs has had, you know, 40-point triple doubles, like he's done everything that you know you could ask from a superstar in the playoffs. And I think, just having that as an option, you know, if Jason Kidd's any type of coach, you don't just ignore that or you don't bring him in to just be like okay and forget about him. Like, if you're going to do that, stick with what you got, because Klay Thompson is more forgettable in the playoffs, you could say, than bringing in somebody like Jimmy Butler, who's been a big name in the playoffs and who's led a team. So I say, if anybody, if you're just going to say Harry, if you're just going to depend on Luka and Kyrie, then I say hey, just depend on Luka and Kyrie and don't bring in nobody else. And if you're going to have somebody who's just going to be there to help out you, who's just going to be?
Speaker 2:there to help out. You can let Clay do that. I mean, that's kind of where y'all are right now, and then, like you said, a Golden State Warrior who would you put in that trade?
Speaker 3:Kaminga, probably Moses Moody, maybe a pick or two, maybe Gary Payton III or II, wherever.
Speaker 4:I don't know, yep Looney somebody like that.
Speaker 3:They might even want Trace.
Speaker 2:So Dallas, they said one trade that works for Dallas is Jimmy Butler. The Heat gets Brandon Ingram, marshall Thaddeus, the Pelicans get Daniel Garford, dwight Powell and Klay Thompson, pistons get Kebler and a Dallas number one pick. So it has to be a four-team trade in order for that to work. That's not happening. Golden State, they say the trade would. They get Jimmy Butler, the Heat gets Kyle Anderson, gary Payton II, andrew Wiggins a first-round pick. Ooh, that's too much. A first-round pick in 2025 and a 2028 first-round pick.
Speaker 3:That's not too much for Jimmy Butler.
Speaker 2:And then the Pistons get Looney, and then the Lakers pick via the Heat.
Speaker 3:They would get up the whole team.
Speaker 4:No, they're not yeah no, that's stupid, that's crazy, that's stupid. If they did that.
Speaker 2:Another team that they mentioned was the Houston Rockets. The Rockets would get Jimmy Butler, the Heat gets Adams Brooks Green 2027 first round pick Jimmy. Green Jeff Green.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's what you said 2027 first round pick, the worst between whichever Houston and Brooklyn. A 2029 first round pick, the best of Dolly, houston and Phoenix, and that's the only way that works. And that's just in salary terms. Uh, the phoenix suns just, they would have to trade for bill. He would have to wave his no trade calls, of course, and miami would need to take, uh, take back 110 million that's owed to bill after this season. So they would have to eat the rest of bill's contract, um, to make that work. And then they're saying, they're saying they only have a 20-31 first-round pick to Sun, so it makes it unlikely. That's just too far out to have any impact. Yeah, no.
Speaker 4:So, yeah. He'll be in.
Speaker 2:Miami. That's what I'm saying. I think he's staying in Miami and the only one that's yeah, none of those really seem liable, unless one of these teams closer to the deadline gets desperate and the team that could use them ain't saying nothing.
Speaker 3:The lakers hello yeah, but I think I think, I think again money wise like, and then and then the lakers again just don't want to come up off picks like they've been the kind of the yeah, they got the past couple years they're like let it go, we got to have something for Post LeBron. Whatever that may be, I feel like if another team had some of the players that the Lakers had. I feel like the trade would get done, but since it's the Lakers, I feel like they're not. Nobody's willing to, because I mean, it's crazy, Like how do you not get Dennis Schroeder?
Speaker 2:Like how do you not get Bring him back somebody who you won a championship with?
Speaker 3:Yeah, Like how are you not even in the mix for any of these guys? That's so crazy to me, like that's what leads me to believe that there's some kind of conspiracy behind it. Like it's almost like collusion, bro. Like how do you not, you're not able to get anybody, I mean, and then the trades that you have made, I mean you've had to, you've had to give up, like I mean your whole life, for the guys that you did get in. It's just, it's unbelievable to me.
Speaker 2:And, like I said it, just with AD and LeBron eating up so much of the cat, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3:It's really hard, I mean, they're not eating up any more than any two other people.
Speaker 2:Well, no, I mean, I'm just saying like, yeah, but then with trades too, like people want draft capital and the Lakers just refuse to give it up and or don't have enough to push them over the envelope with D'Angelo Russell.
Speaker 3:Like that's really the only person they've really been dangling in front of people. But if you're not gonna, that's an expiring contract, contract, right, you're gonna have to put some pics with it in order to move. I was gonna say they should move on from austin reese, but it really just that's me being a selfish one to see lebron win fan like the lakers. Gotta really figure out what it is for the future. That's probably another reason why they're not trying to make any trades, because what they do is they keep giving up. They trade guys with aspiring contracts for guys that have contracts, so they never can get guys off the books. It seems like.
Speaker 2:And go and attack the free agent market.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, right. So I think that that's what they're trying to avoid, but it's just like I mean is that? More important than winning.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I think they've tied so much up in this LeBron era, like you said, as far as money and picks and stuff. It's kind of like if we don't sit back and kind of just ride this out, then you're going to look and, whoever knows, two or three years down the line you're going to have nobody and no assets. That's true nobody and no assets, and that's true to go you're gonna. You're gonna load up with a bunch of free agent talent and hope that you know mix just to fill seats.
Speaker 3:but my thing is, the only person that the lakers have brought in, that's an actual uh, game changer. Since lebron got there, is ad like you. You, you haven't brought in anybody. That actually is like, okay, this guy's actually going to do something they haven't had anybody else Like and it's just like, at what point do you bring in a game, even if they had like somebody along the likes of Aaron Gordon or Michael Porter Jr. I ain't saying you got to have another LeBron or another AD, but just somebody that's going to change the game Like I thought they should have went after Kyrie. Even even DeMar DeRozan would have been something nice. He's a game changer, he you can put the ball in his hands and he can for sure get you some points.
Speaker 4:Lakers don't have anybody like that.
Speaker 3:They have, you know, guys that may do something, may give you, give you nothing. They got, you know, got streaky guys. They just got all these kind of guys. They have yet to put in a third actual game changer.
Speaker 2:Creator, and I say a creator, somebody who can go and get it without the help of AD, exactly. I think that's kind of what they've been. And a big, they need a big. Oh, my God, if nothing else, they have been bitten by the injury bug.
Speaker 3:Terribly, though, Christian Wood still hasn't played a game Vanderbilt he hasn't played in like two years. Seems like. I don't know, man, I don't know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, if anything, find a decent big that's available and go after him oh please, so you don't have to. Just I mean AD just clearly is just not comfortable at the five.
Speaker 3:Right, and it's like you never should have even got rid of Dwight Howard that part.
Speaker 2:And he's available and he's been. You know when he has played. I mean granted he's been overseas, but I mean, it ain't like he's just lost Hell. They could use JaVale McGee. Like I said, you don't need someone who's going to dominate, you know scoring, you just need somebody to go catch a couple of eyes, play defense and rebound Like that's really it.
Speaker 2:So no I agree with you, but we'll see. I mean there's still a lot of basketball left to be played. Moving right along, man. We're going to get through this show. We're going to jump into college football, of course, College Bowl week coming up the next couple weeks.
Speaker 2:I just put some of the notable ones out there. Of course we got the first round of the playoff, which you get the IU, notre notre dame, smu, penn state. Uh, clemson and texas. Uh, tennessee and ohio state, um, but some of the notable bowl games, uh, december 27, oh, you and navy, I mean just two big, two notable names gt and vandy. I thought that would be an important game, just because they've been just disrupting people's seasons all season. So to see them go against each other, I think that'd be an interesting game. Texas, a&m and USC again just notable names.
Speaker 2:December 28th, you get Iowa State and Miami, which two teams that barely missed the playoffs based on conference play. Byu and Colorado again two good teams that missed the playoffs. I think that would be a good game. December 30th, if you get Iowa and Missouri, and then December 31st, you get Bama and Michigan. We'll be gone for these weeks. This will be our last show until January 7th. We're going to take some holiday time, of course, but that final week of the year you get the 31st, new Year's Eve, you get the based on who wins those first couple of playoff games. You get Boise State the New Year's Eve, and then you get who's going to play Arizona State on New Year's, oregon and UGA that Saturday. I mean that. New.
Speaker 2:Year's Day, new Year's Day game. So jam-packed week next. Two weeks coming up for college football. By the time y'all see us again, we'll be heading into the semifinals on January 9th and 10th. So any about those games coming up, like any predictions y'all want to put in there, man, who you think IU and Notre Dame, smu, penn State, clemson, texas.
Speaker 3:Tennessee. I'm going SMU, I'm going Notre Dame. I'm definitely betting Tennessee for sure, because if the Ohio State don't win, I win money.
Speaker 2:So OK, so that'll smooth the blow. Yeah for sure.
Speaker 3:I mean, it's just my whole thing with Ohio State this year and I'll make this brief it's just that I don't know what they're trying to do, Like what is? I don't know what the game plan is. So it's just like it's hard for me to say, oh yeah, they're going to win, because I don't even know what we're going to come out and try to do. So I can't even say, oh yeah, Tennessee can lock that up, or Tennessee struggles against that. I have no idea. Like we don't try to run the ball, we don't throw the ball deep, so yeah, if we play in a box, then we can be beaten by anybody. So it's just like I don't know what we're going to be looking to do, like what kind of game we're going to play. So I mean, I can't really even really make a judgment on it.
Speaker 3:Man, Obviously I want us to win, but I honestly can't sit here and even give a prediction because I just don't know what we're going to try to do. So, yeah, we'll see. I'm definitely going to be tuned in, but I'm not expecting anything at all. Like I said, I'll be betting big on Tennessee. So, win or lose. I win.
Speaker 2:What about you, Justin? Any notable bowl week games coming up that you're looking forward to seeing?
Speaker 4:Um, yeah, well, I'm looking forward to the notre dame iu game. Uh, I'm actually, I actually think iu's gonna pull that out, um, and that's, and that's mainly because one notre dame can't throw the ball. Uh, they're very one-dimensional. They're very good at running, don't get me wrong, but iu also has one of the best run defenses in the country, believe it or not, like I and you know, I already kind of gave my spiel on the whole Ohio State-IU game where, you know, people didn't want to give them credit If it wasn't for the special teams. That's a totally different ballgame, but that's their special teams as part of the game.
Speaker 4:But even then, I think they still held Ohio State to the second fewest yardage, that Ohio State all season. So IU didn't get outpowered per se and I just can't see where Notre Dame has enough firepower on offense, unless, again, unless they just get that run game going. Because what is it? Riley, leonard Riley or whatever? He can't throw. So I just can't see. I just can't see. I can't see them beating IU with IU. I think IU is better offensively and I think now both defenses are good.
Speaker 4:Definitely more versatile offensively, yeah, but yeah, yeah, I just think IU's just more versatile, can run it and throw it, so I'm going to take IU in that game. I'm actually looking forward to that one. I think that's going to be a good one. I was surprised by the Penn State ones. Who was that? Oregon and the Big Ten? I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting that from Penn State, so I'm kind of curious to see what they look like because, I'll be honest, I thought they were going to get smacked.
Speaker 2:If that Penn State shows up, then I think SMU is going to have a long night.
Speaker 3:Hey.
Speaker 4:I agree.
Speaker 3:I've been saying this all year Oregon is not that good. Been saying it all year.
Speaker 4:But here's the thing I'll be honest with you. I don't I mean I'll Oregon, I can still see Oregon just winning the whole thing. I agree with you. I don't think that they're great, but I don't know that there's not team. Like I look at Texas and it's like I think they can get past Clemson, but Quinn, yours has been playing terrible, like I just don't think you know what I mean. Like I don't think Texas holds enough of a problem.
Speaker 3:I mean, they might be the best team in it.
Speaker 1:I mean, I guess, I mean because you got to look, they're just playing without their starter.
Speaker 3:I just got a notification that they're sitting there preparing to play without Carson Beck, which is crazy. That changes them a lot.
Speaker 4:Yeah, that changes everything for Georgia, even though their backup I heard is a high recruit and I heard he was decent. I don't know enough about the kid I think he's a youngster.
Speaker 3:I mean, he definitely won the game for him. He came in the first possession and scored a touchdown. He didn't really do much after that. We'll see. Georgia's one of those programs that they just reload. They don't waste time crying about spilled milk, they're just going to go out there. He's not a bum, they don't.
Speaker 4:Behind him in a bum he was a five yard for a reason. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3:So and honestly I this is how I feel about Oregon Like I honestly don't think that we don't have a chance and we're not playing good at all, like we haven't played good all season. I mean, I knew based on the Iowa game that, bro, we're just not good. This quarterback doesn't have it Like it's over. But I don't think we get ran off by Oregon Like we actually should have beat them the first time, like that was playing a horrible game. Our special teams in that game sucked.
Speaker 2:Can I say this though.
Speaker 4:Go ahead, justin. Let me ask you all this Is it safe for me to say even though, like we've said this, I don't think Oregon's unbeatable by any stretch of the imagination but they've probably been the most consistent team. I agree with that.
Speaker 2:But I'm also.
Speaker 2:You kind of know what you're going to get you know, right, I think, if we, I think let's take a half a step back, and just because we're missing a component, the matchup component of the next round, yes, yes, so you're looking at the teams that's waiting in the next round. You look at Oregon, which they're undefeated, but they've been played very tough, and this is by Big Ten teams, which not saying Big Ten is a slouch by any measure, but I'm just saying they've been played real tough by Big Ten teams. And then you like we just talked about Georgia, tough by, uh, big 10 teams. And then you like we just talked about georgia, you got andrew quarterback and now you have unproven coming in. You played a little bit, like you said, highly recruited, but carson beck ain't been the best quarterback this year either, because a lot of their losses has been interception driven by him.
Speaker 2:You look at arizona state and boise. Whoever wins, whoever gets those two, probably the two most winnable games. But then if you get an IU at Boise State with their run defense against Gentry, that's going to be a great max up. Whoever gets Arizona State, let's say Penn State gets that. That's going to be crazy. Penn State could probably dominate that and be. You know what I mean In that uh, that semi, that semi uh championship, just based on the matchups. They get SMU and then you turn around and draw Arizona state possibly.
Speaker 4:I agree and I disagree with that, and the only reason why I say that is I always feel, and that's a basketball or football and sports in general there's always something to the unknown team. On paper in Arizona. They shouldn't, but there is something to both of those. Both of them have really good running backs. You know what I'm saying? Both of them got really good running backs and I think if you're able to run the ball, that gives you a chance in any game period.
Speaker 2:And then do we get another Texas-Georgia matchup or does Texas get Oregon? That's a brand-new top-five matchup that we didn't get this season. You know what I mean. Instead of kind of having to repeat, Do you?
Speaker 4:bet you were to do struggles against Clemson. Yes, do you bet you're going to put Archman in there.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, because he's not been the best either, since he's been back. No, so yes, they said he's still not 100% Fine, then we have more of a reason and we could justify it real time. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Yes, and then you know Ohio.
Speaker 4:How long is his leash, though, val, in this game against Clemson? How long is his leash If he's struggling? Let's say the first half are you saying you're going to start the second.
Speaker 2:That's your leash, the first half. Because in these games, in these type of games, it's shown that you cannot wait too long. Because there's been games where you done teams done, put them in and put you know, make that change in the fourth quarter and y'all done, battle back. You done teams done, put them in and put you know, make that change in the fourth quarter and got them battled back and yet still losing by a score, where it's like if we, what, if we'd have had half of the third quarter you know what I mean or a whole half, you could complete the comeback possibly. But at this point, if you're going in against Oregon or Georgia and you, you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:I would specifically say Oregon, because they don't have the injury bug like a lot of these other teams. But you do that and Texas, you waiting around, oregon will stay on you, they will stay on you. So with that, especially being in California, that's a short trip for those fans to get to that stadium. Oregon usually travels well, especially on the West Coast. I think that would be tough for Texas to wait if somebody like Oregon or Georgia is on their heels.
Speaker 3:I think Texas lost their chance at a national championship when they benched Quinn Ewers in the Georgia game. It's over. Like you can't you just don't do stuff like that. Like if that happened, I was like, yeah, they're not going to win, you just destroy all the team morale. Like now you got the quarterback looking over his shoulder. It was at that point. I was like, yeah, texas is done.
Speaker 2:But remember I forgot what game it was when we were talking about and remember I told you I'm like there's a chance that they're going to bring in Manning if yeah, and you were right, and they can't kill their season.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean shit.
Speaker 2:But I mean just the buzz around Manning and it ain't like Manning's coming in and just is bad.
Speaker 3:Like you know what I'm saying. I can see if it's just like. I think they would have had a better chance if you just told Quinn Ewers to kick rocks after that point. But you can't bench a starting quarterback and then bring him back and then expect him to have anywhere near the effectiveness that he's had all season, especially when you have a really good backup.
Speaker 3:yeah, you can't do stuff like that. You, I can almost feel it a really good backup, yeah, yeah, you, you can't. You can't do stuff like that. Like you, you, you, you, I, I like I can almost feel it like pause. Like when it happened, I was like oh yeah, they really just screwed off, they jacked off the national championship.
Speaker 2:Uh, hope just, but I think also too like if the team was losing with manning, I would have been like, okay, yeah, the team ain't really responding good to him, but it was like the team, it's not like you. There's a shift in how like people are playing with manning in there. It's like I think they respect both of them quarterbacks, and that's the only reason why I said when I what I said then is that the the switch is okay with them too, because I think the team really respects both of those guys as their quarterback and their leaders to to coach them to the win, because they've both been winning for them.
Speaker 3:Like they always say, if you got two quarterbacks you have none. None, that's true Quarterback. It doesn't work like that. Every other position, cool Quarterback. It does not work like that. You got to pick a quarterback and you got to go with him, especially if he's, you know, like no, you got to go with him and then you know he's gone after this year and you know man Broncos and you know Arch Manning is going to be that guy next year. Yeah, I just yeah. I've just watched so much football like you just can't do it.
Speaker 2:You can't do it, yeah. So again, man, like these matchups and a lot of these early playoff games, like it's going to like whoever wins and how they seed up is going to be very important, because an. Oregon-ohio State rematch. I don't think Ohio State loses that game again.
Speaker 3:I'm something on that game.
Speaker 2:for sure I do not believe they lose that game against Oregon.
Speaker 3:I like them against them better than I like them against Tennessee. It's just too much unknown with Tennessee. Like this is the second time, I think, in the history the two teams have played. So yeah, it's just too much unknown with Tennessee. I feel like Ohio State can win an Oregon rematch, especially in the Rose Bowl too. Like it's just yeah, I mean both teams are comfortable. Don't get me wrong Both teams are comfortable in the Rose Bowl because I mean I think we've played them in the Rose Bowl before, back when Terrell Pryor was out there. So like TP I like–.
Speaker 4:What's that? That was one of my favorite. I said that was one of my ultimate favorite was Braxton Miller.
Speaker 3:That's my favorite, probably football player Braxton.
Speaker 4:I did like Braxton, that was my guy.
Speaker 3:He was a dog.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I did like Braxton.
Speaker 4:But TP, that was my dude boy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he was hard. He could hoop too. Yeah, he's a really good basketball player.
Speaker 2:All right man Shoot. Last but not least, nfl man. We're just going to talk about the playoff picture right now. How teams can clinch, the last few teams to clinch, afc and NFC-wise, with another week in the bell. So we got the Ravens can clinch with a win at Pittsburgh or loses Indianapolis or Miami. The Broncos can clinch with a win at Pittsburgh or loses Indianapolis or Miami. The Broncos can clinch with a win against the Chargers or loses in Cincinnati, indianapolis or Miami, and the Chargers can clinch with a win at Denver plus losses from Indianapolis and Miami. So there's about three or four games that all impact each other in the AFC picture for that last wildcard spot.
Speaker 3:Those last two wildcards. I hope the Broncos win. Get the Bengals out of here. They don't deserve no playoffs.
Speaker 2:And then in the Look, look, look. I'm with you, bro, With that, with the Coast too, it's like man, we done had too many chances in a lot of games for us to be again at this point, which the past couple of years we've been at this point where it comes down to the last couple of games of the season and we, we, we, we lose the game ourselves, Not the other teams beating us, we lose it ourselves. So yeah, I'm, I'm fine with Indianapolis being out, but I mean, if there's a chance, I mean I'll take that little 11% chance or whatever they're saying. Jumping over to the NFC side, we got the Lions, Eagle and Vikings. They've all clinched.
Speaker 2:The Packers are on the verge. They need to win against the Saints, but they can also get in with Falcons losing with the loss from the Falcons or either the Seahawks or Rams. So the Eagles will win the NFC East if they beat Washington this weekend. The NFC South appears to just be between the Buccaneers and Falcons, which it looks like Tampa Bay is probably going to win it, and the NFC West is still wide open, with the Rams still having a high chance to make the playoffs and win the division. So 50% chance for them to do both. But yeah, the Commanders can clinch a playoff spot with a win and the falcons loss, in addition to a loss from either the rams or the seahawks so it's a lot of scenarios in nfc just because things are a lot tighter than the afc right now.
Speaker 2:Um, but yeah, man that's that's really all I got man um pick them records. Yeah, man, just, we still fighting this. Fight man Right now. I said this Pick'em record man. We still fighting this fight. Ike's at 156 and 68. You at 136 and 80. You still ain't conceding man. You gonna fight these last couple weeks.
Speaker 4:And hopefully.
Speaker 2:I just, I don't know man, I just I do it for fun.
Speaker 4:I guess if we picked differently I would do it different, but I always just pick for fun, Do I?
Speaker 2:need to put some money on the line next year. Yep, I would pick different if you did that.
Speaker 4:I'll say it that way. All right, I'll put it like this we had something on it, or like if we were really like hey, these are, you know, picks for for the fans to listen to kind of thing. That's different. But like you know me, I just kind of go on a limb with a lot of my picks. You know what I'm saying okay, how about this?
Speaker 2:so we can all have a vested interest in it? How about this? We all put in 25, which are making 100 to the winner, and everybody's contributing now. So it ain't like I'm putting up the hundred dollars and I'm playing for, you know, my own money. Everybody's contributing and the winner gets 100 at the end of the season, we We'll do it next year. Okay, cool, I mean because you know, y'all know how I pick, so I'll definitely do something to motivate me to pick different.
Speaker 4:But I think with anything, the coach against the world, I think. With anything, you just I mean, if you have whatever it is money, food, whatever it is, if you have an incentive, you just I mean you do it different, that's all. Like I ain't going to concede because I have fun picking, like I just have fun seeing if some of the crazy things I'll be going through in my head if they actually come out.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, I'll be like ah yes, I stole that one. I stole that one. Nobody was thinking about it. Yeah, I'm with you on that. But right now, man, for the people who are listening I went 11-5 last week. I'm at 128-94. Of course, jared, he just missed too many weeks to have stayed in it. Ike is 13-3 last week. He's at 156-68. And Justin, you went 11-5. You're at 136-80. So 20 games back on Ike for Justin, we're going to pick again. Man, we already threw our picks in there. We can run through them real quick for this schedule this week. Why are you doing?
Speaker 4:that Just curious. Do y'all like the move to Michael Penix? Because I actually think it should have happened, probably about two weeks ago, man.
Speaker 2:I'm torn Because, like bro, so what are you going to do? Y'all pay all that money for that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like bro, that's crazy.
Speaker 2:I think you ride it. For that amount of money, you ride it out. But as bad as he's, I think you ride it. For that amount of money, you ride it out.
Speaker 4:That's all I'm saying, but as bad as he's been for about five weeks bro.
Speaker 3:You never should have drafted buddy man. That's crazy. I mean I get it, but you just signed his guy to $180 million.
Speaker 4:He's I don't know. Did you know they paid out like 60-something million of that this year.
Speaker 3:How much is guaranteed on it?
Speaker 4:I think it was something like they could end up trading him. Yeah, I think it was like $100, but they could end up trading him or something, and it's like a $27 dollar cap hit, which ain't terrible yeah, they're fried though oh yeah, but I again I can admit I've never been a kirk cousin person so I never would have gave dude that money.
Speaker 3:So they never should have even been in a position to where this. This is stupid. It's almost like if I'm the falcons, I'd rather just him be sucking without having a. I don't know, I don't know because like yeah, it's, come in and kill it.
Speaker 2:I mean, you just wasted so much money like that's crazy yeah, but again, then you, you also like a falcon team, is it's kind of like a few other teams where it's like you had you've you got a lot of young talent, that's, you know, starting to flourish, the Londons and the Robinsons and stuff like that, and it's just like even on defense, you know they got some young pieces in there. It's like, do you bring in a rookie trying to figure his way out and waste another possible two seasons, or do you try to make a push in an open NFC South?
Speaker 4:I'll say that so.
Speaker 2:I think they kind of did it based on the division and knowing that, hey look, the Saints ain't what they was. We're only really going to be fighting with Tampa Bay, cause, I mean, everybody assumed Carolina was going to be what they was.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean they still got a chance to make the playoffs. And I'll say this, like you, we can't forget Michael Penix ain't like any rookie, he's in the Bo Nix and the Dean Daniels I mean, he's an older rookie, so he has a ton of starts. So I think you got to keep that in mind too, not saying he's going to come in and do anything, but he's not a guy who didn't like a Richardson, you know who had 10 starts in college.
Speaker 2:So I think and I wouldn't say it's a total waste, jared, because at the very least Pennix got to see somebody.
Speaker 4:The offense right the offense level and start yep like as far as preparation and all that because they always talk about how big Alex Smith was for my homes and guys like that. Just from a preparation and a mental understanding of the game it helped them tremendously grow. So I don't know that it's a waste. Do you want to spend that kind of money on that? No, but I don't know that it's a waste. I guess we'll have to wait and see, because if pendix comes in and is killing it, I'll be honest, you're not gonna think nothing about paying kirk cousins that money, you know like, sure, we got that's because they have unlimited money.
Speaker 3:But uh, I'm definitely still gonna be like man.
Speaker 2:They paid this food all that money, yeah, but I also think too it's like did you really pay that money to have someone there to show your rookie how to you?
Speaker 3:know Not 180 million.
Speaker 2:Well, I'm just saying. I'm saying like when you talk about a waste, it's like, hey look, at least our rookie got to sit behind somebody who's been in the league for a while, played for multiple teams.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean, know how to be a professional. I mean, I'm just saying they want to, but I mean you could have set him behind james winston and he could have probably got a better, a better assessment or whatever.
Speaker 2:But so okay, okay, so, okay. So here we go, I agree. So on that kirk cousins contract I just looked it up potential out 2026, two years, 100 million. So yeah, so they. The cap hit, uh, next year would be 40 million if they got rid of him. But if they wait to after 2025 to get rid of him, then the cap hit is way less.
Speaker 3:All his guaranteed is is paid uh, buddy out of here then so yeah, from what I'm looking at, yeah but I also I also uh said I think this is on record too I thought Pennix was the most NFL-ready quarterback coming in. That was my pick, for you know what I'm saying. If I had to pick one of these quarterbacks, I would have grabbed Pennix first. I don't understand how Drake May went higher. Jaden Daniels maybe, but also I think Jaden Daniels is more of a dual-threat quarterback, like Michael.
Speaker 1:Pennix is a straight passer he's a straight drop back that's the thing. He's mobile, though it's just when he had the knee injury yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4:When he was at IU before the knee injuries like even when he went to the combine now, I'm not a big combine guy, but he ran like a 4 or 5. The only thing, though, with Penix, though, even when he went, to the combine.
Speaker 2:Now, I'm not a big combine guy, but he ran like a 4.5.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 4:The only thing, though, with.
Speaker 3:Penix. Michael Penix Jr ran a 4.5?.
Speaker 4:Yeah, bro. I'm not going to look that way, it's the knee injuries, man. That's all I'm about to say, the only thing.
Speaker 2:That's the only thing I'm about to say. With Atlanta, with that offensive line, like I wouldn't have been in a super rush to throw Pennix out there either he ran a 4-4-6.
Speaker 3:That's crazy, I told you. I told you he can move bro.
Speaker 4:I didn't know that. I thought he was a statue, uh-uh.
Speaker 3:I've been sleeping.
Speaker 4:Yeah, he can move. It's just I think the knee injuries made him say, look, I'm going to just chill back here and throw this thing. But I think in the NFL you're going to see more of that mobility come out when he's extending plays. I think you will see more of that in the NFL. I personally think he was a way better fit to begin with than Kirk Cousins, given the young talent you have around there, because he pushes the ball down the field.
Speaker 4:Drake, london and even and they have a bunch, yeah, they have some big receivers too that you can put them all up on you yeah, like even kyle pitts is gonna be much better with a guy who could push it down the field because he's not a traditional tight end. Now don't get me wrong, kyle pitts isn't great by any stretch, but where he excels is the mismatches where he can get down the field and all that. Well, pen Penix can throw those balls now. So we'll see. I mean he might come out and suck, but we'll see. I think they could be one of those sneaky picks, because there is no tape on Michael Penix where these last few weeks team's going to struggle to defend him because they don't have any tape on how to necessarily defend him and stop what he can do.
Speaker 2:Right. And then if he drags them across the finish line and happens to get that, that playoff spot, bro, there's going to be a lot of talking off season about who won't cut Kirk cousins you might see, right, yeah, you don't see Kirk, cousins, you're going to see him somewhere in new Orleans, carolina.
Speaker 4:You're going to see him somewhere else. I don't think they cutting, because I don't think they're going to trade him.
Speaker 2:No, I don't think they're cutting, because I don't think they're going to trade him. No, no, you're going to trade him. No, no, no, no, you're definitely going to be a trade.
Speaker 4:But yeah, I think they're definitely going to be looking for a trade partner if Penix comes in and does well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and there'll be suitors, for there'll be suitors. Oh, 100%, yeah, there always is Teams.
Speaker 3:that's well coached. That I think that he could thrive in is Pittsburgh, but I think they set up in Pittsburgh yeah no, I'd much rather have.
Speaker 4:Russell than him.
Speaker 3:No for sure. But I'm just saying like that's the kind of team that he would be a good suitor for. 100% Discipline, good defense, you know, really that's it. I mean I would say good running game, but I mean running backs are a dime a dozen these days. I mean like suitable doable. You know, running backs are obviously safe. You know what I mean? Goddamn Henry ain't. But the. Browns. This is a few teams, like I said, even New Orleans, that can just get you.
Speaker 4:He probably would have been. He would if he was the old Kurt, where he was more serviceable and actually can throw the ball. He would have been a nice fit in Tennessee. That's another one too. That's a really good.
Speaker 3:One. Another one, I thought of New York Giants. If they don't pick.
Speaker 2:As long as you get rid of that you got to get rid of that coaching staff. You got to start over. You got to release that button on that that staff is horrible.
Speaker 4:I'll be honest with you. I actually like Brian Dayball. I do like him, but I'm with you. I think they're going to end up having to clean house, but if they clean house. I guarantee you, brian Dayball is somebody's offensive coordinator next year.
Speaker 2:I promise you. And then, even if you bring in a Kirk Cousins and still draft a young guy like I said you pay. I'm just saying, I'm just, I'm just saying if, if you were to like, nobody's going to be like, okay, that's a bad move because, again, like you, bring it in, like man, if y'all don't trade me somewhere where I ain't bringing in nobody else well, he's not going to play, though I'm pretty sure he would take a trade to somebody where he knows he's going to be number one guy.
Speaker 2:And most players use a no-trade clause to pick a team. They don't really use it to be not traded when the situation comes to the table where they're like, hey look we're thinking about moving you. It's more of like, hey look, I'm only going to waive it if you move me to here, here, here, here. So it's not really a no trade clause Like, oh, y'all can't trade me. It's more of like, hey look, I get to pick where I go, true.
Speaker 4:That's true.
Speaker 2:So I mean.
Speaker 4:Do you put him with the Jets?
Speaker 3:Hell yeah.
Speaker 2:I don't. I think all those teams are on the table.
Speaker 3:I say, hell, New Orleans might take a look at it. That's what I said.
Speaker 2:New Orleans.
Speaker 3:Tennessee.
Speaker 2:Browns, because I think the Browns get from under Watson this year.
Speaker 3:The Raiders, the Browns, I think should explore it. Dallas. No, I'm just kidding, I don't be poking fun at that. I actually mess with Dallas, I'm just being stupid.
Speaker 4:yeah, man, there's a couple little spots there's a few teams that can kick the tires on it for sure.
Speaker 3:I don't even understand the hype around JJ McCarthy like y'all. Gotta see his card, his card value bro, this dude ain't even played, he wasn't even killing in college, like he was consistent.
Speaker 2:But he wasn't just killing but I think because of again like that system that O'Donnell runs and all the QBs just over the past two years that went through there and had somewhat success, I think they're looking at that possibility.
Speaker 4:The GM and the coach, you lose your job. If you move on from Darnold, he goes on to have success, you get McCarthy, and then you finish last in your division. That's a recipe to lose your job. If you move on from Darnold, he goes on to have success, you get McCarthy, and then you finish last in your division. That's a recipe to lose your job. I'm just being real. That's a recipe to lose your job. Because if he could do it with anybody, they would have just ran with Nick Mullins.
Speaker 2:I'm not saying anybody, I'm just saying the players, I'm just saying the QBs. One year they had four different starting QBs or something just based on injuries.
Speaker 2:So I'm just saying they won a couple games with that. I think they still had a winning record or whatnot with that. So I'm not saying just anybody, but I'm just saying you drafted McCarthy for a reason to obviously be the future there, the future there. So, and I think Darnold, even with his success this season, like you, came into this season also knowing that you were going to be backing him up. But to bring him back in the McCarty, back in the starter role, I don't think Darnold is like super mad, but it's kind of like one of them situations too. It's like I mean, are you, when you knew you were going to be a backup Granted, it's not based on really Darnold wasn't going to be the Darnold wasn't the backup. You didn't think so.
Speaker 4:No.
Speaker 2:They brought him in to start, but we didn't even get enough out of McCarty to know right. What game did he get in In the preseason?
Speaker 4:When they started the preseason it was Darnold running with the ones. Don't get me wrong, jj. Like most of the rookies, you get a little bit of time with the ones. But no Donald came in to be the starter because they said they didn't know if JJ would be ready to be the starting quarterback this year.
Speaker 3:I thought they brought in Donald after Buddy got hurt.
Speaker 2:No, Donald was there when they drafted him. Yeah, they had been signed Donald before the draft and stuff.
Speaker 2:But again, somebody that young, are you really bringing them in to ride behind? Like that's just my, just how the NFL is now I just don't, I don't see McCarthy sitting for that long, especially to draft that high. Like I just don't see that. I mean it could be, and especially after this season they may ride out with him another year, especially based on that injury. There's really no rush to bring him back. I think Donald was only on a one-year deal, so you probably just yeah he is because they were saying somebody's going to pay Donald.
Speaker 4:They said, based upon his play this year, Donald's probably made himself a $40 million-a-year quarterback.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I mean again, I mean there's teams that will be viable for him and a lot of these other guys, the Genos and, I think, who else? Russell, there's a couple QBs that's going to be free agents this year. Mm-hmm, yeah, you're going to have. There's going to be some veterans out there that you can watch. Bradford, I'm not Bradford. Stanford, stanford, stanford, blah.
Speaker 2:Boy, stafford, stafford, I say every random quarterback right, Except for the right one, Stafford. Yeah, I say Bradford, right, Stafford. He'll be a free agent. So there's going to be some guys out there for teams to really go after. So it'll be a competitive market this year, you know. At least you know it'll be five comparable quarterbacks out there to go for. So we'll see Nonetheless. But that's all I got, man. Any final thoughts, man, we can get out of here?
Speaker 3:for this two weeks. Damn, I had something, but it slipped my mind.
Speaker 2:No defunds. We ain't going to end the year with a defund.
Speaker 3:I'm not going to. I was getting ready to defund Travis Henry's, travis Hunter's girlfriend, but I ain't going to do that. Okay, all right, I'm going to do that. Love who you love. She's tripping, but yeah.
Speaker 2:What about you, Justin man? Any final thoughts? Man at the end of your whip? All right, Yep, If you're talking, we cannot hear you. It looks like his mic is moving, but I can't hear him, so I don't know what happened. It looks like his mic is muted.
Speaker 3:No, no, no, no, that's your. That's your second camera. Yeah, that's the second camera.
Speaker 2:Now his mic is not muted, I don't know. Well, I'm just going to throw my final thought out there. Final thought is first off, I appreciate all y'all and all the contributors of the show so far in the season this year. I got everybody Christmas gifts this year because, like I said, I really appreciate y'all. So when I see y'all I will be giving y'all gifts. Wow, I got something for you too buddy. Appreciate that. Wait a minute. Is this something I bought? Huh, is it the shirts I bought?
Speaker 2:No, no no, oh, okay, oh. So I'm like oh, I know we had a transaction, but yeah, not everybody. Ike, I'm going to mail him his. Brandon, jonathan, boom, john, everybody, so everybody who's contributed this year I have gifts for and because I appreciate y'all man, this don't work with just me. So all y'all, even the people who've been here part-time I doing the pickings for us, justin, keeping the group jumping with his posts and comments, and things like that, just everybody you being here consistently every week.
Speaker 2:Boom, in our group chat. I mean he doesn't make it on the show much and he ain't in the comments a lot, but he do drop, you know, little gems Into the group chat, if nothing else, crossroad sports, I mean. Anytime I need Brandon or Jonathan to come on, they Are more than willing to come on, even some nights where they're doing their show and coming over Like 10 minutes after their show is over. So I definitely appreciate both them. And moving forward through the NBA and definitely through March, over like 10 minutes after their show was over. So I definitely appreciate both of them. And moving forward through the NBA and definitely through March Madness, we'll be leaning on them guys heavily to help our show out. So I just appreciate all y'all man. So I made sure this year that I got everybody something to show my appreciation. So that's my final thought.
Speaker 3:Alrighty, see y'all in 2025. Yeah, man.
Speaker 2:We'll see y'all in 2025,. Yeah, man, we'll see y'all in 2025,. January 7th, man, we'll be back that Tuesday, so, holla, this has been an epic podcast for 2024,. Man, we'll see y'all in 2025, yeah, sir.