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"
Rivalries, Upsets, And Playoff Chaos
Two friends sort through a busy week in sports, from NBA power rankings and the Lakers’ rotation problems to college football upsets and a tangled NFL playoff picture. We push for clearer roles, cleaner systems, and fairer paths from high school to the pros.
• OKC, Spurs, Knicks, and Denver rising in NBA power rankings
• Lakers’ defense, shooting variance, and undefined rotations
• Spurs vs Thunder rivalry forming around structure and pace
• Bowl slate preview with Alabama’s trench issues and IU’s precision
• Ole Miss vs Georgia rematch risk and motivation question
• Oregon vs Texas Tech upset potential and red zone execution
• NFL playoff picture, seeding fairness, and schedule strength
• Case for or against expanding the NFL playoff field
• NIL, G League pathways, and the future of college hoops
• Defund picks: front-office decisions and accountability
So yo, welcome back to another episode of the Epic Podcast. Me and Jared still, man. We gotta get we gotta get the guys back on the show, man. Beginning in the year, we we all four will be here. I'll make sure of it. After our break, I'm sure we're taking a break. Probably. Maybe. Whatever. But welcome to another episode, man. How's your sports week been? Cool, man.
SPEAKER_00:Um it's been cool. Um, used to obviously used to this being on Tuesday, so it's Thursday, so I had to catch myself today Wednesday. Oh yeah. You know, the holidays got me all messed up. But uh, I mean it's been cool, man. Uh the Bengals won on Sunday, so any anytime that they can get a dub, like I'm I'm good with that. Uh so yeah, ain't nothing much been going on. What about for you, man?
SPEAKER_04:Oh yeah, man, I got nothing, man. Uh Bama won. But that's it. That's all I got, man. Patience still losing. Uh yeah, that's it. Coates lost again. So, I mean. And it wasn't Philip Rivers' fault. But nope, it wasn't. We couldn't couldn't get the other team to punt.
SPEAKER_00:They didn't Niners didn't punt at all. Hey, I I've been on, I've been on that side. At least I mean the quarterback wasn't a rookie.
SPEAKER_01:Well, yeah.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, we've let a rookie come in our trap and not punt. Crazy. Crazy, crazy.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, so I mean, yeah, man, outside of that, just I guess for us a normal sports week. Uh, but we're gonna jump into the to the topics today. Nothing too crazy, not a lot, lot going on. Group O Angel. Hey, what's up? Um, I guess we'll start with a little NBA. Just some power rankings. I feel like we haven't forgotten about the NBA. Uh right now, number one, you got OKC at 26 and 4. You got Detroit at 24 and 6. You got the Knicks at 20 and 8, Denver at 21 and 8, uh the Spurs at 22 and 7, Houston at 17 and 10, Lakers at 19 and 9, Minnesota at 19 and 10, Boston at 18 and 11, and Orlando at uh 17 and 13.
SPEAKER_00:So I mean, we gotta be on the lookout for that um Spurs and uh Thunder series or rivalry or whatever.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, yeah, it is really turning into a rivalry right now. They they've been battling. So both teams are playing the league right now. Really, really, really good basketball right now. So um can't forget the Knicks are playing really well in the East. Um Detroit obviously playing very well too. So it's some I don't won't say surprise teams, but um definitely some teams on the come up. And I mean, even the Lakers, even though they they got smacked around last night, I mean, 19-9, they doing okay. They're doing okay.
SPEAKER_00:So I mean they've had a ton of injuries. I mean, some of their losses are still inexcusable. Like, I like looking back on last night, even with LeBron and half of AR, you still should have enough talent to beat the Suns. I mean, they got one guy. They got one guy, and he didn't even have that incredible of a game. So that means you know, the Lakers are failing to neutralize the other guys, and that's you know, like that that can't happen. Um, let me actually pull up. Let me see what guys did last night because it's like you the Lakers in that situation live. Were they full strength? No. I mean they were missing virtually two and a half starters because AR came off the bench. So I mean I get it, but are the Suns really that good, or are you just refusing to play defense?
SPEAKER_04:Uh I could tell you the box score. So pull it up here. Yeah, Dylan Brooks had 25. Mark Williams had 18, Devin Booker had 21, Colin Gillespie had 16, and Royce O'Neill had 12. Uh and then off the off the pine, uh Jamari Buye had 14 off the pine. But like who?
SPEAKER_00:No disrespect to him, but it's just like I don't know who that is either. I mean, the the guys you naming, anybody can go get 25, and that that can't happen, man. Y'all gotta they're gonna have to take it.
SPEAKER_04:LeBron had 23. Um Austin Reeves had 17, Marcus Mar had 14, Nick Smith Jr. had 12, Aiden had 12, LeVira had 12. That's really it.
SPEAKER_00:La Ravia. Yeah, I don't know why Jackson Hayes' minutes are down. That just makes no sense to me.
SPEAKER_04:Everybody was in a negative as far as plus minus, except for um Brownie and Chris Man.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and T-Row. But it's just like Brownie's still not shooting the ball. Uh Jackson Hayes' minutes, I just don't understand it. I don't get it. I don't get it. I mean, I would I would play DeAndre Aiden and Jackson Hayes for some minutes uh before I just didn't play one of one of them.
SPEAKER_04:Over Vanderbilt, though?
SPEAKER_00:I I mean, yeah. I mean, it the seat they're just I'm just asking. I'm just designed is from Jackson Hayes getting minutes. Like Vanderbilt just started playing a couple games ago. He hadn't played all year for the most part. So yeah. Um and then Jackson Hayes is more of a five than Vanderbilt is. So yeah, and I mean they always, I'm sure they probably got killed on the boards again. That was actually even. But they're usually lacking on the boards. See blocks. Phoenix has six, uh, Lakers have four.
SPEAKER_04:Uh he's actually pretty close all the way across the board. Even turnovers. I mean, Lakers had 17, but shit, they the Suns had 13.
SPEAKER_00:Uh that's a lot of turnovers. But uh the difference in four turnovers could possibly be. I mean, you would say at least eight points, but in this game. Yeah, but but losing by losing by 24, 26. But no, that's proving my point, though. There's no reason why this margin should be how it is.
SPEAKER_04:It's just guys like I mean, if I see anything, it's kind of just bad shooting. Like nobody had really had a good shooting night. Yeah, they couldn't stop nobody. Duncan Neck was one for five. Oh, well, I mean 39 at 81 for the field goal. They shot like a line though.
SPEAKER_01:62 line is gonna be yeah, they missed.
SPEAKER_04:They missed 11 free throws. Shot 38 as a team from the three and 48% from the field. Yeah, nah, 48% from the field ain't gonna get you there. That needs to be closer to 60% from the field. Yeah, he's giving me the 55. Yeah, because I mean, look at the Suns, they shot 59 and 41 from the three and 90 from the free throw. So it was just making shots. They wasn't making shots, so that's that's ultimately what Commodore.
SPEAKER_00:He's gotta be shooting close to 50% from the line this year because he missed five. But still, I mean, when you lose by almost 30. I mean, how can you consistently just get beat across the board without everything? That's just crazy.
SPEAKER_04:So he missed five. I mean, he missed two threes, so he missed seven shots altogether, two threes, so that means he missed two regular I mean five regular shots. I mean, five of eleven, Marcus Spark, Nick Smith Jr., five of eleven. Like one of five, don't connect.
SPEAKER_00:Like, it's it's pretty out. I give him credit for getting that average up, man. Because them first few games, I was like, hey man, I don't want to see no 14 points per game, LeBron. Like, I I don't want to see that. Please give me to a dub, and he's he's over, he's right at 20, 20.4. So I'm like, woo.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, because everybody's I mean, looking at I mean, looking at the Suns, look, yeah, four for five, ten for fifteen, seven to eight, six, like two or two, like two or three, like people are they're just score more, it just looks like. And then I mean it it it does make a difference. Probably better defense.
SPEAKER_00:You don't have a lot of ball dominant, you know, players. I mean, Booker's got to get his, but even he didn't even shoot the most times on the team. Dylan Brooks has did so.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, hey, Jamari Duye, seven field. But I also think, too, like missing a Luca where a lot of these guys probably wouldn't have got the shots or took the shots they would have took, those would have been Luca shots, right? And you could easily drop a 30 in there, which they win the game. You know what I'm saying? Probably definitely more free throws and things of that name. Well, but you gotta remember this though.
SPEAKER_00:If you drop that 30 in there, what what are you taking out?
SPEAKER_04:Right, but I'm just saying, like, uh don't connect his five shots. He's probably not getting those five shots. Um, like Marcus Mark shooting 11 times, probably not gonna happen. If you know what I mean, Nixon's Jr.
SPEAKER_00:They scored three points and 14 points. So if you drop a 30 in there, you still gotta take out.
SPEAKER_04:No, I'm talking about Nick Smith Jr. also. He also shot 11. I'm looking at the people who had like high volumes versus you know what they normally play. Looking at you know, Marcus Mark playing 30 minutes shooting 11 shots, that don't happen if Luca's there. It's the same thing with Nick Smith Jr. They're not playing, you know, 30 minutes apiece shooting 11 shots. They had decent games though. I mean, but that's 12 missed shots in between. That's 12 missed shots in between them, though. But I mean, we can't. And the point in the points is only 26 points.
SPEAKER_00:That's that's what Luca now. It ain't like he would have went 17 for 22. But then look at the free throw.
SPEAKER_04:No, I'm just saying, but look at free throws. They they only shot two free throws between the, you know what I'm saying? Like it's an impact, it slows the game down, like the way Luca plays is different. So I'm that's why I'm just saying that that would probably be the the difference between them playing and Luca playing as far as slowing the game down, the assists, the free throws, and uh uh the shot differential.
SPEAKER_00:If Jamari Bouye is dropping 14 points off the bench at 24 minutes.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, but that's defense.
SPEAKER_00:Like we all but we all know that that's Luca certainly would have made them worse defensively for sure.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, but how many points, you know, Dylan Brooks may be getting uh uh you know, how many of these fast breaks off of missed shots and stuff like that, like not getting back? So it could it could be a lot, you know what I mean? Because after a shot, you got a chance to go back and set up your defense versus after a miss where the team can get out and run, possibly. So yeah, just I mean, it could be a number of things, but I just look at you know, those maybe some of the little things that we can see from the um just from the stats, and we didn't watch the whole game, I think we started watching the second half, so but I mean still 19 and 9. I mean Luca be back soon. Um they look good when they're at full strength. I mean, not on the defensive end, but you know, enough to compete.
SPEAKER_00:I think it's just that they it's like almost like they got too many guys, man. I and it is that's not something that I typically say, but it's almost like when you got too many guys, there is no like for example, Jackson Hayes, what is his role? He plays 25 minutes one night, he plays five minutes another night. Like, what what is his role when you have too many guys and your and your rotation is too large, that like kind of indirectly affects the accountability because like if I'm paying 20 minutes one night and four minutes the next night, how can you say, oh, I need this from you or this is my role?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, but uh but also with that too, like if you don't, then you turn into like a a New York Knicks in the playoffs where you've been running this, you run this small rotation into the ground.
SPEAKER_00:No, I'm not saying like them, but I mean every team in the playoffs is gonna have like an eight-man rotation.
SPEAKER_04:But I'm saying But if you're talking about now not not not playing guys, you know what I mean, or even now using this time to figure out their roles, that's kind of how that goes.
SPEAKER_00:Establishing roles, like it's hard to how do you establish what you need from somebody if you got 40 million people doing it?
SPEAKER_04:Just like you're but if you don't play them, but if you don't play them, how do you know they're they're they're they're obtain they're they're executing a role. So you gotta put the guys out there and say, all right, tonight I need you to to be on the boards, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00:Like allow them to do it. I I I don't. So all I'm saying, bro, is that you need to establish a rotation so you can establish some goals and some roles and hold those guys accountable to doing it. Like every team has a rotation.
SPEAKER_04:I agree with that. I agree with that, but in a in them, but you gotta think how how quick they probably went down 20.
SPEAKER_00:Establish the rotation, like that's that's your job. It's to establish some kind of rotation so everybody can know what their role on the team is. If you don't have a rotation, nobody knows their role on the team, then it's just chaos. Then you have to break down.
SPEAKER_04:But I think once you once in in a game like this, when you go down 20, the rotation is out the window. Now you just you're putting guys in to finish the game.
SPEAKER_00:This isn't based on this game. I watched every like this is like I was saying, like I like I said, Jackson Hayes only had five minutes this this game. I've seen him play a lot more in other games. So now this is me watching every game all season, like looking at stats and tapping in all season. Yeah, this isn't just about this game. This is just what I was just saying about like the Lakers' organization the last couple years. I mean, JJ Reddick has done great, but I think it would help if he would uh really give these guys rope. Because like I told you, Vanderbilt wasn't playing early. I mean, he was getting straight DMPs the first, you know, 75% of the season so far. He was getting DMPs, he wasn't playing. Then all of a sudden, you put him in a rotation, you give him 20 minutes, he scores five points. I mean, that's taken away from somebody else. I still don't understand what the Dalton Connect experiment is. Like, I I don't know, I don't know why or what he's doing or not doing. That's not, you know, that's not getting him out of the doghouse. But I mean, this is just my observations from watching, you know, and tapping into every single game that they play this season. I just don't know.
SPEAKER_01:That's fair. That's fair. Um jump over to college football real quick.
SPEAKER_04:Um, of course, we got the playoff coming up. So on New Year's Eve, we got 7:30, you got the Cotton Bowl, which is Miami versus Ohio State. And then New Year's Day at noon, you get the Orange Bowl, which is Oregon versus Texas Tech. 4 p.m. is the Rose Bowl, which is Bama and IU. And then 8 p.m. on New Year's, you get uh the sugar bowl, which is Ole Miss and Georgia. So um you see any upsets, man?
SPEAKER_00:Um, upsets. So I mean, you'd have IU is a favorite. Um, I can't see I can certainly see an upset in that game. I can certainly see an upset in that game. Um you got old miss and which one?
SPEAKER_04:I'm sorry, I didn't hear that.
SPEAKER_00:Uh the IU and Alabama game. I can actually see an upset in that game for sure. We talked about that. Um Miss and Georgia, I'm sure Georgia's the favorite. I don't really know. I I've watched zero of Ole Miss this season. Like I can honestly say that I don't think I've seen one down of them all season.
SPEAKER_04:So I don't I I have watched them. Uh my only thing is, will they be the same without Lane Kiffin as they are with um, I can't remember the guy's name. But I can't either. Um are they gonna be the same? Are they gonna be motivated the same way um with you know their coach no longer being there no more? You know, a lot of these guys were recruited by Lane Kiffin, and to go out there and play in spite of him not being there or, you know, going to a new team, like how do they feel about that? Um I heard some of the guys felt betrayed, things of that nature, but are they gonna go out and get their best effort against Georgia? It could be inspiring, but they could be just like, look, I ain't about to go out here and risk getting hurt or anything like that for you know for this team that I'm probably not gonna be on next year. Um so it could be an easy win for Georgia. We'll see. I mean, yeah. Or like I said, they could come out inspired and be like, look, okay, we're gonna we're gonna go win it for ourselves. We're gonna go out there and play for ourselves, then you know, whatever. Like, motivation is different.
SPEAKER_00:If they do go out there and and and fold, I mean, that's gonna say a lot about themselves. It's gonna say a lot more about them than Lane Kidvin, because I mean, to be completely honest with you, if you play, if you go out there and you do all that practicing, you do all that playing, you do all that preparation, and you just roll over because your coach left, um, that's yeah, that that's not that that's not a good look. So I I think I think the OMS still has the same exact chance of of winning. I mean, like I said, they've been preparing, they've been lifting, they've been training, they've been studying film, they've been doing all this for all season against an SEC opponent. Did they play Georgia this year? Um, I don't know. So, I mean, they have they have somewhat of a game plan already. I think they'll be fine. Do I think they're gonna win?
SPEAKER_04:Uh they did. They beat Georgia this year.
SPEAKER_00:See, there you go. That was their only loss. Only loss.
SPEAKER_04:No, they lost to Georgia, my bad.
SPEAKER_00:Okay.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, they lost to Georgia by 10, uh about eight, my bad. They lost to Georgia by eight, 43 to 35.
SPEAKER_00:So they got some points up. Look, they got some points scored on them too. Um
SPEAKER_04:Man, I I I don't I don't I can't what we say it's always hard to beat a team twice. So Yeah, true. That may be that may be a tough you know situation for Georgia too. Yeah, that's yeah, exactly. So that may be a tough, tough go out, uh tough out for Georgia, um, which I would be happy with. I'd rather if we beat IU, I would rather play Ole Miss than Georgia. Um I don't I definitely don't think because then we will have to then we will be on the side of trying to beat Georgia twice in one year. Yeah, I would rather play Ole Miss, a team we haven't played this year.
SPEAKER_00:I'll see if y'all come out of y'all's side, y'all playing us though, because especially if Ole Miss beats Georgia, I I think our chances of beating Ole Miss are a lot greater. Ohio State's chances of beating Ole Miss are a lot greater than.
SPEAKER_04:Oh no, we don't get them. We don't get them. My bad. We get we get the winner of Oregon, Texas Tech. My bad, my bad, yeah. Which I'm not I'm not nervous either way on either one of them. So whoever comes out of that Oregon, Texas Tech, uh, if we beat Indiana, then I'll be okay.
SPEAKER_00:People call me crazy, but I ain't worried about nothing. Like, I'm not I'm not a greedy fan, bro. We won last year. Hey, just don't get embarrassed. Whatever happens, happens. I mean, that that stress level is completely gone. Like, I'm not gonna sit here and act like I expect from our team to win a championship every single year. So I'm I'm good. We got one on the board, whatever. You know what I'm saying? If we lose to Georgia, so be it. Or if we get to the end and lose to y'all, so be it. We can't lose to IU though. I'd probably be exiled from the state of Indiana if we lose to IU in the championship. Why no? They'd have my head on some cross. You know how people be doing me, bro. I don't even be bothering people.
SPEAKER_02:That is true. We was out. Where was he at? We were to chill. We took our kids to the church.
SPEAKER_00:I think the watch uh uh a down of football ever in her life. Yeah, yeah, but all my stuff and tried to nail me to the cross. I'm just like, bruh. Yeah, I really so yeah, I I'd have to, I'd have to, I'd be kicked out. I'd have to move if we lose to them in the championship. But anybody else, it is what it is, bro. We'll be back next year. And it's like it's easier to take a loss when you see the glaring deficiencies in your team anyway. Like we've talked about this as well. Terrible short yardage. I don't understand how we're so bad in the red zone. Like it's somebody might look at the stats and be like, oh, well, you guys are uh, you know, 89 or 95%. I mean, it's different when you know you're playing, you know, Illinois or you're playing, you know, Rutgers or something like that. But it's just like in some of the bigger games, we have been really bad in sure yardage, starting with the Texas game. I mean, I don't know how many third and ones across the season that we just weren't able to pick up. And it's just like you need that stuff to win. Like, I would take a knockdown on some of the other stuff if we could just improve sure yardage. It's just like, so with that being a glaring deficiency in our in our on our team, it's almost like, I mean, we lose, I know why. Like I knew why we lost to IU. Granted, I think our play call was a little bit, you know, dry. But man, you know, it's easier to take an L when you can explain it than, you know, when you can't, and we're just supposed to be the best of the best and just come up short. So it is what it is, man. I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna actually enjoy this playoff game with us in it for the first time in a while. And whatever happens, happens. I ain't tripped.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, and see, I feel a certain way uh about Bama because like we've been, which is rare for us, we've been we've been weak in the trenches. Like our O-line and D line, like we we're barely holding up against uh the pass block in the blitz. We're not picking that up well like we used to. We're not definitely not run blocking like we used to, and like we can't get pressure on anybody unless we s less we send like less we send five or seven. Like our front four, we're used to getting pressure with four, and we have not been doing that this season. So um, which is have been putting our linebackers and our DBs in tough coverage spots, you know what I mean? So in some games it may look like our defense is just playing bad, but it's like when you got to try to hold up for five, six, seven seconds, you know what I mean? Like that's a long time to cover. Yeah. So um definitely got to get more pressure, uh, especially playing against IU. We're definitely gonna have to get some pressure on Mendoza, and we're definitely gonna have to be able to run the ball because we don't want to turn this into a shootout with Indiana. Uh because we can see they can put points up, they can definitely swing the ball all over the field to multiple receivers and tight ends, running backs, like they use their full arsenal um against everybody. So we definitely gonna have to get some pressure and definitely gonna have to be able to run the ball, um, take some pressure off Ty Simpson and that pass rush.
SPEAKER_00:So I just looked at something, like y'all leading Rusher has like 500 yards on the season.
SPEAKER_04:Bro, it's horrible, bro. That's that's never been a Bama rusher, bro.
SPEAKER_00:Never, it's like y'all had 1,500 rushing yards all year. Y'all definitely had running backs that had them that by themselves.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. Halfway through the season, like Henry, uh, Ingram, uh all of them. Uh Jones, like, bro, we like we got like six starting running backs in the league right now who all killed. Like, but we probably have twice as many offensive linemen in you know in the NFL. Like, our off we're known for our O line and our D line and being able to run the ball, if nothing else. And those have been the things we could not we have not been able to do this year. So we definitely gotta figure that out. 500 yards leading rusher?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, he has three touchdowns. Okay. That is wow.
SPEAKER_04:Wow. Yeah, no, we definitely gotta get back to some Smash Bow Bama ball, man.
SPEAKER_00:So that's totally not it. I don't know what yeah, that ain't it. Is this Kelon Russell K? I mean, Keelon. Yeah, Keelon Russell is he supposed to be good? Well, material he's supposed to be good, but I guess he's gonna be y'all quarterback after he's a freshman this year.
SPEAKER_04:Uh yeah, he's decent. He's decent. Uh one of the top prospects. He he'll he'll be he'll be good. I'm not I'm not I'm not I am looking forward to that, but like I said, I'm I'm Jam Miller probably be gone. Like he'll uh I want to see what we bring, we gotta bring in. I'm this offseason, like in our recruiting class, I'm trying to look at who like how we're gonna beef up this offensive line, what we're gonna do on the D line, and what we do in that running back. Like all the other positions we usually take care of. We always have decent receivers, um, we always have decent DBs, like all American linebackers, but like we gotta fix the trenches in the run game.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I've never seen anything like that run game. I mean, and ours has been down as well. Like, I'm sure we might not have a 100,000 yard rusher, which is crazy for us, but to see that Alabama's leading rusher has um 500 504 rushing yards is is is crazy. Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen that before. Not not in the Sabin area, that's for sure.
SPEAKER_04:No, for sure. And like hopefully, like we like this time to rest, you know, these two weeks or whatnot to rest, you know, get a little bit more healthy, you know what I mean? And maybe we can come out and perform a little better in the trenches, but it starts there with us. Like that's always been Bama. Like we've always dominated the line of scrimmage, and we gotta get back to that. So respect. Um, upsets. I can't see Oregon beating Texas Tech. I I can see that. Um and definitely, I mean, I don't like I said, for Georgia to try to be Ole Miss twice, I kind of get a nod to Ole Miss just because they got history on their side. But if Georgia was to win, I wouldn't be like, oh man, that wasn't supposed to happen. But a Georgia uh Ohio State game would be good too. So um Miami, this is gonna be a tough go. And definitely Bama probably has, I agree with you, the biggest chance of an upset over IU if I had to pick. But that's only if the Bama that played last week and earlier in the season play. Like the second half. Yeah, that mid to second half of the season, we we were not playing our best football.
SPEAKER_00:So like middle second quarter against uh Oklahoma, second half, yeah. Y'all, y'all, y'all play really good football. Yeah, so it's the war from Ryan Williams, man.
SPEAKER_04:Like, I I just bro. Like he just from what I've been seeing and reading online, is like just mentally he ain't been there. Like I said, he let the country he let the country in drop, so it's not like the ball's not getting to him. Like he's just I don't know, haven't been locked in, man. So again, hopefully just rest, people can get refocused, you know, and lock in more. And because we're gonna need everything against IU. They're they're they're extremely well coached. Oh, yeah, super disciplined. Like, you're not gonna get the dumb penalties or the you know, the little um random things that normally go your way in a game. You're not gonna get those again. IU's not gonna give you the game. You're gonna have to go out there and take it from them. You're gonna have to dominate them, man on man.
SPEAKER_00:So and Mendoza be doing throwing dots. I ain't even gonna catch exactly throwing dots, like right on the money. So um corners definitely gonna have to be, you know, on APs and Q's. Um I I think it can happen.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, yeah, that's what I'm saying. If it will, if it can happen, it like I said, that Oregon, I I definitely think Oregon can beat Texas Tech. That's probably my number one upset, but Bama number two, and then uh O Miss over Georgia. So, all right, and last but not least, man, let's talk about this NFL playoff picture, man. What uh so now we got a little clearer picture of than we had last week. Um so in the NFC, right now you got Seahawks, Bears, Eagles all 100% getting in. Uh Rams, Niners, Packers, all getting in. Majority. Uh they're giving they're saying Packers 95, Lions 5%, but they're practically in. Only team that really have a question mark is the Buccaneers. And that comes down to the Panthers. Them, I think they played twice. But no, they just beat them. Panthers just beat them. So they got one more game. Uh they may they may flip-flop, and the Panthers may get in as the NFC South leaders, and Buccaneers be out. Um, and then the AFC is practically set. Like Colts 2% chance, Ravens 7% chance, they're practically all out. Um, and yeah, everybody else is is in. So you got the Broncos at one, Patriots at two, Jaguars at three, Steelers at four, Bills at five, Chargers at six, and Texans at seven. Some of those seeds may move around based on records in these last two games, but majority of everybody that's in as in.
SPEAKER_00:So man, have you looked at uh have you looked at the Patriot schedule? I have not. This is probably the worst shit I've ever seen. Kind of kind of on subject, but kind of, but that kind of affects like how I you know what I'm saying, like how I how I predict that they'll do. Oh, they got the Jets and the Dolphins. Yeah, this is this is this is this is pretty bad. I don't know. Yeah, they they oh I didn't know wow. It's terrible.
SPEAKER_04:I mean they've literally lost to the Raiders and and and the Steelers and then the Bills, but that was barely, but they lost um the Raiders, the first game of the season.
SPEAKER_00:Right. Oh, I was gonna say they beat the Bills, but that was kind of early on by three.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, that was early on. That was only by three.
SPEAKER_00:Their wins are terrible.
SPEAKER_04:Miami, yeah, the Saints, the Titans, the Browns, the Falcons, the Jets, Us, the Giants, yeah, y'all. But then, I mean, even now you can look at the Ravens as not as a good win.
SPEAKER_00:Right, something's really wrong with them, too. Yeah, woo.
SPEAKER_04:All right, well, I guess game on uh Patriots. Yeah, because probably their best win. Shit, right now is betwe it between the Panthers and the Bucks, whoever you think is better.
SPEAKER_00:It's probably the Bills.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, but that was three points, and that's a division opponent.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it was kind of early.
SPEAKER_04:And then you turned around and lost to them by four. I mean, so I don't really even count that. I'm looking at these outside games like teams they don't normally play. It's probably the Panthers. They beat them 42 to 13, and the Panthers may be in the playoffs, you know.
SPEAKER_00:So but still, I mean, I don't think they're even their record is probably still garbage. You know, that that division, yeah, they're eight and seven. You can win that division being going nine and eight.
SPEAKER_04:Winning in nine games, you can you can probably win it, yeah. But normally the Buccaneers usually be on their shit. They just um they just uncollapse this. And collapse is probably just as bad as the Colts.
SPEAKER_00:And they've had an absolute flip-flop of the the uh New England schedule. There's we talked about this on if it wasn't last show, the show before. Um Tev Bates played everybody. Yeah, no, for sure. They played everybody, even being in that tough, that, that sorry division that they're in.
SPEAKER_04:They've played the they played the Texans, they've played the Eagles, the Seahawks, the Niners, the Lions, the Patriots, the Bills, the Rams. They've literally played. And like I said, you can really put the Panthers in there too. Like they've played like almost almost half the playoff teams.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. They've played everybody. So you gotta look at it like that. I mean, hell, if they had the Bills schedule shit, they'd be 12-3-2. You mean New England schedule? Yeah, yeah. If they had the Patriots schedule, they'd be they'd be 12-3-2. I'm like fully, believe it or not. I mean, a lot of teams probably would. Well, yeah, it was a soft schedule, but the Colts would probably be undefeated if they had that that that's but you also gotta look at excuse me.
SPEAKER_04:If that's the case, then it's like, all right, well, let's see who they're gonna end up playing in the playoffs. Like, that's gonna be a huge dumped in the playoffs, then I think people are gonna look at them and be like, mm, yeah. That's that's exactly why they're gonna look back at that schedule. Yeah, no, you should see that.
SPEAKER_00:Anyway, yeah. Um people need to start looking at that game. I could easily see Houston beating them.
SPEAKER_04:No, absolutely. Like, especially with the way Houston playing right now, their defense is just put eight teams in it.
SPEAKER_00:I know you're probably gonna disagree with that, but like just put eight teams in it and just make everybody just play first round. Like, what are we doing? Like, I mean I feel like it even make more sense when you have to be.
SPEAKER_04:But my only thing is that then is people are gonna people are gonna manipulate, and I and I hate to say this in a professional sports, but they're gonna manipulate their position. At least getting the number one seed, you get a bye, and there's something to play for being number one. Then other people are just gonna be mediocre once they know that okay, we can get in being, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00:Like, I mean being number one, you still lock down at home field advantage. People that's something to play for.
SPEAKER_04:Because I mean, if but if you get a but but also too, like after an 18, you know what I mean, possibly 19 week season, depending on if they expand it again, but it's like after playing that, like you as a team to get a bye, to get a week to another by week to rest, like that's super important. A lot of teams. That's more to fight for. I guarantee you, you ask any number one seed, or no, as number two seed. No, I'm just saying, like, if you if you ask the number two seed, would they rather be a number one seed than get a bye? I think any team will take a bye, especially at this time of the year.
SPEAKER_00:Them niggas been them niggas been you as a coast fan, you should know more than anybody. Those motherfucking one seeds that be getting them bys be getting zipped up quick.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, but still, like I would rather take it. I would rather have that the opportunity to be a one seed than not. Like you said, and then have the play. And it depends on like where your bye was in the season, too. Especially if you a playoff team and your bye was like week four, week five, like, and you done went, you know what I mean, 10 weeks straight. Yeah, and you done been, you've been, you've been, you know what I mean, grinding to get wins, and then it's like, dang, we don't even get a bye. We still gotta, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I'm nothing. I want to see eight teams in the playoffs, bro. Just level it out and let's roll. And they can do, they really could do the same with uh college football too. Just put 16 teams in it, just make niggas play the games. Like, that's just that's me though. I one team is just like I don't know.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, it's like I said, I think it I just think with the the level of the players.
SPEAKER_00:And then we get more football. I'm never I'm never against having more football.
SPEAKER_04:Like we get we're I'm not either, but at the detriment, but do you want to see a bunch of beat up teams in the playoffs? I don't give a fuck, but I just cause bad football, and you're gonna be like, now we're now we're judging these teams based on them not being fully healthy or a champion to be fully healthy. But I mean, even in even in college, like even given that that week uh, you know, I mean, before the the playoffs are having those bys, like that's still imp, I believe is still important down the stretch to get the best product.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, that's why I guess that's why Oregon had a simulated game that one week because they didn't want to be off. Did you hear about that? Yes. They they like held a I guess was an inner squad, they had a game like mascots, all that just to stay locked in, like to stay the locked in, yeah.
SPEAKER_04:Because some teams, I mean some don't, but like some teams be beat up, man. And like I want to see the best players play.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, I want it to be top competition versus top competition. Injury is gonna happen, and that's why they're gonna happen, but if you can have a chance to minimize it and make the team work for it, having a buy is not gonna change, it's not gonna change that much. I mean, it it it it allows for one more team to make the playoffs and then just rock out. I mean, do we Yeah, I I take it. One more, I mean we'll take it, but I mean, like, and then what's the purpose of it? Conferences, it makes absolute sense. Like, it's everything is it's eight, it's eight divisions, it's four teams in each. Just make it eight and eight, bro.
SPEAKER_03:But you already get a guarantee from one from each one, and then you're giving so now you're saying but wait a minute, but then you're saying you're you're gonna let you get and then you got two player, I mean two wildcard teams.
SPEAKER_04:So now you're gonna so only it only will be one division possibly that don't that only has one representative, and everybody else could possibly have two if if we keep things even. Like, I don't know, I kind of like it how it is. Like, you get the division leaders, and then you get two out of the four next best teams.
SPEAKER_00:You get three wild card teams, but I feel what you're saying.
SPEAKER_04:You know, well, I'm just saying with the bye, I'm just saying, like, you you're still gonna get you're still getting two out of that, you know what I mean? So it's like I don't know. I think the by is fine.
SPEAKER_00:I I don't think it changes much at all. Like I would much rather see Detroit uh Lions versus Seattle Seahawks uh week like who who's gonna turn that down? Like who's gonna say no to that and then perhaps seeing Denver have to play uh Baltimore? Like who's who's gonna who's but it wouldn't even be the Lions? It would be the Panthers. The Panthers are already in it. No, they're not. The Panthers are in the playoffs. I'm looking at it. Who's winning MC South? It's the Panthers.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, that's right. They just beat they just beat the Bucks. So yeah, but I mean, so it'd be Tampa Bay. It wouldn't even be the Lions. Oh, well, I guess no, they got the Nest Back skin. You're right, you're right. They got the next back, uh, what you call it? No, you're right.
SPEAKER_00:It wouldn't have to be in that joint, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:So, I mean, I I'm not I'm not standing up. When are you earning it? Like, then it's just like you feel like you're letting everybody in, and then it's like turn into a madness type.
SPEAKER_00:Quite frankly, I don't want to see Carolina hosting a playoff game. So if I mean if we want to break it down into But Carolina hasn't been playing bad football. Have you watched the Panthers? Yeah, I'm nothing, bro. I'd much rather see the Lions but they're scared, but they're but their record is the same. I understand that. But like you just asked me, am I watching the games? Are you watching the games, bro? I'm definitely trying to see the the Lions play somebody over. I'm I'm wanting to see the Lions and the Frisco Niners over the Lions and the Panthers. And I like I'm not sure if anybody would just be like, nah, except for fucking Carolina fans. Like, nah.
SPEAKER_04:I'm just I'm just looking, I'm just looking at, and I'll just keep it recent. The Lions, that game against the Steelers, I don't want to see that. If that's what they're putting out there. Defensively, yeah. You can like offensively, yeah, you want to see the Lions, but defensively, you do not want to see the Lions.
SPEAKER_00:So you want it, so you want to see well, I mean, they're injured too, but you want to see Carolina against the Steelers?
SPEAKER_04:I would I think it would be a better game. How so? Minus minus the injuries, like I'm saying. I mean, if you just energy, that's what I'm saying. I mean, but that's where we are right now. I mean, if we're talking about full health every team, I mean, shoot, I want to see the codes. I'm just saying that we're taking the teams as they are right now, you know what I mean? Like, I would I would definitely want to, I mean, the Detroit Lions is not, they just haven't looked good. And like I said, it's mainly because the lions on defense.
SPEAKER_00:They're just they're going crazy. They're actually getting a playoff spot by default. Like, how's that by default? Because they're they're winning a shitty division. They have somebody in the division has to win it. I mean, it's been like that for them for that division for a while, minus the Tom Brady years, because I mean Tampa Bay was separating themselves in, but they're yeah, by default, like some somebody has to win the NFC South. So it's just happened to be. I wonder, is that locked have they clinched it?
SPEAKER_04:No, they haven't because they gotta play the Buccaneers again. This comes down to these last two games.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, okay. I yeah, I've never gotten a lot of people. Make it shake. That's two losses. I put money on that. That's two losses for Carolina for sure.
SPEAKER_04:And I mean, Tampa Bay play Tampa Bay played the Dolphins and the Panthers.
SPEAKER_00:So oh yeah, we we good money then. We I think Tampa Bay.
SPEAKER_04:But they don't, but Tampa Bay ain't lost three in a row. They just lost to the Panthers, the Falcons, and the Saints.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, that's pretty butt. So, like sure, that's definitely Buns.
SPEAKER_04:But like, I don't know.
SPEAKER_00:Like, we talked about who like bro, they've also played, like we just talked about a crazy schedule. Outside of the I agree with it, I agree with that, too. It's been crazy. So, I mean, it is what it is, though. But wait a minute, hold on.
SPEAKER_04:Let me look. Let me look at the Panthers. No, actually, Panthers and Demeter played the same schedule. They played the Jaguars, they played the Patriots, they played the Bills, they played the Packers, they played the Niners, they played the Rams, they played Demnair the same people.
SPEAKER_00:I I mean they're in the same division. Like, I know that's what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_04:That's what I'm saying. So, like, I mean, with their schedule.
SPEAKER_00:I wasn't saying that their schedule was different than the Carol. I mean, I know the teams in the same divisions have roughly the same, except those ones where it goes by who wins the division. But yeah, I mean, I know they played the same people. Let me see. Let me let me let me look real quick.
SPEAKER_04:Let me see who the Lions have played. Okay, Bears, Packers, the Ravens, the Bingles. They played the let's see, the Chiefs, the Eagles, and the Rams and the Steelers. That's it. That's outside division opponents. That's all Detroit has played. Well, Pack, I'm just looking like, well, they played. Oh, outside division. Yeah, just like those extra games, like, just looking to see, like.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, they're not getting blasted either. They're scoring, it's just the defense injuries. I mean, going into the season, they had Kirby Joseph and Brian Branch playing safety. Grant and Brian Branch just went down, I think, a game or two ago, but Kirby's been gone for a minute. Like, that's just substantial.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. But they got like two losses in a row, possibly a third coming at the Vikings.
SPEAKER_00:They started off going crazy.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:I mean one and four.
SPEAKER_00:That was that was bad. Yeah. I watched that Buccaneers game. Vikings. I don't know how the hell they lost to them. But it's I I'm I'm definitely not I don't I don't care ultimately about the line.
SPEAKER_02:Right, no, no.
SPEAKER_00:I'm just I'm just looking like here and make a case. Oh my god.
SPEAKER_04:And and my and I'm only saying because like with that schedule, knowing Tampa Bay and the Panthers schedule, like I think they deserve to be in more than than the Lions. If if we were gonna add another team, I would say add Tempa Bay in there too, you know, depending on whoever loses it. I'm gonna put one of them two in just based on schedule strength over the Lions. Because there's no way we should have the same record with these with our schedules being this different.
SPEAKER_00:That's cool. I'm I'm I'm wanting to see the Lions. I mean, that's fine. It's it's a personal preference. Like, no, for sure. Like shit. I'd rather watch the Lions over goddamn more than half these teams that's in the playoffs.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, because they got an exciting offense. But if it's gonna be a shootout every time, and it's just like, all right, y'all can't stop nobody, like Yeah, they D getting alright, like we're watching y'all for the offense.
SPEAKER_00:Like, I guarantee you we've still giving up more points than them on the season. I'm about to check.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, you're talking about Bengals?
SPEAKER_00:Maybe I think we're we're probably still number one team. Uh no, I didn't know what I want to look at. I want to look at it.
SPEAKER_04:I'm about to say, sure, coats might be in there too.
SPEAKER_00:Nah, yeah, I don't know. I don't know, I don't know, bro.
SPEAKER_04:We motherfucking differential statistics, scoring, uh say total yards.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, we've we we've we got a 300 300 yard distance on total yards giving up. Um points per game given up, we are number one.
SPEAKER_04:300. No, y'all giving up 402 a game. Detroit's giving up uh 370, uh, 347. I was talking about total yards. Oh, 50. That's what I'm looking at. 50 yards a game. They're giving up 347, y'all giving up 402.
SPEAKER_00:I'm I'm no, I'm talking about total, total yards on the season.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, you're talking oh, I thought you were talking about per game, like total yards per game. Okay.
SPEAKER_00:Although I don't know how that's different because I mean everybody's played 15 games. But yeah, I'm looking at it. It says we're giving up, we're the only team to give up 6,000 yards on the season. Second is looking at 5741. Who did you say? I thought you were talking about Detroit. The different teams. Oh, no, no, no. Detroit is giving up, so we've given up like 800.
SPEAKER_04:I know I'm looking at it. Yeah, they gave up, they're giving up 52-11. Shoot, we give up 52-38. We bro, we right there.
SPEAKER_00:We we in the 6,000 club, my G.
SPEAKER_04:Shoot, we might be we might be by the end of the season.
SPEAKER_00:That's one game.
SPEAKER_02:If you stay on pace.
SPEAKER_00:Boys have caught up as far as the uh the points, though, because we've only given up four more points than the Cowboys, which is crazy. Because we was running away with it for a minute. We was damn near on the we might still broke the record. I don't want to make this longer. That's about four.
SPEAKER_04:Just looking points per game, yeah. 30-30. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Both teams giving up 30 damn near. I mean, we only had 23 points a game, but still. We're giving up the damn near passing yards.
SPEAKER_00:We got the record because it was 534 last year by the Panthers, and we've just set the record. No, we didn't. No, no, no, no. We got 458 giving up. So no, we're we're not. We're we're safe. Yeah, yeah. Unless we give up 40 points in the next two games, which we played. We finish out with the Cardinals and the Browns, so that's not true. It shouldn't happen. Yeah, it shouldn't happen. Yeah, I know one thing. I hope it stays the the the weather temperature that it is now. I hope it's like stays that for the weekend.
SPEAKER_04:I think it's supposed to be. I think it's supposed to be pretty warm the rest of the week. I think it gets cold uh next week.
SPEAKER_00:Uh yeah. Higher 59 on Sunday, sweet. It's supposed to rain though. So I'm gonna probably go to the Cardinals game, ain't got nothing else to do. Yeah, it's definitely supposed to rain, but it's a high of 62 in Cincinnati on Sunday. Um yeah, I'm I'm rolling.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, Isaac just said doing two top eight, doing eight teams could give two teams a bye. I'm with that if you're gonna add one. Yeah, it used to be that way, it used to be two byes.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it did, but that's when they had six teams.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, it used to be the top two teams got a bye, and then they changed it to one. No when they expanded the season. Yeah, it used to be. I'm almost a thousand percent sure it used to be.
SPEAKER_00:Because you would have to have no three winners. I think it was still I think that wouldn't work because the second week you would have to have the an equal amount of teams. If you gave two teams a bye and you put six teams down below playing that first weekend, you got three winners, then the two teams with the byes, that's five teams. So somebody would have to have a second bye if you did eight teams, two byes. So that that wouldn't work. Yeah, two teams, two teams with the team.
SPEAKER_04:Or maybe it was seven, maybe, or are you? It used to be six teams. Or do nine teams. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. I think it was it was less teams. I remember it being less teams. Yeah, and then they added. And then you just play four. Yeah, and then you got the four play and then two byes. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Because now the way it's set up, you got six games on the first weekend. There's three winners plus the team with the bye. You got four teams, you know, two and two. You can't have five.
SPEAKER_04:So it would have to be nine teams with two with four games, okay, and then two by there. Right. But even, I mean, but nine, I just I think that's unless they do an expansion.
SPEAKER_00:But yeah, because you, whatever way you slice it, you'd have to have the equal amount of teams going into that second week. And eight teams with two teams having to buy, it wouldn't, the math wouldn't work out. But I mean, whatever. We got what we got.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, yeah. I'm like, I'm not angry about it. I think it's gonna I think it's gonna be a decent playoff. Uh even this is crazy that no ravens in the playoffs, no lions in the playoffs, no colts in the playoffs. Ah, well, that's what I'm used to. That's not having been a thing.
SPEAKER_00:Like six weeks ago, bro. Y'all was in prime position. Running the ball, defense flying around.
SPEAKER_04:I knew it. That's nuts. But now you get the brought the Patriots back into the playoff pitcher, you're getting the Jaguars back into the playoff pitcher. Uh, shoot, the Steelers back into the playoffs, because they have been winning, having winning records, but they hadn't been making it to the playoffs. Uh, and everybody else had been in the playoffs here recently. And then in the in NFC, I mean Bears back into the playoffs. Uh, depending on if the Panthers make it, then you could say they back into the playoffs. Um yeah, everybody else has been in the playoffs recently. I mean, Seattle, I mean, if you want to look at them, usually the Niners are dominating that division, but usually it's the Niners and the Rams, but shoot. I mean, Seahawks jumping back in there, competing. So, yeah, man, it's gonna be a little shake up, but they always say three to four teams that made it last year don't make it the next year. So here we are. Anything else, man? What are we defunding? Um I know something got to go on the defund list this week.
SPEAKER_00:I don't know if I got nothing prepared. I need to I need to prepare better. I'm sure there's something that needs to be defunded.
SPEAKER_04:We're not defunding uh let's see.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, I got continuous defunds. Like, I mean, you know, uh UC basketball still playing like absolute dog shit. Um, but yeah, other than that, I I I think I'm good for this week.
SPEAKER_04:I'm gonna say I'm gonna throw a defund in there this week. I think it's about time to defund uh the coach's front office. I can't even speak on that. I think it's about time. Um I think you have you have nobody from the old regime, so this is a complete ballard team. We've now moved away two first round picks, so in the next two years, we probably won't have a first rounder unless we do something dramatic and trade back into the first round somehow. I forgot all about this. We we trade and sign DBs, but we still end up by the end of the year with five DBs injured. Um, so even if we were to make the playoffs, none of them would be available for the playoff game. Uh we un-retire a 44-year-old quarterback that was about to go into the Hall of Fame for three games. Um, you have a number one pick quarterback uh available to play, and you don't play him. Next year, you don't know. We don't we have no idea what we're gonna do at the quarterback position again, and this is now six years in a row now, I want to say. Um completely committed to Riley Leonard, are you gonna give AR another shot? Or you're gonna sign Daniel Jones, let him sit, and still be in the same position where you need to sign a veteran from somewhere. Um yeah. I I there's a lot of question marks based on the decisions that this uh front office has made this year, and there's no answers to any of them in the immediate future. You can't say the draft unless you're gonna draft for QB in the second round, which who's really gonna be there because this isn't a deep QB class this year.
SPEAKER_00:So yeah. Breaking news, this is definitely something that needs to be defunded. The NCAA. Um, so you see James Najee, or you may not have seen it, which he was drafted into the NBA, into the NBA um back in 2023. He was a 31st overall pick. He just committed to Baylor.
SPEAKER_01:No typo. Wow.
SPEAKER_00:I guess basketball not being amateur anymore. You can go pro and go to college. Go pro and then go to college. You got four years of eligibility. Wow. And he was drafted. Yeah, there goes uh college sports. Yeah, yeah. They should have just let this was another one of my Jared Theories. They should have just let anybody who wanted to go pro, like, keep college for people who want to go to college and play basketball. Like, the one and done should have, they should have stopped make college ball for guys who want to go to college and play basketball. Leave that to them. There should have been some kind of like the G League should have just been way more popping. All those one and done's, all those guys that think that they're, you know, ready already and don't want to go to school, they're not going to these universities for school, go to the G League. You know, and then these guys that that actually are going to college, and actually that's the goal of theirs, is to actually go to college. These guys can can get the scholarships and you don't even need to pay them. They ain't even gonna need no NIL. Or you I mean you could toss them maybe you know, 5,000 semester, they'd probably be like, cool. I said this a long time ago. This was I I was saying this back in like the John Wall, the Marcus Cousins era. They don't really want to go to school. Why are you making them go to school just so they can play basketball?
SPEAKER_04:I never it's money, man. It's money, it's money, it's money. It's money. They make too much money, it's too much money. Sponsorships and stuff in universities and college and sports, period. In college sports periods, there's so much money in there, bro. We're talking billions. Now we're getting what we're getting.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. No, but I mean, I still think dude, and it's not like you're gonna have all non-ballers. Like, you still gonna have like CJ McCollums are still gonna be in college. You're still gonna have your Damian Lewis, you're still gonna have guys that who, I mean, we there's guys that make the NBA that's played three or four years. Like, you're still gonna have, you know, but those those guys are just you know that they don't like AJ DeBancer, like, bro, he's not, he doesn't give a hell about taking classes at BYU, bro. We we I think everybody, I think that's a consensus that some of these guys prefer not to go to school. Just go to the G League, just make that open, make that a thing, but leave college sports for college students that want to play basketball. And I know that sounds like it's gonna, we're gonna be watching some intermultal shit. No, like there's guys that can hoop, but actually have an interest in going to college.
SPEAKER_04:But I think the guys that want to hoop, they have an interest of want to go to college. Like, if they had to choose between going to college and going to the league, they're gonna they would choose the league.
SPEAKER_00:Well, go go to the league then. But I mean, you you you're sacrif you like if you want if that's your route, do that. But if you go if you want to play college basketball, you want to play college basketball. A lot of these guys would even tell you that a lot of these guys are ready to go pro out of high school, but they do. Yeah, no, no, for sure, for sure. Ike when they announced that, I was like, that's gonna hurt, that's gonna hurt college sports. Making them go to school for a year, don't do that.
SPEAKER_04:And this is what Ike says he's like, I've always said let them go from high school if they're good enough. If they go to college, make them stay like college football does three years, and then they can declare for the I totally agree with that. Totally. I don't I really don't know why they went away from it.
SPEAKER_00:Totally agree with that.
SPEAKER_04:Because even when they were letting them go from high school, it wasn't like a lot of the high school players end up turning out to be good enough, and then I mean, if you look in that era where, you know, you look at the Kobe's, you look at the KGs and stuff like that, like they were coming out of college, high school, and they were good enough. Like, you know what I mean? Like the LeBron, like they were good enough. So they came to the league and proved that they were good enough.
SPEAKER_00:And I'm not even go directly to the NBA and go to the G League. Make the G League more of a I don't understand why it's more of a thing. Like, yeah, get that popping. The the the the AJ Devances and the the Dylan Harpers of the worlds and the uh all these high profile, one one and done, like you know for a fact before they even get on campus that they're one year and gone. Move that to the G League.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. But I think but I think also again, like for the for the money, they also look like, okay, if we can get one year of these guys, you know what I mean, to boost college sports for that year, then they'll they want they want a piece of that that that excitement.
SPEAKER_00:They still would have to have the players obliged by it, though. But I mean, if the rules were just like, hey man, well shit, if you think you good enough, just go either pro or go to the G League, like the the colleges wouldn't have, but it is a joint effort. So I'm not saying that either party has all of the control, you know, but I think it would just be a much better process if, you know, they just they just they just did that. And then like the scholarships that are being awarded, they're being awarded to people who actually even if you 50-50, like let me get a scholarship.
SPEAKER_04:Mike's saying the same thing. He said if they're potential one and one year and done, then go to the G League. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:And I and I think that gives us a better profit. That gives us a better product.
SPEAKER_04:And that's just if you're not drafted. I mean, if you're good enough to go out of high school and get drafted, then get drafted.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, yeah. Like that gives us another product. One and done, college basketball should be G League. Absolutely, absolutely. And maybe you figure out a way to like attack.
SPEAKER_04:Because if you're good enough, and if you're killing in the G League, then you're gonna they're gonna pull you onto a the NBA roster. Like, yeah, they do call-ups all the time, 10-day contracts, you know, for the rest of the fans.
SPEAKER_00:If you can't be caught, I will make the rule like you can't be caught up in your first year, you know what I'm saying? So I don't know about that.
SPEAKER_04:Play that first year, and then go pro. Nah, nah, I wouldn't, I wouldn't say that. Because if you got if you let's just say we just go pro then. No, I'll just hear me out. Just hear me out. Like, just say you went from high school and you declare for the draft, and let's say you didn't get drafted, but you still go to the G, you know what I mean? You can still end up in the G League if you're not drafted. What I'm saying is, is if he's if they're in the G if they're on a team, or if a team drafts them and they in the G League and they gotta stay in the G League, if we on a run, let's say one of our good players gets injured, and we about to make the playoffs or whatever, we need to call somebody up, and we can't call this star up that's killing in the G League that we just drafted, like that may stunt our team in that year that we may need. You said he didn't get drafted. I'm just saying, well, I'm saying if he's on the if he has to stay on the G League, if that you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00:You're thinking about it from, and I understand it, you're thinking about it from an organizational standpoint, yeah. From a fan's perspective.
SPEAKER_04:Nah, uh well.
SPEAKER_00:So I'm thinking about it as this is a this is I'm creating a new product. Like these guys, they can get their money in the G League, whatever, whatever, whatever. If this is your first year out of high school, just do your league, do your year in the G League, that gives us something to watch. But from an organizational standpoint, yeah, I mean, shit. I don't care when he can't. I don't want them to have the stay.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, I should be able to, if if if I'm funding this G League, you know, the Lakers or whatever, the the Pacers mad at if I'm funding that team and we're developing, I mean, because uh is ultimately a developmental team. I'm just saying I should be able to, yeah. I'm about to say I should still have access to these players if I need them.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I I 100% agree with that. That's that's from an organizational standpoint. I get I of course, absolutely. I can't.
SPEAKER_04:Because once you're in the pros, then I mean it's business.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah. From a business standpoint, absolutely, all of that shit goes. And just like you were saying, from a business uh point of view, from the college standpoint, yeah. Nah, we we'll just give me the one that does, yeah. Yeah, we'll just we'll we'll we'll figure it out. Just keep just make them come still, yeah. Of course, yeah. But I'm when I speak on stuff, I'm speaking from like my point of view. I'm not in the pocket for Duke Universe. I could care less if they make another dollar the rest of their existence. I don't care. I'm not, you know, part of the Lakers. I don't care. I'm just trying to what makes sense, what can eliminate people crying and whining and bitching and moaning, and what's a better product for us to be able to view as a viewer? And that's what I am. That's just what I'm saying.
SPEAKER_04:But also, too, I think now with the NIL, like that will that has cut down some of the one and done's. It is kind of making people stay longer because they can make some decent to good money in college, you know. I mean, they could definitely make G-League money in college, you know what I mean? If you stay two, two, three years. So I think that is helping it.
SPEAKER_00:Um, yeah, it helps it, but it also makes it murky too, though.
SPEAKER_04:But it is I mean, it's gonna be murky regardless, like because you have to just do away with college sports. College sports have been murky forever.
SPEAKER_00:The people who are staying in college, because of the NIL, they're not necessarily like top picks. Ain't nobody guaranteed to be the number one pick overall. It's like, nah, NIL, I'm staying in college. Yeah, but if if you might accommodate those guys that's not really ready jumping to the throws, but you're not, I don't think it's too much of a of a shift that you're gonna see top like you're a top five pick, but I'm gonna be in college.
SPEAKER_04:No, no, no. But I think also, too, like the guys this this the borderline guys, like you said, so we're not flooding the NBA with bad product, right? You could those guys could stay and develop a little longer, where in the NBA they may not even got the time to develop, you know what I mean? Exactly. They may phase out, and it's like, all right, well, if I just would have, you know, had the chance to develop a little longer, then I could have made it. So I think the NIL do help say, okay, well, I can stay in college, I can make some money, instead of me forcing my way, trying to force my way to the NBA, I'm not ready. You know what I mean? Getting a little couple dollars, making a bad product, possibly fight, phasing out, you know, the NBA and you know, whatever, whatever. But no, I think both, I think I I I don't know how to hype up the G League, because the NBA really don't hype up the G League. Like, in order to do that, like it would have to be some TV rights because we will want to see these players, because if not, they just these players are coming from high school and they're just disappearing into the G League, and we're not seeing from them from a year until a year later. Like, they will have to fight for some TV rights because we're gonna want to see them like okay, this kid's out of high school, like we will want to see a KG playing if he didn't go to college. Like, do we just forget about them for a year until they're able to be seen on a pro team after a year in the G League? Or, you know.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, but those those guys would be getting drafted and going to the NBA though.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:It's just those fringe guys, it's just like Yeah, but I'm just saying, like I don't care nothing about them. They don't do anything for my viewing pleasures.
SPEAKER_04:So like between guys could be. But but those guys, but those guys, a lot of those guys will be on the be in the college scene, and then the college product is just gonna die. Because it's gonna be like, all right, these are just a bunch of you know, bunch of mid-level players that may or may not develop into NBA talent. Like, nobody's gonna want to watch that. The prospects, the young guys coming in, you know what I mean? The guys you hear about, you know, ranked number two, you know, top ten in the nation, those are the guys who they're trying to get to their program so you can bring eyes to it. So it will ultimately probably kill the lot of long time.
SPEAKER_00:I'm gonna watch uh UC basketball if you're on the team. So like that's not.
SPEAKER_04:But if you want the but if you want the extra amount of eyes, then you definitely want to get those guys in there, even if it is for a year.
SPEAKER_03:Hi, Jerek.
SPEAKER_04:Hi man, what's up, bro? Special guest. You made it on to the to the pod. You're just gonna find your way in. Your sister ain't doing her job, it's okay.
SPEAKER_05:Uh Jerek.
SPEAKER_04:Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_01:Well, a little whipping is a little tricky.
SPEAKER_04:Man, we're not getting on here mumbling. All right, man. If that's it, man, we ain't got nothing else you gotta say. You gotta look into the camera right there and say, bye bye. This has been the Epic Podcast. Say bye bye.
SPEAKER_01:Bye bye.
SPEAKER_04:The Epic Podcast is gone. See y'all next week.
SPEAKER_05:See you next week.
SPEAKER_04:All right, man. We out.