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"
How A Dream IU Run, A Trey Young Shakeup, And Playoff Gambles Collide Across Sports
We ride the highs and lows of fandom, then break down how Indiana built a title run on discipline, how Miami could crack the code, and why the NBA and NFL are shifting under our feet. The throughline is strategy: coaching choices, roster value, and when aggression beats convention.
• IU’s precision offense and third down mastery
• Miami’s narrow path through pressure and discipline
• Real score ranges, possession math, and variance
• Trey Young trade value, leverage, and fit
• Giannis rumors, AD durability, and Warriors culture
• Fourth down aggression vs unreliable kicking
• Defense-led playoff wins and QB floor
• Scheduling fairness and Monday game impact
• NIL and transfer portal structure ideas
• McCaffrey usage, run-pass substitution, and context
Catch the national championship Monday at 7:30 on ESPN
Yo yo, welcome back to another episode of Epic Podcast. Me and Jared in here tonight, man. How was your how's your sports week been?
SPEAKER_01:Man, sports has been terrible since uh early December for me. I don't think none of my teams have won it all. But it's a new year. Huh? It's a new year though. Yeah, but I mean I'm saying since December, I haven't gotten any wins. Like I don't haven't gotten anything to talk about. Um the Bengals, I mean, well, they had they had a couple wins in December. Ohio State lost both their games in December. Um yeah, I've been getting cooked. UC, I don't think they've won in December. I don't think they have. I think they're probably on like a seven, eight game losing streak, something like that. So yeah, I don't even know if any of my teams have even won. So it's been rough. What about you?
SPEAKER_04:Uh I mean, probably about the same. Well, no, I take that back. Pacers are on a three-game winning streak right now. So uh that's good. Not saying much, but you know, heading in the right direction. Um man, that's probably it. Alabama's not doing good in college basketball right now, even though that's not my team in basketball, but uh yeah, that's shoot.
SPEAKER_01:Man, I can't get with college basketball, man. It just me and college basketball just done.
SPEAKER_04:Boston Red Sox ain't doing nothing in the offseason. Everybody else signing people, Yankees doing their thing. Of course, we're still quiet. Yeah, man. I have nothing. Uh but like I said, but the Pacers being on a couple game winner streak. You know what I mean? That's that's really it. Uh looking forward to this uh this national championship. So yeah. I won't be mad if either team win. Like I said, I like I like uh I like the University of Miami and of course live in Indiana, so if IU win, that's fine too.
SPEAKER_01:Like I won't be mad. I'd certainly be annoyed if IU wins. I won't be mad though, but annoyed absolutely, because people are gonna be saying the wildest shit to me that I can even imagine. Granted, nobody has really said anything to me directly, but I know it's probably down the pipeline, and I'm probably gonna crash out. So we'll see, we'll see. But I mean, I I'm cool if people can if people wanted to just win and celebrate, everybody just cool, happy, hooray, so be it. But the minute somebody starts to try to get under my skin, it's probably gonna be a problem. So we'll see. Oh.
SPEAKER_04:Special guest.
SPEAKER_01:Kind of. Not for a long time, I'm sure that's what that says. Of course. It wouldn't be Ike if it didn't say something. Shout out, shout out to you though, bro. College team playing for a national title, pro team just knocked off the defending champs. It's up.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, we got Ike in here with us. Yeah, man. Yeah, that's I'm sorry, man. We was texting. I was like, man, come talk about your team. You got good shit going on in the sports world for you right now, man. Come come talk your shit about your teams, man. Everybody can't do that.
SPEAKER_05:We can't do that. I'm trying to live life, man. Yeah, that's that's about all I got going on. I mean, look, it's still unbelievable. I you know, I I used being a national champship game. Nigga.
SPEAKER_01:I'm still in shock. I mean, it's not it's not like there's a team, it's a team that flirted with being number one, you know, every now and again, like a Wisconsin or Illinois, or you know. I, you. We're living in an alternate universe right now, for sure. I I I am here for it.
SPEAKER_05:I bet you're not mad at it. I was at the game on Friday. Oh, first of all, I I've never like the the I went to the Coach game, right? For 49ers. There was a lot of 49ers there.
SPEAKER_01:Nah, you talking about the Coach? The Coach that Monday night game.
SPEAKER_05:That was like we probably had half of it. There was probably 90% IU game on Friday.
SPEAKER_04:Like, yeah, I even heard some of the like broadcasters talking about there's like it's a lot of IU fans here.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I think they but I also heard that IU has the largest alumni uh base in the country. So I mean that it's and then you gotta figure all those IU people have never, ever, ever, ever been able to watch their team. We saw the first meaningful IU football game last year ever played. Ever. So you know what I'm saying? So people, we this is 80s, 100 years of catching up that they gotta do. So I bet every fan that could was there. And I think that I think that they're my personal um uh not opinion, but what I think is gonna happen, I think they're gonna price out even Miami fans in their own stadium. I don't think nobody wants to see this game more than IU fans.
SPEAKER_05:So like they might I already know people who are going who got tickets for it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, they they might be priced out of their own. I think even the the tickets that Miami fans can get their hands on, IU's gonna be like, bro, let run them. Like, we got whatever, run them. Like they're gonna they probably ain't even gonna be able to afford to pass it up.
SPEAKER_05:You know, 100 or something years.
SPEAKER_01:Okay.
SPEAKER_05:Live in Miami. So like it and I don't think it's gonna be as much of a home game. I mean, obviously, you know, it's in Miami, a lot of those people are gonna. Man, y'all gonna turn a lot less travel over, bro. But I know I know cats who went to the Rose Bowl, who came here, who are also going to the National Championships game. They are traveling. This is terrible for drive for a lot of people. So I guess I know people who live in Miami. I mean, there's a ton of people who already lived here who didn't have to travel, but you can tell if you were traveled for this game. And I mean, I have line brothers who played football who would disagree that it's the most beautiful game. Like the last actual bowl game we had gone to, like I think it was 07. My brother was 17. They didn't win that pro that bowl game, but that was like the first bowl game they had been to since like 90, like early 90s or something like that.
SPEAKER_01:The last one y'all won was in '91. I was watching that. Yeah. I was just like, fucking wow, bro.
SPEAKER_05:That year, I mean, I was there that year. That year was a huge year for IU, and I can only imagine how it is on campus now. Uh crazy. I think we were seven and five or something, something like that that year, and that felt big.
SPEAKER_04:So already a party school. So you already know they probably turning up. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_05:I mean, you know, back in my day, there was a lot more people on the Tailgate field than it was in the stadium. Yeah. I'm sure that that is not the case anymore. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Y'all, I I actually can't say anything bad about y'all fans, too. I've obviously I've been on a number of Ohio State games down there. And uh walking through the Tailgate part part, of course I had my stuff on. People was chilling. Like they wasn't, nobody was no real issues.
SPEAKER_05:Like, we was just like, no cats out there to have fun, man. Like it's it's if you've never been to a naive tailgate, I would recommend homecoming. Especially if you I mean, if you're not a black Greek, still go. Uh you can hang out with the black Greeks, I don't care. But if you are a black Greek, like for anybody who has gone to an HBCU who wants that HBCU feel, our home our homecoming tailgates feel like HBCU tailgates. Like we have our own section to where you know you don't really notice that it's it almost feels like it's it's an HBCU for a second, and then you walk outside of that section.
SPEAKER_01:Do you realize? Oh man, I'm still in Bloomington. Yeah, I can't say the last time I was down there, the last OhioSpect game, uh I did get a lot of uh go blues. So it was a lot of IU fans like trying to just trying to uh troll. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which I thought was weird because at the time you you guys were still in the midst of uh a hundred plus years of nothing. So I'm just like, I mean, that you you really gotta reach to do that. But other than that, I've had no no real issues down there. It's always been love. And uh one of your line brothers actually went to my high school, uh uh Roby. Yeah, Roby was here. Yeah, we went to the same high school. Um, he was uh oh five. I think he graduated my first year there, and I graduated two years after that. But yeah, so I actually kind of did follow his career when he was there, uh, you know, just because I mean he didn't know me. I he has no idea I'm alive, but I was always tapped into the sport. So, you know, somebody that went to my high school's playing, you know, D1 sports, I kind of followed. Um, but yeah.
SPEAKER_04:So so I guess, I mean, I guess I might as well just start off with this. Uh what's the keys to each team winning, man? Do you think, uh, Jerry?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, you want me to start? Yeah, go ahead. Shit. Are you just doing what they do? I've never seen more perfect football being played from a team ever. I mean, like, you gotta think about it. They have no deficiencies, they don't turn the ball over, they don't get penalties, they don't drop passes, they don't miss tackles. I've they don't, the quarterback doesn't have the ball tip. I've never seen a team play so perfect or close to perfect in my life. Like it makes even our run last year look like, you know, and then people want to be like, oh, well, Oregon's not that good. Granted, they weren't, but still nobody's beating them like that. Like I said this weeks ago after y'all beat, after Indiana beat um Illinois. I was like, we play Illinois. We're not gonna beat them like that. Like, we're not gonna beat them 60-something to 10. Like, I I knew that. So right then and there, I was like, hey man, we gotta, we got a problem because they are good. Um, and so I've been doing a little bit of research on, you know, Signetti and trying to figure out the formula. Um, I found out that he's uh he's very meticulous when it comes to how he selects talent. Uh some of his assistant coaches was like, you know, he'll turn a guy away for the for the oddest thing. Like he'll say, you know, I don't like the way he walks, and that guy is just not gonna make the team like type shit. So he's really selective for how he picks his picks his talent. Um his assistant coaches have been locked in with him since day one. So this is his fourth head coaching job. Some of them have been there, you know, all along. So the the system and everything that they want to do has been locked in and solidified for years. I I mean, I'm impressed. I've I've never seen anything like this. I'm thinking back to when the Patriots went, what, 17, 8, 19, and oh and lost in the Super Bowl. Were we even seen perfect football like this play then? I'm not I'm not quite sure. So Ayu comes out and has an average game, they'll beat Miami by three touchdowns. And in Miami, you're gonna have to play flawless, you're gonna have to force some kind of mistake. You're gonna some kind of mistake.
SPEAKER_04:But you know what? To to to kind of dive in a little bit, like my uh Indiana hasn't been playing mistake free. They usually, if they are gonna have a mistake, if they're gonna have a fumble or interception, which you know, it usually comes out in like the first quarter, or maybe like the first one, the first or second series. But after that, pretty much flawless. Bro, closest to complete to the flawless football I've ever seen. No, for sure, for sure. But it's like if you do get them, like maybe early, it's always early in the game. Like it's never down the line, it's never in the fourth quarter when they need to play. Like, you're never gonna have those misses.
SPEAKER_01:Our pick was like, I think the second drive or something like that. And it actually makes me go back and revisit that game because like now I'm like, well, maybe we were better than I because I never once really thought we were really that good this year. Like, that's something somebody can't say about me. You're not gonna find anywhere where I'm just like, Ohio State's running through everybody, we're the best ever. We're just under indestructible. I I don't do that type of stuff. So like I knew our weaknesses. Sure yardage, that popped up in the IU game. Um, you know, fourth and one, that popped up in the IU game. Um, missing field goals, that popped up in the IU game. So like everything that hurt us was on full display. So it wasn't, it wasn't really a surprise. Um, and I said that to say, I don't fucking know. I don't remember, but them boys is balling.
SPEAKER_04:Bro, you're just talking about playing mistake free ball.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah. I was because I was saying that our interception came early in that game. So yeah, you're right. Everything you said was correct. Them boys is balling, bro. I was like, well, they ain't played with nothing. The way they did the teams that they that they did play is bro, that that that checks off the boxes, man.
SPEAKER_04:And even against even once they got to the playoffs and was playing, I think, you know, better talent teams, like they didn't let up.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, bro.
SPEAKER_04:You know what I mean? Like, there's no year. Like everything. Right. Alabama probably, even though it wasn't Alabama's best year, it was still Alabama and it's still nobody's doing that against great talent. They dominated.
SPEAKER_06:Nobody's doing that.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, against Oregon. You know what I mean? Nobody's doing it. Not the best organ team, but absolutely not the worst organ team either. Yeah, nobody's dominated.
SPEAKER_01:And it also shows how much stronger they've gotten, you know, year over year went on. Yeah, yeah. So I'm not like I just sitting back, like, you ain't gotta say nothing. Like, we're singing all the crazy. I'm definitely in three places right now.
SPEAKER_05:Look, it's uh run the game. I mean, either at the game, like at the Oregon game, just this last one, I'm sitting, you know, with my one of my friends, uh. Uh and I think we ran a couple ran the ball a couple of times and didn't get a ton of yards. And like he started to get worried. I'm like, no, they're not going up in this round. Like, even in games in which we don't think they're running well, they're still gonna run the ball. And eventually, like the O line will get to wearing people down. Uh and eventually we'll start to get some of those tougher yards. But no, if if there's a first and we get two yards, three yards, they ain't going away, and they'll run it again on second down. Yeah, and so dots thrown all the field. Like they're gonna impose. I don't I don't know. I think I've seen something they haven't dropped the ball this year. They don't drop balls, even contested.
SPEAKER_04:Like, I mean if they get their hands on it, most of the time they can't.
SPEAKER_01:They're grabbing it.
SPEAKER_05:Like they the thing about that is the ball also has to be put in the perfect spot. Man, like yo, is he is he like legit? And I'm like, bro, those passes at the end of that game.
SPEAKER_04:Those are NFL passes. Like the change.
SPEAKER_01:But he's putting the ball season too. That changed the course of the entire NCAA season. Because if I you loses that game, maybe, I don't know, maybe y'all don't play us in the Big Ten Championship. Maybe we win that. Shit is all changed based off that that one possession. Like, there's a whole bunch that's that that happened with that. Like, so that was that was a huge play. Also, another thing that I noticed about IU is that going back to them not making mistakes, even the times where they do get penalties and put themselves in the first and 15, second and 13, and some shit like that, they convert all the time. Also, they're leading the nation third third down percentage conversion. Like, how can one team be doing all of this? Like, I'm calling it.
SPEAKER_04:But when you got a QB, too, as far as when you got a QB that's that's very accurate, like that throws NFL passes. You know what I mean? Like, we talk about this with quarterbacks a lot, like in a college, like you you kind of you're not throwing people open, like they're already open and you're getting the ball to them. But he literally puts the ball, he throws the receivers open, like he puts it only where his receiver can get it, like based on recovery.
SPEAKER_01:Like, I'm I'm I'm saying, bro. And it's just like, but even with that, it's like, for example, I think Joe Burrow is the the leader in uh completion percentage in the history of the game, which sounds crazy, but yeah, he's he's high. Even he has the most BS tit balls, paws, and like interceptions, and just fluky shit that just happened from time to time. I mean, he has it's obvious, obviously. I watch every down of their games, but it seems like every other game he just has two or three of the wildest, most I've never seen no type of shit like this before. And he's leading, he's the leader in completion percentage. Like shit happens except to IU, bro. And I'm and I'm like, hopefully, it just keeps going for their sake.
SPEAKER_05:Like, yeah, I mean you gotta come. Job's not done.
SPEAKER_01:The job is not done yet. IU National Championship. Like, I mean, it's even come to the point where that wouldn't, that don't even really sound likely for the basketball team. Because you know, that was always a basketball school, but even it's been a minute since that's even been you know synonymous. You know, IU national championship, even basketball, but like for football, it's this is this is this is legendary. I can't wait for the 30 for 30. That's just gonna be lit. Oh, that's gonna be crazy.
SPEAKER_04:But I think I think what everybody is saying is true. Like, I mean, if the the uh Hoosiers keep playing the way they've been playing, like all year, you know what I mean? Don't get beside themselves, don't try to be fancy, don't try you know what I mean, just keep it the way they've been keeping Debbie fine. They're too well coached to even try and think differently. Yeah, but Miami, I mean, for them to win, Carson Beck is gonna have to play flawless. Like them, that's what I said. That that defensive line is gonna determine if they even have a chance. Yeah. Because if they can't, if they can get to him consistently, they're gonna have to they they racked up twelve sacks against O Bits.
SPEAKER_01:If O boy can get the ball off, they're cooked. So like they're gonna be able to get the biggest. Right, right, right, right. No, you You just don't have to display them.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. If that's what I'm saying, if he's getting it off, if they're blocking and they're they're they're keeping them at bay and they're giving him three seconds to throw the ball, it's they're done. They can get him off his spots and get him moving. I mean, he can even run too. So you really gotta kind of play, you know what I mean? I don't want to say contain necessary, but you gotta definitely to the line of scrimmage, they're cooked.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, no, for sure. The line of scrimmage, they're Miami's done. So they're gonna have to stay, they're gonna have to play in the backfield the entire game.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:The entire game.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, that D-line and those DBs are gonna have to disrupt the game. And they're gonna have to be like extremely disciplined. Like, oh, everybody's gonna have to have the best games of their career.
SPEAKER_01:They're gonna have that for sure.
SPEAKER_04:They're gonna act, they're gonna need some luck too, bro.
SPEAKER_01:They're gonna need some luck. They're gonna have to have some tit balls, some some drop. I just gonna have to make some mistakes in order for Miami to have a chance in this game. I agree. I just I honestly just don't see it happening.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, no. Well, I don't think you get all the way to this point with everything they've been through. And this is where you just Yeah, you start messing with it. The football guys just say, you know what? Nah. Yeah, nah.
SPEAKER_05:You know what I mean? I would love to get a national championship to add to my collection.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, for sure. For sure.
unknown:All right.
SPEAKER_01:I've been telling people, man, I'm gonna have to move if they win, but like nobody's really said nothing. Like, which is shocking because I'm just used to just people just seeking me out and just wanting to talk to nobody said anything. So, like, I'm hey, can just chill in the channel.
SPEAKER_05:We're not Michigan fans. We're not Michigan fans, bro. We we just enjoying the ride, man. And I'm I'm chilling there.
SPEAKER_01:That's that's fair. That's super fair.
SPEAKER_04:I'll take it. Ain't nothing better than that.
SPEAKER_01:I'll take it.
SPEAKER_04:All right, well, national championship, IU versus Miami. Uh Monday, 7 30 on ESPN.
SPEAKER_01:So 4221 my uh IU. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_04:We're doing that. I think it's I think it's closer. That's what my boy Alex said. I I can't. Uh I just, I mean, like I said, I like to think it's just gonna be closer. Um I say gosh. Because and I only say this because I look at the really the IU Ohio State game against good defenses, and I think Miami has a good defense. But I just don't I just don't think they can score enough if Indiana gets going. So I'm that's why I'm only gonna say I believe it's gonna be closer and probably a lower score if Miami's defense show up. So I'm probably say 24-28. Like, I don't know. That's just and that's just me being hope, like hoping for a good game and not a blowout, and like if it's just a game. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01:That's just me hopefully. I'm actually probably gonna pull up, or you can pull up over here because we gotta talk about it while this shit is happening. I keep watching games and I don't got nobody to talk to. Um, I mean, it's almost like shit. I thought the Ohio State game was a throwaway piece of shit game. Motherfuckers might want to tap in. Because like I said, that it as it's going on, that's making us look better than I thought we were. Like, because I thought, you know, Ohio State number one defense, I thought that was just smoking mirrors because it just it didn't, it just didn't it didn't hit the same. Like, you know, like this was the one of the most least dominant teams that I've ever watched from Ohio State. Like, so it was just kind of we just kind of went through the motions the entire season, coached, coached like a bitch the entire season, non-aggressive, just kind of just going through the motions. But now, Miami might want to tap into that game and kind of take a look at some of the stuff we did. I I don't I don't know how we kept them to 13 points. I I forgot nothing. And we were up at the half, we're up 10-3 at halftime.
SPEAKER_04:That's what I'm saying. Like, I think I think Miami's and I think Miami's defense, at least how they've been playing in the playoff, has been like probably one of the best defenses. So I think if their offense can do something and kind of keep them in the game, then I think the game will be closer than shorten the game.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I think we did go on a lot of a lot of long, because they had a couple long drives against us. They had a couple long ass drives against my uh shorten the game, maybe would probably be their strategy. I mean, they do have a really physical offensive line, really physical back. Well, so does I you, you know, um, so maybe try to shorten the game, but they're gonna have to play a flawless, perfect, unblemished game just to have a chance. And that's not that might not even be enough.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:I definitely agree. So again, man, catch on ESPN Monday at 7:30, man. We're gonna jump over to a little uh little NBA news, man. Talk about this Trey Young trade. What what what do y'all what y'all think about that? Uh I guess I'll start on this one. Everybody says the Wizards got finessed. Um or the no, the Hawks got finessed, but I think the Hawks got the, you know, got what they they wanted. Um they cut CJ McCullum, which we were talking about, okay. You know, you pull a vet in, you know, with the young guys, but they let him go. Um but their young core is not that bad. I don't think the the Hawks' young core was that bad. I think Trey Young wanted to, you know, go somewhere and and kind of continue to be the man, but those young guys were going out. Yeah, and get paid too, but that's how he wanted. I mean, yeah, yeah. Possibly, but again, like does Washington really want to re-up on him? Or I mean, is that really where he wants to be? Like, he said he wanted to go there, but is that because the money was right? Like, he wanted to make sure that wherever he went, he was able to get a new contract. Yeah, but I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:I I like I think career-wise, like what are we doing? I definitely thought he would get they would get more for him. I mean, just looking at some of the trades, uh, Desmond Bain went for what, four first-round picks to Orlando? None for Trey Young. And I and I think that actually speaks to uh him being underrated, like people say. Like, I I think he's been extremely underrated and kind of fly under the radar. Like nobody's like showing any respect for 25 and 10 career average. You know what I'm saying? But if you go season to season, I mean he's up closer to 30 and 11 some seasons. Like, I think that's kind of just like just kind of in the wash. Like, there's no way, and what Trey Young's what, 20, maybe six? 26, 27, 25. I don't show you.
SPEAKER_04:27, he's 27.
SPEAKER_01:27. You know, four-time all-star, I believe. Yeah, this year he's averaging 19 to 9. To not get no, but he's I mean, he I think he's played like six, eight games, or 10 games, or something like that. I think it's under 10 for sure. It might be eight. So that those stats are kind of like, yeah, he can't really. We know that we know that he's 25, 26.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, yeah, he's only played 10 games.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, 27, 20, 20, 25, 28, and 10. Yeah, he's he's career 25. Yeah, so that's I I I thought that they would get, you know, a lot more. I mean, like I said, Desmond Bain went for four first round picks and some guys. So like, if you compare that, it's like you would think Trey Young would be worth more than CJ McCullum and uh Corey Kispert. Yeah, but I don't know what went into that. I mean, maybe guys just really didn't want him. I I I don't know. I I'm gonna be able to do that.
SPEAKER_05:I think that's the thing. Like he it didn't seem like he wanted to be here. I say here because I literally um and I think that I I feel like it's it's been obvious that they've been wanting to part ways. So I I think the teams knew that. And it was like, you know, I ain't yeah, either you're gonna lose them or you have to get rid of them for something. I feel like at the beginning of the season when he wasn't playing, it seemed like the team played better without him. That's the thing about numbers for me. Uh kind of brings up later, it's like, yeah, he's 25. He's like 25 guy, but the team seems to play worse when he's on the court for some reason. Uh and not just defensively, although he is a huge defensive liability. Um and you can't really hide him. And he hasn't seemed to have tried to get better. Like a lot of people said that about Steph Curry in the game that Steph Curry also made attempts to get better, you know, as a defender. Uh, and it doesn't seem like Trey has. And some of that stuff he ain't gonna like he ain't gonna be able to overcome height. I mean, that's that's he's not gonna uh height like that. But effort is a whole different thing, and they don't feel like he even put the effort out, which was a whole nother issue. Um, but I think the biggest thing is like it just was obvious that they wanted to part ways, and I think other teams do that as well. So like I ain't gotta give you everything because if you keep waiting, you're gonna lose it for nothing.
SPEAKER_01:You know what? I I didn't never thought about that, but that's literally probably what happened. I think he talked himself out of trade value or acted himself out of trade value, if that makes sense. So now you I think I agree with that. I because it has to be something, like, and that's that that's probably what it was. So I yeah, I can see that. That makes sense.
SPEAKER_05:I mean, for him, he ain't gonna be hurt. I mean, he's still gonna be paid, you know. But at some point, if you unhappy, and then like if you don't have it and your boss is unhappy, something's gotta have it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, they got a whole lot of young guards too. Like, so I don't know what how that how that works, but whatever, I guess they'll figure it out.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, and I mean that's kind of the writing on the wall, too. I mean, when the young guys start performing, you know what I mean, especially when you hurt, um, which he's not the most uh available player in the league, you know, star, I should say in the league. Um, so you know, when you're not in the game and those guys get the time get a chance to to build that chemistry without you, and it's like, all right, what are we paying you 46 million for? You know what I mean? If the young guys are out here playing, you know, just as well or better when you're not on the court, even though you're the veteran and you're the leader of the team, like, hey, the writing's on the walls, time to move around, you know? So I I kind of like y'all said, just think is just kind of like move around, like, hey, look, let's get what we can get. You know what I mean? Let them deal with the money part of it. We don't really need a lot of assets because you know, we got a bunch of young guys coming up anyway. So Atlanta basically gonna be in a rebuild, you know, nonetheless.
SPEAKER_05:Um, so I mean, what if they don't make the Easter Captain Finals? Like they say. So if if we're having this same type of seasons with you and really haven't improved since that at some point we're gonna have to quote unquote rebuild, might as well get what we can in return and then focus on the rebuild. Yeah, no, for sure.
SPEAKER_04:Because shoot, I don't even think the Wizards got many assets either, because they're in the same boat. So why are we gonna give up, you know, our draft picks? Trey Young don't instantly make us a contender. You know what I mean? We'll we'll we'll give you something to make the money work, you know what I mean? You probably you're gonna cut McCullin anyway, you know, whatever, whatever. You know, we'll do something to make that work, and we'll do right by our star and send him where he wants to go if Washington is really where he wants to go, because no playoff team has given up another star for him, you know what I mean? Because that's ultimately what it would have taken to get him, you know, to any playoff team. You know, either you're gonna give up an old star or a young star.
SPEAKER_01:So, I mean, I don't even think, you know, Corey Kisper, McCullum, and two first rounders would have been wild. I don't even think if they had given up like Cam Whitmore or like a Bub Carrington, like one of their young guys in a couple first rounders, that wouldn't have even been wild. So the year that he went for, you know, a vet that's a solid vet, like CJ McCullum, but you know, a kind of older in vet and you know, uh three-point specialist. I mean, I guess you could, you know, consider Corey Kisper a three-point specialist. That's kind of wild. I I was just waiting for the and part to that trade, and it just never came.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, because a lot of times you never get you don't get the like the draft compensation or yeah, like it's always something they're leaving out.
SPEAKER_01:You know, the headline will just say the stars, but then they'll say, you know, in two first rounders or two seconds or a pick swap or something.
SPEAKER_06:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:I just was waiting on the and and it just never came.
SPEAKER_04:So but again, too, like, like I said, with his history of being injured, like, are you really pouring that much in? You know what I mean? Like, I'm not giving up that much for somebody who don't want to be there, who y'all clearly at odds with, that don't want to be there, you know what I mean? Y'all don't really want, like, like y'all said, it's kind of like that. The the the story behind the trade is like we know what's going on in your organization. We know y'all been trying to move him. Uh, you know, even last year, you know what I mean? They was you know, his name has always been in talks, just nobody really pulled the trigger.
SPEAKER_05:So it's like uh I did think they kept a couple of them. I think it was he was they were thinking about waving him. I think they kept oh I I I read that they waved him, but I I saw that at a bunch of places stupid. He actually played a couple of days ago. Um yeah, he actually played last year.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, fair.
SPEAKER_04:I I didn't know.
SPEAKER_01:No, I I saw that same little somebody I heard somebody was sharing that he got waived, but I guess it was satire because he definitely was out there.
SPEAKER_04:Okay, I mean well, sure. Yeah, that's cool then. Uh yeah, so nah, I I kind of understand both sides. Like, like you said, when you when it gets out into the news that the player no longer wants to be there and y'all trying to move him, like I said, this is probably the second year in a row we've been hearing these little rumors, and you're not gonna get top dollar, but nonetheless. Uh Giannis and AD, man. Um Giannis been saying all the right things. He wants to stay in Milwaukee, he don't want to get traded, blah, blah, blah. Uh, what would be a good spot for him, y'all think?
SPEAKER_01:Like, oh man. I mean, the easy answer would probably be the Warriors. I mean, I guess he would have to go somewhere with some kind of perimeter game, some kind of like dominant perimeter game, because you know, I don't think he can go anywhere with somebody who gets theirs inside. You know what I'm saying? I don't think that would be so definitely somewhere with some some shooters. I mean, I guess I guess you package uh uh Jimmy and a uh Kaminga first rounder, ship them the I don't know. Granted, I ain't looking at the money or nothing, so I'd no no no fair. But that I mean that's solid. That's a start, I guess. Well, nah, nah, uh Jimmy make hella money. So nah, that would that would work. Yeah, Jimmy hit damn near pay just as much as Giannis, if not more.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, so yeah, nah, the money would be cool, or even shoot, but I mean shit for money purposes. Uh you can even probably do Kaminga, Draymond, and you know what I mean, something else.
SPEAKER_01:So I think Draymond probably signed some kind of under the two deal. Because I feel like if Draymond gets yeah, he he he'll his his whole facade would be so like shot. Like I don't think the NBA could afford seeing Draymond get exposed. And I feel like if Draymond ever left that team, that would just change the whole landscapes of his entire career. So I feel like he's probably like, hey, if for some reason I gotta leave here, I just gonna retire. That we all know, like, if he was to go anywhere else, like, bro. He got secrets, he got somebody's interest in there, man.
SPEAKER_04:You know, he knows something.
SPEAKER_01:Um probably sign some not like some kind of like, hey, I I gotta be, I'll take, I'll work for free before I go hoop anywhere else. Type shit. And I I I can't. So I think Draymond is there. I think if he had to leave, he would probably just be done with basketball. That's probably fair. Yeah, I I yeah, I I just can't, I I can't, I can't see that. I can't see him going anywhere. They're not just about to ship Draymond out. They would, I mean, he would sign for the minimum and just ride the bench before he went and played somewhere else. And they know that. I think both parties know that push come to shove, bro. Just take the minimum, sit at the end of the bench, and that just be it.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. No, I agree with that. Uh what about uh what about uh AD?
SPEAKER_01:They might need to hang it up, bro. Yeah, he needs to retire, bro. He needs to retire.
SPEAKER_05:I can't see anywhere. I don't at this point, who's gonna trade for him when you got him for 10 to 15 games? It ain't worth the ticket no more.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. I mean, and I think and I think that's too like dog. And I think that I think the Mavericks are realizing that, and they're like, okay, we we just need to get rid of him. Uh, I think if you could probably get a decent player, a decent young player and a pick, you take it. It just let him ride out. I mean, and where wherever he wants to go, like, just figure it out. Like, like, we'll eat some of the money, you know what I mean? Whatever it takes to move on from that. Because I mean, Cooper Flash kind of shown that, you know what I mean, that he could play in the league uh for now. I mean, you're gonna have Kyrie coming back, Clay. So, I mean, you're gonna have enough scoring. And if you could bring in another um, probably wing or big, you know what I mean, to just help out down there, or I think you'd be alright. Even if you can get two.
SPEAKER_01:You know what I can see happening though? I can see the Warriors trading for AD and Clay. Getting Clay back, Clay goes crazy, and they probably win another ring and ride out. I can see that happening.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. I mean, and then then I mean, because I think AD also needs to be somewhere where it's uh not on him.
SPEAKER_01:AD needs to retire, bro.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, but I'm just thinking, like, he don't, he doesn't, he needs to be like the third option type type guy.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, you can't even stay healthy.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, that's what I'm saying. But I mean, at least he's not out there exerting himself like he got to get all the bug. You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01:Like, I don't even think he was doing that now. Because I mean they suck. So, like, that should have been a little bit of a loadoff. Like, you're not playing with LeBron anymore, so you're not in the spotlight, you're not on national TV every night, nobody has any high expectations. Your best player currently, arguably, is a rookie. Like, that's that should be cool. Like, you're letting Cooper Flag go crazy. Kyrie ain't playing. Um, everybody's in and out of the everybody's in and out of the lineup. Like, I don't see a situation that's less stressful. And he still can't stay happy. Yeah. Like, I I really think it's the end of the and I like I like AD. Like, it I everybody just has that whoa, go play with your your kids, bro. It's okay. It's good. You didn't make you done make some good chicken in the NBA, bro. It's cool. Go go be with your family, man. The injuries are just like, they're not even making any sense at this point. Like, I don't know what is wrong or right with your body, but nobody should be hurt this much. I mean, like, so so he's been with them a year, because I remember it was like the first week of February when he got traded. I remember that weekend because I was in Cincinnati. I want to say it was like February 2nd. Could be wrong. Since then.
SPEAKER_04:of last year he's had a thigh injury uh abdomen abductor now he has a hand and i think he's had like i think he's had like nine injuries in a year bro come on what do we 49ers level hurt yeah it's the west coast bro i told you bro don't west coast teams yeah go know what it is bro it's it's it's okay like you've your your first ballot like you got the ring you got the accolades yeah accolades bro it's cool bro just yeah it's cool you you you did everything like you good you got the all stars you got the all nbas like you're good hang it up how old is anthony davis he gotta be what 30 uh three one yeah yeah early 30s for sure yeah for sure I got it right here he is 32 he'll be 33 in March so 13 year career bro just it's cool yeah because he can't I mean sure yeah he was a one and done yeah yeah he hit the pension years brothers gonna hell it right man them pension years I mean shit he gonna by the time he's 40 he ain't gonna have no limbs left or no legaments or no tendons or nothing like yeah oh save yourself like it's so save yourself from yourself save your hands and and your your shoulders and stuff man because dog this ain't it yeah no I'm with you that that makes perfect sense he's made uh his career earnings are I'm right here and then we can move on and he's made 364 million dollars at the end of this contract he's currently on he'd be up to four nine either 485 or 495 485 bro you made a half a billion dollars relax yeah respectfully respect respectfully I'll with it I'll win it uh what else we got what else we got we got all NFL man last but not least so uh hey maners showed up man that was tough game so especially with all that with all their injuries man like yeah I did not want Philly to win bro I'm sick of Philly bro I am too I don't mean to say that I ain't gonna lie I ain't gonna lie that's that was the only reason I was like not I mean of course like I mean that's that's my god team so I mean I always secretly root for the Niners I've never had none of this nights but like I don't have anything against the Eagles it was just like I'm just tired of them yeah but like I ain't gonna lie like I like Patrick Mahomes like I want him to win but like this year has been good like just having a break from the Chiefs also like a new team that's that's gonna be a Super Bowl champion and it's not kind of like the same teams kind of meeting and playing and in some sorts you know either getting to the NFC championship and things like even the Lions being out is kind of okay right now like that's some but we talked about that fraction wanted to see the Lions but I mean they ain't winning the game so yeah but I'm just saying like they've been to an NFC championship and been in a position to get to a Super Bowl like some of these teams haven't even sniffed it in a lot in a while so like I'm cool with kind of like where we are right now.
SPEAKER_01:The Denver has been a minute uh New England even now has been a minute uh I don't want them to win though I am saying that on camera I never want them to win like I'm nothing on Seattle or Patriots I think they both lose their first in this weekend and I'm okay with that I'm like even Seattle like I was saying even Seattle's been a while like a lot of these teams it's just been a while for and um I'm not I'm not angry at these teams being there like yeah this is like Buffalo like this is Buffalo is probably the favorite but I would say the NFC favorite gotta be the 49ers right uh I mean the Rams is right there too and the Bears the Bears we cannot forget the Bears the the Bears the Bears are playing good I think they might need a yeah another year but I do forget about I did forget about the Rams. The NFC is I like I like that but I feel like uh but you gotta think the NFC West it's three out of the four teams from the NFC West is there.
SPEAKER_04:So like they're used to each other. Yeah those are gonna be some good games like this San Francisco Seattle game is gonna be a good game.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah like it looks like that's a situation where you can't say oh I'd rather play this perfect yeah all four of those teams can put belt to ass at any given comeback kings like you could get them down and still not be able to put the game away so like yeah I'm I'm excited about this weekend man I can't wait to see how those games unfold but and you can still even in the AFC you can still get a Buffalo New England AFC final which that's in that AFC East like they used to each other too I take the under on the uh the Patriots game the Patriots play Houston yeah take the under on that game that's gonna be another under 20 points for each team that's that's gonna be a nasty game for sure it could be it could be because CJ Stroud and this is why this I I posted this on social media earlier this is why I always preach you can't define success by teams wins and losses. Because if CJ Stroud somehow say he was to keep riding this defense pause through the playoffs and ends up with a Super Bowl championship like bro he played worse than I would have played last night. Like I'm like bro this is this that was some of the worst quarterback play I've ever seen it was terrible he hit a couple passes but he didn't he from a quarterback standpoint did not play well enough to win in my opinion and they beat them by 24 points.
SPEAKER_04:It's like I mean you gotta look at the play you can't just define somebody's you know success personal success by the wins and loss I mean if you if you told me that you know he would have had three turnovers and played you know how he played before the game I'm like oh they get blown out but that defense is just so good and I think Pittsburgh offense being trash mediocre trash trash yeah but man I'm watching from CJ last night I'm like dog like you he looked like he looked like Oregon's quarterback that's against IU that's exactly what he looked back looked like he was what 21 21 of 32 for 250 a TD in a pick three times yeah and then he had he had those three two fumbles too the fumbles just look like bro what are you doing dude it looked like he was cheating but I mean I look back his last five games not not crazy bad but like you said it's not it's not playoff winning quarterback plays so like even against us 14 to 23 169 one touchdown like you know that's not crazy I mean you even look back I mean against the Raiders uh back in uh uh on um in December 23 to 35 for 187 you know I mean one touchdown like yeah ultimate ultimate game managing uh decisions there I mean even I mean the charger game 16 to 28 for 244 but it he threw two touchdown but he threw two picks so it's like then but then like even with that game like he had a couple like ones that went you know I'm saying you take away like two two of those because he had some long yeah his longest was a 75 yarder on that one so yeah and then I think he had another one that was like around 50.
SPEAKER_01:So you look at those and then you figure all of that success pretty much like I want to yeah if you take away the 75 yards yeah you're looking at one 80% of that production was in the first quarter I'm pretty sure like so you know yeah you're right you have a good quarter and then for three quarters you're literally just you're not doing anything you're not moving the ball you're just three and out shardy but luckily you built you know enough of a lead and your defense is going crazy that you know you can sustain.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah you don't have to score a bunch of points which is cool because that takes a lot of pressure off of him oh shit hell yeah have a pressure off I mean because I mean you look at a lot of these teams like they're they're quarter like if their quarterback has a bad game like they're not winning cooked like Buffalo we're cooked buffalo if Josh Allen doesn't play his best every game they lose I mean you can even kind of look at Drake May even though New England's defense has been playing real well and they got a good running game like Drake May still has to make plays for them to win. Bo Knicks like even though their defense really good running game decent but Bo Knicks has to make plays like like do like you saying like CJ Stroud are probably one of the few teams one of the few quarterbacks in this left in the playoffs that can really just manage the game and his defense is not going to let you score 20 points you know what I mean I mean you look at San Francisco like Purdy got to play play well even with all the injuries and things that's going around him he still has to perform him and see uh Christian McCaffrey which are we are we is he playing or not? Did we figure that out yet uh Ike you heard anything McCaffrey Christian McCaffrey ain't that Robert McCaffrey I thought he was I thought he was hurt okay well shoot like I said them two got to perform like Kittle yeah kittle but they have to perform like great you know what I mean for San Francisco to to have a chance like Seattle same thing putting that hex on my voice I'm not I'm not I'm not I just I just thought I heard something so like I said I could have been thinking about kittle uh again the Rams the Bears like Caleb Williams like you know I mean Matt Stafford like even though the Rams got a good defense too but we know that Puka Nakua is gonna do his thing.
SPEAKER_01:So yeah nah uh that maybe like uh stick the lean on you look I think about them and I think about the what is it the 2000 Teppa Bay Buccaneers Brad Johnson he ain't gonna do much yeah true trend different with the uh you run the ball you know what I mean play good defense don't fuck up basically don't fuck up like that's really it uh don't drop the ball and but in cj stroud's case he dropped the ball twice and threw a pick and 24 point roll win yep but when you got a defense that can come out there and hold them to three off of a turnover then you ain't really lose nothing or get you know I mean a four and out shoe we cool like that that that fumble damn there don't even count yeah bro so yeah not too many teams out there that can they that that has that luxury how y'all feel about the um the the rise of uh you know people going for it on fourth I'm not against it uh I'm not either but I feel like it's like the rate is like crazy in this playoffs for some reason there's a lot of things being left on the board on the foot hold on let me finish this and then I'll let you then you could go on the flip side of that these kickers have been butt cheap. Yeah and that's I think that that might be that might be you might have answered your question.
SPEAKER_04:I might yeah I might have definitely because these kickers have been like they've been they've been fucking some shit up to say the least like and like I said if you on your s especially if you're on your side of the 50 too like you know what I mean it's like why punt? You know I mean we're too far to kick a field goal yeah and we're we're we're really too close to punt really to you know I mean whatever whatever but yeah I mean and most of the time you know it's under definitely under five yards a lot of the times under three yards you know three or less so it's like if we can't run for three yards throw a quick pass for three yards then what are we kind of what are we doing or QB sneak or you know whatever you want to call it uh for one or two yards then what are we doing?
SPEAKER_05:It also says something the coaches trust in the defense. So if if your defense has been playing well you you feel a little bit more relieved than like if we don't get it you know I I I can trust that at the very least my defense might give up three now give up a touchdown. So I I think that factors into it. But yeah kickers look if if it ain't a guaranteed three which doesn't seem like no matter where you are anymore it's a guaranteed three because kickers are here missing 20 or 30 yards now like extra points now. And those are supposed to be the gimmys you gotta go for it.
SPEAKER_01:Even that Baltimore one I'm still hurt back I don't go nah I can't say that I'm invested in Lamar Jackson from a from a mental standpoint and for some other reasons that I think you guys know.
SPEAKER_04:Like we're all low key Lamar Jackson fans yeah for sure for sure um so I'm glad I didn't have to really break that down but enough conversations I think enough conversations on this show that anybody who sees this will understand what we what we're saying.
SPEAKER_01:But yeah so I'm like man that damn miss that field goal damn near hurt me but I wish Justin was on it's their their play calling their decision making as a team is just been bogus like it's almost like they've been trying not to win like because even with that last play before the field goal why not run the ball and and try to get it a little closer because when he took that knee I was kind of like I mean well that's you know the 36 yarder sounds a lot better than 45 or 40 whatever it was I'm like well you know I would have tried to I mean you could have just tush pushed it and see if you could have got you know three or four more yards or something made it a little easier.
SPEAKER_05:So I didn't understand that but for him to miss that kick that egregiously I was just yeah wow yeah but if you Derek Henry the ball boar especially in the second half of games during season they're not even in that position. Like and I mean I I had Derek Henry two fans of games so I was definitely watching quite a few times. And there was times where like he would be going crazy in the first half and now he did fumble you know a couple of games. Yeah we just made up for that I mean you know shit but I mean that don't mean that you like completely just stopped giving the man the ball I mean he was getting five yards a carry still like even you know with some of those farms and there were second halves in which like you know he's not like that one game was like a whole wait fourth quarter he didn't see the ball and I think he had like a hundred and some yards going into the fourth quarter. Like how you not give this man the ball for an entire fourth quarter like nobody stopping him.
SPEAKER_04:And like last and like last show we broke I broke it down into like fourth quarters and like his carries versus yards all that stuff and it's like bro like they just don't use him in the fourth quarter. And close games games that's within that's under uh under seven points bro it's almost non-existent like for the whole season he has like a little I think it was like 120 yards in the fourth quarter and most of that probably came in that week was it week 17 game? Yeah with like 20 carries or something like that.
SPEAKER_01:So it's like it's you're doing it on purpose like you can't even say this is this this is fucking Derrick Henry like what do we and he finished what what do we calculate like 30 yards from 40 yards from yeah but he was this from the uh rushing title missing about 40 yards he could have easily and that could go back that goes back to even last year in AFC championships against the Chiefs like what is this play calling like why are you not doing what's gotten you to that point all season like you're trying to trying to make Lamar Jackson be this grade A pocket passer which he can do that I mean Lamar Jackson can can play out but like he's more dynamic when he can just do whatever like what he can run get to this side get the first downs keep the chains moving like but you just want it to be a five step eight step drop Lamar Jackson every play it's like bro what what is this and they got cooked so I I it's strange man strange last year was a year the fucking coaches blew it granted Philadelphia has a a crazy squad not saying that they would have for sure beat them in the Super Bowl but that was that was it that was that that was their opportunity so I don't know I don't know what to do I'll be frustrated.
SPEAKER_05:So predictions man okay so we got the Niners uh Niners Seattle game give me on Saturday Niners Seattle yeah yeah give me the niners i i'm taking the niners too i'm i'm biased yeah you're definitely taking the niners i'm taking the niners i'm taking the niners i'm biased and and on the on the afc side on saturday we get buffalo and denver give me buffalo big i'm also taking buffalo i'm sick of denver you are you yeah bro they have the sketchiest one seed i've ever seen bro i'm nothing on them i'm i'm i'm i'm gonna actually i'm gonna take i'm gonna take denver on this only because like i'm just off of the josh allen train like i feel like that's an another team that's just been underperforming for a long long time fact that's a fact so like i'm just like you gotta look at the guys who who put him out though like he ain't lost like nothing that he probably shouldn't have lost though yeah but also too it's like like at some point at least at one point you have to overcome that nah man's lost a kill in 13 seconds though bro like that's like that ain't fault he's everything he could to like that's that's looking him versus the Chiefs has some some bad games against the Chiefs went up whatever he 15 seconds left and lost like I I can't put that with Josh okay he has some some blunders for sure like especially during the season but I'm just saying some of these games like it's like all right man I'm just saying it's just you want me to go out there and play defense too Josh Allen and free safety fuck it but I'm just I'm just saying for me I don't know like like yeah I just want to see something else if they do win I wouldn't be like oh man but Denver's also been through a lot like to revamp that whole roster and like what Sean Payton has done over the past couple years like that boy knowing another day he better but also like looking at the next games like Houston and Patriots it's like I don't like either one of these teams and I don't want either one of them to win.
SPEAKER_04:Well can't advertise so you gotta pick so if I have to pick I will pick New England uh I would forever be against the Texas division y'all not even in it I know take the under on that one bro but to but to have but to have Houston Texas in our division win it that's like Seattle winning it like me anybody but Seattle winning Seattle did win it I know and I'm sure your face was frowned up about it. Like it could have been a bunny but yeah nah New England I take New England and Denver on the AFC side and then Los Angeles and the Bears I'm definitely gonna take the Rams and
SPEAKER_05:I got the Rams. Yeah, I'm talking about. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:That's a lot of travel, man. Cause you gotta think they went all the way to Carolina. Now they get went all the way back. Now they gotta go all the way to Chicago. That's a lot of travel. But I I the Rams are just like pooking the cool. Right? That one's Sunday. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05:I was looking at y'all see the thing Tony Jones was talking about?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I read that too. Yep. I should read that. I did not read it. Well, what about it? Basically saying about, you know, like the Monday night game and how um, you know, they certain teams gotta play on a short week and stuff like that. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_05:For instance, we played on Sunday, right? We got turnaround play on Saturday. So we get a day less of rest playing against a team who's on a bye. Right. At least y'all only got like an hour flight, though. That's probably better than. Yeah, it was us, I think the Rams. And it was it was like three of the teams. Uh well, he was it because they played on Monday.
SPEAKER_04:So at least give them if I play if we play it on Monday, at least give us the extra day.
SPEAKER_01:And he was pointing out how a few years ago, or however many years ago, they took out the Monday night game in the final week of the season to prevent this same situation. But money has caused them to have to have a Monday night game when it could have just been three games on Saturday, three games on Sunday, as we were saying. And I was like, that actually fucking makes sense.
SPEAKER_04:Makes a lot of sense.
SPEAKER_01:A lot of sense. But the league don't care about nothing. They're making it clear that they they don't give a fuck. They're gonna have games eventually, they're gonna have games Monday through Sunday, which is gonna be crazy. But like, they don't care. If I I think if somebody, if HGTV was like, hey, bruh, we got two billion to let us do games on Wednesday, they'd probably be like, you know what?
unknown:Run it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Raider Giants. Yeah, bro. Right. On Wednesday on HGTV, they would be like, Yeah, that sounds like something we yeah, we we're fucking with that. Yeah, run that. Um they gotta chill, bro. For sure, for sure.
SPEAKER_04:All right, man. Uh shoot, I guess. Final thoughts, man. What are we defunding?
SPEAKER_01:Oh man, man, the transfer portal, bro. Uh, I'm like, I'm so torn on the whole NIL transfer portal. Um, we gotta stop these coaches leaving this. This that is shit's trash, bro. I'm not a man of excuses, but that for the fact that we scored all these points all year, and in the two last games, both of which occurred after our offensive coordinator takes a job somewhere else. During the week, he's down there, you know, and parlaying around when we're getting ready for the biggest game of the season. We we gotta chill, bro. Like they could have gotten him after the season was over, bro. Like they didn't have to, they didn't have to do that. And then the transfer portal, everybody just leaving. I saw somebody write something about uh alumni's not gonna know who to root for at a certain point because all your best players, you're gonna have them for a year, they're gonna go somewhere else. You know, I don't think uh our you and I would necessarily well really now, all three of us, because all three of our teams are blue bloods now. You are you, Alabama and Ohio State. Uh so that doesn't really speak to you, us. But like some of those old, like, like for example, Nebraska with Dylan Rayola leaving. Like, yeah, who do you if you're a Nebraska alum, who do you like who do you root for like after the fact? Because everybody's just there for a good time, not a long time. You see what I did there, and they're just out moving around, like, you know, like I something gotta be done, bro. Keep the payments coming, but yeah. Something gotta be done, bro.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, it's just it's crazy.
SPEAKER_01:I don't know. I mean so I won't say defund all of that, but rework it for sure. Yeah. Add some add some addendums or however you, whatever word I'm looking for.
SPEAKER_04:Like, add something to where, like if you leave, you gotta pay a certain amount back or something.
SPEAKER_01:Like make a checklist or something. Like, I mean, at least just give give a reason. You know, because I was all for guys be able to transfer and not having to sit out and waste the year day life. Just like, I mean, give a at least like lie. Come up with some reason to why you want to leave. And I also read something today, can't say. Like the reason is money. That's crazy. I read something today, and I can't remember where it was, so I'm not gonna like like say this is like law, but I saw something saying that you can now play nine games out of a season and get a red shirt. Like, what are we doing? Oh, yeah, no. That's crazy. So, like, man, they gotta rework college sports or it's it's it's just gonna continue to get worse and worse. And basketball's already lost me, and football, nah, I ain't going nowhere with football, but but I think also, too, it gotta turn, it gotta come down to like, I think they need to put some some business people in charge of the and say, because now I mean it's a legit, it's legit business.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. What you do is you get somebody like a commissioner of college football, and then whoever's in, you know what I mean, who's in the charge of the you get your uh, you treat your your conference, uh, your conferences, whoever is, you know, owns the conferences. I'm sure there's somebody, you know what I mean? Those are like your owners, you know what I mean? And then they they trickle down to the 80s of the schools, you know what I mean? And like it has to be some type of structure to where it gets everybody on the same page and figure, like you said, figure it out.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, or put like a wage cap on it or something. Something. I mean, at minimum, guys should be going where they want to go. You can get paid, you can have a Rolls Royce, you can have, but at minimum, at least just get the guys picking the schools in which they want to go. Like, I don't even think they're I don't even think that matters. Or make it a make it a two-year commitment. That too.
SPEAKER_04:I'm I'm with that too. Something because then you can't you can't get them for just one year. You ain't gotta worry about a one and done, and you can kind of get a return on your investment because they're not gonna they can't jump, like you said, jump back into the portal and or jump to to the NFL.
SPEAKER_01:Then I know somebody, I think you said it earlier about like make them return some of the money. That ain't gonna be a problem because the team that gets them.
SPEAKER_03:The team that gets them, they're gonna pay the whole day, yeah. They're gonna just raise it.
SPEAKER_01:Oh man, about two million, we got that.
SPEAKER_03:Come up, yeah, we'll pay that fee, yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Just like they're doing with these coaches, yeah. Like, so it I don't know, man, but it's just like dog, but I'm I'm for the people being able to make their own decisions and and do what it is they want to do, but I don't even think that's the money has even overruled that. Like, guys aren't even going to school where they even want to go. Like, are you like visiting the campus and like giving a feel for it and just like damn, like I like this? Like, this is where I want to be. Nope. Or is it just who got the most money? Yep. I'm gonna go to like I I don't even like the cold weather, but I'm gonna go to Syracuse because they got the boast bread. Like, come on, man. What are we doing?
unknown:Yep.
SPEAKER_04:What do you think? I you think there's any way to fix it?
SPEAKER_05:No. Honestly, I mean, look, that cash is everything around it, man. It it's money don't talk. And I I don't know. Cause I don't know if they're gonna be able to put a wage gap on it. I I mean, I I and I don't know the legalities of it, that's that's why I'm saying it. I'm not sure if that is a possibility. I I know that there's some people working on some of these concepts to make some changes, but I don't know how and and what's gonna happen or or how you make these changes. Uh they're gonna even kind of open the floodgates and open up Pandora's box uh very early without I don't know if they consider these names beforehand, um or even thought that it would happen like this or happen like this this fast. I'm not sure why they wouldn't have just because of the revenue that Kyle football brings in. Uh and they were already having issues with boosters. I mean, it was already speculated that people would be paid. Now it's just legal. Um but I don't if you wasn't able to stop it before in IL, like I don't know what's checking out.
SPEAKER_01:I don't really see no no end or no change that can really fix it. All I have is uh a bunch of options. But I do know that from a um from a college football um enthusiast, it's kind of annoying. Like I said, I and I can't really, I don't even want to act like whoa is me because I feel like we're still in a good situation because we are still a fairly known and popular. People want to come play for us, but for some of the other schools, it's just like, man.
SPEAKER_05:Oh yeah, there's there's schools that are for sure gonna be priced out.
SPEAKER_01:I mean, we lose, we lost, we lost 26 guys, but we're we can replace guys better, or I ain't even gonna say better, that's a wrong word, but like more effectively, maybe, or easier, maybe is the right word. The other schools, so it's kind of just like, I mean, we lost two five-star receivers. Some schools have never had a five-star receiver. One, and we lost two this year. But I mean, we got Chris Henry Jr., five-star coming in, and we have uh we already have Jeremiah Smith, five star, and I and uh Ennis is gonna be on our team again, five star. So we got three five-star receivers, and we just lost two. So it's like I ain't even about to sit here and like try to make it seem like, oh, whoa, it's us. Like, we're we're able to manage, but just like college football as a whole, like, man, like damn, bro.
SPEAKER_04:So yeah, no, for sure, for sure. All right, man. Ike, we defunding anything, man. You got any gripe?
SPEAKER_05:Uh defund. I well, I don't want to say it's a great. I do have a regulation. Uh okay. I I obviously I was watching the show last week. Uh, and I talked to Justin about this already. Because he's the one who brought this shit up. Oh, the whole 3.9 yards of carry thing with Chris McCaffrey.
SPEAKER_04:I tried my best, bro. I tried my best.
SPEAKER_05:But here's here's the thing. Like you can tell when people are watching the team and when they are. Because one, it was presented as if, and again, I've already talked to them about this, as if that was only Chris McCaffrey's fault. If you have not watched the team and you're looking at this stat, you can probably come to that conclusion. What you won't see is one, we have been awful at run blocking for the entire season. Running in he's literally running into a line with nowhere to go. He has no holes. Two, we're not really good at pushing the ball downfield because we ain't got no receivers. Like, we have no deep threats for real, except for like Robinson when he plays and he's missed some games. But nobody's afraid of us throwing the ball deep threats. Even like JJ is not a deep threat. He's good at catching the ball and getting yards after the catch. He makes tough catches, but he's not a T threat. Which means guess what everybody's doing? Stay inside. We can't run the ball. So the fixture there is the reason why Christian McCaffrey has so many catches this year is because we changed from running to short pass. Because we have to. That's kind of like you know, when Tom Brady was throwing the ball to Welfier and Elman. That is almost the same thing we're doing. That has become our running gap. And Chris is not taking a ton of hits, also, because he's getting the ball, he's going straight down as well. So I get that like the the useless thing was an issue, but I I heard that I was saying I wouldn't hear, but I'm like, there's definitely reasons that aren't being brought up as to why we've thrown him the ball so much more. And I know that you know, we have Brian Robinson Jr. He didn't do that much better in carrying when his he was like 4.2, but he also took the benefit of the games that we ran well, he got in more. So he was able to kind of carry on with the momentum of we're already having a good running game, which means that his yards per carry was a little bit higher. Um and it's also, I mean, Christian May don't really take himself out of most games. Sometimes you gotta save him for himself. I get that. But that's the only thing that works. You know, if we have one decent receiver, and you have Christian McCaffrey in the backfield, who is a mismatch against 99% of linebackers. The game winning touchdown they called last week against a linebacker. You gotta have him on the field. If we are in second and eighth, third and sixth, like we are and somehow still in the lead in third down uh conversions, but a lot of that is this is the only offense that we got for real. Especially missing so many pieces. He he had to be that. So there was more to that 3.9 yards of carry that I I needed to make sure I came out here and and actually pointed like to because obviously I watch it all the games.
SPEAKER_01:Whereas other people are just looking at the stats saying that's that's why I always give it to y'all like about y'all teams. Like I ain't about to sit here and you know diagnose, like if you like, bro. I I watch just like I don't expect y'all to just be like, nah, Jordan Battle. I've watched all of the games and like you know, so nah, I feel that. But shit, 3.9 watching the games or not, I mean shit. Like I said, having a football background, like shit. If you average in a first down, if you average in 3.9 carries, yards per carry, you're scoring every drive.
SPEAKER_04:So like and then and like I was trying to say also, I'm like, he still got 30 more touches than anybody else. So that's a whole nother game full of touches that the rest of these guys don't have.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah. You're you ain't stopping 3.9 yards a carry. I mean, that's that's a touchdown every drive.
SPEAKER_04:So like I I don't know, and 10 yards a catch.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's but I mean to to Justice's point though, it was a lot lower than than other guys, which was surprising to me. Like, I I thought, you know, 3.9 was all pro-worthy.
SPEAKER_04:But but if you're watching the game, like but if you're watching him play, you're not looking at him getting four yards on a on a handoff and be like, oh, that ain't productive. And then he turns around and you throw, you throw a you throw a quick slant to him and he gets eight. You're like, oh shoot, he's balling. You know what I mean? You he's doing that alternate, you know what I mean? He alternating running and catching the ball, and you look around and he's like, all right, he only got four 3.9 on the season carry, and and he got you know 10 10 yards of receiving, you know what I mean, per catch. And you're like, if you look at that, you're like, damn, he's balling.
SPEAKER_05:Fantasy managers, very happy with uh Christian McCaffrey's production. Uh which brings me to my second point. Justin, you're gonna call me champ. You're gonna call me champ. I don't know if he told y'all that I won his league, but he's gonna call me champ.
SPEAKER_04:You told me he won yo you won the league.
SPEAKER_05:Oh, yeah. I definitely, his was one of them ones that I dominated in. Yeah, he's gonna call me champ. I'm looking at the camera today. You gonna call me champ. That's all I got. Hey, man, that's fine.
SPEAKER_04:Fair enough, fair enough, man. Well, this has been the Epic Podcast, man. We see y'all next week. Yo, PT. Maybe maybe not Ike. We're gonna try. If the Niners win and I you win, we'll have I.