NBA Playoff Shockers And NFL Draft Grades That Spark Debate

We run through a packed sports slate, from baseball frustration to an NBA playoffs picture that keeps flipping expectations. Then we pivot into NFL draft reactions, arguing about team needs, development, and why fans keep overrating one moment when careers are already written. 
• Red Sox staff shakeup and what “underperforming” really means 
• NBA playoff surprises and why the West and East feel different 
• Injuries and missing stars changing series outcomes 
• Rookie awards talk and how it swings sports card prices 
• NFL draft grades for our teams and the picks that confuse us 
• Winners and losers including Giants Jets Bills Ravens Rams and more 
• NIL impact on draft talent football vs basketball 
• Why legacy debates after one series need to stop 
• Early WNBA season excitement and teams to watch 

Transcript

Welcome And Baseball Check-In

SPEAKER_03 0:54

Yo, welcome back to another episode of the Epic Podcast. Me and Jared in here tonight, man. How's your sports week been since the draft, I should say?

SPEAKER_02 1:04

Uh shit's been cool, man. Ray's been on the roll, so it's uh been enjoy watching them play and pick up some wins. I don't know how they're doing it. I mean their batting average is absolute last in the entire major leagues, but they're winning games, so I mean I I still ain't really figured out how they're doing it, but they are. Um so I've been enjoying watch enjoying watching them, you know, doing my car shows, you know, same old, same old. What about for you?

SPEAKER_03 1:31

Well, um, speaking of baseball, Austin, we fired our whole staff. I saw that. That's hitting coach, that's everybody. Everybody had to go.

SPEAKER_02 1:43

I heard Alex Core was like throwing some shade or had some things to say. He seems like that type of person. But I I read it, I ain't been able to like tap in on.

SPEAKER_03 1:52

Yeah, a little bit, but also too, like Boston's not one of those teams that's used to just underperforming for a long period of time. And it's been a it's been a while, you know what I mean? Since he's been there, and you know, we've even competed in the playoffs. You know what I'm saying? So it's like what are we doing? How long was he?

SPEAKER_02 2:18

Six years, I wanna say that was quick, man. I'll tell you one thing that flies like sports seasons and celebrities' children. Like they they years are like two and a half years every year.

SPEAKER_03 2:32

Yeah. Nah, for sure, but I mean I think it was time for a change. Maybe not at I mean, I guess if you're gonna make a change beginning of the season, it's time to do it. But also, it's like you could have did this two months ago because I mean technically he's been underperforming since. But we also our draft talent ain't been what it usually usually is. Um we we can't hold on to talent once we get it. You know, they easily quickly trade somebody or allow them to sign with other people, so I'm not um I'm not mad at the change. It it was is needed. I mean, and we've won, I think, four in a row since he's left. So I don't know if that's a response to you know yeah, it's always like that, you know what I mean? So I don't know like what correlate because of all the players, nobody's came out and said anything other than good things, but it's like in that same sense, like why why are y'all underperforming? So if you like the if you like the managers, the coaches up there, like go out there performing. I get that.

SPEAKER_02 3:39

I get that.

NBA Playoffs Get Weird Fast

SPEAKER_03 3:42

But I mean, um everything else's been cool, man. Been getting some good NBA playoff games. I've been digging the playoffs, so not that many blowouts.

SPEAKER_02 3:53

I would have yeah, this has been better than I would have expected, really.

SPEAKER_03 3:57

Yeah, I mean, because it's it's been some dog fights. Um, some underdogs have been winning, leading series now against teams you wouldn't have thought. So it always makes, you know, for a good product when it's competitive and it's not a whole bunch of first-round blowouts.

SPEAKER_02 4:12

So never would have thought this Lakers team was uh would have, you know, would be in the position they are in. Um I would have never thought Minnesota would have been in a position they're in. Hell, I never would have thought Orlando would have been in the position they're in. Like, so yeah, it's there's definitely some some shocking outcomes for sure.

SPEAKER_03 4:29

Absolutely, absolutely. I guess the one non-shocking thing is, you know, OKC's in the second round now. So yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We could start there as far as our topics. Um they sweep the suns. And uh right now, I mean Timberwolves maintain a two to three lead on the Nuggets even after Jokic goes crazy. Three to two, my bad. Uh even after Jokic goes crazy with a triple-double the last game. Um no de con no cannot say his last name. No de conchinzo. How do you say how do you say his name? Uh D Vincenzo. DVNCO. Bang. Gosh. Uh no him, no Anthony Edwards, and Minnesota's still putting up a fight, man. What do you think about that uh that Minnesota team, that series in general, I guess what's they say?

SPEAKER_02 5:31

Man, if they can find some way to get one of these next two games, that'd be miraculous. Uh I I honestly don't see it happening. I feel like they're just losing too much. I already felt like they weren't the better team, um, but they were finding a way to win. Um, but without AE and and Divin Chenzo, like, mm-mm. I can see the Nuggets winning these next two games by 30 each, like, and that just being it for Minnesota. But I'm hoping they actually pull it out because I hate to see people, teams that have put in the work kind of fold at the end. Yeah. Uh, but yeah, man, it's I mean, it's the Western Conference playoffs is really just, I mean, people are playing for second place anyway. So I really don't think the grand scheme of any every because I don't think anybody can even get close to uh I don't even think anybody has two games for uh OKC. So uh I feel like even if the Lakers do pull this this one out, I mean they gotta win one of the next what three games? They got three games to win. Three, one, four. Yeah, they got three, three, three games to win one. Um, even if they do end up pulling that off, but they're gonna get smoked the next round. Luca, AR, without, with them, period, they're gonna get they're gonna get done pretty bad. In my opinion. So Yeah, I think everybody in the West is playing for second place. I think the East is wide open, especially with the number one seed on the opposite end of a 3-1 uh series. Uh do I think that they can still come back and win? Yeah, based on what I've been seeing. I mean, K with the turnovers, like that's crazy. I ain't never seen him with that many turnovers. I think he averaged 3.7 on a season. I think he's up to seven a game in the playoffs, so that's not a good look. Um I'm watching Boston and Philly now. I feel like Boston is gonna just go ahead and finish this off. But they were up. Looks like it. They were up 20 to no, excuse me. I saw at one point they were up like 15 or 12 or 15 points-ish, somewhere around in there. And now they're down one. So you know, we'll see, we'll see how this uh this game ends up. But um Cleveland, Toronto. Yeah, Cleveland, Toronto. I don't really know what's going on in that series. I mean, my my boy, my boy is is is uh falling into the the stereotypes again, my boy Hardin. So I mean I don't I I don't know. I mean, I know he is later in his career, but I don't really know. Honestly, he's been doing that his whole career though. I'm gonna keep it I'm gonna I'm gonna keep it I'm gonna keep it 100. I ain't even watching that. Nah, we can't say that because his stats say something else. So I mean I I don't I mean his stats say that he's produced in the playoffs. I guess maybe people can say all the closeout games this closeout game that, alright. But it's not like he's averaging 16 points per for his career in the playoffs. Like that's that's not accurate. Um but yeah, man. I ain't I haven't watched any of that series. I'm gonna just keep it real with you. So I'm not really gonna do that. I think I watched the first two. I think I might have seen, nah, because when they first played, I was in New York, so I missed all of that game. Yeah, I I really don't think I've seen any of that series except maybe the fact last few minutes of the last game or something like that. So I can't really tell what's going on in that game. I mean it's 2-2. I guess it's time to tap in if I'm going to. Right. Um, but yeah. Did we touch on it?

SPEAKER_03 8:52

Because it didn't, it didn't, it didn't look too good at first, though. Because I mean like Cleveland won the first two, and like how they won the first two, it just didn't look like it was gonna be competitive. Yeah, I but I think Toronto didn't first two yeah. I think that's kind of like tired people off to that to that series. Um Knicks Hawks.

SPEAKER_02 9:16

Oh, that's yep, that was the last one I was gonna wrap up. Um the Knicks are up 22 right now. Not sure why or how or what's going on. Um I feel like those teams are a lot more evenly matched than um people would think. Um Atlanta was playing well towards the end of the season, you know, really before the end of the season. I'm gonna give them credit for uh, you know, like all-star breaking up. They have been playing really well uh post-traeyoung trade.

SPEAKER_03 9:43

Um so and even battling. Like, I mean, those first two games, they uh with the Knicks, even the games the Knicks have won. The Knicks have won, haven't won by a lot. This is probably the most that they've really been up. It's been a battle every game.

SPEAKER_02 9:57

Um they're up 2-1, right? It went to just no, it's it's even.

SPEAKER_03 10:01

It's even it's 2-2.

SPEAKER_02 10:02

Oh 2-2. Yeah, well, it's looking like the Knicks are gonna run away with with game five. So we'll see what happens in game six, see if they can force a game seven. I'm I'm pretty sure this this series is going seven. Yeah. I want to say, I want to say Orlando and uh uh Detroit's gonna go seven, too. I feel like Detroit's gonna pick up the next two. They just gotta tweak some stuff. I don't know what's going on with their ability to score all of a sudden. It's weird.

SPEAKER_03 10:26

Um And you got, I mean, you got Cade averaging 30. Yeah, but nobody else is. 30 and 7. 30 and 7. Yeah, uh, what's the uh they got they centered is decent. During, I'm not sure what's going on. Yeah, he's been non-existent from what I hear.

SPEAKER_02 10:40

I know one game, uh Cade, I want to say Kate had like 34 and they score like nine. No, he might have had 40 and they scored like 90. It was something crazy, like maybe 36, 37, and the whole team scored 90. It was something ridiculous. Like, so I'm not uh sure what's going on with their offense, but I do feel like they have the talent to flip a switch and then run off these next in these next three games because Orlando wasn't all that good going into the postseason. I'm just gonna keep it being like they they like backed the game. They didn't play good.

SPEAKER_03 11:11

They didn't play, yeah. They didn't play good in the play-ins or the last one. They they went crazy in the morning on Charlotte.

SPEAKER_02 11:17

But the the first play-in game and then leading up to the play-in, they were not playing good. So I was actually hoping that uh Charlotte got that spot because actually Charlotte was was well they was actually playing a lot better down the stretch, you know what I'm saying? So I was hoping uh Charlotte was gonna get that spot, but they're up 3-1 against the number one C, so apparently, you know, they had other plans, so I mean I'm not mad at it, but yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:47

Nah, I agree. Um It always seems like it's always one big surprise, like I mean, like in these 1-8 games, uh either East or West, like you end up getting some unexpected competition in a good way. But I don't know, man. I I kind of feel the same way about that. I I kind of wanted I wanted Charlotte to get in just because they had been fighting so hard, especially like towards the end of the season. Uh I think it would have been a better matchup. Uh yeah. But like, I mean, shoot. I mean, obviously, you know, maybe Orlando's been hearing that and's like, look, now we are the matchup. Like, so yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 12:28

And they actually are the better matchup for for um for um the Pistons. I feel like I feel like the Pistons would have been a little bit too much for the for the Hornets. But I feel like it would have been a more entertaining series. To keep it 100, those games have not been. I've watched like a a decent deal, I believe, of all of them. Except for maybe the first one. It's like that first weekend, I was out of town. So I didn't watch the first couple of a few of the series. Except the late night ones. Yeah, the early ones, yeah. Like the first one started, I think, like one on noon or one on that Saturday. Mm-hmm. I missed all of that. And then the second one, I missed all of that. And then New York was actually playing a home game while I was in the city. I missed all of that game. And then I was able to catch a little bit of the Lakers in Houston, so yeah. So I'm trying to watch as much as I can and keep up.

Rookie Awards And Sports Card Prices

SPEAKER_03 13:24

And then a lot of the games, like, they're overlapping. Like, one game will start at like 7, the other one will start at like 8.30, and it's like we're in the middle of the game, like, so it kind of forced you to jump back and forth. Um Cooper Flag was Rookie of the Year. What do you think about that?

SPEAKER_02 13:41

That's actually crazy, and it's it's um, it's very influential to uh the car market because I had a I cat I have a couple big uh con canopple cars that I was kind of holding, anticipating him winning rookie of the year, and he didn't, and the value of those cars crashed, so I I got burned on those. I'll probably just hold on to them next till next season to see if uh he can get an all-star or something. And then, you know, they'll be right back up. But uh, yeah, man, so it's just crazy how uh how things that happen in the sports world affect like my personal business. Because like at this point, it's more than just a hobby, like this is actually a legit side, a legitimate side business for me. So it's crazy how happenings that go on in the NBA like affect you know inventory, affect, you know, prices, affect, you know, buying, selling, all that. So um I w I wanted it to be co um because actually I have a pretty decent um Cooper Cup too. Cooper Flat. So I wanted it to be cool. I wanted them both to get it. I feel like neither guy did anything to not deserve it. But I feel like if uh Khan had been able to push um Charlotte to the playoffs, then he probably would have won it.

SPEAKER_03 14:51

Yeah, but yeah, and those play-in games, if he'd have gone crazy in the play-in games, I think, and I and I think I was saying this too like sure. It's like what do you do for me lately type of deal. Like they wait on these awards on purpose because some of these guys do match up against each other, or not up against each other, but you get that final chance for the voters to get that last look at them and say, like, okay, we were on the fence about him, but you know, he came through. So I no, I agree with you. If he'd have had, if if Charlotte would have got in and then, you know, I mean, he had two good games, I don't think Cooper Flag would have won it. Yep. But then, like, I was also like I what I was saying, the Cooper Flag was in the play in just period. I think he probably would have just won it either way. Yeah. So, I mean, unfortunately, it's kind of that thing, it's like, are you a big enough impact on a bad team to you know push him over? And that's the position that Flag was in, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_02 15:49

Yeah, I hated how people were trying to just like take uh coop take it away from Cooper. Because even a lot of like uh, you know, NBA personalities was like, oh nice con. Like, I mean, just because you you know how I am with with stats and production, it's not all about the team, bro. Only one guy can only do what one guy can do. Like, if I'm killing and we sad, that shouldn't be a knock. Like, we just sad, you know? He can't affect he can't affect that AD was hurting and got traded. He couldn't affect that uh, you know, uh Kyrie Ernest.

SPEAKER_04 16:21

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:22

You know, it's not his fault that Klay Thompson is worthless now. Like, those are all those are three first battle hall of famers that were on a team that are just that weren't either weren't there to produce due to injury or just are not able to produce any more Klay Thompson. Um and then I think Lively missed a lot. Um uh what's the other big uh starts with a G Gafford? Gaffert, yep. I think he was in and out. I mean, what what what is Steer what is uh Man, I'm watching baseball. I'm too Steer uh and Spencer Steer. Flag.

SPEAKER_01 16:57

What is uh what is Cooper Cup Cooper Cup. Cooper flag is the second pack.

SPEAKER_02 17:04

What is he to do?

SPEAKER_01 17:05

I agree, I'm with you.

SPEAKER_02 17:06

I I hate that notion of oh well his team sucks, so he can't win a that has nothing to do with him killing. Like it has nothing to do with that. So on the bright side, I am happy to see that you know uh the folders were able to look past that and and uh he he he got the trophy.

SPEAKER_03 17:23

Okay. Uh Brad Stevens, executive of the year, back-to-back years for Boston.

SPEAKER_02 17:30

Boston? Mm-hmm. Have they really done anything? I mean, outside of basketball, like have their front office really did anything crazy?

SPEAKER_03 17:38

But I think like losing Horfer, like they lost a couple guys and then not for most of the year.

SPEAKER_02 17:44

Yeah, I feel like that's a coaching, uh, a hell of a coaching job.

SPEAKER_03 17:48

I don't really know. But I think having I think have maybe having a good, I mean a deep bench, you know what I mean? You know what I mean? Like having some young guys step up that you, you know, that you acquire.

SPEAKER_02 18:01

I think they should rename that the Sam Prestie Award. And he should just win it every year, because well, he's got cooking in in OKC is crazy. You know they got a lottery pick this year? Yes. Like, that's ridiculous. Well, I'm not surprised. I'm not surprised. It's really, it's really the the Dodgers. Not what the hell am I smoking tonight? What are you all? I'm watching I'm watching baseball, like, and I've been kind of just absorbed in it. So like I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_03 18:30

It's definitely the Clippers' fault.

SPEAKER_02 18:31

Like the Paul George. Like they could, they need to put they need to send the Clippers a ring uh from last year and this year if they're able to pull it off. Cause that trade was crazy. But I mean, these these trades have been crazy. They I mean they've been what's the other all the the death the Desmond Vane trade I think was wild too for first rounders. Then people say people say I'm crazy for thinking Trey Young should have gone for more than a bag of chips like he did. And it was like, alright, well, I guess. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:01

I mean, it's I think it's just yet to be seen. And for and I like I said, I think the problem is that when a team voices that they're shopping this player, or this player publicly requ requests a trade, it just ties the hand of the trading team of what they can ask for and what everybody else is gonna be willing to give up because it's like he doesn't want to be there, and or y'all guys don't want him anymore. So one of both of those things, either one of those things being true just hurts the value. Um, but again, like I mean, Washington, we'll see. Because who else they got? They got him, uh AD. Washing Washington, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

Um, AD. I mean, they got all them young guys. They got Alex Sarr, they got uh Sean George, I think AJ Johnson's still there. Bub Carrington is there.

SPEAKER_03 19:57

They should have a deep, they're gonna be, you know, top five in the draft, probably. Uh, because this, yeah, they're gonna be top probably top five in the draft, too. So, I mean, you get one more guy in there, two, you know what I mean, very seasoned vets, both got playoff experience, you know what I mean? Like they could turn it around, I mean, quickly, especially if you got, you know, decent coaching there. So, uh, I'm not against it, but I mean, Brad Stevens, I don't I don't know what it takes to win executive of the year, but I mean, to win it back to back, um, I think I mean Boston had their struggles, but to be the number two seed, I don't think anybody foreseen that without Tatum being there. Um I mean, literally like 85% 85% of the year.

SPEAKER_02 20:47

That's that's weird. Yeah, I I I didn't see that one coming. It's kind of crazy. Yeah, but it is what it is.

SPEAKER_03 20:54

Yeah, for sure, for sure. Um, that's pretty much it on the NBA, man, right now. Uh, like I said, just playoffs, uh, just to update everybody. Of course, OKC sweeps the Suns. San Antonio's up 3-1 on Portland. Uh, Nuggets, Timberwolves. We touched on them a little bit. Uh 3-2, Timberwolves. Uh Lakers up 3-1 on the Rockets. Uh, in the Eastern Conference, we got Detroit and Orlando. Orlando's up 3-1. Boston and Philly, uh, Celtics up 3-1 uh with Philly pushing right now. Uh Knicks and Hawks series tied at 2-2. Cleveland and Raptors series tied at 2-2. So conference semifinals start May 2nd. So this Saturday, we should know who's all in the second round. And then uh conference finals start May 19th. And NBA finals start June 3rd. So uh Yeah, this time, I mean, you know, in the next month or so we'll we'll know who's in the finals and be wrapping up this NBA season, man.

SPEAKER_04 21:54

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 21:56

All right, so we're gonna jump over to NFL, talk about. Talk about the draft. Um Yeah. So I'm gonna let you get this off your chest. We're gonna get this off chest off the bat. How do you think y'all did this this year, man?

SPEAKER_02 22:14

I think we I think we did okay. Um I still don't think that we did as well as we probably should have. I mean, the wide receiver out of out of Alabama, the production is not there. Um he has some off-the-field issues. It's like it's like I don't know. I I I really just don't understand what goes into their thought process. Says they did their due diligence on the guy, but why do you continue to make questionable picks at in the fourth round? I mean, if you if you like a guy, you want to pick him in the seventh round, he got some things going on, you looked into it, it's fine, everything checks out, cool. But I mean, I think he had like 1,200 yards like throughout his entire career. I don't want to misspeak, but just like why why? Why'd you why'd you pick him? We didn't address linebacker at all. So I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 23:03

Uh you said out of you talking about the receiver out of Georgia. Out of Georgia, yeah, I said Alabama, out of Georgia. You did. I was like, I have to think, okay.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

Uh yeah, uh Colby. Like, why, why, why, why'd you pick him? Um in the fourth round, fourth round is still money round, man. Fourth round, there's guys that are picked in the fourth, fifth round that actually make a difference on the team. So I'm not sure what went into that. Um, I do like the edge. Um, at least we actually drafted with production. I mean, we in the second round we regularly scoop up the defensive player of the year in the SEC. So I'm messing with that. 11 and a half sacks last year. I think that was like first or second. So cool. You draft on production. I mean, you figure the guy that we got in the second round this year had three times as many sacks just last year as our first rounder last year had his entire career in college. So, I mean, I feel like that's a win. Um we got a we got a uh corner out of uh Washington. I I don't really know much about him. Um I hear he's 6'3, so he's he's a little taller. We'll see. But the fact that we didn't get a linebacker anywhere is crazy. I don't know what.

SPEAKER_03 24:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

And then we're we're also we're also famous for getting um like low-end tight ends. Like, you know what I'm saying? We get tight ends that that, you know, either they can do one thing, they they're like a blocking tight end, like just get a stud tight end. So I think we probably have four tight ends on the roster right now. Three. I think one of them left. Uh Noah Fant left. I mean, he he had like three fumble sixes last year. Like, come on, bro. So I'm glad he's gone, but it's just like let's just get one tight end that can do everything and then get a backup and then be done with it. Um so yeah, the fact that we didn't address linebacker at all is kind of crazy. Um the guys we had last year were, I mean, they literally were ranked, although I think the PFF, I think that's what it's called, PFF is kind of fried. I think some of the rankings are just like, bro, what are y'all on? But they were ranked like dead last. I think like 87 out of 88 and 88 out of 88. So you got the two worst linebackers in the league, and you know, you don't pick up a linebacker uh anywhere. So I think that was subject. I think that subjective is the wrong word. I think that was suspect. Uh, but I I like us though. I like the fact that we uh acquired Dexter, Dexter Lawrence. Um, I like the fact that we got the DN in second round. Um, I like that we did get a corner. Um we locked up our safeties spot. So I kind of knew before we traded the 10th pick that it at we it wasn't gonna be um Caleb Downs. I feel like we got two new safeties in. Um so yeah, man, I'm I'm I'm okay with it.

unknown 25:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 25:52

I feel like we could have done better, but I'm okay with it. I'm okay with it.

SPEAKER_03 25:56

I mean, right now they're giving y'all draft grade an overall B. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 26:01

I mean, that's probably about right. I'd probably say a C plus B minus. But that's that's because really, like, look, what with our history of drafting, that's why people was like, oh man, the Bengals gave up the first round, that's terrible. Nah, it ain't. Nah, it ain't. Because we're we we have a history of drafting guys in the first round that are non-factors. I know before everybody says, oh, uh, you know, we've had this conversation before, oh, you guys got Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase. I understand that. Jamar was in 2021, Joe Burrow was in 2020. It's those are no-brainers. It's right. Those were layups. But it's 2026, and we haven't drafted anybody that's making a difference since. I feel like Chase Brown is probably the most, the, the, the, the most difference making, if that's a phrase.

SPEAKER_03 26:48

The most productive. Yeah, most impactful.

SPEAKER_02 26:50

Most impactful. Most impactful, that's a better way to put it. But even still, if we were to draft a starting running, another running back to start, I wouldn't be like, oh man, no way. You know what I'm saying? So he's he's been okay, but is he replaceable? Absolutely. If we were able to draft Jeremiah Love, I'd have been like Chase Brown, bye or back up or whatever. So he hasn't made a difference as to, oh yeah, that position is on lock, you know. And it's like I like Chase Young, but we don't really know how to use him. We Chase Brown use people. Chase Brown, yeah. We use people. I said Jamar Chase.

SPEAKER_03 27:25

No, you said Chase Young. Chase Young. You sound like me today, bro. This is crazy. This is how I be sounding when I be messing people's names up.

SPEAKER_02 27:34

I'm I'm tweaking hard. But yeah, Chase Brown. I like Chase Brown, but he's kind of like Giovanni Bernard to me. And like we didn't know how to use him, and I don't feel like we know how to use uh Chase Brown. Like, get him in space. You know, I don't know why our team is so unwilling to make a creative play scheme and get guys in a position to succeed. Like get him into some space, man. Like move him out, run screens with him, but we'll we'll line him up and run him like he's Derrick Henry. And it's just like we already don't run a um run a uh uh uh fullback. So it's it's 99% of the time we're in single back. You can't have a little guy running. It's just it's just not gonna work. And especially with how predictable we are with the running game. It's just like you gotta, if you're gonna be that predictable with the running game, you gotta get, you know, a guy back there, like somebody that can handle the low pause and and um you know and and be able to get that short down yardage. But overall, I'm I'm optimistic for the first time in a while about our season, so we'll see.

SPEAKER_03 28:45

I guess I'll talk about ours before we before we jump on the uh winners and losers. Um I'm not mad. Uh especially about CJ Allen from Georgia. Uh just being an Alabama fan and watching him, you know, all through the SCC. Like he's correct. Yeah, linebacker. Uh probably gonna be playing Mike, probably gonna, you know, had a green dot on, probably gonna be calling plays too. Um he's he's he's that type of guy. I I like that pick. And I like the uh the AJ pick from LSU to the safety. Um probably our two biggest needs on defense, because of course we got rid of Zaire Franklin, and of course, we can never keep safeties uh healthy. So um and who knows again like what's gonna happen with uh Ward. Uh because he and Kenny Moore just requested the trade. So um I saw that. Definitely need uh to sure shore that up with another guy. Um got us a guard. Um Jalen Farmer from Kentucky. Not mad at that either. Uh, because we lost we lost Braden Smith, which was our right tackle. So we're probably gonna be doing some shuffling around on our line. So to have another young guy in there, uh grabbed linebacker from Oregon. Uh don't know too much about him, but again, our linebacker room is kind of small, even though we pretty much run a 4-2-5. Uh, so we pretty much only had two linebackers out there most of the time anyway. So I'm not mad at that. Had to get some edges. We we we gotta figure out who can get after the quarterback because our quarterback pressures outside of Latu, uh, we we haven't been getting pressures on the quarterback. So um we ended up picking back-to-back edges, George Crumbs Jr. from Georgia, and then uh the edge from Ohio State, uh, Caden Curry.

SPEAKER_02 30:35

So hometown kid. He's from uh he went to Center Grove.

Draft Winners Losers And Front Office Trust

SPEAKER_03 30:39

Okay, cool. Which we for some reason we tend to do that every once in a while. But yeah, yeah, you definitely still love uh yeah, yeah. Like y'all get somebody every year that's got in some ways. They got some type of ties to this to the state. But I also I think we gotta get we gotta figure out who can get to the quarterback. We gotta we gotta get some guys out there who can get pressure on the quarterback. Cause I mean, with our injuries to DBs and just if history keeps repeating itself, chances are we're probably gonna lose two to three DBs this year. And if we can't get pressure on the quarterback, it doesn't matter who you have out there. Like that's um got a backup running back, and we grabbed um another receiver in the seventh round. So, I mean, again, can't never have too many running backs as far as especially when you run Jonathan Taylor like we do. Um, of course we we need a receiver with losing Michael Pitts, and we just don't have enough receivers in the room. I think we grabbed um Westbrook. I forgot, what's it? Westbrook Iron Iron from He played for the Titans. Um I think he's actually drafted by the Titans, but we grabbed him. I think he's gonna be our number two right now. But yeah. Uh definitely need to fill the wide receiver room. So um I don't know, man. I think it's I think it's an average average draft for the for the coats. I don't think we did nothing spectacular. I think we finally just went after what we needed instead of just oh the super athletic guys or you know this and that, like just kind of being gimmicky with our picks. It was like, alright, like we just need solid guys to come in and and possibly produce um in the in in you know in our defense more than anything. So because I think our offense will be okay, depending how uh what you call it come back. But the defense is even if he does come back, I don't see him being what he was the first eight games of the season, just coming off that injury, just knowing the history of those injuries, especially with quarterbacks. None of them come back the first year and play the same. Kirk Cousins, you see what he did when he came back off of his, Aaron Rodgers, like none of these guys that even come back and rehab like extremely well, come back and be the same that initial season. It usually takes them another season to get back to form. So I think our our defense and how they play is gonna be very important. So I think we definitely filled in some uh some backup roles to where we can have uh rotation of guys on defense. Yeah, I think we're gonna need that this year to be competitive. Um but yeah, man, we're gonna jump into the winners and losers. Um I I'ma I'ma start with I'm gonna start with the Giants as a winner. I'm gonna start with the start with the winners. I think the Giants won. Um to be able to get Malachi Fields and Arvell Reese, like you put you put Fields with um what's your Kai? What's she called it? I can't think of his name. I'm drawing a blank right now. For um the Giants. Uh Malik Neighbors. Malik Neighbors. You put them, put them two together. I think that'll be good. Giving uh Dart another weapon. Uh they got the offensive, one probably the best offensive linemen in the uh in the draft too. Uh so I I think you detect your running back. I mean, your running back and your quarterback who both got injured last year. You give your quarterback another weapon, and then you get another edge rusher after you losing, you know, Dexter Lawrence, but you get another edge rusher to pair with uh Burns and Old Boy from last year that they drafted. So, I mean, if you can get after the quarterback and you know, put points on the board, then that's never a bad uh situation. So I think I think the Giants did real good. The Jets with their picks, um, I think they maximized the first round. Uh getting David Bailey, uh Sadiq, and Cooper at 30. You know, to jump back up to get Cooper at 30. I think that's great. You know, another weapon on offense again. Keep shoring up the defense. You got a good tight end, like, you know what I mean? So um it really shouldn't be no excuses offensively, I should say, this year for the giant uh for the Jets. Like, y'all should be able to put some some type of points up. Cleveland always. Um I don't know if they needed anything particularly, but of course they're always gonna grab some offensive linemen and a couple playmakers. So I think they did good. And um the Eagles. Like, when we get rid of Balor, we need to get somebody off their staff. Like, they always, I mean, you get you get Lemon. Um not only that, you trade and get uh Pro Bowl linebacker from the Vikings. Like, I I just think they're just always hitting. Like, whatever they do, even if I don't understand it, they pick up the fifth-year option on Jalen Carter. Like, whatever they do, I just agree with. Because it always works out. It always works out.

SPEAKER_02 35:59

You see they got that guy that that never played football before? Who? Uh, what's his name? Eagles. I don't know what his name is. Weren't you talking about the Eagles? Yeah, yeah, I was, but they drafted a guy that never played football. He's like 6'4, 230, something, run like a sub 4-4, something crazy. Look, I I bet it worked. Yeah, tap in. Like, he's that nigga.

SPEAKER_03 36:26

I'm gonna I'm gonna look it up, but I I'm not even I I don't question the the the Eagles anymore as far as what they do. It's almost kind of like Baltimore. Like, I don't I don't question, you know, their organization. A lot of shit. I question what Baltimore doesn't do.

SPEAKER_02 36:40

Not because I mean they make good decisions, but if they had like a stud wide receiver all these years, bro, it it ain't no telling what. That's all they really needed. That's true too. That's all they really needed. Like, they drafted Kyle, Kyle Hamilton, dude's been a beast. If they would have just had uh Malik Neighbors or Jamar Chase or T Higgins or uh, you know, one of those one of those guys, man, that team. And it's like another team that's we talked about this on the draft show. What are the Buffalo Bills doing?

SPEAKER_01 37:14

I can't name not one guy.

SPEAKER_02 37:16

That's Cap. I can name guys that they drafted just because of the cards. I can't name anybody they've drafted drafted, you know, recently based on actual production.

SPEAKER_03 37:26

But I think I think they're another one, and you could Mike kind of sort of want to group the Ravens into this um this little this little bubble too, as far as sometimes you get drunk off your your quarterback success. It's like Josh Allen is so good that it covers up, like you say, blurring weaknesses at at receiver. And it covers up the the defensive flaws because y'all putting up so much points, like your defense, y'all could just play base defense and you know hold hold teams under the allotted amount. You know what I mean? When y'all going out there putting up damn near anywhere from 25 to 30 points a game, like you just need your defense just to hold strong.

SPEAKER_02 38:12

I feel like I feel like I get to. It would turn me up more if I did have a quarterback like that. I'm like, bro, I gotta get him. Who's who's the best receiver? This we're we're two drafts past um, you know, like Stefan Diggs and uh who who's their who's their best receiver? I mean, Keon Coleman. I don't think they would have to be.

SPEAKER_03 38:33

That's why I'm gonna say Keon. That's why I'm about to say probably Keon Coleman.

SPEAKER_02 38:35

So like if he wasn't under contract, he wouldn't even be with the Bills anymore. They don't, they, they, they hate the dude up there. So it's just like, I don't understand what they're doing. I mean, it's like they're in a situation where they could have traded, they they only needed a couple picks. I mean, they could have piled, you know, got a wide receiver and a corner safety.

SPEAKER_03 38:58

So they got an edge, they got TJ Parker, an edge from Clemson. They got a QB, uh, I mean a corner QB, a cornerback. Uh I can't say his name, but he's from Ohio State. Uh, Igmin Nelson.

SPEAKER_01 39:09

Yeah, that's a that's another thing. I'm like, bro.

SPEAKER_02 39:13

They're not watching tape if they think that second round, that's they got a receiver from Yukon. Fitzpatrick actually hit me in the Ohio State group chat we're in about them drafting Igmin Nelson second round. I was just like, bro, yeah, they're on some.

SPEAKER_03 39:30

But they literally, they literally drafted one, two, three, four, five, six, six defensive players, two offensive linemen, and one ride receiver and a punter. That's that's the Bills' draft. And they got a draft, they got a greater eight. They got an eighth draft break.

SPEAKER_02 39:49

That's that's wild to me. I don't know, man. Who's gonna catch the fucking ball, bro?

SPEAKER_03 39:55

Who's gonna catch the ball? Uh I mean, and even speaking of and even speaking of the Ravens, they got a B plus. So their first round, of course, they grab the offensive lineman from Penn State. But then second round, they grab an edge. Third round, they grab a receiver, uh, Jacoby Lane from USC. Okay. Then the fourth round, they grab a receiver, Elijah uh Surratt from Indiana.

SPEAKER_01 40:18

Ooh, he went to Baltimore?

SPEAKER_03 40:21

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_01 40:22

Oh, okay. Well, then they cool. It's still not.

SPEAKER_03 40:24

They grab they grab a tight end from SMU.

unknown 40:27

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 40:28

They got two tight ends. They got a uh tight end from Alabama too. Uh uh Cuvaz. He's he's pretty good too. He's a decent tight end too. Uh yeah, I mean, I I think they address their needs. I mean, you're looking at two two O linemen, uh, two two D linemen, you know, two tight ends, which they need two tight ends. They got two receivers, they got a cornerback, and I mean, I guess a punter, if that's a need, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04 40:57

But yeah.

SPEAKER_03 40:58

I don't I don't think they did bad. As far as if you're just thinking about what they need. I mean, you gotta see how things pan out.

SPEAKER_02 41:07

I would have loved to see them get, you know, uh first round receiver talent, but I think I think Lane and Lane and Sarah are good picks. I feel like I would have rather just had one extraordinary receiver for those two picks, but that's that's that's cool.

SPEAKER_03 41:24

I'm really and I think too, I think too, like you gotta think they run a lot of unfortunately big sets, you know what I mean, with Derrick Henry, you know, double tight ends or tight end fullbacks, or you know what I mean? Like, so like maybe if you just get one of these guys that can produce, you know what I mean, to take some of the pressure off of Zay Flowers, then you may be alright. Right. You know, if that's one extra defender that's not in the box who gotta, you know, account for a tight end or a receiver. And you gotta think they still got Isaiah Likely, too.

SPEAKER_02 41:56

So it's like no, they don't have Isaiah Likely no more.

SPEAKER_03 42:01

No, I mean um Andrews, not not likely. My bad. But you know what I mean? So they've been making it work, but I mean, hopefully, hopefully they get better. Uh or don't, whatever. Uh draft losers. I mean, they're in the AFC, so I can't I can't go too hard. Uh can I start? Go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 42:23

Losers. Anybody who drafted an O-line in the first round. Loser.

unknown 42:29

Loser.

SPEAKER_02 42:30

That's just not. That's never been a good pick for me, bro. There ain't an offensive lineman in the history of the in the history of the world that I would have taken in the first round of a football draft. It's not one. I don't the you could pick the best offense lineman ever. Third. Like, nah. I'm never picking anybody who can't score. Put put points on the board or prevent points from being on the board in the first round. It's just not what the first round is for. Good night, sir. So, yeah, nah. So every loser, all five teams, I think there were five, all five teams that picked the offensive linemen in the first round. Especially if you need actual positions, yeah, it's over with. That's an ignorant take. You know, obviously that that's my ignorant take, but it is what it is.

SPEAKER_03 43:15

I mean, I mean it's yours. It's yours. Yeah. Uh well, of course, you know, I'm just gonna tell you what the internet said. As far as first the Cardinals. Um grabbing Jeremiah Love when already having uh uh Tyler Allinger. Alger, yeah. So it's like you had him, and it's like you draft a you draft a running back. Like, why sign this man? You know what I mean? He's been kind of bounced around anyway.

SPEAKER_02 43:50

Jeremy Love is is one of them ones, bro. I believe I know. He's Jamie. I know we can he's Bijan, he's Derrick Henry, he's one of the he's gonna. be good. So I feel like I feel like what the the Cardinals was doing was like, hey, let's let's go ahead and and and get that generational position spot.

unknown 44:09

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 44:10

And you know, we'll we'll figure out whatever else later. But if he stays healthy, he's going to be one of the ones. I can I can I'll finally stand on that. We can revisit that in a couple years. But Jeremiah Love is the truth. So I would have I would have taken that I would have taken that man yeah I would have taken him over and over and over again for sure.

SPEAKER_03 44:30

Okay. So what about the Rams? I think we were all surprised when they took Ty Simpson Oh that was crazy.

SPEAKER_02 44:37

That was crazy. First of all, my issues with that pick is not that they picked a quarterback but the fact the fact that they picked him which he's sad to me. And then with your team just coming from the off NFC championship berth, which I mean they that was a good game. They could have possibly won um you know with a with a chance of Super Bowl on the line you could have drafted somebody that could have like literally pushed y'all because y'all there. Y'all y'all literally are at that pinnacle. So for them to pass up an opportunity to to to you know put add somebody to that roster that is going to come in and make a difference day one is kind of crazy. Because like if you put that tight end not saying that they need one because I mean you know they got Tyler Higby and uh do they got they might have another tight end. But just say you add a another weapon to what uh you know they got going they already have Devontae Adams they got Cooper Cup like you got Matt Stafford. If you was to put another you know even or even defense if you was to put another stud another difference maker to that team they you know I'm saying like they got a chance.

SPEAKER_03 45:54

But but I think also too and I only know this because I watched the Pat McAfee show today and they had their GM on the show. So he kind of he explained it quite unclear okay so I think what and from his his viewpoint he was saying that it's like we don't know how long we're going to have Matt Stafford for like granted he just won MVP he's coming back next year they know that for a fact but to know he's in his Twilight years in the past we've seen that that this type of situation usually works out if you can get a guy that can sit behind a guy for at least you know what I mean a year or two and he's like you got to think most of the time they're not they've never they haven't had a first round draft pick in a long time because a lot of times they trade them away and bring in vets you know what I mean they you know how they been they've been win now you know what I mean they're gonna go they'll move their picks for and bring in guys who um who can help them win now so I think Dylan is like he was saying like in the future we're gonna have more draft picks whether we're assuming we're picking late or or you know I mean late in the draft just because we've been good or whatever. If that's the case then we can get like you said those guys those impactful guys then while not having to worry about a successor to Matt Stafford trying to get that position possibly right when we got a guy in the building who could be learning right now. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 47:18

The fact though is just that he I don't know what they saw like even if a team needed a quarterback I'm not I I don't like Ty was it Ty Simpson I don't like him in 14th overall so I I I think it's too slow for what everyone else is saying it's just like number one he's not good so like he's not I don't think he's well you have to say he's a boy from your team I don't I mean he's clearly the top five uh college quarterback last year so I mean to say he's been good I don't I'm just you think he's first round talent I don't determine that but I I think if he doesn't have to play right away he doesn't have first round talent pressure though you see what I'm saying he doesn't have Mendoza pressure right now you see what I'm saying so you can I I I get taking him in the in the first round because it's like he's there but I know that I can develop him I you know personal I know who my coach is and what he does with quarterbacks.

NIL Impact And Legacy Overreactions

SPEAKER_03 48:22

So I don't have to play him right now I don't have he doesn't have the pressure of being uh a first round quarterback pick he ain't gotta come in and win his games right now you know hopefully you know what's you call it don't get answered but we still got what's you call it in the building also um shoot I forgot his name but Riley Lennon the Rams Essen Bennett yeah so like we don't have he doesn't have the pressure of a first round pick now if he was now if the Rams didn't have a quarterback and they took him I'd be like hey look that's probably not the pick to make you know what I mean but for him to be there and it and to be good enough that you know hey look he could he could play he can play football we we we know he can make the throws he's athletic like he has all the he he's he plays like a Matt Stafford in college if you look at him you know what I mean like he can take a hit he's tough like he he has that same I think pedigree but I don't have to rush him into the like we always say we don't have to rush this QB into starting right now he doesn't have to carry the franchise we can at least if we at least get two years two more years out of Matt Stafford I think he'll be ready by then and in the meantime no matter where we pick at we can get those like you said we can go and get the receiver we can go and get the the running back if we need it we can go get you know what I mean the DB whatever we need to fill in those positions within the next two years we don't have to worry about quarterback at all why while these next couple drafts they're saying supposed to be QB drafts everybody's gonna be fighting for these these these QBs in these QB drafts because whenever they say that they never turned out that way but I think you know just hearing him it to me it made sense I'm like okay well I mean you don't want to have to worry about that quarterback position and to like the same thing like with the Aaron Rodgers and and and and love situations like it's work. Look at the breath for Aaron Rodgers situation. It worked like a lot of times if you get that guy sooner than later and let him sit down and learn how to be a pro and learn how to play the the the position and you got the same coaching you know I mean he's learning to terminate everything and he's learning behind someone that's good it ain't like you bringing him in to sit behind somebody that that's questionable. You know what I mean? Yeah that's true or he has a chance of taking their pos they taking their their their starting spot it's like zero pressure on this dude he could just go in there and learn and learn and learn until we need him so I get it but they also I mean they got a tight end I mean they got a receiver for uh CJ Daniels from Miami they got D tackle so I mean I think they filled in some spots but I think nobody thought he was gonna go that high I thought everybody was gonna be a I think other teams thought they can wait and possibly get him you know what I mean like in the second third round maybe even fourth round they just thought he was gonna fall um but yeah I'm not I'm not too mad at it but just hope Matt Stafford just can stay healthy because I think if he if at any point he has to get pushed into that starting role I don't think he's gonna be I don't think he's gonna be I mean ready this year I shouldn't say um so uh another team they've been saying is probably one of the losers of the draft which we don't hear this offense the Niners man they said they reach they just need to stay healthy I don't even know what they need well that's probably true too I mean that's that's always the biggest thing with them but uh I can tell you exactly who they who they got uh they got um Deshaun uh stribling from Mississippi wide receiver uh edge from uh Romeo Heist from Texas Tech Keon Black the running back from Indiana and basically they said they that they reached on the two guys uh stribling and uh height they you know I mean they got them too soon they could have got them later um so I think that's the reason why they kind of you got a team where you really don't need much like I I honestly can't tell you what they need I mean maybe a receiver yeah because I mean you can because oh boy wild now Brandon IU because wild if he was still like regular he would you know that they probably wouldn't even need that right but I think you do that you get your receiver just in case you know the Brandon Iuk situation gonna do what it's gonna do but then you get an edge somebody you know what I mean who can possibly play opposite of Bosa uh you get a running back you know what I mean to help out McCaffrey uh D tackles offensive guards which and offensive tackle so you get two of them you know two offensive linemen because you know Williams you know he's in the twilight of his years who knows how much longer you're gonna get out of him you've had linebacker injuries so you grab one of them uh cornerback injuries you grab one of them I I think needs were met so yeah allegedly yeah allegedly I mean like I said we never know how it's gonna turn out but I mean yeah um again like for them for people to say they're the one of the losers of the draft that's one another one of them organizations since John Lynch has been there like I I can't argue with it I mean outside of injuries like they when they've when they're halfway healthy they're still better than you know what I mean half the league so yeah no I agree with that for sure uh and that's really it they say Jackson Jacksonville um reached on uh reached on tight end and some of their other picks but I don't really like speaking on them but we do have because my opinion is the super bias just because I don't like them uh we do have uh Hall of Fame game Panthers and Cardinals August 6th that was announced also man but oh NIL and college influence on the draft I want to touch that real quick um do you feel like the NIL is affecting um prospects I don't want to say credibility but the the the talent in the draft right now like do you think we're getting the best product in college is because of NIL for football I don't think it I don't think it matters because I mean three years four years it it doesn't matter.

WNBA Hype And Sign-Off

SPEAKER_02 55:11

I feel like the NIL might be keeping some kids in college on the basketball front which could be making a difference in the town level and draft so I I do think I I don't think the NIL really has as much as as much of an effect on uh the the draft as it does in basketball if that makes any sense. Okay. No for sure for sure so yeah nah football nah I think it I think it's literally the exact same thing. The same people that were going pro 15 years ago is the same level of talent of kids that are going pro now I don't think we've seen anybody return for that fourth year because of the money now as opposed to then as opposed to basketball I think guys are hanging around for the money because I mean you could go after the first year guys is like hey man I hey you know I'm having a good time out here I can stay two, three years. That's cool. You know so basketball yes in a sense I think it's still to be determined football no I feel like it's it's the same same group of guys they're just coming in with a little bit more money now but it's the same level of talent the same kind of guys that would have been going pro 10 15 years ago the same caliber guys that are going pro now so basketball yes football I just want to touch on that man but uh with that shoot we are done my guy I have nothing else anything you want to touch on man what we defunding oh man I don't know if I have anything man life's been good lately like I ain't really had to I don't need to defund the Reds because I mean they've been they just won again so they 19 and 10 on the season so man I I I think I think we're good man I I I wish that I we can defund this we have to at some point we have to stop defining people's legacies based off one series or two series like now people are trying to say well KD is this because he didn't play I mean first of all he's hurt and like if he's not if if his legacy isn't submitted in your head at this point like just stop that he's gonna be able to do it yeah bro we what are we talking about? People were well if LeBron does this he's this like hey man if these guys aren't already temitic I don't see minute I don't think you really know much about I hate I hate that phrase because I I don't want to say nobody don't know but I would just say you might want to like just just tap in because that's crazy. So it's like one series is not about to be like oh this guy is this or this guy's not this or no I I don't I don't agree with that. So we gotta defund just basing people's legacies and and and making them adding different stipulations. KD because if everybody talk about LeBron's 41 shit KD's 37 he'll be 38 and what either this summer or September or something like that he'll be 38 bro that's old as hell too so like we just gotta we just gotta give it give it a rest man let these guys just go out how they go out if they go out getting their ass whooped it's still a lot more than some other guys did so it is what it is. Yeah and I mean he tried to go I mean he went one game and it's just like KD is KD bro I don't care if he fucking comes out streaking the game five like KD is KD bro like this it is what it is. There's nothing he can do at this point that's gonna change who KD is I agree with that. I agree with that I agree with that. I mean same thing LeBron I mean a lot of these guys I mean I ain't gonna say a lot of these guys but you know the the the guys who's of of age you know what I mean who's already you know done their thing in the league and submitted their careers like you said like it it's we did I'm not about to talk about KDE's legacy with nobody bro like that's crazy talk. Yeah I agree with that um I don't I don't really have too much either man um like I said man just man nothing nothing man I'm pretty things been pretty pretty solid over here man looking forward to WNBA season you know what I mean now the ladies getting their money I can say that I can say that looking for looking forward to that they in preseason right now so yes couple weeks they'll be they'll be tipping off this tipping off their season so I just hope that we're gonna be excited healthy I hope so we can get some I hope angel can stay healthy I hope you know the aces can stay healthy I hope the Liberty can stay healthy like I I just I hope paige can stay healthy AZ is gonna hoop down there like with they got AZ uh FUD is that her name is how you said AZ and then you got uh uh Agumbuale and you got pay's they're hooping like man I'm super excited for the WNBA season for sure no doubt about it yep yep so we'll definitely be talking about uh the WNBA at least the beginning of the season as long as it's running congruent with the um with the uh NBA playoffs so but uh shoot I guess man with that being said this has been the Epic Podcast we will see y'all next week yes sir yeah