Paul McNeil's Future, Women's Tennis NCAA Draw & The Gainey Blueprint | Tuffy Talk Live

Pack Nation — we're back.

Tonight we react to NC State women's tennis finding out their NCAA Tournament fate. ACC Champions. Beat the No. 1 team in the country in Cary. Mia Slama won MVP. Now they're heading to the Dance — and we break down the bracket, the seed, and how far this team can go.

Then it's time to talk about the elephant in the room. Paul McNeil. Three coaching staffs. Two years of loyalty. One decision. Stay in Raleigh, chase the bag somewhere like Kentucky or Texas Tech, or take his shot at the pros. We break down every scenario and what it means for this program.

Speaking of the program — Justin Gainey has built something real. Hammond. Edmead. Evans. Yalaho. Keene. Five commits with five different roles. We dig into what this roster looks like, what it still needs, and whether Gainey can build a tournament team in one portal window.

We also get into the baseball road struggles — what's going wrong, what Rett Johnson is doing right, and whether the pitching can stabilize before it's too late.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 1:57

Am muted. I was indeed. I was muted, but I am here. What's going on, Wolfpack Nation? Welcome to another edition of Tuffy Tuck Live Show. We are back at it once again, Greg the Leg. Got myself Vlaine Smith here. Uh, excited to be back live and rocking and rolling here. So uh with that being said, we'll jump right into it here. As man Greg, we have a lot to get to here today. And uh to be honest, too, here Greg as well. My son is uh uh he's uh uh teething right now, so he's got some teeth coming in. So sleep is a little bit uh uh you know so-so right now. So with that being said, he's actually we're trying to get him down for sleep right now. So I might have to potentially step away here for a little bit here. But you know, obviously, if that being said, hey, I could just hand to you, Greg, and you could talk baseball for 30 minutes here, and I can be back and we'll and we'll jump right back into where we were. But with that being said, though, with that being said though, Greg, uh how are you feeling? Arm arm, you know, you get you pulling that the the kid from the Cam Newton commercial right now, getting getting the arm loosened up right now?

SPEAKER_03 3:02

Yeah, I was just looking to see if I had a can of WD40 laying around here because I need to get the get get the uh old uh old shoulder fired up.

SPEAKER_00 3:12

So yeah. Ah now you got this. Now the now the question which I have for you, Greg, is uh uh uh will you at least be able to guarantee us that you'll be able to make it to the catcher's mate?

SPEAKER_03 3:25

I mean, if I stand right in front of the catcher, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:31

Oh, I love it. Yeah, for those who are unaware, Greg uh has the the amazing honor here on Saturday for the uh game two, the first pitch. Uh to throw out the first pitch, I'm sorry. And so uh it's gonna be awesome. We'll make sure definitely to post a video here for Tuffy Talk.

SPEAKER_03 3:48

Um I will need some help with some editors and some AI so that way I can look like a threw a like a 90 mile an hour fastball right to the mid because I don't know how this is gonna work out.

SPEAKER_00 3:59

Hey, we'll we'll we'll we'll we'll we'll do some fun things with it. It'll be fun. We'll do some fun things.

SPEAKER_04 4:04

I don't care, but yeah it'll be fun.

SPEAKER_00 4:06

No, exactly. Exactly. But with that being said, Greg, uh one of the things I want to jump to actually here, real quick uh for fun as well, is uh I know tonight they actually did the uh Wolfie Awards, and they've come out with a few winners already. And I want to kind of get uh you and uh the people are tuning in right here uh an opportunity here to provide some insight around uh what your thoughts are. Uh but actually too before we get into it as well, we actually have a little bit of a giveaway going on here as well uh for some free tickets for tomorrow night's ECU game, and then also two for some free tickets to game one on Friday night.

SPEAKER_03 4:45

Hey, let's throw in some uh game three as well, because I won't be able to make it on Sunday for my I'll be at my granddaughter's birthday. So we'll throw in Sunday as well. How about that?

SPEAKER_00 4:55

Sunday as well. I love it. Okay. So uh if you're joining us here, uh wondering how uh you can win those, just stay tuned, hang in here with us here a little bit. And uh also, too, if you're uh active here in the chat, that definitely won't hurt your chances here as well. Is uh this will not be a random pick. I'll be I'll be straight up. This is gonna be a little bit of uh, you know, who retweeted, uh, you know, and you can still even go retweet that tweet as well if you go to our Tuffy Talk page and uh still have a chance to enter. Uh and again, if you're active here in the chat, and when the opportunity comes here a little bit later in the show, uh then we'll make sure we get a uh winner s a couple winners selected.

SPEAKER_03 5:34

And I can I can I add something to this because I want to have some fun too. I I actually did some I was curious the other day on uh on our drive down to Blacksburg, um, and I have a fun trivia question for my tickets. So in order to win Sunday's game, you'll have to answer a trivia question. Um I like that. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

Okay. Well, cool. So so I'll I'll kind of breeze through a couple of them here a little bit. Um, so first of all, first award, uh let's see. Trying to go all the way back here. Um, so comeback player of the year was Caden Fordham. Uh, you know, coming off a season ending injury the year before, come back being by far our highest producer in terms of tackles. I don't think that's really much of a shocker, Greg. Would you agree with that?

SPEAKER_03 6:26

Uh newly signed to my Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so let's go. Uh yeah. Yeah, yeah. Happy for happy for Caden. No, that just makes sense. Uh, you know, considering that the injury he came off of and wore the number one for NC State football and all that comes with that makes perfect sense.

SPEAKER_00 6:43

Mm-hmm. Yep. Uh, and then uh the Chris Combs uh award winners uh given to a male student athlete who exemplifies Chris Combs through a lifetime of love and passion for their sport, a great leader and ability to stay strong through adversity. And that was given to Caden Tolentino uh from the men's soccer team. Gotta give some love there. Plus, also to the pretty much equivalent KYAW Award winner given to Kaylee Adamidas from the gymnastics team. So gotta give some love there. Not necessarily like uh you know performance-based, but just says a lot about them to win those awards. So huge shout out to uh uh uh Caden and Kaylee for winning those awards. But um women's individual performance of the year given to Gabriella and Victoria, the doubles women's tennis national champions. Don't really think much of a shocker there. Um and then men's individual performance given to Isaac Trumbull. Any any uh uh contention there, Greg?

SPEAKER_03 7:47

I mean, I want my guy Ryan to win it, but uh it it's hard to it's hard to argue against a national champion. Um and then the other one was um um Phillips. Uh I mean he was national player of the year in his sport, so um you know you could have given it to him as well. Um so yeah, no, it just makes sense. Yeah.

unknown 8:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:12

Well, and also too, as well, you kind of add in a little bit of the come. I mean, he probably could have actually won comeback in in a way, uh you know, being that he definitely was suffering, you know, a pretty tough injury late last year that definitely kept him from being 100% late last year. Um, but to come back. Was it an ACL as well? Yeah, it was it was MTL or something like that. It was something that was definitely a knee, yeah. Yeah, it was it was yeah. Um was uh Mike Black, uh good evening from Belmont, North Carolina, the home of Corin Robinson. Yeah, I love it, appreciate you joining us here, Mike. And uh Thomas even talking about I think Caden as well, uh saying he deserved after a rough start. Definitely a good leader on defense. Yeah, I'm definitely didn't hurt as well of him being the true leader of that defense as well. Um men's team performance of the year was given to football, beating number eight Georgia Tech. Uh don't really have much contention really with this either. I mean, I so far I'm I'm I'm not really raising any eyebrows to this.

SPEAKER_01 9:18

Uh I forgot who were the other what was the other what was the other candidates or nominees in that that one? Yeah, let me let me pull up the candidates. Uh kind of a uh football, men's soccer uh and men's tennis.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

I probably would have given it. That doesn't necessarily less like specific.

SPEAKER_03 9:42

Yeah. I might have leaned men's soccer just because of the season they had.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

Well, I think maybe the reason why they gave this one award to the football performance was because uh men's soccer won men's team of the year. So maybe that's why. Maybe maybe. Um, but yeah, no, I mean definitely men's team of the year, men's soccer, no shocker there. I can't argue that one bit. Uh women's team of the year was the women's cross country. Uh yeah, I mean ACC and NCAA national champions. Don't think you could argue about that. Um let's see here. Let's see if there's any others. Uh HC uh Kenneth Award winner, which is uh the highest athletic honors, best men's and women's athletes. Uh men's was uh uh Donovan Phillip for men's soccer and Isaac Trumbull for wrestling. Women's uh HC uh Kenneth Award winner was Angelina Napoleon with our women's cross country team. Um any kind of any other uh student student athletes come to mind, Greg. Definitely you know haven't seen any any baseball players on this on this list, Greg, which is disappointing for sure.

SPEAKER_03 11:04

Well well, Ryan, right, Ryan Moreau was up against Isaac um for that, but yeah, no winners.

SPEAKER_00 11:11

Um yeah, no, I mean like when I say disappointing, not you you know, just like it it's it's it stinks for sure. You definitely, you know, with especially with a Jacob Dude and with a Marone, even a Rhett Johnson too as well, like maybe a rookie of the year.

SPEAKER_03 11:27

Well the season's not over yet, so maybe next year.

SPEAKER_00 11:32

Yeah, maybe, maybe, maybe the maybe maybe this would go to the 2027 awards. Yeah, no, agreed. Yeah, and I kind of want to use that actually too as a perfect line here, Greg, to this and and talk about. I mean, Rhett Johnson's been absolutely unbelievable here uh for baseball and you know hitting about 480 in ACC plays so far this year. So I want to ask you, Greg, you know, everybody, you know, when when Tommy Tanks was doing his thing, you know, with NC State, uh, you know, just breaking uh the the NC State freshman uh home run record here. Should we be talking about Red Johnson in the way that that Tommy Tanks was being talked about at NC State? I mean, I I get it's kind of two different kinds of players, one side home runs, one side dominating in terms of getting on base here. But I don't know, man. I just I just feel like that again, like just from a fan perspective, like fans were drooling at the mouth over Tommy Tanks, you know, like oh my god, that dude, we need to keep him no matter what. Like, you know, like even some some crazy fan podcast, like all the people on the podcast were dressing up as him, thing like things like that. They were idiots, but you're not really seeing that. I know, right? But you're not really seeing that with Rhett Johnson, you know. So, but like is it is it like just like the look, you know, that like he like you know, Tommy Tanks had a look to him, like like what is it here, Greg?

SPEAKER_03 12:58

Well, a couple of things. Uh Tommy Tanks, you know, every all the chicks dig the long ball, right? So that so that he had that going for him number one. Uh but Rhett Johnson is quietly threatening the all-time single season uh batting average for for anybody. Uh the record is 429, and as of Sunday, he was sitting right above that. Um, that record was was set in 1969. That's how long it's been since you know someone has hit as of Rhett's caliber. Um, but no, I mean he gets on base, he's he's the table setter. Um, would be definitely nice if we can get the 789 guys going because if they could get on, um Rhett could easily knock them in. Uh so if we had a you know a little bit stronger bottom of the order and more consistent, uh his numbers could be even better than they already are. But uh there's no doubt that he's an important piece coming back for next year when we when we get to have that discussion.

SPEAKER_01 14:05

I think we may have lost Leighton. You there, Leighton?

SPEAKER_00 14:09

I'm here, I'm here. The internet's going in and out, but over here. So um but yeah, no, I mean so hitting 436 on the year hits uh um he's gotten on base uh in 15 straight games, uh hit 45 in game three.

SPEAKER_03 14:26

Well, he's got a 17-game hitting trait going on right now.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Okay, so 17, my bad. Miscount miscounted. Was trying to hit count it, but yep, nope, got got my one, two, threes, and fours mixed up here. Um and hit five for five uh uh in in game three versus wake forest last weekend. But you know, so again, just first of all, before we talk about, you know, definitely the frustrating want to give a huge shout out to Rhett Johnson for sure. Is uh, I mean, you know, listen here, like I I I don't know what's gonna happen here between now and the beginning of next season with NC State Baseball here, but I I don't know. I the the the amount of money that's gonna be thrown this guy's way, what would you say the likelihood is for for us to hold on to Rhett for next season, Greg? Just you know, take take you know take the the maybe the inside knowledge out of it here, because I'm sure maybe you do have some there, but like just I don't know. It just it just it just if if if we're gonna pull the the hearts of NC State fans out, you know, let's just go ahead and do it now. You know what I mean? No, no, he's are we enjoying it now or are we is there?

SPEAKER_03 15:30

No, I no, I think you know, um we talked about it last week with with Ethan on on the show. Um I I think there's no doubt that he's 1-1A to sign for for your ball club next year. He he you know he's playing left field this year, but he'll move over to center next year uh with with tie head departing for the for the uh the draft later this um spring. And um he's gonna he he's gonna be what you build your team around. And he should be the main reason of what your identity looks like when when you go into next season. Um I I as good as he is, I think there's still untapped potential there. Uh you know, his I don't think we've used his speed enough, to be honest with you. Uh, you know, he doesn't he doesn't, you know, as good as he is, he doesn't bunt as much as you think he could because he's that good of a hitter. Like over the weekend, Virginia Tech, for whatever reason, did not play him straight up. And there was like three or four times that he put it right through where the short shot should normally be. But because they shift, because they think he's gonna he's gonna pull everything, he doesn't. Like hit, I would um, at some point, I would love to see his spray chart as far as like where he puts the ball in play. Um, because it's it's insane. He he he looks at the how the defense is aligned and goes, okay, this is how they're gonna pitch me. And then he just goes with wherever they're how they're playing him, and he just he just excels at doing everything. Um you know, had it not been for the turf this weekend, he probably would have had a couple more hits. Um you know, he he you know sometimes will pound that ball into the ground and just leg it out. Um, but on that turf, they kind of got a nice couple of of generous hops. And but he was still as as as that was, he was still one of your best hitters, if not your best hitter in the weekend.

SPEAKER_00 17:19

Yeah. So uh, Greg, also too as well, man, uh, you know, because I know we can spend a lot of time here on this, but I kind of want to start giving away here since we have uh three uh uh games to to give away tickets for here. So what I'm gonna do, Greg, is for your trivia question, give uh uh fans a minute here, uh, you know, to to comment and give them an opportunity here. So so what is your question, Greg? And I want to give uh fans here a 30-minute opportunity here to answer and put their uh uh response in the chat here. So what's your what's your trivia question, Greg?

SPEAKER_03 17:56

Okay, I know of at least eight of these pairs. Um there may be more, but that was kind of what I came up with in my head. Um, I tried to do some AI verification if there was more, um, but I couldn't. But uh here's my question Name at least five siblings that have played together wearing an NC State uniform in any sport.

SPEAKER_00 18:22

Okay, uh wearing an NC State uniform at the same time. At the same time. Okay. Alright. So with that being said, folks, if you want to win, uh how many tickets, Craig? Two tickets?

SPEAKER_02 18:41

Two tickets. Umday's ball game.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

Okay. All right, so I'm gonna set it and forget it in the chat. So cool. There we go. So if you want to win f tickets to Sunday's Miami game, common answer by 9.20 p.m., which is 30 minutes from now, to the question of name five siblings that have played together wearing an NC State uniform at the same time. So ready, set, go. So let's jump back into it here, though, Greg. One other guy, too, though, which I want to highlight, Mr. Ty Head, who seems to be Mr. Do It All. I mean, like, like I here's my thing, Greg. He literally is the definition of versatility. He can do it all. He can hit the long ball, he can get on base, he's he can be clutch, he can make ridiculous defensive plays, uh, he can steal bases, he can do it all. Uh, I mean, I think this season he has oh man. Well, I know he just hit his 12th home run, if I if I remember correctly. He also just had a ridiculous 13th, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 19:52

I think maybe 13th, but I'll I'll check.

SPEAKER_00 19:56

13 uh home runs. Uh he also had one ridiculous defensive catch uh over the weekend. 12th. He also has 24 stolen bases on the season, which is eighth most in NC State single season history, uh, which you know that puts him in in in pretty high level territory in terms of some of the other names that he's around in state history for stolen bases. So and also too as well. I mean, he hit a had a pretty big RBI to at least uh tie the game on Sunday as well. So again, just I I feel like another guy, Greg, that you know, that that's definitely should be hyped up more than he has in terms of even just the the improvement we've seen from last season to this season in Mr. Tiehead.

SPEAKER_03 20:40

Yeah, second on the team with RBIs with 41, um, sitting like third, I think, for total bases. Yeah, uh, and of course, you kind of mentioned with his defensive, you know, abilities out there and what he has dubbed the no-fly zone. Uh he just you know continues to make play after play. He was number one, he was the number one feature on SportsCenter's top 10. Uh, so that was that's pretty cool. Um yeah, just uh what the what the scouts would call a five-tool kind of guy. Uh just does everything. Um, again, I think he's another guy that can can can you can get more out of. Uh, he's definitely increased his home run totals. I think he had seven last year, if my memory serves me correctly. So um has already smashed that, and we still have another, I don't know, what did we got? Uh four, four ACCs plus two midweeks. What is that? 14 more games left uh before we even get to postseason play. Uh he's a guy that can um you know easily get you probably to 15 uh 15 home runs and 55, 60 RBIs. Yeah, just a really good good player. And again, they've that he's someone they've they've moved up and down the lineup. You know, he kind of started the season uh leading off, got into a little slump, and they slid him down. Um, and then he's kind of just worked. His way back up in the lineup just a little bit, but he's at a at a good position in the lineup and he's he's killing it.

SPEAKER_00 22:06

Yeah. Love to hear it. Uh so you already got a couple of uh uh submissions here in the chat, Greg. So don't give it away too much here. But we jumped.

SPEAKER_03 22:17

We have one, two, we only have three right four right there. So is that four? Is that five?

SPEAKER_00 22:24

So it's four. Yeah, combs.

SPEAKER_01 22:28

Yeah, you're missing one.

SPEAKER_00 22:30

Yeah. Well, we can look and we can look back at them too as well. But just yeah, just want to make sure that that we get the uh the answers keep on coming here, as well as again two free tickets to Miami on Sunday, uh up on the line here. So uh make sure to uh check out the question uh going across the banner here and get them in the chat. So, but let's just get right to it here, Greg. It seems to be that the MO for NC State Baseball this season is at the Doke, you know, things good things can happen for sure. But for some reason on the road in the ACC, NC State baseball seems to kind of hit a little bit of a wall at Wake Forest, at Virginia Tech, at Florida State, at Georgia Tech, zero ACC series wins uh this season, which is frustrating to say the least. And I don't know, Greg, do you do you have any kind of answer to that question? Why can't NC State baseball seem to produce on the road like they do at home?

SPEAKER_03 23:28

Uh yeah, I mean, if you think about it, the last two series on the road, you haven't had your full complement of pitching, which again, you know, we we talked about it when we played Coastal Carolina earlier in the season when they had some weekend guys go down and then they had to move people around. And it takes it takes a hit to the rest of the staff. And you're starting to see some some of these young freshmen arms emerge. Um, so just got to keep fighting. Uh, we have one more series uh against Stanford here in two weeks. Um you know, four series left. You probably have to win three of them to really feel confident in your chances and making the um postseason play for the NCAA tournament. Again, we talked about it last week. You don't want to really leave your fate in the hands of a committee, uh, just because you never you never know what they're looking for, what their criteria, our RPI is not going to help us. Uh so you're just gonna have to go out and find wins at this point.

SPEAKER_00 24:28

Yeah. Yeah, no, and and at this point too, Greg, as well, uh, you know, is there anything uh you know, even from the bullpen, uh, you know, Ryder Garino is one guy that definitely has has shown has been yeah, has shown a lot of live promise, been lights out for sure. Um, even had actually uh I think a uh a season-long appearance, I believe, uh against Wake Forest. Uh yeah, pitched three in the third innings, had four strikeouts, um, and uh seven strikeouts uh for game two uh of Virginia Tech. So, you know, has has there been any any big surprises since uh Marone and Duden have have popped out to you at all? Or is Gorino really the answer? Feel free to pick that answer, even too.

SPEAKER_03 25:15

Yeah, Garino has been really good. Um, like I said, you you're you're starting to see some of the freshman arms. Uh Sam Harris has pitch had a nice series uh this past weekend at tech. You saw Mikey Regusa, Mikey Ragusa come out uh and make a rare appearance, and uh, he was solid yesterday. Um Anderson Nance has been more the Anderson Nance that we expected. The hitting has just been kind of an issue, right? Like Friday you get shut out. I think you only have two or three hits. Um, you know, give credit to where credit's due. Renfro threw a really nice game. You came out and you know, you score 14 on on Saturday um after being blank the day before, and then you come back yesterday and and you lose. Um I'm so tired. 5'4, I guess that was I think that was the final. It's been a it's been a long day. I we we got home and yeah, five four. I'm I'm I'm making excuses, but I was up till two o'clock this morning booking my damn flight to Brazil um because I was having all kinds of issues, so my mind's not working where it should be. Um and again, you you know four runs is not horrible, but when you're in an aluminum bat era, you should be producing more, especially when you saw what we were putting up earlier in the season. Again, this is some of the problems when you when you schedule the schedule you have, and you know, for the good first month and a half of the season, you were right in the top five, ten in the cake in the country at like roughly 12 runs, 12 and a half runs. Um it's tough. It's tough. Pitching needs help, you know. Yeah, he did he dendre's through a pretty good game. Luke Kimmerick pitched really well yesterday, just one bad pitch. Um, you know, if we want to talk about baseball a little bit more, I thought we really got I I hate blaming the officials, but in the eighth inning, there was a check swing that he definitely went, did not go our way, and he ends up doubling, and that really got the got it got it going for Virginia Tech in the eighth, and that was just a horrible call. Uh, if if that call is made properly, or at least the way I saw it, you you don't score, they don't score any runs in that inning. And and it's just it's a that's a tough way to go go out. But again, you still you know, I just said it earlier, you can't put the in it put put the your fate of the tournament in in a committee's hand. You can't put your fate in an umpire's hands. And so you got to go out and make the plays and and don't leave it up to to chance.

SPEAKER_00 27:42

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Well, and and now kind of looking ahead here, you have uh, you know, still three ACC series plus ACC tournament, which you know, I think we've talked about before how the you know historically we've seen that the committee doesn't really look at the ACC tournament with a lot of uh you know substance behind it unless you win the whole ACC title, which you know obviously that'll play into effect. Uh but you know, so but still between now and then, so you have Miami, you have Stanford, and you have UNC. Obviously, UNC is arguably the hottest team in the country right now, coming off of a very impressive series win against Georgia Tech. Can't can't argue that, you know, hats off to them for sure. It's uh I mean, as we know, Georgia Tech is extremely hot and extremely good this year, so to pull off a series win against them is impressive. But the other thing, too, Greg, though, which is very interesting, is that it's definitely been a baseball-like year for sure in the ACC. As I think I saw a Florida State got swept uh this weekend by Stanford. So, you know, again, it's it's been a weird, it's been it's been a it's been a baseball-like year for sure in the ACC.

SPEAKER_03 28:53

Um, and you got Boston College playing out of their mind. Usually that's a bottom dweller for the most part. Clemson is usually at the top of the pack, and they're a bottom dweller this year. Probably will not make the tournament unless they somehow pull off a miracle run in Charlotte next month, uh, which is really crazy to think is how good that program has been uh in the last five years or so. Um, yeah, it you know, we and that was the thing too. You just kind of mentioned, you know, FSU going down, and there were some other things that happened during the weekend where we could have we could have really helped ourselves had we been able to get two or three. Uh, and we just we just didn't we didn't get it done. And and like I said, time is running out. And I think I misspoke earlier when I said how many series we needed to win. I might have said three out of four, which obviously we lose only three. So um what what I meant was we have to win at least two out of three of the remaining series.

SPEAKER_00 29:46

Yeah. Well, and uh, and and and you know, it hurts too, Greg, to think about. But remember, we last week we were you know, you were saying that Virginia Tech seems like a must sweep, and and then and then Ethan was like, Whoa, just get us a series win. And man, we couldn't even do either of those things. So um, but again, you have a great opportunity tomorrow night for CCU. Uh, you know, a team that's gonna come in, you know, definitely with a lot of fire. Uh, you know, it's it is a rapper game in a sense. You know, there'll definitely be a good amount of purple there, which is you know not what you want to see, but just the fact of the matter. And then you got Miami coming to town, uh, you know, Alex Sosa, you know, with his return to NC State. So uh it'll be an interesting series for sure. Um, but you know, I think the weather should be is looking pretty good. So go ahead, Greg. What you got on this Miami series?

SPEAKER_03 30:34

No, I was actually going to touch on ECU real quick. Like if you're looking at some of these these projections on where teams are sitting, you know, as we get down to the home stretch of the regular season, if state wins tomorrow, they will take in both games uh this season. And when you're looking at some of these projections, state and ECU are both sitting around three seeds. And maybe that becomes a factor when the committee meets and they're trying to fill out the last couple of slots uh for the tournament. And and so like I know midweeks don't typically carry a lot of weight, but in this instance, it there might be some some big things to be playing for tomorrow. I think we lost them again.

SPEAKER_00 31:23

Yeah, sorry, but internet internet's having issues here tonight, so we're gonna keep chugging forward here. But you're good, buddy. Yeah, no, absolutely. I mean, like I you know, it's it's I I I 100% would would say that if it's an ECU versus NC State, it's it's tough to argue anything else if you have two head-to-head matchups and NC State wins both of them. I I in my opinion, that's just you know, block it, sign it, let's move on, you know, kind of kind of scenario there. But again, you never know what never know what the committee's gonna do here. But again, just got just like you said, Greg, we gotta take care of our own business. BDCU, take care of Miami, take care of Stanford if you can, and then go into UNC with, you know, hey, just don't get swept. Uh you know, that that I think that's a that's a fair bar.

SPEAKER_03 32:10

Yeah, I again if you're if you can go like if you beat Stanford and well, and I mean beat, like take the series against Stanford and Carolina, I think you're in really good shape. If you, you know, take the series against Miami and Carolina, I think you're really good. But don't go get swept like FSU just did against Stanford. Uh so again, I think some of these combinations of how you play in these series are going to matter. Um, but it's going to be I I think it's an uphill battle. Uh, but if you know you get some pitching and you get consistency with the hitting, uh I you you still have a puncher's chance.

SPEAKER_00 32:57

Yeah, no, absolutely. So uh any final comments here, Greg, on baseball before we're moving on to another topic here?

SPEAKER_03 33:05

No, just go win ball games at this point. That's really all we can say about it.

SPEAKER_00 33:11

Yep, exactly right. So with that being said, Wolfpack Nation, make sure again, if you're uh in the in the uh chat here with us, uh it's still an opportunity here to uh win some tickets for the uh Sunday game versus Miami. Uh make sure to go into the comments and answer uh Greg's trivia question, which is going across the banner here uh and uh by 9.20 p.m. And uh we'll make sure to pick a winner and uh give those tickets away here right here in let's see, 13 minutes. So with that being said, Greg, I feel like we need to move on to the topic that uh I put out a poll uh about five o'clock today of you know, asking people what do they want us to cover most tonight. And pretty much 90% of it was around men's basketball. And you know, I I that's not really much of a shocker. I I really do think, Greg, that that there's a lot of good movement for sure in the portal. And we'll definitely talk touch the base on a couple of those pieces. But in my opinion, the ball really sits at the top of the hill, really on what happens with Paul McNeil. Every single week we've talked about Paul McNeil, but it it in my opinion, really, I wouldn't say necessarily like if he says no, that like you know, it's going to like long-term hurt us, but I think it will definitely break a lot of NC State fans' hearts, and rightfully so. Again, I mean, spent the last two years at NC State showed extreme amount of promise for sure. And especially now with the latest news of you know, with the NBA entry uh uh draft list that came out, and Paul McNeil's name was not on that list, which you know maybe it's not the full list, uh, you know, but you know, maybe, but you know, there's it's it seems like a good chance, likelihood that his name's on the list because he's pulled his name out of the NBA draft, which if that's the case, then you gotta be feeling good if you're NC State. Uh, but you know, there's still a couple of names out there. Texas Tech, I'm sure LSU is probably still sitting trying to sit at the table for a Paul McNeil. Again, with a guy that's that's as talented and showing as as much promise as Paul McNeil, and I mean in the portal rankings is put as a top 10 player in the portal right now. If you're NC State, you're you know, you can try and play, you know, the you know, hey, you know, you gotta make a decision by this time or or we're out. But you can't really do that. You unfortunately you you you you gotta continue to make sure that the process is moving, but at the end of the day, if there's an opportunity to get Paul McNeil, you gotta sit and play the game.

SPEAKER_03 35:47

Yeah, I mean, maybe you do, maybe you don't. Uh I'll take it as well, uh it depends on what that asking price really is and how much you value the wait, wait and see. Uh I I I trust Ganey and what he and the staff are doing. Uh, I think that you know, if if if uh Paul's asking price is X amount and you can go get maybe two, you know, good players that would equal a Paul McNeil for you know you know, the money ball approach, the you know, the smart, savvy play, uh just keep in mind that you know, you know, if you can go get two for one at some key positions because you still have to fill out a roster. And if Paul's number is, you know, I mean, we I've heard, I mean, there's been new players into the game, apparently, uh, some SEC folks, and then it sounds like one more ACC team is jumping in the mix. If that's true, right, because again, you know, you don't know how much this is drummed up by an agent and you know, all this other uh nonsense. But I think at this point that you you continue to build your roster to the best you can, and you don't let one player, no matter how good they are, hold you hostage. Um, if that's what the coaching staff feels like, and if games are they feel like games are being played, then they have to do what they need to do. But I just I just think you just keep going. And if it happens to where you're able to land two other players in the meantime because they've fallen in your lap and it's an offer too good to resist, then you you go that way. Uh it's it's a business decision on both sides, you know, both for the for the team and for the player. And um, you you have to do what makes sense. And if that's hanging around waiting for a player to say they're coming back or going out and pursuing other avenues, you you do that.

SPEAKER_00 37:41

Yeah. Yeah, no, absolutely. Well, I mean, and one guy in particular that actually was uh actually just completed a visit was uh Darius Adams, uh transfer from Maryland, uh former top 20 overall recruit, five star. Uh at one point his recruitment was committed to UConn, but then decommitted and uh ended up in Maryland, uh averaged 10.8 points a game last year. Uh, but you know, it that was you know a lot of reasons of probably why that that took place. Uh, but you know, I I think this is probably gonna be a guy that's that's not gonna be cheap, but not gonna be over the top expensive though, either. I think, you know, this is a guy that that you can try and cash in the value on the fact that there might be a lot of suitors that might take into account too much of the fact of saying, well, I'm not really gonna pay you top dollar for a guy that averaged 10.8 points per game last year when I can go get a guy that averaged 15 points a game, you know, last year. So, you know, you're definitely buying into the potential of what Darius can be, but he's a guy that is is more of your go-to-the-basket all-around score. Uh, you know, you have a lot of shooters on this team right now with Hammond and and the other players that we you know have so far for next season. But I think adding a Darius Adams could be one of those pieces, Greg. I'm sorry to Wi-Fi once again. Apologize. We're gonna keep going. But I think Darius Adams could be one of those, you know, two for one pieces potentially, Greg. So you know, I want to kind of get your thoughts on Darius, but I also want to kind of make the point too as well and remind everybody once again that there's been nothing that's come out whatsoever about Paul in terms of the conversations that he's had with Gainey or with anybody else with that matter, even too. Like, even like the colleges that have come out that have shown interest in Paul have been pure speculation. Uh, you know, saying I've heard so-and-so has been in the loop that so and so has been in the conversation, but there's really been nothing that's been concrete out. So I guess Greg, once again, and just add in around, you know, just confirming once again with Paul that just everything right now is just speculation. But number two, get your thoughts as well about Darius and could he be one of those two for one pieces of you know what you would have to pay for Paul.

SPEAKER_03 40:02

Yeah, no, I think again, you know, you you you mentioned upside and potential and ceiling and you know, all those buzzwords when you're when you're going after these, these, these folks in the portal. And yeah, like he averaged almost 11 points, and you know, maybe you know, he wasn't uh utilized the probably to his potential uh at Maryland. But um, yeah, you you have to look when you're evaluating these guys, like how are they gonna fit within your system, right? Like what is their role? What is gonna be their usage rate? Um, how are they going to make you better? And again, you know, some of that's obviously fit value, both economically and you know, ability on on the court. Uh, you know, what will be their role? You know, will they be a defensive stop guy? Will they be a glue guy? And we'll get to him here in a minute because I I love everything about his profile when he committed the other day. And it it that's those are important characteristics when you're trying to build a roster out. Like how will they how will they coexist? Like how will they be cohesive and and make you a better unit, right? As a whole. Um, because in the sum, one is not strong, but when all five are rowing together in the same direction, you can be unbeatable.

SPEAKER_00 41:18

Yeah. No, absolutely. Yeah. So, but Greg, let's talk about some of these other pieces. Uh, you know, I you know, is I of the two that recently committed, is there one in particular that that you want to highlight?

SPEAKER_03 41:33

Um I I'll be honest. I it was a very crazy weekend last weekend, and I saw the news. The the Boise State guy, uh, and again, I apologize. I don't remember his name. My focus was on baseball.

SPEAKER_00 41:47

RJ Keane.

SPEAKER_03 41:47

Yeah, RJ Keene out of Boise State. Uh, you know, just looking at his profile, looking at a little of his tape. Uh, he just is a guy that's going to be a be a grinder, if you will. And um I think he's the guy that, you know, he I mean he has it in his profile, glue guy. So he's gonna do whatever you ask him to do. Um, if you're running a drill where you're playing for you know playing for loose balls, he's gonna be the first one, probably headfirst into a pile. Uh, we'll we'll do whatever you ask of him. And probably one of those leaders that just does that. He leads by example. He, you know, he may not be a verbal guy, he's not gonna be your most talented guy on the roster, but when he's out there doing what he does, I think other people will pay attention and that will set you know the the the bar, if you will, of of effort.

SPEAKER_00 42:36

Yeah. Yeah, no, I mean, with with the effort issues that I feel like they'll be had with the last year's team, you know, to have a guy like that, and you know, a guy that said, listen, if if I leave a a game, I don't have a bruise on me, then I didn't play hard enough. Like, you know, it's just it's just a different mentality that that you appreciate and you love, you know, uh to see and that you love the fact that you know that Ganey said, like, you know, we're gonna be one of the toughest teams in the country. And every move he's made so far has followed suit with that. Um, you know, that these are guys that are more than likely not coming into NC State with like an expectation of, you know, that that y'all are y'all are are lucky to have me. Like, I think every single one of these guys, I feel like their their background shows like, you know, they're excited to be here. They're excited to get this opportunity, and they're excited for the moment, you know, that but these are also two guys though, like it's it's not like this is just you know a guy that we're just taking a pure shot on, you know, out of the blue. Like these are guys that have proven the ability to be able to shoot the basketball, to to make plays, you know, to to to play hard. Uh and these guys are coming here. And so that's why I've loved everything that Ganey's brought so far. I mean, and honestly, have been kind of diamonds in the rough. Particular Evans love Evans' game. I think he is extremely underrated, especially as a center. Uh, you know, leading the nation in blocks, Greg. I mean, and and and and you're probably not paying anywhere near a top dollar from you know, you know, with these three four million dollar price tags that you see with the live centers in the transport portal, you're probably not paying that for Evans either. So and if that's and if that's true, hats off that hats off the Gainey.

SPEAKER_03 44:27

Yeah, I it this roster as it's being constructed, just kind of like it feels like this is a this is gonna sound weird because we don't know what a Justin Gainey roster is gonna look like and feel like. But to me, this is what a Justin Gainey roster would feel like because the guys that he's bringing in are kind of like his persona as he was a basketball player, right? Maybe not the the top 25 in the recruiting class, but dudes that are just gonna play ball, give you effort day in and day out, um, will know what's expected of of them, and that you're just gonna get guys that come out and play ball, play hard, play smart. And I feel like that's what he's that's what he's starting to build, at least, at least with this roster in year one. Now we don't know what future rosters will look like, but um, you know, it's also a roster that is not as defensive as you might think with Justin Ganey. This is feeling like a very offensive roster. Um, not to say that they're not gonna play well on defense, but you know, if you bring a Paul McNeil back in, like that's you know, that's another, you know, 15, 18 point kind of guy. Um, and I feel like we're gonna be cranking a lot of threes. Uh the guy that you just brought in from Texas Tech, I'm not even gonna try to say his name because it yeah, it was was pretty hard. But um, you know, he's a guy that's you know six, six, six, eight, depending on if he's wearing tennis shoes or not. That's gonna, you know, shoot he shoots around 40% from three. Um, made, you know, uh a good clip. I think he took like 100, 120. Well, Washington State. Sorry, he he was at Texas Tech before that. Yes. Yeah, yeah. Sorry, he was correct, yeah. He played with Darion at Texas Tech. My apologies. I told you I'm sleep deprived. But uh, yeah, he I know he's from Finland. Um, that's why I was like, I'm not gonna try this guy's name. I'm gonna need someone to mispronounce it about 10 times before I try to mispronounce it. Um yeah, again, I think you know he's not the prototypical rim protector that we're looking for. Um, you know, he's gonna be by all accounts a stretch four. Um, you know, you have Evans there to be your rim protector. I still think you need at least one more rim protector in quotations. But I I I like what this roster is looking like. I there's probably another three or four that we're gonna need to get a hold of and um fill this thing out with or without Paul McNeil.

SPEAKER_00 46:56

Yeah. So with that being said, Greg, here before we move on here, talking some women's uh basketball, and actually I need to actually highlight one more stat before we actually move on to that. We got to pick your winner here, Greg. Uh so with just a reminder once again, so uh uh two tickets uh for the Miami uh game this coming Sunday, game three. Uh up for grabs here. Greg wanted to do it by asking a trivia question of uh name at least five siblings that have worn an NC State uniform at the same time. And uh so Greg, I'll let you kind of you know cycle through the comments here and pick a winner here. But uh you got the Wee Jones, I think it was the first one saying the Buckies, the combs uh off the top of his head, and later on adding the Martin twins. Uh let's see, did he have any others? Okay, nope, didn't add any others, so that's only three for wee Jones. Uh Thomas Denton saying uh Thomas Brothers, Don and Dave Bucky, Taylor and Tori Insley, Freddie and Francis Combs, Caleb and Cody Martin.

SPEAKER_03 48:07

Yep, yep, and then Drake and Thayer. Yeah, or I would have accepted Drake and Thayer or uh no, they did not play together. I'm trying to think if if uh did um noor to play together. They did not. I was trying to do trying to do years, but no, I think that's the first winner we had that all had all five, um, at least five. Um, if you cycle through some of these other ones, you you can get some other the answers. Of course, the holts, um Martin, Kobe, uh Cody and Caleb Martin. Um yeah, the Buckies. Uh Mr. Wrestling guy. I thought the Highlays, yep. And then the Ballards, didn't they wrestle at the same time? Or no?

SPEAKER_00 48:56

They did. I'm a stating a Bollard, yep.

SPEAKER_03 48:58

Yeah. Um, and then I saw the uh I think someone had the softball combo in there with the Easleys.

SPEAKER_00 49:06

Ansley's yep, Tori Taylor Ansley, yep.

SPEAKER_03 49:09

Yep. Uh you had uh one more football one. Um you had a lesser known pair, Zach and Tyler Gentry. Uh so not as well known. And then um you had um I think um there was a I couldn't find and I had it, I had it written down. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 49:35

Well, I was gonna say I I know I know a pair. In fact, actually, the younger brothers still plays Vincy State football as we speak.

SPEAKER_03 49:42

Which one are you were you going there?

SPEAKER_00 49:45

Uh Davin and Ryland Van.

SPEAKER_03 49:48

Yeah, they were on the team at the same time. Yep. Yep, the Vans were.

SPEAKER_01 49:52

They were. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 49:53

And then uh I saw in here uh the Nixon brothers. I I think I saw that in there in the in this chat as well. Um, and then I think there was a cross-country pair that I had I had written down and I lost my note on it, uh, but I I believe there was a um a cross-country pair uh from a while ago. So I didn't wouldn't expect anyone to get that one. And then um, yeah, and then I believe I would have I would have maybe counted this one. This was a kind of a tricky one with Naeem and Naya Hines, though they didn't play in the same sport, but they did they did do sports at the same time. Uh they had a small crossover there. But uh yeah, so Thomas Ditton, I think you will be our winner. Um, shoot us a direct message to the Tuffy Talk account on on X with your information. Um, we need your phone number and email address, and we will get you those tickets. Um, if you can use them, if if you can't, please please don't accept them. Um, we would love just someone to be there. Like I said, I will not be able to attend. I will be at my granddaughter's birthday. So, but congrats to that. And I know you have a couple more pairs you wanted to give away.

SPEAKER_00 51:04

Yeah, no, I do want to give away. Uh so if you didn't win this round, we got two more chances. Yeah. Yep. No, so uh uh so I kind of want to hold true here a little bit, even though we haven't had uh we've only had six entrants so far for the tickets on our uh Twitter account. So um stay true to that because then they those yeah. So uh so if if you want to uh be entered to to uh win uh the ECU tickets, just let us know in the chat that you win or retweeted uh our uh giveaway tweet, um, which was uh uh posted at 5 50 p.m. Eastern on our Twitter page. Uh so make sure to go retweet that. Comment here in the chat. We'd love to give away uh uh two tickets to ECU tomorrow night and then two tickets to Friday night versus Miami as well. So make sure to go do that. And I want to give those tickets away tonight. So uh but while you do that, Greg, I do want to highlight one uh stat which I thought was very interesting before we jump over to women's basketball, and that is that this year's NBA draft has had the lowest amount of players declare for the NBA draft and staying in the NBA draft, not just going through the draft process, but actually going into the draft. And that's 71, only 71 players that have officially entered their name in the draft uh itself. And that is that went down from I think 102 last year, and the high was in 2021. I think there's 363 players that submitted their names in the NBA draft. So again, Greg, I mean, you're seeing definitely a change in the portal and the NIL era for sure. I think that has led to a lot of this for sure. That because I mean, basically, Greg, the unless you are a top 20 pick, I have a hard time under, you know, wrapping my head around you being able to make more in the pros off the bat than you would at in college. Now, obviously, the the one thing which I do want to add to that though, Greg, is that most players, you're going to the draft not really with the idea of trying to make the most money up front, but what you're really trying to do is you're trying to get to that second contract, ASAP, because that second contract is when you can start to talk about big money, like Supermax contract, like Cooper Flag is probably heading for a substantial payday here in a year or two when he uh negotiates his his second contract here. And so if you stay in college another year, you're delaying another year of you being able to get to that second contract and get out of the rookie contract where you can get a huge payday here to that as well. But yeah, I mean, did do you find that stat interesting or at all, or is it pretty much expected?

SPEAKER_03 54:03

Um I personally would I mean you can definitely see both sides of the of the of the coin here. I if I'm if I'm a guy that's 20, I'm outside the top 20 bubble, I would 100% come go back to school, uh, get paid, and then uh see your draft stock potentially rise and then come back in and get paid MBA money um and go from there. Now there's some, you know, obviously there's some flip sides to this, right? So if you have a guy that's you know, assuming that what by what it sounds like the five for five is going to get uh passed, the though it also sounds like it will be non-retroactive for players from this past season. Now, say you're going into college at 18, 19, so now you're looking at 23, 24 before you're turning pro depending on the sport, uh that's old. Uh, you know, especially for like a baseball player, uh, a football player, that's very old, right? Where your your your your longevity and your lifespan uh in the sport is is much smaller. So I think for like a a sport like basketball, that makes sense the five for five. Uh you know, I don't see it being a thing for baseball and football because you can go pro and then you can get that get that going um sooner. So I think those sports are different. Where you will see it is in basketball. I think where the five for five will definitely um be a thing um moving forward. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 55:49

Yep. Yeah, no, absolutely. So uh, you know, again, but it it'll be we'll talk about it definitely a lot more once it actually gets through here as well. But uh, I mean they they basically come out and said it's not gonna affect basically this round of players, it's basically gonna be moved in with the next generation of players. So again, a little bit of a a leeway there of when we're actually gonna see that new rule when it gets passed actually take effect. But I do want to jump on over here, Greg, to uh women's basketball is uh uh if you are if you attended this the show last week, uh you you you probably got a little bit of an egg drop, uh, you know, accidental or not uh here on our live show. So see, Greg, it pays off, you know, to be on our live shows. You may you may get a little bit of an egg, you know, some sometimes here and there. But uh uh Camille Pierre uh officially announcing that she's gonna be returning uh along with Maddie Cox, Adeline Jernigan, uh uh Lunan, uh Zoe Brooks, and I'm missing one more. I'm missing a much uh uh anyway. Sorry in the chat.

SPEAKER_03 56:59

Uh you got you got Maddie Cox.

SPEAKER_00 57:01

I mentioned Zoe. Luna. Maddie Cox, yep. Got Lunan, got Jernigan, uh Camille, Zoe. But anyway. Camille. I guess that's everybody. I think that's everybody. I guess. Yeah. Okay, and Samuels. Samuels. Samuels. Yep. So uh, but it was uh announced earlier this week uh that uh and this is another name, uh Greg. Maybe, maybe, maybe you've had some practice at all with saying this name from uh uh Junior Ford from Auburn. Uh Katie Katie Leigh? Katie Lee? Katie Lee. I think it's Lee. She's from Senegal, so you know it's gonna have some kind of a twist. Okay, it's just Lee. All right, cool. Yeah, Katie Lee, there we go. Uh Junior Ford, six foot two forward, uh, originally from Senegal, transferred from Auburn. Uh before that, she was a thousand, uh, averaged 9.5 points per game last uh season, 5.3 rebounds per game, 1.3 steals per game, started all 32 games, led Auburn in rebounding, and shot 44% from the field, has two years of eligibility remaining, and was the first true portal edition for Westmore in this cycle here. Uh, you know, Greg, where do you kind of see her fitting? Do you see her being a starter uh right off the bat, or do you see her being more of a depth piece?

SPEAKER_03 58:24

Uh depends on what the incoming freshman does. Um, if she's ready to go, um which uh sounds like she might be ready to plug and play, but Wes has feelings about starting freshman, so I don't know. Um she does. And that's just your your your face over there. Um yeah, I it it it again it depends on what you're bringing in that's left, but yeah, she she definitely can be in that mixed to to be a starter, um, again depending on what direction you're looking at going.

SPEAKER_00 58:58

Yeah. Well, and and you love with with with Lee as well the fact that she's experienced that that she she's gonna give you uh you know top level tier experience that you can plug in. You know, she plays in SC, so she has to play the LSUs, the South Carolinas, you name it. So um, you know, you love to you love to add a piece like that, but also too, as well, in the in the fact that um, you know, she definitely shows a lot of athleticism. Uh, she definitely I think can fit in a few different areas, whether you want her more as a four or even plugged in as a five. But I still think, Greg, there's still definitely a lot of holes that still need to be filled here uh during this offseason here.

SPEAKER_03 59:40

Um but still needs some shooting. So just this this is a start, but still need some shooting.

SPEAKER_00 59:45

Yep. Oh, desperately need some shooting. Desperately need some shooting. Now, the one thing I do want to ask you, Greg, uh is Mario Jones transferring to Louisville, did uh that that take you by surprise at all?

SPEAKER_03 59:58

The transfer or where she landed?

SPEAKER_00 1:00:02

Where she landed.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:04

Um no, that doesn't surprise me. She had her pick of teams.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:09

And I know she kind of wanted to stay somewhat close to North Carolina so her family could easily get to her games. And um, that just makes that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:19

Interesting. I I I I guess I wouldn't necessarily consider Louisville as close to North Carolina, but you know, I mean it's another option to get that.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:26

Correct, correct, correct. Uh close as what kind of quality team she was looking to go to. I mean, obviously she had her pick of wherever she wanted to go, um, but she wanted to go to a program that that has a history of competing and can compete moving forward. Gotcha.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:44

Um, all right. So with that being said, so again, just kind of time will tell here for sure. But you know, Camille Pierre, getting a player that's an automatic double-double back, uh, is a huge get. Now, the big question is gonna be you know, right now, what do you do with the center? Do is Pierre your center, or you know, are you gonna bring in another option? That's gonna be the question. In my opinion, I think that we're I think we're in agreement here, Greg. I mean, I think you plug her into five. She knows she's you know, she's productive enough rebounding the ball that she makes sense as that she's a player that can serve as as your five. And why would you want to pay go pay more top dollar to get another center out there? Um, you know, when you can plug, but and and and it and and you can even plug in Lee in into it as well. I mean, six foot two, not you know, giving you a ton of height, but again, the athleticism and the rebounding ability that you've seen in the SEC, uh, she can be a depth piece at the five if needed too as well. But time will tell, right, Greg? Anything else to kind of add on that? Otherwise, would love to jump into some NFL draft results.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:52

Yeah, no, I think uh still work to be done. Um, this is a work in progress, and uh hope hope we can line that land some diamonds in a rough and get some some of these players to develop a little further and see see where we end up at.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:08

Yeah, absolutely. So uh uh Wee Jones 426. I saw you actually liked that the tweet to uh enter. So uh uh you know if you retweet the tweet, uh I'll uh send you two tickets for whichever one you want, either the Friday Miami game or the ECU game tomorrow night. So uh if you at least get that done for me, let me know in the comments which game you want. I'll make sure to send them your way.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:33

There we go.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:34

Uh but with that being said, so uh in the NFL draft, hey Greg, guess what? We had uh two more NFL picks than uh the 33rd NFL team uh had down the road. So or that's that's or Coach Prime out in Colorado. That's true, even better. But you know, yeah, but more but more importantly, locally. More importantly locally, exactly, especially the 33rd NFL team, right? So um Justin Jolie getting drafted in the fifth round, pick 152 by the Denver Broncos. Uh, and actually to an interesting point that the fact that that Denver Broncos actually traded up to go get him. Uh so I mean I think that says a lot for sure, but also too in the fact that there's definitely a need in in the Broncos, you know, offense for you know a tight end. Uh, it's definitely not been a spot that's been solidified by anybody. Um, and so I think Joe Lee definitely can compete for playing time, and uh, he's a guy that that truly is a an a an ideal receiving tight end target. Uh, I mean 40 49 catches last season, had seven touchdowns, first team all ACC tied program record for touchdown receptions in a season uh for a tight end. Uh so you know, again, a lot of potential there with Joe Lee. I think a great landing spot for him. And obviously the Broncos liked him enough to actually go trade up and go get him, Greg. But yeah, I mean, like any, you know, any other kind of thoughts, Greg, in terms of Joe Lee's landing spot with the Broncos?

SPEAKER_03 1:04:08

Yeah, the only re I mean, and this is this is not a knock on Joe Lee at in any um any set. Had he been a better blocker, he would have been a top three round pick. His his his receiving skills are are very elite. Um, and so if you're not asking him to do a lot of blocking, I think he's going to be a great pickup. Um, but I also think that he has the ability to continue to get better at blocking, as you did see this past season. He was much, much better in the run game. Um, but I think he's gonna I think he's gonna flourish um out there, especially in today's game where it's so um pass pass heavy. Um, I think he'll be just fine.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:52

Mm-hmm. Yeah. So and then the other player that was drafted was Brandon Cleveland in the seventh round, picked 229 uh by the Las Vegas Raiders. Um, you know, any thoughts here, Greg, on this?

SPEAKER_03 1:05:06

I I think just Yeah, my condolences.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:08

I I I I think going to the Raiders.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:12

Yeah. Such a I mean they do have Tom Brady as part of the Brain Trust now, so maybe maybe they're getting that turned around. Um, you know, and you are the home of the number one draft pick, so that tells you all you need to know about the franchise's current situation. But uh no, hey, anytime you get drafted, you you take it and run with it. It's an opportunity to shine. And if if it doesn't work out where you're at, there's 31 other teams that you know are always scouring uh waiver wires and or game film. Uh so I think he's gonna be really I think he's gonna be really good. He's a he's a you know he reminds me a lot of BJ Hill, just a run stopper. I think he's gonna have a a really good solid career uh and and make some money.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:56

Yeah. Uh, you know, and and and beyond that. You have uh eight total uh undrafted free agents that were signed. Uh uh Sloan getting uh signed by the Raiders, uh Cody Hardy, uh my my boy getting drafted by the New Orleans Saints, uh Caden Newcaster. Uh I missed Newcaster.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:17

Where did he go?

SPEAKER_00 1:06:18

Uh Saints as well. Oh, damn. Yep. And then uh Wesley Grimes going to the 49ers, uh Sean Brown going to the Titans, Sebastian Harsh going to the Texans, uh Devin Marshall going to the Jaguars, and that's uh that's the list of all the players going to the good teams, and then uh and then uh and then Caden Fordham going to the Bucs as uh so you know again excited for for Caden. Uh yeah, he's a Florida. 142 tackles him.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:55

Yeah, that's crazy, right? Like he led the P4 and didn't get drafted. Like that's and again, maybe there's some concerns, some injury concerns there from his past. Um, but we saw how that has worked out for Peyton Wilson. Um, so if anything, that should you know tell you again, they're they're different players, but played similar positions, obviously at linebacker, and and Peyton has has really done well for himself, at least uh especially these uh, you know, his rookie year was good, and then this year was even better. And I expect really big things um from Peyton Wilson. And speaking of Peyton Wilson, if I can share a piece of information, I have a new piece of memorabilia from one Peyton Wilson. I won an auction that that the Pittsburgh Steelers were or uh a sports memorabilia place out of Pittsburgh, and it's a NC State uh helmet signed by Peyton Wilson saying, you know, third round draft pick, yada yada, yada. So that will be going right over there when I get it later this week.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:53

Let's go, dude. Love that. All right, yeah. Hey Wilson, love to hear that. Yeah, um, but you know, just again, want to kind of first of all just also highlight, too. I mean, I mean, 10 players uh signing with NFL teams is I mean, that's a big class for sure. So huge props to Coach Dornan. You know, it definitely is impressive, even too, adding on the fact that team went eight and five. Um, but also, too, for all the Doran haters out there, this is now 11 consecutive seasons with at least one player drafted.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:25

Uh so well, you had one more player with KC State ties in Casey Conception going in the first round. I I mean, however, you want to take that.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:35

Yeah, going to the Browns. That I mean, I that's really my condolences.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:40

I mean, we thought Brandon Cleveland was.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:44

I was gonna say, I think I think that's about as bad as it gets.

SPEAKER_03 1:08:47

Uh at least at least Vegas plays in a Delman, it's Las Vegas, it's Cleveland. Like, I don't even yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:56

Well, I I mean I I mean the good thing for KC is I mean he'll definitely get a crap ton of playing time, that's for sure, because he has no competition for sure at all. Um there at Cleveland. So um, but also too, as well. I mean, you know, gotta even highlight as well, again, Drake Thomas, undrafted free agent, went on to win a Super Bowl last year with the Seahawks. Um, again, like though, Greg, I mean, I want to highlight though even more with Caden. I mean, 143 tackles, which is most by NC State defender since 2012. Uh, he was third team All-American. Uh he was an MVP for the Gasparilla Bowl. Yeah. MVP for Gasparilla Bowl. Uh signed with the Bucks in his home state. I mean, it's it's really the you know, the feel-good story, really, in my opinion, of of you know, of all stories up there with the NFL draft this year. Yeah, yeah. But yeah, no, again, go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:52

No, I was just gonna say the Bucs are very needy uh at linebacker. You had arguably one of the heart and souls uh in Bucks history and Levante David just retiring. Um, they did take Jeremiah Trotter in the second round out of Missouri. Uh, so he's going to have an opportunity to go in there and make some noise and you know, it you know, at least first year, you know, make some special teams and probably some spot duty. Uh so I I I feel like that's a really good landing spot for him uh to go in there and shine um and make a name for himself.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:26

Yeah. And I mean, I know they're not on the same side of the ball, but learning from a guy like Meg Mike Evans, you know, will be great. Oh, wait. That's two. Okay, that's awkward. Anyhow. That's two. One more. One more. Hey, no, actually, our boy Wesley Grimes will actually be learning from from Mike with the Niners. So that's two and a half. That's two and a half. Take advantage, I guess, my man. So uh, yeah, but again, excited for sure. I was just saying the comments. Anthony Smith with the Cowboys. Interesting.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:04

Okay. He's got some speed. Yeah, hey, always Anthony and Anthony, always Anthony Smith fan for sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:11

Even when he went to the ECU. Uh well, yeah. I mean, that was just purely a playing, you know, playing uh chance opportunity for him. He he just wasn't getting the reps here, especially if we kept um recruiting over him. He he he went out and did well and and and made a name for himself over there. So we're definitely rooting for him. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:11:30

So to wrap things up here, Greg got uh one main topic here, and then we'll do have a little bit of fun here to wrap it up. But gotta give a shout to Women's Tennessee, the number eight overall seed, national seed. Uh we'll host the first two rounds uh at the uh Eisenhower Tennis Center uh this weekend, May 1st and 2nd. Uh so make sure to go and uh support them. Uh I I I don't know, Greg, if these tickets are free being there at this double A event.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:00

It's probably not the NCA always charges something. Yeah, yeah. It's probably 10-15 bucks at the most. Um, because I know the ACC definitely charges, and if the ACC is charging, the NCA is definitely charging.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:12

Oh, yeah. No, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:14

Um, but also Greg, one have the times been announced yet? I'm just curious because definitely baseball will be going on this weekend, and I'm just trying to plan. Not that I expect a whole lot of extra vehicles there, but there'll be some.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:28

Yeah, uh, they did announce at least the first one, which is uh, I believe where it's Brown University, if I'm not mistaken. If I'm if I'm it it on the graphic, it doesn't say like the name, but by the logo, I'm thinking I'm guessing Brown University, but May 1st, 5 p.m.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:44

Okay, that's Thursday. No, that's Friday, 5 p.m. That's Friday.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:48

So Friday, 5 p.m. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:12:52

I just want to know what have they done for you lately.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:57

What have they done for you lately?

SPEAKER_03 1:12:58

Yeah, Brown. What has Brown done for you lately? UPS.

SPEAKER_01 1:13:02

Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm sorry.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:04

Dad jokes. I love it, Greg. Sorry. Um, but yeah, again, so uh, you know, excited to see uh what what these girls can do. Uh I I think the sky's the limit for this team. And uh getting in the number eight overall seed, uh, you know, love to see that and love to see us build on it. Uh, you know, even could have argued that we should have been a little bit higher than that. But uh saying there's I love when our fans keep us honest.

SPEAKER_03 1:13:31

It's in that's important. So I appreciate that. That's wild that the ACC charges you, but the NCA doesn't. That's um all right. Because the two times I've gone to the ACC, they've uh charge me.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:46

Yeah. Well, and hey, you know, you know, Greg, why why have Grok for X when you can have uh NC State fans in the chat? They'll they'll be honest. So love, appreciate that, Northwolf. So hey, can you clear that on your innit?

SPEAKER_03 1:13:59

There you go. Thanks.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:01

Yeah, you got it. Um let's see. Uh oh yeah, Rob talking about Brandon Cise getting drafted out of South Carolina. Uh forgot his. Yeah, that's another one that hurt though.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:15

Yeah, that's a little different. That was a money move.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:18

Yeah, that was a money move.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:20

Well, sort of money, sort of money, and then sort of uh sorry, we keep talking over each other tonight because of your latency issues over there latent. So um, but uh that was kind of a uh uh Gibson to Marshall that that that didn't help the situation.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:38

Yeah, yeah. But again, we move on here. Time, you know, uh, you know, time moves on. We're moving on here. But I also too though as well, Greg got we got to give a shout out. I know we didn't, I don't think we necessarily gave gave him a shout-out specifically last week. Simon Earnshaw winning AC Coach of the Year.

SPEAKER_03 1:14:56

Oh, not for the coach of the year. Well, no, not for coach of the year. Yeah, I don't think it had been voted on when we went live last week.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:03

Correct, I think so too. So uh two-time now AC coach of the year has won two AC titles uh in in the last four seasons. So huge hats off to Coach Simon Earn Shaw. Uh love what he's doing, love that hire by Debbie Al and has paid off, and then some for sure. So uh huge hats off there. Um but yeah, so uh any other final topics, Greg, you want to touch on here before we have a little bit of fun to wrap up?

SPEAKER_03 1:15:29

Yeah, so I've got three. Um we'll do one where uh you'll definitely have some input on this. Uh I definitely would like your views on the on the um information I sent over to you. I think it was yesterday about wrestling.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:47

Uh wrestling, who? Uh via text or yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:51

Mike Machiavella versus Trent Hidley.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:54

Oh yeah, that's right.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:56

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Little wolf on wolf.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:58

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:01

What do you think?

SPEAKER_00 1:16:02

Yeah, no, it it's it's so funny because like the past of how both of these guys have gotten to this point have been so different. So different, yeah. But but you know, like I would have a hard time. I mean, I might if I were to put money on one, I would put money on Trent just because he's your he's a world champion, you know. So it's it's but also too, you know, a little bit younger too as well, not quite as many miles as as is on Machiavello, uh, you know, but you know he's a national champion. But yeah, I mean, like right. He's a national champion, exactly. But but also too, it was kind of a one-year like out of nowhere hit from Machiavello while Trent was a basically four, you know, five-year nomination.

SPEAKER_01 1:16:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:16:51

Yeah. So um but just had one guy that he just couldn't get past. So go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 1:16:57

Yeah, real quick, I just wanted to read this out just so everybody knows what the hell we're talking about here. But um, Mike Machiavello uh defeated Dustin Plott four to three to win the 92 kilogram U.S. Open title and a spot in Final X where he will face Trent Heideley, and that will be on June 19th. The two will face off for um the US or sorry. I don't know what this oh wait. And spot in final X. What is Final X? I don't I don't really know what this one is. Do you do you know what it is? I I wish we had Preacher Man in here tonight because he probably could tell me real quick.

SPEAKER_00 1:17:31

Yeah, so so final X to my recollection is basically like the final step before you go on to represent Team USA uh in the world championships. So for Trent to be able to go have an opportunity to go back and represent Team USA again in 92 kilograms, he has to win final X. But there's basically two different routes of how you can qualify for Final X, either the open, like Machiavello, um, you know, or with Trent's aspect where it's more of he's the reigning world world champion. So he's gonna have a you know much easier opportunity to get to Final X, you know, and represent. So um, so yeah, I mean like it's it's definitely a lot of storylines there for Sha for that. And I would be very disappointed for sure if there's not a lot of public talk up about that matchup ahead of it, because I mean they definitely have you know wrestled each other quite a bit uh you know um against each other in uh in the practice room. Uh you know, yeah, yeah. RTC. So they've they they definitely know each other very well. Uh it'd be interesting, right?

SPEAKER_03 1:18:41

Yeah, yeah, they know each other's styles better than anyone, right? Like, no need to watch game tape when you're actually you know going at it on the mat, you know, multiple times a week.

SPEAKER_00 1:18:50

Uh so that's also too like like because also too, Greg, to add to it, like not only are the journeys that both those wrestlers had so far to get to where they are extremely almost polar opposites, but also to their um their like like the way that they wrestle, uh their mantra is a is a complete opposite. While Trent is a guy that wants to get in your head, he wants to talk smack, he wants to, you know, bully you around and uh you know get in your head, while Machiavella is more of like the calm, cool, collected, like you know, technique on technique, I'm gonna beat you, you know, just straight up. You know, no, no, no, no, extra, you know, really to him. Uh, you know, and the re and the example I can think of that to really solidify that was when Machiavella pulled the big upset against Ohio State the year that he won the national championship, he let out one big let's go, and then immediately pulled himself back together and shook the guy's hand and went off to go do his cooldown. Like, and he and when I asked him in the in an interview, why did you like not celebrate that more? He said, job's not done. I'm I'm here, I'm not here to beat Ohio State. I'm here to win a national championship. And I'm like, oh, I love that. But but as we know, there is never an opportunity that Trent will pass up to to raise the roof, to hype up the crowd, to talk to him smack. Oh no, it it'll it'll matter if you're the number one wrestler in the country or or Mr. Bottom feed, it'll matter. He is going to demolish you and he's gonna get in your head, period. You know, no matter what. And then and then when he tech falls or pins you, he's gonna raise the roof and show it off to the crowd every single time.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:34

Yep, absolutely, absolutely. All right, I got two more pieces. You want the good or the bad? I'll let you choose.

SPEAKER_00 1:20:43

Let's do you know what's so typical response is give me the bad first. So I'm actually gonna go say, hey, give me the good first.

SPEAKER_03 1:20:52

All right. Friend of the program pack pro, but a pack pro that you won't really think of as a quote unquote pack pro, but friend of the program, uh Jarius Moorhead was the winner this past weekend yesterday at Talladega. He's uh, for anyone that doesn't know, he does NASCAR Pit Crew. And um he and his team won uh the Talladega race yesterday, driven by Carson Hoke. I would get his wrong name wrong. Carson Hokover, I think is how you say it. Um they won, they won yesterday at Talladega. And so congrats to Jerry Moorhead and his team on their first ever victory um as part of the team 77 yesterday down in Alabama. So good shit, good stuff there. Sorry. Sorry. We're after dark now. Yeah, we're after dark. We're after dark. As uh the OG says, curse if you don't, or curse if you don't want to, or whatever, whatever they say. Um, but with that good news, we will we will give the other half. Um, the state women's basketball program did lose a member of their staff to uh a new job. Uh Mr. Brandon Miller, uh, who was on West's staff for for a good while, um, has taken a job at the University of Tennessee. Um, Brandon's just a really good dude, got a wonderful family. Uh, we definitely will miss him in Raleigh, but he is moving on to be the director of radio and strategy for women's basketball for the Vols, Lady Vols. Um, but we we definitely will wish him like it's sad, but it's happy too, right? Like obviously he's done something well to be rewarded for all the hard work he's done for Wes. And um, yeah, we wish him wish him, we wish him luck. And then other one other interesting note that we didn't really talk about um with men's basketball earlier, and this relates to Tennessee, as we will be playing a neutral court site or neutral site game in Nashville next year. So we will have two, we will be playing three SEC teams next year in in men's basketball, because we have the return trip to Mississippi, which will be on neutral court. That's the return trip from Greensboro this past season. We will have this um um Tennessee game in Nashville. Uh I'm I would assume at the Bridgetone Arena, and then we'll wait, we'll be coming back to Raleigh.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:07

We can only I I l I literally was like, and we have the SCACC challenge versus LSC, right? So so I'm glad we're gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:15

We played Texas, we played Texas here last year in that game, right? That was a home game last year and in the challenge. I'm trying to remember. Is that right?

SPEAKER_01 1:23:23

Was it? I feel like I thought we played them neutral.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:27

No will be oh no, you're right. We that one was Maui. Who do we play in the SEC challenge? Was it Auburn? Oh, we played Auburn in Auburn. I was at that game.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:35

All miss.

SPEAKER_03 1:23:36

No, Ole Miss was in Greensboro. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so the the teams are right. We played three SC teams last year, too. Um yeah, so maybe yeah, so that SEC ACC will be in Raleigh this year. So SEC powers that be, you know what to do.

SPEAKER_00 1:23:54

That's right. Love it. All right, that's all I had for So Greg, uh, just to kind of wrap it up here, because again, 90% of people said I want you to talk about NC State men's basketball. So we got I feel like we gotta wrap it up, kind of rapid fire here. So what's your what's your gut tell you right now, Greg? Do you feel like Paul's staying or you think he's going?

SPEAKER_03 1:24:19

Gosh, I I I mean, you know. I I honestly don't know. I I I it's been pretty quiet. Like, you know, the burners will say what they want to say, and everyone thinks that they have a source. I mean, I think I have a couple of sources, and it's it's been fairly quiet. Like you you keep hearing rumors about dollar figures being floated out there. You hear the teams that are potentially interested, not interested, depending on like if they've signed other players. Um, I like the rumor, like Texas Tech was in the in it for a little while, but they just signed a guy that kind of fits that need, probably at a lesser dollar value. Um if I'm if I'm tracking right, there's like three SEC teams. One ACC, maybe two ACC teams. So I think it's like a four or five, not including state, it's like a four or five team race. If again, if if everything that you hear is correct, but there's just so much out there. Um so I say all of that to say I have no idea. I honestly think it's 50-50. I I don't, I it's just weird. And again, and it's so funny too, because like you saw Darion Williams not convinced until May. And like I wanted to say it was like the middle of May, maybe May 5th or May 15th. I some reason a five is in my head for that. That's still another week to two weeks away. So we're we're so we're so right, um, you know, hung on everything that Paul McNeil, um, you know, everyone's probably searching X for Paul McNeil and seeing if anything new comes about. And um I I I've kind of gotten to the point where I'm not getting too wrapped up in it. It's just no offense to Paul McNeil. I know he's doing what he feels like he has to do. I'll be 49 in in three weeks, and it's exhausting, and I don't have the energy for it. Just wake me up when it's over.

SPEAKER_00 1:26:23

Yep. Yeah, no, uh, and it it's it's it's funny too, Greg, though, uh, you know, with with Paul again. I mean, it's just just like you said, the burners were all like, oh my gosh, it's happening. Paul McNeil is coming, like, like lock it in. But now the burners are all like, oh my gosh, Paul McNeil, you stink. Like, you know, you you know, I can't believe you're doing this.

SPEAKER_03 1:26:44

And it's like, again, well, then you got Richard Howe dropping a couple of snake emojis at like nine o'clock this morning, and then like, okay, what does that mean? Like, everyone is anything, any kind of emoji that's posted that is from a state-related account. Everyone assumes immediately it's something to do with Paul McNeil. You know, like everyone, even a couple weeks ago when Paul McNeil posted like the countdown, everyone's like, Oh, he's gonna announce, and it's just his birthday, right? Like, it's it's a lot. Like, let it let it play through. And I know we all want it to come to a conclusion one way or another. I think that's I think that's where most of the fan base I feel like is right now, is they just want it to be done with so we can move on in either direction. Um, but again, that's what we as fans do, right? You know, it's funny because like baseball is in the middle of the season and and more people are talking about Paul McNeil than baseball, right? Or softball or track and field or women's tennis. And again, like you can combine all of that buzz that I just mentioned, and it still wouldn't equal what people are are feeling and talking about Paul McNeil. And and I get it, it's a it's a story, but I mean there's other things out there that we can probably be focusing on and putting our energy towards and like just feel better about our lives.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:02

Yeah, no, well, so let's and again, I want him back. I want him back.

SPEAKER_03 1:28:06

Like, so let me make that clear. I want him back. Like, I'm not saying like I don't want him back, but I want him back. I want it to be done with, and I don't want us to you know have to mortgage the farm just to get him back, right? Like, I don't want to sacrifice the rest of the team in order to get him back. Like, I want to make sure we're doing it smartly, and that's honestly, that's the last I want to talk about Paul McNeil until until it's resolved.

SPEAKER_00 1:28:30

Uh yeah, I think that's a fair comment. So uh, but the last prediction here, Greg, I want to get from you before we wrap this up, and again, one that pulls directly to your heart here. But uh do you think in-state baseball ends up making the tournament? And this is one definitely is are you gonna go with your gut or you're gonna go with your heart?

SPEAKER_03 1:28:54

Yeah. So this however I frame this and phrase it, I am not rooting against the result. Um I will say if Ryan Marone comes back um before postseason play, and again, I I I have no idea how this is gonna play out. So like don't say, oh, like I know Greg knows baseball, and you know, he's got inside information. This is not inside information in any stretch of the imagination. But if we're able to get Ryan Marone back um around you know, Stanford, Carolina, if it's able to happen, I say yes, we we do we do make the tournament. Um, if if we have to go in, and the only reason I say no that we don't is like, yes, our pitching has been good, but when you add Marone back into it, even at even at you know limited pitch count, it changes the roles of other players and it puts them back in a position where I feel they are in a better better spot to succeed. So that's my answer. So if Marone comes back, yes, we do make it. If he doesn't, um I would say no, but that's at a 6040. Like I say no, but I also say it's not impossible because again, if these bats get hot, you can mash your way through a lot. Um so yeah, we'll see. We'll see.

SPEAKER_01 1:30:24

Yep. Time will turn. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 1:30:26

Was that what the was that was that one of the polls? Was that the poll question? Did you do a poll question? No, that was no.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:33

I I just just was kind of putting two kind of uh questions together, like bolt take questions to wrap this up. Well, I hate when you do that to me because now I gotta go listen.

SPEAKER_03 1:30:41

I have to go face them this weekend. Um that's strike three, actually.

SPEAKER_00 1:30:48

I mean yeah, listen, it it's it's hey, it's strike three. Hey man, you know, it's it's it's tough. No, it's it's it's it's a it's a it's it's a tough spot right now for sure if you're gonna state baseball, especially too because you also have the hanging over. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_03 1:31:08

Oh, I was just gonna say it's just tough. I mean, when you have injuries, because now here's one thing we didn't even talk about tonight that I don't want to talk about, but it's part of the process. Like Mikey Ryan is out right now, like that's your starting shortstop. Like that was another injury we just had this past weekend. Um, and it's a guy that's been arguably, you know, next to Rhett Johnson, which is at this point on the roster, it's Rhett Johnson, his own tier, and then everyone else kind of just falling underneath him. But Mikey Ryan has been just almost just as good in ACC play. Um, and and he's been really good with the glove, and he's been really reliable at the plate. That's you know a piece. And you know, Sherman Johnson got hurt last weekend. He came back this weekend. Um, but you know, I don't know if he's still dealing with anything. So these injuries are just mounting up at key positions, and you can only ask so much from you know all your freshmen. And by the way, this freshman class is really good with these pitchers, and I I kind of mentioned a few of them earlier, but then you got DiCarlo, you got Serrano, um, you know, Rhett John. I mean, it's a really good freshman core that you have right now that will be, you know, all this all this experience they're all getting now, we'll we'll definitely pay dividends uh in the future. Um, but it's uh it it's really tough right now when when two-thirds of your weekend rotation is out.

SPEAKER_00 1:32:29

Yep. So that being said, Wolfpack Nation, uh, we'll wrap it up there. We'll put a button uh with that. Uh, you know, uh, you know, since we didn't have uh anybody necessarily comment here uh directly, I'll but just pick two winners directly from the tweet and uh get those uh tickets gived uh given away.

SPEAKER_03 1:32:47

You only have one more step left.

SPEAKER_00 1:32:49

Yeah. Oh, do we only have one left?

SPEAKER_03 1:32:53

Yeah, you gave one to woo.

SPEAKER_00 1:32:58

Well, yeah, but I I I haven't seen him retweet it yet. So okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 1:33:03

Well, give him until 1030 and then you can go from there.

SPEAKER_00 1:33:09

There we go. That's fair. That's fair. So yeah, so we Jones till 10:30, man. Make sure you hit that retweet, and uh uh two of the tickets are yours. So uh, but with us, Wolf Bagnation, if you haven't already, make sure you hit that subscribe button, hit the like button if you haven't already. Uh, if either of those buttons lit up for you, make sure to hit them. Uh really helps support us and the channel. Uh, make sure to give us a follow, Tuffy Talk Now on Twitter. And also, too, if you listen to us on iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you listen to us, do us a big, big favor, leave us a five-star review. Greatly appreciate that as well. But with that being said, we'll have back nation. We love y'all. We appreciate y'all. Uh, a lot of great things to come here for NC State Sports here this week. And we can't wait to talk more about it here this time next week. But with that being said, we'll have back nation. As always, go pack, y'all. Pizza.