NBA Awards Chaos And The Real Cost Of Load Management

We argue about the NBA’s 65-game rule and whether it protects the integrity of awards or just creates new problems for players and voters. Then we shift to award picks, All-NBA predictions, and a full Mel Kiper mock draft run that turns into a bigger talk about team-building and quarterback pressure. 

• the 65-game rule intentions versus real-world fallout 
• stricter injury reporting ideas and why teams would game it 
• MVP debate between Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic 
• what “most valuable” should mean in NBA voting 
• Wembanyama as Defensive Player of the Year front-runner 
• Rookie of the Year debate with context around team situations 
• Sixth Man, Most Improved, Coach of the Year quick hits 
• All-NBA teams and the snubs caused by availability rules 
• NFL mock draft reactions starting from pick 32 
• why contenders still have to draft offensive line 
• Texans outlook and how CJ Stroud affects the ceiling 
• Jets first-round strategy and what positions actually matter 

So catch us next Thursday for the first round of the draft. We will be doing a collaborative show. 

Transcript

Welcome And Sports Week Check

SPEAKER_02 0:54

Yo yo yo welcome back to another episode of the Epic Podcast, man. Me and Jared in here again, of course, but we also got Jared uh Jared Justin joining us here uh soon. So um how's your sports week been since last week?

SPEAKER_01 1:11

Boring, man. Ain't nothing really been going on. Um you know the Reds is still sucking. I mean, it's it's crazy how they're the same team for two decades, just the same issue. So um other than that, nothing, man. It's been pretty slow in the sports world for me, about for you. Um, about the same, man.

SPEAKER_02 1:32

Um yeah, Boston ain't doing anything. Uh have been keeping up with the NHL playoffs. Pittsburgh and the Flyers uh play tonight. So I'm a Penguins fan. Pittsburgh Penguins fan, so follow that. Um hopefully we can uh pull through on that one for the Battle of Pennsylvania. So but outside of that, man, just looking forward to the draft. Um caught a glimpse of a little bit of the NBA draft yesterday. WNBA, my bad, yes, WNBA draft. Um and that was it, man. We just got Justin joining us too. So uh how's your sports week been, man? Okay. Oh, there he is. What'd you say? I say, how's your sports week been? Or your week in general.

SPEAKER_03 2:27

Week was solid. Can't complain. Can't complain.

The NBA 65-Game Rule

SPEAKER_02 2:33

Um, never mind. That's irrelevant. Uh so we're gonna start off, man. We're gonna jump into a little NBA news and uh talk about end of the season, end of a season awards and the 65 game rule, man. So as it is right now, like you have to play at least 65 games, log in at least 20 minutes to be eligible for major awards like MVP, defensive player of the year, and all NBA teams. Uh, I guess when we talk about, I guess, predictions and stuff like that. How do y'all feel about the rule? Everybody's been talking about what they think they should, people should do and shouldn't do, but what do y'all think about the rule in general?

SPEAKER_01 3:23

I mean, I thought his intentions was good. Um, I think it's starting to backfire now, and being that um there's a lot of guys that are that are worthy of those uh awards and aren't getting an opportunity to get them. Um I think it just needs to be tweaked a little bit, in my opinion. I mean, we we definitely want the guys playing, but we we also want to be able to use some subjectiveness to it as well. I mean, if you can only play 57 games and can uh objective or subjectively, objectively be considered, you know, one of the best in the game, I think we should let that that you know, let that go. I feel like they they could have just because what they're trying to do is they're trying to get guys playing. I think what they should have done is they should have just cracked down on uh people missing games. I mean, make it so that you know you have to be on the actual uh injury report in order to miss a game. I mean, I feel like it's just it's just that simple. No, no miss for rest, just just take that away and then you be good. So in that case, if people are uh, you know, if people get legitimately injured and they're out for 18 games, which will bring them under that 65 game um, you know, mark, if my math is correct, if they've still done enough to be considered one of the best in the game, just let it be that.

SPEAKER_02 4:40

No, I agree with that too. I think you have to start imposing individual penalties on players instead of kind of blinking in it. Um I think that's the only way you can fix it because a lot of people's talking about changing the number of games, but I mean, people, I mean, it's just gonna adjust, and then you're gonna find somebody else who we feel is worthy who play 50 games. You know what I mean? Like it's it's gonna be something like that. It'll be somebody like Jokis, who's averaging the triple-double for the season, only played 50 games, and like now we have to sit back and kind of adjust it again or talk about how we make make it so he fits in.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

So right, and there's some guys that are that are that are uh averaging that have played more minutes than some guys that have hit the 65 uh game threshold, which is wild too, if you think about it. Um so you know there's guys that have you know that hit the 65 game threshold, but there's other guys that aren't eligible because they didn't hit the 65 game threshold, but have played more minutes, which is crazy, but you know, I think it's a I think I think maybe the minutes thing may be a good way.

SPEAKER_02 5:49

We know how many minutes in the game. I mean, you could probably calculate calculate it out for amount of time.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Only thing with that is uh you can't you can't penalize the team for being up 50, you know, going into the fourth, you know. So I guess maybe if you take a percentage of the first three quarters. I don't know, but you know, some some guys' minutes do be down because they don't play a lot of the fourth quarters. So I I don't I don't know, man. I think they just need to crack down on the injury report. Like I look at it like this with a live injury, then you can't miss the game.

SPEAKER_02 6:25

I agree with that too, but then but then they're gonna start they're gonna start uh um BSing the injury report.

SPEAKER_01 6:35

Like what like we need to see it. You know what I'm saying? If if you're saying that he's out with an ankle injury, let's sh send in a picture of a swollen ankle. Like, let's see it. I feel like it's really simple. And you can just put an injury guy with every team, like a uh uh NBA personnel that, or even if you do on my region, whatever injury you say this guy got, if you say something's wrong with his back, let's see the x-rays. If you say something that's wrong with his knee, let's see the MRA. Put the information out there. Not that I think that would directly cut down on all these, you know, injuries. Or I was also tossing around an idea like maybe if you if you do miss a game, you have to miss like two or three. So that'll prevent you know, people just missing these little spot games. Because if you really inju if you have a legitimate injury, you're probably gonna miss more than one game, you know, especially if you're playing three or four games a week. I feel like if you miss a game, maybe you should have to be out three. I don't know. There's just ideas I've I've tossed around with myself.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

No, I'm it's just so it's so hard. It is. Um trying to because you don't, I mean, you just never know. Like Luca, I think he missed it by one game. Yeah, and he and he in two games, he missed two games because of the birth of his child. So like right now, he's appealing, trying to make yourself eligible for the awards because those he feels like those two games shouldn't count against him, which I agree with something like that. So um what do you think, uh Justin? How how do you think the NBA could I mean I don't think you could fix it, but try to um I don't know, even the playing field or I don't know, make it so more of the stars are eligible for these awards without setting a game or a minute limit or whatever.

SPEAKER_03 8:29

I don't I don't think anything's wrong with the rule to begin with. So I mean, at the end of the day, 65 games is not a whole lot of games to have to play if we're gonna be real.

SPEAKER_02 8:39

So I mean, yeah, because that allows you to miss, I mean, what, 13?

SPEAKER_03 8:45

No, it's more than 82 games.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

82, 82, I'm tripping. Uh yeah, so it's 17 games.

SPEAKER_03 8:51

17 games, yeah. I mean, so honestly, I think they got enough wiggle room as it is. I don't think you're ever gonna find uh like a perfect way to do it. Because I agree, I actually agree with what you were saying, Vernon, which is what I was gonna say. I don't think the injury report thing will work because they're just gonna finagle the injury report. I I just and I don't think that they would ever put anybody in there to verify someone is truly injured. You know what I mean? So I don't I don't think any of that would change. I don't think it's a perfect way to do it, but I mean, at least they put something in place. I'll say it that way. And I think 65 is a reasonable amount of games to expect somebody to play in. I mean, as good as somebody may be, unfortunately, if you have a season in which you only play 50, yeah, you may have been great in the 50, but unfortunately just don't meet the mark. I mean, that's that's sports, that's just what it is. So I mean, how many times have we, even before this, have you had conversations about you didn't agree with who got the MVP to begin with? So I don't think that any of this is gonna change those kind of discussions. Ultimately, I I think it's flawed, but it's it's a good starting point. And I just don't know if there's a way that you're gonna really be able to fix it, unfortunately. Because they're not gonna reduce the amount of games they play in the year, you know, in the season.

SPEAKER_02 10:00

So yeah, so what about, okay, speaking of uh you spoke on like the choice of who you're gonna pick for the award anyway. What about contract time? You know, a lot of these guys like making all NBAs and things of that nature dictates if you can get supermaxes and things of that nature. So, I mean, do we penalize the money for that, or do we say, okay, this is you know, a perennial all-NBA player year in and year out. Um we could pay them a supermax because of that, or do we say, okay, well, Luca didn't make the mark, you know, he was hurt the year before his contract year, you know what I mean? Before he could re-up and get a supermax, we don't have to pay him a supermax, even though his performance says otherwise wouldn't help him.

SPEAKER_03 10:48

I I think I to me, I think like depending on how you look at that, but like when somebody becomes eligible for that stuff, that means they've been in the league for a while. So I think they can really encompass their body of work. I don't think it needs to just be based upon that last season that they played in. I mean, you can probably look at like the last two or something like that, I guess, to see if they if in either one of the last two years they, you know, met the metrics. And if they have, you can offer the supermax.

SPEAKER_02 11:13

Or even if I was thinking too about that, like maybe within whatever however the length of their contract has been uh since their last, I guess, contract or whatnot, um if they played, you know, if they've met the mark in majority of those years. So let's say it's a five-year deal, you know, he's coming up on his fifth year, and three of those years he's hit the 65 game mark and been all NBA, then he qualifies, even if he didn't make the mark two years due to injury.

SPEAKER_01 11:48

Yeah, I think it'll be important to kind of do that. I mean, something like that.

MVP Race And Co-MVP Debate

SPEAKER_02 11:52

I mean, because I mean now you I mean, like said with this mark, you start messing with people's money when you start thinking about awards, especially when you're tying money to awards, like that's that's kind of tough. Um so I don't know, man. I mean, I'm hats off to the people at the NBA because you I mean you gotta fix it because it's been talking the season this year, especially with just like with all the stars has just been like hurt. Um yeah, so um so let's look at some of the award predictions. I mean, right now you have um favors for MVP. I think we just know is is Shay and Shay, Jokic, and Wimby. Uh could possibly put Luca in there if the appeal um um if he wins the appeal, he could be in that uh conversation also. Who are y'all leaning towards out of those four?

SPEAKER_01 12:48

I got I got co-MVPs. I got Shay and uh Jokic. I also got co uh I'm jumped the gun a little bit. I got co-Ricky the years as well.

SPEAKER_02 13:00

Who you think, uh Justin, if you had to pick between the four.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

If I just pick one, it would go Jokic, but I wouldn't, I mean, I wouldn't mind the Jokic and uh SGA co-MVP. I think that would be justifiable.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Okay. Um yeah, I don't think either guy has has has done anything to not win it.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

You're right. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 13:21

You know what I'm saying? And I also don't think either guy has like separated themselves from the other. I mean, they're both tremendous players, they're both carrying their teams. Um so yeah, I I I would be okay with Ko. Well, Wimby, I I think he would just get the um he got time. So like if I had to, you know, if I had to think about it.

SPEAKER_02 13:42

And he's probably gonna win defensive player of the year, too.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

So yeah, you know, he'll he'll probably be first team all NBA as well, too. Um, you know, I'm I'm definitely not a fan of uh taking a ward away from you know a guy just based on you know their their tenure, but at the same time, uh just looking back at how this award has worked and how everybody had to like wait their time, you know, it it kind of works.

SPEAKER_02 14:09

Yeah, and that kind of makes me lean towards uh SGA just based on how the award has been given out over the years, um, whether we agree with it or not. Usually it's the best player. Um a lot of times the team has the best record in the NBA. Um, and with I believe the Thunder had 70 wins this season. Um I think 70. They didn't get to 70? Okay, well, they were close.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

Um I think they ended with like 65, maybe 65.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:45

64. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:46

64, okay. So usually it goes to, you know, like the best player, you know, the team with the best record. So I would I would have to say Shay based on the metrics, like you said, on the past, how it's been given out.

SPEAKER_04 14:59

But man, if you go back and look at the case.

SPEAKER_02 15:00

Do we know it's a time? Do we know it's a time has been a co-MVP in the NBA? I don't remember.

SPEAKER_01 15:07

I don't know. That's a good question.

SPEAKER_02 15:09

Uh yeah. Uh, because I mean, I mean, Jokic is way deserving. I mean, elite the league and rebounds and assist in the same season, that's never been done before. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:28

His statistics aren't empty stats. His team, his team is winning, and he he's actually impacting the game with what he is doing. That's my thing. I don't, I'll be honest, it's it's kind of a yes and no. Like I you look at stats obviously, but sometimes stats can be misleading. But for his his his stats are actually impacting the game. So therefore, like I said, if you're looking at what he's doing uh and some of the stuff they battled through, yeah. I mean, if I had one vote, it would be him, but I definitely wouldn't be mad about a co-MVP.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

And there has never been a co-MVP in the NBA. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:03

Yeah, that's why I thought so. I mean, if there was ever a time or a year for one, I would, I mean, I agree that this probably would be that year. Um, if they if somebody did say uh if somebody did say they were co-MVP, I wouldn't be mad. Um, one guy over the other, I don't think nobody would be mad either.

SPEAKER_01 16:25

Uh another thing we we we probably have to look at is uh Shay's having an amazing season. He's had he's been he's on a crazy run, but that team is good. Yeah, it is. I don't think the Nuggets are half the team without Jokic that the Thunder are without Shay. No. Because I mean they without I mean the Thunder can rest their whole starting five and they'll still get with a lot of teams. So like I I mean I think it's a time we start looking at that as well, and that might actually be the the deciding factor.

SPEAKER_02 16:58

If I had to just pick one, but most valuable, but it's a league, they they it's the league MVP. Like I get that.

SPEAKER_01 17:09

So I mean it's still most valuable players, so that's meaning most valuable to your team. And I feel like is it to the team? Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 17:19

I mean, whatever. I thought it was for the league.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

No, I mean it's a league, it's a league. That's what I'm saying, like the most valuable player in the in the NBA. It's not the most valuable player just to their team.

SPEAKER_01 17:32

Okay. If we were talking about most valuable to the league, like that would be like the money thing.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

Most valuable player to the league. I mean, talking about, I'm not talking money, I'm talking about as far as I don't, it's not a team MVP, it's not saying who's most valuable to their team, and that's how it's chosen.

SPEAKER_01 17:51

That's the way I I think it's determined. Because like I was saying, uh most valuable to to the league would be money. It would be popularity, it would be all draws revenue, who draws eyes. Yeah, that would be most valuable to the league, but I imagine most valuable players. I mean the league as a basketball league, not as well. No, I get that. But valuable is is it's the most valuable player. You can't add you can't add value to the league from a basketball standpoint. It's impossible.

unknown 18:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 18:22

You it has to be a good one.

SPEAKER_02 18:24

When I'm saying I'm just saying from I'm saying what I'm saying. I'm saying when I say most valuable player, I'm I think they're saying to the league as far as basketball is concerned, not not money at all. And I don't I don't think it's if you're looking at at team, that's why usually the the best player on the best team usually wins it. That's all I'm saying. I'm not saying it, I'm not I'm not saying the player that's most valuable to the team because I mean you can look at some of these teams that barely make the playoffs, and if you take one of their players away, you can kind of say the same thing. So that's why I was kind of debunking that.

SPEAKER_03 18:59

But you were saying that. But I think but I think it's a it's a multifaceted look. So it's not, yeah, you may be valuable to a team that barely made the playoffs.

SPEAKER_01 19:08

You just said best rec best team with best record. That's who it usually goes to. That's what I'm saying. That's team, bro. The best team, the best player on the best team. That's you literally just said that. That's what that means. Most valuable, you just said best player on the best team. Not the best player in the league, best player on the best team wins it. That's we, yeah, we all know.

SPEAKER_02 19:31

Right, but that's what but but what I'll but that's what yeah, but that's what I was saying. Like when we're talking about when we're talking about Shay and we're talking about Jokic, we're saying that if you take Shay away, that that that Thunder team is still a very, very good team versus what Jokic is to his team, yes, if you take him away and how they play.

SPEAKER_04 19:49

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 19:51

So I'm not, I'm not it, that's what I'm saying. I'm not I'm not against what you're saying. I'm just saying the league, how the league views the it usually goes to the best. So, yes, while Jokic, I agree, is more valuable to the Nuggets than Shea is to the Thunder, then it probably he probably won't get it because of how they usually vote on it. I'm not saying y'all wrong.

SPEAKER_03 20:13

I don't I don't know. That's gonna it's it's also gonna be tough too, because even though it's definitely gonna be tough for sure. We we we look at it a certain way, it's also gonna be tough to ignore Yokish's splits. I mean, I'm just gonna be real. If you look at his splits and his impact, and we're not talking about a team that's in eighth, they're in third. You know, they were two, what uh I mean they were they were in third, but like, I mean, they're clinched there, you know, we're not talking about a bubble team or anything like that. So I think it's gonna be hard to ignore his impact and putting up those numbers uh as a whole. Again, I'm I'm not always a big person on the numbers, but I will say based upon his splits and what he's doing and the efficiency in which he's doing it, I gotta give the man credit.

SPEAKER_02 20:54

So no, no, for sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 20:56

That guy said, I mean, I definitely don't want to spite SGA either, but they they both are really and really, really well off the charts. So can't really be bad at it either way. If I I was just saying if I had to pick one, unfortunately for me, I don't have to pick one. Um, but I would just say if anything would be the deal breaker, it would probably be that, but even that skewed, because yeah, anything. I don't know. Because some people might be an asset to their team non-physically, so somebody could argue, well, those guys wouldn't even have the confidence to play without Shay if it wasn't for Shay. So you could look at it.

SPEAKER_02 21:31

Or Shay makes the game easier because he he demands so much more attention, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Right, right. So you can look at that all kinds of ways.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

Yeah, but DJ looky yokish too. It's like he constantly battling double teams, making the right pass, like to lead the league and assist, you know what I mean? Like, I got a question. How much about better does he make everybody else?

SPEAKER_01 21:51

It just made me think about something. Like ever I think it's notorious that everybody agrees that Shaq is the most dominant player of all time, or Dominant big man of all time, right? Oh man. So does does does Jokic dropping 45, 17, and 15 not make him dominant? I feel like that's dominating the game too. And you're a center and you're fucking shooting threes and running point and you're seven feet tall and you're dropping 47, 17, and 15. It's pretty dominant.

SPEAKER_02 22:20

I think he's easily top five. Yok is top five center of the time.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

Because I mean you can dominate dominate without the elbows and just like bullying people and you know, nothing.

SPEAKER_02 22:38

I mean, but if I I mean minus the assists, I think Shaq, like prime, like Shaq was 34 and 15, too. You know what I mean? Like playoff games, like like winning series, like before Kobe was like Kobe Kobe. Like it was it was Shaq, like at least the first two, if you want to say, rings.

SPEAKER_01 23:01

Like key phrase you just said is without the assist. That's that's a crazy thing.

SPEAKER_02 23:06

Yeah, but I mean, but I mean, like, I think Shaq is better defensively. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01 23:11

Like, I mean, okay, that yeah, you know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_02 23:14

Like, he did it a different way too. Like, people were sore after Garden Shaq. Like, you know what I mean? Like, they changed rules because of Shaq, made different type of backboards because of Shaq. Like, like somebody like him just I think when they say dominant, like physically imposing himself as a big man on the league, I I think that's different. Yeah, I think as far as like that's just what I was like. I mean, Jokic and the way he does it now, like for this day and age, like I think it's it's it's dominant because it's a different kind of domination for sure.

SPEAKER_01 23:45

But that's what I'm thinking about.

SPEAKER_02 23:47

For the league nowadays, the way the game is played, he is dominant. Yes, he's the he's just as dominant as Shaq was in the physical days, I guess you could say. No, for sure. I definitely top five. I mean, put him up there with Wilk Kareem, Shaq, I say Hakeem, and then I put Jokic right there as my five eye.

SPEAKER_01 24:08

And that's all I was asking. I I just be asking y'all stuff that I just be thinking of. Like if I'm I have a lot of conversations with myself, and sometimes I just be like, well, damn, they say Shaq's the most dominant big man, but I mean, you know, well, there's different ways to dominate. You know what I'm saying? So that's I just wanted to ask y'all, see, get y'all a feel for that. Yeah, no, for sure.

Wemby’s Defense And Rookie Race

SPEAKER_02 24:28

Uh moving down the list, we got uh defensive player of the year. Wimby uh with top challengers is Chet and Rudy. So um, yeah, I think Wimby's gonna get that. I think he's averaging like 3.2 blocks a game.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

He's the most important defender in the league. I mean, it's yeah, it's what it is.

SPEAKER_02 24:46

I mean, on I mean on ball, I mean help side, I mean, I mean, he he does it all.

SPEAKER_01 24:51

Um it helps that he's 10 feet tall. Yeah, but you know, it is.

SPEAKER_02 24:58

But the way he moves too, like he doesn't like we've seen like Deshaun Bradley's and the who's the George Muir signs are like these big huge figures, and they just don't move the way he moves. Like that's a fact. Like, I mean, bringing the ball up court, I mean, I mean, ultimately playing a little bit of Jokic style as far as moving the ball and shooting threes and things of that nature, like it is definitely uh a different breed. I mean, Alien is definitely a fitting name. Uh, rookie of the year, we got um Cooper Flag. What's he in here screaming about?

SPEAKER_01 25:33

People are so sold on Khan, just blowing him out of the way. I'm watching them.

SPEAKER_02 25:37

I mean, they got Khan as the favorite right now, but Cooper Flag is feature.

SPEAKER_03 25:42

I think because Dallas is looking so bad.

SPEAKER_01 25:46

But but I mean, the Hornets are are a nine seed. They're playing the playing right now. I'm watching it. Right. So people just try to say it's Khan as a part of the.

SPEAKER_03 25:55

I mean, because if you think about nothing.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

Look at Dallas' injuries, and then look at look at the the this Hornets roster. I mean, they got LaMelo ball, they got uh, you know, Brandon Miller, I think, is one of the most underrated players in the game. A lot of what I speak on is like car value too. Like he's definitely one of the most undervalued in the in the hobby. But I feel like Brandon Miller is is really a PG waiting for his moment, you know. Um so I mean, they're they're a good team and they're the nine seed. And they ended the season on fire, and they still was only a nine seed. People act like they're just, you know, Dallas had injuries. Dallas was missing Kyrie. They traded away Luca last year, they traded away Anthony Davis this year. I mean, these are two first ballot, first, first ballot Hall of Famers that they're that they're just without in the matter of 12 months. So, I mean, I don't think Dallas really had an opportunity to be good this year, but to act like, you know, Khan is just blowing Cooper out of the water is just something. I'm not saying y'all are saying that, but I feel like the media is just like, oh no, Khan is just I mean, I don't I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 26:58

I mean, and he's also the first rookie to elite the league in three years, also.

SPEAKER_01 27:02

Congratulations. I feel that. No, I'm just saying, I'm not gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_03 27:06

Yeah, they're also shooting a bajillion of games, so I mean, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:10

I mean, yeah, I'm just saying, like, that's that's his, I mean, his claim.

SPEAKER_01 27:16

So uh I ain't mad at it, but I mean I I I think it's deserve to uh win rookie of the year.

SPEAKER_02 27:25

Yeah. No, I think I mean Cooper Flag has been playing phenomenal. I mean, yeah, I mean, we'll see. I mean, with a Kyrie there, I mean, is he the same? You know what I mean? Like, if they did have Kyrie. No, I'm just saying, like, if with a Kyrie and the Anthony Davis there, are you still, is he still going out of his mind like that? Are these guys just stepping out of the way? Is he getting the same shots? Or you, you know what I mean? Is he playing the same in the system?

SPEAKER_01 27:50

He would be better with with other guys out there with with Kyrie, so he can play off the ball and Kyrie can take the biggest thing.

SPEAKER_02 27:57

No, I'm just saying, probably with them two, but if you I mean, with the team they had, I mean, it was a bit, I mean, granted, injuries, but so who knows? But I mean, right. Like I said, I'm not I'm not against either one of them winning it. I mean, they hit what 200 and or what was the what was the record? 275 threes or something like that, or something crazy. I mean, they ain't no sure stin as a rookie either. Yeah, it's wow.

SPEAKER_01 28:21

Melo and homeboy finished one and two.

SPEAKER_02 28:24

Yeah. That's crazy.

SPEAKER_01 28:26

I don't think I've ever seen that before.

SPEAKER_02 28:28

Yeah, he beat them by he beat him by one three, but I mean, like I said, a rookie going out there doing that. I mean, that's not no small stand either. And I mean, what you're doing is not just I mean, not to say Cooper Flags is just like irrelevant, but it's kind of like, you know, your your your team is at least in a position to compete. Uh, even playing in the play-in. I mean, I think if Cooper Flag was if the Dallas was in the play-in, it wouldn't even like Cooper Flag would be by far a rookie of the year. I don't think it would even be a contest.

SPEAKER_01 28:58

But I think right now, like way too weak to have made the postseason, bro. That team is weak as hell. But they down there lively in this half the season. Yeah like there's that I'm not gonna be able to do that. I mean, I'm just saying. No, no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_02 29:15

I'm saying I'm I'm just saying that you you gotta think like how they view it too. Like, I think they're looking at impact. I mean, granted, I mean like a lot of injuries, they're not gonna look at that. I mean, if you put game against game, I mean, you probably Cooper Flash is gonna stand out a lot more because it's just him. And I think I think Khan is more of a I mean, he's definitely more of a role player. Uh, you know what I mean? Yeah. So, I mean, Cooper being the literally the leader on the team versus, you know, Khan kind of playing off of other, you like you said, the Brandon Miller's, you know, the mellow balls, like he doesn't have to do what Cooper has to do. Uh, but being very, very good in his role um as a rookie also. So I don't think it's a runaway either way. I mean, hate to say co again, but I don't think you're too far off on that. But whoever wins it, I don't think you'd be too mad about it.

SPEAKER_01 30:07

Um, but yeah, it is what it is.

SPEAKER_02 30:13

Sixth man of the year. We got uh Reed Shepard, uh Jamie Draco as Jr. and uh Keedon Johnson as a top three. Who do you think out of those three? Right now, they're saying Johnson's leading.

SPEAKER_01 30:31

I don't know, I can't I don't really know about that one. I don't think I've really tapped in too much to all of them. I think I think I've seen Reed Shepard the most out of them, but I can't say that he deserves it more than uh either of the other guys. I mean, I guess at a certain extent, you gotta again look at I guess who's team is the best. And you said Kelvin Johnson? Yeah Spurs? Yeah, Spurs. And Jamie J.

SPEAKER_02 30:56

Quez Jr. from Miami. So I mean all players possibly playoff teams.

SPEAKER_01 31:04

Yeah, I think you probably have to go with the best team there. I mean, and I'm not saying that that's uh a say-all, be all, but you mean you gotta slice it some kind of way. So I guess I just give it to Kelden, whatever.

SPEAKER_02 31:16

Most improved. We got uh Nikhail Alexander Walker, Jaden Durin, and uh Yeah, that's a good one. Those are two good ones. What's the third one? And I can't say the name. I'm gonna butcher this. Denise. He played for Portland.

SPEAKER_01 31:34

Uh V. Advia. Denny Advia. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. So those are the three for most improved. That's a really good one.

SPEAKER_02 31:42

So right now they got Alexander Walker leading. So or as the favorite.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

I shouldn't say leading, but no, that's that's that's that's a good one there.

SPEAKER_02 31:52

Okay, coach of the year. Coach of the year. You think you get coach of the year? I mean, you gotta go. I will tell you who's in the running, but uh I just you said who?

SPEAKER_01 32:06

You have to look at the guy from the Spurs. I don't know his name. Shout out to him, though. But yeah, I don't know. He's not even in the running. That's crazy. Who they got?

SPEAKER_02 32:15

You got uh Jamal Mosley from Orlando, no, uh Bickerstaff from Detroit and Missouri from Boston leading, actually.

SPEAKER_01 32:25

Yeah, well, yeah, I would say Detroit and Boston definitely play above with. I feel like if anything, uh Mosley is about to get fired. Because I feel like the the Magic are ass. Like I watched them the other night playing against the Celtics. Celtics didn't even play anybody and they lost. So I I thought the Magic was gonna be a top three at minimum top four team in the Easter year, and they're in the play-in. So I I really think I really think he might get fired, honestly. So he's definitely not a coach in the year in my books. Uh, but the other two, I'm I'm rolling. I'm definitely rolling. I mean, but then again, I I mean I would still have to look at Denver's coach, I'd have to look at the Spurs coach, because I mean, young and they the teams are on fire. So, you know, I wouldn't just kick those guys out either. But out of the three you guys named, definitely not Jamal Mosley. Uh toss up between Bickerstaff and Missoula for me.

All-NBA Teams And Snubs

SPEAKER_02 33:25

All right, so last but not least, I got all NBA team predictions. Uh okay. So let's start with 13. NBA 13, Jalen Johnson, Chad Hombrick, uh, Jamal Murray, Jalen, and Kat. Second team, uh Brunson, Kawhi, Donovan Mitchell, Maxie, Kevin Durant. And first team, we got Jalen Brown, Luca, uh, Wemby, uh, Nikola Jokic, and Shaq.

SPEAKER_01 34:04

I ain't mad at it. Although we might have to find a replacement for Luca if he don't get an opportunity. Um, so yeah. But it's crazy. No Ant-Man, no K. That shit, that shit hurts.

SPEAKER_02 34:19

Yeah. True.

SPEAKER_01 34:21

I mean that sucks.

SPEAKER_02 34:23

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, even, I mean, granted, he'd been hurt, but available to play, I guess. I mean, you think about it, even the Giannis's, you know what I mean? It's like a lot of guys that's out. Damian Lillard's people who normally make this Steph. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 34:38

Like, yeah, yeah, forgot about Steph and Giannis. Yeah, that's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 34:43

That's just crazy, you know. Don't make it based on, you know, that whole thing. Uh I do not have defensive teams. Who's uh defense player of the year?

SPEAKER_01 34:59

We know it's Wendy for sure.

SPEAKER_02 35:00

Yeah, I was trying to get well yeah. I'm trying to see all defensive uh NBA. Um person, okay. Second team, Marcus Mart, Surah Thompson, Scotty Barnes, uh Casey Wallace, and Dyson Daniels. Uh first team, Bam, Derek White, Rudy, Chet, and Wimpy. Yeah, um with that. Nah. Dyson Daniel led the league in uh steals, Wimby led the league in blocks, and uh the Thunder finished with the top defensive uh uh league defensive team rating. So followed by the Spurs and then uh I mean followed by the Pistons and the Spurs. So those are the three the three top defensive teams of the league this year. So uh but all that speculation we we shall see. Uh who um who comes out on top, man. And we'll probably be talking about it. Well, oh man, they probably wait. What? When does that usually drop? That's after the play-in, of course.

SPEAKER_01 36:11

What's that?

NFL Mock Draft Starts At 32

SPEAKER_02 36:12

Maybe next week when they actually announce them. Alright, let's jump over to the NFL, man. Let's talk a little mock draft. I want to bring up the audio don't drop. Can you still hear us? Can you hear? I think it's dropped. I think it dropped again. I don't even think he knows right now, did it? He knows that dropped. Nope. I don't think he thinks we talking.

SPEAKER_01 37:01

Hey. Hey, you y'all see there?

SPEAKER_04 37:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:06

Uh we'll go again. Here we go with this.

SPEAKER_02 37:10

All right. Just jump back in. He's gonna Can y'all hear me?

SPEAKER_01 37:15

Yeah, we can hear you. Okay, cool.

SPEAKER_02 37:19

Okay, can you hear us? Alright, we good, we good, we good. Yeah, okay. Okay, okay, okay, okay, cool. All right, so mock draft, Mel Kuiper's uh mock draft. He just dropped 3.0 today, so this is the most up-to-date uh mock draft. Um, I thought we would start from the bottom today. Start from 32 and work our way up. Okay. Um starting with the Seahawks, they're starting with they're talking about uh Jack and Daries from Texas. Tight end. I don't know, man. I feel like Seattle, man, they lost a lot this year. Uh tight end in the first round, I would think they would go defense.

SPEAKER_03 37:58

If there's a defender that's worth worth taking, I mean, at that point.

SPEAKER_02 38:03

So yeah.

SPEAKER_03 38:06

Um I mean, they definitely need uh uh some some secondary help, some defensive line help. I mean, they like you said, they lost a lot of guys, but to be quite honest, uh, the one thing about the NFL that you never really know is some of the guys who are behind these guys, and you know, them getting that opportunity to step into starting roles. So um, like most of these teams, I don't I don't think most people follow them that in depth unless it's like your team that you kind of follow to know like who these guys are that are playing behind, you know, like Ma Faye and some of the guys that have left. So we'll see. Uh, but I told y'all, you know, two years ago, uh I believe Mike McDaniel is probably the best or one of the best defensive minds in football. So I think schematically his defenses will always be able to compete.

SPEAKER_02 38:56

For sure, for sure, for sure. So that maybe why they're going tight ends like, hey, look, let's get some more talent on the offensive end because I can scheme up the defensive end.

SPEAKER_03 39:04

Yep. That's that's what I'm thinking. I guess I'll say it that way.

SPEAKER_02 39:08

Okay, New England, uh Colton Hood, cornerback from Tennessee.

SPEAKER_03 39:12

Uh that would be a little bit of a surprise, but okay.

SPEAKER_02 39:17

I mean, for him to fall that far, I've been hearing a lot that he may be the first cornerback off the board. Um, so I don't know. Some people I don't know. Yes, Hood from Tennessee.

SPEAKER_03 39:31

I ain't I ain't heard that one. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 39:33

Yeah, I heard he could possibly be one of the first off the board. Uh Miami going DN. Uh Keldrick Falk from Auburn. Yeah.

unknown 39:42

Young.

SPEAKER_02 39:43

I don't see that. Yeah. Definitely defense in Miami. Uh Kansas City.

SPEAKER_03 39:48

Miami can't go wrong with whatever they draft.

SPEAKER_02 39:50

So I mean, that's true too, because they they basically um rebuilding. Uh Kansas City.

SPEAKER_01 39:57

I feel like anybody they pick, it's gonna be golden. Yeah, yeah, they're thinking about uh, I think they got two picks in the first round.

SPEAKER_03 40:04

They do. Yeah, nine picking nine.

SPEAKER_02 40:08

Nine and twenty-nine. So uh Brandon Cease from South Carolina, cornerback, they predicting, which I mean they they list lost uh what should call it two this year, too. Um Jarius.

SPEAKER_01 40:22

No, he's been gone. You mean they traded, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:25

They traded Trent to the Rams. So they lost both of their starting corners and safety because they lost Brian Cook, too. Uh yeah. But I mean, they've been very good at developing corners in Kansas City. Because they I mean year after year. Well, well, that's true too. Uh, but it seems like, especially on the secondary end, they've been they've been drafting and shipping guys out like year over year, it seems like they always lose one or two uh secondary players and they just reload through the draft, and next thing you know, it's some new game, new day or new name popping up. I think one thing I love about them.

SPEAKER_01 41:03

They'll they'll they they understand the business. They'll they'll let they'll let Smite go. They'll realize who they can't let go, then the rest, hey, you're great. We want you, but we can't forge you. We have to we have to cycle it. And they'll because I mean when they got rid of Lajery Sneed, I was like, wow, Tyreek Hill, Trent McDonald's.

SPEAKER_03 41:24

Tyreek surprised me, yeah. Yeah, now I will say this about that though. Yes, they've been able to do that, but how long can they continue to do that? Because the guys that have enabled them to do that are now not what they were. Like Chris Jones is good, but he's not as dominant as he has been.

unknown 41:44

Right.

SPEAKER_03 41:44

You know what I mean? And they don't really have much around him. I mean, you know, the Nick Boltons, the George Carla, they're okay, but those aren't guys who can carry their defense. And then, you know, for a while they had the honey back, you know, they've always kind of had some guys there to do that. I forgot that. Yeah, to me, I think they've lost that. So I'll be curious. Yes, I think they scheme well on defense, but they've also had a pretty good offense at times, and their offense hasn't been good either. So, and then to me, I like if I'm if I'm Kansas City, I'm making sure that offensive line is right because Patrick Mahomes can't get hit no more. Like, we gotta make sure we give him an opportunity to you know stay upright. So at nine and whatever, I real talk, it might be too dagging on offensive line, is depending on who's available. So for me, that's just me though.

SPEAKER_02 42:33

So they said this draft is offensive tackle heavy. Like you can get some good tackles, and a couple of the tackles can play guard too.

SPEAKER_01 42:43

So um good good teams can go offensive line. Teams like we can't afford to go offensive line in the first round because we're gonna strike out on all the other rounds. Well, we're gonna strike out on the first round, too. So, like, yeah, that that's a good team right there. They can at their liberty to be able to pick, you know, two offensive linemen in the first round. I could definitely see them doing that because they're just they they just have a good system over there, like got a good team.

SPEAKER_03 43:07

So it comes in the trenches to me. But side note, Vern, it just came to me. You thinking about uh Jerm McCoy, not Colton Hood. McCoy is the the one that they were talking about for Tennessee. That cornerback. Oh, okay, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:23

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. My bad, my bad, yeah. Because I just thought about it. I said, no, not Colton Hood. I've heard my bad.

SPEAKER_03 43:29

Yeah, okay. It just came it just came to me. I'm sorry. Go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 43:32

No, no, you're good, you're good, you're good. I appreciate it. Uh Houston Texans at 28. Now you're talking about some people who've been getting like steals in the draft. Um, they're saying Christian Miller from D Tackle from Georgia.

SPEAKER_03 43:45

So I think they can go anywhere.

SPEAKER_02 43:47

I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 43:48

That's what I'm saying. Like, I mean needs help, but yeah, I think they can go anywhere.

SPEAKER_02 43:52

Which is odd that they're not Texans. Like, it's odd that they're not going offensive line. Like, that's been their blitz. I wouldn't go.

SPEAKER_01 44:01

I would never draft an offensive linemen in the first round. Y'all know me, so I can't even be mad. I would never.

SPEAKER_03 44:06

But at the same time, Vernon, they've also signed a lot of offensive linemen and free agency.

SPEAKER_02 44:12

Yes. The only thing with that is I look at D-line and offensive line as like kind of outliers. Um because it takes a y'all gotta work together so much that it's hard to just sign a bunch of guys and put them out there and just expect them to work together well. You know what I mean? It just takes a lot of chemistry with offensive lines and defensive lines, with stunts and things. You know what I mean? Yeah, everybody gotta be on the same page and for it to be effective.

SPEAKER_03 44:38

So I think remember, they don't need to play right away. So no matter who they draft, yeah, you have to go look it up or I can pull it up for you. They they've signed uh enough offensive linemen. So even if they drafted one, you still run into the same issue. You gotta build the chemistry. So that doesn't change. Chemistry doesn't change regardless of that.

SPEAKER_02 45:00

I look at dropping one in versus signing two. Easy, it's an easier thing to do.

SPEAKER_03 45:06

I mean, they they've re-signed a whole bunch. I mean, not re-signed, I'm sorry, they uh signed a bunch in free agency. That's what I said. Regardless, I hope outside of that tackle, I think everybody else is new on their offensive line.

Team Building And Protecting QBs

SPEAKER_02 45:18

I mean, because the C just like where Houston was, like CJ Stroud's rookie year to these past two years, like that is dominant defense. Like, you got the pass catchers, you've brought in the running backs, like you've done everything else. You know what I mean? To make this team what it is, and um being a Coach fan, and you know, just knowing the AFC South, it's like they've it's just it's that it's just been the offensive line. It's like sometimes as a defensive uh coach, it's like you can get blinded by the defense and just focused on the defense, and I feel like that's kind of what's happening because the defense is stout at every position. You know what I mean? And it's like maybe we are neglecting the offensive line a little, I mean the offensive side of the ball a little, a little bit too much to not see that like we need some staples in that offensive line. I will say that. Maybe this is maybe it's by committee. Maybe you bring in a bunch of guys and just see who stick, and maybe by, you know, the end of training camp you let some guys go, but it's like they gotta figure it out.

SPEAKER_03 46:27

Believe it or not, uh, I believe I heard, I can't remember the exact stat, but they're actual their offensive line metric-wise was not as bad as people make them out to be. The struggle came with CJ Stroud making mistakes, and that's really what started crushing them. He just was making it he just hadn't been playing well, and that was not offensive line. But could it be seeing ghost? Could it be from the year before? Again, but that's not the offensive line's fault if you still see the game. No, no, I'm just saying, like, so I mean, I mean, that ain't me.

SPEAKER_02 46:56

Maybe not that year, but I mean, like, if you go from a year before where, I mean, I think we see this with a lot of guys, like, you know, you have a year where you've hit more than you've probably ever been hitting your football career. And then that next year, you know what I mean, even though it's a new line and they're playing better. Like, you still your feet aren't set the right way, you just don't feel comfortable. So maybe it could have just been him not feeling comfortable.

SPEAKER_03 47:22

Yeah, but he better figure it out. He better figure it out.

SPEAKER_02 47:25

I agree, because they, I mean, the Texans are right at the mark where it's like either we make the playoffs, they win. They like they their mark is like, hey, look, either we make some noise in the playoffs because Strauss' contract, you're gonna have to make a decision. That's you know what I mean. They picked next year. You're gonna be looking at like what are we gonna do?

SPEAKER_03 47:43

Yeah, they picked up that fifth-year option, but I agree. They said uh, you know, Will Anderson should be their priority over him. I mean, that's absolutely a no-brainer. Over CJ? Yeah, yes, yeah. Will Anderson? You don't think so? Over CJ. Uh I mean, we got CJ done since his rookie year to make you think he's worth the money he's gonna ask for.

SPEAKER_01 48:05

Yeah, because I mean that's that's in playoff games. I mean, people don't care about that, they care about winning playoff games. So but if you look at how they won, it actually hasn't been CJ's play. He was disgusting, disgusting in these playoffs. It was a little sarcasm in that. It was a little sarcasm. Okay, that's why I was saying, like, that's how they see it. So, you know, you know, I you know I'll say this, Jared.

SPEAKER_03 48:31

If I'm them, I'm prioritizing Will because of what Will, I mean, Will Anderson is a as young as that dude is, I mean, he is one of the best pass rushers you have in the NFL. And now I'm not saying this is gonna be the case, but you're coming upon a year where next year, quote unquote, you're gonna have a very strong quarterback class. So if you do have to make a change, you do have a quarterback you can bring in with a team that's loaded on a rookie deal and kind of reset it again and allows you to kind of rebuild. Now, I'll be honest, I would play it that way because before now, if CJ comes out as an MVP type year, that's a different conversation. But if CJ continues to struggle, I wouldn't feel comfortable saying, hey, CJ, here's you know,$55 million a year, you know, for the next three years, even if it's just a three-year deal, versus I'm gonna just run it back with an I'm gonna go find another guy I can get four fraction of that cost. You know what I mean? Because everywhere else they're strong, they just gotta get good play out of CJ. And then their offensive line actually has to continue to get better.

SPEAKER_01 49:36

Oh yeah, that defense was crazy last year.

SPEAKER_03 49:38

Oh no, their defense was nuts.

SPEAKER_02 49:40

That's what I'm saying. It's just like even if even if CJ Stroud is is managing the games, like you probably could have added three or four more wins.

SPEAKER_03 49:49

Easily, easily, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 49:51

So it's it's I mean, this is a proven, this is definitely a proven year for CJ Stroud, and it's crazy to say because all you can think about is that that rookie year, and it was just like ridiculous, but it's like at this point, it's it's crazy to say that he's holding them back.

SPEAKER_03 50:08

Yeah, I know, but it's the truth.

SPEAKER_02 50:12

It's like because all I can think of is just just good CJ Stroud plays, then maybe because I watch him mostly against the coast, which I wouldn't play good defense.

SPEAKER_01 50:22

My truth is like, man, why can't I just see Joe Burrow with a defense like that, man? Oh man. Moving right along.

SPEAKER_02 50:31

San Francisco San Francisco look like they're going offensive tackle, possibly, with Blake Miller from Clemson. They better because I I mean their O line is is very is old too. I mean, especially with uh Williams out there, like I don't know how much longer you're gonna get out for get out of him.

SPEAKER_03 50:48

Well, you know, they're they're beefing right now, so it ain't even guaranteed to get that. Yeah. Well, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 50:54

I mean, but it's hard to move him now. I mean, he's been struggling with injuries. I mean, that contract is not small, like it's gonna be hard to move him, so you got to work something out. But I mean, drafting his replacement is always a motivator. Um Buffalo at 26. Uh, I don't want to mess this up, is maybe Avion Terrell from Clemson, cornerback.

SPEAKER_03 51:15

Cornerback, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 51:16

I mean, they definitely need defense. I mean, anything they can get on defense too um be a plus, especially in the secondary. Uh, because they couldn't stop nobody last year, and they always want to play man, but y'all don't have the corners to play man with. Uh Chicago Bears, uh Zion Young from Missouri, DM. I mean that I need that.

SPEAKER_01 51:36

Yeah. Yeah, they're looking for pass rush. Yeah, they're looking for pass rush for sure. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 51:41

Uh Cleveland Brown pick via Jacksonville. Uh Malchi Lemon, receiver from USC. Okay. Now number? I've been hearing at 24.

SPEAKER_03 51:51

He's not going to be there at 24, but go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 51:53

Okay. Okay. Nope. That's exactly what I was about to say. I've been hearing a lot of rumors like he could go like anywhere. Y'all think he's gonna be the first receiver off the board?

SPEAKER_03 52:04

No.

SPEAKER_02 52:04

I I don't know. I don't think so because old lineman and the and wide receiver is like heavy in this draft. But only thing about him, what about his injuries? Oh no, I'm thinking, dude, from uh I'm thinking Oregon. Yes, my bad. But uh I I've heard that he could possibly go to the Chiefs at nine.

SPEAKER_03 52:36

I would be surprised. Well, my thing is any team, any team like that is it sounds good, just like they were excited about getting Xavier Worthy. None of that matters if you can't protect your quarterback. That's true. If the man can't throw the ball, I don't care who you got out there, it ain't gonna matter.

SPEAKER_02 52:56

I mean, but even if you switch those picks and maybe you grab a O lineman at nine, if he drops or drive, or grab him. I would if it was me, I would grab him at nine and then grab an O lineman later, having those two picks.

SPEAKER_03 53:11

Prior, you gotta prioritize to me. You gotta prioritize the offensive line. That's just me. You gotta protect, you gotta protect what you got.

SPEAKER_02 53:18

You gotta protect what you're gonna agree with that too, but it's like I mean, one of these possible generational talents.

SPEAKER_03 53:25

I don't think he's that. I don't think he's that. I just I think he's gonna be a really good receiver, though. Because I mean he primarily plays in the slot, but he catches everything. His biggest knock is his speed. That's it. It's the funny funny thing is he'll end up with a team that is gonna say, well, I watch his take, not what he looks like running in draws. So that's that's the kind of guy that ends up, that's how Kyle Hamilton ends up in Baltimore, you know, stuff like that. You know what I mean? So it's like that's what's gonna end up happening. I just don't know that he'll go. I mean, if I'm Kansas City, uh to your point, Brian, I can see it. I ain't gonna say I can't see it. I just for me, it's I'm hard pressed because I just think they they they better fix the offensive line. They got to. They got to. So okay.

SPEAKER_02 54:08

Well, I mean, if nothing else, he'll be in Cleveland if he drops this low.

SPEAKER_01 54:13

Well, yeah, what y'all think about Carnell Tate?

SPEAKER_03 54:17

Um, I'm sure they got him going top ten, if I had to guess. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 54:22

I think at one point he was the top, top, top right.

SPEAKER_02 54:25

They got him eight to New Orleans. But we'll we're getting there. We're getting there. Uh Philadelphia. They got uh O line in Arizona State, Max. Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_03 54:37

Uh from Nigeria. He's a uh he's a freak athlete, I heard. Like he only been playing football for like five years. But that's crazy. Yeah, they said like talent-wise, he he might be the most talented offensive lineman in the draft. It's just he's he's got a lot of uh development to do.

SPEAKER_01 54:53

Oh, that's probably anybody that needs some uh needs some some development. Yeah, that sounds like somebody we're gonna take. All right.

SPEAKER_02 55:02

So Chargers, uh Peter Woods, D-tackle from Clemson.

SPEAKER_03 55:07

I can see that. I guess that's a hard ball pick. Yep.

SPEAKER_02 55:10

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, for sure. Pittsburgh Steelers, uh, guard from Penn State. I cannot say his name.

SPEAKER_03 55:17

He's not dropping that long. I I um that. Yeah, yeah. I can't see him dropping the 21. That that's that's a tough, that's tough to pass on that kid. He's he was the other teams.

SPEAKER_02 55:28

Them their top guard in the country this year.

SPEAKER_03 55:30

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 55:31

So yeah, yeah. Like I said, it's just O-line heavy. Uh Dallas Cowboys, CJ Allen, linebacker from Georgia, they definitely need better linebacker play, amongst other things on defense.

SPEAKER_03 55:42

I ain't seen CJ Allen going that high. Interesting. Okay. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 55:46

Uh, Carolina Panthers, Emmanuel McNeil Warren. Uh safety from Tilly from Toledo. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 55:52

Man, they made producing some good DBs.

SPEAKER_02 55:56

Uh 18, Minnesota Vikings, Dylan uh Demon safety from Oregon. Yep. Uh 17, Detroit Lions, uh, Caden Proctor. Oh, yeah. Uh offensive tackle from Alabama. They're saying 16, Jets. Uh trade via the coats. Hi. Ty Simpson, maybe.

Top Picks And Jets Hot Takes

SPEAKER_03 56:16

Not happening. I can't see. I just legit can't see that happening.

SPEAKER_02 56:22

It's the Jets. I don't put anything past them.

SPEAKER_03 56:25

Well, I'll say this. If that happens, it's the same thing I've said about a lot of coaches who have who I've been right on. That means Aaron Glenn is looking to get fired. You don't make a pick like that and think you're going to keep up. You're going to make a pick like that, they're going to fire you because you're going to suck.

SPEAKER_01 56:42

But the way he was talking about uh Geno Smith, this is like That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_03 56:47

Like you need to add talent. You would bump a tie Simpson. I got I got a hot take for y'all at the end, but go ahead.

SPEAKER_02 56:55

Um 15, Tampa Bay. Uh Keenan Sadiq, tight end from Oregon. That'd be a good pickup. 14, Baltimore Ravens. Spencer Thano. Old lineman from Utah.

SPEAKER_03 57:08

Yeah, that'd be. I mean, they need a line lineman, so yeah, I can see that. And he's versatile.

SPEAKER_02 57:13

Scroll down so we can get the top in here. Uh Rams. Francis McGee.

SPEAKER_03 57:22

McGee from Miami. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 57:24

Yep. Offensive tackle. Dallas at 12. Uh uh McCoy cornerback. Okay, so they're saying he's saying it may take him at 12, which that would be a great pick for them.

SPEAKER_03 57:36

That means the man's from the lane they got going before him.

SPEAKER_02 57:40

Uh, yep. Uh Miami Dolphins, wide receiver, uh Jordan uh Tyson from Arizona State. They're not touching number. Go ahead. I don't see why you would get never mind. It's Miami. Uh Bengals. Cornerback from LSU, uh Delane.

SPEAKER_03 57:59

That'd be a good pickup for them.

SPEAKER_02 58:02

Kansas City Chiefs. Kansas City. Uh DM from Miami. Bain Jr. Ruben Bain Jr.

SPEAKER_03 58:12

Yeah. Um Saints. Actually.

SPEAKER_02 58:17

Saints at eight. Uh Carnell Tate from Ohio State. That'll be seven, Washington Commanders, Sona Styles, linebacker from Ohio State. Uh Browns at six. Monroe uh Freeling, offensive tackle from Georgia. And then you got the top five, the Giants, Caleb Downs. Uh Tennessee. That's what I'm saying. I mean, that's a that would be a good pick for them. Uh Tennessee Titans, Jeremiah Love, which they need running back. I mean, I don't I don't see that being a bad pick for them. Arizona Cardinals, uh, Arvell Reese from Ohio State. It's gosh, out Ohio State defense. Them top 15.

SPEAKER_03 58:58

All right, David Bailey and Mendoza then. All right.

SPEAKER_02 59:01

Yep. Bailey and Mendoza one and two, Jets and uh Raiders.

SPEAKER_03 59:07

I'll I'll say that any team that takes Ty Simpson in the first round is gonna regret it. But more importantly, I think the shakeup of the draft may be Tennessee not taking Jeremiah Love, but Tennessee taking Sonny Styles.

SPEAKER_01 59:22

I want Jeremiah Love. I hope he makes it to 10.

SPEAKER_03 59:26

I don't think he will. I think I think he don't get past seven. I think the commander's gonna take available. I mean, you pair too Daniels, you know what I mean? So um, I just and again, I could be a thousand percent wrong, but I'd be thinking about like what Robert Salah has done with like Fred Warner. So give him a guy like that in a defense like Sonny Styles, and how he may be able to kind of start to transform that Tennessee defense. I could I could see I can see that being a good fit for them. Um but you know, I could be wrong on that. Definitely could be wrong.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:01

Yeah, I mean, I mean, okay, then so we said uh no tie sipson for the Jets. Then who do you grab at at 16? Then what position? I won't say player, what position you think they should grab at 16 then?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:14

I would take another receiver. Yep, add that, add them with uh somebody had them taking uh Jeremiah Love, and I was like, dang, don't they like Scatterbow?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:24

You're talking about the Giants, the Giants got Scatabow.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:27

Oh, yeah, that's why you you guys said the Jets. I mean, my bad, the Jets. That's what I was saying. I think you said the Jets. I'm just the Jets.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:35

You said the Jets.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:37

So yeah, I mean, if you got two and 16, you're not, I mean, you're not if you don't take Ty Simpson at 16, then what position group are you looking at then?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:46

Receiver or DB. Another receiver. I mean, you gotta think they didn't have a single interception last year. So you can't tell me. So I mean, you hey, I'll take a corner, I'll take a safety. Uh matter of fact, uh maybe Caleb.

unknown 1:01:01

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:01

Do you take him at two? He no, no, no, no. Even though I would I would consider it, and then I would get that, I would get my edge guy at 16. But I know they won't do it. That's fair. But I would definitely consider like me, I probably would consider doing it. But I think what they would do is if that's me, I'll take David Bailey, but then I would grab one of the safeties that either Minnesota's taking or um the Panthers. So uh Oh, okay, okay. Later. Yeah, who drops? So I would take one of them. Okay, okay.

unknown 1:01:34

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:34

Nah, that's fair.

Autograph Trip Problems And Fight Talk

SPEAKER_02 1:01:39

Nah, I feel you on that. I feel you on that. Um man, that's it, man. Any final thoughts? What are we defunding? Oh, I just switched again. Crap. Oh, we're doing good.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:58

How did he how did uh he fix it last time?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:01

I don't know. Hold on, maybe he's trying to figure that out now. Y'all still here? Yep. Yeah, we're here. Uh okay.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:11

Were y'all waiting on me to say something? Yeah. Yeah, we just talked about who we defunded. Oh man.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:16

I don't think you heard us initially because I switched scenes and I think you made a cut out. Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:21

So you know what you are you doing something that's allowing you to um here's Jared when they the the screen.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:26

Nah, nope. I just I'm just be sitting here. I think it just takes a minute for his audio to catch up. I think that's what happened. Okay. Now, I don't know what last week was going on.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:35

They gotta defun changing these uh autograph times for these these signers, man. So I'm going to uh New York City this weekend, and um I was supposed to get uh Derek Henry's autograph and uh Bijan on on both on Saturday. They end up switching Derrick Henry to Sunday and they switched Bijan to Friday, so I gotta shift everything around, you know, to make sure I'm there on Friday. And then B John, I mean, and Derek Henry, I'm just gonna miss because I'm gonna be back uh here by the time he signs on Sunday. So man, they gotta it's big business. It's a lot of money being spent for these, you know, this memorabilia. Like, man, they need to come with it. Yeah, to get there and then you can't get what you need. Yeah, man. Like, they just rescheduling people left and right. Like, you know, I plan my whole trip around the certain autographs that I need, and the fact that you know I'm gonna miss out on Derrick Henry kind of sucks. But you know crazy. Yeah, it's it's crazy. Are you driving or flying? Uh we're flying out there. Okay. Yeah. So I'll still be able to get B. John. I'm gonna get uh Jamar Chase as if I need another autograph Jamar Chase item. But you know, you know how that go. So you gonna have him sign? Uh so I'm gonna get another jersey signed by Jamar Chase, and then Bijan, I got a uh a Michael Vick uh Falcon's helmet. I'm gonna add Bijan to that. Then I got a uh Bijan uh jersey, and I'm gonna have him sign. So I get three items signed while I'm up there and bring it on back.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:59

Okay, okay, cool. Justin, anything in the fight world we need to keep up with, man? Anything we need to know about that we didn't talk about last week?

SPEAKER_03 1:04:08

Nah, I think we covered everything last week, at least that I can think of. I'm I I know there's a fight coming up. I wanted to say it is this week, but like I told y'all, half these fights that are coming up, I I have no interest in myself. So I hadn't been paying much attention to it because boxing is doing what boxing has been notorious for, which is not making the fights when they need to not make the right fights when they need to make them happen. So the only thing I would say is kind of you remember when that live golf kind of came about or whatever it's called? Just kind of I would say I'd be curious to see what this Zofa boxing ends up doing. Um they're signing some of these guys, and they're actually getting some okay talent. Uh, I'd be curious to see if any of the bigger names, bigger stars end up signing with them. And if so, I'd be curious to see what that ends up doing in terms of ability to make fights. Um it can't get any worse. They're already bad as far as making them, but um be curious if that changes anything in terms of getting some of these fights that we want to see. So, like I said, right now I think the fight that everybody's probably waiting on is the Xander's AS and the uh drawing in this fight that I told y'all about. But we still got some, we still got quite a bit of time before that happens.

Draft Show Announcement And Goodbye

SPEAKER_02 1:05:16

Okay, all right. Well, if that's it and that's all, man. This has been the epic podcast, man. We oh wait, hold on. We will see y'all next week, but also, no, we won't. We will be doing a uh because the draft is next Thursday. Next Thursday. Next Thursday. So we will be doing a draft show with uh Crossover Sports. So catch us next Thursday. Um for the first round of the draft. We will be uh doing a collaborative show. Uh so it'll be me, it'll be us three, uh possibly Ike. We're gonna try to squeeze Ike here. Hopefully he's back in the show.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:50

Ike ain't gonna show up.

SPEAKER_01 1:05:53

Dang, okay. Hey, no confidence. I'm not trying to squeeze Ike in nothing, bro. Okay, okay. All right.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:02

For the show. And Brandon and Jonathan should be joining us also. My guys. Cover the first round of the draft. Talk about our teams and um uh be excited for the new technically beginning of a new NFL season. So we'll see y'all next week.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:19

And if you taught the Ike, he can't show up just for like two picks. If he gonna if he's gonna show up, he's gonna show up to work.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:26

Dang, I don't remember to pass the message along. He'll probably see it in the clip. Yeah, I was gonna say he might see it in the clip. Yeah.