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The Supreme Court Basketball Podcast
Looking for entertaining basketball content without the drama? Check out The Supreme Court: A Basketball Podcast! Join Robaire, Chris, and Henri every Wednesday for the latest NBA headlines, news, and transactions.
The Supreme Court Basketball Podcast
Life is Sweet(16)/Love & Appreciate
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March Madness delivers its trademark heartbreak as Colorado State falls on a buzzer-beater, reminding us why we love this tournament despite its brutal finality for college players whose careers end in an instant.
• College basketball's changing landscape with NIL deals and the transfer portal creating unprecedented player movement
• How coaching legends like Coach K and Roy Williams chose to retire rather than adapt to the new money-driven recruiting environment
• The pendulum swing from NCAA exploitation to perhaps too much player freedom has created challenges for program continuity
• Player development suffers when athletes can simply transfer at the first sign of adversity instead of working through challenges
• The Lakers sitting fourth in the West with Grizzlies and Warriors in hot pursuit as the playoff race tightens
• Why Memphis lacks the "YN energy" and swagger to truly threaten the Lakers in a potential playoff matchup
• Men desire affection, acknowledgment and compliments but cultural expectations make us hesitant to ask for them
• Small gestures of appreciation from partners can significantly impact a man's confidence and well-being
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Episode Introduction and March Madness Check-In
Speaker 1all rise all rise.
Speaker 3The pod is now in session. You are now tuned in and I said tuned in to the supreme court basketball podcast, everything about basketball and Lakers and everything else that we see fit. You now tuned in with your boy, big Bear. What's up, fellas? What's going on, how we doing what it is yo, oh man.
Speaker 2Back with another one.
Speaker 3That's how we doing Feeling great, I'm about to smash it, yeah, keep it going right, you know what I'm saying, fellas Sanfellas, yeah, I mean, you know, got a lot of stuff going on, a lot of things going on in that basketball world. You know How's everybody, everybody enjoyed their weekend, first and foremost. It's going, it's been slow and go.
Speaker 2Just, you know, keep my eyes peeled on this tourney. That's been my focus this weekend. Since Thursday I've been sitting in front of the TV for the most part when I get the chance to keeping up on all the games, checking out my bracket to see how bad it's gotten. But you know, I've held up pretty decently considering, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3I mean, yeah, your bracket, but you still got the number one. Come on now.
Speaker 1I mean I was going to say you, you. Well, let me tell you this much You're doing better than my Tar Heels. Hey now.
Speaker 2Hey now.
Speaker 3It now. Hey, now it's all bad, it's, I mean, you know. I mean it hasn't been too many, you know it's been pretty much what it's been. It hasn't been any real shockers or anything like that.
Speaker 2You know, in my opinion, you know, even if it has been those, those teams that that would be cinderellas have not stuck around long enough to enjoy that storyline. So that that's been the issue. Like you've got a couple of upsets, but they, as soon as they got past that major upset, they disappeared from us. So we don't have that going right now. We'll see how it goes and maybe Colorado state can be that team this year. Colorado, colorado state, just got eliminated.
Speaker 2Well, nevermind, just as we spoke, nevermind that Nail bit got eliminated, well, never mind as we spoke.
Speaker 3never mind that.
Speaker 2Man A nail biter.
Speaker 3Buzzer beater. Yeah, we'll see. You see how it goes. They lost 71-72 at the buzzer.
Speaker 1I was going to say fadeaway jump shot took him out.
Speaker 2Okay, so that billion is still out there waiting for somebody to get it right. One of these years I'm going to say Wow.
Speaker 3Just like that, yeah, colorado State.
Speaker 2It might be it, oh, never mind.
Speaker 3I might be it. It's a wrap, man.
Speaker 1But it speaks to why the tournament is what the tournament is. You literally never know One minute. You're there the next minute. You got snot on your jersey and you're holding your teammates for the last time because you got to go grow up and be an adult again.
Speaker 2So you know what I mean it's always hard to watch that for somebody who's got it.
Speaker 3What makes it a heartbreaking loss for Colorado State is because they hit a three to go up by one with six seconds left, oh wow. And then you know they maryland went back, got called a timeout and drew up a play and hit it wrestling. It's history just like that. I mean, that's a heartbreaker right there you've done all you could do.
Speaker 3You know what I mean. Yeah, and again, you know we had the discussion about. You know, for some of these guys like this, is it, it's over with. There is no more basketball, not even euro league. It's just, you know out, you know what type of degree I have, making sure that it's worth something, or you know, or maybe be a coach or something like that. You know, I don't know.
Speaker 1You know. So I remember that, though I remember when I played my last game I knew that I wasn't going to play in college too small to be a forward or anything, what didn't handle the ball well enough, so it was just kind of like it was. There was a finality in it that it was like man, this was a good run and I had a lot of fun. But that's also what led me to coaching, because it was like I'm, I'm not ready for this.
Speaker 1So yeah, no, yeah and hands down. In my own opinion, I'm a far better coach than I was a player, and it keeps you connected to the game, so it was a good run. But who surprised you guys in the tournament so far?
Speaker 2Anybody. Again, that's the thing To me. There hasn't been many other than McNeese. But again, it's one of those deals where, as soon as that storyline is building, they exit the building. You know what I mean. There hasn't been a surprise team.
Speaker 2that's gone deep. You can't. Maybe now, as we speak, maybe New Mexico has a chance to be that team at the 10th seed. But the 10th seed it's not a small school, so it doesn't make for that darling story that captivates the nation. So that's. We might be lacking for that this year, Maybe, I thought, drake had a chance, I will say Number ones in the final four.
Speaker 2This, this feels like one of those years where you can. You can at least pencil in the number ones for the final four. I say pencil in because it's the tournament. Anything can happen.
Speaker 3Yeah, well, it's going to be. I think it's going to be one of the best final fours we've seen, I mean in a while. I mean this is going to be a tough one because you know we could say I know, henry, you're going to say oh Duke, but man, I mean we had a close one Close one today.
Speaker 2I don't know if listen I mean not in terms of score. But Cooper Flagg, we thought he was out in that first half. Stuff wasn't falling for us. I thought his eye might affect him. We weren't. You know, it was kind of a heartstring game only because playing against one of your former players and Jeremy Roach at Baylor, who spent four years at Duke, transferred to Baylor for his fifth year. So there was that you hate to see him go out the way he did. But you know it's got to happen for us to advance. It really is. It's surviving advance. That's really what it is. Surviving advance, win or go home, that's the game.
Speaker 3But I mean, I think, we're poised to do.
Speaker 2Yeah, listen, depending on how that Oregon-Arizona game shakes out, which I think we can beat both of those teams, but of course that's my optimism as a Duke fan.
Speaker 3But I, as a Duke fan, I think to me, if there was any game that was disappointing, or I just expected more St John's losing, I thought that would have been a better game. I really thought that. I thought St John's should have come out on top, and that was the thing I mean. They just could not grab a hold. Nothing was falling for them, they couldn't buy a bucket, that game, and that's the thing about the tournament, like there's only one game. You better, you know you better get all that stuff out the way during the season, because we only got one time to shine and they didn't. I mean, it didn't happen.
Speaker 1So yeah, yeah. And I think, depending on teams like, for example, if you don't know, I'm I'm tired heels all the way through, but some of those issues that you find during the regular season will come back and bite you in the tournament. And it's exactly what our season has been. It's been disappointing. A lot of controversy about the Tar Heels getting in in the first place and then they go up against San Diego State and absolutely mock them. But it was good shooting it was. You know, timing was everything. And then you get to the next game, you down over 20 points and you fight back into within two. But the problem with that is you are always going to use way too much energy just to get back in the fight. If they had had that kind of fight in the first half, that could be a different outcome. But you know, that's, that's the tournament, that's the game, that that there is to be played.
Speaker 1But the other big thing about that is just the lack of ACC representation. I can't remember a year where we've had so little, so little. It used to be oh, very few teams. Carolina, duke, you could throw Wake Forest in there, you could throw Florida State in there, like there were so many teams in that ACC where it was like you know it's going to be a dogfight and we're going to have that representation and they're going to go far because they've been beating each other up all year. So when it gets to somebody's other teams it was like, yeah, whatever, those days feel like they're slipping away from us and you might just have Duke sitting atop for a little while. I know Carolina has a top eight, eight or ten in terms of class next year. Duke is right up there at the top of that class. But I don't know, man, it's. It's getting interesting because we've always known acc for basketball.
Speaker 2So yeah, acc big 10, yeah big east have been I mean other than kentucky, like sec hasn't had much representation and I was hoping it'd stay that way. And, a weird turn of events, I was rooting for yotar hills to pull it off because of that very reason. Like I would have, I wanted some ACC teams to stick around. I mean, hopefully, fingers crossed, you look forward to the day UNC can be our dance partner in either the Final Four, championship or, hell, even in an Elite Eight matchup. That would have been fun too. But I'm just like other than being anti-UNC, which I'll rock with them when it comes to an SEC team, I just can't stand it. I don't know what it is why I have a bias against the SEC. I do not like them. I think their place is in football. I don't want to see them become dominant in basketball. I'm going to be honest with you Too late.
Speaker 2That's a fair point. You know what I mean. But I can't get mad at them because they've spent the resources to build their programs to be. I mean, the other conferences need to compete or either fall in line. It's get-down or lay-down season at this point. But yeah, when it comes to SEC, I want to see them all take an exit, but it's just not happening that way. And as it stands, at the Sweet 16, they'll probably have a quarter of the field representing SEC, and you know that's not a good feeling. I don't like that. Where are the Big East teams? Where are the ACC's? Where are the Big Tens in terms of competing? Because you see it happening and if you don't get in front of it now, you'll be looking at them taking over all the major sports.
Speaker 1And that's what all the talk is. Should the ACC and Big East combine?
Speaker 3Yeah, make a super conference.
Speaker 1I heard Duke in the garden, the Tar Heels in the garden, you know what I mean when you are now bringing some powerhouse historical teams together to kind of Avengers Unite, you know. So I think that's something that.
Speaker 2I look into.
Speaker 3That would be almost unfair.
Speaker 2Imagine the conference championship. You got ACC and the Big East now playing in the Garden for the conference championship.
Speaker 3And.
Speaker 2I would want to go check that out. I got to get tickets to that championship series.
The Changing Landscape of College Basketball
Speaker 3Because and all this is due to because you know North Carolina making it in Not to get on your team, chris, but North Carolina getting in and not winning. You know they didn't, they didn't win their championship. They blew that first one out yeah, well, we thought that that was like it was imperative that they win, like they're not getting in unless they win the championship, the ACC championship, and they didn't do it. So when they got picked, it was just like a lot of people felt like, eh not because, they were going to get in?
Speaker 2I certainly didn't. I'm not going to lie to you?
Speaker 1No, the council majority didn't think that way, but they lost that game. I kind of conceded that, yeah, you guys have not had a year worthy of competing, and it's happened before, and the last time it happened and we got to the NIT tournament, we didn't even do that.
Speaker 2We were just like, no, we're not going to play. And this loss was really kind of a microcosm of their season, like that's what it's been Like getting down, rallying back but not having enough gas to finish the job, and that's what that game was. And it was frustrating to see because I mean the baskets, just the buckets. They missed around the basket.
Speaker 1Oh yeah, but that's taking up so much energy on the defense that's true Just to claw and fight your way back in. The other thing you've got to realize is you could have had a guy like a Caleb Love who was playing at Arizona, who walked out the door. So since they beat Coach K's last year, make it to the championship. You've seen a steady decline, but you also haven't seen that big man anchoring. There was no replacement for Armando Baycott, which is a North Carolina staple. If any school in the country has always had a big man in the middle or two, more than three it's been the Tar Heels.
Speaker 1They really didn't have that, so I'm not shocked, and they're either going to need to reinvent themselves or Coach Davis is going to find himself on now somewhere is that because we're saying that he's an issue.
Speaker 2Are we saying that his recruiting is too early to say right now. I wouldn't do that to him this early. Even as a duke fan, I'm like, I'm not willing to after his first year.
Speaker 1yeah, and I mean he from a from a basketball mind standpoint. You, you got to think he has something sitting there on that bench for that many years along guys like Roy Williams. But at the same time, I understand why he was the main recruiter. He was the guy going into living rooms and getting some of these kids to come At the head coach. You're not always able to do that, so is it a matter of his staff? Is it a matter of the fact that they're not having the type of success that is making this a little bit harder for them? You know what I mean, because Duke is a well-oiled machine.
Speaker 1One thing I give Coach K credit for is there was no issue about who was going to succeed him. He said it this is who it's going to be. It wasn't like it was even a school thing. It was like no, this is the house that I built, this is my replacement. As soon as he got in their. This is the house that I built, this is my replacement. As soon as he got in, their recruiting class didn't drop off at all. It might have got better a couple of them years. Actually, it was Davis, but now who's going to be taking over that team, and if you don't have those people lined up and this is I mean, this is we're talking Carolina Duke, because those are our teams. But if you look at the landscape of college basketball in general the transfer portal, all of these different things that you have to deal with now it is going to change how these teams recruit and how successful they are, so you might need to see more mergers in order to keep things alive.
Speaker 2Yeah, I mean like I say yeah, go ahead Ray.
Speaker 3No, go ahead, I'm sorry no.
Speaker 2I was going to say, like you got the story. You have the Jeremy Roaches four-year Duke player going to go finish this collegiate career over at Baylor and these kids are moving around like crazy. I mean it's. I'm at the point like are they going to start introducing trades in college? I don't even know. Like it's it's looking like you know what is going off the rails at this point.
Speaker 2It's this transfer portal is becoming a bit of a problem now, like you can't give I understand player movement, player empowerment, all that stuff is great on on the colleg levels, but you got to reel it in some. Because it's getting to the point now where you know guys are disgruntled and disillusioned and without trying to work it out and think because to me, I think, as an athlete especially, there is something to like that, that that heroes challenge like you need to go through some adversity a little bit like you, it can't work out your way and you decide like this ain't the place for me because I'm not getting the time I was promised to the last coach. I mean there are certain circumstances where, like you were recruited by X coach, he leaves. He was the reason for you going to that school. I get that completely.
Speaker 3You committed to that coach and his program.
Speaker 2He ain't there. You got to go too. I completely understand that. But this disillusionment with your playing time and it's like with your playing time and it's like you might want to look at yourself Unless it really is a political issue, it's something personal with you and the coach. That stuff can be remedied. So if you just shit because you're not getting your way, I'm not a big fan of that. But that has changed the landscape of college basketball. And you got the NIL, obviously, which is another monkey wrench in the program. When you can go out there, listen, now you can flat out just say I'm going to the highest bidder. It is what it is. Whoever, whoever got that money on, gets my services. You know what I mean. Like that's. That's what it is too.
Speaker 3Think about it. That's why you know the guys. You know some of the coaches who pretty much let's be honest with you we knew what they were doing, like the Rick Pitinos and guys like that. They benefited from that before it happened. They were the winners of it. They were kind of, you know, toting that fine line and really going. They were painting outside the lines at some point. That's why it kept getting trouble, but it's working to us Now. It's so wide open.
Speaker 3I think that that was the problem was coaches were changing because they were taking offers. You know, let's say they were at like even, let's just say, for the sake of mid-major school, wasn't even you know the big school. But you recruited all these guys and here comes you know one of the top schools in acc school, like, hey, we would love, we would love your services, let's, you know how, about you come over there. He's like, yeah, I'm gone. You know he's going to give you that spill and some of these guys may have had like two different coaches and in the last, you know, he's going to give you that spill and some of these guys may have had like two different coaches in the last, you know, in their collegiate career and that really messes you up. You know the continuity of the team. There's things that happen that a lot of players you know they got fed up with. Remember that was the issue in college football because that carousel of coaches that was going around it was like come on now now I got to stay here deal with a rebuilding process, an unproven coach that has a different philosophy of offense and defense, things like that. So I think this just becomes a long-winded because Rick Pitino, his team he had an interview where he was like the portal's working to his advantage because now we can get guys that are seasoned. He's snatching guys up that already been in college for a year or two and he's building his team with some seasoned roughnecks and that's where it can work. And I think that guys like you know the Duke, you know the former Duke and former UNC coach, I think they kind of knew like this is a new landscape. I don't know if I'm up for it. You know what I mean because you know the continuity. Think about it.
Speaker 3A top guy, let's say you're not, he's not liking the coach. Like you said, henry has nothing to do with you know he's getting his playing time. I just don't like that. You know the coach's philosophy and you know these are different kids nowadays. These young gentlemen that are coming on, they have a different mindset. They're like, yeah, I'll just go elsewhere and yeah, you know, or, like you said, the highest bidder, do you really want to deal with that? But that old school value coach, do you want to deal with that type of child? You know that type of young adult and you can't reach him.
Speaker 3There's a lot that's going on and I just believe that sometimes it's better to get out on top than it is to. You know, stay there. And I don't know like hubie I mean not hubie, but like hubert dav, I don't know, I haven't heard much about him, but that's your guy. I don't know if he's more tapped in, shall we say, with this younger generation, and maybe that's part of the issue, because you're going to see that I think you know, I know it's a different sport, but the guys like Coach Prime and all that, I think they're equipped, very well equipped, to deal with this generation.
Speaker 3You know what I mean to go on there and even still to fight through the whole because, like you said, it's going to be somebody that comes to them like what you got, empty your pockets. Right, you want me to come empty your pockets, and that that's. That is something that all it's going to take is for some of the top coaches to allow that, and now it'll be like a carousel effect. It'll you know it, everybody will start doing it. So I think they have to fight that. As a coach, you got to keep that integrity. It's not just for your team but for the collegiate sports period. You have to keep that integrity, like we're not going to be pumped into give it, you know, to recruiting you because you saying I want to wait though, baron if you look at walked in by eight though, baron.
Speaker 1if you look at the I do, and I'll tell you why. If you look at when coach K, well, first Roy Williams. I woke up one day and was getting dressed for work and he was just like breaking news Roy Williams retires. And it was like where did that come from?
Speaker 3He got tired.
Speaker 1That came out of left. There was no talk about him being disgruntled. There was nothing about hey, I'm getting up there in age, which they all are, but they're doing what they love, so not that hard to stick on longer than you would your typical job. But I think what we started to see was all of them started to realize previously the power that they held was we're going to get you an education. We all knew, okay, these kids ain't staying for a year. So let's call it what it is you get to wear this jersey for six months.
Speaker 2Yeah, right For a semester. It's not even a whole college year yet.
Speaker 1Yeah, no, you're not even staying a whole college year because you're going to league, but what they had was just the selling power of that. Look at our alumni, look who's come through this program and what they've gone on to do. When you take that away and now it becomes the money which I think, I think we've gone from two extremes to where the college has only benefited financially, and that was wrong. I think. Now the pendulum has swung so far to where it's gotten out of control, to where you can, because because what people don't understand is the right program for the right player means more than anything. Right, you think about it realistically. Think about somebody like kairi. Did you really know kairi could get off like that before he got to the league?
Speaker 2no, did you feel?
Speaker 1like you knew that kairi?
Speaker 2no, I hadn't seen enough of him in college.
Speaker 1I'll be honest as a fan, I didn't see quite enough because he was in a very structured program by an elite head coach who rules his world how he wants to see it. But when he got that freedom, we saw something where it was like, yeah, what was this? If we saw this guy, what could they have done? Right? So you had these coaches and that's where the power lied, in these coaches being like I am what you're coming to. Yes, you're coming to the school, but you're coming for me.
NIL and Player Transfer Portal Problems
Speaker 1There's few of those guys who I feel like are a little ahead of their time and even though they're older, so like a Calipari, calipari recognized very quickly hey, you're only going to be here a few months. I just need to get as many of y'all in here as for as these few months as I can get. And I understand, I'm running the factory. I'm going to sell you on what I need to. I'm going to get you, I'm going to get hey 80,. You want to come back? Guess what? You can play point guard and tell you whatever you need to hear, and I'm just going to benefit because we're going to be the best version of us that we can be while you're here. He understood that. That Coach K, we're kind of like. You know Coach K is a values guy, roy, even to that point to where I think they just recognize this new landscape doesn't fit what I came into this for. So it's going to be hard for me to sell and have a kid tell me yeah, yeah, yeah, the history, blue blood, you guys have won it. But what are you going to pay me? They recognize super early. That's just not me and I'm not going to deal with that.
Speaker 1So I think when I say we're kind of at a loss, you see kids who transferred all this year right, and now they're coming and some of those kids actually have buyer's remorse where it's like I got paid but I missed my team. I was a better fit where I was. That coach actually poured into me and cared about me as the person where this, I became a paid talent and I think that's where it's going to get harder in college basketball because of the way things are now with NIL and just the ability to freely move and there's a lack of accountability. Now If I don't like something, I get to leave. That's not realistic, that's not how life works, but we've made that the way that these kids are now coming up.
Speaker 1So bear when you talk about a different kid. We've kind of cultivated a kid that can't function in regular society because that's just not how it works. I don't like it, I'm taking my ball. I don't like my boss, I quit. Okay, cool, great, could you do that? Yes, does that mean the next job is going to be better?
Speaker 2Oh, getting away from some of that. What do you think? And the problem, like you mentioned earlier, like these kids at that age do not see the value in a coach pouring into you Because the likelihood of you going pro or going anywhere helps. Some of y'all ain't going to be G League standouts, like, let's just keep it a bean, you know what I'm saying. Keep it a full bundle, if you will. Like some of y'all ain't got no real future outside of college. The best thing you can do is get your education if that matters to you.
Speaker 2But guys like Calipari kind of revolutionized the game in a sense in that. And I can't even imagine Calipari going into anybody's living room telling these kids' parents he's promising them an education. Maybe that was his initial sales pitch when he realized that he became a factory of talent. I mean his thing. He would tell players if you stay that first year, you're doing it for you. This is for you to get NBA to look at you, to attract that attention. Raise your stock, go play at the next level if you have that talent, right, if you stay any longer now, you're doing it for me, and he was honest and forthright about that. Like anything after that after year one you this is helping me out. This is really not to your benefit anymore, especially if you've already reached the highest value you'd likely to get in your draft class. You come back to help me win. I I appreciate it, but it's not doing much for your stock. But but you're right. It, like I mentioned it, does create a problem in that you can fire. This is the only world where you can fire your boss and get a new one. If you have the talent, you can fire your boss and get an Atlanta job.
Speaker 2The real world don't work like that and it is important that these kids understand the value of somebody pouring into you and caring for you outside of your parents and your legal guardians, who are pretty much obligated to do so. I mean, it's not necessarily an obligation. You don't have to love and care for your kids. You would hope that's a part of the deal for most parents and kid dynamics, but that ain't always the case, unfortunately. But if you do get somebody to point to who cares for you outside of your parents, that's even better. You know what I mean. But you can't see that at 18, 19, 20 years old, when you can have your way, you can have it like Burger King. You can go wherever you want to and get it how you want to. You become a star, you can get some NIL money, you can get some females, you can get whatever you want out the deal, especially if you know again, you don't have to really stand a chance at playing at the next level.
Speaker 2So I don't know, man, the landscape has changed dramatically and in a lot of ways I hate to say it it's almost for the worse, because you can't unring that bell now. Now that the players have this kind of empowerment, you can't take it back from them, you can't take the money, and I'm happy again that they're getting somewhat of a shitload. They're getting the fair shake now, because at the time prior to the nil, prior to the player portal and player movement, the ncaa was one thoroughly corrupt. Thoroughly corrupt. Let's, let, let's, let's start there. Call it what it is yeah, uh, and it was exploitative and it was half a step from from real, real rap, some slavery. I mean it wasn't by force, but you have a labor market that does not, that cannot share in the revenue that gets no money from it.
Speaker 2You get. It's a free labor source right to the tune of billions of dollars. You ain't got to turn that man red cent over to them. They got to figure out on their own. Now they can get. Now they can get a little bit, they can get a share of it, but it probably is still not a fair enough share. But the problem is the whole player portal deal and that player movement element of it kind of makes it hard for you to like really root for the players now, like it's in a weird place, man.
Speaker 3That's to my point, though, that I think that when you saw it happening, when the coaches were just hopping around because they were chasing, you know, quote unquote chasing the bag, going to a bigger college, bigger money, bigger opportunity, because you know they're better funded, have a bigger, shall I say, you know, a bigger support of the boosters behind them to get the top kid, see, I think that it was good.
Speaker 3I mean, I think it's like anything. I mean, I think it's like anything. I think it's almost like the internet we just open it up before we put restrictions and what we should do. So I just think that, at the end of the day, they need to tighten it up, especially if we're talking about possibly making like a super SEC, acc, sec, acc. Before they do that, because you think about the revenue sharing and the money and the contracts that have come from that, I think they need to get this kind of thing buttoned down. I don't know if it's you have to lessen it down, like you have to have a real reason. Your coach is leaving, with the coach leaving, you know what I mean. So things like that. But I think that if they can tighten it up, we'll be okay, I think it'll be okay, I understand it's necessary.
Speaker 1If you found a way to. The hard part is the NIL, because it really follows the player. But if there was something to be built into NIL deals that were like, hey, you were a player here at this time and if you leave that school, the percentage of that money goes to the school, that school, the percentage of that money goes to the school. I think that would not that the school needs it, but it would be a way to regulate and make us think about jumping twice. But the hard part is I mean to be honest, yes, there's a lot of good coaches out there, but what parents and players don't understand is not every program fits every player, and so some of these kids who are moving are moving for legit reasons, where I'm buried on the bench, not being able to play, not being seen, and my years are going by and we know I have a small window.
Speaker 1Other guys, it's just the money. When you walk in with the, show me the okay, who's going to pay me the most money? Okay, cool, what's the return on my investment in paying this money? If you jump up and decide, because I'm coaching you tough now, you have more than a fair point. But now we're pouring in all this money. So I think if there's a way to put some regulations in that, then you would start to see guys really figure out like okay, yeah, it's more money here, but if I don't stay this year, 50% of that goes back. Then it's like well, why did I jump?
Speaker 2You know what I mean. Now you can't get your maximum if you don't stay. Okay, I get what you're saying. That's a hell of a deal.
Speaker 1So even like a tier system. Even if it's a tier like hey, you stayed, we paid you for X amount of years or this time, and you didn't hit that timeframe. So now some of that money falls off the books, maybe, but again that seems like a work in progress that's going to take a while.
Speaker 2Oh, trust me. But if it amounts to the NCAA administrators and the power structure being able to reel it back and take some of that money and power, oh, they're going to figure it out. Trust and believe that. Trust and believe that would.
Speaker 1That new rule will be out, with the champion being announced. We don't know which do you guys think will win at this point?
Speaker 2I hope. But I hope it's Duke. But if not, the team I kind of I won't say fell in love with, but I've gotten an affection for them, the Houston Cougars I've always liked that program and Kelvin Sampson and what he's built over there. I like that team and the kind of players that he recruits. These aren't the most talented.
Speaker 2He's not recruiting your blue chip, your top 50 ESPN ranked high school kids. He's not getting the top recruiting classes. He might get a couple of diamonds in the rough but he really got to go out there and and and check on. But he's looking under under every rock to find talent but he's finding guys at heart. He's got you know. He's got, you know, a few more upperclassmen and those teams again are they're gonna fare the best in me. That's just the way it goes. I don't give a damn how talented, how great your freshman is, how great, how much, how phenomenal he is, if you don't have some guys that can anchor you with some real experience, it don't really amount to nothing. But I like that houston team. I hope they can pull it off. But you know me at this point my whole thing is as long as it's not the sec I, I don't care who does it, Y'all do y'all thing Well.
Speaker 3I mean maybe get your feelings hurt, I don't know to tell you, player. What are you thinking, Bear, you know, I just say that. You know what. I just have a problem overall with the sports period how they just implement new rules without thinking about every angle, and maybe that's the whole point because to allow the bending and the tampering of the rules to work out, I think they allowed that to happen. That was the whole point Because if they want to, they could have kept it ironclad, where there were only certain circumstances which allowed you to transfer. They could have made it that way and I think people would have been perfectly fine. But the fact that it didn't, it's telling me that the NCAA, they want certain things to happen. They don't want to handcuff these programs and let you figure it out. You know, kind of, keep it to where, whatever recipe and sauce you're doing, you know to keep your stuff rolling as long as it can look decent enough where we can justify it, we good, and that's where it is.
Speaker 2You know, but you know, we know you don't have a program, robert, we know that's not your thing. You don't have a team.
Speaker 3Who you got, though, no-transcript won't be no, listen, I think. I think Florida is going to win.
Speaker 2You got Florida earlier. It's not a bad place I got Florida.
Speaker 3I think I think they're built at, you know, as a, as a complete team. I think Florida is. If it would shock me, I mean they're going to make listen, they're going to be in the final four and they're going to be a hard out, but if they make it, yeah, I think Florida is going to go ahead and they're going to cut that net. I'm sorry, man, I'm a bad man, I mean, I know you want me to say dude.
Speaker 2Be realistic about it.
Speaker 1One bracket, I think I quickly filled out two. One I had Auburn, one I had Florida and of those if I had to pick, yeah I think one it will be one of those top teams, like I think. One it will be one of those top teams, like I see a number one seed. It wouldn't surprise me if any one of them took it. But yeah, I'm leaning closer to Florida and Duke.
Speaker 2Yeah, oh, florida does not sound bad, but I will say because only because I felt that about five different brackets, and in one of them I had Maryland as a shocker. It's not much of a shocker at the four seed, but yeah, that'd be a nice little storyline. You know Maryland's, you know Florida. Obviously they've reached the mountaintop too. They were the last back-to-back champion and prior to UConn, yeah, they were the last back-to-back champion with that Yoakim Noah team. I actually liked that team. Al Horford, corey Brewer they had my guys on that squad.
Speaker 3They were stacked, they had some height on that squad boy and they were rough.
Speaker 1They had some dogs.
Speaker 2Yeah, and they stayed back to make sure that they could run it back. Like that was a different time. Now these guys, you know I get it, you think the grass is greener and you know people don't understand that the grass is green where you water it. But you know, you think you got a chance at the NBA. So you jump ship and you find out that, yeah, you might get a two-year run at the most, but it was a different time, man. But I'll let the fingers cross for the Blue Devils.
Speaker 3Kyle.
Speaker 2Horford's still out here pulling.
Speaker 3I'll just say it she's crazy. Dark horse, michigan State, dark horse, michigan State, that's my dark horse.
Speaker 2Michigan State. A two-seat ain't much of a dark horse, but go ahead.
Speaker 3Go off though no, no, no, but I just think that, come on now. They're a distant two in comparison to those top born seeds. I hear what you're saying yeah, I hear what you're saying. There is a separation in talent.
Lakers Status and Playoff Outlook
Speaker 2Don't do me like that but you know that's college basketball I was shaking out for right now. But from the college ranks to the pros, you know we gotta get to it. We gotta talk about our Lakers, y'all Lakers. I got to do it Kind of my Lakers by proxy, but we got to touch on the Lakers. Yeah right, we got to go there.
Speaker 1We'll leave the light on for you, no doubt.
Speaker 3Right right.
Speaker 2Lakers are back on another little two-game skit. I'm sure they'll figure it out. As you well know, they got the doors blown off of them by the lowly Chicago Blues. And I say lowly because that team ain't got no business. No business beating nobody and putting up 145 points on their team in the NBA.
Speaker 1Yeah, Prior to that, the Lakers. My boy Kobe White. Shout out Kobe White.
Speaker 2Oh, kobe White. Oh, legitimate talent. He did his thing, but Jesus. But yeah, I've had a love for playboy since the unc. I got to give it to him. I thought he was, you know, kind of like the second coming of ty lawson with more refined skill set. But yep, I mean they got some players there, but but not enough to be putting up 145 on the lakers that put, you know, lebron and luca on the floor. I want to say kobe had what? 36? Yeah, I mean, yeah, shit, who else? What's the other cat up belt z? I can never pronounce his name right didn't happen. And I and prior to that, obviously the lost in Milwaukee Bucks you know yes that's, that's kind of expected.
Speaker 2Anybody tripping off that one like you put you on this right lineup. Even without Dame they got enough to beat that Laker team and you know, and that was depleted Laker team in the first place, it wasn't like you know, they no austin reeves, no lebron, no luca, no, no, pretty much the starting lineup was out of action for that game. So that was to be expected. Uh, the chicago loss kind of stings some, because that's a game you definitely should have pulled off. There's really no excuse for not at least making it closer.
Speaker 2So given that and prior to, that those three wins they strung together and a good and I'm gonna give it to him a good quality win over denver, even without yoke itch in the lineup. Yeah, that denver team is still good enough to be competitive, if not win that game. Lakers happy to pull it out, so they wrote a little three game high, came back down for that little two game skid. What do you guys make of the Laker team going into this last final 15 games for the playoff starts? How, I mean, have you had any surprises, any revelations, anything we've seen in the last two games that you're concerned about?
Speaker 1I mean with the team being disjointed and broken and kind of busted up, not really Even with them coming back last night and getting you know their key guys back. You can just tell like that that takes time, energy and effort to get fully healed and they're still learning each other. So it's kind of like I while I want to be I had you know in the back of your head. You're always like we really need to tighten up at this point. I think if they're healthy, more than anything one Jackson Hayes has filled the shoes that he needed to.
Speaker 1I think that's the biggest surprise for me this year because I know that was the big thing they needed. But it's also a testament to Luka, because Luka just does for him to be the score he is. He really does pass the ball when he needs to and gets other people involved, which is the measure of a great player. You know you can be good on your own every game when you can elevate somebody else. That's really when you get into the great. So that I'm actually looking forward to but I'm not too overly concerned. I think the biggest thing is if they all get back healthy because think about it when's the last time we've seen all of them together. We talk about Rui Braun, austin, luka Jackson, hayes, vandal all of those guys on the floor at the same time, if we can get to that point where they're healthy contributing. Now that we have a new you know, gabe Vincent's turned the page and is now contributing I think it's going to be an exciting playoff to watch. What about you, bear?
Speaker 3I think the same thing, but I think that we need you there. I think the same thing, but I think that we need. I mean, I believe you know we have a couple of two-up games before we get to get to the real deals Like we're going to face. You know we're talking about Golden State towards the end of the season. We got OKC twice, we got the Rockets. You know, even the Pacers is a good team now. So you know, and we still have the Grizzlies. I mean, there's listen, I think this is the best time. No, no, there isn't.
Speaker 2But I think you got a little. You got a nice little easier road. The next two games and they should be able to get some. Get back on Chicago in the 27th.
Speaker 3We need to get back on track with those. Yeah, you're right, you know, get back defensively to get back to the groove that we were doing. You know that we had. But see, the addition of, you know it's a few guys that we got to kind of work back into the fold, you know, and Hachimura's been going I mean how long, and we were just getting him back. So we got to work him into the fold. We got to. He got to kind of get his footing.
Speaker 3I'm not really concerned about everybody else. Honestly, I'm not concerned about, you know, lebron, and you know Luca and everybody else that's getting back on because they didn't, they didn't miss, you know, extensive, extensive amount of time compared to, like, hachimura. You know what I mean. And I think LeBron, you listen, we saw the pictures, we saw the video footage. Lebron, he's out but he's warming up, dunking, hopping up at his son's championship game. Clearly it was nowhere near as bad as we thought it was and he knew it. I think that those are going to be some tester games that's going to tell me, because those are going to be playoff atmosphere games, those two OKC, and I don't think they're going to sit there guys. I think they may send them after maybe the first one, maybe after the first game, maybe after the first one.
Speaker 1I think you played the psychological game there. Yeah, I agree with that.
Speaker 3Yeah, but that first game no doubt they're going to, you know, because there's no need to. I think after the second game the Lakers only got like four or more games. I think that's their last. I think we only have like four or more games, three more games after that second. So I don't expect them to go ahead and play them, but we still got. We still got the rockets that we're gonna, you know. Second to last game, that that warriors game.
Speaker 3These are gonna be test games that are really gonna show like if we're that team, because we need to go into the team and to the playoffs, not leaking and railing and lunging, and we need to go in there full force and be at like we have to be playoff ready already because we don't know, and we have to win because we don't want to drop down too far. Every game is crucial, that's true. Six is so tight that I mean, look at it. We went on a short skid and we were down to like four or six, just that fast. And we still have teams that are winning Golden State, you know, that's a man I'm telling you, I, I, I think this is going to be an exciting playoff, but I think the lakers are up for the task. I think that lebron james being away was a great thing because it allowed other players to flourish even without great, because you need that, you have to have, you know, guys step up. That's what the playoff is about, that usual basketball. Like, yeah, we, yeah, it was for the season, but I need you to step up in places because we know in a seven game series, you're going to make adjustments as a coach, so there's certain things that you're going to take away during the course of that series and other guys are going to be left open and they're going to, they're going to test you like well, we'll see, and I think that's going to be. That's the one key to the lakers that I want to say.
Speaker 3In the last couple years I was worried about, but this year, you know, because I saw the progression of, you know, some of our players, really a lot of our players progressed this year and it was a sight to see.
Speaker 3Because I think that's what's necessary to make a deep push. And that OKC game I'm gonna I'll say this, and maybe it's just me being a Laker fan if we can win that game, I think that's gonna put a mental, some mental pressure on OKC if we beat them. I think that's that's a psychological issue and I think that's gonna be in our favor going into the postseason. That think about this if we can turn it out, beat Golden State OKC, beat the Grizzlies and the Rockets oh man, I'm telling you right now, I think it'll be a psychological thing where we're putting everybody on notice Like the Lakers are in playoff form, ready to make a deep run be successful. Because, like I said, okc obviously I know you say Denver, but for some reason I just don't have that feeling of that Denver team in previous years where we couldn't get past them.
Speaker 2You feel like that. Huh, you ain't got no fear of the Denver Nuggets huh, I don't, I mean, I think, that's the general consensus, though I agree that most.
Speaker 1I really do think, when you look at it and it's only because, as well as they have been playing, they have not done enough in the playoffs to where people are. Like, you listen to a lot of folks talk and it's like, okay, see, it's going to be hard out, but when it comes to the Lakers, it's like and what we have to do? What we do need to keep in mind, though, is that the Lakers don't have the dominant big that ad was, because ad was a big part of giving chet and some of those other guys an issue, so maybe that is an underslept point, but yeah, I agree. Just in dealing, talking with laker fans, most people do not fear. Okay, see, and they got more than enough talent to be feared.
Speaker 1I mean, as far ahead as they are in the standings, you would think, yeah, nobody wants to. I mean, you definitely don't want to be in the first round playing OKC. You know what I mean you want to get out of the side of that bracket until you don't want to see them, until you get to the finals. But yeah, I kind of agree with that. What about?
Speaker 2you know, let me quickly amend the point I had earlier. The Lake actually have 12 games remaining on their schedule and you guys went through some of the top teams in the West they faced. But let me throw this at you too the Lakers, currently sitting in fourth, only a game behind the Denver Nuggets at third, and on their heels are the Grizzlies. A Grizzlies is half a game behind them. Let me ask you guys this, because you guys okay, I'm with you, chris the Thunder, for some reason, despite their record, I'm just not, I'm not, I'm not shook in the least bit.
Speaker 2If I'm a Laker fan, right, I'm just not worried about them. I don't think they figured it out as of yet. I think if you can figure out a way to kind of frustrate Shea and take him out of a series, it's pretty much done for Ain't nobody? I like Jalen Williams, first time All-Star put that kind of weight on that young brother. I don't think he's quite ready to take over them reins in the absence of Alexander and step up and really replace him in terms of that production. Quietly, you know, it's funny. If I'm looking at the Lakers, right, the teams ahead of the Lakers don't scare me, other than maybe the Nuggets? I think the Nuggets are Really, you just I don't know, I'm just not. The Nuggets are like the Warriors to me. Now I'm not willing to write them off.
Speaker 1I cannot do it. I can't.
Speaker 2This is a championship team. You can say what you want about their championship. It was legit and as long as you got Jokic on the court healthy, it's going to be a hard out. I'm more worried about the teams in the rear view the Grizzlies, the Warriors and the Clippers, and you can say what you want. The Clippers are on a five-game winning streak. They've been looking impressive. But for all we say about the Clippers and their franchise and their history and their organization and their bad luck we damn near did a whole segment and a show on them. If this was ever a time for them to put it together, it's seeming like this might be the perfect storm for them this year.
Speaker 2I'm not saying that it is. I'm not about to sit up here and give anybody that kind of false hope. Clipper fans, if you're listening, don't take it like that. It ain't really. I'm not giving no big this ain't no big ups like that. Trust me when I tell you that. But I'm just saying they are in the rear view and they creeping up. Them and the warriors and the grizzlies are right on our lakers heels and anything could happen in the next 12 games or so. And yeah, we're talking about that because me I'm looking at the one through six right play out the plan. It might get a little mickey and sticky. I don't know how that's gonna work out, but that one through six lakers got the grizzlies and the Warriors directly behind them.
Speaker 1Those are the teams that scare me if I'm the Lakers.
Speaker 1Right. Little room for error, very little. You know. The funny thing is at the top one of those teams that I do have some slight maybe not as much now with Luka but Houston's youth, at their coach specifically, has given us problems in the past where it's not so much just the fact that they're young, but it's how they scheme with their youth. That has been a problem for us in games, where it's like, yeah, we've had to really work and in a weird way I'd almost be like I'd be a little more concerned about that than OKC, which sounds crazy. But yeah, you bring up a good point, because the one thing about veteran teams and it's what you always see and it's exactly why we don't have that faith in OKC per se is that they are proven, right, you who wants to go up against Steph a motivated Steph, knowing that, hey, these these days behind me are way less than the ones in front of me, so if I got this much left to get it, and then me and jimmy gonna do this, that's a dangerous combination. There he comes back and he because he, but there isn't anything championship wise that he hasn't accomplished, right, you know. So I think that would be.
Speaker 1Concerning the clippers, yes, because they're playing good basketball, because ty loo is very.
Speaker 1The one thing I've always given him credit for is having a mind and an ability to understand his talent and to keep them relevant. There hasn't been a time in recent years where we've just been able to say Clippers, and Clippers are old, they're trash, they fall off, they disappoint. But at least they're in a place now where they actually disappoint. You know what I mean. Like before it was a disappointment for them to be like oh, I thought this was the year they were going to. Before it was like you couldn't be disappointed if you weren't available or even in the conversation. So Ty has done a good job of keeping them relevant. And I think, to be honest, kawhi Leonard is on his last leg. We've all known it. They've tried to hide it and mask it and everything, but to be honest, this is probably his last year. In my opinion, I wouldn't be surprised if he's got another year or two left with a knee that just seems to keep deteriorating and I just don't know how much more he can give.
Speaker 2Yeah, whatever it is, it's got to be a degenerative situation.
What Men Want But Never Ask For
Speaker 3They never said it, but by all accounts, that's what it looks like and the way I see it is. I think the Lakers this is going into it. Like I said, it's how the Lakers need to meet, not necessarily dominate in the playoffs, but it's what they need to do. I believe that we should be able to get through teams five games, maybe six, but you can't let them linger because I think that affects LeBron James. We got to kind of hurry up and do away with teams. But when you think about it, like you said, chris, I look at the Rockets and from a standpoint of you know the coaching, I may as well Listen. He's a great coach. You know. We understand the circumstance. What happened? I mean, I still think he got, you know, a raw deal with Boston, but nonetheless, he is, he was getting in a raw deal, and that's how he got over here.
Speaker 3But that Houston. But you look at that team, they'll put up a fight and that's one of those things where Lakers have to come out as a veteran team with that, you know, kind of with that swagger like let's get it done, Cause we understand, the longer you let this linger. And yes, I don't. Honestly I don't want to see a golden state, because I know that's going to be a hard fought series. I know it will and I don't, I wouldn't want that first round.
Speaker 1Somebody's going to get worn down Right and with that Houston common bear, I think the one thing that I feel about houston that gives them a slight edge is houston is disrespectful, like they are. They are young and arrogant like you. Oh yeah, like that's.
Speaker 2That is their energy like they and they are very. They got that ym energy, no doubt a couple of times like don't forget who I had.
Speaker 1it's like yeah, yeah, I mean you, you, you played with my new bowl. It feels like I mean you, you, you played with Manu Bowe. It feels like I mean like you played with uh, and, and that's the energy they give him, like pops it out, yeah.
Speaker 3That's the coach. Remember the boss, yeah.
Speaker 1I mean, even he looked up on Brown like what are we doing Like, oh yeah, good yeah.
Speaker 2So I think, that's why, when I look at them, I give them a slight advantage, because they really are disrespectful, like your time is up yeah, they got that again.
Speaker 3They got that yn energy like in full swing. They are not playing about that.
Speaker 2That's the like, the thunder right, okc is young, but they don't have yn energy. No, they have that. They have the swag of a young man who who looking to transition into an older, respectable man where the Rockets is like we ain't got no interest in that shit, we about to smoke. You know, we on some BS it is what it is who want it with us.
Speaker 1Casey is the new age suit. Right the skinny skinny pants Pretty much. No socks.
Speaker 3Right above the ankle I got a half iron and some jeans.
Speaker 2Yeah, he wouldn't fly. Yeah, but he ain't reckless, I ain't wearing the leg.
Speaker 3I'm not wearing the leg, sleeve the elbow sleeve Are we? Getting grounded? No, but you know, that's the thing. I just think that it depends on where the Lakers place, because, honestly, I mean you look at it for the exception, I mean the play-in, the. Yeah, I don't know if wouldn't it be crazy if dallas get in, because I think they're trying to bring back your boy ad, like, to let him play, like for what? Like?
Speaker 2it makes no sense, you right you get to sniff a plan to have that flame out, but the problem is phoenix is playing so bad're tied Like it can easily go all the way.
Speaker 3That's crazy, right man? Dallas is like bro, I'm not even trying to do it, bro, Please. Phoenix can't get out their own way. That's the problem.
Speaker 2You know what I'm saying? That is wild.
Speaker 3Like bro, you couldn't win. Like we have no one and we still getting a couple games here and there. So we have no one and we still get in a couple games here and there, because I look at it. But I think that the Clippers we'll see. Because do we believe that the Clippers, if they have to play in face Minnesota, they can beat them?
Speaker 2You know what? The Clippers impressed me? Only because, considering Kawhi's condition, they figured out a way to still be in the hunt and look pretty good, and they've got bets.
Speaker 1I mean, listen, it's the Norman Powell right the zoo but they figured a way out, james Harden being back in that point guard spot Like it wasn't. Yeah, like they, they maximize what they have, but they have a coach who understands what it takes and even though they haven't taken that next step, yeah, anytime Ty is involved, he's going to put his team in the best position to win. So I'm with you on that. I wouldn't want to deal with that because eventually what's going to happen is it's just going to get to a point to where these Western Conference teams are softening each other up and it'll be who's healthy enough to survive that first fight you know what I mean To move on to the second.
Speaker 2So I think it's going to be interesting, but definitely.
Speaker 2Yeah, definitely think it's going to be interesting. But definitely, yeah, definitely, but real quick. I want to throw this at y'all real quick. Quick question, uh, before we move on. Yeah, as it stands again, lakers just a half game ahead of the grizzlies, right in their rearview mirror. If it stays at this, lakers four, grizzlies five, because it doesn't matter what happens after that, they'll be locked in the top six. That should. That's your first round matchup. How do y'all feel about that? Like, what are the Lakers' chances if that is the case, if they can hold that position at 4-5 against Memphis?
Speaker 3I think we will, man I mean, you know, I don't want to say that Call it for what you see Everybody.
Speaker 3What do you mean? I think I'll say this Depends on how we finish the season. If we finish it shaky, then that first round we're going to have to fight, because I think if we set the tone, like I said, we win that OKC, not the game where they're probably going to sit people. I want to beat them at full strength because I think that's going to destroy their. Like I said, we understand who they got as their leader, but I don't know how mentally strong he is. I need to put everybody on notice. So if we can get there, I'm not afraid of Memphis. I mean, listen, they're going to put up a fight, but I think if we jump out on them early and break their backs early in the series, I think it'll be it.
Speaker 3Listen, this isn't that Memphis Grizzlies that we played when you know, when I thought we had a chance, when we still had AD. This isn't that Grizzlies team. They don't scare me like the previous years. I don't. I mean they're a great team. I just don't look at them as like that's that team. Oh, don't get me wrong, we don't need to sleep on them. We don't need to sleep on any team, but I just I'm not looking at that team, like you said. I agree with Chris, I mean the only ones besides, obviously. You know, really you think about it more. Houston they got a certain swagger. I don't think the Grizzlies have that type of swagger that really upsets anything that we're doing.
Speaker 2And not YN, I don't, I'll say it but no, I mean, they got one.
Speaker 3He was playing YN, you know.
Speaker 2I mean with that energy on the.
Speaker 3Rockets' half. They don't have that. No, they ain't got that rough rider, that roughneck energy You're right.
Speaker 1The difference is we've seen Memphis self-destruct. We've seen what it looks like when Bron gets on a roll and now he's looking over at them and they are stuck and they are kind of imploding on themselves. We've seen that happen before. So with a new facilitator like Luka, I think that just adds another level of frustration where you don't get that same double, double, triple double. You got out of AD. You're still going to get those points because of the rolls to the baskets which might get them in foul trouble and some other things, because of the rolls to the baskets which might get them in foul trouble and some other things. So when I think, when you start to line up and cancel players out, yeah, I think the Lakers still have a little bit more than than them, and they're just they're. They're an older, wiser team.
Speaker 1It's the I know when to use that energy, where one of the things with Jaws that you still see to this day is if he's on the floor, he's on the floor. It this day is if he's on the floor, he's on the floor, it's balls to the walls. It's a lack of refinement that he hasn't figured out yet, to where all energy ain't good energy if it's just out of control sometimes to where you're actually doing more harm than help. Typically, as a coach, I'm going to tell you all energy equates to something good, but we've seen specifically with him, where that energy has taken the rest of his team out because he's doing so much. They're standing around, triple J isn't involved, and now they're just kind of trying to fight back into a game which makes them make more turnovers, more mistakes. So yeah, I should Well what Shannon say Cookie butter, cookie lines, cookie dough hands a cookie dough.
Speaker 3Lakers are fine, right, right, man. I mean this is listen. This is the best opportunity we have, because when you got a young team, like you know, okc, they're not battle-tested yet. Yeah, they're still not battle-tested but like much like the, you know their predecessors, the past OKC teams, they weren't battle-tested. Remember the Lakers, where you're able to junk out with Kobe? We got them, but once they got seasoned it wasn't no more of that. I think you only got so many times, but I think you know. Like I said, I'm not worried. It won't surprise me if my team makes it out. I'm really worried about how we line up against that Eastern Conference team. I'm not going to mention them, but you know, we know what we're talking about. Yeah, busters and Green, we don't play that over here, this Laker gang for life.
Speaker 2You mean the defending champions? Hey, put some respect on that.
Speaker 3No, we don't play that. We don't play that. Put some respect on that.
Speaker 2I know we talk Lakers, but we are talking about the defending champions Sidebar.
Speaker 3I'm sorry you guys, but I just have to say it. We went out one this brother had. We in la now y'all.
Speaker 2This dude had a whole cell to get up on with the hat I just like man, I'm telling you oh yeah, it was so disrespectful, hold on, it was so disrespectful.
Speaker 3We in la baby it's, it's laker on the grab it don't do it, don't do it see. You see, I should have said it.
Speaker 1That's what I'm talking about yeah, you, you started that one but on the same side we, oh man, listen.
Speaker 3Because we getting there, put that down, put that down, put that BS down there. Because let's say this I'm telling y'all right now I know when we get to the championship, when we get to the finals.
Speaker 1When we get to the finals, brother, because we going to be there. I don't know if y'all going to be there.
Speaker 3Y'all got y'all one, but y'all ain't about legacy. Like us, we try to win. So y'all got y'all one, but we about to get there. I'm claiming it now. You know you can start at something. We going to win it. Bron, bron going to get another one with the Lakers man. This, he finna earn, he about to earn you statue. I'm going to say it yeah, I'm putting it out there. I'm going to put that out there, since you want to.
Speaker 2I'm ready for a repeat. But I listen, I'm not about to sit up here and dismiss the Cavaliers and what they've done. So we got to get past it.
Speaker 1It is, I think, with the trades that we've seen and everything so far towards the second half of this season, really saved the NBA. I mean, like with Luca coming over, like all of these small things, just kind of that was big.
Speaker 2but I have a lot of DMs with that. I will calm down man Chuck going to come after you with that one?
Speaker 1Yeah, I wouldn't hey father bring it, we let's, we can go there.
Speaker 3Right right.
Speaker 1It did because it gave an energy. If you think about what the conversations we had, it was why basketball was failing Right. Why are we not engaged as long-term basketball lovers? Why is that not so? Regardless of what he's saying, the proof is in the pudding because, no matter where you go, the Lakers are a topic, so much so that he has to complain about it where it's like. Whether you like it or not, they're in everybody's mouth for a reason.
Speaker 2I've said it before as a Celtic fan the Lakers are doing good, the NBA is doing good. That's a matter of fact, whether you like it or not. I mean, I'd always like it, but it's the truth.
Speaker 3I mean not when the Celtics are doing good, yeah yeah, let's mention that. You know, we'll see you there.
Speaker 2Once we beat y'all to 20, then I'll switch sides, okay.
Speaker 3All right there it is so y'all heard it first here I guess he'll say a Celtic fan name. That's how you hold it.
Speaker 2And race to 20. We got to get there first. There it is.
Speaker 1All right, y'all. Last segment, new segment we're bringing on there. So what I'm? You know I've discovered this place called Reddit A little late, but you talk about finding some topics, some things on Reddit. So new segment called what Y'all Think. I'm just going to ask the fellas a question that I happen to run across while scrolling on Reddit. Get a little insight, and this one has nothing to do with basketball, so this will be good. They have no clue what the question will be. This may end up being a weekly segment. So the question what y'all think? What is something men want but never ask for? What is something men want but never ask for?
Speaker 2yeah, yeah, I gotta think about that. You go ahead and cook on that. Yeah, I gotta get some thought because I'm thinking is it we talking about physical, tangible things? Are we talking about?
Speaker 1anything.
Speaker 3The answers that ranged on here was I'll go, and that's just something that pops up in my head yeah, man, I think we want love and affection, but we don't ask for it. I think that is, uh, and the reason why I say that, and it just popped up in mind because it comes off as soft. And you know, and we, and men too, we just don't want to be like baby, won't you love on me? You don't want to be like. So it's one of them things where I don't want you.
Speaker 3I don't need you to caress my back, necessarily, and just make it like, oh, baby. But I just sometimes, you know man, especially, you know right, I don't mind you just coming up there and be like you know, baby, let me just, we want to be peppered to at times in our own way. You know, rent us some bath water and let us soak and cook us a dinner. We don't want to have to ask for it. I think it's it makes feel like, at least for me, it would make me feel like I just ain't the manly thing to do, like I felt like I'm coming up to you like babe, do you think it would be possible if I could pardon you for a piece of love?
Speaker 3Like you know what I mean. Like, do you have a little? Do you have a little bit of affection? Did you spare some affection? Love and affection, yeah, Like right.
Speaker 2Did you spare some affection? Love and affection, yeah Right, like grapefruit varnish. Well, you know what?
Speaker 3Because it's like that, like I wouldn't like. For me, you know, whether you know, as a man, I think, whether you're dating, in a relationship or even single, I would never ask a woman, or even look at a woman to pay for going out for anything. Right, I don't care, like that's just automatic, like this is what it is, but it would shock me out of every thousand times that I always cover it, which is no problem. I do it without thinking to say you know what I got you Sometimes, especially from the one that you love, that, that significant other. You just want to know, like that you were thinking of me, like I think of you.
Speaker 3Because you know, man, a lot of times we are in position where we think about our significant other and our families way before we think about ourselves. You know, like for me it is hard to buy a pair of shoes. It's not that I can't, I'd just be thinking about everything else, like somebody needs something, or or I just saw something I think you know. You know what I mean. So to have something to revolt, the roles be reversal. And I'm not talking about on Father's Day, you know what I'm saying, I'm talking about just on a random, because that Father's Day man, come on now, that's that, that is. I mean, that's not even a consolation prize. Like you, you don't even get the food you want. Like at this point, you know, as men we just be like, you know what.
Speaker 1Take this macaroni card.
Speaker 3Right, you know how about this? You just be like, just let me be, just let me do what I want to do, wherever that is, whatever I choose to. Like I said.
Speaker 2I don't do that. Your wife is appreciative on father's day. We got, we're lucky to have wives that make us feel appreciated on Father's Day. I can't speak to that one right there, no, no, no, I'm not talking about Father's Day per se.
Speaker 3I'm saying more so for men, for all of us, that to have somebody, you know that will come, and I'm not saying that women do it. You know they don't do it because they don't think about it and maybe because women don't really. These are conversations that you know we don't have. About relationships is that men want to feel wanted too. Every now and then, For every millionth time that I do for you because I just love you, that one keeps you going. I don't know if women really recognize that you thought about me like hey, baby, the kid's gone and hey, I laid it out for you because I know that it's been a while Not to go with me and getting hot and heavy. I ain't trying to go there with it, but I'm just saying all encompassing, like it's all you that's part of a relationship.
Speaker 3You know that, physical, even emotional, all that, like men, sometimes we need a recharge. That's the thing. Men, a little goes a long way with men, like it go, can go the distance, like I'm back and running, but we're opposite of women. That little drop was enough to keep me rolling for the next couple years. You know what I mean. It's just to say that, hey, I was thinking about you. You know some Jill Scott, I was just thinking about you. I mean what you doing, what you did not do.
Speaker 2What do you say, ray, doing that's cool, what you did not. What do you say for me? Because I know that I believe I guess it's different for every man, so to a man you'll get a different answer. Obviously, right, yeah, for sure. But I, I like to believe I know us as a species be, having been one all 45 years of my life, you know, with no break. Yeah, right, we're vocal about wanting physical affection, like we don't. We do not shy away from that, like we're very vocal. I know me, I'm not. I'm gonna let it be known, you know, I'm saying like I'm not about to beat around the bush, I'm gonna. I'm gonna ask for it, I'm gonna, if I need be, I'm gonna do everything short of begging for it. We get to that point, we, we, somewhere. If I gotta do all that, but I'm gonna everything short of it.
Speaker 2I said I mean, you know I'm not too proud to do it, but I hope I wouldn't have to right. But I will say what I think kind of long lines what you said, robert. I know for me and this is just me personally I'm sure a lot of men feel this way we've never admitted, damn it. I don't want to say it now because who knows who might be hearing this shit, and you know, what?
Speaker 3I'm a married man, so it don't matter.
Speaker 2Ladies, however you feel about it. If you want some, if you want some childish shit about this type of stuff, then peace be your journey. Sis. Like, go live your life. But I'm married and happy over here, so it really don't matter how you feel with us. I'm just glad we don't ask for or we're not open about the fact that, like you mentioned it, like we want to be loved on. We don't ask for it, we don't ask for attention, but I think we do need it. I think we want to be desired, the same way women want to be.
Speaker 2When you want to be noticed when you dressed, when you dressed up and look nice, it ain't got to be. You know, just a compliment. It ain't got to turn into no flirtation. Men want to be some. You know, just a compliment. It ain't got to turn into no flirtation. Men want to be. We don't ask for acknowledgement, we don't ask for attention, but it's nice to get it from women who aren't your wife, because your wife is. Sometimes you feel like she's obligated to say those things to you, even though she's not. But it feels like that. So to hear from somebody else it's just like okay, it lets me know one, because we still got to feel like we kind of still got it. We can go out there and hunt and fish, right, if need be. Right, we ain't put our spears down. We might have retired, put them in the corner, but we ain't, we ain't tossed them out completely, because you might never know when you got to get out there and get to hunting again. I'm not saying hopefully, god forbid, I'd never have to, you know what I'm talking about. But we don't ask for those things.
Speaker 2But men do seek that. We do want it, we do want to be wanted, we want to feel attractive, we want to feel like. You know, we attract on our physical appearance, not just our personalities. Because, men, the good thing about being a man is that we can make up for it in other ways. A lack of finances, you can have some charm. A lack of looks, you can have other things going for you that attract women. It doesn't have to be all the physical and tangible stuff, but I think, men, we don't ask for what we desire a lot, which is attention, which is, I mean, we don't fish for compliments, but it'd be nice to get it. We don't ask for it, but it'd be nice to get some acknowledgement. It'd be nice. You know what I mean. We don't ask for that attention, but we need it too, because we are humans and we feed on that and we thrive on it, the same way women do. Now we don't need as much of it, but we don't ask for it because we feel ashamed to ask for attention.
Speaker 2So that's my other thing that I think of, but that's one of them that came up.
Speaker 1That was the top of my list that I could think of offhand. So in looking at this question, one of the first things that came up was affection, specifically just hugs, like there's something about walking in a house and being hugged and being embraced that a lot of guys were like yeah, it's that simple stuff like compliments, what do you have on you know, what do you wear? What does that smell you?
Speaker 2smell good and the funny thing is fragrances for it to not be acknowledged, right you ain't gonna let me know I got some bond number nine, that I take out the for special occasions. You ain't gonna tell me I smell nice.
Speaker 1Come on, says right so the funny thing is that is that we all had. I mean, of course, then you, you know you get some of the the more vocal. Hey, bend that over real quick, like I shouldn't have. But I mean that that speaks to, but it speaks to the totality of who you are as a man right, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3Like hey there's.
Speaker 1There's a an emotional connection. There should be a physical connection. We should be checking all these boxes. But yeah, it was interesting to see that. I agree, I think sometimes the other day I wore something and and I put it on and it was in the. It was actually in the workplace. I mean, my wife worked at the same building and so I walked up I needed to grab something and she looked me over real quick and had a little smile on her face. She's like I like that, like how you put that together, and I walked away and I didn't even realize what that did for me. But all of a sudden I was like, yeah, I did that.
Speaker 3Yeah, and it was something so simple.
Speaker 1Yeah, Something so simple. It just got chilly in this mother, but it was. It was something so simple and so subtle, but yeah, that that took me through the rest of my work day. Like yeah, and so the funny thing is you mentioned it we don't need it as much or all the time, I would argue we just don't know how much we need it because we've never allowed ourselves to need it.
Speaker 2That's a good point too.
Speaker 1You know what I mean, where it was like yeah, so it was interesting to see something as simple as a hug, you know, positive affirmation, with somebody like, hey, just just somebody acknowledging hey, you, you are doing this for us, you're doing a good job, and sometimes those small things you just don't know. So, ladies, if you're listening, be sure to go hug your man, tell him he looks good, toot that ass up, no.
Speaker 2I'm just kidding you know what I'm saying you know, a compliment goes a long way. I need you to bust it wide open.
Speaker 3You know what I'm just saying.
Speaker 2It get like that.
Speaker 3When you're in a marriage you've been in a long-term relationship, you know sometimes you got to keep it because you know you have women say like you, better act like you. Like that version of you, baby, you looking fine is. Remember you got a home to come home to.
Speaker 2Or you know, like don't get fucked up who you dressing up for, what you mean.
Speaker 3I'm just here, apply, don't get fucked up Like no, what you're going to do is you're going to take your ass to that room and we gonna talk about this. Right, you know, I need to. You know what it is. I want to feel like. I want to feel like what's the, what's the song? I want you to want me, just like. I want you, right, I like you know what I'm saying. Yeah, marvin said it best. You know. I want to feel like a marvin gaye song when I get dressed up. You know I'm saying I done threw on the fit I got I'm. You know I I'm out here alone, but I, you know I got it. I got it looking smooth. The beard game is on point. You know what I mean. You in slow motion walking out like man, I done sprayed on that, I sprayed on that thing. You want her to look at you with them eyes like damn, he just don't like. You know this is mine.
Speaker 1You know what I mean.
Speaker 3That this is mine. When you come home, it's waiting for you. Yeah, I need that, I need that energy you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2That type of energy, yeah, when your wife sees you going out somewhere and you're getting all dressed up and you put on your best, smell good, and she tell you like I'm going to wait up for you when you get home, all right, I'm not going to go to sleep tonight.
Speaker 3You know what time it is like yeah, baby, that's what I wanted, like never mind yeah, I know what I'm doing is great, but the action is like yeah, bro, I'm just my last beer because I'm about to yeah, yeah, in your mind like I'm about to blow it. I'm about to, boy, I'm about to put on a performance right now and you ain't even understanding. But then again, you know what I've. I've heard something. I think listen, there's probably a few times you'll hear me quote any words from Steve Harvey. But I have to understand.
Speaker 3Like when you've been with somebody for so long as you get older, you got to cook that. You got to. You know you got to prep that meat early on, early in the day. Be like baby. You was looking, you know, have yourself a great day. I just I'm just texting you to let you know I was thinking about you. You was looking so good and so beautiful. Baby, I still smell you. You know you got to do all that. You got to do a whole lot of marinating that fish before you fry it in the pan, and I get that too. But on the same side, I just need to. You know it's been a long week and you know you've just been busting your butt. You just need somebody to look at you like you a piece of meat. You know I'm saying I need to be, I want to. You know what you know. I'm saying what I've heard. Some people's like man. You know what couples got to go back to slutting each other out like y'all need that.
Speaker 1You got to slut each other out every now and then, I'm welcome.
Speaker 1This full circle, yeah, and, to be honest, it is the essence of what your marriage is supposed to be, because I can only do this with you. You know what I mean. Like this is this is where my commitment lies. This is me and you. So, yeah, I thought that was. I thought that was an interesting question. I like the responses, but I think you you noticed three different guys all married but, hey, we fell right in line with kind of the general consensus, but that fact that, yeah, you'd be surprised at what a little, a little towards your man goes a long way. So, yeah, that was a good segment. I think we might bring that back next week.
Speaker 2And I will say real quick I wanted to say the other one that was on my mind.
Speaker 1It was real.
Speaker 2And I think most guys can connect with and resonate with is not just from women, but just from the world in general. Sometimes we don't ask for it. Can we ask for a break from feeling like having to and appear like we have it all together, because I don't always have it all together. Sometimes I'm flying, I'm building it as I fly and I'm trying to. I'm just as scared and nervous as you are, but I can't say it. I can never intimate that yeah, like yeah, I'm not sure how this is going to work out.
Speaker 1I got a handful of screws and don't know where to get.
Speaker 2But you need the top of that. Yeah, I would say from my spouse and from our partners. I think it's important Because women don't understand how men are. We're pretty damn easy. Like our instruction manual is all the five pages. You know what I mean. Like their manual is more in peace. You know what I mean.
Speaker 1It's the art of war. Don't leave them hungry. Don't leave them hungry. Don't leave them hungry.
Speaker 2Pretty much.
Speaker 3That's right. He'll go out there and fight wars for you.
Speaker 2No doubt. Literally, we've done it for eons, since the beginning of time. We'll fight wars for you, we'll build homes. But now, you know, I heard real quick, I thought it was funny, it was I don't know if he was a comedian or whatever. It was on social media and he was playing a clip of. I want to say it was Lotto and she was making an argument because, you know, you got, you got these, these code, these, uh, not culture, these gender wars going on, especially with black men and women, and it's kind of disgusting. Sometimes they're just fun discussions and she was talking about how she wants a traditional man, how y'all be one traditional woman, but y'all ain't out there building their homes. It's like and you made a great point Like so you mean to tell me, if I ask you to make me a meal, I got to build you a home. That's your equivalent. Like, I want a plate of food and you asking me, have I built a home with my bare hands, like that's the standard baby.
Speaker 3That's the standard, okay, all right.
Speaker 2Yeah, that's a yeah. That's completely unfair. But that's women's minds. They don't understand just how simplistic we are as creatures. I wish they did know, because we got to know them like the back of our hands even though you never can, because it's such a complicated deal Filled my stomach and empty out the rest.
Speaker 1I'm good, yep, keep B rolling.
Speaker 3Keep America rolling that way.
Speaker 1Yeah, man. Good episode fellas.
Speaker 3Thank y'all for rocking with us. Yeah, man, good episode, fellas. Thank y'all for rocking with us we appreciate y'all man, find us.
Speaker 2Y'all know where to find us at man, at our website, at Buzzsprout, the Supreme Court Basketball dot Buzzsprout dot com. Again, that's the Supreme Court Basketball at Buzzsprout dot com, as well as YouTube at the Supreme Court. That's it Just at the Supreme Court. Is it basketball? I can't even remember right now, but it's at the Supreme court, I think so. And wherever you get your podcast, whether it be Google uh, what is the other one? Everybody Apple or Spotify, what have you? Just look, uh, nothing specific. But you just type in the Supreme court basketball podcast. We should pop up. We should pop up. What was L Boogie's thing? L Boogie Brooks? Oh, definitely. You know one of our affiliates, the homie Stuart London Brooks, with his podcast at no Dirt Sheets at YouTube. You can definitely follow him there. But again, yeah, you definitely got to give that a listen for our wrestling content and the wrestling lovers Definitely want to check that out.
Speaker 2And there's something else I was thinking of. Well, I guess that's about it that I can think of right now. So that's that's it for me. That's all I got for you all. I'm pretty exhausted.
Speaker 1And the book shall be good to each other. Compliment your man. That's the task, ladies. If you go ahead compliment your man this week, venture man this week. See what it does for them.
Speaker 2Right and, in turn, what it does for you.
Speaker 3You know what I'm saying? Right, right, amen.
Speaker 1Amen. Oh, shout out to the brother-in-law who got engaged over the weekend and found out he's having a baby girl. Oh man, clever though, yeah, all right, congrats. Yeah, love y'all and so all right, congrats. Yeah, love y'all that's what's up. That's some great news we've been on now for some years, so welcome to the beginning of the beautiful chapter of life, man.
Speaker 3So we celebrate you today you're on that camera van huh we out, then that's it.
Speaker 2Then right, we out that's it.
Speaker 1That's it until right we out. That's it. That's it Until next time. Hey, hey, hey.
Speaker 3Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey hey.
Speaker 1Hey, hey.