REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon
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REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon
Ovechkin Gets To 895. Florida / UCONN. Mt Rushmore of Coaches. Mike Malone. & More W/ Chef Yaku
The hosts welcome Chef Yaku to discuss Alex Ovechkin breaking Wayne Gretzky's scoring record and analyze the NCAA basketball championships, including Florida's comeback win over Houston and UConn's dominant performance in women's basketball.
• Alex Ovechkin's remarkable achievement of 895 goals breaks Wayne Gretzky's previously untouchable NHL record
• Florida's resilience in the NCAA men's championship, overcoming a 12-point deficit against Houston
• Duke's collapse in the Final Four considered more embarrassing than Houston's championship loss
• UConn women winning their 12th championship under coach Geno Auriemma with Paige Beckers leading the way
• Debate over the Mount Rushmore of sports coaches, featuring John Wooden, Red Auerbach, Bill Belichick, Geno Auriemma, Coach K, and others
• All-time NBA starting five selections, with legends like Jordan, Magic, Bird, Kareem, Wilt, and LeBron featured prominently
• Denver Nuggets' shocking decision to fire coach Mike Malone just before playoffs
• OKC Thunder and Boston Celtics emerging as championship favorites
• NFL draft predictions, including Travis Hunter to the Giants at #3 and Shedeur Sanders sliding to the Saints at #9
• Early MLB season observations, particularly the competitive AL East with Yankees looking to overcome injuries
And welcome everybody to another episode of Real Talk. Doc, you doing all right today.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir, yes sir, I sure am. I love it. You know, got a special guest. You do the intro Absolutely.
Speaker 1:So this is well for one. As Adam says, we've got a lot to do today. When I mean a lot to do today, we got a lot to do today on this show. Of course we're going to talk Ovechkin. We got the NCAA tournament, the men and the women's, a couple of history questions for the guys, nba and, of course, nfl drafts coming up. So you heard him on Mad Dog Sports Radio all the channels. You heard him. You've seen him probably on TV cooking and everything on the West Coast. So Chef Yaku joins us. What's going on, chef? You doing all right?
Speaker 3:Oh man, I'm doing excellent Thanks for having me. I appreciate you, fellas. It's an honor to be on here with y'all.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, brother. We love you dearly. I know you got some good takes.
Speaker 1:Let's do this, Marlon. It's our pleasure. Let's do it All. Right, Ovechkin, a couple days ago he did hit the record. So, Doc, we've been talking about this for a couple episodes now and you know, when he made the goal, he ended up sliding on the ice and everything. It was pretty electric. The atmosphere was crazy.
Speaker 2:So what were your thoughts on him getting that record? 895 goals, that's sick man. There's certain records in all the sports that you don't think will ever be broken Will's 100-point game at that time when we were children, the 2,000 yards and 73 by OJ Simpson. But what Alex Ovechkin did to the great one, breaking that record is one of Eddie's missed times missed 16 games with a leg injury. It's one of those things where he's very much underappreciated in the sports world Not so much hockey, but it's very of those things where he's very much underappreciated in the sports world not so much hockey, but it's very impressive man.
Speaker 2:This is the great one, wayne Gretzky, gentlemen, and he broke it, you know. And it's one of those things where the Capitals don't get much props, you know, and the average fan doesn't know who Alex Ovechkin is. But when you break a record like this, it goes to the forefront in any conversation. You know, props to Alex Ovechkin. He did win a title two years ago for the Caps, but this is a great one. You can talk about Sidney Crosby, sid the Kid, you know Mario Lamu, the old Pittsburgh Penguins, but you know Gordon Howe. But this is Wayne Gretzky. This is nothing to be sneezed about. So props to Alex Ovechkin for doing it, and he really went on a scoring spree because the season was winding down and he still did it, yeah. So God bless him on that, yeah.
Speaker 3:Seth, absolutely. I think one of the biggest things that I took away from this was one of the responses that I've seen from Sidney Crosby. I mean, this is a guy. They were paired up against each other, pretty much career-long rivals, you know, trying to make out to be rivals. And I think, doc, you made an excellent point. Outside of the NHL world this might just seem like something, but this is Wayne Gretzky's record. This is one of those records that we all thought was going to be untouchable.
Speaker 3:And it was done by a guy who, I mean honestly, if there was anybody that was going to do it, alex was going to do it. Just a fan favorite. I mean, no matter what team you root for, you've got to love the guy. Like you said, the season was winding down, didn't let the pressure get to him and I think that's really capped a historic career, historic Hall of Fame career. Like you said, he already had the championship. Now this record was kind of lingering and he got it done. He could ride off to the sunset, being known with the Gordie Howes, with the Yizer men, with the Sidney Crosby's, you know, with the Lemieux's. He's in that category right now. It's awesome that people are putting respect on his name 6'6", 250, Chef Yaku physical player.
Speaker 2:You know, for below average fans like myself who couldn't tell Alex Ovechkin if he fell on me in the grocery store, this has impressed us, man, and it's one of those things where I paid attention two or three months ago to Team USA versus Team Canada. I'm in the hockey playoffs, man, because of Alex Oveshkin. This is big boy stuff, you know. So, yes, props to this for bringing me into hockey, you know.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, absolutely All right. So we're going to, obviously, the playoffs. I believe they're starting pretty soon. They start typically the same round time basketball start, so we will be locked into that, all right. So, going on to the NCAA tournament, the men's and the women's Chef, I'll go ahead and start with you on this one. What were your thoughts on the ending? Obviously a very frustrating ending, with Houston not getting that last shot up. But what?
Speaker 3:were your thoughts on the championship on the men's side? I mean that championship game. It was just kind of a testament to what Florida was all year long, especially from the end of the year in the tournament. I mean they were never down too much. I mean they were down 12 points at one point. I turned the game on. I said whoa, looks like Houston's going to have one. But just the will of that Florida team, the scrappiness of that Florida team. Wilson Jr, that kid is just a player. Anytime he gets the ball in his hands, no shot is a bad shot. He really leads that team.
Speaker 3:They got some big boys down there that were able to get tip-ins and really get some offensive rebounds late in that game to kind of pull control of that game. And I think with them being so used to playing in those close games all season long, from the SEC tournament all the way into their first couple um, the first round, I mean later games they were able to pull away. I think that really showed and and helped them to kind of stay calm, stay focused in that situation. Like I said, they were never down too much, um, and they were able to just kind of pounce back and pounce back. The game was going back. It was was going back, it was back and forth. The lead changes ties and you just knew that Florida was going to be able to hold on and hang on for that and my heart goes out to the Houston team. I think once they were up so much they just didn't step on the next. You know our coaches always tell us step on their next.
Speaker 1:Don't ever let them come back.
Speaker 3:So I think once they got them down 12, they needed to go ahead and get it up 14 and 16 to really get themselves comfortable. But that Florida team just never gives up and to the last buzzer goal they're not giving up and I think that was a true testament of them being the national champions this year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh wow. And we have an episode. Well, every episode we have a segment where it's called Get it Off your Chest, and I believe Doc is this where you want to go ahead and get it off your chest.
Speaker 2:Yes, I do, man, and Chef Yaku played ball collegially, so he knows the game in and out. It's one of those things where when you have a 12-point lead, as Chef Yaku referenced, you got to put the foot to the metal man. It's not saying that Houston is offensively challenged, gentlemen, but they're pretty much a defensive team. They led the nation in defense and it was a physical game. But when you're up that much, and even late, you know you was up a little bit and you've got to hit shots. Now they did hold Walter Clayton Jr to zero points in the first half and all it took was a free throw or two to get him going. He ended up with 11, but you did a good the first half and the second half. He just went wild and that's a tribute to being a great player. But Coach Sampson at Houston man, he practiced physicalness. He does all kinds of drills putting stuff over the rim and rebounding and guys diving on the floor. But this is about their lack of offense.
Speaker 2:The last few minutes of the game, man missing shots. You know that last second shot that didn't get off the shot. What the hell was that? You know what the hell was that. You can get a shot off when you're playing at Venice Beach, chef Yaku or in Marley or Rucker Park, but it's one of those things where you go up and down and hope that you know someone of your teammates. That should never happen and I feel for Coach Sampson on that degree.
Speaker 2:I stood up knowing that Houston was going to win this game, because when they got the rock it seemed like they walked it up and took their time. You should have been attacking the basket. You go to your big man who they didn't have an answer for. The big man, you know Cryer and the other cat. You know you got to hit the shot down the stretch and find a better thing to do with second left. This is for the national title. You know, and I brought up the Adam Schein today, this is the choke job, but he didn't think it was a choke job, it was just a failed opportunity. So there you go, man, right there. You know, defensively, I think that they did enough to beat Florida, gentlemen, you know, and it's one of those things where the senior-laden team is one of those things where they won't get this year back, unfortunately. But props to Florida. They did what they had to do, you know, and take it from there, you know on that.
Speaker 1:And then I'm going to kick it back with you, doc. Obviously we didn't go on, but we saw that Final Four game with Duke. What situation was worse? What was more embarrassing Duke not being able to basically blow on the lead, or Houston what we saw last night?
Speaker 2:I think Duke, by far Duke was favorite. They were favorite to win it all. They had the hotshot freshmen Knipple and Cooper Flagg, and for them not to come away with a win, you know when all you do is have to get the ball in and hit a free throw. You know that one cat missed a free throw Fire, I think, proctor and the game is over. So that's the ultimate choke job.
Speaker 2:It's one of those things where when you're up, big 14 points and all that, and then you let Houston come back and win that game because you can't get the ball in and, going off to your knee out of bounds, houston gets the ball, hit the three. And then, not only that, cooper Flagg and you'll agree with this, shaquille, I think you're his height of 6'9" Just go to the rack with the last shot. Why are you doing a fadeaway J in the middle of the lane, where it was short? Either you're going to get the foul or you're going to make the layup. He's that kind of player. But you chose to reverse, do a reverse pivot and do a fadeaway J, and it was short because it was contested. I think the coach Shire deserved better than that man. He got outcoached, but it's one of those things where Duke blew that one they really did. That's a meltdown, that's worse.
Speaker 3:Chef, I totally agree. Going into the tournament, Duke looked like a well-oiled machine, I mean. I started looking at it and started really feeling like they were going to win it all. When they were able to handle the ACC tournament with Flag being hurt, that really showed a lot of step up, a lot of heart from the other players on that team. So I just thought that Duke team was unbeatable, I mean. But to see a seven-foot center with not a single rebound, I mean it was just so many aspects of that game where they got outcoached and just out-toughed.
Speaker 3:That's another one of those games where I kind of was like man, okay, Duke's moving on, that's what's going to happen. And then all of a sudden they just couldn't put them away. You have to be able to put teams away. You've got to drown the team when you pull them out of the water. You can't allow them to stay there and float and do what they need to do. You have to put these teams away. And we saw that with both of those games. We saw that in the Duke game. We saw that in the Duke game. We saw that in the National.
Speaker 2:Championship game.
Speaker 3:That was just a real slack government. Doc, you're absolutely right. You're 6'9". You've been going for the basket dominating all year. You needed to go to that hole on that. One Draw a foul, whatever, but you needed to go to the hole on that. We can't have that fade away in the lane. That's worse than Patrick Ewing's finger roll. So you 6'9", you got to finish in that lane. Finish through contact and will your team to a championship.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, brother. Duke blew that and apparently got some good recruits coming in. But flags going to the Leafs who was canippled? And you know this was their year I had Duke winning all in my bracket, so that's a meltdown. Mar Marlon, to ask you a question, I think me and Chef Yaku hit it right out of the park with it, or that the Houston thing that's a last second thing there Couldn't even get the shot off. I wouldn't call it a meltdown like that, even though he was up 12 early in the second half, because that's an unfortunate loss there. But the duke thing is that's a meltdown. Yeah, you know, it was a great college basketball season, man. The tournament was fun. Two and a half weeks of fun. We saw some things last second shots by maryland and some other teams, and you know this is what it's all about. So I hate to see it go, but props to Florida, absolutely.
Speaker 3:Another thing that was fun. I'm not bad, I didn't mean to cut you off, but another thing that was fun about this tournament was we saw what the NIL does for the Blue Bloods. You didn't see a lot of those Cinderella's this year.
Speaker 2:Normally you see those smaller schools with juniors and seniors being able to hang around, stick around. This year NIL got through with that. That's a very good point. Say goodbye to the VCUs and George Masons and some of the St Peters in Chicago with Sister Mary Say goodbye to that because the guy look at Clayton he left Iona and went to Florida and won a chip, you know. So, yeah, that's a very good point there. Say goodbye to that. You hate to see it go. You like to see a little, uh, mid-major. But, chef, y'all, can you bring up a good point? Man, this money has gone crazy. They said it was like 1700 division one. Athletes have already entered the portal college football and college basketball. That's on 1700 now. That unheard of.
Speaker 2:So, good point on your part.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. And then even on the on the women's side, over there, seeing Paige Beckers and Gina Oriyama winning, I think for the first time in about nine years, definitely wanted to see a better. You know, personally I want to see a better finish, but you know, uconn just dominated defensively. They swarmed the ball and had a great game plan, and Paige wasn't even the best player. You still had the rookie, the freshman, and then you had Fudd was doing great too as well. So, chef, we'll go ahead and start with you on this one. What are your thoughts on the women's championship? The women's championship was.
Speaker 3:I think Connecticut looked like that Connecticut team of old where they had three different stars that would go out and get 20, 30-point wins against teams that were ranked. It didn't matter whether you were ranked or not, and they were just going in and putting foot to ass. That's what Connecticut did. He gets players that not only are great, but players that feed into the culture of what UConn is.
Speaker 3:Paige Beckers, I mean, I'm happy for the young lady to have that finish her story or that be the end of her story, because I remember earlier in the season people were giving her static about being at too many events and they would show she's at this event and she's at that event and they were giving her some static about that. You know, maybe saying hey, when it's time to play, when it's time to you know for business, who does she show up? And I think she absolutely showed up, and Geno just added another trophy to the mantle. I thought it was going to be a lot closer. You know that South Carolina team has been dominant for, I'm going to say, four or five years. Don Saley has been doing an excellent job there. They're going to be back.
Speaker 3:But, this year was just Connecticut's year. You've got a great coach. You've got a couple stars on that team. I was hoping to see them against a healthy USC with. Juju earlier in the tournament. But that didn't work out. That didn't happen. So you know. Big congratulations to that UConn staff, and especially Paige Beckers. Much love to her.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely, brother, that UConn team, and you know I'll put you in his name. He's one of the most underrated coaches in the history of sport man with 12 titles, you know. And Paige Beckers coming off an ACL a serious injury. God bless her man with 12 titles. Paige Beckett's coming off an ACL a serious injury. God bless her man. She showed up and they do have that freshman. I forget her name for UConn, but she really had a big deal in this thing.
Speaker 2:Like Chef Yaku, I was shocked at the margin of the score because I thought South Carolina would handle the business and at least make it a game. Pow Pow and some of the other girls on that particular team and pow pow's going to the league. But I think they got a freshman in and of itself. Don staley did. They needed to step up and they didn't. You know they lost a lot last year to the wnba draft, but there's a reason why don staley is an epitome of college women, college basketball. It's just uconn's year.
Speaker 2:The margin of score is what. What, uh is what disappointed me from a fan standpoint? Now Paige Beckers and I end with this Paige Beckers puts her name up there with Breonna Stewart and Maya Moore and some of the other girls, because you've got to chip and that particular program is recognized by chips, not just the final four. So Gino has done a great job of just getting the team the final four and finishing throughout the last 20, 25 years. This guy's great man and women's sports, women's basketball, is on an uptick, you know, oh yeah.
Speaker 1:Especially going into the, the WNBA, she'll be the number one overall pick going to Dallas, so that's going to be great. It's interesting how it plays out because their season starts in about 40 days, exactly today, but the WNBA draft is going to be, I believe, in a week or so. So, just as Kaitlyn did last year, going and making as far as she did same with Angel Reese, you then go immediately right into the league. So it'll be good to see her. I know she'll be rejuvenated and ready to go and make a big difference in Dallas. So we will love to see what she does in the league. But, as you were saying on Gina Auriemma, I got a question for you guys. So, if you guys were to put, there's a lot of great coaches out there, from, you know, gino Auriemma to Nick Saban, to Belichick to Phil Jackson just so many great coaches. So, doc, I'm going to start with you. You're Mount Rushmore of coaches in any sport, doesn't matter the sport, whether it's college pros, whatever it is, you're Mount Rushmore of coaches. Who do you have?
Speaker 2:This is rough man. This is rough man. This is rough Since we ended with college basketball. You know I got to start with the wizard of Westwood, john Wooden, who has 10 titles. You know, at UCLA in the 60s and early 70s, you know you had Lew Alcindor his name at the time. Later Kareem, you had Bill Walton, then you had Marcus Johnson and those cats. I can't name them all, I just remember Kareem and Bill Walton, the late Bill Walton. So John Wooden with those 10 titles it was a different game back then. Chef Yaku, but when you talk about 10 double-digit in the double-A championship, he's my number one, number two man and I hate to do that because I'm from the East Coast. Atlanta, red Auerbach man, the Celtics. You know this is before Bill Walton was a player coach Red Auerbach, and you've got to put history in here. This is real. Red Auerbach has nine or ten, I think it's ten.
Speaker 2:It might be ten or nine, because or nine because I know Bill Russell won two as a player coach in 11 and 13. It might be 10, I don't know, but you've got to put Red Auerbach in there, Such a dominant in the NBA's infancy days and even when they was exploding Red Auerbach was there. And then third, bill Belichick man. Of course, being a Falco fan, 28-3 rings true. This guy has six rings man in the NFL, the modern NFL, where free agency is wrecking some of the stability of the teams. So you know, it's one of those things where you've got to go with Bill Belichick man in North American sports, you know, and Gino, I'll remember we just talked about him man when you have 12 titles.
Speaker 2:I don't care what gender you are when you have you know 12 titles UConn, and it's not the most sexy place you're doing that man. You know Storrs, connecticut, let's put it that way. It's not New York City or Philly, this is Storrs, connecticut. Get the recruits there. And the recruits they're all in the basketballs fellas. So to repeat John Wooden, Red Auerbach, bill Belichick and Gina Alvarez-Nema Just missing my cut is Coach K, coach Krzyzewski, f5 NCAA. Vince Lombardi I know Darby loves Vince Lombardi and Don Shuler, the all-time winningness. You know as far as not super, but winningness coach. So they just missed my cut. So there you go, right there.
Speaker 3:Nice, jeff, that's a beautiful list. It's a couple names on that list. I'll start off with Gino. Like you said, just his pure dominance that you know. He was putting together teams that just dominated. They weren't just winning, squeaking out wins, they dominated and he filled the WNBA. So like just reloading and reloading, so I got to give it to Geno. Red is another one, red Auerbach. I got a chance to kind of dive into Red's story, learn a little bit about him and just the psyche that he had. The guy was a winner, just a winner, and just was obsessed with winning and loved to win. Wood is a little bit before my time. I know there's awards. I know the greatness of UCLA and all the players that he produced. A little bit before my time, somebody that I watched very close was Jim Boeheim. Boeheim was just a master there. I mean one of the last teams to run his own.
Speaker 3:He was just a master in there in Syracuse getting wins, having a freshman-led team win the international tournament. He's just really a coach that I really feel like is up there. And then I got to go Coach K. Coach K is just I mean he looks like the Blue Devil. He's just that intense, that seriousness, touches like a sailor, but is a player's coach, wants the best out of his players, pulls the best out of his players, and I mean it was teams that we didn't think were ever going to be that good coach wants the best out of his players, pulls the best out of his players, and I mean it was teams that we didn't think were that were ever going to be that good yeah, and he was getting them to Final Fours and things like that.
Speaker 3:My honorable mention, tom Izzo, goes in there. Absolutely. He's another coach that he'll go in. He'll squeak into the tournament and next thing you know he's in the Final Four. I've seen it too many years. I don't even like to bet against the guy when he's in a tournament, he just wins. He gets players to play. And then I got to go. Bill Parcells, another one just dealing with the maniacs that he dealt with and was able to be successful. He's definitely my second honorable mention.
Speaker 2:Coach, that's a great list. That's a great list, chef Yaku. Marlon, this is brutal because we left out Nick Saban, the god of college football. Chef Yaku, if you can mention your list, I'm going to go for John Wooden, red Auerbach, bill Belichick and Gino Aranema, and Coach K and Vince Lombardi. Don Shuler is an outside looking in, but you can't forget about Nick Saban man. What he done, not only Alabama, but also at LSU, where he won a chip.
Speaker 3:Go ahead, chef Alco so yeah, mine is Coach K Bayheim, red Auerbach and Geno Auriemiemma, and, bringing in my honorable mention, is Izzo and Parcells.
Speaker 2:That's right. Interesting, that's great.
Speaker 1:I'm going to name two that I definitely thought at least one of you guys would have said. One of them, pat Summitt, with Tennessee and of course the great Phil Jackson Wow.
Speaker 3:Because those are two greats. Yeah, and the second, you said Pat Summitt. I'm like I don't know where to put her, but she's in there, yeah. You know what I'm saying that tells how hard this list is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a very good point, marlon, yeah, yeah, especially Pat Summitt. She coached Candice Parker and I don't know how many rings she got, but before Gino, I don't remember, it was Pat Summitt at Tennessee, you know, and yeah.
Speaker 1:And I got another challenge for you guys. So you guys obviously used to hoop back in the day, so we're going to switch over now to the NBA. So if you can put your all-time starting five together, who would it be? So obviously you know one through five, and then, of course, you can get a six man off the bench. Whether it can be a point guard center, it could be whoever, but starting five, chef Yaku will go ahead and go with you first my starting five is going to be a mixture of size and power and strength.
Speaker 3:So I'm going to go with the point guard. I got to go Magic Johnson, revolutionize the game. You know the mayor and a fast break. So I'm definitely going there leading them Showtime Lakers up and down the court. The two we got to go with Michael Jordan. I mean, I don't think that needs to be, I don't think that needs to be explained or argued. Three I have a toss-up because I love the guy, so I got him running. The three I'm going with Kobe Bryant.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:That's my two-guard spot, but I'm definitely going Kobe at the three.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:At the four. I'm going Tim Duncan, the big fundamental. Yeah, the guy just won bank shot, hustle, rebound and number five. I'm going with Shaq Power. Break your back blocks, run in the court. I like that first couple years with the Lakers. Shaq, that's my engine. And coming off the bench, I'm going to go LeBron James.
Speaker 1:That's a little crazy, but I got LeBron coming off the bench.
Speaker 3:I'm going to go LeBron James. That's a little crazy, but I got LeBron coming off the bench. I mean, I've seen somebody that. I've seen the interview with Tracy McGrady and he made a great point. Whether you argue he's the greatest player of all time or not, that's up to you, but to look what he's doing at 40, he's the greatest athlete, one of the greatest athletes we've ever seen, and it's a blessing, it's an honor, to be able to see him.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Great list, brother, great list.
Speaker 2:You know, my starting five is Jordan at the two Magic at the point. I'm going Larry Bird, chef Yaku, because I remember when this guy was drafted he killed the Eastern Conference, those great Milwaukee Bucks teams with Bob Lanier, sidney Moncrief, paul Presley, all that Alvarez just killed the East, killed the Hawks with Dominique and Kevin Willis. So Bird with three straight MVPs is my three. My center, I'm going Kareem, big cap man. He got six MVPs, six titles, one with Oscar Robinson and then five with the Lakers, and that's including the MVPs of those particular years. Got to go with big cap. And my four is Wilt man.
Speaker 2:The numbers that this man put up, man, you know, and obviously I didn't remember him playing. You know he retired in 73 when I was 11. This guy has 100 points. He averaged 50 and 25. It's one of those things average, I don't care the size. Back then with the other players, they still had Nate Thurman, they had Russell, will's destroyed Russell, but it's just that Russell's team's won. Will averaged 35 against Bill. This is Bill Russell, you know. And then so I got to put Wilt there. Wilt led the league in assists, you know people forget or don't know he led the league in assists as a center. Now Joker is close as a passing center but he didn't lead the league. You know played every minute of every game one year. You know Wilt did. It was a different game, obviously, but I got to put Wilt at the fore, my guy coming off the bench man is Russell.
Speaker 2:You know the winner. You got to have Russell in there somewhere. He's coming off my bench. I'm going all big. You know, I thought about Kobe and his nine first team, all defenses, all NBA First team, now Ty with Jordan, but I got to go Russell man coming off the bench man. So Jordan, magic, bird, kareem, will and Russell coming off the bench. If you're doing 70, then I'll put LeBron, but I'll stick with Russell. Yeah, I love it. I love it. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, cool, All right, so we're going to go ahead and stay with the NBA. We'll go ahead and wrap up some of these really quick. Mike Malone, we heard the news. I believe the GM is out too as well Shocking. You have less than a week I believe roughly about a week until the play-in and then you make a move like this. So, Doc, we'll go ahead and start with you on this one. What are your thoughts when you first heard the firing and what's next for the Nuggets?
Speaker 2:It's devastating, being an NBA fan, that you're a few games from the opening of the season. I know they're on a four-game losing streak, but there was some bickering involved behind the scenes with the owner and the GM. I think the owner got tired of it and it's one of those things when you're in fourth place of the seeding in the Western Conference. Fourth place now. This move should never. You wait till after the season Only a few more weeks. Who knows how far Denver's going to go. But they're vulnerable because Murray's out.
Speaker 2:You know the shooter, he's out, and so I don't agree with this man. Ain't anybody losing their job? But this is a team that just two years ago won it all and you got the best player on the planet in Joker. Yeah, you're on a four-game losing streak, but you got the fourth seed right now, with the Lakers being three. You just can't make that move. And this is on the heels about two weeks ago when Memphis fired their coach. No, it's a bad deal here relative to these owners and destroying teams and chemistry and all that. Sack plays Denver tomorrow. To answer your question, We'll know what Joker and some of those teams in the locker room players in the locker room say but on the outside, looking in, not being a Denver fan, it's an absolute disgrace. It's a disgrace right before the playoff. You couldn't wait six or seven weeks from now, during the summer, to do this. See how they do. They're in fourth place. So yeah, there you go, right there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, chef.
Speaker 3:I think, doc, you made some excellent points. I mean, you're in fourth place, a little bit of a slide, but it really shows that this was unrepairable, whatever they were going through. I mean, this is breaking up with your girlfriend the night before the prom and still going to the prom.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:It really shows how toxic the relationship between the GM and the owner and the coach, that little relationship. It shows that was toxic. So to feel that you need to cut that off so abruptly, it seems like it might have been going on for a while and you know who knows. But to pull that out, there must have been rumblings and talks and yeah, for them to do this just abruptly, it had to be toxicity where they needed to amputate that. So, hey, more power to them. Yeah yeah.
Speaker 1:So, as we look at, we'll go ahead and stay with the west, uh, as a whole. So, as we look at it, obviously the thunder, uh pretty much at 60 wins. Um, you know, you got the, the rockets there, which surprisingly it's. It's when's the last time we've seen the rockets really this doing this well and in the playoffs, that a non-james harden rockets. Um, you know, obviously we just talked about, um, you know, the nuggets and lakers, a ton of great teams. So, as we look at this, chef, we'll go ahead and kick it back with you. Who do you think is going to make it out? Or who do you think is making it to the Western Conference Finals? A better question?
Speaker 3:I got OKC, one of the teams I feel like all year long they kind of shut me up. I viewed them as the same scope I view Houston with now. I thought young team good, having fun out there running together, but they weren't going to be able to put it together properly for those vets in the playoffs. But they've shut me down. They've been able to show that they're able to come together and any questions about youth or anything like that. The boys just play hard Offensively. They're one of the most efficient teams in the league so they're going to score and defensively they step it up defensively and they're a young team. So I feel like OKC is definitely going to be there.
Speaker 3:Man living in the Bay Area. Let me tell you guys this those Warriors, they're zombies. Right now it's hard to kill them. I think Steph got a new shine of light, you know, with Jimmy Getting Jimmy Bucket. I think that toughness, that grit from those championship teams kind of rolled over. Now you got two enforcers in there. The role players are stepping up and playing and doing their thing. It's hard for me to put them out. So I got the Warriors going to the Western Conference Finals and I got those young kids going too. So we'll see how feeding works out, whether that can happen. But I just see, with the way that the Warriors are playing, I feel like Jimmy has brought a new breath of fresh air to Steph and Steph is feeling that and he's ready to make a long run. So I could see that happening.
Speaker 2:That's a good point on the Warriors man, because Jimmy goes to the rack, he gets free throw of them. Playoffs are different man, more or less defense in the half-court game from time to time. So, yeah, I can see your thought process there, because Draymond Green seems to be rejuvenated, you know. And so, yeah, I can respect that. For me more than a chef, and not because I live in LA, I think the Lakers and LeBron in his 22nd year is going to do something, because when the playoffs are over, you're going to need shooters and this is where you know Luka comes in. Remember he took Dallas, a nondescript Dallas team to the finals last year. Now, they got embarrassed, but they were there.
Speaker 2:And this is Luka's team here with the Lakers man. They got Vanderbilt, they got Hashimura, you know, and all that. Austin Reeves is underrated at league. Well, not league-wide, but for most fans, especially on the East Coast, I think Austin Reeves is going to get paid. He's underrated as a third scorer, if you can call him. He might even be the second scorer because of LeBron's age, but I think OKC they'll be facing OKC. I don't know who won tonight, but the Lakers will win about one when it went on air.
Speaker 1:Luka got kicked out tonight. Oh, he did he probably wants to rest up for tomorrow when he goes back home to play the Mavs.
Speaker 2:That's right. That's right. That's another good you got to love this stage of the NBA season. But to answer your question, I think OKC Jeff Yacoub said that coach gets very little attention and respect. They just focus on the players. But there's some coaching going on too. I like Dort, I like Allen, of course, sage Gilders-Alexander, I like Chet Holmgren, mike Hartenstein, the ex-New York Knick, to provide physicality, and they held it on when Shea Homer was out with a hip, you know. But they present size and athletic ability. But so do the Lakers, you know. I think they could sign with that new center. They thought about getting in the center and this cat that they got he didn't get his name but he's real thin, but he's putting up 19, 17 and getting defensive rebounds. He's matured. There. You go right there. I think the Lakers and OKC is going to be in the West finals.
Speaker 1:Alright, OKC did end up winning. They move up and I said they were just about at 60 wins. They surpassed 60 wins. They're now at 65 wins on the season and we're going to go ahead and jump over to the East. So, Doc, on this one, obviously you know you got Cleveland, Boston's right behind Chef Yaku's Knicks are staying relevant. So who are you thinking as far as will make it in the Eastern Conference Finals?
Speaker 2:Who you got there.
Speaker 1:Doc.
Speaker 2:Well, there's always surprises in both sides, western and East. But I just think it's a two-train race in the East, relative to the Cavaliers and the Celtics, and I think they're going to be in the finals in the East. Man, you know Garland Mitchell Mobley, you know those cats. And then for the Celtics they're defending champs, you know. So I was pulling for Sheffield Cougs' Knicks tonight. A beautiful game, you know, at the Garden. But for the Knicks to do anything, sheffield Cougs and I think you'll agree with this they got to be injury-free. That's what hurt you last year. Thibodeau likes to run his kids into the ground playing major minutes five or six deep. If they have fresh legs and Brunson is doing his thing and Oji Onanobi, the sky's the limit, man, you may be lost tonight. The Knicks in the playoff setting. With that playoff formula and the way playoffs is, they could do some things.
Speaker 3:To answer your question directly I think you know Celtics and the Cavs Chef, I agree wholeheartedly. All season long we would go into the matchup versus Celtics and versus Cavs and I would feel really good into it, only to get my heart broken. Same thing with tonight. I thought we had that game, yeah, and then the step-back three-pointer from your boy Tatum is just it was a heartbreaker for me. And you know I've watched four games this year where the Celtics just I mean I just felt like they never felt like it was really going to be a loss for them. I really feel like the Celtics really feel confident going into it, whether it's in the garden or, you know, the TV garden. They have that confidence, you know, with them this year. And I think, like you said, doc Fibs running his players into the ground is a big concern for me. 82 games feels like 105 in his system.
Speaker 3:You have to deal with that. And then I just see this Cleveland team with I mean just I mean we can arguably say that's the best backcourt in the NBA, I mean one of the top backcourts. Maybe they're underrated and the play from their big man is just exuberating because they're not back to the basket, big man, as much as you used to see in the day. But I mean they're down there blocking shots, they're pushing, starting to run. I saw a couple games back. I saw Jack get took out of the game in the fourth quarter and he didn't go to the bench with his head down. He was high-fiving players because they trust each other and I think that is big to have, especially in the playoffs to be able to trust your teammates, trust what your coach is going with. So I think Cleveland-Boston.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I think the NBA Marlon is good, with those two teams and a couple of small markets, you know. But the Knicks and I got to ask you this, chef Yaku the NBA is good when the Knicks are relevant. It was exciting last year when you guys went far I think it was the Eastern Finals but their injuries during that series blew you up. This is where the minutes kill you, this is where Thibs he was like that in Chicago and Minnesota. But these guys, you know heart. I love them, but it remains to be seen in the series and after a long season, can they stay healthy? You've got stress fractures, you know Brunson was out for a minute and so, yeah, I'm pulling for you, but I'm standing put with the Celtics Cavs, just like you.
Speaker 3:And a lot of those injuries are those overexertion injuries, them stretch, fractures, them sprains. That's that overworking, you know. So you have to have some kind of trust in players 6-9 or 6-10 on your bench.
Speaker 3:It has to be some kind of respect and trust for them or else you're not going to be able to make it far. And I think both Cleveland and Boston have that trust where they can go a little deeper in the bench and don't feel like it's going to get their lead taken away or it's going to, whether you know, get their lead taken away or it's going to affect the game negatively in any way. And I think that's one of the big things that them needs to learn and have a little bit more respect for.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and Marlon, real quick. I like this NBA dialogue. There's going to be somebody that's going to set the world on fire that you didn't think of. You look at the Houston team with young legs, with Emi Adoka and Jalen Green being a star. They could do some things, man. You know, I know we said OKC, but there's always a shocker. There's always something early in the you know postseason. You know, I know you said Western Finals, eastern Finals, but keep an eye on Houston. And last year it was Minnesota or Edwards, but they got the issues. This year I don't know what it is, they're not clicking but you never can count out Ant-Man in the postseason.
Speaker 2:But Houston to me is a live wire. There's nothing in the East that can shock you. So after the first two or three with the Knicks, that's it. But the West I wouldn't say sack. But they traded my boy to San Antonio. He ended up getting hurt. You know, I love Christie, the coach there, but they don't have enough. Fox should have stayed. Now he's out, you know, and went to the Spurs and all that. But you know that's another tough. I just had to throw in a surprise team.
Speaker 3:Houston's my team. I think that's a great point. You think of the combination of having a coach that's been there before, mixed with young players that's happy to be there and to run through a wall for that coach? It's a dangerous combination for the rest of the teams in the West, absolutely 100% and speaking of Anthony Edwards, he did, I believe, tonight.
Speaker 1:He is now the single season leader in points for the Wolves, so definitely shout out to him on a great season thus far.
Speaker 2:All right.
Speaker 1:So yeah. So now on to some NFL action. So, Doc, we've had Chef Yaku, we've done I know you've been listening We've done pretty much snippets of Doc Mocs every single week. So there's been a lot of talk. There's probably some movement. I know Shador's stock may have dropped a little bit, so is there any major movement with the latest Doc Moc that you have?
Speaker 2:I'm glad you mentioned Shador. You know I had him going three to the Giants but since they signed the two quarterbacks the Giants I have, they signed the two quarterbacks the Giants I have at three taking Travis Hunter. But that's neither there nor there. I don't know why all this negative vibe versus Shadurick. Maybe I should have did a coup de grace, get it off my chest. Relatively, he took a severe beating at Colorado. Poor as offensive line playing still put up sick numbers. You could say, well, travis Hunter helped him out. But how do you not go to Travis Hunter if you best play on the team Should do it that 37 TD passes. This year's offensive line play was a little better. Well, he didn't take that much of a beating, but he still put up numbers.
Speaker 2:Last year he put up numbers, he's not taking severe beating. And yet you know the last name bothers some people. You know you may be arrogant, but that's what you want in a quarterback. So I got him going. Nine to the Saints, you know, and take it from there. I got Petoria McMillan going to the. In fact let me give you top ten real quick. Cam Ward won. I got Abdul Carter going to the Browns at two. Three is Travis Hunter, as I referenced. Number four Patriots go Tartullo McMillan. Five goes Mason Graham, big wrestler, big tackle out of Michigan, defensive tackle. Six, I got a no-brainer Raiders. Take Ashton Gentry. Seven with the Jets Jalen Walker, the new coach for the Jets, is a defensive guy. Jalen Walker is an edge or he could play off-ball linebacker Buckets award winner. Of course I'm biased here with the Georgia.
Speaker 2:Eighth the Panthers. What more better way to help a young quarterback like Bronchon than giving the best tight end in the draft? Tyler Warren, tight end out of Penn State, played several positions at Penn State and high school athlete. So he goes eight to the Panthers. Number nine the Saints, as I referenced Shadura Sanders. And number 10, will Campbell, who helps out champion the Mexico's team. You can slide him in the guard or tackle to address two offensive line positions, both inferior, but I think Will Campbell is a tackle. Gentlemen, I don't care about short arms. You know the guy dominated that left side for LSU on a bad LSU team, you know, with his short arms. You know, and it could translate to the league. So the Bears need to protect their franchise. So there's the top ten right there. You know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, chef, I'll just ask you this For one what do you think of getting Russell Wilson? I'm sure you're probably excited about that. And two, do you think you guys may end up getting another quarterback in the draft, or what are you thinking?
Speaker 3:I think we might go later round quarterback situation. I agree with Doc on his first stand, I think, with Ad Wilson and Adam Russell Wilson and Adam Winston. I think that's going to have us pick a little bit later on in the quarterback. So I'm thinking Quinn, you were something 5'6" where we'll go quarterback situation. Yeah, and I definitely see Travis Hunter at three. What's the best when you need a couple positions, get a guy that can play a couple positions. So I definitely agree with that Travis Hunter pick at three. And I mean honestly, I feel like if we can get a late-round draft pick as a quarterback position, winston becomes a trade piece for a team that needs a backup and things like that, and we're able to get a little bit of value from that finding as well.
Speaker 2:That's good. Can you see coming with your particular team, the New York Giants, getting a running back? Like I know, Hampton will be gone, long gone. But what about what's his name? Skadaboo, Arizona State. He reminds me of Toby Gerhardt back in the day, or any other runner. What about Henderson at Ohio State to help out?
Speaker 3:quarterback. I'm high on Henderson for a couple reasons. For one, he's a three-down pass. He can catch it out of the backfield, he can run between the tackles and he can break it long. Another thing is the dual blows the blitzer up. So in pass protection he is a demon. He's looking to knock somebody's block off. So if we were able to get Trenion Henderson I mean the guy's a track star out of that backfield, I think that would be an excellent pickup. I think this draft class is a little deeper with running backs than a lot of people put it on. I mean, like you said Scadable, you got Justin, you got Hampton who might be gone, you know, but there are some names out there that will fill in nicely without high expectations, and that's what we'll be looking for.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, I think, scadable at Arizona State. I'm watching him in the CFP, gentlemen. He has that, you know that twitch, more so than you think, and he's bigger than Christian McCaffrey, but he's battling the old sense that white running backs can't succeed. He's battling that synopsis, that synonym I'm searching for a word. So I think he's going to be better than what people think. And I forgot about Quinn Jenkins, who went to Ohio State after having a great year at Kentucky. But Henderson, as you referenced, if you get him and Travis Hunter, that's an A-plus immediately. That'll save your coach's job. I don't have nothing against Dave Ball, you know, but you know that'll be an A-plus there for you, you know.
Speaker 1:Love it.
Speaker 3:Okay, and I feel like that'll be. You know, that'll be the thing, because we'll be able to pick up some players, like I said, with parents, neighbors, with your boy, travis Hunter. Yeah. You know that'll be great. But also having that addition with, you know, cornerback, a little bit of cornerback depth, that would also be great. And I mean the late rounds is where we need to capitalize and that's something that we hit or miss.
Speaker 3:On the year's side of that, I feel like our first pick has always been bad, but we need to capitalize on these late-round picks this year, or we'll be playing for Archie Manning.
Speaker 2:Well, I think Thibodeau is going to show up and have a breakout year in his third year. I love him at Arkin.
Speaker 2:And then I agree with you, man. It's one of those things where the clown show has to end. I see a lot of Giants fans on Adam's show and in my job A couple of them New York Giants fans. So good luck to you, brother, you know, and take it from there. I think with your left tackle from Georgia, thomas, he's coming back healthy, and if the kid from Alabama can show some gumption the big tackle you got three years ago in the first round I think you'll be all right there too. So good luck.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, and it's been a lot of money in offseason, so let's see if they can piece it all together. It's a tough division. Obviously You've got to climb all the way up, because the Eagles are obviously the champs. They're getting better. Washington came out of nowhere. They're getting better Cowboys. I don't know what they're doing, but they'll at least, you know, be in the middle of the pack. So, um, definitely a tough division, uh, but, but we'll see. But all right. Um, so, speaking of the cowboys chef, uh, and I know you probably love seeing the circus that is the dallas cowboys, but it will. You know what's gonna happen with micah? Do you think he's gonna get paid? Do you think? Maybe try to trade him? What do you think? What do you think's gonna happen?
Speaker 3:well see. Well see, it's one of those situations where waiting is only going to make it worse. You've got guys who lined up and got big paydays. So you've got to understand that the longer we wait, the longer the Cowboys wait, the more money it's going to cost. So they made that mistake with CD Lamb. They made the mistake with Dak Prescott.
Speaker 3:I think if they really want to stop the bleeding they're going to have to get him signed as soon as possible. I mean, you've got Garrett's contract for him to look at. You've got all these other players on the defensive side to look at their contract and kind of say, hey, well, I'm better than them, so they need to sure it up. But also, at the same time it's a total clown show. So I don't put nothing past. Dallas Jerry has shown that he can be a little bit inconsistent at times. So I'm not sure I don't see a trade in the future, but anything can happen. But for them to have success with him they're going to need to sign him as soon as possible, because that number's going up every day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't know why they're tripping Jerry Jones. He likes the ego, he loves the brand, he likes to make money off of the brand. But as far as winning man, you pay Dak $60 million market value. I don't think he's worth $60 million. But then you don't have a running back. And then you messed around with CD Lamb. That cost a season last year, tripping like that, you know. And now Michael Parson is a 5'2 player, a five-star player, and you're tripping with him, you know. So I don't know, I don't know.
Speaker 2:It's the Cowboys. So it's one of those things where he's Al Davis number two, because Raider fans remember Al Davis screwing things up and delaying and this, that and the other. Al Davis founded the team in the 60s and he thought he was running the same way. And that's what's happening with Dallas and they're a great fan base. You know, got to get a running back. They should have got your boy, henry, who lives in Dallas. That's a disgrace in and of itself, but he never picked up the phone and now you got Micah Parsons. So there you go, right there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then we will see what happens with it. Still nothing on Aaron Rodgers. From what they're saying, minnesota's out on him, which I don't blame him and you know my thing is yes, we saw him playing and throwing the ball to DK Metcalf and everything.
Speaker 1:But you need camaraderie with your center, you need to figure out your O-line, your cadences, all of that stuff, playbooks and everything. And the fact that this thing is still dragging. And here it is, almost a month after free agency opened and we still have nothing on Aaron Rodgers. So, doc, if I'm Pittsburgh, it seems like it's all or nothing with Rodgers at this point.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's sad that a proud organization has to go through this nonsense. You knew Aaron Rodgers was a prima donna or a trip or whatever synonym you want to use. It's too bad and I like commenting. But you got DK Metcalf and all you have is Mason Rudolph on the quarterback, on roster, on the contract. You know Aaron Rodgers needs to get his head out of it. Is he the same player A and B? Is he waiting for the Vikings to make a move so he can go there with Justin Jefferson? I don't know, man, I don't know. But I feel sorry for the Steelers man. This guy is 41. And he did show his age. It was reached that he did not hit when Garrett Wilson was open. You know, coming to a year off that injury, they warmed up late, but he'll be 42 this year, fellas, you know, and the Steelers fans deserve better than this. You know you're holding that franchise hostage like that Yep Chef.
Speaker 3:I think the Aaron Rodgers show needs to stay off. I don't feel like he's a personality. He's a little longer in the tooth now. Can't teach an old dog new tricks.
Speaker 3:I think he's shown that he's a little bit of a prima donna for a long time now and, honestly, the stats and the skills no longer match the attitude when he was going out putting up 400, 350 yards a game and finding open men and being a gunslinger, then yeah, you can take a little bit of a theatrical wanting to bring old players on the team and wanting to kind of play that GM role that he plays from time to time, but right now the play doesn't match that.
Speaker 3:So, if you get a quiet Aaron Rodgers who's going to go out there and run your offense and do what you asked him to do, then yeah, I say go for it, pittsburgh. But I just don't see that and that can end up being a cancer for younger players and messing up players that's behind them, like Mason Rudolph, who I end up being a cancer for younger players and messing up players that's behind them, like mason rudolph, who I mean, yeah, the guy's not good, but that you don't want to bring in anything that's going to be detrimental to already sensitive situation in the quarterback room. So I just say hey, leave them at home yep, absolutely all right.
Speaker 1:Last thing I got for you guys. Obviously, the mlb started a couple weeks back. Um, chef, you're you, yankees 6-5, not bad. Doc, we're not going to talk how bad your Braves are doing, my Padres 9-2. So, chef, I'll start with you. What are your biggest takeaway on this past couple weeks, with the MLB season starting off?
Speaker 3:One of the things that I'm looking for the Yankees is just produce on a more consistent basis. I mean, shut out against the Tigers today, scoring one run yesterday. We're getting to that point where we're not putting together at-bats and that's been something that's been hindering us for the last couple years Manufacturing runs, being able to put together situations where we're getting men in scoring positions and then we're hitting when they're there. That's something that's kind of lingered us Injuries. Another thing Got Big G out, gary Coles out Tommy John. So I think it's a lot of situations that kind of hamper. But we're due for a run. We always make a run. We always do what we need to.
Speaker 3:I'm already looking forward to the All-Star break with a trade deadline. What's going to be available? Who's going to be available from an arm standpoint? Also some middle infielder. I'm optimistic but at the same time I'm not going to get too high or too low on the season as of this year. I need less strikeouts from Aaron Judge. I need Bellinger to show me at least a glimpse of that MVP form. I need my young guys. I need Volpe to step up.
Speaker 3:I'm seeing great things from Trent Grisham, who I've always had a great deal of respect and admiration for.
Speaker 1:The guy just played.
Speaker 3:He was part of that trade of kind of a throw in and the guy bashes and he's a gold glove center fielder, so I'm glad he's able to get a little bit of time to show. I need the Martian to just that hype that surrounded him two, three years ago. I need him to play up to that. If I can get that from them guys, I'm really happy with my catcher. If I can get that from them guys, I'm really happy with my catcher. I'm happy with some of my younger players. I just need guys to step up and do what we kind of expected them to do. I do expect to see a Spencer Jones sighting at some point during this year. You don't want to let the big guy that's our left-handed Aaron Judge. You don't want to let him just sit out there end up being trade bait. So I think we got a lot of things moving in the right direction. It's just will Aaron Boone make a move in the right direction? And that's a whole different story and a whole different conversation.
Speaker 2:Well, that's a good point, Chef, and I got you glad. You made all good points and great points there, but losing Garrett Cole was a killer. It goes without saying that you lost your second pitcher. But I want to talk about Stanton. This is a big hitter who produced in the postseason. You can't even pick up a bat. That's another injury that you got. Do you see the Yankees competing for the AL East, or can they make a wild card your call?
Speaker 3:I absolutely do see us competing. I think one of the big things is we get hype on Baltimore, baltimore is a team that they're struggling just along now.
Speaker 3:Raphael Devers is finally coming out of the little funk that he's been in. So I definitely think that we'll be able to compete, but not with the way we're trending now. I think we need a power move at that trade deadline. Like I said, we need some guys to step up. We have all the potential to definitely compete and win the ALE. It's where everybody do it and put it together. And I'm telling you, I'm not a boom fan at all, but for some reason we keep re-signing them and re-signing them and the guy is living off the legacy of the home run he hit. So we need to make some changes there.
Speaker 3:But you know, like I said, it's early. I know that Baltimore is struggling a little bit, boston is struggling a little bit. Tampa Bay is going to be Tampa Bay. They're going to be that gritty, that thorn in your side. They're going to be that little, that cattail that's stuck in your shoe. You know they're going to be pesky around all 162 games. And then Toronto. I think Toronto's going to be another team that's going to kind of push and they're going to flame out, leaving it to just Boston, baltimore and us, and I think we'll be able to stay up and take it.
Speaker 2:Right on, brother. The AL East, if nothing else is entertaining. You name some of the teams. And Guerrero just signed a massive $500 million deal in the AL East for Toronto and they had to keep it in-house. They couldn't let him go. So, yeah, good luck, brother. Here we go. I grew up in a National League city me and Marlon but I got one eye on that American League East, because it is what it is the brand you know the Yankees the Red Sox.
Speaker 2:So baseball is better and Manfred doesn't market his sport, by the way, but baseball is better when the Yankees and Red Sox are relevant. I'm sure Marlon can agree with that. So good job.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 2:All right guys.
Speaker 1:Well, that's all I got for you guys. Either of you guys got anything else before we get out of here.
Speaker 3:Oh man, I just want to give a big shout-out to both of you guys. Like I said, it's amazing to sit and be able to chat with guys who not only just know their teams but know sports. Doc, you talked me off a ledge a couple years ago when we drafted Andrew Thompson. You said hey, don't worry, he's going to be good. Don't worry, I have faith in your hands and and marley you, you. You already know, man, I'm a big fan bro, so I I appreciate y'all and I thank y'all for even having me.
Speaker 2:Oh, you're welcome. Thank you, brother. Now real quick uh, is I?
Speaker 1:I hope I don't get his name wrong. Is it your son's name, angel? Yep, okay, now how's the podcast going? Y'all pick it back up yet, or what?
Speaker 3:We're picking it back up soon. He just got back from a trip and then we got some stuff getting ready. He's going to the high school next year, so we did the whole process of finding school. But, yeah, we're locking in very soon. So, yeah, we'll be inviting you guys on very shortly.
Speaker 2:Perfect, okay, thank you, looking forward to it Sounds good, all right God bless you, Chef, and thank you for joining us, brother.
Speaker 1:Thank you for having me man, y'all have a good one, be safe. Hey, you too. We got two weeks before the draft. But other than that, we will catch you guys next week. Peace, Peace.