REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon
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REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon
A Deep Dive with Chad in CA on NBA, MLB, and NFL Landscapes
We talk with our special guest Chad about all the latest happenings across major sports leagues, from the NBA Finals fallout to MLB trades and NFL draft predictions.
• OKC Thunder won the NBA championship with outstanding defense and selfless play from stars like SGA and role players like Alex Caruso
• Kevin Durant's trade to Houston raises questions about whether the Rockets gave up too early on their promising young core
• The Lakers' ownership change may not dramatically alter their approach, as they've always been aggressive in pursuing stars
• NBA Draft features standout prospects like Cooper Flagg, Jeremiah Smith, and Walter Clayton Jr. who could make immediate impacts
• Red Sox trading Rafael Devers continues their concerning pattern of letting homegrown stars leave despite being a major market team
• Detroit Tigers and New York Mets emerging as surprising MLB contenders behind strong pitching and consistent offense
• The AFC West has become the toughest division in football with elite coaches like Andy Reid, Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel
• College football preview highlights quarterbacks to watch including Arch Manning, Shedeur Sanders and Clay Klubnik
• Rookie NFL prospects like Abdul Carter, Jeremiah Smith, and Keon Coleman poised for immediate impact
Welcome everybody to another episode of Real Talk. Doc you doing all right today?
Speaker 2:Yes, I am, and we're honored to have our next guest man. We're ready to rock and roll with this cat. He is knowledge personified. Do the intro brother?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, man, of course. You're hearing him on all the Mad Dog Sports Radio shows, from Sean all the way down to who's his favorite guy, the guy that's in Vegas. What's his name? Yeah, You're always on with him every day, so I think he is still blocked. But yeah, chad in California joins us. I keep forgetting his name. What's the guy's name? Chad JT Brick.
Speaker 2:The Brick yeah the.
Speaker 1:Brick yeah, yeah, yeah. So Chad joins us and of course we got a lot to get into. Nba draft is coming up in a couple days, of course. We just saw what happened with the NBA finals. We'll get his take on his Red Sox and the trade that they made last week. The Lakers they're in new ownership and it's a ton to get into, and of course some NFL too as well. We'll go ahead and get into it with the NBA first, with the finals, obviously, okc Thunder, they won. Halliburton got hurt. I'll just jump right out to it. Chad, I'll start with you. What were your thoughts on the finals in general?
Speaker 3:If Halliburton stays healthy, do the Pacers win. So the entire postseason to me is kind of weird. I feel like every game is a blowout, like you know, one way or another. I mean, even if the team you know wins the series, there's a couple games in there where they just get beat by 20 or 30. I don't ever remember it being like that. You know, you remember growing up and if Kobe and Shaq, the Lakers, they were blowing people out but they weren't going seven, like they were going to sweep you If you got blown out, you were going to get blown out four games. So for these games to go seven, but like every game's a blowout to me, it's just the style of play in today's NBA. It's just a battle of which team is making their threes and which team's not, and the team that's not is probably going to get smoked, but the Pacers, with the Halliburton injury, it's going to sound crazy.
Speaker 3:I might sound like a hater. I still have yet to really buy into this team. I've never been a believer. I mean it's hard to say that it's a fluke, because they did it over and over again this entire postseason, overcoming these deficits, but I just never took them serious, which is crazy because they just went to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. But I just don't, I don't know Like to me. I just never bought it. I never bought the hype. It just doesn't seem real to me. It seems like some weird, like illusion, or some weird world where we're getting pumped like the Pacers in the finals with this roster. Really.
Speaker 2:Well, I'll tell you, man, that's a good response, man, but, to be honest, with you coming out the East, which was somewhat down given some of the injuries significant injuries with Dame and Jason Tatum they did their due diligence, chad, and you're a noted NBA fan, and it's one of those things where you know you got to give them props because, despite the injury, they were up at half. Now to answer your question, marlon, relative to the OKC Thunder, this is a young team that made it happen, man. You know, sga is a superstar, three straight years of over 30 points per game. And Chad, you'll agree, man, that Chet Holmgren, who's been somewhat of a disappointment, the first pick three years ago, he showed up to play defensively. You're not going to get 25 and 30 out of him. This is why they drafted him at 7-3, the rebounds and defense, and I think the supporting cast helped out SGA because he had a career-high assist for the postseason. You know, everybody knew he could score but he let the playmakers do their thing.
Speaker 2:Williams had a wrist injury but that didn't affect him too much. I think he had 20-something or 19, something like that. But Chad, okc from start to finish. You know, as SGA referenced, man, this is more relief, a relieving feeling. You know next year they'll be playing loosey and goosey and relaxed, but they had to get it done. This year, you know, your Denver Nuggets took them to seven games, chad, and honestly, you know, I thought Denver had a decent shot on the road, but they're not in seven games against the Pacers, you know. So let's give them props Now. Everything's set up for them to repeat because of the salary caps and everybody's on the contract and I think they had two number ones this year draft capital, whatnot.
Speaker 2:But this is a team to be reckoned with, man. When you have 80-something wins, postseason and regular season combined, you're up there with the Jordan Bulls of 96 or Curry when they had 73. They didn't win a chip, but you got to give it up to them. Man, as far as the paces, I don't think they'll make it back. If Halliburton stayed healthy, they would have lost by six. It was just OKC's year, remember? They beat Halliburton on the road when he was healthy. So I don't know, I don't know, man, it's hard to answer. If he has stayed here. He started off hot and I think it was three for three on threes. But Chad, given that the West is going to be brutal next year. You got to give it up to OKC for getting it done this year. It remains to be seen that they repeat as a reference you got Anthony Edwards, you got Denver Nuggets, so I think it's going to be some damage next year. You're Nuggets, but let's give props. What props to do, man, relative to the series, and congratulations to Gold KC. Go ahead, marlon.
Speaker 1:Yeah, go ahead, Go ahead, Chad on that one.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean no doubt I respect both teams, mostly just because they kind of did it the right way. We've spent the last 10 years complaining about the product of the NBA and how these guys are just AAU ball and they're just teaming up to play together and which city do they want to go to next, and kind of that Team USA mentality. So I respect both teams. I mean the trade for Tyrese Halliburton at the time, it wasn't really a front page kind of story, it was kind of just under the rug. It's a bonus for Halliburton. It was kind of an even trade both ways.
Speaker 3:And Doc, you nailed it with Oklahoma City. I mean this team is built to win multiple titles. The West is going to be tough. But these dudes the difference here is they don't have an ego. Like you don't see that they're kind of getting jealous of Shea. You don't see that you know, oh well, jalen's the number two but Shea thinks he's the number two. Like they don't care, they just show up, put their you know their jersey on and they just go out and win basketball games and I think the biggest thing for this team and credit their coach, who I had no clue who this dude was, until you know, last year.
Speaker 3:He gets them to defend and that's rare in today's game. You don't see good teams defending there. It's really lazy back, like I I don't. I hate the kind of shit on the nba, but the product is kind of hard at times to watch. Even in the postseason, in the biggest moments, you see a lot of guys kind of slacking and this oklahoma city team is guarding you for 48 minutes like they'll full court press you, they'll check you, like they all want to defend and that leads to offense for that team and that's something that's rare and, like you said, with the salary cap and a team this young, they do in a tough west have a chance to go and get a couple here now well.
Speaker 2:Well, chad, you brought up a good point. And Marlon, I want you to weigh in too, because this is the thing where the coach, even now, is underrated. I even forgot his name, but this guy here has done whirlwind with what you referenced. Chad, as far as keeping the egos in check and eyeing in the defense, you got to give a shout-out to Caruso. I mean, yeah, alex Caruso man, because he's an ex-Laker. And this guy came in and he's balling out.
Speaker 2:He did good with the Bulls too, but it seemed to me that this coaching staff has gotten Caruso to the point where he's upped his game. You know, you saw him defend the five, the four and the three in previous series and Garden Jokage at only 6'4", 6'5". But it's one of those things where Caruso is the X factor, if you will, chad and Marlon. And this guy, you know he doesn't get the headline. He hit a couple of threes. He's not known as a shooter, but he can score layups and a couple of threes.
Speaker 2:But defensively is where it is, as you referenced Chad, where this coaching staff has made their wares, and Caruso leads that Because he can defend the wing, the five, the four, the two. You play ball, chad. It's hard to do that at only 6'4". You know, and he's on the contract. And Sam Preston the GM, you know, many years ago he had Westbrook, he had Harden and he had KD. He didn't get it done. That team disappeared, so it pretty much started over with this group, and credit to him, man, you know defense wins Good job.
Speaker 3:Hell of a job. And Doc. One last thing, Sorry, I'll give you another name Lou Doerr. Lou Doerr who a couple years ago could not. I mean, I watched this kid a couple years ago and I was was like why is this guy in the nba? I mean sure he has good defense, but his shot was awful and he's hit big shot after big shot this postseason and he might be the best defender in the league.
Speaker 2:So, like you said, they got some killers, man yeah, yeah, man, he hit some killer threes in the previous game, but game seven, man. Yeah, the nba is in a good space right now for team basketball, including the, the Pacers. Now, the injury killed them. I don't expect them to make the finals. They might not ever do it again. But shout out to Pascal Siakam, who does have a chip with Toronto. He played his ass off as an older gentleman, you know. So the league is in a good space.
Speaker 1:Go ahead, marlon, and I look at. If you look at the East, obviously we know the three guys that tore their Achilles in Tatum, halliburton and Dame, all in the East. So the East is going to be very interesting this year. But as far as with the West, of course we know about KD, which that just happened, but still you have OKC. Obviously Houston's going to be around Lakers. Will we be relevant, will we not? I don't know. Hopefully we should be with LeBron and Luka. Of course, chad, your Nuggets, the Clippers, minnesota, as you referenced earlier, doc, and then you know we can't forget about the Warriors and of course, the Mavs. So this West is going to be stacked next year. And Chad, how are you feeling about your team? I don't know if you heard any news about Russ. I think he opted out of that contract, but yeah, how are you feeling about the West and your team in general?
Speaker 3:So I mean Westbrook's not going to move the needle. I mean, you've seen this postseason. At this point in his career he's a player that's going to keep you in the game and keep you out of it at the same time. I mean, as crazy as that sounds, he's going to make a bonehead mistake. He's going to bring the energy With me and the Nuggets especially. I don't know how we get a move done, but there needs to be a move. I think Porter Jr has kind of worn his time out, and you know how big of a fan I am of him.
Speaker 1:Oh yes.
Speaker 3:It sounds like the player in the world and we had Oklahoma City on the ropes, we had them beat twice. We should have won that series in five or six games and they came back on us in the fourth quarter, just horrible mistake after mistake. But like you said, I mean west, I mean they're 9 10 deep in the west. You brought up kd and the trade that that just happened and I mean I'm not sure if you want to get into that right now. I got some opinions on that as well yeah, go for it as far as yes, go for it.
Speaker 3:When it comes to kd, and look, man, like I love kd. I love kd in college. Uh, you know he's back in texas now. Hook him he's. He's closer to Austin than he was obviously before. With the rest of the teams he's played on. Oklahoma City was the closest prior to that To me.
Speaker 3:I'm looking at Houston and I've got to ask this question Did they get impatient? What I mean by that is would you think last offseason, if we were having the same conversation last year and I said the Thunder have a young nucleus. They have Jalen Williams, they have Chet Holmgren, they have all these guys. All they have to do is trade Shea for KD. And maybe everyone would say do it, go get KD, go win a championship.
Speaker 3:And I'm not saying Jalen Green is Shea by any means at all, but what I'm saying is you're kind of like the mini thunder. You had this magical run. You won 50 games with a bunch of dudes who are 22, 23 years old. Why not let those dudes grow together? Kd's going to come in and he's not the type to ruin things. I think he'll be a good leader, a good mentor.
Speaker 3:All these dudes it's crazy to say this all the players on the Rockets grew up watching KD in the NBA. That's where we're at now. He's that much older than them, so they watched him when they were in middle school. They were watching KD highlights in Oklahoma City. So I get that. And Jalen Green is only 22. Like I said, he's not Trey Young, he's not Shea Gildas Alexander, but he's good enough to where you could have kept him and seen what you can do with that nucleus, because now you kind of just bargained your window and shortened it up to a couple years. And maybe this isn't Melo to New York, because Melo was still in his prime. But maybe this is like Dame to Milwaukee, where it was like Dame's going with Giannis, and then we looked and we're like that's not Dame anymore. Eventually Katie's going to fall off. I don't know when, but I don't know. To me it's just like don't break up what you have, just let all the three-year-olds keep going.
Speaker 2:I agree with you, chad, hold on here, let the team mature. I like you being a doker, the coach down there, marlon, in Houston, and it's one of those things where KD's not the KD from three or four years ago. He's had brittle seasons with the Suns and now what you're getting is fool's gold, much like LeBron with the Lakers. You're getting a good score and a shooter. Can he defend? Can he go to the rack like he used to 82 games? You know, suppose he missed time.
Speaker 2:I like Green. This is a young man's game man, but Katie will be 37 when the season starts next year. And Chad makes a good point. Man, man, you got to keep these guys together so they can mature and grow as a team. You know Green's going to be a star. You know they went deep, deeper than most people thought, and now you break it up, you know. And what do you expect now to Phoenix? Now, you know, I just think. I just think that to Houston now, iman Doka's a great coach. But reference what Chad said Marlon, this is one of those things where you've been better off and more plausible to keep that young team together, because now you have some KD to average 30 a game and go to the rack and defend, and I don't think he can do that no more without missing significant time next year at 37.
Speaker 1:And I think he still thinks that he can still be that person that he once was, back when he was the number one option. And at this point now I mean, yeah, he can be that number one option, but a little bit older, a little more injury prone. He's not as aggressive as he was four or five years ago. But, as you guys were saying too, with this core that you have now, you guys have to now adjust everything that you're doing, because some people feel they need to defer to kevin durant every time, which you don't necessarily have to do that and in my opinion, just like what you were saying, chad is, if he goes over there and he's just a average player, just kind of like dame was at times.
Speaker 1:It's like we'll see, we'll see if it works, but it could blow up. And now you have this young core that's now just falling apart. So we'll see. And especially in the West, where you need to be, you've got to come with it in the West, because we talked about all the great teams, so I don't know how they're going to. At least, I mean, they'll figure it out, but he's old and it's a given he's going to get hurt.
Speaker 3:I mean, hopefully he doesn't, but that's what we've been seeing the past couple of. And at what point, marlon, real quick, at what point during the season, does KD say I need another big name with me, and then they turn around and move another kid for a big name and all of a sudden they just shorten their window even more to try to win next year. And three years from now they're back in purgatory. You know what I mean and I will leave you on this as well.
Speaker 3:Please don't judge whatever the Suns do next year and tell me that they lost this trade because Jalen Green it's not his fault that they had that Bradley Beal contract. Kevin Durant, bradley Beal and Devin Booker didn't win shit, so don't expect Jalen Green to go in there and win year one. This is a move that Phoenix can go down the line. Eat that bill of salary, try to move Booker for a couple young guys, and five, six years from now, have Jalen Green and a couple other guys to start winning again. This ain't going to be an instant win for Phoenix, but don't tell me next year that Phoenix misses the playoffs if they got fleeced, because this is a long-term move.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a good point. That's a very good point on that. Because that, because you want to know what direction the sun's going at, real quick, marlin, before we move on to east, you got to assume that joel and bead is going to be healthy with philly. What direction is the knicks going? I'm from the east coast so it is interesting to see what direction you know some of these east coast teams. The next time they got a coach, you know? And and will jaylen brunson be happy with the new hire? And then, of course, we mentioned the pace. It's Milwaukee. Where's Milwaukee going? Assuming Giannis comes back and that's a big assumption I think he's going to San Antonio with Wimby.
Speaker 2:So there's several teams in the East. My Hawks ain't doing nothing, but the top three in Philadelphia. Joel Embiid could be a superstar. He's already got an MVP. The question to him is health, you know, and that's a big market. So the Knicks, philly, the Pacers somewhat, and then after that you gotta take your pick, man, you know. Good point, jack. Right on, brother, they just made a trade for your boy and I always like um, what's his name? Out of Seattle O'Day High School, the top pick out of Duke, I forget his name already.
Speaker 3:yeah, good point on that. O'day High School, the top pick out of Duke, I forget his name already. Yeah, yes, good point on that. Wagner, they got Suggs. They can make a sneaky little run in that wide-open.
Speaker 2:East next year. Yeah, orlando, very good point, chad, go ahead, marlon.
Speaker 1:And then, Doc, the news broke the day after we recorded last week. So what's your take on the Buss family selling? And then also, too, what does this mean for maybe luca staying going forward with the lakers?
Speaker 2:well. I think this is a good move in an outside looking in not being a laker fan that the lakers needed an infusion of change relative to up top the bus family. They won their 10 or 11 titles with Magic and then five with Kobe, you know, but it's time to move on. Man, jeannie Buss was out of her league somewhat, being a CEO and doing this, that and the other and combating with her brother. So I wholeheartedly accept the buy-in ownership from the Dodgers who has a championship pedigree. They can get some people and make some good moves for this Laker team and LeBron's fool's goal as a reference.
Speaker 2:Now you asked about Luka. I think Luka, and for all accounts, he's lost 20 pounds and looks good in shape and all that. Now you're saying, okay, well, this is what the Luka that we want, the skill for Luka that's in condition to play D and do a lot of things, cutting and ability. It all depends on LeBron at age 42. Now To answer your question, I wholeheartedly approve the trade man. This is massive. They reached the ceiling with Bucs, with Jeannie. They weren't going nowhere else with that. Now you can say, as a Laker fan, with new ownership, everything's on the uptake as far as potential growth and going forward decades to come because of new ownership. Go ahead, chad.
Speaker 3:To me it means nothing.
Speaker 2:And the reason why that is.
Speaker 3:It's the Lakers we're not talking about. You know what I mean. We're not talking about the Blazers, like the Lakers're. I'm from here, doc, like you, lived out here for a while now marlin, san diego. We talking about showtime lakers. We talking about coby and shacks. We're talking about lebron and anthony.
Speaker 3:Like the lakers make moves, they make, they spend money. So this is just one rich guy handing off his tab to another rich guy. Like I don't think anything's gonna change. Whereas, like the mccart family, in baseball, the dodgers were were always kind of like pushing to kind of get into the playoffs and they had a couple homegrown guys and they would make trades and you know caros and piazza and all these guys growing up, and then the, the new ownership came in and just said we'll buy every player in the world, so, but you're the lakers. You've already been doing this. Kobe and Shaq were there. All Laker fans talked about was they're going to get Garnett and they're going to get Duncan and they're going to get McGrady, and then they're going to get Melo and they're going to get LeBron and they're going to get Wade.
Speaker 3:It's always been that way with the Lakers. They just got Luka. Four months ago they had Anthony Davis and LeB. To me it's the same, like nothing's going to change. It's LA, it's showtime. They're going to continue to spin and try to win every year. So to me it's a wash. It's just a different name right in the check.
Speaker 2:Do you think it's a philosophy or format, if you will, relative to the direction and the aggressiveness, as opposed to the Buss family who ran their course in LA over the last 40 years? You know? Know, the old man died off and genie did the best she could and they got two rings out of it with kobe and another one with lebron. But uh, chad, I don't know, man. You know new direction up top means a lot, man. You know the city seems energized by this.
Speaker 3:You know, you grew up, yeah, I think, because you are a little bit older so you got to witness. Kind of back in the day, I feel like ownership meant more.
Speaker 3:You know what I mean, like jerry johnson, kind of one of the last owners that we really know yeah, so I think back then you know you saw jerry bus and that was the owner of the lakers and he had that aura about him and you see him in a suit and you're like that's the man, like he's the man that got riley on the sideline and he got, you know, the showtime lakers, he's paying them and he's the orchestrator of all this. But, like I said, now it's just so much different investors and investment groups and all these teams. I can't tell you who owns half the teams in any league, but I know there's a lot of money coming in and I know which ones aren't spending money. So, like I get what you're saying, just because you grew up in that that era of that's jerry buses, lakers, like right right reason.
Speaker 3:And now it's like man, it could be ai running the show like it's just a slot machine printing money and they're just gonna spin, spin, spin. There's just computer nerds that are telling us that this is the data that they need, these are the players they need, this is the. There's not even a salary cap. It's fake. So, yeah, it's a different, it's a different era, and and buss is one of the ones that kind of was the last of a dying breed and, like I said to me, it's Jerry Jones. And after that, I mean, do we really know another owner that's really polarizing like that, like the guy in Phoenix tried to be polarizing. I don't even remember his name, he's an idiot.
Speaker 3:I think. I think for you it's just nostalgia, doc. But like I said, on the court and behind the scenes it's just another fat checkbook that's replacing another one.
Speaker 2:That's fair. That's fair, marlon, you're a Laker fan. This is Los Angeles. You can't be pussyfooting around, man, he's just a name. Right now, with LeBron, it's really your call, marlon, being a Laker. What do you see with this new ownership, man? Your call right now.
Speaker 1:As Chad said earlier, I was in the fairytale land where it's like, oh, we're going to get this person, we're going to get that person, we're going to get this. And it was just like we were supposed to get LeBron in the decision part one. So I always feel the worst is going to happen and something in me tells me that Luka may mess around and leave and go to Denver. I don't know why I feel like that. It very well probably couldn't happen, but as I look at what we can do now, we obviously have a win now because we have this very small window with LeBron and if Luca stays, we have, of course, a longer window with him. But this team is not that good.
Speaker 1:Now. We were able to get to the third seed, which is great, but Anthony Davis is definitely going to be missed. We definitely we're going to talk about the draft in a little bit, so we'll see what happens with that but um, I I think at least hopefully, this is the first step to at least keep luca, build some around them, make some trades, uh. And then I mean, we don't really have any first round picks. Uh, much from obviously the um with, with the, with the most recent trades. But yeah, it's, I don't know. I just think the worst of the worst, and if we can get Luka to stay, that's step one, and then we'll just kind of build from there.
Speaker 2:Right on, brother Right on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, all right. So, speaking of the draft, the draft is in a couple days and, of course, cooper Flagg, with the lottery, we know about that we got guys like Trey Johnson, harper. So, doc, I'll go ahead and start with you who are some studs or who are some guys in the draft you think are going to do well going into the league.
Speaker 2:I think the kid, obviously from Duke, is an otherworldly player man. You might average right out the gate 20 and 10. This is the NBA. It's St Carlos. Eddie plays defense, but you know about him, you know. But the kid from Baylor is ridiculous. You know, he's from overseas, originally Chad, I forget his name. He's sick with it. The second pick.
Speaker 3:Yeah, baylor.
Speaker 2:You know, I saw Baylor a couple of times. He took all games. The athleticism is there and it's one of those things where you know, keep an eye on that. And then there's a shooter out of, oh, the Auburn kid. Man, the Auburn kid, he's good, he's like a Terry Cummings type. You know, Chad is one of those things where I have to go old school on him 6'9". They should have won, but I think he got hurt and dinged up late. You know the kid from Auburn, so his name also escapes him. But it's one of those things where the draft is not the way it used to be, man, where guys stay three or four years. So the three guys that I mentioned, man, you know, especially the Auburn kid from the SEC, he's going to be special. But the Baylor kid is yeah, I'm talking about Broom out of Auburn. Yeah, I like him.
Speaker 2:Terry Cummings-esque Power inside Can shoot the J Hops. You know, when Terry Cummings came out of the park many, many years ago, he came in the same draft as James Worthy and Dominic Wilkins. But Cummings goes to Milwaukee and does his number. So I'm predicting the same thing out of Broome. So it's going to be interesting to see what is going to happen? We just got to be talking about OKC Marlon and they got two ones. What are they going to do? Remember their top pick this year, tore an ACL. He's both Lito, something you know overseas guy. He didn't play a game this year so he'll be back, so Sam Presley's got it going on. That's interesting, you know, Jack.
Speaker 3:So obviously, like you said, you start at the top. What's crazy to me is I think last year it might have been the worst draft I've ever seen. I don't even know anybody in that draft. It was like yeah, it's very european draft. I don't know if they were trying to get all the players over here before trump got elected. I don't know what they're trying to do, man, because that draft was ass like this year cooper flag is supposed to be hands down.
Speaker 3:The guy I I do enjoy watching them play, even though he's at my rival. I'll give you another one, his partner, con canapal, that kid man, he's, oh yeah, austin reeve s in the nba, he, he can play. He can play when cooper flag started off the year, real slow and con. Can you know, duke, they schedule heavyweights right away. They're not playing. You know midwestern state or you know some little juco, they're, they're going on time and showcase games and flag struggled. He was, you know, putting up 9, 10, 12 points here and there, and conk and april came out firing 24, 26, just automatic from three. Hell of a player. I like him obviously, both dudes from rutgers, but another sleeper, I mean, let's think about a national champion, walter clayton, who just had that jamal murray to him that's right he just won so many games in the tournament.
Speaker 3:You know clutch time, you knew the ball was going to him and they couldn't stop him. So I think he's a player that's going to go to a playoff team. He's going to go later in the first round, so he's going to go to a team that has some talent around them and I think he can make an impact off the bench. And then there's this kid out of Illinois who's a European cat. So you know that's kind of trending that way in the NBA now and he can play the point guard. But he's kind of big-bodied, he has great vision, can score the basketball when needed. I think he's going to be a hell of a pickup. So those are a couple of guys that I'm looking at, but it's just it's lost its buzz man.
Speaker 3:I remember the. He used to be around with your buddies, you know, nervous and can't wait to see what happens. And now I'm watching these picks. Like I said last year, I didn't know who the hell these people were. I'm like I watched college basketball religiously and I don't know who these are. I'm like I've never seen any of these guys.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a good point. Chad Marlon Clayton, the kid from Florida that Chad referenced. Is there a comp with him, chad in your mind, because he's tough, you know. Go ahead.
Speaker 3:To me it's Murray, to me it's Jamal Murray. The way he plays, I mean he looks like him a little bit, so maybe that's a lazy comp, but he can get up there. I mean, you know, before the ACL Jamal Murray was a high flyer, he could dunk, and at Kentucky he was that type type of guy. Yeah, and they both have that instinct where they want the ball in the last two minutes and that says a lot, man. I mean we we've seen on the highest level, with guys like lebron who pass it up, if you got a guy who will be that killer and he can actually hit the shot. Not, you know, I'm not talking about jr smith, where he wants the ball, but he's going to hit the backboard I'm talking about.
Speaker 3:You know, this kid can hit the shot and and he wants it. So I think he's going to go into a team like Orlando or, you know, a team in the end of the first round and might be able to make a difference right away.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, there's a kid at Alabama. He's a guard, chad, and Marlon, I forget his name, lyski. And the kid, I forget, he's like a Vinnie Johnson type, but he came up clutch for that particular team in NATO. So, alabama, I don't hear too much about him. Chad, you know good about the nba. Why is that? Is there a weakness in this game? You don't want to come out.
Speaker 3:The guard for alabama, the high score all this is something about, uh, what I think he mark sears, sears yeah, sears, yeah him, yeah, I don't hear nothing from him. I think he left. I think he left. I'm trying to remember Dodgers Sears.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:That's him. He was a senior.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he came back and I don't hear nothing from him and he made some clutch shots in the Southeastern Conference. You know probably 6-1, 6-2.
Speaker 3:He's like Mark B Kelly, yeah, he does.
Speaker 2:Yes, he does, yes, he does. So it's going to be interesting, marlon, to answer your question. That's a good answer, chad, you know your stuff. Man, the NBA draft has changed. Obviously, when I was coming up, it's not the way it used to be. Man, the Ewing draft, olajuwon Sparkley, jordan, stayed three years. Imagine if he came out now. He'd come out as a high schooler. So, yeah, it's changed the top five names. After that you're going European, marlon, it's not fun anymore. You know the kid from the Hawks. As you referenced last year, the kid from the Hawks was the first pick and he came from overseas, chad, and he had a solid rookie year. But I forget his name. I don't know his name.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah Go ahead, Marty yeah. All right, so on over to the Major League Baseball. So, chad, are you guys going to have any all-stars on your team? Make the all-star from the Red Sox.
Speaker 3:So in baseball, if I'm not mistaken, every team gets one all-star at least, so we will have one. I would predict that that would probably either be a Roldis Chapman, who's having a pretty good year at closer, or maybe a guy like Jaron Duran in the outfield. But I mean it's loaded. I mean, if you look right now at the voting and the thing with the voting is it's a popularity contest For example, gleyberres is the number one vote in second baseman right now and he's on the tigers, he's having a good year. But like there's guys like brandon lowe who's fifth in voting at second base and he has 16 bombs, 50 rbis, like shortstop in the national league it's. I mean, you got trey turner who's ahead of you know, you got mookie betts, you got trey turner. It's a loaded position. But ellie de la cru, who to me is one of the most phenomenal freakish athletes, not only in baseball but in the entire world of any sport, I mean the kid has 60 runs, 17 bombs, 50 RBIs with 21 steals. He's not even at the all-star break yet. He runs probably a 4-2, 4-3. He can throw the ball 100 miles an hour across the diamond. He's fourth in the All-Star voting at shortstop. So it becomes a popularity contest.
Speaker 3:And how many fans got time to just keep putting, submit, submit, submit. And it's even easier now. I mean I remember as a kid there would be like little ballots and stuff. I think people would hug something. I forgot where you can get ballots and now you can just text the number to your phone and I'm sure every game they got it on the big jumbotron text so-and-so's last name to five, five, two, seven, to vote for all-stars, and they're probably just spamming it in the bleachers. So I think you know the Red Sox. We will have an all-star, just because it's mandatory. Every team has one, but we might have a couple.
Speaker 2:Wait, what did you think about the Devers trade? Let me hear from you on this show, man, you know, and I, like the others, uh, corey, loves them. What did management doing, thinking they already traded best four years ago, man?
Speaker 3:but what's your take on devers man? You know, doc, it's. It's so hard, man, because we're talking about a sport it's not like the football man where every team can sign a free agent because they can just, you know, go after them and fill their caps. We're talking about a sport where the heavyweights rule. Like I know, the pirates ain't never gonna do anything. They're gonna waste schemes, they're gonna trade him. In three years he's gonna be a dodger or a yankee, and so I'm sick of the red socks acting like they're the pirates, acting like they're the marlins, like we should be in the conversation with the dodgers and the yankees and the mets. Like spending the money. You have the money, but this guy cares too much about his soccer team. I mean, you just referenced it. Not too long ago we won a championship with Mookie Betts, rafael Devers, xander Bogarts they're all in California now. They don't play on my team anymore. It's only been seven years and they're in their fives.
Speaker 3:Bogarts is a little older now. Mookie Betts is a superstar. He wanted out for some different reasons and I believe he wasn't happy in boston. I think it was a racial thing going on out there, I don't you know. I don't blame him for that. But deborah is like you were the last homegrown guy of that championship team and I understand that the bregman signing caught you off guard and you felt disrespected because this was your house and that position was your position. But if you're a team guy and you want to win and you know that you can't fucking defend and you should be willing to say bregman, who was a gold glove caliber third baseman, can play there, I'll go play first base or I'll dh. And for him to kind of throw that attitude it's hard to stomach, even though I love the guy yeah I just don't get the return.
Speaker 3:I mean, you want to talk about Jalen green for Katie? We got nothing for for Devers besides giving up the full 300 million, which sounds good because we just got 300 million to spend. But the problem is, doc, we don't spend.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow.
Speaker 3:What are we going to do with the 300 million? We're going to put it in our pocket.
Speaker 2:Yeah, our pocket. Yeah, we're not gonna win.
Speaker 3:We're gonna go out and sign who. We're gonna sign some bum fourth outfielder or some third pitcher on a rotation. We're not gonna go get an ace. We're not gonna go get kyle tucker. Kyle tucker's a free agent. He's gone and done in chicago. I bet you he ends up on the mets dodgers or yankees. He ain't gonna be a red sock because we're not gonna open the checkbook well marlin.
Speaker 2:To put things in context in reference to Chad, boston's a big market man. This is a historic team, you know. I can talk about Jim Rice and some of the old Boston Red Sox that battled the Yankees with Reggie and all that you know. And it's sad because, as I referenced, it is a big market and I love Cora, but they're taking his kids, they're taking his guys away, you know, and then they're going to can Cora and now you're at ground zero. So, more than it's one of those things where you know Boston, gosh man, it just hurts being a baseball fan seeing his team tailspin like this. You know best. And and and that's endeavors are historic people players, but relative to my braves, you know. And Betts' endeavors are historic people players, but relative to my Braves, you know. I don't even expect one of them to make the All-Star game.
Speaker 2:Ron, to answer your question, maybe Matt Olsen batting 220, but he got 15 bombs. He has 44 ribbies. Acuna hit another bomb tonight. He's only nine home runs, but he's only in his 23rd game. He is good, he is good, he's good, but we suck man. We're 10 games out, you know. We own the Mets but we can't beat Philly, who's our next opponent. So it's up to you, Marlon. You got Machado, you got Tatis and I want to get your feeling on that little brawl. Tatis apparently is a card I wasn't aware of. We're talking baseball. Bring it, Marlon. Why is the Dodgers pinpointing him three or four times and nailing him, you know, and all that? He doesn't really talk. Smack like that.
Speaker 1:Your call on that you know that big brother, little brother I don't know what it is, doc, I mean it's but you that this was the first meeting that we had this year, so you knew it was going to be some sort of uh, some sort of brawl, some sort of fight, tension, all that stuff. So I don't know, and the next time around, whenever that is, we'll probably see it again so yeah, it's, yeah, I'm just shocked.
Speaker 3:it's not machado, like that's the guy I'm going after. He's the mouthy one I don't know, like doc. I mean, tatis is flamboyant, he got that little swag to him, I get it. He's the face of the team and if you're going to go after Otani, you're going to go after Tatis. But Machado's the one who needs a couple fastballs to the chin, because that dude got an attitude man yeah and not only that, chad, he played for it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, doc, I'll tell you I 10 out in june is not a bad spot when you didn't have akuna for half the, for almost the majority of the season. Ronald akuna is the best player in baseball I've said. I know otani is special. Yeah, I love soto ronald. That's so damn good. I mean, he is just so special and he's. He's still getting his feet, him, and he's batting in the 400s with nine home runs in 20 games. That's on pace Right now. If he played the whole season he'd have 20-something.
Speaker 3:Baseball is fun, man. I wish everyone would take their time and just watch the game, especially as people age. It's such a hell. How about that catcher in Seattle? He has 32, 33 home runs right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah he does, he does. He surpassed King Griffey Jr. But as far as surpassing Johnny Bitch, a Hall of Famer, one of the best ever to play the position of catcher this kid in Seattle he's doing it, marlon. But getting back to Acuna and Chad and Marlon Chad has mentioned this to me before Ronald, acuna is a freak of nature. I know you got Taylor Cruz and Cincinnati, but if we had Acuna all year we'd be in first place.
Speaker 3:Man, you know I agree, and Albies has been cold too and he needs Acuna in that lineup to help him out.
Speaker 2:That's right, that's right. Go ahead, marlon Yep.
Speaker 1:Alright. So, chad, I don't know if we got your preseason World Series predictions, but as of now, who do you think is taking it to the World Series? Who do you got?
Speaker 3:So preseason, I probably would have said Yankees, dodgers, just because it's just easy and lazy. I'm going to switch it up a little bit, though. I think AJ Hinch is a hell of a manager. I don't know if they can keep it up, but they got either the first or second best pitcher in baseball. If you want to rank Scooble and Skeens 1A, 1b or flip them however you want, I think the Tigers are a force to be reckoned with. They're showing they're the real deal. Last year they had a great run in the postseason. They were kind of that little Cinderella team. Well, they're back and they're leading the American League right now.
Speaker 3:And Javi Baez, I think David Torres earlier another guy that the Yankees kind of just let walk. Parker Meadows just came back from an injury. He's a good young outfielder this team can play. Spencer Torkelson has some power. Like I said, when you've got Tyree Scooble and you can pitch him two or three times in a series. We've seen the Giants do it with Madison Bumgarner all those years ago. In baseball you can shorten the series up with a good arm and the postseason baseball is where it comes down to. So I got the Tigers and I think I believe in the Mets I think I respect him subtle that much.
Speaker 3:Lindor Alonzo is going crazy. Brennan, they're going 15 home runs already. They got a couple kids in the system. D'antos is coming back from injury. He's had a horrible start to the year but he's a big-time prospect. They sent the catcher Alvarez down to go get worked out in triple a. He'll be back. I think that's tigers and I think that'd be kind of a fun world series, like you got new york but then you got kind of like the bad boys of detroit. I think there'd be some some shit talking about. I think it'd be a fun series for baseball well, this came out of nowhere.
Speaker 2:Nobody thought the tigers would do this chat and marlin. To be fair, aj hanshman has come back from purgatory and he's doing the business you know. Yeah, hell of a coach. You mentioned some of the pitchers, man, you know Skeens and the cat. For who's the other guy? Chad Scoogle for the.
Speaker 2:Scoogle, yeah. But then you got for Philly Marlon, you got Zach Wheeler, you got Aaron Nola and you got DeGrom down in Texas. So baseball starts pitching arms gold. You got some historic people, man you know. And then, if you're going off today, houston Astros in first place, and I can't tell you who any of their players are Astros, they're doing it.
Speaker 3:All they do is win down there man.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's right and we'll see how it goes. I'm still pulling for your Padres. You know, I know Aaron, your Raider ass. You know he's a diehard Dodger, as well as my wife. You need Ryu, is it you? I think it's. What is his name? The Asian pitcher, you guy. He's been hurt all year.
Speaker 3:Marlon, he's killing it. Yeah, oh man.
Speaker 2:You Darvish.
Speaker 3:That's who it is.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you Darvish. Come on, Marlon. You know you're right there, you know.
Speaker 3:I love talking baseball with you, marlon. Come on, man, make the push, go to World Series.
Speaker 1:I'm trying, man, I'm trying, I'm trying. All right, all right, so now college football. I know you guys are huge college football fans, so obviously Georgia came up a little short last year. You know Ohio State and I didn't know that. This kid I don't know why. I thought the kid was coming out, but I didn't know he was only the receiver for Ohio State. Yeah, I thought he was coming out this year. No, he's a freshman Five-star.
Speaker 2:Crazy, so of course, Clemson, Texas.
Speaker 1:So what are some preseason predictions, Chad, I'll go ahead and start with you Just preseason predictions. Some teams to look out for some breakout players. What are your thoughts right now, before?
Speaker 3:we get ready to kick off the season. So I got to start by saying Florida State brought in this kid from Boston College, castellanos quarterback Mobile is all he can be. I mean just runs the ball all the time. He came out today and started woofing Alabama man, we got Alabama week one. I don't hate it. I don't hate the confidence he said y'all ain't got Nick Saban, no more, ain't no one there that can stop me, and that's right, I get whooped, but that confidence we haven't had that behind center in a couple years.
Speaker 3:I told you the DJU was gonna be a bust and I like it, but I'm not expecting a whole lot. I mean last year was just absolutely miserable for me. But I'll tell you what Ohio State. Obviously you got Texas with Arch. Obviously you know you got Georgia, who's always gonna be great, with Kirby Smart on the sideline. I think Clemson and my biggest rival is going to hurt Clemson, this Clay Kupnick kid who I have been on since day one and he came out slow and was not great his first couple years. Last year he turned that corner and lit the world on fire. They got a couple star receivers. Clemson's going to be back and you know Dabo is waiting for it because he's been dealing with this NIL and he's been openly against the NIL. So if he can come in with some homegrown kids that he's had for four years three years and make a point, that's going to be huge for the sport. I think LSU they got that quarterback Nesmeyer, who's been done.
Speaker 3:And then Penn State. I think Drew Aller I don't know how well he projects to the NFL, I like the kid. I like the kid. Obviously they lost the edge, rusher, but you got to go with quarterbacks. Man, it's football. You start at the quarterback position and I'm starting there. Like I said, you got Clemson, lsu and Penn State, all with three top-tier quarterbacks. This quarterback draft is going to be nice. This is a better draft coming up than last year was. I'll take these guys over Ward and Shador any day.
Speaker 2:Yeah, good point. And Marlon Chad referenced to Arch Manning. This guy here it's going to be his world and everybody is going to be following him. You know, because we're just living in it. Arch Manning was a former five-star, the number one recruit in the country. You know. He has the quarterback pedigree and they got receivers and offensive linemen down in Texas. I don't know why he's stuck with Quinn Ewers man, I guess out of respect. That's my guy. Yeah, but Arch Manning, when he came in man, he killed people, you know, except for George. We beat him twice. But this is his year. And Chad, that was a good point.
Speaker 2:On Clemson Clemson has one of the top three offensive lines coming back and they got the middle line back out of Georgia. It was the state of Georgia player of the year, sammy Brown last year. He'll be a sophomore. You got some time last year as a freshman, sammy Brown, and Penn state drew out, I like drew out our two man former five-star recruit man. I just don't trust Franklin in a big spot. Chad and Marlon, I love the coach, you know. As far as, yeah, I don't trust Franklin, they'll win 10 games and then lose a big one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, can you beat?
Speaker 3:Michigan.
Speaker 2:You know what I mean, yeah, can you beat Michigan and Ohio State? That's the thing. The kid from Ohio State you referenced earlier, he's a freshman. Jeremiah Smith is the real deal. They got one in Alabama, too, a receiver, yeah, yeah. But this Jeremiah Smith, if he came out he would have been first pick of the draft. That's how special he was. I don't know where he'd make up these guys from. It seemed like every wide receiver that comes out comes out of Ohio State, from Chris Olave to going all the way back to Terry Glenn, you know, but from Chris Olavi to going all the way back to Terry Glenn you know but Marvin Harrison, but keep an eye on me.
Speaker 2:I mentioned Arch Manning at quarterback. This kid, jeremiah Smith, whoever the quarterback is, the OSU is a defending champ. He's going to be a consensus all American again. And then, of course, georgia. You know we got got to stock them, but we got everything else O-line running back back Nate Frazier out of Santa Ana-Mata Day High School, the number two running back last year, five stars everywhere on defense to replace Jalen Walker. We'll see Out West. It's transfer from Tennessee. They went to UCLA. That's a big mess out here. Chad, ucla quarterback I can't pronounce his name. He left Tennessee in a bad fashion because he wanted to be paid NIL money.
Speaker 3:Oh, yeah, oh, I don't look at the ball this way, doc. I ain't no footballer. Yeah, it's just a story.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's just a story, but you know USC needs to come back. What's his name? Riley. Can he get the crew to stick big USC is USC. But to answer your question, georgia, texas, clemson, penn State, florida, with Lagway at quarterback, the true freshman he was a sophomore this year, five stars, so it's going to be interesting in the Southeastern Conference. Oklahoma has some people you tend to forget they're in the SEC now, but Texas is the key. Marlon, to answer your question, you're in that state Long on Sub-Easy.
Speaker 1:End. Okay, now give me a couple names for the Heisman Way early prediction. Give me a couple names. Who you got, doc.
Speaker 2:Oh, man, you got to go with Arch Manning. Man, you gotta go with Arch Manning. That's one. And then if you want to go 1A, you know I'm going with the kid that we talked about. Jeremiah Smith, even when he's covered, he's open, you know, it don't matter. Will Howard, who's with the Steelers I think he was garbage, but he made. He made Will Howard look like an all American. You know, jeremiah Smith, yeah, so those are some good names. I think he made Will.
Speaker 3:Howard, look like an All-American. You know, jeremiah Smith, yeah, those are some good names. I think Aller will be up there. Klubnick, I got another pull for you, non-quarterback. The kid had another name, the running back, jeremiah Love. That kid, that's right. He's special with the ball in his hands and we've seen how Ashton Gentry did last year at Boise and he just short. I think Jeremiah Love can put Notre Dame on his back and rush for 2,500 yards injury's killed him, if memory serves me, correct, when he hurt. He got hurt in the playoff.
Speaker 2:He's a talent. Yeah, good point.
Speaker 3:He's a special running back.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. A lot of storylines out there. Marlon Can SMU and your neck of the woods.
Speaker 3:Repeat that. I got one more for you. Marlon, go ahead Talking to SEC. How about the kid from South Carolina, lenora Sellers that quarterback?
Speaker 2:Yeah him, yeah. Another fine story.
Speaker 3:He's the losing young Cam Newton.
Speaker 2:Yes, he is Lenora, they just had. He just in the news recently, you know, because you know everybody's on his butt. He turned him down to stay at South Carolina, you know, and that's it, brother. All right, Marlon before you move on. Smu man, what do you expect? Can they repeat the 10-win season they had at SMU Mustangs?
Speaker 3:Yeah, Marlon, tell us about SMU.
Speaker 1:Sure Sure, I think so why not? Absolutely. You know they got a quarterback.
Speaker 3:You're like Stephen A Just start yelling.
Speaker 1:They got a quarterback, some receivers a running back. A nice old line yeah, Ten wins, yeah.
Speaker 3:Speaking of.
Speaker 1:SMU. Every time I drive over there, the lights are always out. But that's about all I know about SMU, that's right Great dialogue brother.
Speaker 2:So, all right speaking of running backs.
Speaker 1:You're talking about running backs, chad. So on to my Chargers. We did get Amari and Hampton, paired with Najee Harris. Of course not sure what's going to happen with Keenan Allen. It seems as if we're just going to move with the guys that we have and build off of that. But how are you feeling just about the division? Do you think that you guys have enough to at least make the wild card? Are you thinking second place? Do you think you can win the division? What are you thinking about your Broncos and the AFC West? Second place? Are you thinking you can win?
Speaker 3:the division. What are you thinking about your broncos in the afc west? The afc west has slowly became a gauntlet. I mean, let's start at the coaching. It's four hall of fame coaches in the division, if you're asking me. I mean you got carol harbaugh, reed and payton. I mean, are you serious? Like what are we talking about here? We're talking about big time coaches in the nfl. They're all in one division and I've never said this. I probably haven't said this since they drafted Sebastian Jennings. Like the Raiders don't draft. Well, they draft horrible Every year is a joke and it's a funny joke.
Speaker 3:And I go back on my Facebook and I reshare the one from the last year and I made fun of that pig and they nailed it. They got Ashton Gentry. I mean I, they nailed it. They got Ashton Gentry. I mean I was pissed. I got to deal with this cat for the next five, six years. I mean I don't want to see that the Chargers hit it out of the park. Not only did you get the running back that I wanted, you got a receiver who's a stud. I love the receiver out of Ole Miss, absolutely a stud. You're going to love him, marlon, and maybe we got the blueprint now because they got their ass whooped, or maybe they're going to come back because they got embarrassed on national tv. But I love what devor's doing.
Speaker 3:I mean, sean payton has full control of this team. It's obvious that he's making the moves. We've seen it with russell wilson. Last year he went and got bo nicks. He was confident in bo nicks and bo nicks played pretty well for a rookie and now he has another year under his belt. And now sean payton had another year to make some moves and we brought in a guy like jk dobbins, who is not going to rush for 2 000 yards but he's going to pass block. He's going to, he's going to get that third down and one and he's going to convert and get bo nicks a fresh set of downs. We got to have an ingram, let's not forget. This dude was once one of the best tight ends in the league I wanted him.
Speaker 3:And we need a tight end. We need a tight end for Bo Nix. We got Sutton who catches everything. It's Marvin Mims who had a great game against the Bengals last year and that's classic. Is he going to step up and be that number two that we need? I mean, the defense is great. We brought in the flying Hawaiian from the Niners. We brought in Greenlaw, who?
Speaker 3:I thought the report was. He was out for the year. Sounds like he's going to be back before the start of the season. We drafted the kid out of Texas who was the best DB in the draft.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:The best defensive player in the world playing corner. I legit think we can win the division. I really do, I think. I think there's a chance where it can go Denver chargers chiefs. I think the chiefs one of these years are just going to not make the playoffs.
Speaker 2:Well, in the Chiefs defense, you know they picked up an offensive tackle from Ohio State Josh Simmons, the other All-American from Ohio State a tackle, and that's what the Chiefs sorely need. Of course they got the all-world quarterback, but your division, as you referenced Chad, is just otherworldly, man. You know San Diego helped them out I mean the Chargers helped them out tremendously by picking up Hampton to go with Najee Harris and they got the big offensive line you know from last year Number one pick out of Notre Dame. So what might hurt them is the edge rusher. I mean he barely played, but you know you got to replace both Khalil Mack's, older than me, so you got to hold Marlon in that Defensively you have just enough and run the rock just enough to shorten the game somewhat.
Speaker 2:The Raiders, or Ashton Gentry, my pick for offensive rookie of the year, because you're going to get the rock. You know, and Geno Smith threw for 4,300 last year. Chad, so the AFC West overall is the toughest division in football. I just think that this is going to be fun to see. You guys are going to beat each other up now. So you know we're going to see what's going on there Because, if you ask me, it's wide open, even with terrible quarterback play. I think it was during the holidays the Raiders were bad quarterbacks, was it Ritter? They should have beat the Chiefs in Kansas City, but the offensive lineman did something stupid and negated a first down and the Raiders won by two. They didn't even cover so that division. Regardless of how people think the Raiders had a oh yeah, my wife's Raiders, they can beat the Chiefs they beat them before on the road. You know with shoddy quarterback play and you know with shoddy quarterback play and you know I love Herbert and I love Bix. But yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think that, just with my team, of course, as you said, with Herbert. I mean, we got Mike Williams back, so we'll see. On a one-year deal We'll see what he can do. Ladd is showing us that he is pretty much number one at this point. Trey Harris is what you mentioned. I'm excited to see what he's going to do.
Speaker 1:Quinton Johnson Every time Quinton Johnson, the ball gets thrown to him, I just close my eyes and just obviously hope so does he, man, it's just so, does he? So it's? I mean, yeah, tight end-wise O-line, I think we're okay Defensively. Khalil Mack yeah, tight end-wise O-line, I think we're okay Defensively. Khalil Mack surprisingly believe it or not, doc, he's actually had some of his best years in recent years with us the past two years and then but edge rusher, I think we'll be fine. As you guys heard, joey Bosa's always hurt, so he got hurt up in Buffalo, so we'll see how long he's out, but I think we're going to be all right as how long he's out, but I think we're going to be all right as long as we.
Speaker 1:Of course, health is our biggest thing. We get a little more of a home field advantage, which is growing from some of the games that I've went to. We do play. We have a tough schedule at home. We have Pittsburgh, and then we also have Monday Night Football at home as well against the Eagles. So I know that's going to be tough, but it is what it is. Our whole division. We do have a pretty brutal schedule playing the NFC East, but I'm ready for it. So we got to. I think we open up against shoot. I forget who we are Typically it's always the Raiders. I forget who we open up. Oh no, we have Kansas City.
Speaker 2:Yes, in Brazil. Yes, oh no, we have.
Speaker 3:Kansas City yes, in Brazil yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm ready, man, I'm ready baby, Bring it baby.
Speaker 2:Chad, give me a win total for your Broncos Is it 12, 11, 13 wins, even You'll call on that.
Speaker 3:I think so. If I'm saying we're going to win the division, I think it has to be 12, but I'm comfortable saying 11. Okay, I mean, if I'm saying we're going to win the division.
Speaker 2:I think it has to be 12, but I'm comfortable saying 11. Okay, yeah, afc, that's a good response. Monica, the AFC as we talked about before. Marlon on this show, it's brutal man. You got Lamar in Baltimore, you got Josh Allen, who just won the MVP in Buffalo, and Bill's Mafia is starving. We had Twizzy on last week. Off of you. You're starving. We just had Twizzy on last week. Every year they picked him in the bowl and then something stupid happens. But you got those two quarterbacks just on the same. Then you got Joe Burrow that nobody talks about man. You got all worldwide receivers up the yin-yang, but their defense sucks. So the AFC is loaded, gentlemen. So good luck. I'm over here in the NFC trying to mind my own business, but I'm like damn, that AFC is a bitch.
Speaker 3:But go ahead. Great name, I have a breakout year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely With New England. Be curves with Pats. Yeah, especially with the old linebacker of Rabel. There they're not going to mess around Much improved team over there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's right, brother. And staying with the quarterbacks in the AFC Chad. What are your thoughts on Shador? Do you think he'll shine in the preseason? What are you thinking about him? No, I don't.
Speaker 3:He's not. I'm not a Shador guy at all. Man, that's all glitz and glamour, that's lipstick on a pig man. He had Travis Hunter, he had some. I mean lipstick on a pig man that's he had travis hunter.
Speaker 3:He has some, he's gonna. I mean, come on colorado, they weren't playing nobody. Yeah, he, he's, he's not, he's not gonna be it. He might shine a little bit in the preseason, but this nfl man and I've seen better quarterbacks than him look like trash when they get to the big leagues. They have tape, they're gonna watch every single film. I mean, for example, justin fields, doc, I love justin. Yeah, justin Fields 10 times better than Shador was. He played at Georgia and Ohio State. That's right, big boys. And look what he does in the NFL. Nothing.
Speaker 2:Well, can you give him the starting job at some point? We're talking about Dylan Gabriel here, you know, and Joe Flacco, who's older than me. You're calling that quarterback fight in Cleveland. Does Shadur get the starting job at some point?
Speaker 3:I think eventually you have to give it to him. But I mean, like I said, he might break out and get a run and everyone's going to get excited. But I mean, listen, jameis Winston, who I love and played at Florida State in big-time games, won a national championship. He can't even get it and he did okay in Clevelandtime games. Won a national championship he can't even get it and he did okay in Cleveland.
Speaker 3:I mean he's the Russell Westbrook of the NFL. He's going to throw 21 touchdowns and 20 picks, but he can keep you in a game. And if guys like this can't make it, like I said, fields Winston, we're talking about big-time recruits and big-time games. Obviously, shador went to Colorado because his dad was there, but, let's say, deion wasn't coaching. Was Shador really going to go to Georgia or Bama or Ohio State? Nah, so I don't think they were going to recruit him. Oh heck, no. So I, who knows, maybe he proves me wrong.
Speaker 3:We've seen storylines from kids who come out of nowhere and have good careers. I mean, brock Purdy was a good player that a lot of people didn't know about at Iowa State and he's had a good little, you know, okay career. Dak Prescott, you know, has had an okay career and he was mediocre in college, a little better than above average. But I just don't see it and I think the main reason is it's the camera time. We've seen it with Tebow. When you have all that camera time and you're not that great, it gets to you. And because you're not that great, it gets to you.
Speaker 3:And because you're going to hear everything everyone says and no one watches more sports than nfl fans. That's the number one sport in the world, or at least in america. So you're going to hear every criticism about you when you make that wrong read. You're going to hear it 10 times. No matter what channel you flip to, he's going to be on the front page and they're going to be dissing him. And can he handle it? I mean, he's not going to be babied anymore. You don't got a babysitter like you did in Colorado. You're walking on eggshells in Colorado. In the NFL you can crush them, that's right, good point there, that's a good point.
Speaker 2:Man, that friend, that sand base is so loyal. There's nothing like Cleveland Browns fans, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:They want them to be great because they need a savior. The jerseys they're going to run out of room. They got 35 quarterbacks on their Jersey. They're going to go to Cozart and Mayfield and Wilson and Jamis. I mean they're begging for a quarterback. Absolutely, I don't think it's him, I think it's next year. I think they struggle this year and they get Arch or they get Aller or they get the guy Nussmeyer from LSU and they can finally go forward with a legit quarterback.
Speaker 2:Well, who's your offensive rookie of the year, your defensive rookie of the year? I'll start. I got Jalen Walker on my Falcons edge. They're going to put them all over the place. Man, the rookie from Georgia edge. And then, offensively, you're going with my boy. You know Ashton Gentry. You know who do you have. Are you going with your guy Barron out of Texas? Who do you like offensively and defensively rookie of the year? You know the NFL.
Speaker 3:Your call Offensively. Man, this is tough because I don't want to get too crazy, because I like some guys that are not. You know who might get it? Doc, who? The kid in Green Bay? The receiver out of Texas, Golden oh wow, I wanted him. They need a number one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the receiver out of Texas, Golden. Oh wow, they need a number one.
Speaker 3:He needs a number one and he might be that guy. I think the easy choice is Jante. Obviously Cam Ward, I think, will struggle a little bit. I think it's either Golden or the kid on the charges the running back.
Speaker 2:I think that's it.
Speaker 3:If he can catch the ball out of the backfield, I think it's going to be him. And then, defensively, carter is the best player in the draft to me. I think he's going to absolutely destroy it. I think I think Abdul Carter is Micah Parsons 2.0. I think he's going to absolutely go crazy that's fair.
Speaker 2:That's fair. Remember now he has some pieces on that D line from Oregon this third year and he got the big defensive tackle from Clemson. So yeah, that's a good point. That's a good response to Abdul Carter man, he's otherworldly.
Speaker 3:I watched him.
Speaker 2:What are the chances Travis Hunter wins both? No, I don't think that'll happen. This is the league man. I think he might end up getting hurt trying to do both and be stubborn. They'll pay him as such and it's exciting, but eventually you have to play one position.
Speaker 2:This is men's you know, or do you like him that better? I think he's a better receiver man. I really do. I think he can track the ball. Oh, you do, okay, yeah, I like DB. Yeah, wow, yeah, right on, yeah, wow, yeah, right on. Man, sunshine needs a weapon. Though Sunshine needs a weapon. I say receiver because you know Ridley, he's good, but I think this kid here receiver man, he can make Sunshine be all pro, you know.
Speaker 3:And we're close to you brought up AFC quarterbacks and we didn't mention him. And I love Trevor Lawrence. He needs it's time. It's time, If not now, we're going to start forgetting about him.
Speaker 2:That's a good point. He's in his fifth year or sixth year and he's one of those guys. You saw the promise when he came back from 27-0 down against the Chargers.
Speaker 1:Oh, come on Doc, come on man.
Speaker 2:You know the arm challenge. Something's missing there. Chad and Marlon with Sunshine, you know, maybe he might change the scenery. Well, he has the running game, etn and the other cat, I don't know man they paying him a grip. They got to eat the contract. If they get rid of him.
Speaker 2:And by the way he can do it all on tape. It's just not translating. Yeah, I don't know that AFC quarterback. Yeah, we didn't bring him up for good reason, real quick. On Kirk Cousins he's still on the roster. I know you guys staying with a big contract. We just mentioned Sunshine. I don't know what Fantano's doing. We should have been gotten rid of him before the draft, and now you know. I don't know what Fontenot's doing. We should have been gotten rid of him before the draft, and now you know, I don't know. It's just disappointing to me, marlon and Chad, that Kirk Cousins is still on the roster. He's being a good soldier, so to speak. But everybody knows Penix Jr is the guy and you just don't want him to be retarded in his progress, chad, by looking over his shoulder the minute he throws two interceptions against the Saints on the road. You know you don't want that and shoot. I want him out. I'll eat the contract.
Speaker 3:Wave him. I don't think he's on the roster week one, doc, and if I'm, we just brought it up. If I'm Cleveland, I'll cut everybody and just sign Kirk Cousins and see what he does. I mean, he's better than anybody else in Cleveland.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what about Minnesota? Jj McCarthy's coming off significant. Do you trust McCarthy? Okay, I was going to ask you that.
Speaker 1:Okay, you got to see what you got. You got to see what you got with him.
Speaker 3:You know the story coming out today with the Colts, daniel Jones is kicking Richardson's ass. That's not surprising. I like Richardson, but you invested a lot in them.
Speaker 2:Yes, I did, yeah, they did, they did, and he's hurt again. And this is Daniel Jones here. That's an indictment to me on Richardson. If Daniel Jones is kicking your ass, that's right.
Speaker 3:But you know what that shows? That shows that a good organization is willing to accept that they made a mistake and moved on. Because you keep putting Richardson out there and you're going to waste your star running back's career, that's right, good point, good point.
Speaker 2:And this guy thinks he's a fullback and he gets hurt, getting beat up, quarterback, he can't connect. He got an arm talent. They fell in love with the arm talent Chad. I watched him at Florida that one year.
Speaker 3:I watched him Doc. He's terrible that one year. You know I watched him dog playing against him.
Speaker 2:He's terrible. Yeah, he is, he is. That's interesting for the Colts man, you know, and they're all world running back up there. They're going to get him killed if they don't figure this thing out. You know, I'm kind of pulling for Daniel.
Speaker 1:Jones. Yeah, shoot your guy. Chad your guy. Russell Wilson with the Giants, or that is your guy or over there with the Jets, with Justin Fields, who has a better season this year? Go?
Speaker 3:ahead Chad. I like the. I want to ask this one. I don't even. I mean, I get the New York correlation. So I don't think Russell Wilson finishes the year. I don't know man, I like Jameis Winston and I don't know Russell Wilson finishes the year. I don't know man, I like James Winston and I don't know if Russell Wilson Hold on. Maybe I took my boy, jackson Dart is a fucking stud, yes, he is.
Speaker 3:So Russell Wilson ain't doing shit. But I asked I got a better one Can we make it a three-way? Throw Rodgers in there, let's get Rodgers involved. Let's do a little love triangle, wow With the. Make it a three-way. Throw rogers in there, let's get rogers involved. Let's do a little love triangle, wow with the with the movement. Russell wilson leaves the steelers and goes to new york. So justin wilson goes to the, you know, to the jets, and then rogers goes from the jets to the steelers. Let's go. I think rogers has a season this year, man, I, I think, I think he he doesn't like the spot. Okay, let me say this way he loves spotlight, he loves to talk about himself.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:But he's kind of a blue-collar player, like he's not flashy, he's going to talk to you, no matter what he could be in Antarctica, and you're going to hear his voice. He's going to be on TV, he's on a podcast, but he kind of I think the people in Pittsburgh, those blue-collar ironworkers- I think they're going to hit it off.
Speaker 3:And I think you know, because in Green Bay I think Green Bay and Pittsburgh have the same type of fan base just kind of just gritty, hardworking people who go to work five days a week, come home, open a beer and watch their football team. And I think Rodgers, without Pickens there he has Metcalf he's going to like Metcalf. I think Rodgers has a good year, I think Rodgers I'm sorry to ruin your question, I had a third quarterback in there, but let's do the love triangle. I think Rodgers has a good season in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 2:Well, who's the running back on the Warner, who's only 180 pounds to protect?
Speaker 3:Rodgers, they got the kid out of Iowa.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's right.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he's a good back. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's a good back. Yeah, that's right. That's right, he's a dual threat too.
Speaker 3:He can catch the ball to the backfield. I mean you tell me a kid from Iowa can run the ball. I mean that's pretty much a given out there. That's all they do is run the ball and at school they couldn't throw the ball forward. I don't even know you want about him. He can have me at quarterback and he'll win eight games. I think Pittsburgh is sneaky. Cincinnati I love Joe Burrow. Joe Burrow is my favorite quarterback. They got a lot of problems over there internally. They got guys that want money that aren't getting it. Yeah, I think Pittsburgh can quietly sneak into the wild card.
Speaker 2:We're forgetting about. Oh gosh, lamar has to do it. Chad, I'm sorry and I'm an LJ fan.
Speaker 3:I love him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're right. You're right, gosh man, him and Josh Allen. Who has more pressure, marlon and Chad, lamar Jackson or Josh Allen right now, today, to go to the bowl Just to go, forget winning it One or the?
Speaker 1:other. I feel like Josh Allen gets a little closer than Lamar does, so I would probably throw Josh Allen in there because he has a better team, he's in a better team, he's in the better division Well, the better division for him to win. So, in my opinion, I think we got you your money, we got pieces around you, we got rid of your two receivers and you still were able to make it far in the playoffs. So I got Buffalo and Lamar I mean Josh.
Speaker 3:Allen. I think it's Lamar. And I think it's Lamar because I feel like people are afraid to criticize Josh Allen. I feel like he always gets coddled, like there's always an excuse behind it. There's always I mean mean, I don't know if it's right yeah, I really don't know what it is.
Speaker 3:People hate lamar jackson. Like if you call, okay, we all listen to sports radio. There's two topics that will get full lines kobe versus I mean, jordan versus lebron will get full lines for three hours and just say lamar jackson's name once and a hundred people will call and 98 of them will talk shit like oh, he's this and that he can't throw the football and he's not clutch and he loses in the playoff. Man, it's crazy. And I love Lamar. I've loved him since he put up 70 on us and fucking went Louisville when they looked for a safe test. Lamar is a special talent. I think it's on him they got Henry last year. They just signed Bateman to a deal they got. You know all the other receivers they got.
Speaker 2:I think it's Lamar that has more pressure just because the media hates him. Well, that's a very good point, man. It's interesting. But every year, man Buffalo's doing is supposed to do this. They did win the MVP. Now, chad, you can argue, and I'll argue with you, that Lamar should have won the MVP. He had 41 touchdown throws and then I think he had more running touchdowns or something. He was almost 1,000. Something ridiculous that. But Josh Allen bless his heart. Marlon, I beg to differ with you. I think Baltimore is just as talented. You got the defense with Raekwon Smith Raekwon Smith, you got the safety, hamilton. You got the rookie with raekwon smith, raekwon smith. You got the safety hamilton. You got the rookie from georgia safety. So it's interesting, man. That's going to be interesting. Those two quarterbacks. I just had to throw that out there.
Speaker 1:Good response, fellas and I think that this is that's my thing with it when I look at buffalo you're supposed to beat miami. You're supposed to beat the jets. You're supposed to beat the patriots. You may have a slip up here and there, but Baltimore, you know Cleveland, cleveland's not supposed to win, but they're going to play you tough. The Bengals, depending on when it is, and not in September they're going to play you tough and they may beat you. Pittsburgh, it's always a coin toss with them. So I just feel like in that AFC North, lamar is just playing tougher competition than Josh Allen is. So in my opinion, you're supposed to go and win your division and face the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game. So if Lamar makes it, then cool, he makes it and he's pretty much playing with house money. But you just got to get out your division first, because it's going to be tough.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think your logic is 100% correct, but that's not how the media thinks and no one gets criticized for the regular season. The microscopes on you in the postseason. Josh Allen just gets more. He gets a bye every time he gets a pass and Lamar has not been great in the playoffs. Don't get me wrong.
Speaker 2:That's right, that's right.
Speaker 3:But at the same time he just gets absolutely destroyed and we forget about what Doc said. The numbers that he puts up in the regular season, they're video game numbers.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah. And I think he already has two MVPs and you know the coaching staff swears by him. I love Harbaugh down there in Baltimore, but just strange things happen to him in the big spot. Josh Allen has some great postseason games. To be fair, you know the 13, second game three years ago. That's coaching.
Speaker 2:I don't know how long McDermott is going to last. There's a lot of coaches on the hot seat. You know, if this thing don't work out in Pittsburgh, tomlin might be out. Still, the fans have had it. I'll talk to him, but Tomlin, but McDermott to me. As far as coaches on the hot seat, you can think of several others. It's going to be interesting. And then we bring up Brock, purdy, marlon, and it's one of those things where 50 million or 60 million, whatever it is, can he win a game for you or does he need the supporting cast? Can CMC stay healthy? That's the big talk of my job, because I have several 49ers. I want to hear from you, two gentlemen, before we go. That's the big talk of my job, because I have several 49ers. I want to hear from you, two gentlemen, before we go.
Speaker 3:Brock Purdy. Can CMC stay healthy with the 49ers?
Speaker 1:Yeah, With the windows closed, Go ahead, Marlon Yep yep, I just think he's definitely going to need a lot of help Now, with Debo being gone. Of course, you rely on CMC. Kittle has his money. So, yeah, he's definitely going to need a lot of help, but I don't see him. And it's a tough division too. You know Seattle's going to play you tough, the Cardinals are going to be relevant and the Rams are going to run away with the division.
Speaker 3:They moved Ayub too right. I think, they're trying to I think they're trying to.
Speaker 1:He's coming off an injury?
Speaker 2:Yeah, they're trying to. They're coming out for injury, yeah, they're trying to.
Speaker 3:Yeah, okay, I just, I think Shanahan, I think the window's closed, I think they had it. And I don't like Purdy, I don't think he's. I said it all along, I said it when he was hot, so I'm not just saying it now. I don't believe in him man. I don't think he was the type of player to win a Super Bowl player to win a Super Bowl. I think he came in in a great offense and I think McCaffrey is another guy who just is running out of gas. He's a running back in the NFL.
Speaker 3:You know what happens. We know this story, doc, you name him. We'll stay here all night and name him, but you know what I mean. He's got his time to shine. We're talking about a guy who was in Carolina making moves and now he's in San Francisco moves. And now he's in san francisco and I think, if I'm shanahan, I'm starting to hit the rebuild button. They lost a lot of people on d they did bring solid back, if I believe a little bit, but yeah, solid came back and said who are these guys?
Speaker 3:I don't recognize these guys in this locker room. These guys I had when we won 15, 14 games a year, so I don't know, but I'm excited, man. We'll talk about this again, though for sure we got a lot of time for football.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Getting late. Oh, chad, this is a great dialogue, marlon, good job on getting Chad on here. So yeah, I loved every minute of this. This is good stuff. Of course, this is a good one.
Speaker 1:All right, man Best work yet I appreciate it. All right, we'll catch you guys next time. Peace.