REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon
Doc and Marlon bring you the best takes from all of sports. #REALTALK #THATSRIGHTBROTHA
REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon
From Shohei’s Historic Night To NFL Chaos And A Wild NBA Tipoff
We celebrate a download milestone and dig into a three-sport rollercoaster: Dodgers dominance and Shohei’s historic night, NFL chaos from meltdowns to hot seats, and an NBA tipoff where the West is a buzzsaw and the East is wide open due to injuries. We argue how health, coaching, and timing decide titles far more than seeding or brand names.
• Dodgers’ postseason identity built on healthy rotation
• Shohei’s 10 Ks and 3 HRs in one game as historic
• Toronto’s path to push LA by taxing pitch counts
• Seattle’s missed leverage and closer usage
• NFL Week 7 collapse, coaching heat, and QB windows
• Bills’ defensive talent gap and overreliance on Allen
• Chargers’ injuries, no run game, and lack of adjustments
• Lakers’ cap and usage dilemma at age 40
• West depth with Denver, OKC, Minnesota, Houston, Spurs
• East injuries and openings for Cleveland, Detroit, Orlando
• Conference finals picks and MVP race logic
Thank you for all the listeners and the subscribers and everything. We really do appreciate you.
And welcome everybody to another episode of Real Talk Doc. How you doing today?
SPEAKER_01:Doing fine, man. We got a special guest, man, in uh second time, I believe. So you do the intro, man. It's a pleasure having them aboard. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_03:You've seen him, you you've heard him on uh Channel Sports, Mad Dog Sports Radio, Mad Dog Unleashed. Uh so Twizy joins us uh back on the show. So welcome, Twiz. How you doing?
SPEAKER_01:Man, thank you guys for having me, man. I'm feeling great, man. How you guys doing? Doing fine, man. We're blessed, man. Let's jump right into it, baby.
SPEAKER_03:Before we go ahead and get started, we just want to say that we reached a milestone on the podcast. So we have um that we can't see how many plays and listen, so we know this number is a lot higher, but we reached a thousand downloads, so it's definitely incredible. Uh for the total. Thank you for all the listeners and the subscribers and everything. We really do appreciate you.
SPEAKER_01:So uh absolutely absolutely stuff.
SPEAKER_03:All right, so uh Twin is the Dodgers, Twenty of the Dodgers didn't make it on in the world series, so that series, I believe, starts later this week. So uh Twitter, first off, what were you thought going into the playoffs? Kind of like that second half after uh the the all-star break, and then also too, what were you thought uh overall for the Dodgers in this playoffs?
SPEAKER_01:Oh well, you know, um uh I was just happy that we were uh healthy, and that's all that really counted. You know, the Dodgers for not just this season, but maybe for the last uh eight to ten seasons, they're judged on what they're gonna do in the playoffs. And last year, we went into the season uh into the playoffs with our um our starting lineup, our starting pitchers very hurt. You know, we we we had to pitch a bullpen game, uh to to to avoid elimination against the Padre A D pitch the bullpen game in in the World Series. And it you know, that was from our starting lineup, just being so hurt, you know. And this year finally uh we got a starting lineup healthy after many, many injuries throughout the year. And you know, I once we started once I seen that happen and uh we got our bullpen or our solar situation with Rogue uh taken care of, I I knew they were gonna be in a good spot, you know. I I I didn't care that they didn't have the uh home field advantage, you know, against Cincinnati. I was actually happy uh that we were because we needed that tune up against Cincinnati. We needed to get into that playoff mode. Um and uh, you know, we did our thing. And I uh, you know, as far as the World Series is concerned, you know, our starting pitching has been even more than you could even bank on, you know, more than I could even bank for. So I'm I'm so happy as a Dodgers fan. I I just remember everybody calling us chokers, and you know, now that we got uh a chokehold on the World Series chokey, people are kind of upset about that. Well, I tell you, Twizzy, you bring up some great points, man. Being an Atlanta Braves fan, I was hoping that somewhere along the line that you'll falter, but you didn't. You know, you got healthy at the right time and you did what you had to do. You had some shocking losses during the regular season, but as you reference, you're getting judged on what you do in the postseason. And what your starting pitching has done, Twizzy, and you'll agree, is putting up historic numbers. You know, Yashinobu and Yamamoto, you know, Blake Snail, you know, and the other cat. His name escaped me. And your starters are just doing things that Bob Gibson did by himself in the 60s, complete games and double-digit strikeouts, and then you had in Shohei Otani, man. You know, the more the Moon Gabriel Brewers had the best record in baseball, Marlon. And the Dodgers went through them like butter, swept them, you know, and in historic fashion, you know. Um and I love Christian Yelich and some of the other cats they have, but there was no answer for that pitching and pitching wins in the postseason. But what transpired uh on Friday relative to Shoey El Tani, I want your take on this, Twizzy, because you're a Dodger fan. I think it's the greatest performance in the history of the sport. And we know about Barry Barnes, we know about some of the great players and sluggish in the history, but people bring up Bay Ruth, but he never did this with 10 strikeouts and three monstrous home runs. The second one went out of the stadium. So you want you to comment on Showhead Donick? You know, he was great, but you're talking about historic now, Twizzy. Your take on that particular night. Friday night was electric. Go ahead. Well, what I what I was most impressed about was the fact that he had been struggling, you know. He he had been struggling this whole time. And he got a triple uh the game before, but he hadn't been doing what Shaw Tani has been able to do at the back. So instead of just hanging his head, not contributing, you know, he got out there on the mile, started out great, and when once when he came up to play on that first time, you know, I knew from that swing that he was locked in. And of course it's an historical uh uh night. I mean that goes without saying. It's one of the most historical nights. There's nothing that you can compare it to simply because I mean, Reggie Jackson, he hit three bombs, but he didn't pitch. Anybody who picked anybody who pitched and gave you and gave you ten strikeouts and and uh uh uh and a shutout performance, you know, they didn't hit three bombs. So obviously, but it goes without question. And then um if uh we're gonna say that uh the monkey is off of uh judges back based on something that happened in the AODS, I mean this is the this is the NLCS. You know, this is for the pendant. You know, it's not for the World Series, but it is for the pendant. And that's still a big thing here to win the NLCS. And he broke out his slump in in that, and and I expect him to continue that in the World Series. Absolutely. And and Marlon, I want you to weigh on this too. Are you more impressed, if you will, with his pitching? Because that's filthy stuff. His stuff is filthy. You know, I mean, slider pitching, things going down and people striking out. Are you more impressed, Twizzie and Marlon, with his pitching or is hitting that particular night?
SPEAKER_00:Go ahead, Twizz.
SPEAKER_01:Well, for me, I'm more impressed with his with his pitching because he hasn't done it all year. And this is really the first time in a big spot where hit it where it matters. You know, I I know we were up three, and I know the daughter were up three to nothing. But it's still the ALC, I mean the NLC S man. And and and that's still a big spot, you know, because it only takes one game, you know, for for that thing to start going the other way. That's the Yankees against Boston, you know. Yeah. So we know how that we know how that can happen. And I know it doesn't happen often, but you still don't want that. You still have to close out. And it's not just how he did it. I mean just what he did, but it's how he did it. You know, and against a team that the 10 strikeouts against a team that doesn't strike out a lot that puts a lot of contact on the ball. So I I'm I was very impressed with his hitting, but I was much more impressed with his pitching performance. Absolutely good response.
SPEAKER_03:And uh uh Doc uh S did uh chime in on this, and he did say that he has the Dodgers winning. Uh he said this isn't gonna go past five games, this World Series. So what are your thoughts on uh the the prediction of Dodgers probably taking it uh in sweep or five games, Doc?
SPEAKER_01:No, no, no. I think it's gonna go six, and I'm I'm I'm on record as saying it's gonna go six. You gotta give props to Toronto, man, with those cats, man. You know, uh Guerrero, you know, uh uh Singh, oh shoot, what is the name? Singh and he hit the big home run last night. This this is this they got pitching, man, you know, and you saw them strike out Seattle. Now, to be fair, Twizzy, I was going for the for the Seattle Mariners, man. I like the big dumper, you know. Cal Riley is a machine. That would have been a great storyline, him and O'Tonnell, but the Railroad ain't no joke either. But you gotta you gotta hear Marlon and Twizzy, Seattle blew it. You know, they did an Atlanta Braves type thing. You you was up three, you first you're up 2-0, winning on the road. You come home and then you you lose two, and then you win the third. You're up three, two, and then you're up, you know, going back to Toronto, 3-2, and then you just blew it, man. You know, I feel sorry for the Seattle people. You know, I'm not really an American League fan, but it goes noted, man, that they might not get back next year because you figure Houston and the Yankees and the Astros and all that's gonna be uh uh uh be good next year. This was their year. This was a special year for the big dumper. Historic. Talk about historic, Twizy. I want your take on the American League. Yeah. Well, well, well, that not that this, I mean, even even more important, you know, the CBA agreement, you know, that's coming up here and and and is the uh the the talk of stoppage, you know, the talk of work stoppage. So this is the time to seize the moment here, and they didn't they were unable to seize the moment, and that's on the manager. You know, that that that is on the manager and a big spot. I I understand he wanted to save his closer. I don't know why, you know, but that's uh you need to bring your closer in. I don't care what ending it is, um you're not gonna have get a chance for him for it to matter. This game seven, go just go for the World Series. And he and he let his team down with that decision, you know, by bringing in COVID. Uh when when he should have, and that's pretty much where that and where that ended right there. And Toronto has the back. Uh, you know, once he didn't do that, you know, you know what you're gonna do. You know, you can't springer in a big spot. You know what Black is gonna do in a big spot. You know, those those guys are are are tried and true and tested, you know, and and I know they haven't done it in the playoffs, but you know, though they're they're young and here they are. You know, they finally made it to the World Series and they're on the big show now. And of course Seattle's never been there before, but maybe they're just one of those franchises that are accursed. I believe they're the only franchise that hasn't gotten to the big show. That's right. Yeah. You remember the 2001, they had the best record in baseball. I got blown up in in the in the early rounds of that year in 2001. That was Rick Griffith. But uh to answer your question, I think it's gonna go seven. I I love Josh Maylor and and Cal Riley and Julio Rodriguez, but I think Twizy Marlin that Toronto has a better overall team as far as top to bottom relative to the to the bats that can challenge the Dodgers uh pitching. But so the Dodgers are gonna win. I'm gonna take it in six, though. I'll give Toronto six games. I love Guerrero, man, you know, and you already know about big guy. What's his name, uh Twizy? Sing Single, what's his name? Ex-Houston Astro, he's the homer. I I I I forget his name. Spring about Springer. Yeah. Yeah, Springer, Springer, Springer, yeah, yeah. So there you go, Marlon in six. What do you think, Twizzy? Your call. You gave him respect. You're not gonna sweep them. Go ahead. No, I I I I'm I'm with you, Doc. You know, their bats are are good enough on any given night to just explode on any picture, you know. So one one guy's location is just not there in that night, and then they're gonna jump all over them. You know, or they also can get to that bullpen, you know. If it comes, if it comes to a spot where they can go ahead and make contact, get that pitch count up, you know, get a picture out of there, and the Dodgers have to go to that bullpen, um Sheehan, uh, the the field, the finance. Yeah, those guys have been a little bit those guys have been shaky. Those guys have been shaky. You know, they haven't, you know, even even that one save Trying got uh uh against Milwaukee there, it was high. He had high heat there, and it should have been swung at it, even though he swung at it. And and the guy probably should have been hit with a pitch and and walked in that run, but on that basis loaded situation, but he moved out the way there and and trying to got lucky there. So, you know, that Dodger bull bullpen has been hittable. And if you can get to those guys right there, get a couple guys on base, you know, I think they could make a little something happen. I got I got the Dodgers in six. I'm with you. Yeah, Marlon, I'm not privy to Toronto's pitching staff, but they obviously good enough to make it to the World Series. They're not as good as the Dodgers, uh obviously, but they do have some dudes, you know, to go into Seattle right out the gate and do what they did up to, you know. I mean, not nuts, I mean, uh to come back from death and do what they did against Seattle, because Seattle won the first two games, I'm sorry. But I should have done my research to get their pitching staff going. But the Dodgers have bats, you know, and and and Ray S and you and the Dodger faithful out here in Los Angeles, Molly, to answer your question. They're not worried at all. It's only a matter of time, you know. Hey, well, well, Doc. You know, they got that young kid, uh, Yesavage, who pitched that hell of a game against um uh against the Yankees. Yeah. That's right. Yes, picked that game against the Yankees. And then remember, they picked up uh Shane Bieber. They picked up Sandy. That's right. And um Goffman, I believe he's gonna go, he he's he's what they would probably consider their ace. He's gonna go uh game two. You know, he just pitched right there in game seven, so he's gonna go in game two. And they picked Max Ferser up off this off the scrap E. And, you know, I don't know if he can turn the clock back and do anything, but this may be, and we'll see what he can give. And and they got a pretty decent bullpen there, Doc. So their pitching staff is is I know they're not heralded as much as people think, but they have been pitching pretty good in these playoffs years. Yeah, good name. I'll I remember the names down that you brought it up, Shane Bieber and Gaussian, and you mentioned Scherzer, man. He's been all over the place. He really got it together because he's had some arm troubles late in his career. But good good note on that, brother. And then and he cursed out the manager because he didn't want to come out and win of the games, and rightly so, he's a bulldog. The Hall of Famer. So yeah, it's gonna be a great series to answer your question, babe. You in the morning. So, yeah, absolutely.
SPEAKER_03:And and as fans, you know, Doc and I obviously don't have a dog in a fight, but we as long as we see a good long world series, don't really want to see a sweep. I just want to see a very competitive uh world series. So, all right. Um anything else? You guys got anything else on baseball, Doc? Anything?
SPEAKER_01:No, man, no, no, it's it's been exciting, exciting playoffs, man. And you know, uh and championship series is off the charts and more so in the Dodgers' favor, but that Toronto Seattle thing. That's that's what baseball is all about. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely. All right. So uh speaking back to uh so I'm just gonna go rapid fire to some of these NFL games. We have some crazy games uh in week seven. So I'll just go rapid fire and you guys can just pick whatever games uh you guys want to break down and talk about. So uh the ice balls uh with Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers. We're still in a first time. We can't stop any 25 disaster, uh 15, and we have an old line, so it's pretty pathetic. Um uh Dragon Down was hard to seem like it's not gonna be out for too long. Uh and then uh the your your Falcon's doc I mean uh 10 points in the first half, and that's that's pretty much about it. So and then we have the two Monday night football games where Tampa didn't show up, and Seattle wanted to give it away, but they hung on. So uh Doc, I'll go ahead and start with you with whatever games you want to talk about. We'll go ahead and break those down.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, well, it it goes noted that Matthew Stafford is a is a uh first Fallahaw. He threw five CDE passes in London, and then you brought up Dallas. And uh Dak Prescott's been red hot, you know, starting out. Those two are the leading candidates, in my opinion, to be the MVP this year, Dak and Stafford. But Twinsley, I think you'll agree that the Giants meltdown, you know, up 19-0 and 26-8. That that's historic in and of itself. That Denver can score 33 points in the fourth quarter, you know. And even after the uh Giants scored a late touchdown on the rookie kid uh scoring late, Dayball has to be in trouble. You know, I'm not a Giants fan, but I feel for Big N. That's historic. That's an epic melt. 33 points in the fourth quarter. I'm pissed off a Giants fan. Not even a Giants fan, but you gotta give Bo Nick's props. He didn't have a good year up until this week because people are talking about him badly. But Twinsie, that that's the ultimate meltdown. You know, uh should they all be fired in season or are they gonna wait till after? Because that's fireable offense. You're on 19-0. You know, your call on that, Twizzie. That sticks out right now, week seven. No, from if I mean if I had to make that call, I wouldn't I wouldn't fire him right now. I'd give him the end of the year. See, I I'd I'd uh assess him more on how uh Dart is progressing and how he's grasping the offense because I'm not gonna be so quick to want to put a different system in front of Dart to start his career off. You know, talking two for two, two years, two offensive, uh different two off different philosophies. I know I'm not a big believer in and that leading to success for rookie QB. You know, so if you're gonna let the guy pick him as a as a uh coach or a gym, you know, I I wanna see three or four good years here before I'm gonna make that decision uh as far as that's concerned. Now for me, Doc and the week, I'm gonna start at the end. I'm gonna start right at the end. And it's the two games that we had. One, that Detroit team is is strong. And um our favorite sports channel in one of our contests, I actually picked the Detroit Lions to get to the Super Bowl against my Buffalo Bills. And um I I didn't think that losing the coordinators for them would be as big of a deal. I just believe in their talent so much in their their front seven and their in their front uh uh offensive line on both sides of the ball in the trenches is just so so strong, and and that's why I feel championship teams are built. So I I have to pick them. So that doesn't surprise me. But the big thing that, and I think this is a conversation that's gonna have to start being had, and I haven't heard anybody have it yet. But the Minnesota Vikings are gonna be ruined the day that they can let Sam Darnold go. Sam Donald won 14 games for that team. And they let him go, they let him walk instead of paying him, all in lieu of a rookie quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, who still can't quite get on the field. But when he does get on the field, it hadn't looked all that great. It's kind of been a little bit shaky. And they have a championship race squad, and Tim Donald is looking absolutely fabulous down there, and I mean up there in the Northwest uh in the Pacific area with uh with Seattle. And and and man, I just can't say enough good things about the way that guy is looking. Even when he fumbled the ball and faced a little advertising, came right back, and then no no no no big deal with the sake, no, no problem. Still, still doing what he had to do, didn't get shook like he previously did as a jet. You know, so I'm um that's a story that people are gonna be talking about because I don't think JJ McCartney and Wentz are gonna be able to get this thing turned around this year for the bikes. That's right. I remember saying something like that prior to the season with you, Marlon, relative, they let go of uh Sam Donald go too early. The guy won 14. Now he melted down in the playoffs, but then Minnesota might not make the playoffs at all, you know. So that's a very good point on your part, Twizzy. You mentioned Detroit, brother. You know, uh Jameer Gibbs, that guy's a machine, wheels. You know, I think him and B. John Robinson that running back clash three years ago, and you can add Christian McCaffrey with his old ass. I think the running back's back in vogue, if you will, you know. And uh I think Derrick Henry's gonna turn it up late in the year. But right now, those three running backs, Saquon Barkley's got out to a slow start after running for two grand. But I think Jameer Gibbs, B. John Roberts, and Christian McCaffrey, those are the three that you watch on the front of the running back position. But before we move on, Marlin, we gotta say something about the doggone Miami Dome who got smoked by Cleveland. But this is the Cleveland Browns with Dylan Gabriel, a rookie quarterback. We got to say something about this, Twizy, because I think that coach in Miami is such a disaster, a disgrace for all Dolphin Mason down there. Some of them older than me. They remember the Schuler years in the 70s. What's going on down in Miami, Twizy and Marlin, where the coach still has a job and tour, he's a turnover machine. You don't lose to Cleveland like that. Routed. Go ahead, fellas. I had to get that off.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Go ahead, Twizzle.
SPEAKER_01:Man, it you know what? That is just a complete and total disaster down there. Um the head coach does not have the respect to the team. Um the number one player, even before he got hurt, uh Hill during the during the offseason. Obviously, he wasn't locked in like he should be. Um having player meetings that uh two is calling that nobody's showing up for or they're showing up late for. You know, this is week one. Week one, Doc. You know? We I mean you just had all offseason to get this together, and you can't even get it together after week one. And then on the sideline, when you see him there in c uh again at Cleveland game in a little bit of weather, you see how weak and feeble he looks. And it's so often that the personality of the team takes on is taken on by from the head coach. You know, your your head coach is weak and feeble looking, and then you get out there and you play such. You play like a weak and feeble team. And this is something that was predictable. Something that was predictable, Doc. And we all knew, you know, uh, and and and the sad thing about it is for the for the for the Miami fan, is that they're pretty much locked in tool. He's getting 50 million.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:50 million and and he he cut his salary count is if they were to cut him, it's like 76 million. So there's absolutely no way they can get from under that contract. Nobody's taking them. I don't care what you do. And they'll stuck with them for the next couple of years. And I mean, they can get rid of the coach, they can get rid of the GM, and they're gonna have to start again, but they're gonna be hampered by that contract, no matter what they do. Yeah, and get your skiff, Twizy, who they play next. My Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta. So, you know, I if we don't put up 35 points at least to get our swag back, you know, uh the coach Morris needs to be fired. But Marlon, before we move on to the NBA and some other topics, I gotta add Twizy, your Buffalo Bills lost to my Falcons. Are you in any way, shape, or form, Twizzy, worried about going forward with what you got? To me, Matt Milano has to get healthy. And you didn't run James Cook like you should have against Atlanta. So your take on Buffalo Bills, are you still optimistic? I know you don't like the coach. It's been questionable. Your take on your bills, man. Give it to us. Me and Mong, go. Well, look here, the the Bills have a bigger problem. Um, and I know we just got two uh uh linemen back who were suspended for uh two of them, PEDs or substance abuse. I'm not sure which one it was, but they were suspended for six games, and we just got those two guys back. And um our our defensive talent just isn't there. We just we don't we don't have a dude on defense. And uh we're we're retreating guys like like like Poyer and Javious White, and putting him back there, our defensive backfield is a mess. We just flat out don't have any dudes. I mean, we got Bosa. We you know, we we tried to sign Von Miller before, and he just didn't pan out. Um our offense, if if if we don't, if we we're so heavily dependent on one guy on Allen, and if he doesn't show up, you know, in a in every spot, not just in a big spot, in every spot, there's only so much that the rest of the team can do. Kincaid's been playing okay, but Coleman has been a complete disaster. I mean, he just get that guy off our team. He's been away. Dean doesn't want to admit when he's made a mistake. Uh and and I love and I love Cook. Cook is great. But if if if you're after me, hey, I would take Saquon, I would take Jonathan Taylor, I would take B. John Robinson, you know, I'll I would take Gibbs, you know, there are I would take Henry. You know, there are a few names that I'm gonna name before I get to Cook. When I'm when I'm gonna take Josh Jacobs, you know, there are a few names there that I'm gonna get right before I get to Cook. So while while I love him, he's not enough. And and and and and that's what we're gonna have to depend on. Plus, we have a coach that won't outscheme or out coach the other side. At some point in time in a big spot, I'm I need somebody on my team to make a play that outplays our coach's deficiencies. And we don't have a dude on the other side of the ball that can do that, and we only have one dude on the offensive side of the ball. And if you're talking Super Bowl, that's not enough. AFC East Championship, fine. Uh maybe even win the AFC. Maybe, maybe if you if you can avoid Kansas City in the playoffs. But I question it, question it big time. Well, can you win the division, man? Because the wing is born there in first place. I know it's still young and you only play four games, but uh as far as the I have no I have no uh no uh reservations. We're gonna win a division. Okay. I have no question about that. But from a Bills perspective, from a Bills fan, who's been a Bills fan since I was seven, eight years old, and I sat there and cried for four Super Bowls, and and and I sat there and watched them bench Doug Frudie and I watched the JP Lossman and I'm you know uh Fitzpatrick, you know, and and and and and Tyron Taylor. And Tyrod Taylor, you know, I can go on and on, you know, and uh what was the guy out of Florida State we drafted? Oh my goodness. Uh uh Yeah, he's an announcer now. Uh yeah, yeah, yeah. His name escaped me right now, but you know who I'm talking about. But uh just so many other guys, and finally we get a guy and we're just wasting him. We're just wasting him, and it's sad to see that because we have championship aspirations, and for years we're under Rex Y and our defenses were top five, and now we get a defensive coach that you know can't coach out of a paperback, especially in situational football. Well, good response, brother Marlon. You're up, man. I know you want to get it off your chest relative to Chargers. I usually get it off my chest, Twizzie. But I want to hear what Marlon has to say about his talk on Chargers, who I lost money with. It's only 20 bucks. But go ahead, Marlon. What the hell is going on?
SPEAKER_03:The the I mean, I don't I don't know where to start. I I guess I'll start with the defense. Um I I I knew that this offense was good. I didn't think they were that good, or I I didn't know that we were just that bad defensively. And I mean this was, mind you, last year we were number one in all of these statistics defensively, and and you know, these just the bits are still there, all all the coaching staff is still there, essentially the same players are still there. But I'm not sure I'm not sure what it is. Daniel Jones didn't even have to run and use his legs. He did whatever he wanted to. Justin told us three touchdowns, um uh uh the title warren was killing us too, it w it was bad. We didn't adjust, and when we were done, it was we would kind of get stopped. And now when Harvard finally kind of got a rhythm, and we'll talk about that in a second, but when when he finally got a rhythm, we they scored him pretty much every time. I think they put it once or twice in the game. So it's uh I don't know, it started off red hot 3-0 uh and 3-0 in the division, then we lost barely beat my own. So and then we uh you were talking about um Minnesota, we played in a couple days. So I don't even know if we're gonna go out of there with the win. So it's it's not good. The old the O line, I mean constantly every time I look up another one's going down, we're all third and fourth string guys. Um, you know, hardware's gonna get killed out there, uh, all the dropbacks get the most uh killed in the league. Um but yeah, I I I don't know what to think of this team. It's you know, of course, once we get healthy, you'll want to be back with practicing, so it's something like it's probably gonna give it a go on Thursday when we need them, uh but that other side still needs a lot of help. Um our more inhabitants could be coming back soon. But uh the sad thing is is once we kind of finally figure out, okay, it seems like we're gonna get healthy, get back on track, then you look up and the Broncos are doing good. And then it's too flexible, it's too told. So it's uh it it's 3-0 in the division, which is great, but it means nothing if we don't if we if we don't stack up the the the wind columns. So um you know, yeah, it it it's it's tough as a target frame man. It's like the and I felt bad for Harbaugh. It's like we better get out of here before we mess up his legacy. So uh yeah, this is the life of the charges, the life of the charges fair, man, and and we'll get healthy, but we we've got the guys, we've got Derwin James, uh, you know, uh Khalil Mac, we we have great guys on defense. We just gotta figure it out and pull it together and adjust because we're not making any adjustments. And even last year in my uh uh last week in Miami, um A-Ten was looking like Ricky Williams back there, just doing whatever you wanted to. So uh yeah, man, I don't I mean, Twins that you as you were explaining the bills, it's kind of like you were talking uh about the Chargers. We're we're we're and we can't run the ball either. So it's it's just one shotgun. We can't even work on the play action because they're not biting on that. Uh we can't get a consistent run game, and it's just pass, pass, pass. And the with defense, it it makes no sense for us. And we have the coach, we have the guy. We just I don't know, maybe more tackling drills or something. Uh uh schemes, I don't know. But it's it it's it's tough to be a Chargers fan. And like I said, when you look up, the Chiefs are figuring it out, and before you know it, they'll be back on top of the whole AFC.
SPEAKER_01:So yeah, uh Toys Marlon's a diehard number one charger fan that I know, you know, and you're like you're a Buffalo fan, and I'm a Falcon fan. I have nothing against the child. I go back to Dan Faust, Kellen Winslow Sr. and West Chanel, those cat, Charlie John and Chuck Muncy. I'm a little older than a lot of you guys, but I feel for Marlon, man. Injuries have devastated his team, and it started with the Khalil Mack thing four or five weeks ago. But yeah, I feel you, Marlon. Good response. But uh yeah, go ahead, brother. Yeah, go ahead, Mr. My my older son is a Chargers fan. So, so I mean, and I hate to laugh at the Chargers, but I've been doing that for so long. It's just That's normal. You used to be a good one. Every year, every year, um at this Marlon was so excited for the year to start, and then my son, he was so excited for the year to start, and then once the year starts, he can't he can't wait for the draft. Yeah, that's right. I feel you. Bless his heart, your son. Yeah. Well, go ahead, Marlon.
SPEAKER_03:You don't know where to go from here. It's like you want to be like I want to be excited about this Thursday game. I I want to be. It's the Vikings. Will we come out with a win? I don't I don't know. I I don't know. And and the Vikings, they they they can put up points, but as you said, you know, with Carson Wentz, they look better with Wentz than they do JJ, so I would rather have JJ because you know, Harbaugh, I mean, I'm sure he wouldn't feel bad at sending the heat to him because he would want to beat him, but that would have been a more compelling story to me.
SPEAKER_01:What do you what is your opinion on JJ on JJ McCarthy? What do you what was your opinion on it?
SPEAKER_03:I I I I didn't want him. Um I think he was just a good game manager, but when going into the the draft, Harbaugh just hyped him up. He hyped him up so much and it made other teams second guess themselves about, man, well, if if Harbaugh's endorsing him in this way and saying he's one of the best quarterbacks in the draft, we we gotta consider him. So me personally, I I think that they should have kept Sam Darnold, um, if everything was working. So why would you not just pay him and and go ahead and continue to build with what you had there? But um, like I said, the can't stay on the field, he's he's always hurt. Um, but it's I I understand trying to roll the dice on him, but well, what good is it if he's not on the field? And before you know it, you know, year three is right around the corner. What we're damn near halfway through uh this year, and he's played what one one, maybe two games, if that.
SPEAKER_01:So Doc, you're you're Doc, you're you're a huge college football fan. So I know, yeah, I know you were locked in when he was locked in on him when he was playing. You know, my thing about him was that he never had to actually be the guy in a big game because he had the team around him. He made one or two throws his whole college career that I could point to, and I just didn't think that was enough. And after seeing what Sam Donald did, I really felt like they should have flipped him at the time. Even if it was only gonna net a third rounder. I know he he he went he went for much higher. But sometimes, just like when um Seattle signed Flynn, but they ended up with Russell Wilson starting. Sometimes you just gotta uh uh made a mistake, cut bait, just like with uh San Francisco and the and and and and and Trey Lance at the spot. Sometimes you just gotta cut bait with a mistake and go ahead and say, you know what, Purdy is the guy here, and I think that Sam was the guy there. And and they're they're they're gonna regret that. They're gonna they're gonna have a bunch of regrets about that because this world championship type year, uh that window was open with Sam. It's not open. Especially on defense, especially on defense, twice, and that's a good point. Yes, I do love college too. I didn't like him in college, man. I knew Blake Corbram, the running back, the stuff running back, the giant offensive line, and then you had the uh uh the two defensive linemen who came in high in that draft to help out uh uh JJ McCarthy, you know. So they won in Natty, so he was red hot. And Harbaugh did his job to get him drafted while he was hot after coming off a national championship. But as Twizzy referenced, Marlon, you know, he never had to win a game against Ohio State or Illinois, Indiana on the road or anything because they had to play corner. He almost ran for two grand, you know. You never had to worry about him throwing 25 times down 10 in the fourth quarter. So, yeah, I'm echo those sentiments, man. And ironically enough, before we move on, Coach McConnell up there in Minnesota, he's known as the quarterback guru. He's known as the offensive guy. So, you know, right now, as Marlon referenced, Twizy, you're a halfway season and you're two, and you can't stay on the field. So you can't give a great good evaluation of his passing talent, you know. It looks good as an athlete, but this is the NFL. So yeah, there you go, Twizy. Good response to that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely, absolutely. So, okay, so all right, so um on to uh NBA. NBA kicks off tonight, I believe. Yes, they went in overtime. So the very first game in the of the year, Rockets Thunder, they're in overtime right now. Um Thunder are up by three. So uh Twizz, I want to start with you. I know you're a Lakers fan, um, but what what are your thoughts just on the and of course it would be in LeBron fashion, 95 years old, and he's not even there for the season opener. So that's I I mean it's it's uh you know it comes with age, which I get, but thoughts on thoughts on this season with the Lakers and thoughts just on the West. We'll start with the West in general. Uh what are your thoughts?
SPEAKER_01:Well, the West in general is gonna be exciting. You know, you get you you got your teams like uh uh San Antonio who were putting them young guys together and got Wemby. You know, if he can he can continue to grow and stay healthy, you know, they're an exciting team. You got you you got a team that, you know, a question mark, big question mark with with uh Houston, Gadden Durant, you know, to to Thompson, even though the damn fleet went down and he he probably won't be there uh for the for the year, you know. Those guys are are are are gonna mess together, see how that all turns out. They played pretty strong here for the most part against the chance opening night. Um you got teams like the Clippers, who you know, who always have the talent, but for whatever reason can never put it together. Is this the year that they finally can can can put it together and make a deep playoff run and get to that uh elusive final that the Clippers just have never been able to actually uh grasp and get to? And then um you got Minnesota, you know, they're still strong, you know, Edwards is still growing. Um they're still gonna be a contending team. Um you got Yoke, I mean the West is just deep. They just they're just deep. You got you got Denver and Yoke, you know, and then you got the Lakers, and as far as my Lakers are concerned, I mean they're they're uh they're they're in in purgatory. As long as LeBron James refuses to take a lesser role, refuses to take lesser run, you know. As a Lakers fan, you want to start the year off saying we have a championship champ. Well, this is not one of those years, even with the addition of Luca, because the West is just so damn deep that if you you need another running, man, and it can't be LeBron James as your number two at 40 years old. And there's no knock on LeBron. You know, um it's more of a you uh in a salary capped league, you have a$50 million player, he needs to be all everything for 40, 42 minutes a game. And LeBron can't do that. And if he's not gonna take less money and and come off the bench and play 25 minutes, 20, 25 minutes a game, you know, he at just at 40 years old, he's always, you know, I believe at at 60 years old, LeBron will be able to put up stats because he he's just that skillful, he just has that high IQ on on the basketball court. But I need uh from from a championship perspective, you're looking for those stats to impact women. And I don't I don't think that he can do that at at 35 plus minutes, you know, trying to be the number two option and have win those balls and going through Luca, the ball going through him. So we're stuck in purgatory, man. And there's not a whole lot that we can do about it until we announce the uh we announce the I am King, LeBron James retirement tour. Yeah, yeah, and and and Marlon to biggy back on on uh Twizy's uh distaste for LeBron, and I agree. He just stayed on too long, man. You know, he's not the man out here anymore. And not only that, Twizy, I want to hit on what you said. The West is so deep, man. I think San Antonio and Wimbayama and those cats and Houston with Durant, they're gonna make a move, you know. And we didn't even mention OKC possibly repeating, you know. You know, the West is so deep, more. I mean, you don't know that. And Twizy, you know basketball. You know, the Lakers have to bring it, man. You know, you'd be lucky to get the sixth seed, you know. And I love Austin Reeves and those cats. It looked like uh the young center uh Aiden looked like they muscled up, but still, you know, we February on the back-to-back, who's going out with injury? That's the problem with the Lakers with LeBron, you know. And then, you know, I mentioned OKC. So good response there. You know the West, man. And Minnesota with Big Boy, you know, and A and Anthony Edwards. The West is so deep, it's shocking. It's it reminds me of Twizy of the East in the 80s when you had Milwaukee, Celtics, Hawks, Philly back then. You know, that was the East. Back when back when Tree Rollins was banging heads. Yeah, Tree Rollins, baby. Tree Rollins. I love you, Twizzly. Good point, baby. That route field. But uh, yeah, go ahead, Marl. I know you want to jump in the east.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely. It's nothing like throwing a random name out from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and getting Doc just falls in love with it. It's nothing. All right. Uh so yeah, so so over on to the east. Um of course you got the the Celtics there. Uh Jason Tatum probably, I think he should be coming back sooner than later with that Achilles. Uh, same with um uh Halliburton and his Achilles too as well. I I can see them both probably trying to push to come back January or February, um, you know, maybe even March. I don't know that they'll hold them out for the whole game. What's weird with the technology that they have to get them to come back faster? I'm pretty sure they're both you know running and working out and everything now, but of course you got to hold them out for precautions. Um, you know, Cleveland's still gonna be there with Donovan Mitchell. Um, you know, you still you got the Knicks. The it's always interesting to see where the Knicks go. And they had high hopes uh in the playoffs, but of course couldn't get it done um you know Philly with you know Joel Embiid. I mean, that's so it's it's it's so much that that's going on in the east, but there's just a lot of question marks overlapping Doctor and the Hawks, uh the Bulls, the the Nets. There's there's so many interesting Toronto. So uh and then the Bucks. What's what's Giannis gonna do after this? Um Detroit's finally halfway decent. So, Doc, I'll start with you on the East. Like there's there's so many good storylines in the East. What are your thoughts on the East?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think Detroit, man, Kay Cunningham is the real deal. He's my dark horse to win MVP, brother. And then you mentioned Giannis. I love Giannis's skill set, but there's nothing nothing nothing else. I don't even know if Middleton's Middleton's older than me, Twizy. You know, and I love Giannis's skill set. But, you know, uh, can Joel and B help out Maxie? You know, Maxie is the best player on that squad, you know, because Paul George ain't he'll be out in week three, you know. But uh Joel and B, man, physical talent, Twizy. I'm a big man, and you played with big man in your basketball days. He just has to stay healthy. He has an MVP to his credit, but he can't be playing 20 games and miss the rest of the year. And then yeah, and as far as the Knicks, Marlon, they're kind of a dead story. Uh, you know, uh they fired Thibodeau who got the most out of that team, but I don't know, man. They're missing something there relative to depth, you know. Can um Robinson, the big 6'11 guy, can he stay healthy? You know, Kat is up there, you know, you know about Brunson, but uh I don't know, man. The Knicks are big city New York, Twizy. You know, I'm an East Coast guy, and it's one of those things where uh just firing um Thibodeau, that that was a big thing, you know, and and I don't know if that coach, new coach, can get the most out of that and play major minutes. I don't know as far as that. But yeah, Mahamas no six. Go ahead, Twizy. Well well you gotta remember, Doc, that in the middle of the year last year, the uh the the Milwaukee traded Middleton away to Washington for Kuzima. See, yeah, okay, okay. And so that changed the dynamics of that team uh completely. And and and so I I don't know if Giannis really wants to be there if his heart is in it. So I don't see them in the you know, the big story of the the Heath uh is injury, you know. You you got Halliburton hurt, you know, you got injury in in Boston with Tatum. Yeah, yeah. And then Dame, game, isn't Dame out or is he back at Dame left? They fit Dane. Okay, okay.
unknown:That's right.
SPEAKER_01:Dame went back to Portland, but he he's rehabing out there, and he's gonna be out for the season. You know, but so so the big and the big the the the big teams that you're looking for, you know, those guys are hurt. So you gotta look at a team like Detroit, to look at a team like Cleveland, can they step up? You know, can they have and Donovan Mitchell take advantage of this opportunity here? And you got a dark horse team like Orlando with with within the Wow, good point, Twizzy. Good point, wow. You know, like like a team like that, you know, can can they find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals, you know, with with a with a one-one, you know, lead, uh one-one tie as a series going into game three at some point and take advantage. And I I I think that that's gonna be the interesting point of the East. Who can take advantage of the injuries? Because we know that, you know, I know Tatum is making some remarkable recovery, and there's a bunch of videos of him out there dunking the ball finally and doing some drills. But, you know, I I have my doubts, and even if he can come back and get on the court, how effective he will be with uh everybody else having such a head start and him not being able to be in game shape, especially when it comes time to playoffs. And Marlon, don't forget that that's an Achilles thing. He might look good by himself dunking and all that Twizy reference, man. But when she gets in a game twisting and turning and NBA action, can and the same with Kyrie Irving. But that's a good point you made there, Twizy, relative to injuries, man. And uh, you know, so we'll see relative to that. Um the Knicks have to be the favorite. It's gotta be Knicks have to be the favorite. You gotta favor the Knicks in there, but you know, for some whatever reason, I I just I don't have a lot of faith in the Knicks. They always find a way to to muck it up and with a new coach. Do you think, Doc, do you think a new coach can go in there, even though Thibodeau is taking a step? Thibodeau kept taking that next step every year. And this was the opportunity, especially with the East Down, you know, now I'm that's where my my apprehension lies in the Knicks, is that now they have a new coach with a new style, and they were so embedded in that Thibodeau style with that rotation being, you know, so cheap and so many minutes. That was their their their calling card. Can can a new coach put his stamp on it and still escalate and elevate that team past their threshold? I don't know. Twizy, that's that's a good point. I I can't I can't believe that'll happen. This is New York. New York City in itself is a is is a different animal. To answer your question, I don't think that can happen because you know Bronson wants to rock. He wants to rock like he had it on the tips. And then uh I love Mitchell Robinson, he's 6'11, skillful rebounder, you know, but but he always hurt. And uh it's one of those things where Cleveland had the best record in the east, and they disappointed me badly. I can't get on Cleveland and I and I love I love I love the superstar, man. But Marlon, I think you'll agree. Cleveland let everybody down as a one seed in the East, man. And, you know, Mobley and those cats, they got to step up. But to answer your question, Twizy, directly, no, I don't expect that much out of the Knicks under the remember the owner's a buffoon. He's a buffoon, man. And then you got the GM, he's a buffoon too, you know. And they got some people who run it, it was AAU and dogs said it. The guy's AU, he's the GM, and then the owner himself. So that's a clown show. And then we'll see. They got the talent, but in game 45 to 82, we'll see what the Knicks are made of, adjusting to this new system. This is New York, man. This ain't Sacramento. All eyes is in the media is on this coach here and see what he could do. It'll be a step down, I think, to answer your question, Tim. Yeah, go ahead, Marlon.
SPEAKER_03:Okay, and the last question I got for you guys, Twiz, I'll go ahead and start with you. Who are the two teams from each conference that are gonna make it to the Eastern and Western conference finals? And then who's gonna, as far as a prediction, who's gonna go on to win it all? So two teams, uh, so four teams total, two teams from the east that are making it, two teams from the west that are making it.
SPEAKER_01:Well, look, I would give you this. I'll I'll give you the two teams that started the year off. I'm gonna give you Houston and I'm gonna give you OKC. I believe those will be the two teams where at the end of the day we'll be standing. I love that Thompson kid. You know, I love the heart that they have, I love how tough they play, and even with the average band league, you know, I I I I think ultimately that they'll face OKC, but OKC will beat them uh in in a in a six game. And then as far as the East is concerned, you know, I I I I like I like Cleveland to come out of there. I know Cleveland messed it up last year as the one season. They were hurt there. Some guys hurt there. The other uh, oh my goodness, push my name. The other uh Gar Garland wasn't healthy. Garland, yeah. Garland, he wasn't healthy there. You know, uh Hopefully he wasn't healthy there, some guys that weren't healthy. I believe if they getting there healthy, I think they're gonna be the ones that come out and run the OKC in Cleveland. And OKC will ultimately get a back-to-back championship. Those guys are young, they're still hungry, uh, during their prime. Um they I don't even know if they realize what they did last year. They're so young. And they're gonna have another opportunity here as long as health permits. And for me, Marlon, uh I in the East, I gotta I gotta go K Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavalier, even though Cleveland broke my heart last year. I think the East, it goes through those two teams. The Knicks, we'll have to see on the Knicks. It's a big name, big brand, big city. I love Brunson, but something's missing there, and it's typical. So I'm going Detroit in the East versus Cleveland, and in the West, we haven't brought up Joker in Denver. I think Denver and the Joker, uh, he's just an all-timer, you know, and and I think they're gonna come back and battle OKC, you know, and the Nuggets. Even with the Nuggets with a new coach, they just got too much, man. You know, Murray wasn't 100% last year against OKC. I think he got hurt in the series or something. But Joker put up sick numbers. If they can somehow help him out with um uh, you know, Murray and the other cat. Who plays the three, Twizy, for them? Light-skinned boy, I forget his name. Tom. Gosh. Oh, for the Nuggets. Michael Porter, Jr. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, him. Yeah. He needs to step up. I got Denver. That's right. That's right. Good, good Twizy to save Doc. I think Denver and I think OKC. I love Kevin Durant, but his legs late in the season, you know, for Houston. I love Emir Doka, but uh can can and can the Rockets do something late. So I'm my two teams in the West to make it short is uh Denver and uh you know OKC. It's intriguing though that West, but damn. Absolutely. Who's gonna win MVP, Twizzy? Before you go. MVP. Right now. Yokes. Okay. I I like that. Yeah. Yeah, I like that. Okay, Marlon, your call.
SPEAKER_03:You can't you can't you can't really go against them. Uh I'll go ahead, I'll say SGA. Um, but it it really would you gotta you got a top, you know, two, three guys, and it's it's pretty much really everybody else at that point. It would be a great story for Luca to get it. Um but this Lakers team, I don't I don't don't see this Lakers team going too much of anywhere. They're not gonna be anywhere close to the best record uh in the West. Um it's it's gonna be plenty in season, sadly, for the Lakers. Um we'll see that as as you were saying earlier, Tony with far to LeBron with him taking all that money, that ties up a lot. And Luca's gonna get hit if defensively is not worth it, man. But offensively, he's he's a he's a superstar at this point. And not to say that LeBron isn't, but he's more so of uh, you know, as Kobe and Jordan did it later in their careers, just smarter with what they do, they're more fundamental. It's almost like another version of Tim Duncan at times out there where you know you just kind of go and you you know what shot it, you know what shot you want, and you know, all that stuff. But uh, you know, LeBron can take over when he wants to, but it's not it's not gonna be LeBron for consistent.
SPEAKER_01:He can't do he can't do it consistently. And I'm not a LeBron hater. I don't have hate for LeBron. I'm just not a one that believes that uh in championship or championship team, a 40-year-old player. I know everybody got fascinated and and with uh Tom Brady being able to do it for for for Tampa Bay, but that's just not something that I would ever prescribe to for any player. Not that that isn't just a LeBron thing. I don't care if it was Jordan or Kobe or if it was even with Kareem or whoever started player. You know, I'm a Lakers first, and we can't talk about championship at the start of the year, and you can't talk championship if one of your two best players is 40 years old in the NBA. That just doesn't work. Well, I'm going with the MVP with Durant because I know the coach is gonna get Durant to lead. I don't know what his numbers is tonight. By the way, that game is in the second overtime. Double OT, 115 apiece. But but I agree wholeheartedly what Twizzy said relative to the Lakers and LeBron. We can have a two-hour show, Marlon, just on the Western conference alone. There's just so many intriguing stuff. We didn't even mention Bowden State and Curry and them cats. So yeah, uh it's double overtime here between Houston Rockets and OKC. But to answer your question, I'm I'm going with Durant to win the MVP.
SPEAKER_03:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:Provided you stay healthy.
SPEAKER_03:All right, all right. Well shooting. That's all I got for you guys. You guys got anything else for us?
SPEAKER_01:Twizzy, thank you for joining us, man. This is great. Very knowledgeable basketball. So uh, you know, like I said, we could talk this, we could talk to you again relative to the NBA, just on the West alone, you know. And uh, so yeah, uh, thank you for coming. Absolutely appreciate you. I appreciate you guys, man, Doc. And man, you can have me whenever, man. We can talk some college football. Right now, Doc, I'm 10 toes deep in some conference USA 20 to 20 Western Kentucky versus La Tech right now in the fourth quarter, buddy. So college football, I'm ready, buddy. I'm ready. Absolutely. We love you, brother. Thank you. I appreciate you, Doc. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_03:All right, no problem. All right, we will catch you guys next week. Peace. Peace.