REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon
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REAL TALK! with Doc and Marlon
Knicks Title Euphoria / Cowboys, Giants w/ Chef Yaku and Jon P
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A Knicks championship sends us straight into legacy arguments, because one title can reorder an entire franchise’s history. We debate all time Knicks rankings, relive the Finals swings, and dig into how coaching and late game decision making separate winners from teams that led big and still lost.
• top five New York Knicks lists and why Clyde Frazier sets the standard
• where Jalen Brunson belongs already and what makes him a closer
• Bernard King’s scoring legacy and how injuries shaped his story
• Carmelo Anthony’s Knicks rank and the defense argument against him
• best Knicks team debate with love for the 1994 roster
• why the Spurs’ double digit leads vanished and why Game 4 broke them
• coaching adjustments, rotations, and why Mike Brown wins the chess match
• repeat chances in a shifting Eastern Conference and a deeper NBA field
• quick hits on the Lakers’ LeBron timeline and the NFC East outlook
• World Cup and hockey shoutouts to close
Welcome And Championship Energy
SPEAKER_05And welcome, welcome, welcome, everybody, to another episode of Real Talk Doc. You doing all right today?
SPEAKER_02Yes, I am, and we're blessed to have the TyRaw mix fan. And on top of that, we got a sports enthusiast. So do the intro, brother.
SPEAKER_05Absolutely. So uh John uh joins us again. Uh he, of course, acknowledgeable in all uh every single uh sport that that we uh talk about here. Uh and and Jeff Yaqu's here. So uh Jeff, I'll start with you, man. I know you're on Cloud9, but how you doing, man?
SPEAKER_01Oh man, I'm I'm awful. I've been emotional. I've been I've been I've been laughing, I've been crying, I've been calling people, I've been getting phone calls. It's it's it's oh my god, that's uh this is the second greatest film into uh uh my my children being born.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely.
SPEAKER_01Heck yeah.
SPEAKER_05I hear you, I hear you. And John, how you doing, man?
SPEAKER_02Fantastic, man. That'll be you. Absolutely, absolutely. Welcome aboard, gentlemen. This is gonna be a great episode.
Top Five Knicks Of All Time
SPEAKER_05Absolutely. Before we dive into the finals, the game, uh, all of that stuff, break it down the you know, Donald Brunson and MVP, all that stuff. Before we do that, I want to do the uh all of you guys give your top five looks of all time. October Brunson, uh elevated and some uh, you know, some people's rankings and some not. But Doc, I want to start with you on this one. If you were to put your top five, I know you go way back to you know back in the 50s when you were born, but you put up like the doctor before.
SPEAKER_00Brutal, brutal. You see how you brutal. He gave me him like that. Come on.
SPEAKER_02That's right, that's right. I'm on it, man. So to answer your question, Marlon, I'm gonna start off with Clyde Frazier, number one. He has two rings, he was the epitome of style and grace. You know, and you look at that 70s finals, he averaged like 35 and 10, 12, and six assists, uh 35, 12, and six rear, something like that. So I'm going Clyde Fraser, number one. Number two, you know, I gotta go Jalen Brunson, man. Number two. Everybody knows what he's done. Uh, and and and all of that. And uh this guy is a superstar. And we did not see this coming, Chef Yaakou. You're a Knicks fan when he got traded from Dallas. So it goes no to. So I got him number two. Number three, I'm gonna I'm gonna surprise a few people and go Willis Reed at three, the captain. I'm gonna go to big man, 6'9, and then we played on one leg for a few minutes in the 73 final. Uh, I I think he's, you know, two rings, you can't argue with that. Teaming with Earl Munro and Clyde and the Bush and those cats. So I'm going Willis Reed, number three. Number four, obviously I'm going Patrick Ewing, man. You know, this guy here, the first pick of the draft out of Georgetown in '85, you can't go around with Patty. Pat Ewing. Yeah, he didn't he didn't get it done in Knicks Laura, but the consistency of a 12, 13, 14-year career in Knicks uniform and retire to Nick, I gotta go number four with uh Pat Ewing. And number five, I'm gonna go Bernard King, man. You know, the prolific score, injuries rob what should have been a Hall of Fame career, one of the greatest prolific scores in the history of the sport, not just New York Knicks. So to repeat, I'm gonna go uh uh Clyde Frazier one, Jalen Bronson two, Willis Reed three, Pat Ewing four, and Bernard King five. Do your research, gentlemen, on Bernard King. He was a shocking score. Go ahead. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05All right, all right, John, who you got?
SPEAKER_00All right, I'm gonna I'm gonna go, I'm gonna start at five, and I'm actually gonna do uh just a just an honorable mention of uh Earl the Pearl because he needs to be he needs to be mentioned in that. And I'm actually gonna put Jalen Brunson at five. And the reason I'm putting him there is not because of the title, but because he's the guy that didn't get the MVP. He hasn't his career is not done. He can move up in that list, but I'm gonna put him at five. And at number four, I'll put Bernard King. Because Bernard King was one of the greatest scorers. We've like just the man could do whatever he wanted to with the ball in the era where defense is much harsher, much more aggressive. Then after that, I go Willis Reid. And Willis Reid, you've already kind of covered that. But I put Patrick Ewing at my number one and Walt Frazier at my number two. That's just me. Okay. Uh that's how I live. I I think because really Patrick Ewing, it's not really fair to him because he just played in the air with this guy named Jordan. And if Jordan's not there, Patrick Ewing probably gets two ranks in the in the 90s. Maybe a different stage of the story. But 13 years in the league, 11-time All-Star, I'm not taking that away from him. I think he's I think he's the greatest Knicks ever. He just sadly played in the era that was more dominated with big men and a lot of elite centers. He was on the dream team, knew was amazing. I think I don't think people realize how good he was. I mean, Elijah One was a was a monster to deal with, but so was David Robinson, all the other big men he had to deal with in his era. And he played through one of the toughest eras of centers he had to deal with. So, and including the 80s and the 90s. So I'll I'll give I'll give it to Patrick Ewing. That's right. All right. Chef Yaku you're up, baby. Let's go.
SPEAKER_01Fellows to to for what I give uh John and Norman when I'm doing Dr. Falcon. Your lists are amazing and beautiful, and it just makes me feel like uh the the respect of the players that are named is going out there. I'm a little younger. I'm 44, so I'm I'm I'm I'm not younger. My knees still hurt. But I'm I'm going at it as it's just an extra, you know what I'm saying. Right. But it still lines up. Uh number one is Walclive Frazier. Why? Because I learned Nick Hood through Walclive Fraser. My father, his favorite player was Walclive Fraser. The style, the class, the charisma, the way he carried himself, the the the way he was on and off the court and going to be the voice. Um, I gotta give it to him. Two championships. I mean, not only will shoot the lights out, but we'll lock down a guy that scarred him. So the give it to him. That's that that was that put him over the top in some chip. I told you in my last list, Jalen Brunson is gonna fall on his list. He goes to number two. Listen, 2026 NBA MVP uh NBA Finals MVP, first tip in 53 years, to deliver that to the city is it's remarkable. He instantly jumps up on that list. The fourth quarter that he the way he performed in the fourth quarter, 11.2 points in the fourth quarter, 56 points over the NBA Finals in the fourth quarter. Absolutely. So I gotta put him up there at number two on this list. Uh then my list is, I mean, it's still the same. You got I got Patrick Ewing number three. I wore number 33 for a long time growing up because of Patrick Ewing. That was my guy. Uh tough 13 uh concep consecutive years being in the playoffs with the Knicks. And John, you brought up such an amazing point. He just played in the Jordan era. A lot of players will have Reed if they didn't play in the Jordan era. So that's the ask for he gets back to his name when you talk about shit. Right. Is Willis Reed? I'm talking about a six foot nine guy bruising down there, beating up, doing what he needs. Like you said, played on one foot. The fact that playing on one leg, the fact that that he that came out there, it put fear in the polls in team. And that was that advantage for that 73 years old. I'm gonna go Willis Reed number four and then Bernard King. I mean, I'm talking about instant offense. If this man wouldn't have gotten injured, we would have saw this man do some of the most amazing things. I'm talking about 70-point game. Who knew? And I remember really, really falling in love with him because I remember getting one of the old top cards of him, and it was after my 50-point game. Yeah, yeah. And he he he just and I I had that card on my wall, and it was like, but that that power forward, that score that can shoot elbow, elbow turnaround jumper, I love this game. So that's my that's my five mission all time.
SPEAKER_00That's that's right.
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's great.
SPEAKER_00I also wanted to throw out if Bernard King had probably had a little bit of modern medicine. A lot of the insane and the same injury he had, dudes get every year and they come back in a few months. But back then, it just wasn't able to do this. It's just a shame he wasn't able to get access to modern technology because he would probably still be here.
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's right. That's a very good point. I'm glad we gave props to one of the all-timers, man, because in my mind, I saw him light up Dominic Wilkins in Atlanta. And it's one of those things, I mean he was a political score in and of itself. So good job, gentlemen, on that. I like that.
Carmelo Anthony And Honorable Mentions
SPEAKER_05A question for you guys, too, so you know, I'm a huge mellow fan. Obviously, he wasn't uh a long-tenu Nick, but w where does he fall in some of your your ranks? Does he even make top 10, top seven, maybe top six? Where would Mellow, like Jeff, where would Mello fall uh in that list?
SPEAKER_01Mello definitely uh, so for me being a younger, Mello is my my honorable mention on this list. Um and honestly, I I I always do the switch around between him and Bernard King just because instant offense guys, and I really feel like Mello was a whole five during his tenure here um and just didn't just didn't get the job done. So Melo definitely will be my sixth, my sixth man, uh, that and and my honorable mention on this list.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, that's fair. Yeah, good point. If we're putting top ten, I'd put him probably at number 10, not out of knock to him, but just like I can't put him over like Alan Houston and John Starks, or I I can't put him over like uh David Bascher. I can't put him over. It's just there's so many guys in the Knicks. Like back in the day, or like a lot of people don't realize it now, like you said, 53 years to win a title. The Knicks in the early late 60s, early, early 70s, they were they were a problem. Like Boston was dying down, and those dudes ran the East. Like there was not, you were not walking in the East and playing there, and they weren't they weren't just a flashy team. They could score, they could lock you down on defense. Everybody on that team could play defense, everybody could box you out, grab rebounds. That was a hard-nosed team for old like old school basketball. If you ever just want to watch old school basketball, so and this, you don't believe me, hit up YouTube. Look at those little videos. You learn a lot about basketball watching those guys. I I love Mello. I just because of the defense, I was the only reason why I discount him. And that's the only reason why I wouldn't put him in my top five. But that's it.
SPEAKER_02That's fair. And remember, Marlon, there's a lot of great Knicks. You know, Phil Jackson's on that team, John Michael the Butcher, Bill Senator, Bill Bradley. They were deep, man. And uh, you know, of course, Anthony Mason was my guy. Oakley and those cats in the 90s battle Jordan. Mason was a point forward, mean, stubborn, and he put a number on the Detroit Pistons of that era because, you know, uh, and the Celtics. Mason was a machine. He's no longer us. So it's a ground, a lot of great New York Knicks, man. So good job on that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05Okay. All right, Doc.
Is This The Best Knicks Team
SPEAKER_05So taking it back to you, and the second question I have we got before we dive into the finals. There's been a lot of great Knicks teams over the years, uh, especially when you want to look back in the 70s and the 90s. So is this the best next team of the best next team that we've witnessed uh of all time? Doc, what do you got? Best next team of all time. Best 16.
SPEAKER_02You uh no, because I'll take that 94 team with Mason and Oakland. I believe Xavier Daniel, McDaniel's on that team too. I would take that team uh as as the best ever. They just didn't get it done. You can make an argument for the 73 team or the 70 team, but I'm taking that 94 team. They were deep, man. You know, uh they lost to Houston, I think, Chef Yaakou and Ewing Mr. Layup. And uh it's it's one of those things where when you have Mason and Oakley and Starks and Xavier McDaniel, Ewing, of course, and I'm missing a couple others. But this team here, you know, it wasn't the best team this year. They were just a team that happened to be hot at the right time. So as far as New York lore, you can make the argument that that that 94 team could possibly beat this team, especially Ewing. And I love Kat, but Kat was inconsistent, you know. And uh, of course, Starks and that defense of those Knicks can put a uh a number on on Brunson and and when we say shut him down, but limit him. Go ahead, Chef. You're you're yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_01It's your team, man. Go ahead. You're up. So so the emotions, uh I had to remove the emotions from this question and remove the uh the what have you done for me now bias that we so tend to lean on in sporting other aspects of life, right? So I just I really had to remove that. And what I did was I broke it down. No, this is not the greatest Knicks team of all time. Uh Josh, you hit the nail on the head. That 94 team, I swear they had everything. Um, I I didn't expect us to win in '99. I I I was happy to just be there in '99. So that, you know. But 94, I thought we, I thought we had everything. I thought we had everything. And and I honestly feel like uh the reason Starks will never be on the list of mine is because I feel like Starks shouldn't even been playing. Starks shouldn't even been playing for me. I feel we had two uh Balfman on the bench, Blackman on the bench, um, Harper. We have we have we have better star situations on the bench, but that's no here nor there. Um but well I will say is this team is the greatest, is one of the greatest playoff teams we've been able to witness. And and that's with the importance of getting hot at the right time. And we all say that to see, you know, when early in the year that those coolies on win streaks, the little little preseason, the end season tournament, that's good to win. That's cool, that's fun. Ha ha hee he. But when it comes down who's healthy and who gets hot at the right time, and the Knicks were able to do that. 14.9 points per game. That was that was that was the margin of victory. I mean, 283 points was the uh the differential NBA record. So they they're they're one of the best playoff teams we've been able to witness. But I I can I think I can name two, maybe three Knicks teams that would have gave this team a problem. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00I'll also are I'll also argue, because this is how I judge it. The 94 team, and really I kind of just judge the 94, really, and just let's give the 90s as an era for them. They could this team this year beat Jordan's Bulls in 95-94. I don't think so. So I think to put it in comparison, the thing I personally think the greatest Knicks team ever is the 72-73. That's just me. But it's just because of the amount of talent they have on that team, like unrealized talent that's not there. And I think it's not it's not fair that they don't get it, there wasn't as much TV coverage in um the NBA back then, but that's just me. The but the the 94 team is definitely, I don't think, I think you could do like a one and one point five. They'd be right there neck and neck with them. They they should have, they again, without the era they were in, they should have won. Um, they just ran up against juggernauts at times and they did it, but they they never lost to a team that wasn't better than them. If that makes any sense, I think that sometimes in basketball, you're talking about being a good playoff team. Sometimes you see teams where you're like, man, you're better than that team. How are they beating you? It doesn't make any sense that you're here. I was really glad that Jalen Brunson, I was a big fan of Jalen Brunson when he was in Dallas, and I always thought that Dallas should have kept him and used him as the fourth quarter guard. Because when he comes in the first quarter, you're like, dude, this guy has four points. What is he doing? Okay, he has like 10 points in the second. Next thing you know, you look it up. Jalen just dropped 39. Like, what happened? He went off in the he went off in the third and the fourth. If you're down, there's no lead that is safe with Jalen Brunson. He is going to the hole, he is going to score, he's going to cross you up, he's going to get your guards and your big men in foul trouble. It's what he does. So I think that this team was incredible. I thought what they did was great. I will, I do, I am curious to see what moves they make to keep themselves competitive in the East. And I'll go into that later.
SPEAKER_02But yeah, don't give everything away, don't give everything away, John. Yeah. Go ahead, Doc. But but gentlemen, you got to remember the 70 and 73 teams that won it all. It was that that Laker team that's uh in between was the one with Wilton, Jerry West, and Gail Goodrich. Yes. Well, they won. They won 33 in a row. Okay. Correct. Think about that. That's that's never going to be broken. 33 in a row, Chef Yaakou and John. And uh it's one of those things where they beat the Knicks to win their title, Jerry West's only title, because he kept losing to the Celtics. But, you know, when you have Will, and remember Elgin Baylor retired in preseason. They didn't have Baylor.
SPEAKER_0033 in a row. One of the greatest players ever, but just doesn't get mentioned. That's right. That's right. Guy worked as a janitor in the regular during the day and played for the Lakers at night. True story.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's right. He sure did. So, Marl, I just had to put the Lakers in there at that time. They were dominant, you know. And to be fair, the Knicks got their asses back the following year, but it goes noted, man. The Knicks should have won three in a row, but they ran into Wilt Jerry West. You talk about a deep bench. But go ahead, Marlon, I digress. Let's go into this series,
How The Knicks Won The Finals
SPEAKER_02man. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_05So Steph, so Jeff, this is it's this is your time. So what were your thoughts? I know we talked a little before um the finals, but what were your thoughts going into the finals? Uh there was a huge meltdown by them uh blowing, I think it was game four, um, blowing that that big lead. So just what were your thoughts overall uh going into the finals and throughout the finals? Uh this is your time, man. What was your thoughts on everything?
SPEAKER_01So going into the finals, um, I looked for it to be a long series. Um, and I thought that, you know, us being able to bring them in the deep waters, taking them another maybe another six, seven-game series, they'd be worn out by then, um, and we would come out victorious. One of the things that I noticed uh from the very start of the kind of position and the plan that they had when being were for the first three quarters, having him kind of stay back and rim protect and kind of run out on elbow jumpers and things like that, it worked, but then it just warmed out. He was really working around, and what the Knicks start doing was really moving that ball and making him have to work and move laterally and move side to side and keep kind of chasing that ball so he can get that block. And a lot of times he still got it, but he was so winded to he wasn't getting elevation on his own jump shots, and some of his own moves was a little. You can tell those entire legs. He's talking about a guy that just got done with a seven-game series. So yeah, I definitely saw that in the fourth quarter again. Honestly, the guy turned into a 5'6 player in the fourth quarter. Um, you you would have thought that the that uh that Mitch who got out coached by Coach Brown a million thousand times over, was just totally out of coach. You would have thought that he would have gone into the fourth quarter with a little bit better plan of getting Wimby the ball and kind of getting faith in and more opportunities for him and kind of getting the ball to their shooters, uh, whether it was Burcell or um the other cat from that that came home from St. Johnson. So Castle, yeah, Castle. Yeah. Yeah, and then and the other guy. So I I would have thought that they would have played that a little bit better and smarter in the fourth quarter, but they were just taking like a a lot of like uh contested jump shots, and the offense just looked really stagnant and looked at some points where they were standing around being like, hey, Wendy, what are you gonna do? Um in game uh, what was that game four, the comeback? So this is where Teeter for me was uh the the heartbreak and and and and going into it knowing that you could have gone back home 2-2, but you're going back home 3-1. And I think that you broke the wheel and broke the psyche of that young San Antonio team. And then it goes back to my last point where you you got guys who have been together for a long time. Talking about them Villanova boys, and they through the fire together. They've been through tournament runs, they've won championships, they've been through lows, the highs, the ebbs and flows of a season and the NBA season together, and they're willing to run through a wall for each other. So when they're down 27 points, they're looking at each other like, yo, you ain't giving up on me, I won't give up on you. It's something about that camaraderie when you were able to look in your teammate's face, and you know you're about to go to war, but you know he's about to go to war for you, and and that's what they relied on. A lot of that was just that that camaraderie and that experiences and them them being able to dial back and touch back to last year's experience and say, we're not having that happen last year. What happened last year? We're not letting that happen this year. Now, from from from what I've seen, the Spurs team is going to be a problem in the NBA for years to come. This is only gonna make them better. This this this is going to fuse them together. You're talking about 23, 22, 21 year old guys who just got they butts whooped when in every game they had a lead. And it and and they feel like it slips out of their hands, they feel like they were the best. Team, they feel like they lost it to the Knicks, and they don't feel like the Knicks beat up. This Spurs team is going to be a problem for years to come.
SPEAKER_02Well, John, I don't mean to jump in front of it, but I gotta get this off my chest. It's one of those things where I'm sick and tired of the Spurs talking, and I'm begging to give with you, Chef Yaku, because they lost the first two games at the crib. You can't into the finals. They did not win one game at at home because of the Knicks defense and the Knicks Samardi, as you brilliantly referenced. But it's one of those things where Wimby, you know, he disappeared in the fourth quarter, especially late, man. And I don't want to hear no more about him being this transgender individual. You're at home in the finals, man. You know, and granted the Knicks has something to do with that. But by the same token, John and Chef, you know, uh, when you lose the first two games at home, and then you win game three in New York, but you're up 29. And you blow that, there's somebody that's right. I'm sorry, there's this there's no heart there. So Wendy has to go to the park, you know, wherever they do in France. I think he should go to Rucker, working his low post game. And and I know how they all play in France and Europe and all that, John and Chef Yaakou, but as you referenced Chef, they were up double digits in multiple games. I think four out of the five. And you blew it. Yeah, and then blew it, you know, and and and and losing game one and two at home. Okay, I give you game one because you came on off the seven-game series, John and Chef, uh, against OKC. But you can't lose game two, and your big man throws the ball in cre in in the back of Castle and then then Brunks it did his magic. You know, you you do not win a home game. A. And then B, you're giving up double-digit leagues to a uh a Knicks team that struggled at times in the first half and really looked bad. But the coupe de Grass 29 points. What the hell is that, Miss Johnson? You know? If he hadn't made to the final say, fire his ass. Double digit. We all played basketball, and you did at a higher level, Chef Yaqu. You lost a 30-point lead in addition to having the double-digit leads in four games. And you didn't win it, not one game at the crib. But go ahead, John. I digress. Go ahead, John.
SPEAKER_00I think you're hitting the nail on the head, but what to me it points to is as much as we like to blame the athlete. A lot of times we go, they did this, they did that. To me, I think the Spurs not only got outcoached, I think there was a lack of coaching present after the initial idea worked. There was no change to revert when the Knicks counterattacked. Like, yeah, okay, you have a lead. Why are we why are we shooting jumpers? It's like throwing a deep ball when you're up by up by a touchdown in football. Why? Why would you do that? You have the lead, slow it down, control your offense, milk that clock, let your guys recover. They weren't going down and they're saying, okay, Wemby's tired. So why are we going down there and lobbing up threes and making him run back up the court? Because he's gonna work on defense and he's not getting a chance to rest. Run the offense, drive in there, get some foul trouble, do something. But what they kept doing, to me, it seemed like it was a really bad offensive strategy. And the initial strategy they had in every game, it seemed to work. And then there was a coaching adjustment. And after that first coaching adjustment, they had no second adjustment to counter that. That's just my opinion from what I saw. But I also saw that there was kind of a what you said, a lack of heart kind of in the in the Spurs. When they when Wemby wasn't on the court, that team falls apart. They have no idea what to do on defense. There's no heart, there's no hedging. You set a pick, those guys are, oh, I guess I can't get over that. Like they're not even trying sometimes. I don't know what it was. I don't know. You can say it's youth, you can say it's whatever. I think they'll be good, but they need a couple of veteran players. Like they need some veteran moves to put on that team. They need a bench because the guys that are young, they're gonna be good eventually. But right now, they need some younger, they need some, they need older guys that are like mid-level guys in the NBA. They don't have to be great, just mid-level guys that can steady the ship because they seem out of control at times. Uh the Aaron Fox, I I don't, I'm not a big fan of his. I I've talked about him before. I'm not a big fan of his. I think he's out of control half the time with the ball. I think he gives up on defense. And sometimes he just makes bone-headed plays, and he did it again. He's been doing that since Sacramento when I used to watch it. I was like, man, this kid's fat. Okay, that's a turnover. Oh, he got he got a little okay. He's gonna go for a layup when they have the league. They don't need to. Hold on to the ball. Milk the clock a little bit. It's it's unintelligent basketball, is what you watch. You watch low IQ plays take place and then you watch the consequences. But five or six of those in a row, the other team gets momentum. And he didn't they didn't have a guy that could come in and just, you know, change and write the ship and get the momentum going back on their side. That's why I think they really lost because they led 72% of this of the game. They let 72% of the series. They had the lead. That does not make any sense for you to lose a series in four four get four uh four to one and you led 72% of the time. That doesn't make any sense. My daughter Morgan wants my daughter Morgan wants to weigh in it
Why Spurs Collapsed In Fourth Quarters
SPEAKER_00real quick.
SPEAKER_05Oh, yeah. Let's go. Let's go. What's up, Morgan? What you got?
SPEAKER_04Hi, everybody. Um, I just think that with how the game was going, I really don't think that Fox should have started over Dylan Harper at all, especially with the way Dylan Harper was playing. As a I get that he's a rookie and Fox has the playoff experience. But if you're trying to win a game and Fox is three from ten from the field, seven points, turnovers, he needs to go to the bench immediately. The fourth quarter, when it was crunch time, why is he still in the game? I get it. Veteran, okay. But again, Harper will have twenty-one points that game and he's on the bench. It just didn't make any sense to me. It really made me upset because the coaching, he got our coach, period. Nick started off low and then get a 15 point lead every game of the series and then blow it after halftime. That's coaching. That's our coach, you got our coach. That's just how I feel about the whole series.
SPEAKER_00I you I say you're right. I had nothing against what she says.
SPEAKER_05100 five thanks, but uh Doc. Doc, we need to get her back on for a full episode again. For for all of our listeners, uh, she came on uh doc. I feel like she came on, ooh, I want to say at least about less uh I don't know, maybe six, seven months ago or so, but we definitely got to get her back on for an actual episode. So it was great to to hear her voice, doc. And uh, I still think she can take you uh one-on-one in the debate. She got you, Doc.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, she can. Hey, she's a Hoover Chef Yaaku plays the five, you know, but she's erect correct in her response. I blame Miss Johnson and and I agree with John in that why are you jacking up eight straight threes when you're up 29? And then you I would have started Dylan Harper. So she's correct in that. The bottom line is Johnson got out coach, man.
SPEAKER_00Horrifically, you know. And this shout to Mike Brown. Yeah, shot Brown because uh Mike Brown got a lot of Mike Brown used to get a lot of a lot of bad talk about him in his stent in LA and how things went with LeBron and uh in Cleveland. He got a guy, he got people talked down on him. He did a magnificent job coaching and racking the ship there. Yeah, but don't get me wrong, the next the Knicks players did a great job, but that coaching element, getting his players prepared, squared away, getting them focused. You came back down 29, that's not all players. A lot of that's coaching, and he he did a great job. He outmaneuvered his opponent. Uh I say half thought to him.
SPEAKER_02I materially agree. All during the playoff series, he made great moves, especially after going down two to one against the Hawks and let the offense go through cat. And you swept Philly and you swept Cleveland. Winning and closing these games out in a postseat on the road, Chef Yaku. Anybody could win at the crib, but you want on a road to close these series out. And then your boy Alvarado, that was brilliant to alleviate the pressure on uh on Brunson. Let's not overlook that. Go ahead, Chef.
SPEAKER_01That was so big, and that was an in-the-game coaching adjustment. And honestly, it it was it it can be looked at as a little bit of a of a risk because you're going with two smaller guys in your backcourt, but they played it beautifully. I mean, even the way he handled the situation with Captain in it, with him being in foul trouble a lot of the time, Mitchell Robertson playing hurt and him being, you know, Mitchell Wattson can't knock down uh free throws. And you know what I'm saying? So the way he was able to beautifully kind of maneuver around that, do swaying in three. I mean, Shamet was on fire to start it off, but then his defense was amazing. You know what I'm saying? So like he was able to just rip, I mean, just the way he was able to manipulate that lineup and do what he did. We wouldn't have got that from Tibbs. Tibbs ran four guys the whole game. He didn't even need a free. So to get this from Mike, I mean, it's just a true testament of what he's always brought to the game as a coach. And it just kind of shows that he got the short end of the stick in a lot of situations in his previous coaching career.
SPEAKER_00He should not have been blamed for a lot of stuff. He may saw he he never in my opinion, and this is I I'm a Mike Brown fan. If you realize the pretty cool thing about the finals was those were both uh Pop Rish disciples that kind of made it to the that made it to the finals there. Mike Brown, he never made a bad coaching decision, in my opinion, but he had bad outcomes and people blame the coaching decision. But sometimes I think he made the right decision, but it didn't work out for him. This time, it not only worked out for him, but you saw the inexperience of coaching. You saw him play on that. His experience came in here that hey, I can trust this guy. I can leave these guys, I can let this player rest. His timing, his rotation was great. He made sure his guys were fresh. Yeah, they they slept a lot of people, but you earn the you earned that rest by sweeping those guys. OKC could have been knocked out a long time ago, but San Antonio played around from too long, they ended up going to seven-game series. So they're tired, that's their fault. But Mike Brown did his job as coaching. I as I said he should get coach of the year to me. But that's just me.
SPEAKER_02Well, here's the thing, and I think you'll
Mike Brown Adjustments And Coaching Edge
SPEAKER_02agree, Chef Yaku and John, is that this is a guy that took Cleveland and Mo Williams and LeBron to the finals and when they Cleveland had nothing when LeBron was like 24 or 25. This is a guy that took the Sacramento Kings to the Western Conference Finals against a great Golden State team. So you knew he can coach. But having said that, Chef Yaku, when they fired Tibbs, what was your take? Because I blew the I blew I blew the decision out, to be honest with you. Go ahead, you're next. Oh, I was scared.
SPEAKER_01It was a horrible decision. How do you fire a coach that man needs two conference finals a couple bad plays away from the and I looked at the fact that Indiana was able to to to push them with Kyler Burton being hurt? So I thought many yeah it was our chance. So when we saw that, I I really I I I thought it was uh a downgrade at coach. Um in my own in my own right, that's how I felt. I mean, you got a guy that took us to a place where we had to dig, he had an electric field to the city. And that's right. I was wrong.
SPEAKER_00We were all wrong. Yeah. I was wrong. Yeah. I I yeah. I thought it was I I I really have I really had a good a feeling from Mike Brown. I thought that he was gonna end up in Houston and he ended up in New York. So I actually think that was they made a great move, in my opinion, because Houston really did want him.
SPEAKER_02You came close to getting Jason Kidd, if memory serves me correctly, or some other candidates I forget, you know, but it worked out fine, man. Historic run, Marlon, and and fellas. It's one of those things where 13 in a row, you know, and and and and then winning on a road consistently, consistently winning on the road in hostile environments, you know. And uh it goes loaded,
Can New York Repeat Next Season
SPEAKER_02man. And I gotta ask you, Chef Yaku, John, can this team repeat? Or is the East, or this was their year and this is it? Your call right now.
SPEAKER_01Can they repeat? I'm just I mean, what what is it to to go through the grit and grind of an NBA season, being able to win on the road in the playoffs, being able to come back. I mean, these guys were six and two in games and they were trailing double digits. That that is the pedigree to being able to do what's needed to to and then this is the thing, even though they are the champs, because of everything that's happening in the east, they don't have a target on their back as big as a normal repeating champ. I mean, you're talking about Boston, you talking about Indiana, you're talking about wherever Giannis goes and how people think that he's gonna tip the scale in the direction where he goes. That's right. I think it's the perfect storm for a repeat.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I agree.
SPEAKER_00I think I I think that the East, the East is on a down year for one thing. Without Tatum being Boston, that team is different. I don't know. I that's why I said I don't know if they if they need to restock their bench, maybe just get a little more talent on the bench, a little more offensive firepower on the bench, maybe they'll be fine. I just don't know if coming back when that when the East comes back healthy, because Detroit is also a young team that played exceptionally this year. They were that they were the number one in the East. If they come back with a little more experience, because really, in my opinion, I think Detroit is more like San Antonio than San Antonio is like the Knicks. Like they're just they're younger teams with a lot of talent. K Cuttingham out there is a monster. And I like playing that next year with more experience in the playoffs, different. Cleveland, Cleveland underperformed. I don't know what happened to Cleveland. Cleveland was should people cut Cleveland as a favorite and they disappeared. If all these teams do that again, yeah. I don't even count the 76ers. They're just, you know, whatever they do, they do. I don't even I don't even look at them. Uh but everybody, but everyone else in the east, I think they're going to get better or improve for what they were this season. So I don't I say no, but I say year three, if next year, yes. They could do it.
SPEAKER_05So how I how I look at it, hold on, one, let me go over there real quick. So how I look at it real quick is my take is the east is going to be stronger than the west will be next year. The east is always known as the weaker conference of the team, but the the court's gonna be their boss, and as you said, uh they're going to get us to your next one will be better. They're gonna be there. There's a lot of things. There's a lot of teams that are getting better and stronger. Uh, when you look at the last time, of course, we also have to start like the likes of the stuff. I may not even get to the final to find so far. Um, I don't think overall it's all I do think the Eastern Conference is going to get better and better. And we're we are heading towards the Eastern Conference being better than the Western Conference. I know it's been laughs out of for a long time, but it's it's getting ready to start shifting uh within the next couple years.
SPEAKER_02Well, that's it, Martin. There's a myriad of answers, gentlemen.
East West Parity And Contenders
SPEAKER_02Don't forget that Hollandberry is gonna come back strong, fellas. And remember, they got I think uh they got a lottery pick. The fact is, they're gonna be strong. Yeah, and and it's one of those things that don't you you didn't mention the Denver Nuggets, man. I think Joker's gonna have a say in this thing. You know, it's been two or three years since they won. Uh, but I think the Joker is gonna have a say in this thing in the Western Conference Finals, you know. OKC, yeah. Remember, Jay Will was hurt. So, you know, and and and defense.
SPEAKER_01They they can they can pop up anytime.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_01They're also gonna be able to draft somebody this year that's gonna be able to uh contribute to that team.
SPEAKER_02That's right. That's right. But yeah, and that's right. But but you play college basketball at a high level. I got a problem with Chet Homer scoring only four points again, seven at the house. I could go to Venice Beach right now and get somebody to score more than four points at the five. Chet Homer was the first pick of the draft, fellas. I know we love OKZ and they won it two years ago, but Chet Homer has to up his game. Forget Wimby.
SPEAKER_01Well, him and Wimby was supposed to be rivals. That was supposed to be the next like big man rivalry in the NBA, which one that is since uh since the Olympics, you know what I'm saying? So that was supposed to be the next twin tower battle, and he to and and he totally showed when um Wimby totally showed him that, yo, this is my stage, man. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And and and you know, those Gonzaga guys, with the exception of Suggs down in Orlando, those Gonzaga big men, like Timmy and some of the other. Ken Hongri, he messed up his game. Number one, he gets hurt, and number two, he gained seven and four points, man.
SPEAKER_00Come on, Chef Yakula. You will always hear me, you will always hear me talk smack about Gonzaga because I will always say this, and they do it every year. Every year, they are a one or two seed, and they never make it to the Final Four. They never win it, they always disappoint. I I I think they're the most overhyped team in in the NCAA tournament every year. No matter how good they are, no matter if they have Adam Morrison or any other little guy, they always do this. It's the same thing they always do. But the thing that I really think the the I I can't stand OKC. I'm I'm a hater. I'm just gonna not gonna lie, I'm a hater of the floor. The free the free throws and flopping, it it gets old. It's it's a soft team. I like the way they play defense, but their offense is it it's just annoying to me. Um I think that the I think that the in the West, they're gonna get stronger. The West is gonna be strong. I think it might be parallel. That's what I really think is about to happen, Marlowe. I'm not sure if the East is gonna be the East has been decisively weaker than the West. And I think they're gonna be a lot more, there's gonna be a lot more parody between the two because you have LeBron kind of phasing out in his career. So the West is gonna change that way. Dallas isn't that strong. The teams that were young are getting better. It's it's gonna be more equal, and especially if Giannis stays in the East, it'll be it'll definitely be more parody. And if he goes west, I don't know. He could go on a he could go and stack up a team like the Timberwolves or something and make it crazy, but who knows? We'll see.
When The Season Felt Different
SPEAKER_02Yeah, but Marlon, Marlon, I gotta jump in and ask you if y'all cool. At what point did you think this was a special year? Was it prior to the playoffs? I know it went when you were down 2-1 to Atlanta, but we won game six by 51, it seems. Did you feel then? You remember the Sixers in B. Yeah, go ahead.
SPEAKER_01Can I tell you honestly? Can I and uh and it may sound goofy because I don't need when we were in the NBA Cup and we celebrate I told my son, what if we did this in the NBA Finals? And and and my son just looked at me and he said, Yeah, you like he looked at me like he needed to check my temperature. And I just said it like a little, it was it was quick. I but I say every year is our year. So you know what I'm saying? Like it it was something, it was something about seeing a Knicks team celebrate that that that just kind of I had a that's so raving moment. You remember how she used to flashback and I just like for a second. That has nothing to do with your life. And here we are, you know. So I I feel like um all year, so all year long it was little things about this team like after picks. Like we that that was early talk, like all the time. If we win the chip, after those picks. Yeah, right. Like, you know, is it all worth it and and and going and and throwing that Hail Mary and being like, is it gonna be caught and are we gonna become victorious or is it gonna be a waste of time? And the answer, the the question is answers, you know? Like, like, like right now, the high end. I used to always tell people being a Knicks fan is like having herpes. It's not gonna kill you, but when people find out they stay ill. You know?
SPEAKER_00Hey man, I'm a cow, I'm a Cowboys fan. You can't tell me that Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Good point, John. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01So it it's it's amazing to see, and like if the leagues are better when certain teams are good. And I'm a league, I'm a giant fan. The league is better when the Cowboys are good. Because the Cowboys is a team that half of the great transition. You know, the Knicks is another one of those teams and when the Knicks are good, the NBA is good. So I'm I'm I'm excited for the NBA in upcoming years. And and and and we we I remember going into the garden and people have bags on their head. Yeah, right. Yeah, man.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Roy Sparrow, Trent Tucker, you know, uh Kim Thomas. I remember those lean years, you know, but you know, uh big market, big market, fellas.
Lakers LeBron Dilemma And Giannis
SPEAKER_02And Marlon, the Lakers, the Lakers out there, big market too. Can you make it run at Giannis? The Lakers if the Lakers are relatives better for the league. We're always talking about the strength of the West. I want to hear from you, the Lakers. Do they make it even run at Giannis? Because that's the only way you're gonna compete in this deep west.
SPEAKER_05Go ahead. The the problem is and John and John is a Lakers fan too as well. The the Problem is that I think our loyalty to the bronze is going to choose to flip. Because we are doing it we're gonna try to do right by the first one. We're gonna try to do right by the bronze and buy that. We go to technically use also we just collateral. Maybe use a uh trade with some other teams if it makes the bronze half we and it's gonna have this for firewall and uh I don't know. I think this this is 2015. I think it's still one of the stuff. But also the bronze is cost. I think it's not gonna go for 50 or 15 million, 20 million dollars a year. I think that also doesn't need the money to it for just knowing that Austin's reading it's also gonna make $45 million a year, which I think is gonna say if it's not that. LeBron's not gonna find a deal for $20 million. Okay, yeah, I'll find it for this, and just knowing that Austin Reeves is going to make a deal with that. Even though LeBron doesn't need the money, it's a principal. So I I just think that we're gonna try to do it right by Braun, and I think Austin Reef is collateral, so I'm pretty sure what's gonna happen is Austin's gonna get traded to a team. We're gonna find LeBron for one year, and he's gonna have his retirement tour, and then we're gonna be screwed going forward with that. We'll have Luca, but we won't have much else.
SPEAKER_02But that's unfortunate, fellas. We all know the NBA, we all play ball. You know, let LeBron go back east on it. These are the Lakers, Father.
SPEAKER_05But but Doc is Doc. The problem is, is his whole life is in LA. You have your family, your kids, your company, everything. Like everything is out there. And he's a billionaire at this point. So it's like nobody wants to live in Cleveland. So I mean it would be a perfect authority. It would be a perfect authority to go and go back to Cleveland, to run the one piece away, uh, and and figure that out, and you're in the east. You can make it work. But for him to just go back and forth that much, he's not gonna do that at 41, 42, 43 years old. So he's he wants it to be.
SPEAKER_00He's also, I think he's trying to get his he's he said his dream is to have both of his sons play on a team with him. That's not gonna happen in LA. No, that's selfish, John. That's selfish. But but that's what but that's what I'm saying. The team, the the franchise has to cut, they gotta cut the cord on that because as much as as much as he he wants his his his farewell tour, that's great. You're building a franchise. You've already traded away your future to what 2029, 2030, I think they don't have a draft pick. Yeah, but like you can't rebuild that team anymore because you've traded everything away. You used up draft capital to get Bronny, who I'm not gonna top bad on him, but he just he's not the work of draft capital. He could have been undrafted free agent, but I'll leave that alone. You have this team that you built and you're building it for LeBron, but LeBron is not the LeBron, this is not two thousand, this is not 2008 anymore. If you built this team in 2008 around LeBron, I get it. Luca, you want to give it over to Luca, then build a team for Luca. I don't know if Giannis and Luca can play on the perimeter like that. Now, I think Luca, he has a good as a good big man, becomes a totally different weapon. But I just don't know if they get the if they A, get the right coaching to take care of it. I don't think Reddick's supposed to do it, and I don't think LeBron can be on that team. They really have to almost clean house and rebuild around Luca. Otherwise, I think they're done.
SPEAKER_02It's a good response, sellers, because these questions have to be asked. And I'm glad we're doing on this podcast because out here in LA, they're sick, LeBron. Twizy can't stand them, you know. And one of those things where, you know, I had to get you involved, Marlon, because you know, this is a big market here. This is magic. This is Kareem. You know, this is Kobe. This is Kobe. And you're gonna be on the shattered. Yeah, you're gonna stuck six or seven again because it's LeBron mess, but I digress.
NFC East Giants Cowboys Commanders
SPEAKER_02You know, good job.
SPEAKER_05Good job, so before we wrap this thing up, of course, Doc, I'd love to throw the pot a little bit. So we have a little NFT East uh little rivalry going on right now on this this on this podcast. So uh Jeff, I'm gonna start with you. I know you're flying high with your Knicks, but do you have the same energy, the same feel with your Giants? Do you feel that they're for one? I want to ask about the division. You know, can you win the division? But also two, can you make a playoff run uh with this Giants team, darts, got a boo, and crew? What'd you think?
SPEAKER_01I absolutely feel like this is a uh year where we can definitely make a a playoff run.
SPEAKER_05The confidence is very low.
SPEAKER_01Um, being able to shore up that defense and also get some weapons out there. Um once we get neighbors back. Now, one of the things I keep hearing is I'm hearing neighbors is uh is not where he needs to be right now. And I'm hearing a lot of things that's point negative about his knee and what happened with his surgery. I heard it was botched, I heard he had multiple. So I'm hearing different things that's saying uh neighbors isn't exactly where he needs to be. So that's one of the one things that has me a little bit uh skeptical about, you know, the start of the season. But I feel like if if neighbors is back healthy, um, we got a lot of weapons, receiving core, our running back room is I know it's not named as heavy hitters, but a lot of times you see teams win with running back by committee. And I think like we got the committee of running backs that that can make some damage and do some things. The division, a lot of teams got better, but the team that's been winning, our division, the Eagles, got worse. I don't think that they uh AJ Brown. Um they they they're uh they've gotten worse, you know. So I definitely feel like this is a year we're gonna be able to make some moves and uh uh definitely make a playoff run. Do I feel like we're about to go win the the the Super Bowl? I don't know, but I feel like we're gonna definitely be able to make a run. We're gonna My issue with the Giants is always losing games we should win and winning games that we should lose. That that that's what happens to us.
SPEAKER_02So that's my take on it. I love your tackle combination. Uh big Andrew Thomas, and then you drafted the tackle in the first round. Yeah. But go ahead, John. Cowboys, bring it. You know, this is a CD Lamb and George George George Pickens reported to camp today.
SPEAKER_00That's uh I just want to have that. That's what everybody was cheering about that in the middle of the World Cup. They thought that uh, you know, the big news was George Pickens reported today, so he showed up in camp. Defense is improving. Uh they look good. I mean, the defense actually looks, and I'm not saying I'm saying this is a guy who complains about the Cowboys defense regularly. They look good. The running back room looks better. Jaden Blue finally figured out that he can he can actually play football and not worry about being glamorous because sitting on the bench and not playing is not glamorous. And he looks he looks incredible. Like Jalen Blue looks like like he's not I'm not calling him the all-star or anything, but he looked like he was like a first-round draft pit when he was running drills. And I was like, that's that's just shocking because last year he didn't show any of that. Um the running game looks better, passing game is what it was last year, was number two in the league. But the defense looks night and day different. Um, the Cowboys, the only concern I really have is Jalen Thompson. He didn't, he's he came in injured and he wasn't listed as injured, and they said he had a surgery to clean up his knee. He was the Cowboys' big free agent signing they got. They drafted well, they did all that stuff in the Caleb Downs trade. I'm still shocked the Giants didn't take him. I I still don't understand why they didn't take. I'm just glad they didn't. But the Cowboys look good on defense, they look like they're correcting a lot of things, but I don't think that people that are run realistic, they think this team is gonna come out and go from being 31st in the league in defense and show up and they're gonna be a top five. That's not gonna happen. You still have a lot of young guys out there, you still have a lot of guys that have to learn and make mistakes. What they have to do is be competitive. And if they can be consistent on offense and be competitive on defense, that team becomes a problem because they can run the ball, they can pass, and if they have a defense that can just keep people safe to 17 to 24 points a game, they're fine. I mean, literally, they'll win 80% of their games at that rate. But again, it's the Dallas Cowboys. Nobody cares about the regular season, it's what you do in the playoffs that matters. And so by that time, we got to make a whole different assessment. So we'll see by then. Well, the NFC East, man. Yeah, go ahead, Bradley.
SPEAKER_01John, can I ask you a question? Rashawn Gary. Yeah. Can you give me a take on him, please?
SPEAKER_00He's a monster, man. I mean, honestly, I've seen him trying. I've seen him trying. He's not, he's not flashy. He's not gonna, he's not, I mean, he's not JJ Watt or, you know, or or or Miles Garrett. Uh, but he's got he's a guy that just gets consent continual pressure. Right now, in the from what I'm hearing just from account, he's being a leader. He's making guys show up. He's like, hey, if you're not in the weight room at this time, you're not gonna practice with first team defense. You're in the first team defense, you need to beat the you need to beat the rookies at the uh weightlifting. He's being a leader right now. So right now, I have no complaints on him. Like he's he's kind of making them have a little pride because he said, I don't he's uh he gave some speech to him and said that he's never been, he's never been, they were second to last in defense last year. He said, I don't plan on being second to last in anything in my life, so y'all better step it up, or he's like, I'm not, I'm not playing with you, that's what he told him.
SPEAKER_01So I have no problem with that guy for y'all to get him. I was like, well, that that that might that was one of the free that was one of the free agents things that I feel like nobody talked about that. Nobody talked about Rashawn Gary to the Cowboys enough, and it scares me. So I just wanted to ask you that.
SPEAKER_00Well, Rashawn Gary, Quentin Williams, and um um what's his name? Uh defensive tackle. I forgot his. I'm sorry. I'm I blank Drill Blank. Uh they traded for him for the Packers. Um Kenny Clark. Kenny Clark. Kenny Clark, and then and now they have a rotating different, they have rotating edges with Ezraku coming back on the other side of that, and they can rotate Lawrence, they just got as a rookie. They have a pretty good dominant front four, but they're running five-man fronts, and they're putting Procter from Alabama, they're throwing him in there and running him as a nose tackle, and then they have Jay Toya, who they got from UCLA, and they're running him as a nose tackle, and then basically using Quentin Williams as like a three technique where he goes out on the edge. It looks weird. It looks like they're playing a three, uh, a five uh like a five-three-three in their defense. It looks really weird how they're running it, but it's it's like a five-man front that flexes back, and one guy looks like he's rushing, but he's not. It's really confusing. Like, even watching it as a as a I went up to the Cowboys and watched the practice, and I'm look watching it as they're running. I'm totally confused as what they're what that play call was. I thought that was zone, but it looked like man, but it wasn't. And it was like it was a hybrid of both. So that's gonna be young quarterback, that's gonna be a problem.
SPEAKER_01Well, that other sound bar hand, too, man. I want to let you know. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00I tell you, they got some dogs. They got some dog, they got some dogs, they got some dogs in free agency and in the draft. I they really did. I guess I I mean you can say what you want to about Jerry Jones. Like I tell people all the time, there's one thing he doesn't like doing. He doesn't usually lose two years in a row. He doesn't really like doing that. Like if he if his team is not competitive one way, he'll find a way to fix it. Now they might mess something else up, but they'll find a way to fix that. And with with what I'm saying is with that team, they have the they have the ingredients. They have all the ingredients to make a great meal. Now, how they prepare it, how the chef goes out, they have a great kicker. They have their defense was garbage last year, but their offense is great. If their offense is mid and their team and their defense is mid, they'll be fine. They have probably the best kicker in the game right now when he's on. And I don't know that that to me, that's such a weapon, especially playing in the dome when a guy can just kick a 60-yard field goal and his sleep. That's just that that's a that's a game changer.
SPEAKER_02Well, neither one of us mentioned, and Marlon, I appreciate that question because the NFC East, you mean we didn't mention the Washington Commanders. They picked up Sonny Styles at linebacker, arguably as defensive rookie of the year. You know, and and Jaden Daniels is still a stud, fellas. You know, they see East is gonna be brutal, and don't think that Saquon Barkley and the Eagles are gonna just disappear. So it's gonna be interesting, man. You know, so I think at the very least, you guys are gonna beat each other. I got the Giants winning 10 games, the Cowboys 11, just off the top of my head. But don't, don't, don't, uh, don't say how Sirianna and those Eagles sure are. You still got Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter. And you got that secondary, you know. I just love this division, man. You know, all they'll lose safeties.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they did. They didn't lose the safeties, and they lost a lot. They didn't replace the Eagles, didn't replace they lost now, they've lost offensive and defensive talent, and they haven't replaced it. Uh, they they have a the the with the contracts they signed, they got cleared some money with with uh AJ Brown leaving. They're just to me, I think that a lot of times they got away with kind of being better than being better like talent-wise than the teams that they were playing. And so they're mistakes, but that talent level is dropping. And so with that talent level dropping, you can't just beat people because you're better than them anymore. And that might be that's why that's why I don't think we I mentioned them. The Washington Commanders, I don't know if Jaden Daniels is gonna be healthy all year. I really don't. And I don't think he he's he's a really small frame guy. Like I I've seen him in person. I'm kind of like, man, you play in the NFL? Like, bro, go eat a sandwich. Like he he just looks like the guy looks and so I don't know if he can stay healthy with the way with the pass rushers he has in his division alone. I don't know if he can stay healthy. We didn't talk about the LA Rams and they've been getting Miles Garrett. Shout out to the fam, though. But that's uh but but I mean there's problems that I don't I don't think anyone's looking at Commanders because the Commanders did they did draft a great first-round draft pick, but that's where it kind of stopped. They didn't make any moves, they didn't improve their wide receiving group, they didn't improve, they didn't really improve their talent level overall. And I think I think that may come back to bite them later. They're developing, but I don't think they're there yet.
SPEAKER_02I don't think they're a threat. Makai Lemon ain't no joke. I saw him out here on the West Coast, but he's still a rookie. So it goes noted, fellas. Uh your three teams have a chance to have the defensive rookie of the year. Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles, and of course R.L. Reese or Chef Yakuz Giants. So just on that alone, you know, just watching the NFC East on the defensive side of ball and these dynamic rookies, that's enough for me, man. Good luck, fellas. Good luck on that.
SPEAKER_05Now, Doc, I got Doc, I got something for you now. For for one, uh, you said you got the Giants winning 10 games. Uh, the last time they won 10 games was uh, let me go back, let me go back, let me go back. 2010 was the last time they won 10 games. So this would be a great uh, you know, Steph, I don't mean to you know bring up the the the bad the bad, but you know uh it it it would be great to see them uh actually get to that point. Um so one real quick, Jeff. Odell Beckham, juju, you're your your receiving core, obviously my uh neighbors isn't gonna be ready. So uh what do you think about the bringing Odell back and and the the current receiving core that you have now?
SPEAKER_01Um I I like the receiving core Mooney. Um I feel like we really we we re we made so I I feel like uh though Del Beckham's situation is going to be twofold. It's gonna be him um with a tip on his shoulder trying to prove that he can do something, and us giving him an opportunity to kind of do something. Juju is gonna be Juju. I'm hoping it's more turns into them really being there to show the ebbs and flows to our younger receivers of what an NFL season is like and how to train for an NFL season and how to make it do an NFL season. Um I don't expect Odell Beckham to have a thousand yards this year. I don't expect him to be a Pro Bowl or anything like that. I I just expect them to come in and show them uh uh show our receiver room uh some tools and and how to operate and be a receiver uh for the New York Giants.
SPEAKER_05This is great stuff, man. This is great stuff. And and Doc, uh question
Falcons Outlook And Camp Standouts
SPEAKER_05for you. What are your thoughts, knowing that Tua, Tungavailoa may be your starting quarterback for 2026? What are your thoughts on that?
SPEAKER_02Well, I think uh I think the fact that he blew us up in the dome last year with four TV passes, and half our games are in the dome. In fact, more than half with the Saints and some of the other teams who got on the schedule. We can win 10 games. Remember, we swept the Saints. Our problem is Carolina. You know, yeah, we we uh Drake London, Kyle Pitts' renewed vigor with his contract, and of course, B. John Robinson, and and we got some defensive personnel. The rookie from Clemson, Avian Terrell, AJ Terrell's, he's showing out, man. Yeah, I know it's all shells, but we needed another corner. And this kid from Clemson, you know, is gonna be in it, motivated by his all world brother. So I'm looking forward to winning 11 games next year, man. And it starts with the road game in Pittsburgh. You know, I don't think Aaron Rodgers at 850 is all that. He he faded badly. And uh, you know, it's one of those things where I think we can start out one and oh, and then we host Carolina at home and get their asses back. We'll get that little little motherfucker, excuse my French, uh, price young. But uh, yeah, yeah. NFC South, baby.
SPEAKER_00NFC South. Yeah. Also, also, Doc, uh, pay attention on the Cowboys, the Michael Trigg. I'm not sure if y'all you guys have seen him, but he's been a monster in camp. He's a tight end from Baylor. He got he bounced around in different schools. He ended up going to Baylor. He got a um he got uh he got a charge for something and ended up being dropped. And so he didn't get drafted, so he's an undrafted free agent. And then uh Trey Sean Holden, another wide receiver. Cowboys actually have too many wide receivers on the team right now. They gotta get rid of them. Um they just but but they have um they have uh Marquez uh Badez Gantling, he's there. They have Floanroy, they have Turpin, CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens. They got a lot of talent out there at wide receiver now, but they're using him as a wide receiver. And they got they got the my I'm sorry, who Michael Trake? The the the the Treason Holden kids, 6'3, big, big kid. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, they they got him, they got him too from uh I think they played with Oregon. And uh he's been doing he's been doing pretty good. He's been doing pretty good too. So I mean they they put a lot of talent out there at wide receiver, and they were I think they were getting him as a backup in case George Pickens didn't show up, but he's playing like they don't need George Pickens, and so that's why that that's that's why he that's why he they say he might be a problem too. So we'll see.
SPEAKER_02Well, I love all this NFL talk, man.
World Cup Predictions And Closing Thoughts
SPEAKER_02And and it's one of those things where 365-247, we welcome NFL talk, but this is the Knicks time, and this is this is Chef Yaaku and all the Knicks fans. And I brought it up on Adam Science show today that uh New York is is Wall Street, money, fashion, Manhattan, but by the same token, is it's it's also blue, blue collar, grid.
SPEAKER_00It's ruckers, the blues, it's ruckers, the blues, waffles fried chicken, it's a bunch of other stuff too. White castle. White castle burgers, baby.
SPEAKER_05Last thing, any any anybody got any uh anybody got any World Cup predictions?
SPEAKER_00Well, congratulations to the Knicks. I'm not gonna be a hater.
SPEAKER_03Chef.
SPEAKER_05Chef, any World Cup predictions?
SPEAKER_01Oh my, listen, I don't have too much experience with the soccer. I'm gonna tell you all the truth. Um I'm I I was extremely excited to see what USA did against Paraguay, then everybody's Paraguay. So, you know, um Spain was a little bit upsetting with the performance. Yeah, yeah. They looked stagnant. So, I mean, it it honestly looks like anybody cut, but you know the big boys, Brazil, Colombia, London, Germany, Germany, Japan, those guys are gonna come out and play. We all know that. So we'll see.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I don't know too much about hockey. There is a chance to stop.
SPEAKER_00There is a chance, there is a chance that this could happen. If the United States gets wins their wins their group, and England gets number two in their group, the United States and England could play on the 4th of July. That really could happen. It's just it's a chance, so we'll see.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Well, that's great. So we'll be remiss, Marlon, and we tried to bring hockey into the show. Props to Carolina. I don't know too much. I'm I'm a little bit disappointed in Vegas, Golden Knights not winning last night at the crib. I mean, I know uh what's his name? Eichel, whatever his name is. He's Jack Eichel. He he was artists. Yeah. So props to the I know Big Ann is probably listening. He's a big hockey guy, red ass, but we gotta mention congratulations to Carolina too, fella. So, you know, uh, it is what it is. But this is good stuff.
SPEAKER_00Anytime Vegas losers, I'm happy in hockey. So we get this. No stars. All right, though. Absolutely. That's all I got.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, good. Last thing I gotta say is none of my Knicks have won. I can die happy, man. But don't bury me in my Knicks jersey because I might come back.
SPEAKER_02Right. Chef Yaku. We love you, Bravery. We love you, John. Appreciate it, man. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05All right. Thank thank you everybody for listening and joining with us. Uh, this has been a great one. Uh, congrats to the Knicks, and we'll see what happens in the World Cup. But we will catch you guys next time. Peace.
SPEAKER_03Peace.