Two for the Win
Mike is a U.S. Navy Veteran and Bryan has more than a decade of civil service experience. Together, these blue collar guys dissect the latest sports headlines and events.
Two for the Win
Two For The Win - E20 - New Roles For Former Star Athletes, A Twenty-Year Dispute Is Finally Resolved, And Current Athletes That Could Be The Next G.O.A.T. Of Their Sports
Wayne Gretzky's seemingly untouchable scoring record is about to fall. Alexander Ovechkin stands just nine points away from surpassing "The Great One," creating a moment hockey fans have waited generations to witness. We break down why this achievement ranks alongside historic milestones like the McGwire-Sosa home run chase and what makes Ovechkin's consistency and longevity so remarkable.
The Washington Nationals have finally emerged victorious in their 20-year television rights dispute with MASN, gaining freedom to pursue their own broadcasting deals starting in 2026. This landmark resolution could dramatically alter the franchise's future in DC, while spring training continues with the Braves losing All-Star catcher Sean Murphy for 4-6 weeks due to a painful rib injury.
Women's basketball takes a historic leap forward as the WNBA expands internationally with the Toronto Tempo, set to debut in 2026 as the league's 14th franchise. Tennis legend Serena Williams joins the ownership group, bringing her championship pedigree to the basketball world. The Tempo will become the first WNBA team outside the United States, marking a significant milestone in the league's global growth strategy.
The NBA landscape continues shifting dramatically as we recap the Cavaliers' stunning comeback against Boston, the Warriors' resurgence with Jimmy Butler (jumping six spots in six weeks), and LeBron James becoming the first player to score 50,000 combined regular season and playoff points. Meanwhile, college basketball approaches March Madness with Auburn, Duke, and Houston virtually locked as #1 seeds while upsets shake up the rankings.
NFL offseason action accelerates with the Raiders making Max Crosby the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league through a massive three-year deal. We dissect the most impactful trades and releases reshaping rosters league-wide, from the Bears bolstering their offensive line to the Jets cutting ties with star receiver Davante Adams.
Subscribe, follow us on social media, and join our fan discussions as we continue tracking the most compelling storylines across the sports world!
March 6 2025. Welcome back, everybody. It's our first episode of March, first episode we've done in a March. Ladies and gentlemen, and everybody else, this is our 20th episode. I'm Brian with an eye.
Speaker 2:And I'm Mike.
Speaker 1:And we are Two for the Win, Mike, what we got tonight. Let's talk about some sports man.
Speaker 2:Well, we got spring training underway. We're going to see what's happening there, we're going to see what's happening in the world of basketball all forms of it and we're going to check what's up with the NFL. The season may be over, but there is plenty to talk about.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I don't think there's probably ever a dull moment when it comes to football, and especially as spread out as they are through the year, and now we have the UFL in the mix. But I digress, let's start out with our top subject tonight, buddy.
Speaker 2:Well, we got to turn to hockey for a minute and talk about the fact that Alexander Ovechkin is only nine points away from catching the great one, wayne Gretzky, for the all-time scoring leader. Oh boy.
Speaker 1:That's something.
Speaker 2:I never thought somebody would catch up to Wayne Gretzky. Man he's right there on the doorstep.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, that's an exciting time. I know that's exciting for Ovechkin and his fans and his team. What do you think it's like? Is this a once-in-a-generational thing that we're about to witness?
Speaker 2:This is like when, years ago, you had Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire even though it was during the steroid era, when they were chasing that single season home run record. It's kind of on that level, you know, kind of on the level of it hasn't been done in a long time. And you know, to catch up with anything in Gretzky's legacy is a big deal. And Ovechkin, he's been great for years, you know. Anybody who has seen him play knows that he can find the net. He's just good and he's had a very long career. You kind of have to to catch up to Wayne Gretzky.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:But he's earned it. He stumbled into it. This is not like when you reach that plateau like we said with the basketball where yeah earlier we had had, you know guys, reaching the 30, 35 000 points scored. You know you're getting into that territory. The only so many have done it. Well, this is the only one has done it and you're about to pass him, yeah.
Speaker 1:And you know, as I was, you know, in agreeance with you. You know, this is the level, how you know where your career has reached heights. Okay, because everybody starts at the same level. Zero stats, right. And so the amount of work you put in, how hard, your dedication, and then how well you perform in and game out, okay, every single game matters, because at the end of your career you start accumulating accolades, such as this one here that Ovechkin is about to accomplish himself.
Speaker 1:So I think that's great. I think it's amazing for those of us who get to be here to witness something like this. So I hope he does it and let's see him rock and roll, man. Let's move on to some MLB action here. Mike Sure. So some of you may or may not be familiar. The Nationals and the Orioles have had an ongoing TV dispute for the better part of 20 years now, like since 2005. The Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, which is majorly owned by the Orioles' ownership as well. They were in a dispute with the Nationals for a television deal over that period of time. We won't get in terribly into the details of it, uh, but basically the mlb. Since this dispute settled, the mlb now says the nationals are free to pursue their own tv rights beginning as soon as the 2026 season, which is is a key development that could actually eventually facilitate them moving possibly out of out of nation's capital. Mike, what do you make of this man? How do you? How does this story hit you? There's so much going on here.
Speaker 2:Well, tv deals are important for most MLB teams.
Speaker 2:I mean the Yankees have the YES Network and WGN was the Cubs for many, many years when all of those TV deals kind of broke up.
Speaker 2:I mean the YES Network still has theirs, but when the Cubs broke up their WGN deal Cubs broke up their WGN deal it got a little hard to see a Cubs game if you weren't there in Chicago. I remember many a time seeing a Cubs game on WGN over the years, just like you see a ton of Braves games on TBS. But when all those deals kind of fell out, I mean it got a little harder to see the team. I mean now we have streaming services and we have deals you can do where you can watch pretty much on anything your phone, your tablet, your TV. So at the end of the day it's probably going to make it easier as a fan to then see your games, because I know that Mass and the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network they typically black out games that are available through the MLB TV or any other service. They black them out because they want you to go watch their network. So this might free up and make it easier to watch the games.
Speaker 1:Honestly, it sounds like the Nationals are dodging a bullet here with how this is being handled, but you know we'll see what happens as it plays out. By the way, this was also one of our fan interaction subjects that we posted on our Facebook page, so we're still looking at it. We still want to hear your opinion on it. It's still there. Feel free to go over there and find us. It's interesting to see what happens with them going forward.
Speaker 2:We'll see how it shakes out. Unfortunately, out of spring training I got some bad news that if you're a Braves fan, sean Murphy, their all-star catcher, is going to be out four to six weeks with a rib injury. He took a pitch to the ribs and it cracked a rib.
Speaker 1:If you've never had this injury.
Speaker 2:It sucks, I've had it. It sucks Every time you breathe, every time you move, you're reminded that you have a cracked rib. It's not fun.
Speaker 1:It's not comfortable. Yeah, and like you said, it's not comfortable to breathe. He's not comfortable at all right now, ever. That kind of wraps up our news for MLB. Right now, we don't have a lot coming out of the MLB for this week.
Speaker 2:Well, spring training is happening.
Speaker 1:Things going on, uh. But moving on down here, you know we've got some WNBA news here again this week, uh, kind of a crossover with the tennis world, uh, so, if those of you don't know, toronto has been trying to stand up a WNBA team. Serena Williams is joining that ownership group for the 2026 Toronto Tempo. If you're unfamiliar, serena Williams won her first major tournament at just the age of 17 years old and she holds the record for the most Grand Slam single titles in the Open era, with that number being 23. So the Toronto Temple are scheduled to begin playing as soon as 2026 as the WNBA's 14th franchise and will compete in the league as a member of the Eastern Conference. The Temple will be the first WNBA team located outside of the United States and the first wmba team located outside of the united states and the first in canada. This is very exciting.
Speaker 1:A lot of things going on here, mike, uh, first of all, serena williams crossing sports, coming into the basketball world. Uh, she had first of all, if you didn't see her performance, uh, in the halftime show with Kendrick Lamar, go ahead and go back and look at that too. And then Toronto's standing up a team that predominantly is an American-established association in the WNBA, so they're expanding beyond the US, which is incredible for them as well. So a lot of moving parts here, a lot of things going on. What do you think about this, mike?
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, first off, if you don't know who Serena Williams is, I mean you've had your head under a rock or something. I mean she's been very popular, like you said, since 17 years old, oh yeah and been winning for many, many years.
Speaker 1:Very successful.
Speaker 2:I don't know where people have been if they don't know who she is.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But the fact that she's getting into an ownership group to try to provide more success to the WNBA and kind of propel their league and teams further is a special thing. And you see this with a lot of professional athletes now where they try to get part of these ownership groups and some in leagues that they're not a part of. I mean, alex Rodriguez, former MLB player, has been trying to get mixed in with some of the basketball teams. Alex Rodriguez, former MLB player, has been trying to get mixed in with some of the basketball teams. I think he might actually be involved with the Minnesota Timberwolves group, if I'm not mistaken, but Toronto having another team I mean Toronto's been involved in many leagues. I mean they have the Toronto Blue Jays, you know the Toronto Blue.
Speaker 1:Jays, you know so, and there's Canadian teams in general.
Speaker 2:There has been Canadian teams in multiple professional sports throughout the US. You know, being part of the different leagues, so it wouldn't.
Speaker 1:It's not like it's a first, but it's the first for the WNBA, exactly, exactly, and I think that in of itself is an accomplishment, not just as a women's sport or a professional American sport. But the NFL hasn't got a franchise outside America. They're trying, they're trying, but but you know, one of the biggest, you know they're the only rational example I can draw at the moment, because basketball, you know they have oh yeah, they have the toronto raptors, the toronto raptors up there, which I believe you know.
Speaker 1:The nb wmb is following suit. So I like I'm. I'm a suit. So I like the open market, I like cross-border, I like expansion. This is all in good, competitive and competition breeds success, breeds better results. So you've got more competition. You're going to have a better quality game out there every week.
Speaker 2:I'm a little disappointed in myself for not mentioning the Toronto Maple Leafs for hockey.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, we got to give Canada a little shout out, you know.
Speaker 2:Canada with a hockey team. Surprise, surprise, that's right.
Speaker 1:And then you know, so that's the only thing we have for WNBA. But again, that in itself huge news, definitely worth mentioning. Love to talk about that. I love talking about serena williams uh, crossing sports as well, especially as an owner. What you got, mike?
Speaker 2:so, moving into the nba, uh, last friday night I know it's an old game, but we're gonna. We're gonna talk about it because it has a little significance here. So so the Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics were playing each other, with the Cavs beating Boston 123 to 116. Now, this game if you watched it first half, you thought Boston for sure had this wrapped up. They looked like they had control of the game. They were going after Darius Garland. They had a plan.
Speaker 2:They were picking, rolling and going right at Garland because his smaller guard and the defense wasn't really. He really wasn't having a great defensive night. But they've done this to him multiple times. They've played against each other. They see him as a weak link, so they kind of go after him. But as the game kept going, the Cavs just kept at it. They kept playing their game, they kept trying to inch closer and I mean they were down by double digits multiple times in the game. But they just kept clawing and kept clawing and finally in the fourth quarter they took a lead and they kept that lead. So in the loss you had Mitchell of the Cavs with 41 points and Jason Tatum of the Celtics with 46 points.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Now you would think, 46 points by Tatum that he must have had a really great game. But I feel like it's a tale of two halves. He had a great first half where a majority of his points were scored, but you get into the second half, specifically the fourth quarter, you had Tatum missing fadeaways. You had Tatum missing a reverse layup. Now this begs to ask the question.
Speaker 1:You know, because Tatum's kind of been making a stink about he wants to be the face of the NBA.
Speaker 2:Well, to me, when I think face of the NBA, I think of you know, the Jordans, the Kobes, the LeBrons, that kind of warrior mentality where like I'm not losing to you and just watch me, and they come out and you show them up, they're going to come at you ten times harder the next time, like I just don't. I'm not saying Tatum's not a great player, but I just don't. I don't see that in him. I don't see the. I don't see that alpha, that dog. To me that's Jalen Brown on his team, but it's like where, where, where's his?
Speaker 1:I mean I can't, I can't see.
Speaker 2:I mean don't get me wrong yeah 46 points is nothing to shake your head at. You know that's a lot of points, but when you need them most in the clutch you can't be missing reverse layups and missing some fadeaways at crunch time You've got to hit them shots.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I saw a team that they were playing so well in the beginning and the Cavs adjusted. They really did. They pulled Garland out at times and they put him in only on certain personnel groups and they used Garland's ability to push the pace to set up a bunch of passes. And really, one of the stars of this game that won't get much love because he didn't have a lot of points was Evan Mobley. Evan Mobley got the bulk of his points in the fourth quarter when they needed it most. He actually hit a couple of threes when they really needed it and he was getting some clutch rebounds on both ends of the floor. So he needs to have his flowers too, because he came up big for them in that win.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, they're going to talk to Mitchell because he had the most points, but that was a big old team win and their bench came through for them.
Speaker 1:They really had a great game Knocking off the reigning champs.
Speaker 2:We could see this come playoff time.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:This could be a matchup playoff time. These are two best teams in the East.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I actually would look forward to seeing that. To be honest with you, it's not a bad matchup there, and that itself was a good game too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but they just had a game. The Celtics Tell them about that. Tell them who came up big in that Celtics game last night.
Speaker 1:Celtics. Tell them about that, tell them who came up big in that Celtics game last night. Celtics game last night Most threes. Well, we had most threes scored in a game by a pair of teammates in NBA history. Those two teammates, derek White and Peyton Pritchard. Ironically, derek White himself 41 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals 2 steals and 9 three-points made.
Speaker 1:And then Pritchard 43 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 10 three-pointers made, and between the two of them, 19 three-pointers made, and between the two of them, 19 three-pointers made. That's a huge accomplishment itself Most three points in a game by a pair of teammates in NBA history.
Speaker 2:That's pretty impressive. There's one other thing that comes to mind in this game is the fact that Tatum didn't play, and this just shows the depth that the Celtics have. Keep in mind, though, too we just talked about that game they had with the Cavs. They also didn't have Holiday, or Porzingis, two starters of theirs that were crucial in their well two starters well, porzingis was crucial in their run. They just got Holiday, but they need those players down the stretch, and if they go to play in the playoffs, they're probably going to have those guys healthy. So you're talking about a team that played that way last night, scoring the way they did with some of their role players. Now you're going to add more depth to that team, so the Cavs can feel confident in that game they had, and feel confident in the way they've been playing.
Speaker 2:But, like they really Celtics. I don't know. I don't want to sit there that might go to a seven-game series if they meet in the playoffs. Yeah, that would be a don't want to sit there. That might go to a seven game series if they meet in the playoffs.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that would be a hell of a matchup there. Moving down here, jimmy Butler we all remember him. Things were a go so hot down there in Miami, but the Jimmy Butler era in Golden State is off to a blazing start with their 119-101 win versus the Hornets. I know everybody's thinking, oh, it's the Hornets. But let me tell you something. Right now, the Warriors are now sixth in the West, jumping six spots in six weeks. Okay, so it's not just about them being the Hornets.
Speaker 2:It's about them. Jimmy Butler's added to the team. Yeah, Now, granted, Jimmy hasn't played great, but he's been playing both ends of the floor playing some decent defense.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Now what he's done is he's kind of almost gave a little more confidence, I feel, to Steph Curry because he feels like he's got another guy there, another shooter.
Speaker 2:I think so too, and it's kind of brought Steph up a level. You know Steph the other night hitting 12 threes in one game. So their team is just hitting like gangbusters. It's like you just find that guy and fit him in and they rattle off a bunch of wins. They have won way more games in this stretch than they have the entire season. So adding Jimmy was the stir to that drink. You know they. They got it mixing well yeah, they seem.
Speaker 1:They seem to be off to a roll there and, and you know, obviously they're going to build on that foundation. They got there, um. And then lebron james uh, first player and I know this has been all over sports news uh but first player in NBA history to score 50,000 career points in the regular season and in the playoffs. How can we not talk about LeBron James? Who is not talking about LeBron James right now? And this was probably also, I mean, lebron's a great player, but the Lakers are also running really hot right now too.
Speaker 2:Well, this comes back to a thing that everybody loves to do, and you know people like to get into that debate of LeBron or Michael. You know, is it LeBron or Michael Jordan? You know everybody wants to be in that debate, but to me, you can have greatness for both. You don't have to be one or the other. Look so Michael hands down one of my all-time favorite players ever, but that doesn't take away from LeBron's accomplishments. I mean 50,000 points scored over your career between the regular season and postseason. That's a huge feat, plus the fact that he's got championships under his belt multiple times to the NBA Finals. He's a multi-time All-star. I mean, come on, I mean look, this is.
Speaker 1:This is like comparing cars to me. Okay, because they're both great in their their own right, but this is like comparing today's like a 2025 Corvette Stingray to a Corvette Stingray from the 60s. Okay, were one of the greatest cars ever back then, one of the fastest ever, still considered one of the greatest today, but they just don't have the technology, stats or performance, because it's a different day, it's a different era. Performance, because it's a different day, it's a different era. People have generations push performance. Okay, stats go up. I mean, we even saw it the increase in three-pointers over the last 15, 20 years.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and LeBron spends a million dollars to aid in his health and development so he can stay healthy. Yeah, I get it. He has things that Michael didn't. But what I'm basically saying is you can have respect for one or the other or love one or the other as your favorite player, but that doesn't mean that you know you need to tear one down to bring yours up. You know like cause yeah, you should.
Speaker 2:Both of them Absolutely great in their day. Lebron has done a lot longer. You know, lebron didn't go to college, he went straight into the NBA. He's had one of the longest NBA careers ever and, you know, shows no signs of really slowing down.
Speaker 1:He's done well for himself and I agree with you Like you don't have to tear one down to build the other up, like you can appreciate both of them for what they were in the era that they were in.
Speaker 2:Right, and at this point if I was LeBron I wouldn't worry about saying anything on it. I'd be like, hey.
Speaker 1:Now don't get me wrong. It's fun to have the debate, but I don't think there's ever a right or a wrong answer to it. Look, and I agree with you, I don't think throwing dirt on one to make the other look good is right either. They both have a ton of accomplishments to themselves, so to debate which one's better is one thing, but to throw dirt on either of them is just blasphemy in my opinion.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, everybody has the one that they grew up with or is their favorite, because one way or the other, I just to me. I feel like the debate just it's gotten old, it's gotten old.
Speaker 1:It has, and I mean, maybe it's time to have a new debate. Who is going to be the next great? Who are we going to be comparing to MJ and Bron? Who's going to be the next person in that equation?
Speaker 2:I don't know they have a hard enough time just trying to get some players to play in this league.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, there's a handful of names I could run off. But speaking of the Lakers, by the way, but speaking of the Lakers, by the way, the Lakers themselves moved from fifth to second in the Western Conference. Similar to how Golden State's ripped off a winning streak. Here the Lakers have ripped off a streak of their own. They won seven straight since Luka landed with them, bro. Is this a coincidence or not? Tell me something, michael.
Speaker 2:Well, this is a couple different things, right? So Luca's coming up to speed. He's finally getting more minutes, because I mean he had been hurt. He had the calf strain from back in December so he had to come back from that and work his minutes back, get his condition back, because you can't just jump in and go full tilt. So he's starting to get a little better, but Never go full tilt.
Speaker 2:For some reason, this has done something to Lakers that no one saw coming. The Lakers are playing the best defense in all of the NBA right now. They are leading the NBA in defensive stats right now since Luka has joined the team. So you have a player just inserted into the game and I think what you have here is it's kind of a motivating factor. So you get a player like Luka who everybody's saying is a generational talent. He's a really great player and he's still got plenty of good years ahead of him playing with one of the all-time greats in LeBron. And now you're sitting here saying, okay, you brought that kid in. I'm going to show you something, because now LeBron has somebody that's willing to go hard, like he is, and can sometimes go a little further than he can.
Speaker 2:And don't get me wrong. Luka was not known for his defense. When he was with the Mavs, he was known as taking the defensive side off most times he was on the floor, but as a team they're collectively playing better.
Speaker 1:Now, as we talk about Luka landing with the Lakers and Braun having somebody else to lean on, how do you think Brawny James is feeling? Do you think this is a windfall for him? Do you think he's gaining any more knowledge from Luka? Do you think this is a windfall for him? Do you think he's gaining any more knowledge from Luka? Do you think this is an opening for him?
Speaker 2:His dad is LeBron James. What else would he need to learn?
Speaker 1:Look, there's never a shortage of knowledge in the world. Okay, look, and obviously look. I'm only going to say one thing here, okay. His dad raised him, taught him to play basketball everything he probably knows right now and he's in the G League.
Speaker 2:Look, he was born on third right, so you've got to figure. His dad is one of the best NBA players in the game. He's bringing NBA players and coaches around. Hey, this is my son, bronny, and then you know what he does. Hey coach, can you teach me? Hey coach, what about? Hey? Can you talk to so-and-so and see if they can show me how to? Hey, talk to so-and-so and see if you can give me a tip on what man he's been getting free lessons from like nba players his entire life I mean, maybe, maybe not, we don't really know, but it's, I would like to think you're right, given his proximity to them.
Speaker 1:Oh, but you know, maybe they can help brawny, maybe luca can help brawny elevate his game even further.
Speaker 2:I don't know man, Unfortunately, Bronny for the.
Speaker 1:NBA. He's a little short. He's a little short.
Speaker 2:He's not the shortest ever, though.
Speaker 1:No, he's not Muggsy Bogues.
Speaker 2:He's not Muggsy Bogues. I'm not saying he's the shortest ever, but by NBA standards right now he's undersized but Bugsy played in the NBA on the A-level. Yeah, he did. He was with the Hornets and he was fun to watch, but even he had his limitations. But the point being, Bronny is going to have to really work to get back into the NBA and steadily stay in the NBA because, yes, he got a golden ticket. He's in the NBA because of his father. He got drafted because of his father. Let's not lose sight of that.
Speaker 1:Honestly, I'm not knocking it for real.
Speaker 2:Look, if my dad was LeBron and this was this, was you know him hooking me up? Look, I'd probably take it too, and I'd probably be. I'd be doing it just like him right now.
Speaker 1:You don't really hear him saying anything, look, he just kind of sits back hey waits for what comes to him all the teams in the NBA could have said no. They could have said, no, we're not drafting your son, we don't think he's good enough. Majority of them did, and that's okay. But, all he needed was one. All he needed was one.
Speaker 2:But that's true about anybody going into the NBA.
Speaker 1:You just need one team to draft you, but the fact is he got it and he got the chance.
Speaker 2:And where I'm going with this is You're treating this like going to the bar. I'm going with this is and you're. You're treating this like going going to the bar. Look, I'm gonna ask 10 women. I just need one of them to take down my number listen, sir, you have a good point.
Speaker 1:That's not a bad strategy, but actually it is a horrible strategy. But I digress on that one. But anyway, as a father like you always want to set your kids up at least, I hope, good fathers do. You always want to set your kids up for success as best you can, and if you do something like play basketball or play in the NFL or you're I don't know a well-known politician in a community, there's a word for that Nepotism. I was going to say negligence no word nepotism there's.
Speaker 1:It is a little bit of nepotism, but at the end of the day, like this is life and this is society and if I have a way to get my son on the same level as me or better, I'm gonna do it now. He's still gonna have to work for it and earn his way. Once he's there, I'll get his foot in the door and a lot of people might hate. But you know I'd rather people. You know, look, people will hate on dudes for getting their kids in in the shipyard. But Bronny, his dad got him in the NBA. But like I'm not hating, real he did. His dad did what a dad is supposed to do. Now his son has got to do what the son is supposed to do and that's get better and actually earn it and prove he belongs there I'm gonna hate for the, the big fiasco show they made it into yeah, that was not, that was not a good look.
Speaker 2:Most people understood that that was a dog and pony show yeah but the rest of it, yeah, I agree he's gonna have to work and do what he needs to do to get back, but and prove that he's, yeah all that proved that he belongs.
Speaker 2:But getting off that subject and moving on part part of that Luka trade man, the outcome of that Luka trade was AD going to the Mavs and he got hurt in his first game. So with him leaving, somebody had to pick up the slack and it had been Kyrie. Kyrie was playing extra minutes. Now, I'm not saying the extra minutes caused this, but we have a Kyrie Irvin injury, a torn ACL. He is out the rest of the year. Now look, this could have happened at any point. When an AC tear happens, it happens. It's not because he necessarily might have been overworked, it just it just happens I remember when derrick rose tore his in the playoffs.
Speaker 2:He just did a jump cut and then you saw him go straight to the ground and you knew as soon as he went to the ground. It's like oh yeah that's a torn acl, because he went right to the knee and fell to the ground. It's like, oh dang, and the same thing here. Kyrie made a move and right to the ground holding the knee, and it's like, oh god, never a good sign, never a good sign yeah, never a good sign.
Speaker 1:Well, let's talk about some college basketball. Man, we love us some basketball this time of year. Let me tell you what you want. To start with the first one, mike.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, a huge surprise, with number one-ranked Auburn being beat by number 22-ranked Texas A&M. Now, auburn never led. Based on the first half, it wasn't like a hey, they had a miracle comeback. No, if you looked at the points total at halftime, they were down.
Speaker 1:You know what I noticed. Final, score.
Speaker 2:They were down. What's that?
Speaker 1:You know what I noticed? There was a lot of big losses in college basketball this last week.
Speaker 2:Look as we're going over this yes, yes, I mean, but this is what March Madness is all about. We're getting closer to Selection Sunday for finding out who's going to be in. Ooh boy, this is not the time you want to start losing positioning. Not saying Auburn's going to lose the number one slot, but losing ain't going to help the number one slot, but losing ain't going to help anything.
Speaker 1:No, it's not, Certainly not. Nobody likes a loser. Don't lose. I don't advise it. Try to win. Winners are cool. Anyway, after that we could see a shakeup in the rankings anyway, because Ole Miss fended off number four, ranked Tennessee 70, 78 to 76 in a thriller. Now, tennessee volunteers. They almost came back. They nailed a three-point shot, uh, in like the last minute or two, uh, but then they missed a layup or a two-pointer. Was a layup or two-pointer? I forgot what it was same. A layup is a two-pointer. Was it a layup or a two-pointer?
Speaker 2:I forgot what it was. Same A layup is still two points.
Speaker 1:Well, I didn't know if they shot it or if they tried to lay it up was where I was going at.
Speaker 2:So what you're saying is they missed a layup to tie it.
Speaker 1:Well, I didn't know if it was like a quick shot or if it was a layup shot, you know like not non-three-point. Anyway, don't worry about that. Don't let that detract from what we're saying. Doesn't matter because they lost. Ole Miss is not even in the rankings right now for the bracket they could sneak in this.
Speaker 2:It's both SEC teams, but what it does do kind of screws them up for the SEC tournament, because if they had won this game they would be ahead of Alabama because they had beaten Alabama, so they would have been having the same record, and because they had beaten them they'd be higher in the SEC rankings. But they have an extra loss. So now they're behind Alabama in the SEC rankings, but they have an extra loss. So now they're behind Alabama in the SEC rankings.
Speaker 1:Terrible.
Speaker 2:Still, though, they're still number four in the AP rankings Tennessee, that is.
Speaker 1:And speaking of the NCAA's final number one seed odds, this is actually the first time in history, this close to Selection Sunday anyway, that three out of the four number one spots have been considered virtual locks Duke, auburn and Houston all respectively of their brackets.
Speaker 2:Well, auburn for sure, because they've got the best record in college. So they're definitely taking a number one spot, duke right behind them, so they're definitely going to have a number one rank as well when we start filling out these brackets.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But, as a matter of fact, who's in the top ten right now? Brian, who's in the top ten in the AP rankings.
Speaker 1:The top ten in the AP rankings, top 10 in the AP rankings. Let's see here. You want to go from the bottom up, or do you want?
Speaker 2:to go, go from bottom, go from 10 to 1.
Speaker 1:Let's make it interesting. Okay, we'll go 10 to 1. Number 10, iowa State, personal favorite of mine. I have friends that went there. All right, right, their record. 22 and 7, let's see what they do. Number nine texas tech, again tied with iowa state at 22 and 7. I probably won't read the records here unless it's significant, uh. Number eight michigan state. Seven is alabama we just talked about them. Six. Now this is interesting. Saint john's at number six, go ahead.
Speaker 2:I'm sorry. Every time I see St John's, I think of the movie Coming to America, where they're at the St John's game and the girl keeps messing with Eddie Murphy and he goes Joss, Joss, what are you doing, man? It's halftime. I know, I love this part of the game. I love this part of the game. I love this part of the game.
Speaker 1:I was thinking of more like Dear John, I don't know, maybe I'm a little softer. Alright, so that's the back five, the top five. Sorry, I got some hair in my mouth. Anyway, number five Florida, number four Tennessee. And then, as we just mentioned, three is Houston, two is Duke, one is Auburn. The top three. And then, you know, some people are anticipating Tennessee. Take that last spot. I think they may fall after losing to Ole Miss.
Speaker 2:No, we'll see. We'll see. But one of the things earlier when you said they had the same records at 9 and 10, the points separate them when it comes down to that, when you have tied teams, so points scored.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I see that.
Speaker 2:So just to clarify for folks who may have been like, well wait, if they have the same record, how do they decide who's separated? So, yeah, the points figure that out. We are rapidly approaching to March Madness and, look, I don't know about anybody else, but I love March Madness time because that is like some of the most fun-filled, just thrill-seeking basketball, like it's just so much fun to watch because the energy of these players like I wish you could get the same kind of energy and feeling out of the the NCAA bracket into the NBA, because the feeling that these players give to the fans that are watching if you have never watched it, just watch it and you'll understand Watch these players that most of them they're not going on to the NBA. This is their NBA. This is their last moment. This is their. We're giving it everything we've got because after this it's on to the real world.
Speaker 1:Time to get a job.
Speaker 2:Right. So these players are going to give everything they have to win this tournament. And you always have these teams, these little sleeper teams that just kind of figure it out and make a stretch run. I mean, last year it was NC State. Nc State made a deep run and actually one of their star players who wasn't really highly thought of as making it to the NBA he actually, I believe, got signed by the Cavs but I think he went down to the G League but, you know, still helped his NBA prospects.
Speaker 1:Absolutely. And yeah, you know there's a few teams in contention for it. We all know who they are. I'm interested to see how it lays out. Me and Mike. We'll have a bracket to share with you when that time comes. We'll do some more on that later on. Women's college basketball. Now, this is interesting right here. Okay, do you want to take this one, mike? You want me to take this one?
Speaker 2:You can take it. You can take it.
Speaker 1:Okay, so SEC number one seed was decided by a coin flip. Okay, there's only a handful of sports that do this. All right, uh, and in fact, you guys can tell us this week. Well, this will be fan interaction number one that we're going to post. Okay, uh, fair or foul, how does it look that they aired the coin flip on the SEC network? What do you mean by that note? Where are we going with this, mike?
Speaker 2:So, okay, we've all flipped a coin for something at one point in our lives. You know, to make a decision that we just didn't know. I don't know what I want to eat. Do I want to eat pizza or wings? I'm going to flip a coin Regardless of that. You know, like flipping a coin on television, deciding the factor of whether one team or the other becomes the number one seed in their conference is just just so asinine, like to me. There's so many other things you could go by. Maybe you go by shooting percentage Whichever team had the better shooting percentage, they get it. Whichever team had the most points scored during the season, they get it. Because if the records are tied, there's so many other metrics you can go by, simply just saying, hey, you know we're going to do like the beginning of an NFL game, flip a coin. Like just, hey, you know we're going to do like the beginning of an NFL game. Flip a coin. Like, just, I don't know. To me it just Bush League. I, just I didn't like it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it's kind of weird. You know, I don't mind that they televised it. It's just a weird rule that that's how they decide the winner. But there's a handful of sports that do that. I can't think of them off the top of my head, but actually I should have took the notes on them, but there's not that many. But you know, this is one of them. So it is kind of weird, but you know.
Speaker 2:I mean hell, take the best shooters on the team and do a three-point challenge where you go around to the different spots on the court and let them shoot it, and whichever team makes the most gets it.
Speaker 1:I think they should.
Speaker 2:That would have been more exciting than watching somebody go. Hey look, flip.
Speaker 1:They should do blind what is?
Speaker 2:it, oh it's heads.
Speaker 1:They should do blindfolded foul shots Whoever makes the most, like you know, like dodgeball, blindfolded.
Speaker 2:Blindfolded shots.
Speaker 1:Blindfolded foul shots. I'm all for it, okay.
Speaker 2:That would have been way entertaining.
Speaker 1:Now, you guys, anything we talk about tonight, you guys are welcome to go on social media and give us your opinion about. This is not going to be one for this week, but if you want to talk about it, you can. We'd love to hear from you. Is you know, mike, we're going to do something new here. Uh, we're going to do a couple of new things on the show, but this is one of them Factor fiction, okay? Uh, we're going to talk about Colin Colin Coward.
Speaker 1:Some of you may be familiar with him. If not, allow me to familiarize you real quickly. Okay, colin Coward, he runs a sports talk show and I believe he has his own podcast and does some other sports shit. He's a guy that likes to talk like we do. Anyway, colin Coward's take on Ster Sanders' professionalism this is a hot topic here the last couple days and I'm going to quote him here for a sec because I want to talk about what he said. Uh, colin says you want to be a leader in the face of the franchise and this is your first impression you want to give. I know he's deon sanders kid, but deon was never the face of a franchise. He's got a lot to learn and if he wants to be the first overall pick, he needs to start acting like one. So this is clearly a loaded statement.
Speaker 1:Um, and what they're talking about is he wasn't basically dressed to the nines wearing a suit and tie at his at the pro day conferences? Uh, at the media day conferences for the pro days? Uh. So, mike, I'm gonna be honest with you, I think this is fiction. Okay, we're in a new age. We're a new era.
Speaker 1:A lot of people expect athletes to dress and appear more like athletes these days than they do as professionals. I remember the days of wearing suits and stuff, and NBA players are well known for it. Now, a lot of basketball players wear suits to games and leaving games and for their media. I don't think looking professional is ever going to hurt you. I think it's a great idea and a lot of coaches do that as well, but the trend is starting to slip. I don't think the trend is in. Professionalism is slipping, but again, uh, you have a kid here who comes from a successful family already and is looking to build his own success beyond his college career in the NFL, wherever he lands, nobody knows. But do you think that he's unprofessional just in the way he handles himself and the way he dressed for this press conference.
Speaker 2:So I don't think it's necessarily about his dress because it is the combine. Most people probably came into a lot of their meetings still wearing things from doing combine activities. Now, shador didn't participate in the combine activities so he could have came in a suit or dressed in a different manner, which, if it was me, I would dress up for any interview. It's just kind of like you said, it's kind of common, it's just something you do when you go for any interview. It's just kind of like you said, it's kind of common, it's just something you do when you go to an interview. Now, interesting, you know we talk about the number one pick. You know the number one pick is owned by the Titans, so we don't know that they're going to stay there or if they're going to move out of that pick. We don't know what's going to happen until draft day. That's one of the great things about draft day Some wild things can happen.
Speaker 2:But Shador, he's confident is what it is. I mean in confidence, depending on who is listening to it, it can come off sounding cocky. Now, what a lot of people are probably misinterpreting here is maybe his confidence is coming across a little cocky and rubbing some people the wrong way, or maybe just to give a little spin to this. Maybe this is exactly what he wants. Maybe what he is doing is more intelligent than anybody realizes. Think about it. You have Tennessee, the Giants, the Browns Not in that order it goes Tennessee, browns Giants as first picks in the NFL draft coming up. What do all three of those organizations have in common?
Speaker 1:They need quarterbacks.
Speaker 2:Yes, but more so. They haven't been doing well for a long time, some of them a lot longer than others. Now, if it was me and you want to go somewhere else, you go into those meetings. You come off a little brash or cocky. People will go we don't want to pick him, we don't want that guy, we're going to go pick this other guy instead. So what happens when you fall in the draft? Well, you wind up like a player like Patrick Mahomes, who fell into a perfect spot with the Kansas City Chiefs when he was drafted. The further you fall in the draft, the better teams you can get with Patrick Mahomes, who fell into a perfect spot with the Kansas City Chiefs when he was drafted. The further you fall in the draft, the better teams you can get with. So if he wants to be further back in the draft, then do some things to affect your draft status. Now he's going to get drafted one way or another. It'll probably be in the first round, because there's a lot of teams that need a quarterback in the NFL.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you can't do bad having a quarterback who is probably a B-plus kind of starter Like he's not. Look, I'm not saying he's going to be one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play in the NFL, but is he accurate? Yes, doesn't have the strongest arm. Can he stand in the pocket and take a hit? Yes. Does he hold the ball that long? Yes. Can he get out of trouble with his legs? Yes. Does he hold the ball that long? Yes. Can he get out of trouble with his legs? Yes. So there are some things there and you know, given the scenario that he had in college, they didn't really have a run game at Colorado. So go back and look at the tapes and you will see somebody who was calm under pressure, delivered some good throws on time and on rhythm, and some of them touch passes. If you're a team that needs a quarterback, you could do a lot worse.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree with you. Now, I don't know, it's an interesting take you talk about with him.
Speaker 2:Think about his dad. Does his dad do anything without purpose?
Speaker 1:No, he doesn't.
Speaker 2:So why would he not be doing the same thing here?
Speaker 1:I think it's an interesting perspective, to be honest with you, and one that I think is probably very valid, because he's already. Him and his dad have already openly said that they're going to try to dictate where he lands. And, mind you, this is a different type of prospect, because not only is his confidence level higher, but he doesn't need to be a number one draft pick because he doesn't need the money. No, you're right, he doesn't need to be a number one draft pick because he doesn't need the money.
Speaker 2:No, you're right, he doesn't need the money. But I want to clue in on something. You just said that him and his father are trying to dictate where he goes, and I don't want anybody to badmouth them for this, because if you guys didn't stand up and say something when Eli and his daddy pulled that mess on San Diego, you don't stand up now and start saying something when Deion and his son are doing it.
Speaker 1:A lot of these people probably weren't alive then. Look, look, let's just be real. Let's just be real. A lot of these people were not even alive then.
Speaker 2:All right. So the scenario then the San Diego Chargers had Drew Brees and Drew Brees had a shoulder injury, didn't even know if he was going to come back, and they draft Eli and he's like, well, I don't want to be, I don't want to deal with this place, san Diego, they're not a good team. So they wind up trading him for Phillip Rivers.
Speaker 1:Gee, I don't want to go to San Diego where it's palm trees and beaches, but he'd rather go to new york where it's boring, all snow and asshole drivers but, but even worse, because it's not actually in new york, it's in jersey, so all right oh, so then he gets to also go to a trash town on top of the trash state that he lives in. Cool gotcha.
Speaker 2:No offense to new yorkers, your state's not trash, just the giants well, no, but the most, most new yorkers say that they send their trash to jersey, which is not a false statement, but not a very nice one to make and it's probably where this it's.
Speaker 1:Hey, and here we have the jets yeah, yeah, look.
Speaker 2:Bottom line is, I think, that he's doing things intentionally to set himself up one way or the other.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, I think that's an interesting perspective. I don't know if I'd go that far with it. Honestly, I think it's as simple as he's a kid he's confident and, yeah, maybe he really doesn't care about how he dresses. I think it's as simple as he's a kid he's confident and, yeah, maybe he really doesn't care about how he dresses, because maybe you're right, maybe he doesn't, maybe he wants to slip a little bit, but at this point you kind of short of the combine which he didn't participate in, you kind of know.
Speaker 2:He's going to have a pro day.
Speaker 1:Yeah well, yeah, I know he's going to have a pro day. Yeah Well, yeah, I know he's going to have a pro day too, but short of those two things, like you kind of already know what you're getting with a player like him and a person like him oh, so there's not really a lot of question marks there. I don't think you know he's coachable or you know if he's coachable or not based on so, yeah, and if that doesn't work, just call his dad.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then he'll just come scream at you until you find out how to make it work. I don't know.
Speaker 2:Dion doesn't not going to scream like that.
Speaker 1:No, no, dion will probably help. He's a smart guy, smart coach. Real quick, we're going to talk a hair about the UFL because we know their season's getting ready to come up right around the corner here. Like I said, never, ever a dull time to talk about football. Mike, the UFL is threatening to release players who follow through on a plan to boycott the league's media days. So they're actually set to hold media day actually today and tomorrow, but so I didn't get an update on that. But basically, if you didn't take part in your media day, they pretty much kicked you out. Now the UFL is kind of viewed as more of a developmental league. They are a pro sports league but they're not on the level of the NFL. They're just not on the level of a nationally recognized pro association yet. So they're still viewed as more of a developmental stepping stone.
Speaker 1:Right, if you're in the UFL, you're obviously trying to go to the NFL. That is the next stop. Okay, that is where the money is at. When you play semi-pro football, you pay to play. You get up every day and go to work. You take care of your family, then you play practice.
Speaker 1:You pay for all your own gear, you pay dues for the team, so the team can afford to be part of whatever league they're part of, and they don't get media days at all. So they get way less exposure than you get with a media day in the UFL. So, in my opinion, trying to boycott this seems like a squeeze to me. They're saying you're not paying us for this or you're not paying us enough, so we're not going to do it. I disagree with that for this level of function, because you're, in my opinion, you're in the NFL for one of two reasons Either you couldn't make it in the NFL or you're in the ufl for one of two reasons either you couldn't make it in the nfl or you're trying to get to the nfl. Either way, you're trying to get exposure, what you got for me, bro they are.
Speaker 2:They are missing the life lesson that was taught to them early on by marshall lynch. I'm just here so I don't get fined. That's all they gotta do. I'm just here so I don't get fined, that's all they gotta do.
Speaker 1:I'm just here so I don't get fined In their case, I'm just here, so I don't get cut. I'm just here, so I don't get cut. That's the new one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm just here so I don't get cut. That's what they'll say in the UFO.
Speaker 1:I'm just here, so I don't get cut. They'll wear sunglasses and fake dreads and everything.
Speaker 2:They'll be like that guy in the Adam Sandler movie, where there's like hey, where is? He, he's laying on the ground, he's like you. Better not cut me.
Speaker 1:You better not cut me that was in the Longest Yard, by the way. Yeah, that was a good movie, so I think that's kind of interesting. My perspective is go ahead and do the media day what's it going to hurt for real? And then we have a very intriguing boxing match coming up. Y'all, I know I kind of just jumped off the UFL, but that's all I got for that.
Speaker 2:Well, it happened, it happened already. Oh, it did happen already.
Speaker 1:Sorry, this is a last-minute addition for me. Well, it happened, it happened already. Oh, it did happen already. Sorry, this is a last minute addition for me. Mike, what do you got for us, man? Go ahead and dive into that.
Speaker 2:So we had a fight between Davis and LaRoche Jr and this was a highly anticipated fight because Davis he's 30-0-1, with 28 knockouts in his career, and Roach, who is 25-2-1 in his. So we had an interesting scenario in this bout. So both these guys really were amped up and at one point, unique situation where Davis unexpectedly took a knee in the ninth round. Now people will say, well, why did he take a knee? Well, it's because his hair His hair hit him in the eye and he took a knee.
Speaker 1:How luscious.
Speaker 2:Now, it's not so much that he took a knee that's an issue. It's the matter that this didn't count as a knockdown. This didn't count against anything. They just kind of stopped the match. So you stop the match and nobody is affected. Now, what makes this more interesting is it happens that the final scorecard is a draw, so that kneel down, that kneel down could have been a major blow. Yeah, could have been a knockout, could have gave the win.
Speaker 1:Yeah, metaphorically dropped the ball there, I think, because, yeah, usually they just back away, they keep the clock running, like you said earlier, but they stopped the match here. That's, you know, mind-boggling a little bit, but that's, you know, that's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. On that, I feel for them. We're ready to get into the next one here, mike. We're ready to rock and roll. We've got some fun stuff coming up, man, all right. So we're going to do something a little bit different here Before we dive into our flagship segment of the series.
Speaker 1:We're going to do something Talking NFL. Yeah, we're going to do something called Fun Facts Time. I'm going to throw out a few facts. We can talk about it a little bit. You might enjoy them, you might not, I don't really care because it's here. So number one, and they'll get better as we go. So did you know Tiger Woods made his first hole-in-one at the age of eight years old? That's the first one, mike, 20 bucks. I bet it was a fluke. You think it was fluke because it wasn't on purpose.
Speaker 2:Dude, tiger Woods was a phenom when he was little, so I'm guaranteeing that there's nothing about that. That was fluke-y.
Speaker 1:So I got something for you, okay. So when my son was five years old, I took him putt-putt golf at this little pirate place. Right, it's got a mountain and some crazy shit to it.
Speaker 2:It's not going to be the same as Tiger Woods making a hole-in-one on a golf course.
Speaker 1:No, but he made a hole-in-one from the very top of the putt-putt course all the way down. I got it on video. It was a good job. I said, man, we might have a future Tiger Woods here, let me tell you. But I thought that was pretty interesting. Could you imagine what it's like being a kid and having a hobby like golf? Hobbies in general are expensive. Then you have a hobby like golf, which is like a wealthy man's hobby, right? So most kids are riding bikes. I mean, I played golf a little bit when I was younger too, so I just imagine what that might be like. But anyway, next up, barry Bonds received 1,870 unintentional walks and 688 intentional walks in his career. Mike, the total distance he walked equals 43.6 miles as a major league player. Isn't that? That's incredible? Okay? Egyptian Fencer this is a current event. Egyptian Fencer, not a FFES, is seven months pregnant while competing in her third Olympics, okay?
Speaker 2:Was this the last Summer Olympicsic?
Speaker 1:this is going on right now right now. Yep, so this past olympics no, this is happening right now but the olympics just happened, the summer olympics no, there there's another. There they happen twice. There's some other. They have the winter olympics uh, okay, so a wait.
Speaker 2:Fencing is a winter sport. I thought it was a summer sport.
Speaker 1:Apparently it's winter, because this is happening right now and she's currently pregnant while competing for her third time. I wonder if it's her first kid or her third kid, because that would be kind of crazy if it's her third kid and her third Olympics. And then the last one I got here. We may add more, we may not, uh, in future episodes, but the last one I got here and I think this is honestly the most interesting of the bunch 1962, uh. Former mlb catcher harry chidi was traded from the cleveland indians to the new york mets for a player to be named later. After a poor performance, chidi became that player to be named, making him the first player ever to be traded for himself.
Speaker 2:That's pretty bad.
Speaker 1:That's pretty bad and a hell of a story. Let me tell you what I thought. That was awesome and the best one I've got for you tonight, and that's just something we do as a little break, keep it light, moving into our flagship segment here pick up somebody and then go on. Second thought nah, you can have them back you can have that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we're good, we're good, that's kind of.
Speaker 1:That's kind of funny here. Um, so we'll do another factor fiction here here. Start this one off. We'll start out with the Cowboys, that way we can go ahead and get them out of the way.
Speaker 2:Fact or fiction or just debate at this point fact or fiction, or debate.
Speaker 1:Whatever we want to do, I like this one because you'll see what I'm going to do in a second here. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the team will not be aggressive in free agency this year. Talking about this year is in 2025, as the cowboys have no needs that. They must fill in during the period. By the way, that's why I named it fact or fiction. Uh, and I quote from him himself, I don't think aggressive is the right word. I'm not looking at free agency as a place to fill voids. This is absolutely fiction to me, because the Cowboys are horrendous. They're in a horrendous position, and so is their ownership and financial situation, as well as, probably, their coaching.
Speaker 2:But here's the thing For me Jerry's not entirely wrong here Like you shouldn't go into free agency looking to fill your team out with free agents, because majority of these guys, you're not going to get them for a long term. Usually you're going to do like three years, maybe max, but you can get a guy through the draft and have him for four or five years, so you're getting a little more length out of them. You're also getting somebody young and you're not paying them a lot. Case in point look at how the Niners were when they had Purdy on the rookie contract. They were able to fill out a bunch of more needs and keep players longer because of him being on a rookie contract.
Speaker 2:So being able to fill out your roster by going and using a mixture of the draft is kind of a necessity. You've got to be able to draft. Well, look at the Rams. The Rams have a great defense now because they filled their needs through the draft. They didn't just say, oh well, let's grab that guy and throw him in here, and this guy and throw him in, because let's keep in mind, they've got to also work for your scheme Sometimes and this is another thing a lot of the good teams do. When they get into the draft they draft the player that fits the team, not the player based on. You know, we've got to take this guy. He's the best available in the draft. Like no, it might not fit their team, you know, maybe they don't need to pick up a quarterback.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean mean, well, some teams do that. But I agree with, I agree with building through the draft. I I think this is perplexing because, um, I'm not saying, go out and make a whole bunch of free agent signings, but you do need some free agent help, okay he's getting this because of what they did last year, and they did nothing. Yeah.
Speaker 2:They would have. If they would have picked up Henry and free agency last year for 8 million and had him at the running back position, this wouldn't be a question. They're questioning this because they were so bad and free agency last year. Yeah, and they have no money to really play in free agency. That's what it really is, and Jerry didn't want to say it.
Speaker 1:Honestly, you're right, this is two years in a row, Because I remember when Dan Quinn took the coaching job for Washington and I remember looking at Cowboys they really didn't replace him. I mean they did, but not with anybody notable. They really didn't replace the players they lost last year. And so I'm kind of like, yeah, I agree with building through the draft, but you can't draft a quarterback to be your number two quarterback because Dak Prescott did not even finish the season. You're going to need somebody to back him up at minimum like, that's number one.
Speaker 2:That's why they have cooper rush, but they're gonna drive well they wouldn't have got him there.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I mean, you know they're they. I do believe that. I mean maybe they just don't see anybody that fits their scheme. But um, I I feel like jerry's been, you know, scapegoating a little bit here the last four or five months, maybe the last two years, but yeah anyway. So I'm calling that fiction because it just doesn't seem real what we're hearing out of America's team right now, and then down here we've got another yay or nay, and then down here we've got another yay or nay. This was the second subject for what we were hoping would be fan interaction last week. By the way, it's still up there. If you have an opinion, feel free. We still want to hear from you. Yay or nay? Debo to Washington for a fifth-round pick. Did 49ers sell low or do you think that was a very well trade, especially given them picking up the salary? How do you feel about this, mike?
Speaker 2:Well, I think it's a situation where the teams did what they both needed to do in the trade. So what I mean by that is obviously Washington wants Debo because they need some wide receiver depth and they need somebody who is more of a spark plug to their offense, which Debo can be if he's used the right way. Now he came into camp last year a little heavier he was about 12 pounds over what the team wanted him to be and he looked a little sluggish. A lot of people said he looked a little chunky, and that can happen, but he was ready to go.
Speaker 2:So the Niners are like okay, we're going to make this work for you, we're going to get you out of here. Now the Niners pick up the salary, probably because, in order for them to get a higher pick, even though it's a fifth pick, they probably wanted them to eat some of the salary for them to give them a higher pick. Now they probably were going to try to give them a seventh round pick or something worse than this. But taking a fifth round pick, it's not the worst thing in the world, because you can use multiple picks to try to move up in the draft if towards the end of the draft. You have position for going after another player.
Speaker 1:And your team knows how to do that better than anybody.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean they get compensation picks all the time, so having another one that they can use to parlay, to move up or move down or move into spots for future drafts, just having another chip in the poker table, is another good thing to have. So to me I feel it's a win-win for both teams, because right now, as it stands, that's the best anybody's done right now with one of their wide receivers.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think it was a good move. We didn't break the bank, gave up a mid-round pick and, in turn, helped y'all free up some cap space. At the same time. I think it was a good deal. Honestly, I think it was a great deal for us because giving up a fifth-round pick for a player like Debo all day, you know all day. And then here we go. We got huge news out of Las Vegas the Raiders and Max Crosby have agreed to a new deal. Max Crosby is now the highest paid non-QB player in the NFL. This is great news for him, especially as a defensive end. The deal's three years worth $106.5 million $91.5 guaranteed, which is a big part of what makes him the highest paid non-QB, because his annual salary is going to be $35.5 million now. So Max Crosby he's only 27. He's right in the middle of his prime. He was drafted by the Raiders six seasons ago in 2019, the fourth round. He's a four-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro Obviously has been on the map since the moment he stepped in the NFL.
Speaker 2:This is a smart move by the Raiders for more than one reason. They have tons of cap space right now, so showing up their best defensive player excellent. But the fact that they signed him to this big deal now, before the Cowboys have a chance to sign their number one pass rusher, and before Myles Garrett gets traded and then signs a new deal, they want to be higher than him, so now they have set the market, which now is probably making the Cowboys go dang it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was going to say that just reset the market for his position group.
Speaker 2:Exactly so signing him now and getting him locked up, and now we're going to go into the draft and they might fill in some more pieces and, who knows, they might trade for a guy to pair him with. There's plenty of people on the trade block right now.
Speaker 1:Honestly, I think they keep him and I think Tom Brady probably also has something to do with this, because Crosby was ready to walk out. Then Brady took on a role in ownership. Next thing, you know, crosby's got a three-year deal, highest paid non-QB player. So, brady's, I think he's doing some work on the inside over there. So, brady's, I think he's doing some work on the inside over there. But you know, and then Washington bringing back Bobby Wagner on a one-year deal. I think this is great for Washington fans. Bobby Wagner was solid. He is London Fletcher 2.0 to me. Eagles releasing corner Darius Slay that's huge. He's been a corner piece for them for a little while.
Speaker 2:So them letting him go, what do?
Speaker 1:you think oh, he's older. Yeah, he's older.
Speaker 2:They're trying to save some cap space which they've been throwing that cap space around by re-signing Zach Bond, their really good linebacker, to a three-year $51 million contract, which a lot of people speculated that he might go somewhere else because of the fact that he was so good this year and he was just unknown for a lot of people. He really showed out for the Eagles this year which drew a lot of eyes towards him, which could have made him go elsewhere.
Speaker 1:He'll land somewhere, I'm sure, which you know. It's funny you mention age and wear and tear because the Chargers are also releasing Bosa out west.
Speaker 2:You mean Darius Slay? Yeah, because we were talking Zach Bond.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, I didn't realize we jumped down to that one, yeah. I was talking Darius Slay, but we were gonna get to zach bond you got, you got people confused.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my bad.
Speaker 1:Uh, yeah, yeah, they signed, they re-signed linebacker, you know, zach bond, three-year, 51 million dollar contract. Uh, so that was good and I was, you know, just like I say with darius slay and you mentioned, with the age thing, the Chargers released Bosa out west.
Speaker 2:So the Bears have been making moves. They acquire all-pro guard Joe Tooney from the Chiefs in a trade. Chiefs get their fourth-round pick in 2026 from the Bears for Joe Tooney. That is a good get for the Bears because they're getting a really great player to help fill that offensive line and they already had just acquired another offensive lineman from the Rams earlier in the week. So they're filling out their offensive lines. Go figure Get an offensive coach and you're addressing the offense.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and as we go down some of these transactions here, you'll notice there's been a lot of very good value and a lot of solid trades happening around the league to start out the new league year. Uh, nobody's really moved a lot of high round picks yet. I think we'll see that as we get closer to the draft and maybe even in the draft. But what did you say? A fourth rounder?
Speaker 2:for Joe Tootie. Yeah, a fourth rounder for Joe Tootie, and not even this year, it's next year.
Speaker 1:Yeah for a starting all-pro card, and it's next year's draft even better yeah if everything pans out and they play better.
Speaker 2:It'll be a later round pick.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's's even better. So that with the debo samuel trade, like you're just seeing some good value, good negotiations happening around to start the new league year. Uh, getting back to another good value trade jaguars trading, wide receiver christian kirk to the texans for a 2026 seventh round pick. Again, another future round draft pick moving for a potential breakout candidate. Go ahead, mike.
Speaker 2:Well, this is a tale of a team just trying to get something for this asset because Christian Kirk they signed him to that big deal and it surprised a lot of folks because nobody really was everybody's like. Really Christian Kirk, you're giving him that Okay. Well, at the time it made sense for Jacksonville because they had all this cap room.
Speaker 1:But now that they've tried to fill out a roster and they've got this player who all of last year was hurt and just hasn't lived up to his contract, for them getting something for him even know, even albeit a seventh round pick is is better than letting him just walk and and no doubt this is a move for the texans to bolster insurance against what's happening with nico collins right now in his contract situation uh, well, that and tank dell with his, with his injury, well, yeah, tank and tank does injury.
Speaker 1:So them, uh, you know, and nico collins, they sent to us last season. So I, I see them. This is a smart move, bolstering their receiver core and trying to prepare for the worst here and what's going on in the future and speaking of smart moves, the jets have now now taken and cut devontae adams.
Speaker 2:They've released him, freeing up about $38.2 million in cap numbers. This is a big deal because this frees them up out of having to pay all this money that is really handicapping them and trading them because nobody wanted to take on that cap money.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I see this playing out exactly like the Aaron Rodgers situation in Green Bay. You literally only had one team willing to take on that salary and that team was the Jets, and that's how desperate they were for a winner. So for that to not work out, so this is a very similar situation. They were opening to trading him. He just makes too much money.
Speaker 2:And this is also showing a shift in the receivers. Like people are not wanting to pay all these receivers huge contracts because you can't move them. But more so, devontae Adams is still a good player. He'll land somewhere. He'll be fine. You know, I'm sure it doesn't feel great to be released by a team, but when you're one of the biggest cap hits, they're going to start releasing you. It's just how it goes. It's par for the course at this point.
Speaker 1:I mean davante adams. He's not hard pressed for money, he wants to play for a contender. I don't think there's a lot of love lost on his side, no he could wind up with the chargers or somebody he's a free man now. He could go anywhere he wants to go and I believe he will end up with a contender and he'll probably be a difference maker.
Speaker 2:Bengals have told Trey Hendrickson they have given him permission to seek a trade. Now this has been the number one sack leader past two, three years. He's been either one or two past two, three years Now. Remember earlier I said that maybe the Raiders might want to pair somebody up with, uh, max Crosby Hendricks would be perfect. They could send him, send some picks over to the, to the Bengals, and pull him over, because the Bengals they had said you know that they were going to try to bring back everybody, or were going to try because Burroughs said he would redo his contract if they could bring some of these guys back. But that's their best defensive player that they're not even attempting to bring back. They're saying go ahead, seek a trade. He's 31 years old. So in pass rusher years you're getting to the back part of your contract or your back part of your years and your contracts aren't going to be as stout.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's probably got another maybe two to four years, and that's if they utilize him as maybe like a, a, you know, a developmental kind of guy like a, like a well, this is.
Speaker 2:This is why I say the raiders should probably go after him, because he'd be a great pair up with uh max crosby yeah, and they could give him a little more money than if they would if he went to another team. He couldn't go to a Kansas City Chiefs because they don't have the money to pay him. He can't go to a Dallas. They don't have the money to pay him.
Speaker 1:Another contender that might be on the board. John Allen's about to move out of Washington. Now I know they have Josiah Newton.
Speaker 2:All right, look, not everybody is going to Washington.
Speaker 1:No, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying they have cap space. They have a player getting ready to vacate that position. Now they have a young player ready to step in, and Johnny Newton, but it is worth entertaining the idea. There's a handful of places he could end up at, though, yeah. And then let's see here packers and seahawks reportedly discussing a trade that would send uh wide receiver dk metcalf to green bay. Um, the trade could reportedly include packers 23rd draft pick and one of their young wide receivers, um, I think what's his name? Lenore from the 49ers had a very good reaction to this. So, uh, I don't have much on this dk metcalf.
Speaker 2:he wasn't really he had a down year last year honestly, I don't know how true this is, because why would you give up that high of a draft pick for a player who one wants to get out of there and has shown time and time again his route? Running ability is not top of the league. He's just a big guy yeah you know.
Speaker 2:So he kind of he creates separation by body position and you know he's not he's. He's a sometimes there, sometimes not player. Like he. The consistency of being the guy you know when you need him most isn't there. So I wouldn't if I was a packers, I wouldn't even attempt to give up this, this big of a no, I wouldn't.
Speaker 1:I wouldn't either. I mean, I don't know how much is left on his, on his salary, but like washington just got him for a new deal yeah, washington just got debo for a fifth plus picket of his salary. I I see dk.
Speaker 2:That's why this would be totally absurd. Yeah, I, I don't see DK. That's why this would be totally absurd, yeah.
Speaker 1:I don't see DK getting more than maybe a sixth if that so we'll see how that. Plus Lockett retired, that leaves them with just JSN.
Speaker 2:Well, he didn't retire, he got released.
Speaker 1:He got released, but I think he's going to be done. And then again, we should have talked about this when we were on Devontae Adams. Where do you think Aaron Rodgers is landing? He says he's bringing Devontae with him wherever he goes.
Speaker 2:I honestly think the Giants is where he's going to land Really, because the Giants honestly like, okay, they don't. They're not really in a position to get up and get a quarterback necessarily. I mean they might have Shador Fulton, maybe they're third overall right.
Speaker 2:I mean honestly, they don't have an issue with picking up Rodgers and they could get him on the cheap, so they could use their draft pick for other needs and then ride with Rodgers for a year or two, and then you I don't know I think maybe Tennessee might be another team he winds up with.
Speaker 1:I don't think you go after Rodgers unless you think you're close to a championship window.
Speaker 2:I'd tell you the team he should go to. He should go to the Colts. That's where he should go.
Speaker 1:That would be a good fit.
Speaker 2:That's a ready-to-win team, but I don't think the Colts want him.
Speaker 1:They have Trent Richardson, not Trent Richardson. What's that quarterback's name? It's Richardson. Yeah, they have him out there as a starter. They're very high on him. I doubt they ask him to take a step back for a year. He's already the starter, although I do agree that would be a good spot for him. But you know, if you've got any ideas on that, go to our Facebook page or our Instagram and feel free to let us know if you have any ideas about where he could land. And now, uh, ex-patriots head coach Rob Mayo set to said to be quote done with coaching at just the age of 39 after quote, a humiliating season. Don't get wrong. Some of the reports that came out about how he handled his first head coaching season under the patriots did not do him any favors. However, I agree I don't think the patriots or robert craft really did him terribly too many favors either, because oh it was.
Speaker 2:it was kind of written into his contract that he would be the next head coach of the patriots. So there's not much we can do about having something in a contract that states he's going to be the next guy. So I think that was part of it and I think that Robert Kraft does have a lot of respect for Mayo and really did want for things to work out. But the way that things happened, the way that things were carried out, I honestly think it wasn't great. It's kind of a bad look for all involved and I wouldn't be surprised if he feels that way, because you know if he wants to take a step back and, you know, maybe back away from football for a year and then come back, you know, after he's had some time.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't see any fault in that no and I wouldn't see any fault in him coming back into coaching I don't, I don't either.
Speaker 1:I I think he'll go back to it once he gets a chance to catch his breath. Um, honestly, what I think it comes down to, I think they wanted to fulfill his, his contract, to make him the next guy and, honestly, kraft probably would have wrote it out another year, but what I believe what happened is Vrabel became available.
Speaker 2:Vrabel was available last year, but I think what it was was the fact that they had the commitment to him, though.
Speaker 2:They had a commitment. But also, on top of that, when you have a situation where you know it might not be turning into how you expected. And then maybe you know, somebody comes to him and says, because I know there was reports about him playing cards with guys in the back of the airplane and instead of like doing coaching meetings and doing stuff that most coaches do. But if you know that somebody's gonna give you the boot, wouldn't you be like screw it, they're gonna fire me anyway at the end of the year. What does it matter?
Speaker 1:oh, it depends on your personality. If you feel like you're gonna be done with coaching, which he says he is, then maybe he says, yeah, screw it, I'm just gonna do whatever I, whatever I want to do, till the end is near. But if you're trying to build a resume and stay relevant, like for me, I'm the kind of guy that fights to the end, even if I am guaranteed, already know I'm losing right, even if I'm in the middle of losing, I'm still trying to win.
Speaker 2:I think this is more of a he's taking a step back so he can clear his head and he can, you know, get right for himself yeah, and he'll get back into coaching.
Speaker 1:Yeah he's just gotta change his coaching dynamic a little bit, but I I think he'll get there. I think he'll figure it out. Uh, and minnesota vikings? The minnesota vikings are parting ways with six NCAA institutions to launch a new collegiate women's flag football league you heard that correct? Women's flag football league sponsored by the NFL, minnesota Vikings. The partnership, with support from the NFL, will contribute $140,000 to support the league to start out. By the way, the six teams they're going to be partnering, not parting ways. I'm sorry, guys, I misread that. They're going to be partnering with six NCAA institutions. Those institutions are Augustana University, concordia College, gustavus Adolphus College, bethel University, university of Northwestern St Paul and University of Wisconsin Stout. A couple of those names are kind of recognizable. Most of them are smaller schools, but I think this is a huge step forward for women in football. I look forward to it. Mike, what do you think about this?
Speaker 2:real quick, before we start to close out the show I think that any expansion or any help you can from a professional sport to help lift another sport up and give them the footing to get their brand and their sport going is a good thing.
Speaker 2:And flag football has really gained a lot of popularity. I mean they do it in the Pro Bowl games now they have competitions all the time all over the country men, women and even some co-ed leagues. So I mean it's in the day and age where people are more concerned with injuries and more concerned with contact, having a flag league for the folks that still want to have that competitive edge and still want to be able to do this, it adds another level. It adds another thing that you know for parents that have younger kids that don't want to see them get hurt, maybe this is something that helps get them into the sport. But you know, and then you can address the stuff about them getting into a contact. You can address the stuff about them getting into a contact. You know full contact football league later. But this is also good for just giving people that outlet and giving people something that you know as a competitor they may want.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I mean this is again expansion, expanding your horizons, and we're seeing a huge rise in flag football. So you know, with that being said, thank you everybody for listening to us. Find us on Facebook, find us on Instagram, listen to us on any streaming platform. Thank you for joining us everybody. I'm Brian with an I.
Speaker 2:And I'm Mike and we are Two for the Win thanks, everybody.