Rice on the Mics

LeBron's hurt, Brunson's down, and everyone in baseball is injured—what's happening in sports this week?

• Ian • Season 1 • Episode 2

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We dive into a comprehensive breakdown of the week's biggest sports stories across NBA, MLB, NHL, and NFL, examining how recent injuries and transactions will reshape team strategies and playoff positioning.

• NBA injury updates including LeBron James (out 1-2 weeks with groin injury) and Jalen Brunson's foot injury
• Nikola Jokic's incredible 30-20-20 performance and the MVP race with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
• MLB spring training injuries including Francisco Alvarez (Mets), Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil (Yankees)
• Analysis of Clay Holmes' impressive pitching for the Yankees this spring
• NHL trade deadline moves with Florida Panthers positioning for a dynasty run
• Rangers making questionable moves despite having generational goaltender Igor Shesterkin
• NFL free agency highlights including quarterback carousel with Justin Fields to Jets, Geno Smith to Raiders
• Giants' draft position at #3 and potential quarterback options

Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and tell me what topics you want to hear about on Twitter or Instagram @riceontheradio. Look for the next episode on Friday where we'll cover the week's events.


Ian:

I guess there's only one way to find out. Let's do it to it right. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0. All engines running Liftoff. We have a liftoff. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. Tranquility Base here the Eagle has landed.

Ian:

All right, coming at you live, or at least as live as I can be, it's the Rice on the Mic's podcast and, as always, I'm your host. Ian Rice, welcome back to your go-to spot for all things sports, with a little New York edge to it. A couple hot takes here and there. We're breaking down the biggest headlines from this weekend and, of course, just stirring the pot, just enough to get people a little agitated. Today on the show we got some NBA injuries, little NFL free agency moves, mlb injuries because what else would spring training be without injuries? We'll mix in some hockey trade deadline too. I promise A little hockey, just a little bit. Turn up the volume, volume get locked in. Let's get this show rolling rice on the mics, baby, let's go. Well, let's jump right into it.

Ian:

As soon as I talked about it last week, about LeBron extending his career for another 10 years with Luka, he's immediately hurt. Here we go. Hurt his groin Says one to two weeks. I don't know, you get that age, but LeBron is a freak of nature. So one to two weeks is fine, but they'll be good for the playoffs. They've been on a hell of a run here. We'll see. Luka for sure is good enough to carry the team on his own. Austin Reeves, they'll be fine. They're gonna hold Pat here. Maybe they drop a couple games, drop a couple spots.

Ian:

Western wise, I mean, the west is so close. Everybody's on top of each other. West is gonna be so interesting. Depending on where everybody falls. You might have some all-time killer matchups in the first round and the NBA playoffs are spaced out so much. So we're going to get a lot of good games here Right along in that West too.

Ian:

Mr Nikola Jokic goes 30, 20, and 20. Are you kidding me? Guy's got a triple, a double 20, and 20. Are you kidding me? Guy's got a triple, a double, triple, double, double, triple double. How about that Fuck around got a triple double. I mean he's a monster. He really is. He's so much taller than everybody. I think honestly that's the reason why you can see the game intelligently, intellectually, very basketball savvy and smart, but also very. I mean he's tall, he's so much bigger than everybody. So he sees it's almost like a bird's eye view of the court. Looking down, he sees where everybody's going to be beforehand and SGA is having the.

Ian:

Sga is the MVP. I'm looking at his stats right now. He's averaging 33 a game. Six, seven assists a game shooting. What is it? 40% from three, 50% from the field, all in 34 minutes too. So he's going to be super rested for the playoffs when they were going, because they're gonna have some trouble, get play some hard teams in the west and sga is for sure the mvp.

Ian:

But man joker, he makes a hard, hard argument every single year. It's just. I think a lot of it too, is he just? He looks so lax days ago. When he plays, he just looks like he doesn't care. And he said he doesn't care, but he's a monster. It's hard to think that, like someone this good at this sport is so nonchalant about it and he just doesn't care at all, brings us right to the Knicks now too. Oh, our boy Brunson. Oh, that was a really bad turn. He looked like he put his foot on backwards. Man, I know it's not. You know, nothing was on purpose or anything like that. It's not anybody's fault, but I mean we're struggling enough, man.

Ian:

This team without Brunson for a couple weeks here is going to look very different. I mean, you need guys to step up. That's what it comes down to. But hold on, wait, wait, wait. Actually we stopped the presses. We signed PJ Tucker 39-year-old PJ Tucker to a 10-day contract. So our prayers are answered.

Ian:

I'm sure that's the player that we need to step up the apron tier and just not having any be able to money any money to sign anybody or trade for anybody or look for real replacements to these things. I mean, the Knicks are so hamstring they're really it worries, this team is good, it's really good they're. You know you traded away defense for offense and you're getting offense, man, just I don't know. We gotta see how it looks without brunson. Hopefully big cat steps up. You know you need og to step up too. He's been better as of late, but brunson left a lot of money on the table to be able to get some of these guys like that. And OG took every penny of it, wasn't afraid. This is how much I'm getting. That Bridges contract is going to come up soon. I need a Kawhi-level performance from OG in the playoffs. That's what we signed you here for.

Ian:

I don't know. Man gotta, they gotta, figure it out. But also, don't push them too hard either. This might be if you slide a couple spots right now. Who cares? You can, you'll be all right if you slide a couple spots, it is what it is. But at least guys maybe can get healthy a little bit. I mean, hearts hurt, big cats hurt. For sure he's going through a bunch of stuff. A couple guys step up. You know you don't have to win every game, just make sure you're in a good position here, good position to move through the playoffs.

Ian:

I really can't wait to see Tim throw 39 PJ. You think he'll make him play as many minutes as how old he is? You think PJ Tucker's got 39 minutes in him? I don't know, we'll see. Okay, that's the sound of baseball, ladies and gentlemen. It is almost here. I promise of baseball. Ladies and gentlemen, it is almost here. I promise Spring training will be over soon enough and we'll be watching games in the sunlight. I'm looking out the window right now Sun is shining, looks beautiful, can't wait. I also can't wait for spring training to be over because let's get rid of some of these injuries.

Ian:

Man, everybody is hurt, especially in this new york area. Good god, I mean cole looks like he's nothing definite yet, but he looks like he might need tommy. John stan's probably done like, done, done. He's got tennis elbow on both elbows. He's on his third round of prp injections and I guess that's not taking. I mean, that's not great. Jerickson Profar just got hurt. Big signing for the Braves, we love that. I was just talking about George Kirby out in Seattle. He's gonna start season on the IL. I mean Minaya Montaz, oh and uh. By the way.

Ian:

Now Francisco Alvarez 68 weeks surgery on his hand again. You hate to see it, man, you really do. I mean the kid's good too. He's got hand problems and it's tough as a catcher. He's got a hammock bone fracture in his hand. What is a hammock bone, you might ask. Well, we do our research around here. That would be the pinky and ring finger, little knobby bone in between there. I don't really feel it on my hand, but I guess you know, when you swing a bat for your entire professional career and catch 100-mile-per-hour fastballs, I'm sure it gets a little agitated. Maybe fractures Mendoza said he got it aggrav, aggravated during some live at bats and then I guess he injured it more. It's like right where you squeeze the bat too. So it's not great. It's not what you want to see.

Ian:

I will say, though clay hol, clay Holmes Yankee fans don't look now Looking pretty fucking good. Oh, he won't make it as a starter. He won't do it Well. So far, nine and two-thirds Only giving up, two hits, no runs, four walks. Oh, and, by the way, 13 strikeouts, 13. You boys looking good, okay, thank you for not believing in him to be anything for your team, because I'm sure the pitching looks great right now for you guys. You better hope Max Fried delivers big time, because Rodon Stroman, no, gill, oh, I forgot Luis Gill. Luis Gill, he's out two months with a lat strain. Oh, you got Grayson Rodriguez too, from the Orioles. He's got some elbow issues. So not great Injuries all around. But that's baseball man, that's baseball Susan.

Ian:

As John Sterling would say, people get hurt the season's long. I mean, baseball's one of those sports too where guys throw their back out from sneezing and they're on the 10-day DL, like it's to be expected. It's all good. You know, the Mets started tirelessly last year and they were in game five, game six of the NLCS, right, so might have set the tone there that you don't exactly have to get off to a hot start. I mean, it always helps, but though injuries happen, guys got to step up. That's why you have farm systems, that's why you have rookies's, why you you know you have rookies you bring these guys up On the 40 man roster. Guys just gotta step up. Now we're gonna have A little fun too. We're gonna annoy Some Yankee fans here too.

Ian:

I don't know if you guys Saw that clip over the week Of Soto. He misplayed the ball, and right he did. You know, listen, he's not the greatest defender, and that's fine, because I have Ted Williams up at bat, I'll let him slide with the misplaced ball here and there. But Yankee fans, my God, guys, we get it. Couldn't wait to make fun of Soto for it. Guy carried you to the World Series. Couldn't wait to make fun. Soto for it. Guy carried you to the World Series. Couldn't wait to make fun.

Ian:

Why don't you worry about your team? Okay, I'll worry about mine. Why don't you worry about Jason Dominguez being able to catch anything in left field? Who's playing third, oswaldo? Are you sure Goldschmidt going to be all right? He's getting up there, cole Pitching. He's getting up there, cole pitching. No. Gill pitching no. Stroman. First half starter, great Second half. I don't know, I don't know.

Ian:

Look, it came out over the weekend too that apparently the Mets weren't the highest bidder, and that was the story that everybody tried to tell me all offseason. He's going to go where the money's the highest. He's going to go where the money's the highest. No, no, no, no, no. You guys thought you were the prettiest girl to dance and you just chose the rich girl instead. Wrong, you're not as cute as you think you are. And now you're changing things. You're trying to give yourself a makeover. You put a beard. I mean, what are you gonna do? You gonna put the name on the back of the jersey next. No, no, no.

Ian:

He's here over in queens with his dominican and puerto rican brethren drinking el presidente loving it, and it ain't done yet. Listen, I love pete, but vladi's coming next year too, baby he is. You guys will make a signing. I have a feeling you guys will sign Kyle Tucker. That makes sense, which is good. But he ain't Vladdy.

Ian:

These guys are having fun. When you have fun, you win. It's really that simple Baseball's. Simple like that. Have fun, get out of your own head, hit the damn ball. Go Mets. Okay, I promised I would get to just a little bit of hockey here.

Ian:

We're right at the trade deadline. Trade deadline is now over and the Florida Panthers look like they're going on a dynasty-style run here. Florida Panthers look like they're going on a dynasty-style run here, picking up Vinik, and he has a shutout in his debut. We love that. Oh and, by the way, just something surprise they pick up Marshawn. I mean they're going to get to Chuck back too for the playoffs. So all these is this Dodger-esque? I don't know. I never thought I'd see with him out of there, but I guess it was a money thing for Martian.

Ian:

400 goals, 500 careers, 550 assists. I mean jeez you. Just look at the Rangers. I mean they're half pregnant. They don't know what they want to do. They want to blow it up, they want to keep going, they move Riley Smith, 33-year-old winger, not good, he's not great. I mean he's okay, but movable. You get a young prospect back, 23-year-old kid. They got that and a third-round pick, and then they immediately moved the pick for a veteran defenseman.

Ian:

I don't know, rangers are a mess. The core just didn't work. It's a shame. You had, arguably, and actually I will argue, you had the best goaltender in the sport, my guy hank, for 10 years and the closest you got was game five of the stanley cup. And now you have igor looking down the exact same barrel.

Ian:

For once excuse me, for once, new york did what other franchises somehow seem to do is go from one generational talent player to another generational talent player, and in hockey, finding that generational goalie is one of the hardest things to do. And the Rangers did it, and now they're gonna have nothing to show for it again. This core had three coaches to try and figure it out and they can't figure it out. It's I don't know, it's embarrassing. Honestly, I'm from the school I finished out this year and I try not to get too embarrassed, even if you make the playoffs and then blow it up. Boys, let's get back to school and tell the fans, by the way, they'll be fine.

Ian:

Ranger fans are one of the most loyal fan bases in the world. If you tell the fans, listen, we're blowing it up, we understand, we're trying to get the banner back up in the rafter, we'll get it. It's going to suck, but we'll stick, stick it out and then, when they're good again, we'll pack the guard. I mean, the garden's packed every night regardless, but we'll be there screaming. Don't you worry about that. Just, you got to sacrifice one team to get make the other one good. Right, knicks are finally good now. Rangers not so much. Rangers were good. I was watching carmelo anthony and that's about it are finally good now. Rangers not so much. Rangers were good. I was watching Carmelo Anthony and that's about it. Thank you. All right, we've saved the best for last.

Ian:

A little NFL action. Free agency, or I guess they call it. What's the name? What's the stupid name they have for it? Legal tampering period, that's what it's called. It's free agency. Let's just call it what it is here. Okay, guys are making contracts, but nothing's official. But all that's about to drop. That's going to shake the league up, as it always does the draft around the corner. Some of these names that are off the board I mean the quarterback carousel, as per usual, is crazy. Some of these names off the board are big names though. Commanders making a trade. For Laramie Tunsil, they got a little bit of a haul to it too. For Houston, this return Looks like a third and a seven this year, maybe a second and a fourth next year. Yeah, that's what that looks like.

Ian:

Miles Garrett agreed to his contract. He gets a bag, mr I-can't-wait-to-get-out-of-here. Miles Garrett agreed to his contract. He gets a bag, mr I can't wait to get out of here. I need to. This is not a winning culture. I need to leave.

Ian:

Yeah, how's four years? 160 cent, 125 guaranteed. Where do I sign? That's pretty much what you just did, miles. So money talks, man, you can. You can hate your team all you want. 160 million, 125 guaranteed, sounds pretty damn good. Josh allen got a bag too for the local teams here. You gotta watch josh allen for the six years. Not that I think he thought he was going anywhere. To be honest with you, I mean, you know you don't let a guy like that go anywhere. But six year, 330 million dollar extension, whoo jeez. Jets kind of made a move. We'll see how it pans out.

Ian:

I they picked up justin fields for two years, 40 million, I think 20 a year, which is a good, nice deal. They lost dj reed to the dj reed going to the lions. That's gonna be nice for that defense. That's a good bolster for them. It's going to hurt ours a little bit, but we'll see. Just feels, I don't mind justin fields, though I you know he's, you know he's young first rounder. Him and wilson have chemistry. He was good in ohio state.

Ian:

Gary wilson didn't really seem to get along too well with a Rodgers. Well, how about I bring your college roommate in? How's that? So that's not too too bad of a compromise. I guess the run game will get better. I don't know about the passing game, but it'd be nice to have a quarterback that's a little more mobile than a statue back there and just a slab of rock.

Ian:

Of the jets, though, man, they look like they have a plan. They've never been able to enact said plan my entire life. So we got what else we got going on here? Oh, geno too to the Raiders. Duh, that's Seattle. And they trade Metcalf to the Steelers. So Seattle just said we're good, we're good, we're going to rebuild. I guess I think Tyler Lockett's going too, and they do all that. And then they go pick up Sam Darnold. I don't get it. I swore Sam Darnold would have been a Raider. Just because Pete Carroll USC head coach. I mean there's ties there, but I guess they want to go with Geno and that is definitely a Raiders move if I've ever seen one. I wish them the best.

Ian:

It goes to show with the Jets too. These guys are still in the lead. They were bull drafted by the Jets and they can't figure it out. I don't think we'll have to see the same problem with Zach Wilson anytime soon. Good luck, boys. I think you just went to a bad. Brock Bowers should benefit a little bit. But Geno is. Sometimes he looks unbelievable and other times he looks like he's never done a football in his life. Sam looks great but you just took away all his weapons. Sam looks like you finally figured it out and now he doesn't have Metcalf and Lockett. I mean I'm assuming they're going to have to draft somebody. Draft a receiver, maybe a running back. Maybe they'll go after one of these running backs to help a little more.

Ian:

Ravens were able to re-sign Joe Staley. That's great, for Lamar Keeps that blind side up for him. Ravens got to get over that hump eventually. I really hope they can. I root for Lamar. I do. I know it's AFC For the Jets to do anything, they're going to have to get through him, but I root for him. Somebody's got to slay this goddamn dragon. Nobody wants to see Mahomes anymore. Josh Allen can't get over it. Maybear and derrick henry can get over it.

Ian:

As far as the giants, I haven't heard anything either. I mean, I guess that's what you're supposed to do during the draft. You got a high pick, you got a valuable pick at three. You don't know, two people in front of you might take a quarterback, that might not. I mean, they know you're in the quarterback market but you don't want to oversell your hand. But I haven't heard anything from any nothing. There's no plan for the giants. I don't think they have a plan at all. I mean they. If the titans take a quarterback at one, cleveland is definitely taking a quarterback at two. Do you feel comfortable Taking Jackson Dart at one, two, three? Do you trade back? Do you trade up? Do you give up a whole hole? I it's tough sledding for Giant fans right now because I really what do you do? And you know neighbors Is uh, not going to be too pumped about whatever path they go down.

Ian:

But kid's a monster receiver, so it's always important to keep him happy. You see these kids, you know Justin Jefferson, amon Ra, jamar Chase, patterson, amon Ra Jamar Chase. These guys change franchises and they make you immediately better. So it's important to keep your stud wide receiver happy and getting the ball he looks the part. So you got to get somebody to get him to the ball. Tommy devito ain't cutting it. I'd be interested, I'm really interested, to see where the giants go with this. I would like to see sador in new york. I don't think he's gonna make it. I don't think he's gonna make it to the giants. I don't think he's going to make it to the Giants.

Ian:

All right, another episode of Rice on the Mic's down. What an episode, if I do say so myself. Bunch more to come. I'm sure the NFL will only get crazier in the coming weeks. Looking forward to touching on that. And hey, again the sun is shining. It meets baseball's ride around the corner. Be here before you know it. As always, you want to get in contact with me. Hit me up on twitter, instagram. Both are at rice on the radio, which is how it's spelled. Share your thoughts on the show. Let me know what topics you want to hear about. If you enjoy the content, please subscribe. Leave a review helps grow the show and we want to put out a bunch of shows, right. Right, look for the next episode on friday. We'll cover the events of the week, but until then, tell someone you love them. Spread a good energy in this world. Let's enjoy sports. Cheers, folks.