Rice on the Mics
Welcome to "Rice on the Mics", where sports talk comes with no script, no filter, and just the right amount of chaos. Hosted by Ian Rice, this is the spot for real fans who love the game but aren’t afraid to call out the bad takes, blown calls, and overpaid benchwarmers. Whether it's a legendary performance, a brutal choke job, or your fantasy team crashing and burning, we’re here to break it down like it’s last call at the bar. No corporate PR spin, no forced debates—just unfiltered sports talk with passion, personality, and maybe a little trash talk along the way. If you’re looking for stats read off a teleprompter, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want bold opinions, real conversations, and the kind of debates that might get a drink thrown at you, pull up a mic and let’s go.
Rice on the Mics
The Mets stumbled and the Yankees triumphed, but it's only day one of 162.
Baseball's opening day brings the sunshine, crack of the bat, and promise of a new season with Yankees winning and Mets falling short in dramatic fashion. Sports fans can rejoice as America's pastime returns with all its glory and heartbreak.
• Baltimore explodes for 12 runs with Tyler O'Neal hitting homers in six straight opening days
• Mackenzie Gore dominates with 13 strikeouts, positioning himself as a breakout pitcher this season
• Mets lose despite opportunities, with Juan Soto striking out in a key moment against Josh Hader
• Yankees win their opener with Austin Wells making history as first catcher to lead off in franchise history
• Knicks heading toward potential first-round playoff exit with mounting injuries and tough matchups
• Giants create quarterback chaos by signing both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston while potentially drafting another QB
Share with a friend. Keep the word moving forward. The show starts with you. Tell someone you love them, check in on your people. There's a lot of noise out there in the world, so be a little light when you can.
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's right. It's opening day, boys and girls, it's the best day of the year, opening day of baseball. You are tuned in to Rice on the Mic's little late night.
Speaker 1:Post-opening day, energy is wide up, though Baseball's officially officially back. Oh boy, love it, Don't you just love it. We got a ton to break down, though. Got some bombs in the Bronx. Mets had the chance twice and gave it away Some great and not-so so great pitching outings, all the other early storylines that you got.
Speaker 1:We'll get to them, don't you worry about it, though Hitting the full board time, okay, giants still don't know what they're doing, nor do any of us. We don't know what they're doing, and the Knicks' playoff push is just, it's not. I don't know I'm going to break it down that it don't look good, no matter what we're doing, but we'll get into it. Boys. No fluff, all fire. Let's get after it. Let's go. Oh my, oh my. What a beautiful day it was for opening day. Baseball man. I mean, I hate to keep harping on it, but is there nothing better here. Why don't you join me with this? Okay, that's right, boys, crack a beer. Sun is shining, the grill will be fired up soon. It's a glorious day. It's a glorious day, all right, I know you want the meat on the bones, we want the Yankees, we want the Mets. Don't worry, I got plenty to say. All right, I know, I know you want to meet on the bones. We want the Yankees, we want the Mets. Don't worry, I got plenty to say. Let me get into some other stuff around the league. First here Some of the early games.
Speaker 1:Baltimore exploded 12 runs today. O'neal, not O'Neal Cruz, tyler O'Neal. Six straight opening days with home runs. That's six years in a row hitting a home run on opening day, plus 450. It's books, by the way. Six straight years on opening day on a specific day. It's pretty impressive. Just saying Pretty impressive. Oh, and Cedric's not too old.
Speaker 1:Mullins Two hits, two home home runs, five ribbies you might still have it, so don't count me out just yet. Phillies pulled out late. But gore, mckenzie, gore, that boy put his big boy pants on today. Came out hot. 13 strikeouts Of one hit baseball On opening day. Span said everybody clear out, get out Big dicks back in town. Here we go.
Speaker 1:I mean, if you're smart like me, you draft them In your fantasy baseball leagues in the much later rounds. Kid's gonna finish as a top 50, top 40 pitcher this season, definitely going to be a household name. He's one of those guys that they got from Soto Nationals. I told you I said it last podcast if we're paying attention Too late to get it in now, over 70 and a half Nationals will win 70 games, 71 games. Although they did lose today, though, that's going to be the story of them. They're going to come real close. They're going to be ahead. They're going to be, you know, 1-0. And then, as soon as one or two of their starters comes out, the bullpen's going to screw it. So we'll see. If I don't know, maybe they feel like they're in it, maybe they can go after somebody at the deadline, because I know they're not selling. So I mean, if you hold Pat, what's the point? You know, braves put up a solid effort today.
Speaker 1:Asiabes had a little bit of a good game, but they lost to the Padres. Padres once again prove that they're a pretty good team. They're holding strong Machado and Bogarts. They're here to play too. There are no pushover, don't forget. They were one out away from going to see the Mets in the NLCS last year. One out away from beating the Dodgers, but hey, that's all it takes sometimes. One out away from beating the Dodgers, but hey, that's all it takes sometimes. And the Marlins at the top of the division, old Sandy, no, no, no, no, not Sandy Koufax, sandy Alcantara gets the job done over Mr Phenom himself.
Speaker 1:Paul Skeens. Skeens finished with five and a third, seven strikeouts. Alcantara four and two thirds. Also seven strikeouts. Pretty much identical lines, which is something to be said.
Speaker 1:The kid, you know God, they can't get enough of Skeens right here, and rightfully so. Kid's a monster, he's built, but their bullpen came in and just ruined it. Two Holderman comes in. Oh God, holderman, remember that name. I know some people do Gave up.
Speaker 1:Two hits, two walks, two earned runs. I mean triples of any number. Angel numbers are supposed to be good luck, but that's not what I think you want to see. Pirates man, I don't know. They can use a batter. They need one more. Bopper O'Neal Cruz is good, but he's good to fire one from shortstop at 101 miles an hour or steal three bases, but they don't really. They need another bopper man.
Speaker 1:This isn't fantasy baseball. You got to build this lineup a little protection. Gotta get going. Alright, alright, alright, and now, now, now, now, okay, fine. Now on to the big boys of the evening, the Mets. The season is over. Soto is a bust. We need a new coach. They should have never paid. Pete Is all the things I would say if I was an absolute idiot. Guys, it's game one of 162 of year, one of 15 years. With Juan Soto, the Mets are going to be just fine, boys.
Speaker 1:It was an ugly swing at a Soto affair. 100% For sure it was. Hey man, he got got. That's baseball man. That's what happens.
Speaker 1:Hater is a hell of a pitcher too. We had him on the ropes and, like any good prize fighter, he executed a game plan. He didn't throw one slider that at Pat Soto and, like any good prize fighter, he executed a game plan. He didn't throw one slider that at Batasota, not one High fastball. Cross the chest, foul and stuff off. Okay, it's a tough look, but again, I got him for 15 years, Not too worried about opening day 2025.
Speaker 1:Okay, He'll be fine and it's a great. By the way, it's a great at-bat by BA. Baby Acuna. Be fine and it's a great. By the way, it's great at bat by uh ba baby akuna, as I'm going to try and start calling a little ba throwback to ba barracus, badass barracus, little 18 reference for those, those uh keeping home score at home. And you know, and they had their chance. They had their chance the inning before too.
Speaker 1:Okay, work walks, beat up the bullpen, got a couple timely hits, two outs, nimmo first pitch strikes. One gets great wood on the bat, kills it. But he sandblasted him, hit him right at it. Guy didn't even have to move, literally watched the ball just fly right into his glove Two feet to the right. That goes in the gap three-run score. They might even have the lead.
Speaker 1:Listen, man, that's why we love baseball, though it's, uh, there's winners and there's losers. Baseball is a game of character. It'll build character or will destroy your character. Okay, since soccer team runs around for 90 minutes, you know, we fall on the ground and cry that my leg is broken. And now I get up and I'm ready to go take the kick right away. And then we ran around and it was 1-1 and we tied. And now I'll see you next week for our double header. No man, somebody's got to make the pitch to get the guy out, or somebody has to make the swing to be the hero. That's why we love baseball. That's why baseball will always be revered as you know the American sport because there's winners and there's losers and it shows who can be mad Shows, who has the character the utspa, as some would say to be that guy.
Speaker 1:You're not that guy, pal. Well, today Soto wasn't that guy and Hader was. Next time I'm sure he'll get the best of him. But boy, oh boy, oh boy did I hear it from every single Yankee fan today, and I know, I know, I get it. I am a fully admitted, loud and card-carrying Yankee hater, so I bring it on myself. That's totally fine, I get it. But man, yeah, you want to talk about living in rent. Someone's had rent free. Would anyone like to talk about Rodon Taking a spill at first when you already have a big pitching problem? God forbid he goes down.
Speaker 1:Should we talk about Judge going one for four today with the all-time bloop of bloop, singles to left, like off the little tiny bit and just drops in and he gets a ribby off it and then scores. I mean Austin Wells, the leadoff catcher, god bless him. That's awesome. I'm actually no shade, I'm actually. It's pretty impressive. First time, a catcher in Yankee history. The team's been around since 1909, before color TV and they've never had a catcher lead off. You tell me, joe DiMaggio never led off once ever. I mean, what are we? So? What does he do? Second pitch of the first game of the day Goes. Yabo just cranks one. I give him credit for that. I'm not going to, except for the fact that it wouldn't have been out in any other stadium. But okay, okay, cool.
Speaker 1:Do you guys think Devin Williams will be available for tomorrow's game, this big closer that is supposed to? Oh, our pitching's rough. We'll come in. We got, you know, not Clay Holmes, not Clay Holmes, because you know well Clay Holmes, clay Holmes kind of spit the bit a little bit today. But we'll see. I'm willing to give him a little more than that. Devin Williams comes in. You want him to close the game. He throws 36 pitches on his debut game. Just slider after slider, meatball after meatball. Walking guys, I get it.
Speaker 1:It's opening day, yankee stadium. The adrenaline's pumping. Maybe your location is exactly great. Usually your velocity goes up. You don't really lose location. So we'll see how that pans out.
Speaker 1:And I say all this to just give the yankees a pat on the ass because they won the game. You know, mets didn't win today, yankees did. Hey, god bless them. There's 161 more of them. We'll see. Uh, we'll see how we all shake out, okay.
Speaker 1:Oh man, I'm just so pumped about this baseball season, it's it. You know how it. There's going to be so many crazy things that happen. I just can't wait to go over them all. Just can't wait to talk to you guys about it. God, isn't baseball just the best? I can't wait the sunshine and the sound of the bat. Woo man, all right, let's go boys. Let's go boys, let's go Mets, all right, all right, all right. I know, I know I could talk baseball all day. Can't wait to. But we got some other stuff around other leagues here. I'm just going to touch on some NBA stuff and some NFL stuff, just some local stuff really.
Speaker 1:I mean, jimmy Butler played against Miami and his return to Miami. Actually, at Miami they got cooked. They lost by 20, man, jimmy Butler just didn't show up. No Steph in that game. So fine. But you know, I think everybody in their motherhood Jimmy Butler penciled in for a double-double Jeez, can't talk today.
Speaker 1:Oy, ad comes back. A couple of podcasts ago I said that they were shutting them down because kairi was hurt and there was no need for him to come back, and all good. And ad said hold on, not so fast. Your boy, who is riddled with injuries, wants to play and played the nets did well, played 24 minutes, 20 minutes give or take, had about 15 points I think 12 points, so good comeback. Then proceeded to not play the next night against the knicks on a back-to-back because there's only 11 games, but coming back from injury. So why? Why would he play on a back-to-back? Tatum little ankle injury. Oh, there's hope for the knicks yet, but really there's not. There's not.
Speaker 1:I, I'm sorry, I'm going to say it. I'm going to say it, I'm going to be that guy and if I'm wrong, you guys can hold me, hold my feet to the fire later. But I'm telling you the Knicks are primed, primed for a first round exit this year. You heard it, you heard it, I said it. I don't want to say it. It I don't want to even believe it. I don't want to believe it. But they are, they're primed for a first round exit. They're the three seed. Maybe, maybe they're three seed. I don't know we'll see if they keep losing some games here, but as of right now they are the three seed with people hurt, leadership problems.
Speaker 1:Who's taking the reins on it? Brunson's not there right now. Heart's trying to. It is like you know his team cat's trying to fit in where he wants bridges. I don't think I've ever heard bridges say two words his entire life. They're the three seed, so, depending on the guys below them, here's who they look to face.
Speaker 1:Okay, gnis, who it's? Either win or I'm getting out of this goddamn place. He can't wait to get out of Milwaukee. So that's great, great motivation. Little it's hurt, by the way, but great. The Knicks would love to run into that. Or how about a young, upstart Detroit team that finally has some star players and a guy by the name of Cade Cunningham who enough NBA heads know about but really would be on display on the Knicks playoff level? And this guy can't wait to go 20 and 10, 20 and 12, 30 and 12 a night and just really make a name for himself in the playoffs on national tv. Yeah, do the knicks want to run into that buzzsaw with jaylen brunson who, when he would come back with you know, rearing 80, maybe ankle injury. So that's great or okay.
Speaker 1:Here's our and behind door number three, the Indiana Pacers, who for some reason or another whether they're good or not, it's up for debate they have the Knicks number. God, halliburton just loves to show out against the Knicks. So those are your three options. Do you want the Greek freak who probably would put mitch in a blender, or just embarrass cat? You want kate cunningham to style all over us? Or, uh, I don't know haliburton to go for 20 and 20, because you know that's of course what he would do, and then light up the garden and be a new trey.
Speaker 1:Young, I'm telling. Look, I don't want to, look, I don't want to say it, I don't want to believe it, I don't even want to believe the words that are coming out of my mouth right now. But the Knicks are primed for a first-round exit here, man, and it really it's not great. It's not great at all. You know what else isn't great at all? The Giants, the New York football Giants. Oh boy, earlier in the week, news breaks, the Giants signed James Winston. Okay, okay, fine, mr Pick six. But hey, you know what? At least he pushes the ball down the field Him and neighbors. Maybe Could have some kind of connection. No, but hold your horses.
Speaker 1:Then, like a day later, news breaks that they sign Danger Russ, mr Unlimited Wilson, god, so many nicknames. Guy's a loser man. Ranger Russ, mr Unlimited Wilson, god, so many nicknames. Guy's a loser man. He's so cooked, jeez, I can see why he's bouncing around so much. Seattle was done with him. It was what it was. Can you imagine him and the Legion of Boom in that locker room together? Can you imagine him and Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas and Cam Chancellor and Brandon Browner and Walter Thurman and Brian Maxwell in that locker room together? God, they must have wanted to rip his head off. Create a new award and then immediately give it to p carol and then name the award after p carol after you gave it to him for keeping that locker room together. I mean, geez, all right, fine, fine.
Speaker 1:Then russ goes to denver. Okay, he goes to Denver with Mr Sean I can fix anything Sean Payton. And immediately Payton goes nope, get him out, out, out, out out, get him out, we don't want him here. Then turns him into a playoff team, fine, okay. Then he moves on to oh, hmm, what's another organization that can handle people. Oh right, the Steelers, yeah, with the unmitigated, unregarded champion of fixing shit, mike Tomlin. Out, out, out, out, get him out, get him out, get him out. Now you go to the Giants with Brian D'Abel who's fighting for his life, r Kelly style. I'm fighting for my life over here, fighting for his life. That's the mix. That's the mix. That's what you want.
Speaker 1:And then, by the way, russ immediately comes out to some form of media, whoever it is, and goes yeah, I expect to be the opening day starter. I expect to be the starting quarterback of this team. What, what? You don't think you and James are going to be in at least a little bit of a fight? What a wild, wild ride the New York football is going to be this year. And for once in my life, I get to say that it's not the Jets. Those two are the veterans in the room. Okay. So right now, it's James Winston, russell Wilson and Tommy DeVito.
Speaker 1:Okay, so that means one of two things they are either riding it out and behind closed doors mr mara has told them. I know I said I want you guys to win more games or things are going to change, but I expect I'm going to give you guys some leeway, okay, or or at number three, the giants are now going to draft a quarterback too, that's if Shador falls soon, because Cam's going number one. Look, the Titans are posturing that. Oh, we love him, we're going to take him, whatever. But I guarantee you they would do anything for someone to move up so they can get a king's ransom of picks to move back, so they don't have to draft him and just roll will levis for another year and let's hit a giant straight up, or something. They can take travis, or take kim ward, or take a guard, or the tight end, or even something. It's something. Okay, titans would die.
Speaker 1:But right now it looks like war is going on and Deion comes out and goes yeah, we're hoping for Shador, we're hoping for New York, we're hoping for New York, but Cleveland is still a wild card man. I mean, they don't have a quarterback on the roster really right now. So are they really? Are they going to do it? Who knows? Are they really? Are they going to do it? Who knows? So the Giants are either going to have to at three. Take Abdul Carter, which is really the good play for Cleveland, because if you put Carter and Myles Garrett together, it's going to be a big problem. Or they're going to have to justify signing Russell Wilson, signing James Winston and then drafting Shador and having Shador be the three quarterback, the third quarterback on the roster and saying, okay, now sit here and learn, okay, learn from from James Winston and Russell Wilson. And Russell Wilson maybe, I guess, but those are the veterans you want in the room to teach this kid.
Speaker 1:And and do not get it twisted if the Giants start 0-4 again, which they usually do the past 4 or 5 years, the fans are going to be losing their mind for Shador to start, and then it fans are going to be losing their mind for Chador to start, and then it's just going to create this whole new controversy. It's going to be a mess. Man Dable and Shane have done themselves no favors. They are up Schitt's Creek without a paddle, they are digging a hole and don't know how to get themselves out. Marron, marron, the Giants. It's going to be such a mess for them this year.
Speaker 1:Maybe I'm wrong, but I really don't think I am. I think I'm pretty strongly convicted on this. It is a perfect storm, george clooney style for disaster. All right, y'all that's to do it for this one MLB opening day brought us all. The fireworks Knicks are living into the playoffs, making us all nervous as hell. And the Giants man Sorry, I don't mean to laugh, man, they still look like I have no idea what the plan is. Whatever, thanks for tapping in with me, especially on this late night day, late drop.
Speaker 1:I appreciate every single one of you out there rocking with me with the Rice and the Mike's podcast. If you're feeling the show, make sure you follow on all the socials R-I-C-E, o-n, t-h-e, r-a-d-i-o. That's right, rice on the radio. Share with a friend. Keep the word moving forward. Boys trying to grow the show. It starts with you. Keep writing in too. I swear I know I keep saying it. I'll hold myself accountable. I promise I will fit you guys Questions in. I feel like a radio host. Too many people on hold. I promise I'll get to you. I promise. Anyway, In the meantime, tell someone you love them, check in on your people. There's a lot of noise out there in the world, so be a little light when you can Spread some good energy and I'll catch you next week. Same mic, same big, loud energy. Till then, be easy peace.