Get ready for an action-packed episode as we tackle the NHL and NBA Conference Finals, alongside special guest and Arsenal fan, Harry. We've got the scoop on the Denver Nuggets' domination of the Lakers and the Boston Celtics' struggles against the Miami Heat. Plus, we break down the Carolina Hurricanes' tough losses at home and the Vegas Knights' overtime victory.

Join us as we shift gears to European football, discussing relegation playoffs and the English Football League. Harry offers his insights on Arsenal's recent struggles and the potential impact of signing Jorginho. We also touch on the Champions League Final and the FA Cup, and speculate on potential transfers and the top quarterbacks in the NCAA. Is Jesse Marsh the leading candidate to become the next US coach? Listen in, as we weigh the odds.

Lastly, let's dive into LeBron James' injury and analyze the current state of the Lakers. Applauding Andrew Wallis for his 20 for 20 picks in hockey and basketball, we discuss the incredible playoff run of the Miami Heat, led by none other than Jimmy Butler. From Butler's journey to the perfect fit in Miami, to the odds of Brooks Koepka winning the tournament, we cover it all in this jam-packed episode of SportsBruvs!

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Speaker 1: Oi, this is SportsBruvs with your hosts Chris, andrew, rammus, victor and Corey. Enjoy the commentary and all the banter and golden poops.

Speaker 3: Hello and welcome SportsBruvs Episode 24. Today we are discussing the NHL and NBA Conference Finals. At this point in time, the Denver Nuggets are up 3-0 on LeBron James' Lakers And the Boston Celtics down two games to none. To the Miami Heat Drop two games at home. We got the Carolina Hurricanes dropping their two at home, one in a four overtime game And the Vegas Knights winning an overtime as well. They will play game two today. See how that goes. And today we are doing something different.

Speaker 3: I am solo right now. I am waiting on the group. We had a set time to join. I figured I would go ahead and join now And I just talked to myself for a little while. Appreciate you tuning in. Yeah, i guess we can sit here.

Speaker 3: I am going to talk to myself for a minute or two, or maybe 15-20 minutes, depending on how soon it takes my compatriots to join. We are going to bring on Arsenal fan Harry Talk Arsenal football. See if they have a chance to win the Wait. Hold on, i just refreshed the table when they went down. Hold on, i might have to cut this. Yeah, it is saying Man City is one, arsenal two. Maybe that is some AI shit. Let's go to. Let me check Bing. More of a Bing man myself, bing is saying the same thing. Okay, maybe that I will have to check on that. I will wait for Harry to join to elaborate on that. I guess we have some technological issues. I guess that is why everyone is late to the recording today. But I am having a good time. It is a great day, great Sunday. It is about 8am in the morning. Nice, 60 degrees. We have about 85 this afternoon. Watch some basketballs from the NHL later and then get ready to go to the work week.

Speaker 4: He is like 3 minutes from home. He is going to hop off and then when he gets into his house he will lock the door.

Speaker 3: What was he saying? I could not hear anything. Was he just talking Arsenal?

Speaker 4: He was talking Arsenal, how he did not believe they could choke so bad. My whole thing is I think it went down the moment they got your Geno. If you counted up the moment they got your Geno, they just went on this massive dip.

Speaker 3: What happened first? Harry touched the trophy or they signed. They signed your Geno.

Speaker 4: Did he sign your Geno first?

Speaker 3: Yes, because that would have been in the January window, unless it was later Because I know the EPL.

Speaker 4: The Geno was now January 31.

Speaker 3: He was at that fan fest January 27. So about the same time. The same week Harry touched the trophy. They signed your Geno.

Speaker 4: I think everyone was saying that I do not even know if your Geno was playing good for them.

Speaker 3: I have seen them play a couple of games, and some of the time he is not even playing, but he does not really stand out. I have not seen him take any penalties. So Lester and Leeds looking like they might. Harry, who is going to get relegated?

Speaker 1: You were just talking about that. What was the final score of?

Speaker 3: the Leeds game, the first two games in a row.

Speaker 1: They were 2-1 with 15 minutes left. Let me answer the question this way Apparently, jesse Marsh is the leading candidate to become the next US coach. We have been without a coach for how many months now, supposably, the US has been doing this search to get the perfect coach? We are going to host the World Cup in 2026. We have been waiting since 1990 to have a team that can make a run deep into the World Cup In front of our home fans, and then Ernie Stewart disappears and takes a job in Holland. He was the guy that was supposedly in charge.

Speaker 1: I do not know who the hell is in charge of the US Men's Soccer Federation anymore. Who is making the decision? Let us hire a guy that had a team in the Premier League And focus the team around American players, and the team is basically going to get relegated. And he got fired. This is what we do with the US All the coaches that are available out there, all the money that the US has available to them. What I think happened. I think the US was after a Mourinho or one of these big Zidane.

Speaker 1: Who knows Who else. They asked And they were probably just all told no, no, not interested, thank you. And so now we're settling for a guy who hasn't proven anything. He has zero international experience. Okay, so he coached in Germany. He did well there in the Bundesliga, but he went to England and he failed miserably. So I'm so disappointed with that decision, with him being supposedly the next coach, and I have very little optimistic now that the US team, i think, will be lucky to get out of the opening round at the World Cup in 2026. Because I think part of the problem too is all these other teams are getting better, and I'm not talking just about the European teams, i'm talking all of a sudden. You know, uruguay is going with the youth movement. I think they're going to be back. Ecuador is an up and coming team in South America. They're probably the third best team in South America right now, behind, obviously, brazil and Argentina. Colombia is getting rid of all the old guys. They're going to go with the youth movement. They're going to be much better.

Speaker 3: Whatever real quick, whatever happened to Chile, I feel like I haven't heard them in international soccer at all.

Speaker 1: The problem with Chile is they are old and they don't have that many good young players. Do you hear of any Chilean players in Spain or in Germany or in the The only ones I can think of are Vidal.

Speaker 3: and Who's the other older guy? Alexi Sanchez. That's the only two I can think of.

Speaker 1: Yeah, the old guys. Now look at Colombia, look at all the Colombian players they have in the EPL.

Speaker 5: You know, they've got a ton of players in Spain.

Speaker 1: Ecuador has got players in the big leagues.

Speaker 3: There's a lot of South.

Speaker 1: American players in the Bundesliga as well. So I think Chile has gotten old and I just don't think. I think they've been living off of their old players. I don't think they have anything. They've got to totally rebuild. Who's the guy?

Speaker 3: I was watching I think it was EPL. The other day A stupid yon he was in the World Cup, Was that? Is he with Ecuador? Do you know?

Speaker 1: I think he's with Ecuador, yeah.

Speaker 3: Because he was playing really well And I'm like that guy sounds like he was from the World Cup.

Speaker 1: Yeah, and I mean you've got Luis with You know that plays at Liverpool. I mean he's only 24. So you know, colombia is up and coming. They're getting rid of the You know the Jávez Rodriguez, and they're getting rid of all those old. They're getting rid of all those old guys that are going totally youth Because they've got so many good young players. You know you've got two. Two of their defenders are playing on, are starting the EPL for Colombia. So, and then, of course, in Europe, i mean you've got Denmark is a good team. You know, all of a sudden, switzerland is a good team, sweden is a team that's always on the cusp. So it's you know. You know now you're going to have more European teams in the World Cup. You're going to have more South American teams. So I think that just hurts the US's chances, unless they get a really good draw in the 2026 World Cup. But so, anyway, your original question if Leeds lose today, they're done, you know so.

Speaker 3: And Lester too.

Speaker 1: Yeah, so it looks like Everton is going to be spared again. So I guess they're going to jump the pitch, you know, after they make it safely back. You know, look, i mean you know, look what. I'll tell you what in Unibody's know, i'm an Arsenal fan, obviously, but what an atmosphere yesterday at Forest. yesterday That was like a playoff final game. you know the atmosphere.

Speaker 3: Yeah, tremendous. Who would have thought down the stretch, nodding him forest with steel points from Chelsea and Arsenal to get to safety?

Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah. And you know, give those teams credit, man. And that's what had me scared. You know, down the stretch, when Arsenal was last ahead Comfortably in, you know, ahead of Manchester City, i looked at their schedule and everybody was saying, oh well, we're playing Southampton and we're. And I'm thinking, those are the teams you don't want to play, because those teams are fighting for their lives.

Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, that's the teams you want to play, like the midseason.

Speaker 1: And that's what makes the EPL great, because there's only 20 teams. But at the end of the season you got all these teams that are just fighting, whereas MLS you've got Now you're going to have 30 teams in 2025, like a San Diego now got announced They're going to have 30 freaking teams, no relegation. So how many games towards the end of the year in that season are absolutely meaningless.

Speaker 4: Mm-hmm.

Speaker 1: Even in the NFL, those teams that are last. It's always meaningful because it's always for the number one pick. Yeah So, Yeah So.

Speaker 3: Yeah, that's what makes it so awesome is there's no tanking.

Speaker 1: That's my favorite thing about soccer is not taking for a draft pick, Exactly, And I kind of almost wish the EPL had a playoff as well. Or you know what do they do in Germany?

Speaker 5: Oh.

Speaker 1: Germany, they do something different. They have the team that finished last. How does it work? The team that finished last has to play a team that finished in the top, that finished third, i think, and they play each other to determine who gets relegated and who gets promoted.

Speaker 3: You said Bundesliga.

Speaker 1: Yeah, in the Bundesliga. Okay, so you've got.

Speaker 3: Yeah, so they have a relegation playoff.

Speaker 1: If you're in a second division in Bundesliga, the top two go, but then the third place team will play the team that finished last in the Bundesliga in a home and away to determine if they're going to flip flop or if they're going to stay where they're at, because that's what happened last year to Hamburg. Hamburg finished third.

Speaker 3: They lost to Hertha Berlin.

Speaker 1: Yeah, and they had to play Berlin, who finished last, for something like third to last. That's right. So the bottom two Bundesliga automatically go down. The team that's third from last has to play the team that finished third in the next level. So Hamburg finished third in the second division and they had to play Berlin, who finished third from the bottom, home and away. So it's a playoff, but it's a playoff between two different division teams. I just think the playoffs are great. Have you guys watched Luton City?

Speaker 3: I watched the first half of that game because when you texted I didn't know it was on, but you texted us and I was like, oh, I'll turn that on. Have you seen their main entrance to the stadium?

Speaker 1: It's like a high school, isn't it?

Speaker 3: That's the main entrance.

Speaker 4: It's like a tunnel.

Speaker 3: Yeah, like, can you imagine that EPL next year That's the main entrance got graffiti all over it? They'll fix that, but I think it's hilarious.

Speaker 1: Yeah, those playoff games are great. I watch all of them. I watch the League One, the League Two. The only one I didn't get to watch was What was that team that finished second behind Wrexham? Was it Nott's, nott's something?

Speaker 4: Yeah, Nott's County.

Speaker 1: So was.

Speaker 3: Wrexham in the championship, or are they one below?

Speaker 4: They're below the third.

Speaker 3: So you've got Premier League I saw Drafking putting on a special for them to win that league. It was like plus 400. That'd be so funny. They just came in to one it.

Speaker 1: So you've got Premier League, the championship League One, league Two and then the National League. So they were in the fifth. so now they're in the fourth division. I guess Gareth Bale they were trying to get Gareth Bale to come out of retirement, but He's like nah. He's like playing golf and making money at it, so why not, right? And I read that Wrexham is now worth three times more than what these guys when they paid for it two years ago.

Speaker 3: Yeah, what an investment. Buy a club and make a show after it and then win the league Genius.

Speaker 1: Season.

Speaker 3: Two is going to be fun to watch.

Speaker 1: Did they win the?

Speaker 3: league. They won it.

Speaker 1: Now in that league it's different. Only the top two teams advance, so only the first place team goes automatically, and then two, three, four and five are in a playoff.

Speaker 2: So that's what happened to Wrexham last year.

Speaker 1: Wrexham finished second. just at the very last few games They finished second and then they lost in the playoff final.

Speaker 3: But this year they all had 20 teams, like each iteration of the English football.

Speaker 1: I think that league has 24 teams.

Speaker 3: Okay, what is there? I think there's what? seven different tiers, four professional, three or semi-professional.

Speaker 1: Does that sound right? Who's in the FA Cup?

Speaker 3: How many leagues are in the FA Cup Four?

Speaker 1: The FA Cup is open to everybody, including amateur teams. Oh, I didn't know that, Yeah, but for those amateur teams they have to play preliminary games before they're actually in the FA Cup.

Speaker 5: So technically, you and I can put a team together.

Speaker 1: We can put a team together and then sign up for the FA Cup.

Speaker 3: Get those team of Italians on the cruise that we're killing us. Get them.

Speaker 1: Exactly Yeah, it's the FA Cup, it's the league Cup that's only open to, and they also have an FA Cup for the lower teams.

Speaker 3: Oh really That's cool Yeah they have an FA Cup.

Speaker 1: I forget what they call it, but I think it's, for it's the only that's open, that's open to league one, league two and below. Only They have their own FA Cup.

Speaker 3: My favorite part about FA Cup is when you have like a big EPL team go on the road to play like a third or fourth division team and like a 1,500 stadium seat. It's awesome. It's so much fun. The camera angle is terrible. It's like a high school game.

Speaker 1: The people are standing behind the goal Yeah.

Speaker 3: Or usually there's a hill, in trees or something, over a balcony is watching the games. Yeah, yeah, i did see something online of these guys sitting in trees watching a soccer game. That camera was Yeah, those a few months ago. Yeah, i think that was in.

Speaker 1: Italy. I think that was in Italy, that's all right.

Speaker 3: That would make sense.

Speaker 1: Okay, what's the over under for Champions League final? I'm sending it at five.

Speaker 3: When is what's first for the trouble? is the FA Cup first or is the Champions League final first?

Speaker 1: FA Cup. When is Champions League finals? always the last game before you know the FA.

Speaker 3: Cup is FA Cup is June 3rd.

Speaker 1: Yeah, because next weekend, next Saturday is the next Saturday, or Sunday is the last game of EPL, where they play all the game simultaneously.

Speaker 3: Yeah, i think there's some makeup games to the week after, though I don't think so.

Speaker 1: I think they're making up those games during the week.

Speaker 3: No, because I think if you look at Lester, they have a wait. No, never mind, you're right, i was looking at something else.

Speaker 1: Yeah, because they always want that last game. They want those last games. play the very last game for everybody. Everybody's playing at the same time. They've got 10 games going on at the same time because you know they're showing them all on different channels on, you know, the MBC networks, And then of course, you can watch. you know you can watch them all on a not paramount peacock. So yeah, I think Lester has it played during the week, Okay.

Speaker 3: Yeah, i mean they got a tough schedule because they got to play the last two games. They got to play Newcastle and then West Ham which West Ham we never know. But Newcastle.

Speaker 1: Have you seen where Chelsea is right now? 12th Right now. Chelsea is 12th.

Speaker 3: Yeah, but they got two games in hand, and when they lose the city, they'll have one game in hand.

Speaker 1: Yeah, then they play, then they their last game. they play Newcastle, Yeah.

Speaker 4: Chelsea is playing Man City, Man United and Newcastle.

Speaker 3: Those guys don't care, they're male. They've been mailing it in since January.

Speaker 1: They could finish as low as 14. That's incredible. That number is mind boggling. That they could finish 14. That blows me away.

Speaker 3: Yeah. So, like what you said the other day, what the owner has done to that club is just criminal. They've just bought so many players. They had to like revamp their entire dress room just to fit people. And then you look at, like if you look at when they post photos of them in training sessions and you see all of them like playing around, you see like these little clicks, and Zash is always by himself. Zash is always out by himself pouting, So he I guess he obviously does not want to be here because he was going to go to PSG the winter window And I don't, I don't remember what happened. Chelsea filed the paperwork late for something which is like come on, dude, can we just get one guy out of here? We'll be better. I can't wait to just get rid of everyone and then just start fresh.

Speaker 1: I wonder who they're going to keep, though, and you know it started. The worst decision they made was from the very get-go, when they got rid of their coach. Yeah, never even gave the guy a chance.

Speaker 3: He lost one Champions League game, one, nothing, and then they fired him.

Speaker 1: Yeah, okay.

Speaker 3: I want to talk about.

Speaker 1: Arsenal. I want to talk about Arsenal. You know the obvious.

Speaker 3: I don't know if we have time for that You'll make time Here's.

Speaker 1: here's my concern, Here's my concern. This is two years in a row that Arsenal totally laid an egg, the last eight games of the season. You guys remember last year? Real quick is this?

Speaker 3: Arthett's second year, third.

Speaker 1: Third year.

Speaker 5: Third Corey.

Speaker 1: Third year. At least Third year Because he wasn't coached during COVID.

Speaker 3: Because he started out 0-3. I remember that and everyone was like oh no, this guy sucks They started out with 3, but they played that three good teams.

Speaker 1: That was last year. That was last year they started off 0-3. Yeah, you confirm it 2019.

Speaker 4: 2019.

Speaker 3: He was the coach during COVID.

Speaker 1: Oh really. Oh, you're right, he was Because they won the FA Cup during COVID in an empty stadium.

Speaker 4: Oh guys, December 20.

Speaker 3: December 20. I didn't realize.

Speaker 1: December 20 at 19. Yeah, remember they won the FA Cup. They won the FA Cup during COVID, with an empty stadium. With an empty stadium, that's right, okay. So here's my concern. This is two years in a row. Last year, you guys remember, arsenal was battling for a top four. They had games in hand against Tottenham And then they, just frigging, laid an egg and lost like three out of the last four, only one out of the last five, something like that.

Speaker 1: And Tottenham got They're uncharacteristic, and then they do the same thing this year. So here's my question Is it because there's a lack of depth? Is it just the team? you know, the team just kind of runs out of gas after playing so many games. Is it coaching? That's my concern as an Arsenal fan, you know. Now it's a trend, you know. So I don't know.

Speaker 3: I don't have the answer, but So I have a question for you. I got two points. You mentioned that this is this is not an isolated instance this season, but I got to admit you touched the trophy on January 27th. You signed Georgeinho January 30th, i think. how many points have you dropped since that week? It sounds like that kind of helped you fall down the rabbit hole there on this season.

Speaker 1: Well, it didn't start then. It started in the last eight games. In the last eight games, what is Arsenal's only one to?

Speaker 3: I think it's all they've dropped, like 14 points in eight games or something.

Speaker 1: Right, but look at the last eight games. What's that text I sent you that showed their last eight games? They've got two wins, i think, three draws and four losses.

Speaker 3: Damn Arsenal had 82% possession lost.

Speaker 1: And then here's another thing with Arsenal. Arsenal drew both games against Southampton this year. Arsenal's record against the bottom five is awful. They lost to Nottingham Forest. I think they drew Nottingham, or maybe they split that. But yeah, if you look at Southampton, they tied Southampton twice. There's four points right there. There's so many points they dropped. And then you know, of course you know to end the season. So you know, you knew, you knew that. you knew that Arsenal had very little room to drop points because you kind of had a feeling that Man City was going to just go on that run, which is what they've done. But when you only win two of your last eight games not as bad as Chelsea's run, but we can cut that.

Speaker 3: So I'm looking at. so Brighton is sixth. They are eight points out of fifth, with two games in hand. They were up 2-0 on Southampton and it's 2-2 now. Oh boy, oh wait, 2-1. They must have taken a goal away. It was 2-2 just a second ago, 2-1. What do you attribute? losing the title? So remember those back-to-back games. You had a 2-0 lead and then you blew both of those games. That's kind of what I mean. They were actually three. They were actually three.

Speaker 1: Arsenal actually had two games in a row where they were up to nothing and ended up drawing, And then they were down 2-0 against Liverpool, actually got up 3-2 and then ended up drawing that game as well. So those three games, those were three consecutive games where they only got three points and they dropped six points. That was the turning point, without a doubt, And then after that it just became it's almost like they gave up after that.

Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, it looked like they gave up after City's first goal.

Speaker 1: Clearly that was the turning point when, two weeks in a row and I think one of those games was at home, wasn't it?

Speaker 3: Yeah because I bet on that game.

Speaker 1: So, yeah, yeah, i think right now Arsenal is what four points behind, but Man City's playing right now, so there'll be seven points behind going into the final week.

Speaker 3: Unless they're hungover. They might be hungover. Chelsea could beat them Celebrating last night, Yeah.

Speaker 1: Is Chelsea on right now.

Speaker 3: Or are they at?

Speaker 1: 11? That's already 12.30, I think.

Speaker 3: That was a weird It's at 11.

Speaker 1: No, it's in half an hour yeah, half an hour, harry Corey, i can't see your face, man, i can. I don't know what to tell you.

Speaker 5: Go blue.

Speaker 1: Here Is that Ronaldo.

Speaker 5: That's me, Harry. I like the new podcasting setup I like it too, let's go Beatles.

Speaker 1: What do you guys think of my background? It was the pink baby room when Val, when we first moved into this house 16 years ago and Val was a baby, and then now she's got Victoria's old room, so I'm just kind of covered it up with all beetle paraphernalia You like that.

Speaker 3: I was wondering about the pink. I was like the pink pops. but So, harry, i have a question for you. Harry, if you could cut two people off this arsenal depth chart and sign to you guys, who would it be Like? who would you get rid of first?

Speaker 1: I think the biggest problem Arsenal had this year overall was the lack of clean sheets, so I think we need two stud defenders.

Speaker 3: Center backs or.

Speaker 1: One center back and one are left outside back. It always seems like teams run down the right side freely against us. So I would say a left back and a center back.

Speaker 3: Whatever happened to Corey? you might know this. Whatever happened to that Croatian defender who was like 21, that was like during the World Cup? everyone was like, oh, we got to sign this guy. What was his name? He had the mask on, Barty.

Speaker 5: Barty, all.

Speaker 3: Barty all Yeah, where is he at now? Did he go somewhere? I?

Speaker 4: think he's still in. He's one of the rep goal.

Speaker 3: Yeah, two days ago, man City set to make a move Great.

Speaker 5: He was supposed to get bid on by Madrid at some point. Report.

Speaker 3: That's your court Is Ronaldo.

Speaker 5: Or is Ramas in here? He probably knows.

Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's kind of an important thing. It's mostly just rumors right now, but I think Madrid was the one that I was hearing the most. I think Chelsea is evaluating him and then are probably going to overpay for him and then sell him to Madrid in a couple years. I think that's the plan.

Speaker 5: That's good business.

Speaker 3: It's crazy.

Speaker 5: He's 21. What was that, Harry?

Speaker 1: Did you see what I have here for you, Corey?

Speaker 5: I saw it Look Florida.

Speaker 1: How are your gavers going to do this year, Corey?

Speaker 5: We're looking to 2024 already.

Speaker 1: Next year there's a quarterback. Who's your quarterback going to be?

Speaker 5: Graham Mertz probably, But there's a couple of guys, See who has the better quarterback right now.

Speaker 1: Florida Did you guys get a trade-off?

Speaker 5: Florida or Florida State. Florida State has one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

Speaker 3: I was going to say Florida or Kentucky, because that Kentucky got that new guy. I don't know his name, he's supposed to be really good.

Speaker 1: What's Corey and Chris? What's everybody, everybody. What's the?

Speaker 3: connection FSU LSU. Fsu LSU.

Speaker 1: Yep, it's in Orlando, though.

Speaker 3: I mean, I don't know who to do that They played last year in the Superdome.

Speaker 1: This year too, I feel like.

Speaker 3: LSU was so bad last year that they should have a bounce back here. Did FSU lose anyone in the draft?

Speaker 1: Just one cornerback.

Speaker 3: So they should be largely the same Florida State's basically got everybody back.

Speaker 1: I mean they did well in the recruiting, but I mean we're Florida State's really killing it. Since Norville's been there as the transfer portal, they've been losing guys. But the guys that they've been losing are because they know they're not going to be a starter or they're going to have to share time. So they've done really well in the world. They're loaded at wide receiver man. They brought it. They got Michigan State's best receiver Is that Florida State.

Speaker 5: Yeah, they lost a bunch of guys to Colorado and then they brought in that receiver from Michigan State. They brought in the number one, tied in. I think they brought in the number two offensive linemen.

Speaker 1: Yeah.

Speaker 5: They brought in the number one.

Speaker 1: They brought in the number one tied in the transfer portal and they recruited the number one tied in at a high school. It's no longer you can look at the recruiting numbers. You have to really include the transfer portal because that's probably more important, because those are guys that can come and play right away. There aren't guys that need to bulk up or that need some time to learn the color system. They've got guys that can jump in and play right away. So I'm excited. If LSU can beat LSU in week one, then I'll be very, very excited about the prospect of making the playoff. Then, of course, the other big game will be the Clemson game, because that game is actually in Clemson this year. Florida State, clemson, harry 11 and a half wins.

Speaker 5: FSU 11 and a half wins. What do you say? Over or under? How many games?

Speaker 1: Oh games.

Speaker 5: Oh, do they have like 15 or something?

Speaker 1: I don't know, I think for FSU to make the playoff, i don't think they can lose more than one game, but they cannot lose. Yeah, they got to look good doing it Actually, fsu, do you guys?

Speaker 5: realize this year.

Speaker 1: Fsu and Clemson could actually play each other twice this year because it's no longer two divisions in the ACC, Now it's just the two highest ranked teams playing or the two teams with the best records playing in the ACC championship game. So I'm going to say FSU. I think they almost have to be LSU.

Speaker 3: No, not FSU. It turns out to be good. I mean, this could be their bounce back here.

Speaker 1: I mean that's not a bad loss.

Speaker 3: Week zero. Yeah, yeah, It is a week zero. Matchup right.

Speaker 1: Yeah, if we lose to LSU and LSU wins the SEC, then that's going to be considered a good loss. But the problem is the SEC is just so fricking loaded and it's probably going to be Alabama and Georgia, and the SEC championship came again. So I just don't know. LSU is good enough to beat Alabama Throughout the season and then beat Georgia.

Speaker 3: I don't know anything about college football for next year. I haven't even.

Speaker 5: I mean. LSU as bad as LSU was in the beginning of last year. They finished like number 16. I think they won 10 games.

Speaker 3: They were bad in the beginning. They were so bad, they were like in the last place. So, harry, who's going to win the cup? Champions League? No hockey. Stanley Cup, oh hockey.

Speaker 1: Hockey Stanley Cup.

Speaker 5: The Cup.

Speaker 1: The Cup. Yeah, i should have known better. I'm going to go with Vegas, and that's more of anybody but Florida.

Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's Vegas.

Speaker 1: I'm just rooting against the Florida Panthers right now. Anybody but them.

Speaker 3: Just let them get close, let them sniff it, just be like maybe next time.

Speaker 1: How many overtime did that go last night?

Speaker 3: Last night they scored early. in the first one, yeah, it was like a minute or two. in The other one was a marathon.

Speaker 1: Corey, Christopher, here's your dad in Ecuador on vacation. The only thing he has to say is I can't watch a soccer game in English.

Speaker 3: Oh damn, that's rough Thoughts and prayers. That was hilarious. What kind of vacation is that?

Speaker 1: I'm in South America. I can't watch a soccer game in English. What the hell is going on? You're in South America.

Speaker 3: I'm sure there's some soccer there.

Speaker 1: Oh my God, that was funny.

Speaker 3: That was funny. when Brandon was like football, that was his response.

Speaker 5: Brutal.

Speaker 1: We never finished talking about the Champions League. Does anybody think Man City is not going to win that game or that it's not going to be a blowout?

Speaker 5: Lukano Lukaku.

Speaker 3: That would be so funny to see him score a goal or two in the final.

Speaker 1: Just keep in mind Lukaku's history in big games.

Speaker 3: Has he played in big games?

Speaker 1: Remember the World Cup.

Speaker 3: The Golden Era The.

Speaker 1: World Cup when he had three wide open shots.

Speaker 3: Oh yeah, i forgot about that, Yeah.

Speaker 1: Remember he should have had a hat-trick in the first half.

Speaker 3: He's like crying on Terry Henry's shoulders. So, mike, damn it sucks.

Speaker 5: Yeah, i really hate to see that That's another guy.

Speaker 1: Why didn't the US go after him, or did they even try to go after Andre?

Speaker 3: I don't think I ever heard. All I heard was Mourinho, Zidane.

Speaker 5: Did they go after Luis Enrique? Spanish coach?

Speaker 3: I think so. I feel like that would be. I mean, are most of the US team in the MLS or are most of them in Europe?

Speaker 5: Right now they're all in Europe.

Speaker 1: Right now the most player Are they mostly EPL.

Speaker 3: No, they're not in Bundesliga. There's a lot in.

Speaker 1: Bundesliga. I would say a majority are in Bundesliga. So who's the top three?

Speaker 3: American players And where are?

Speaker 1: they at You've got a few in Spain, you've got a few in France.

Speaker 5: Really. Mckinney and Tyler Adams are at Leeds, ulussic is at.

Speaker 1: Chelsea. They already said McKinney's going back to Juventus. Juventus, yeah.

Speaker 3: Oh, he won't get relegated What's?

Speaker 1: his name He was on loan.

Speaker 3: Oh, it was a loan. Oh, i didn't know that. Yes, oh, that was permanent. Yeah, who else Where's Reyna? Where's he play Dormin Dormin? Oh, you guys ever miss Michael Bradley.

Speaker 5: Only every day. The goat Love that guy.

Speaker 3: Him. and what's the? I'm drawing a blank. The guy with blonde hair, i think he's in the start of the Z, he's tall, fast, but he can't score.

Speaker 2: Zardis is who you're thinking of.

Speaker 3: Yeah, that's who I'm thinking of. Where is he at? Is he in the MLS?

Speaker 2: I think you're the first person to think of him as a footballer in like 10 years.

Speaker 3: Where is he? at Austin FC Powerhouse? What's his second job? What's? um? there's a video of a Zardis in the US And, uh, zardis is ready to represent Austin. Oh, he's, he's ready.

Speaker 2: Is Austin aware that he's ready?

Speaker 3: I didn't even know Austin had a team. Is that a new MLS team, just just hanging around? Have you guys seen the Beetlejuice, the memes about just hanging around? No, no, you guys haven't seen those. Oh, dude, they are. I'll send you one there. I think they're hilarious.

Speaker 2: You might as well just ask me if I watch the Diamondbacks game yesterday.

Speaker 4: What did you watch? the Diamondback game yesterday?

Speaker 5: Yeah, I did actually I was gonna do this, so is Andrew just like skipping on recording?

Speaker 3: Yeah, dude, like He's got, he's, he's, uh, he's putting down both ends of his takes getting the Inside and the loosey verbal meme He's the always sunny drawing board mean trying to figure out how he can bet on every single T.

Speaker 5: Oh, I love that. Yeah, this guy. That guy's name is Beetlejuice. I thought you were talking about the movie, Yeah same.

Speaker 2: Yeah, and that was the shock of the year to me, was Chris referencing a movie?

Speaker 3: Yeah, oh, Not a movie at all, but dude, they're so funny like the type of like that there were they like Photoshop admin stuff? Yeah, and some of them are so good.

Speaker 4: There was Andrew, really not, you would think he was. You would think he'll show up by the norm over recording time That you mentioned, except the earlier one.

Speaker 3: He's probably gonna.

Speaker 2: No maybe he thought that we met you guys I didn't just talk some.

Speaker 3: Oh god, you guys just want to get into some basketball, maybe, talk some. You guys want to talk which, uh, eastern or Western, which one you guys want to start with?

Speaker 2: Oh, i mean let's go Western, because that's an easier thing to just kind of wrap up that series pretty much over.

Speaker 3: Okay, so I'll try to like. I have some questions because I've actually been watching a good amount of basketball Oh, lately. So I'm gonna ask some questions that come up when I I've actually watched every game of The conference finals, hockey and basketball. I'm ready to talk ball, yeah. First question, that LeBron. It was funny. The first full game I saw him play was the, the one where he shot that unorthodox looking three and a be smiled.

Speaker 3: I was like who is this guy, Cuz he looked. He looked so good at first, like the first half of that first game one. He looked so good. Yeah, I'm like oh, so this is why he's been winning in VP's. I've never really seen him play.

Speaker 5: She was. I mean he was on pace for like 70, 40 and 40 in the first quarter, something like that and then totally fell apart.

Speaker 3: Yeah and the third. So why and this is for anyone why are the Lakers down 3-0 to the nuggets? Is it just like a Cinderella story and the nuggets are just that much better? or do LeBron and ADD not have Enough surrounding them? or is it a coaching battle? What do you attribute the main reasons for a Denver being up 3-0?

Speaker 2: I think it's probably a combination of factors. I think the primary one is just this is still the Lakers who started the season 2 and 10 and they made some trades at the deadline to Like make themselves better. They're probably better than a 7c that they finished that, but they're So probably like a 3 or 4 seed and this nuggets team is legitimately just maybe the best team in the NBA. Lebron's definitely injured and old, so it's taking him a while really back from injury. Yeah, cuz he had. He was supposed to get foot surgery at the end of the regular season But he didn't, and so he's like that's. I think that's why it's settling for more jump shots, stuff like that. Right now His three is just not falling, so that's definitely. Yeah, i think it's his.

Speaker 3: Did.

Speaker 4: I know that.

Speaker 3: Maybe that's why he stumbled on that far.

Speaker 2: Yeah, it's. Look, it's definitely one of those things where he's not at 100%, but also he is, you know, 38 years old, so I don't know how much he'll be at 100% until his retirement. He's 38. Yeah, you're 20, i didn't know it. Wow, i was thinking he was like mid 30s, and then part of it is also just Coaching wise. I don't like some of the lineups that Darwin ham is coming out with Inexplicable, like running T-Lo for as long as he has when he's getting cooked and not giving anything on the offensive end is awful as well. But no, the nuggets are just a very good team. I think I wouldn't be surprised if they win the championship.

Speaker 3: Yeah, they look good. One guy game one that really popped off the screen to me that I had never. I mean I had seen his name before but I didn't really know who he was. Was called well pope. That guy was awesome in game one. I don't remember him doing much in game Two or three. He was good, last time so he hit and everything.

Speaker 2: Yeah, call, will pope hit a couple of threes or three, three or four Threes in, like the third late third quarter, or look what quarter I should run to keep Keep them in in the game. And so then, when they made that 13 over on late, they were able to like take a significant lead. But yeah, i mean, he was on that Laker team, that One in 2020, i believe. So he's, he's like one of those Oh really, yeah, he's one of those rotation guys that you like with the you know the classic like 3D player who give you some defense on the wing, but then he'll just if you hit your open threes in this nuggets offense joke, it's gonna find you. So I think that's probably the biggest Factories. It's just in a situation.

Speaker 3: Where'd he go to college? Do you know Georgia?

Speaker 5: Wow with the Georgia. He's an absolute asset if you're playing 2k.

Speaker 3: Oh Yeah, sure I wouldn't know. I haven't gone out of the.

Speaker 5: Still haven't been it yet. So I looked up an article about LeBron James's foot issue Marsa calm. Never heard of it, but the headline is LeBron James refused foot surgery thanks to a mysterious foreign doctor. So which doctors are back? And then did you guys see this clip? I've never seen this video in my life. He said that he went to the quote LeBron James LeBron James, The foot As like a third opinion or second opinion and he said that he didn't need foot surgery. So he didn't get surgery Some mysterious which not sure gone to the Michael Jordan defeat then I.

Speaker 3: Just want to take a moment just real quick, before we move on to anything else, to congratulate our very own Andrew Wallis. I think he's a perfect 20 for 20 in his last picks Yep, both hockey and basketball and I wanted to just take a moment to Commend him from that, and I think I think we all should look to him for sports guidance because he seems to know everything.

Speaker 2: He don't miss.

Speaker 3: I I sent him a text and he'd 30 minutes ago. He didn't respond. Did he acknowledge it?

Speaker 5: Lastly, damn, he's showing up to this recording like Tatum showing up to the conference finals.

Speaker 4: Oh my god, you probably got mad that you ignored him picking the heat. It was like yeah.

Speaker 3: Well, I mean he's he's sent so many of me Inherently have to get rid of some. I had Denver plus five. Last night. Once Andrew sent the minus five I was like, oh sweet, Oh yeah, let's go down. Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good now. I do have real quick. I do have a $2 future on Kepka to win today. What are you thinking the odds on that are anything? Hofflin wins it or Connor Smith? Oh, I Was actually asking Ramos if Kepka was gonna win the tournament.

Speaker 2: I got tiger today actually.

Speaker 3: Really okay.

Speaker 2: Is he still in the in the running to win? you can cut that. He's probably got pretty good odds. You can cut that if not.

Speaker 3: I don't even think he played in this tournament, corey, did he? I don't think. I feel like we would have heard If you did no, he had his ankle fused like two weeks ago.

Speaker 2: I used to, yeah, when I say, when I say tiger, i mean like at home today. I think he's, i think he's personally golfing today.

Speaker 5: So I He's, he's on the simulator.

Speaker 3: Yeah, he's like, like Corey, he's got the, he's got the mat on the floor.

Speaker 4: I just saw Chelsea made an offer for From who you went this.

Speaker 5: We need more players, so that makes sense $80 million offer?

Speaker 4: Oh for who? Oh, I have like the striker from who vets us. How do you spell that?

Speaker 2: You know a HOV IC He's he's definitely gonna be the answer and attack. I think all of the problems will be solved as soon as you spend 80 million on him. Yeah, might as well just spend 90 just sure Yeah, cuz you don't want him to feel insulted.

Speaker 3: We should, we should fake wrap up when uh, andrew, I just told him we're wrapping up now What if he's like I'm not gonna join, so Do we want to move over to Deet Celtics? Do what you guys think me's. should we talk? Should we talk Grant Williams And me Butler?

Speaker 5: who in Jimmy Butler? Who is this man? More like can't lose this 14, something like that.

Speaker 2: It's, he's 14. He was number 12, which was a thought that I had before, for that situation happened that the hilarity of Grant Williams being the New England based player to wear number 12. He's really carrying on that legacy May, like, obviously, i think I can speak for all of us when I say that nothing makes me happier than a Boston team losing. I think that is like a sports tradition like no other, but maybe it's the like Negative sportsman in me, but I still don't feel like this series is over. I wouldn't be shocked if I Were to come back in the series, just because I am always expecting the worst case scenario and The Celtics still are. Yeah, i'm doing that.

Speaker 2: Made the made finals last year, but yeah, it's uh, the like one term if, assuming that obviously the heat were able to get through this and Assuming that they make the finals, this is probably top Three of the last two decades as far as a single player playoff run because, like, the only things that I can think of that are definitely Above this since, like, 2010 is dirt in 2011. Obviously, because he beat the big three, i guess Kawhi in 2019, but even though that, like that Raptors team was pretty good across the board. They have been fleet power and stuff and See how come, see how come and they and they beat like a pretty injured warrior seem in the final. And then 2018, lebron is right up there too, because he dragged that Cavs team And would you say that that Mavericks team was better than this heat?

Speaker 2: easily right, it has to be, would yeah, yeah, but I guess it kind of depends on who you give credit to as far as like coaching wise like Eric Spolsters, obviously maybe the best coach in the NBA right now and is improving at this entire playoff run but like it's just what could. Like the Jimmy's putting up like 30 points a game and the the obviously there's other contributions Guys are. You know, guys off the bench and undrafted guys are scoring like 15 16 points every night, but like they need Jimmy to score those 30 to 35 points a game, otherwise they're not coming through and his defense, i think, is a little underrated at this point. He's averaging like 34 seals game in this. In this run, too, like he's. He's been incredible on defense. It really does remind me of that 2019 choir run, just defensively, the way he's shutting down the passing lanes and picking off passes and stuff like that. It's been incredible. Also, shout out to Jaylen Brown for it's up with only avoiding any sort of slander whatsoever.

Speaker 2: Like he's probably so happy that Brent Williams did what he did, because you know Brown went like seven of 23 the other night And he hasn't heard a peep about it.

Speaker 3: It's funny. That was. My question was what happened to Jaylen Brown, because he looked terrible in game two. How did I don't remember How did he do in game one? I remember game two. It was terrible, i think when I think he was yeah, i think he was fine.

Speaker 2: A lot of people have been saying this and I agree with this take. I think Jaylen Brown kind of has that that play career where he, when he's good, everyone is like, oh, he's better than than Jason Tatum, he's a real best player on this team, kind of thing. But when he's bad, nobody cares, because Jason Tatum's the one that's gonna get the blame, because he's clearly that. You know Jason Tatum's like that one a on the team. Yeah, jaylen's been kind of weird. He was good in the finals last year But he's he's kind of like the rest of the Celtics looks like super up and down. I think he like he's made it clear that he wants max deal, but the way that he's playing right now, i don't know if Boston will give him a max deal, but I guess it's like who else do you get?

Speaker 3: He was 22, 9 and 5 Game one. I just texted Andrew. I was like, hey, we're gonna stay on for a little bit more if you want to join. He's like, oh, i thought you said you were done. Yeah, i can hop on. So we should take a wrap in it up, let's. Let's like talk one segment, like let's just talk before he joins. We'll just continue to talk Miami, boston, and then when he hops on, we'll talk like another couple minutes and then we'll wrap it up.

Speaker 3: Did you see? I watched the, the whole Grant Williams, jimmy Butler thing at the end of the game. I actually missed because I had it on the smaller TV and I was watching. I think it was the overtime game I want to say. So I ended up watching the highlights the next day. I don't know if you guys noticed, but right when that happened there were four I looked like four guys that were low 20s, just like, just looks like quintessential Boston, 20 year old, 20 year old dudes. And After that altercation with with those two, every time Jimmy Butler took Grant Williams on one-on-one, they would like stand up and like reach over the the sideline and clap and like let's go, let's go. And then Jimmy Butler would score.

Speaker 3: They'd be like sit down, and they did it every single time and it was so funny and I recommend you guys go back and watch that, because They're like really into it and then they're like Are they sitting on the sideline or behind the hoop? They're right next to the bench, like you can't mess them. They're right next to. They're like right next to where the Boston coach was.

Speaker 2: That's such a Boston fan. Thing to do is to expect Grant Williams to get multiple stops on Jimmy Butler one-on-one.

Speaker 3: Did you see Jimmy stats against everyone on the team? There was a stat of like his field goal percentage and points Versus everyone else, and then it was his stats versus great Williams and he was like 84% Williams and everyone else 37 or 42 or something like that.

Speaker 2: Yeah, it's. It's so funny Jimmy and Kauai kind of have similar careers and that they like at their absolute peak. It's impossible to argue that they don't have like just legendary playoff runs, but then also they regular season-wise. They haven't really ever been in any sort of real MVP conversation or anything like that And even they've had multiple playoff runs that haven't ended well But they're like their peaks are just in quite like.

Speaker 2: People have posted videos of like Jimmy's play style compared to Michael Jordan's and it really is insane how similar they play just from like the way that they get into the post and that they're like long, but those like fade away twos that they like to take and that kind of thing like play style wise. I think Jimmy and Kauai are probably the best comparisons to like a my color Kobe that are in the league right now And they're the way that they play defense obviously is Kind of similar to and that they're both kind of those like Classic wing defenders where they can take you one-on-one and get the stop but they can also get into the passing lane, can totally disrupt it. Okay, you're going, but that whole heat team early plays very, very good defense. They're built on that.

Speaker 5: So what do we think happens?

Speaker 3: game three I mean, obviously I think we all want Miami to win. I just I have a hard time believing that Boston would get swept or drop three. Yeah, i Just feel like they're gonna win one and I feel like, if this, if they do one one, now would be the time. But I hope I'm wrong.

Speaker 2: Yeah, i agree. I think I think the future of the series is dependent on. I don't think there's any way that Boston gets swept. I would be Legitimately more shocked if Boston gets swept than if they. You know, we're kept to come back and tie the series, so I think it's inevitable that they'll at least get a split here. I think the future of the series, though, depends on what game is the split. I think if they get the split here and and make it to one and the series is less daunting, then maybe the series goes six or seven. I think if Miami goes up three, nothing, and then Boston win one game, then it probably ends in five. But I don't know, it's my gut says that Boston probably wins game three.

Speaker 3: Yeah, same, i have a. I have a question. So, in regards to Jimmy Butler Can, can someone explain to me why? because I'm watching this game now, i'm watching, like this series and I'm like this guy is very, very, very good How is it that he, you know, went to Chicago and then went to Philly and it wasn't he on Minnesota Briefly as well, and now he's in Miami? So why? why is it that he bounced around and I was fourth team and in the playoffs He seems like a guy on the floor that can just take over, can, like because wasn't there the sex the Sixers wanted to Sign to buy his Harris instead of Jimmy Butler? So someone, oh, oh, something, true, someone could talk to me about a why Jimmy Butler bounces around, because he looks amazing.

Speaker 2: Yeah, it's been. I think it's just been bad situations. The Chicago, like he's, the Chicago and Minnesota are both kind of the same situation and that he was on teams with a bunch of young players And he I mean Jimmy has a very specific style and he's not going to change that style of like leadership and he, he's Like you know, he's more of a vocal, aggressive leader and he's going to hold people accountable. He kind of has that like Kobe style of pissing people off And that didn't work very well in Minnesota or Chicago, just because those are young teams, not a lot of experience. But he was also right about them, like he wasn't wrong about Anthony Towns or anything about him, you know, not being maybe the strongest leader or whatever. Oh, i mean, cat is great, but he's not the guy. Jimmy wasn't wrong about that. So I get it.

Speaker 2: But then Philly Philly's the one that feels like the miss opportunity for me Could. They were just in a really bad situation, cap wise. But they did choose to pay Tobias Harris over Jimmy. I think Jimmy knew that was coming and so the last like three or four months of his time and Philly, he Was very clearly checked out. So Tobias was playing better than Jimmy at that time.

Speaker 2: But that was also because Jimmy was pretty aware of the rumblings from the, the front office that they weren't going to pay him And they were going to pay Tobias Harris. So I think it's just been one of those things where the fit has been pretty shitty for the last few Teams that he's been on. But Miami is like the ideal team for him. He's got a great coach, he's got a system built around him, he's got a team that plays defense which he Can lead and you know, be that they're like the focal point of that, that defense in that offense. So I think it's just been an issue of him not having a good fit Could even in Chicago up until he left, there were a couple of years where they were legitimately a really good team with Jimmy and, as the like, as a leader know right, Joe Camino Yeah.

Speaker 2: Yeah, it was like with that poster, when they had Jimmy and Rajan Rondo and stuff. They had a year I think it might have been like 2016, 2017, somewhere in that range where they had a similar situation to this. They're playing a one seed Boston and they went up to nothing in that series in Boston and then ended up Can mix backdoor swept and lost that series for two. So that mean that Chicago team was good too. I think it's just been kind of some weird situations leading up to this, but now it's finally his team and his squad who's been able to step up.

Speaker 3: Damn. I'm looking at Tobias Harris's contract five years, 180 million dollars Yep, yeah, i don't even know. I have no idea who that guy is like. If you told me He is, who he plays for, where he went to college, how good he is, i know nothing about him. I might have been able to tell you that he plays for the Sixers, but that's it just from that, jim, we went to Tennessee Classic Yeah he went to Tennessee Oh.

Speaker 6: That's why yeah, um, i think the Jimmy, you Ramazana by you, but it felt like the Jimmy was on a trajectory until that practice in Minnesota and that that kind of derailed his whole reputation, the league, because he I mean I don't know what exactly happened, i mean it's that was a closed-door practice There's no footage.

Speaker 6: So it's just all on hearsay, but it sounded like he was just a complete asshole to those guys and you know, he goes from there to the Sixers and it just everyone got the feeling like, okay, this guy just wants to be On a team by himself, he just wants to be by him. Okay, have fun, you can go be the guy down there that that ain't gonna work like this. He doesn't want to play with other superstars. That was his reputation. So that's why I didn't work in Philly, like it's.

Speaker 6: I mean, it's easy to sit back at blame Philly now, but it's at the time and yeah, no one thought that Jimmy wanted to even be on a team with other superstars. They want. It seemed like that guy just wanted to be on his own because I mean, he was with the Bulls, he, i think he really liked playing Chicago and then they kind of you know The lion side and with that trade that was a real one of those shocking trades that I could remember Saying to Minnesota He hated that Because he didn't want to like I don't, he's just a different guy, he's different person.

Speaker 2: He is high standards for the teammate, like he loves. He and Joe and B'd love each other And I think if they get the opportunity they would play together again. But yeah, he's definitely one of those guys that has very high standards for his teammates and What wants to be able to hold them accountable, and you can't really do that when there's other guys that are on max contracts. Minnesota was, i mean. I can't imagine a worse situation for him because that team was ready for what he was bringing to the table.

Speaker 6: Oh yeah, yeah, I mean he's really the last of the. I mean every everything. It's going viral again that Jimmy Butler is the son of Michael Jordan, so I don't know if that, if you guys are aware of that, did you know that, chris?

Speaker 3: What conspiracy theory?

Speaker 6: that Michael Jordan's son is Jimmy Butler, the son that he had at a wedlock. That that No. So apparently, if you people like and a lot of people really believe this so Jimmy Butler Has an unknown father. He didn't know his father, like he was abandoned by his father. So if you go back to where he was born in Houston and nine months earlier the Bulls were playing Rockets in Houston and so a lot of people believe that Michael Jordan had a one-night stand and He, he is the father of Jimmy Butler and then he went to the Bulls, jimmy, yeah.

Speaker 3: Yeah, no, was he drafted by the? he was drafted by Chicago, right Yeah?

Speaker 6: Yeah.

Speaker 2: He's got a crazy story Second yeah, he's a second. Yeah, use it in Marquette, right.

Speaker 6: Mm-hmm. No, he was a first-round pick, last pick of the first.

Speaker 2: Yeah, cuz he was homeless.

Speaker 6: Yeah, i think he had to. He was like adopted by this family that took him in while he was in high school and then, because he really had nothing before that, so yeah, he's got a crazy story, but that that would be. I mean he kind of I mean I mean mannerisms like somewhat looks like they're the same height. I mean heaven, mj, it would be crazy. They would never agree, like there's no way you get.

Speaker 6: Michael Jordan Don't do like a DNA test or something to make sure this is never. This is never gonna be. You know we're never gonna get to the bottom of it and figure out if it's true or not. If you ever signed with Charlotte Wilmone, for sure. Yeah well, Michael Jordan's not the owner of the Hornets anymore, right Is he? didn't he sell the team is?

Speaker 2: it officially sold or are they like? is it like a Washington football team situation, or they're like in the process of selling?

Speaker 6: Yeah, I think it's in the process Trust the process.

Speaker 2: Yeah, plus the process.

Speaker 5: Trust the. Also, i'm sure that Jimmy trade out of Philly was a Little bit of Ben Simmons was. That was like his rookie year, wasn't? it was up years. And then they had Joel and bead Jimmy. I mean Jimmy Butler is like regular season career wise. He's like a 45 percent field goal shooter. Yeah, exactly You like 35 from three.

Speaker 2: Yeah, he's one of those guys that you like. He has never been. I don't think he's ever made an all NBA team.

Speaker 5: If you look at that situation, if Ben Simmons was gonna be the guy you know taking most of like the you know Bringing the ball up the court, making plays, jumping it into Joel to either score or make a pass, you'd probably Wouldn't hate at the time, hate the idea of having Tobias Harris instead of Jimmy bowler, but obviously now that looks dumb.

Speaker 3: Is Tobias Harris considered good? I mean it's a big contract So I said he's good. But like how good? I know nothing about him.

Speaker 2: That's why his standards his standards are so low that he shot like 30% or something in that in that series that they just lost In in seven and nobody slandered him for it. Because he has zero sand like the, the expectations for him are Lower than the floor at this point.

Speaker 3: I feel like the only thing I see about Tobias Harris are Are satirical posts online about how that should have been Jimmy butler. I just know he's the guy that replaced Jimmy butler. That's the only thing I know about.

Speaker 6: Well, you know why? because Jimmy butler actually said when he was like I don't know why, when was that last year, that clip? or Jimmy butlers, was it last year's, last year? coming back to the locker room, yeah, he's like going to locker room and he's saying, really, tobias Harris over me like waits to get to the mic.

Speaker 2: Jimmy's like the best, he's like a, he's like a WWE showman kind of thing. It's so much fun.

Speaker 5: Yeah. Yeah, I'm looking at a Tobias Harris his two years On the clippers before he got traded. He was shooting from 341 percent and 43 percent.

Speaker 2: Oh, it's not bad.

Speaker 5: That's good right. 32 first year in Philly.

Speaker 3: So what's the bronze? What's the bronze? three point eight percentage of the series? Oh my god, like 13 percent in Jalen Brown. Yeah, that's a myth. I didn't know. Man city just scored, did they? really weird? Oh, man didn't expect. Feel bad for whatever chumps their plan And did you bet Chelsea plus 1100? I?

Speaker 6: Thought about it, but you guys advised me against it. You're welcome. I Was thinking like if they, if they?

Speaker 3: clenched. If they clenched yesterday and they're just hung over today from celebrating, then they only be, Chelsea like to know offensive prep Exactly. It's only gonna be two now It's a close game.

Speaker 6: What's uh city's gonna win. Champions like, right like are they.

Speaker 3: Yeah, be nice if that was in our parlay, because Denver and Uh, dallas, yeah man Yeah.

Speaker 6: Denver picks looking pretty good right now.

Speaker 3: I told you, whoever picked that? and there's ball. What did everyone have? we should build another one. We got to build another one, let's do it right now. Do you guys like it with the how we did it last time, where each person sends in one to two picks And we just do it that way, kind of secretive, or do you want to build it like together?

Speaker 6: No, I like to shame each other's pick. So let's hear them.

Speaker 4: I think, chris, one thing you should do is randomly assign people a category And then have them. I don't know.

Speaker 3: I feel like it's. I feel like it might be better. We could do that, because that would be a different way of picking. But I feel like, allowing Each one to pick one to two, that they're Maybe mildly confident or have a rationale for picking, that might be beneficial.

Speaker 2: But I think actually yeah, i was gonna say I think it's actually less beneficial because it seems like every time We try to pick based on expertise, it goes poorly.

Speaker 3: What about the World Cup? though, just real quick, was that? oh, because we are actually yeah, i guess huge factor in that?

Speaker 2: sure that's true? Yeah, i did go off of that piece on that one, and yeah, make sure you put 2026 in there.

Speaker 3: That'd be such a cop out move to throw that in there. So you don't I.

Speaker 5: What if we build two parlays, one based on expertise, one based on the opposite? Let's do it, and do you want?

Speaker 3: me to like assign categories. I.

Speaker 2: Think for the, for the lack of expertise one Yeah, i would be fun if you just randomly assigned, but like intentionally, like gave me something I really don't know. No, i was saying something I really don't know.

Speaker 4: No, I promise an expert. You watched time of access today.

Speaker 2: Real quick before we get Zach Allen before we get too far away from baseball. What is it? I saw the Rays. Are they like lost six of their last nine or something like that? Like they're kind of on a rough run and I've seen that the bullpen is kind of falling apart. What's the deal? What's going on? I thought they were good.

Speaker 6: Yeah, so The injury bug is kind of hitting the rays pretty hard right now. They they've won the last two, though, okay, they are still incredible at home. They're 21 and three at the drop. Baby, it's rocking at the drop. 21 and three insane. Yeah, they're not as good on the road, they're 13 and 10. So, yeah, we had a rough home road trip. We I mean we played play Baltimore, who's red hot right now to Yankees, and then the Mets, mets cheese.

Speaker 2: We Didn't we get that's a game We were, that was rough, right against the Mets, where we just yeah, because we were up five to two with two outs.

Speaker 6: in the bottom of the night They gave up a three-run or a three-run homer, tie it and then in the extra as we go up to and then we get up another Three-run homer to lose it. But yeah, our bullpen is really tough. We got Fairbanks back, so that's good, he's been okay the last two days, but yeah It.

Speaker 6: What's really sucked is we lost two of our best starters, so springs, he's done for the year. And then we lost Rasmussen, who's probably gonna be out at least two months, probably more. So we're really hoping we get glass no back. He's on a 15 day right now, so he should be back in the next couple weeks. But yeah it's, it's really our offense that's carrying us, which is crazy because usually the rays are known for pitching, but our offense has been incredible this year. You still. We are still on pace to set the record for most home runs and hitting one season. So we doing it anonymously. Chris, are we saying you are picks or we gotta just you want to go through it real quick?

Speaker 3: I Mean if we're assigning categories. I feel like that would be a post recording thing to do.

Speaker 6: Okay, that'd be good, we decided on the categories here Who's our, who's our experts and what categories, and who's our non expert?

Speaker 3: I mean, yeah, we could do it, We could do now.

Speaker 6: Okay, who's the? who's the NFL expert? Because that's that's the one topic We all know really well I.

Speaker 5: Feel like we should go from like more niche to more general, so that everything, everything gets taken right. Okay so.

Speaker 6: I'm guessing I'll take baseball and college basketball.

Speaker 2: Whoa, hey, whoa. Okay, i Just felt like it was awkward if nobody fought him on it. But yeah, you can have baseball.

Speaker 5: Romances. Idea on fighting him on it is whoa I'll take.

Speaker 6: Honestly, i'll take a. Of course, if you want to take college basketball, I could take college baseball, because I've been following that pretty pretty good this year. Yeah, you probably get No call ready for. Yeah, we're getting ready for. So, for college baseball, next weekend is conference tournaments And the weekend after that's regional, super regional, and then we get into the college world series in Omaha We find selling Omaha. Omaha baby. Oh yeah, there's like six teams in the SEC that could legitimately win, But the SEC is so loaded for baseball It's insane.

Speaker 5: All right, and now is Andrew our chief college baseball correspondent.

Speaker 2: I feel like I I helped a little bit like Clarifying that the college world series is in Omaha. That's not information you're getting just anyway.

Speaker 6: Yeah, okay, who else is claiming categories here?

Speaker 3: I mean, if we're talking expertise, I probably should pick hockey, I would assume.

Speaker 2: So also real quick. What is this for Like? what are we? because, like, half of the sports are not in season or pretty much out of season. If it's like soccer, are we doing like next year's Premier League winners or what's the next year's?

Speaker 3: I don't really want to go that far. Yeah, i'd rather do like a few now.

Speaker 6: Whoever gets. That's really easy. You have two options for Champions League, right. And then what's the other? soccer, oh, mls, anybody know MLS Oh.

Speaker 3: You can't even put a future in. Yeah, I can't say.

Speaker 6: They're not even accepting bets.

Speaker 3: Yeah, and I'm like, oh, they must be playing right now. There was zero games being played, so I was like, oh, okay.

Speaker 6: What? No, there's games being played. Nashville played last night.

Speaker 3: No, i mean at the time, because usually there's a live game. sometimes the futures cancel out and you have to wait till the game's over. But yeah, no one's even playing. They still haven't. I say we do this off air, what about?

Speaker 6: Europa, europa played, they've played there.

Speaker 3: Roma Yeah, it's Roma, It's in the final. Roma and Sevilla Roma.

Speaker 2: Sevilla, and then Conference League is West Ham, and truly no idea who West Ham is playing in the final. Oh shh.

Speaker 6: What is it? Whoever gets soccer just picked between those championship games. I mean you have the benefit of only having a few teams to select from. We're going to need some easy picks to get to.

Speaker 3: I thought my Denver Nuggets pick was pretty easy.

Speaker 2: My Denver Nuggets pick. We can all claim it though. We can all claim it. We can all claim it. We can all claim it, But yeah this might be a good thing to just have you tell us off air.

Speaker 3: Yeah, because it's going to be a pain in the ass to edit just like 30 minutes of us just like, oh well, yeah, because we don't have a clear vision, we have no idea what we're doing, so it's just going to take 30 minutes.

Speaker 6: That's good podcasting, though, right.

Speaker 3: I would argue the opposite actually. So in the essence of that, we talked about Boston and Miami. Andrew, we did talk about Denver Lakers already. I don't think you were on the call yet Anything that you want to explain Your Lakers minus five and a half pick last night and now, that did not go well. The floor is yours If you wanted to talk about that series.

Speaker 6: Yeah, I think LeBron is clearly not no longer in the go conversation. It's really, I think his career legacy is on the line right now Agreed, because at 38, michael Jordan was really good.

Speaker 2: right He was, was he? Oh, no, wait he was one of those championships with the Wizards. Oh, yeah, right, Yeah, 38,. He was definitely using with the Wizards and he was really good with the Wizards, right, he wasn't averaging like 19 points a game, shooting like 40% for the field.

Speaker 6: Yeah, he didn't have to go against any superior athletes like Yoakitch or anything right.

Speaker 2: No, is he guarding Yoakitch 101?

Speaker 6: Should be. I mean, if he was really the best defensive player in his NBA history, probably should is who is the best defensive player in NBA history?

Speaker 2: Bill Russell.

Speaker 6: I guess It's not LeBron anymore. Carm alone Okay Man, he's really fallen. Yeah. No, i'm completely shocked by the Lakers. I thought they would at least make this a competitive series. I thought this one was going at least six or seven. The NBA makes no sense anymore. Like you thought that this is where the conference finals. I mean, we expected it to go the opposite. We expected, okay, we'll have LeBron, and well, lakers, celtics or something.

Speaker 6: We'll just have, like you know, back to normal for the finals, And now it's. I mean, has there ever been a more improbable run in NBA history than the heat right now, Like this is? this is insane.

Speaker 2: Yeah, there's only been one other eight seed to even make a run like this, and it was Houston. In like 96, something like that, or a much better or a much more hyped team than this. This is like unprecedented.

Speaker 6: Yeah, i just it doesn't. I mean, we were talking about this earlier, before the playoffs even started, when the season was going on, about how this spring of the season means absolutely nothing, and we're seeing that right now, And you can't even make the argument that Miami hasn't like, like that.

Speaker 2: They're making a run because they haven't played good team, because they're this is literally the one this two seed that they're potentially on the break of the inning. They already beat the one seed and then the next, which is whatever Exactly.

Speaker 6: Yeah, yeah, now they, they've had an impossible path on top of it too. But I mean the Lakers. I mean this is kind of I didn't believe in the Lakers when the playoffs started. I didn't think they would get past the Warriors, because you're talking about a team that literally built the roster what a month, two months ago. And all these guys are, you know, still gelling. and it just happened to work out that you got Anthony Davis at full strength, healthy, playing you know his best basketball in it. That was a matchup nightmare for the Warriors. Now you're seeing him going against another big, a lengthy team that can guard and shoot the ball just as well as the Lakers have been shooting it And the nuggets of they've shown they're legit. Now, like usually, this is the point in the playoffs when Yokech kind of takes a step back and chokes a little bit. But I mean Jamal Murray's stepping up And then to me he is the most underrated player in the NBA. It doesn't give enough credit at all. Yeah.

Speaker 2: I think people, everybody gives the credit to Jokech. I think people just use the bubble to discount Jamal because he had a great bubble run And then he had like the injuries and stuff. But I think we're seeing now that that's just legitimately who Jamal is. Yeah, he's also the perfect, like complimentary player Jokech. Like he's that that's a perfect combination. Like he's the exact skill set that Jokech needs because, like last night and even the fourth quarter of game two, jokech didn't have like Jokech shot like four of 16 or whatever last night and the day before he hadn't scored anything in the fourth quarter. But that's fine because they have Jamal who can take on scoring and arguably the nuggets are more dangerous when Jokech is assisting rather than scoring, because if he's scoring then they're probably in a bit of a doubt.

Speaker 6: Right, yeah, no, i think this is probably putting Murray on that, that pedestal of one of the top guards in the league, if he's able to keep this going like. The last two games have been insane, but this is like we said at the beginning of playoffs if Denver was ever going to win a title, this is the year. Like they need to take advantage of the how crazy the season has been and these powers are down.

Speaker 2: And I think if they continue this run and they run through this Lakers team, and then I mean the heat are a tough man, that's a tough matchup. The heat have already had tough matchups but there's no one on the heat-picking card Jokech and I don't like. if they do, i'll never discount the heat, but if the nuggets make that a quick series, then all of a sudden I think the question becomes are the nuggets now the power and the less? I mean they have the roster they can build around the talent that they already have. and then it becomes a question of if they're going to be the ones that run the West for the next six to eight years, depending on what the rest of the teams do, because they do have the talent and the ability. it was always just putting it all together, yeah.

Speaker 6: No, i mean it's going to be tough. I mean I can't doubt the heat anymore, like the heat steps up to every challenge. I mean Bam is a great defender, maybe he could go with.

Speaker 1: Jokech.

Speaker 6: But gosh, I just wish they still had Marquis Morris on the heat so we could get that rivalry rendated between Nugget's heat and have that Remember that promise when.

Speaker 2: Jokech brothers were like you're going to be in a fight.

Speaker 6: Yeah, like it was like actual security issue for the. NBA, where they were worried there was actually going to be a brawl. Yeah, that would be fun, but you guys really think the Celtics are going to get knocked out? I don't think they're now going back to Miami, where the heat haven't lost.

Speaker 2: Yeah, before you hopped on, we were having a conversation. I think we're all kind of in agreement that we're not counting out the Celtics yet I personally wouldn't be shocked if this series is 2-2. going back into Boston, i would be a little surprised if Miami doesn't win at least one at home. but it wouldn't be like jaw-dropping to me for Boston to flip the switch, because it's inarguable that they're significantly more talented than what the heat have roster-wise. So it's all about if they can figure it out over two games or not.

Speaker 6: And then, can these heat role-players play at this level? for that It's insane, yeah, but the guys like Caleb Martin and Max Truse and Gabe Vincent, duncan Robinson, gabe Vincent, it's insane. They literally have and Kevin loves on the team but he's not doing anything. It's these role guys that they have. Caleb Martin went for 25 the other night. This guy was undrafted.

Speaker 2: The minutes they're getting out of these fringe players. They would be fringe players on any other team. It's insane, and I think part of that is Spolkstrip, but also, these guys are just playing out of their minds.

Speaker 6: It's legitimately insane the shots that they're hitting. Even Kyle Larrie he didn't score at all in the last game but he's had some good games and good big shots in the series 15 in game one. Yeah, i really thought this was shaping up to be the Celtics playoffs to lose Once they got past the Sixers. That was the legitimate threat Del Coast. I don't know. I don't know what's gone. I don't know what they do If they don't win this year. How close have they been? Yeah.

Speaker 2: I imagine that they're going to move on from Missoula after this year, because win or lose, that's not the answer. I don't know what they're going to do outside of that. I don't know that. The roster that is it's built right now. I don't know if it is good enough to be a fully healthy Milwaukee team. I don't know. I'm just curious what do they do if Jason Tatum isn't feeling it, because he's been born in the fourth quarters but he's also scoring 30 points a night. So if he scores 24 in a night, what are they going to do outside of that? Where are they getting their other contributions from? Because Jaylen Brown has not been consistent. Marcus Smarts, I don't know that. He's the answer as a primary ball handler and then they have really nothing coming off the bench. But Rosser is kind of being propped up by really good performances from a couple of players and now it's out of that. They've been struggling. Horford's got 38 now. That's not a long-term solution either.

Speaker 6: Yeah, i think they probably should have just cut Grant Williams after that game. That would have at least sent the message to locker room like, hey, we got to actually get it on now. Get rid of these distractions. It is nice to see, it's always nice to see when you have a guy that you hate that no one else knows about, and then now the national media and everybody that watches the NBA. He needs to see how big of a douchebag this guy is, because that guy I hate him so much. A test He was there forever He wouldn't graduate. I don't know, do we throw in a? we should maybe do a parlay where we just throw in the Celtics, just in case You had a great. I mean, you're never going to get better value Unless they lose game three. Yeah, I could, but I can't believe it's never. I thought it's happened at least once, never happened. 3-0 deficit, none basketball match, wow, yeah, i don't think that old Lakers team, i don't think LeBron at this age is able to do that.

Speaker 2: If he was, if he didn't have an injury right before the playoffs, like maybe this goes a little bit differently, but the situation that they're in, they just not yeah, Yeah, It was that 13-0 run the fourth quarter last night.

Speaker 6: Just they were in the game.

Speaker 2: They were in. They've been in all three of the games. They could easily have a win or two in the series, but they're just not like. The nuggets have just been good at the exact time that they needed to be.

Speaker 6: Yeah, oh, quick question about Arsenal. So is this the greatest collapse in sports? Is that? are we putting that on that same level, the Bruins this year or any other? They led them primarily for the most number of weeks without actually winning it right?

Speaker 3: Yeah, but they're like top five, so it's like not, if they are, they're just beating their own record. Oh, i'd give it to Boston. Okay, boston Bruins. That was a joke. What's awesome about the Boston Bruins is the fact that they lost in the way they did is their old coach, bruce Cassidy, is the head coach for Vegas, and it would be so funny.

Speaker 6: Is it his first year in Vegas? Yeah, it's his first year. Yeah, that's crazy.

Speaker 3: And they look good, They look good. That was Harry's pick earlier to win the Stanley Cup the. Vegas Golden.

Speaker 6: Age Vegas.

Speaker 3: Okay, I don't think I like that. Did we ask Harry his NBA? I don't think. I don't think we did. I don't think we did. Everyone Is he a?

Speaker 6: big NBA fan, does he follow on?

Speaker 4: No.

Speaker 3: Are you serious?

Speaker 6: Oh, chelsea almost scored. guys off the post, off the post.

Speaker 3: Oh damn, That was almost awesome Equalized. Raheem Sterling was just on a breakaway and missed.

Speaker 6: Guys, i think they let's put, let's just throw Chelsea to draw here in the parlay, let's just get some big odds. Yeah, go ahead, right off the bat, yeah, you funded this Yeah.

Speaker 3: Put Chelsea to win And what are the odds on that?

Speaker 6: And then throw Brooks too, because Brooks is going to win today, right?

Speaker 3: No, nope, no chance, chris, is it just a?

Speaker 6: parlay or you have it by itself.

Speaker 3: By itself It's a. I did the same thing because draft Kings does like an 18% boost for like the majors. So I put a couple of dollars on him to win the Masters and I was like, oh, he's getting close, He's getting close. And then he lost on Sunday. So here we are doing the same thing. I almost cashed out, but I'm going to let it ride. Wow, It's only two dollars. So I'm not like it's okay.

Speaker 6: Yeah, i had John Rom to win the Masters, but it was in a parlay with the Bruins, so How'd that go?

Speaker 3: Is it still alive? Is it still alive, yeah?

Speaker 6: Yeah, I put the Bruins and Arsenal to win the game primarily in so many parlays 860 both of those teams collapsed.

Speaker 2: Thank you for your service.

Speaker 3: It's so so much. It's so funny that you mentioned that because if you go back, because if you all the futures that you have Arsenal in, if that's the reason it lost, it's still in your open betting slip. So I can do a three and look at all these times I hedged with Arsenal and how the odds just kept decreasing and decreasing as the weeks went on.

Speaker 6: Dude, I had them at minus 150 to win the EPL. I was telling them that they were like yeah, I think yeah, minus 150 was the lowest odds I got.

Speaker 3: Who? what do you guys? what do you guys think about this boost on draft Kings tonight? Jimmy Butler 25 points, bam, eight rebounds, boosted a plus 150.

Speaker 6: Yeah, i love it, except the fact that the last time times we've tried that, chris, i cannot believe. yeah, they are, so I don't know. how are they this good at picking the exact stat line That's gonna come up like one point? It's gotta be scripted. I think we had it's they know cuz?

Speaker 3: Because I noticed that when we bet on Kevin de Bruyne or Ben Benzema to score. and then I noticed, right, de Bruyne was playing Exclusively down the right sideline. He wasn't even in the middle, he was in Saturday so they must have known Yeah, it's, it's bullshit.

Speaker 6: But like, how do they know? like, do they have people that are that skill, like make like, and I'm setting up these booze either that?

Speaker 2: or they have some sort of Like system that they use that like tracks the stats and calculates out what the likelihood is. But it's crazy how accurate it is.

Speaker 3: It is but yeah, it's like certain bets on on one side. If it, if it becomes overpopulated on one side, they'll boost the other side to hedge it, to get it more of like an even thing. So they're not paying out like a huge disparity type thing. I read that's kind of why they do it, but it's insane how accurate they are. It's kind of scary.

Speaker 6: Like legit, we had. What was it? Jalen Brown just needed one, three, yeah one. And then the other night it was anti Davis. We needed 20 points. He scored 18 in game two. I'm like.

Speaker 3: It's any missed the layup and he missed the shot in the last.

Speaker 6: Yeah, he missed like four, three free throws to Yeah, what a bum, what he has. School, yeah, right, school, it's so these play anytime. The Kentucky players going around in the playoffs It's always, it always sucks for people are like How did they not win titles? I can cook you tell me. You had Booker and towns and yeah, yeah, we had Murray and Euless. They didn't even make it to the second round or the second weekend. Yeah, i don't know what Kentucky basketball guys that you talk, you basketball. We have seven scholarship players for next year. It's bad right now. It's real bad. We just lost out on the guy that we thought we had a lock on The transfers from San Diego State. He just went to Arizona yesterday He chose Arizona over.

Speaker 2: Kentucky.

Speaker 6: Yeah, i mean he's West Coast guys, so he stays out there, but still, i mean seven Scholarship players, five freshmen, two sophomores for next year and and it's to the point where we're almost being Praying that Oscar comes back, which we never thought was possible. That's why we went after a hundred decades and he chose Kansas. But yeah, the problem is we're cow does not want to promise kids NIL money and so these Transfer, as you are not gonna be NBA players.

Speaker 2: Was that why? what's the logic behind that? Yeah?

Speaker 3: like what if you're trying to bring in players to compete for a championship and you're gonna say I'm not paying in it And I owe money?

Speaker 6: that seems like a pretty bad recruiting idea, Yeah so NIL, so Speculative, like there's no Exact numbers, no one knows how much these guys are actually making and it's nowhere near what they're saying they're making. So what's like?

Speaker 3: crypto. It's like no one knows what's going on with it. It's so, yeah, i mean basically.

Speaker 6: So our stance is Kentucky pitches to a guy Hey look, we have NIL, we have a collective, we have Deals with these companies. You're gonna be put into these positions to make potentially this amount, but we don't guarantee that other schools are being like, yeah, we're gonna give you three million, and what happens is they don't give them the three million. It's just a handshake deal and that kid gets. That's what happened. That's what dickets in left Michigan. It's because they promised him NIL money that he didn't end up getting. So then he's like okay, well, i want to go somewhere that's gonna guarantee in Kansas. Like, yeah, we can guarantee, we're Kansas, we'll get, we'll guarantee at least at least five mil.

Speaker 6: So why didn't Kentucky do that? Because cow doesn't want. You're not supposed to like the product, we're our. So our AD is super conservative. Guy wants to play everything by the rules, doesn't want to. You know We we went through sanctions before in the past, like you know, yeah, decades ago. But it's we don't. He doesn't want to do chance anything. So you're not allowed to do that. You're not allowed to To pay players to come to your school, which that's what that is is guaranteeing money, miss, it's all done.

Speaker 6: You know, like handshake deals. It's not nothing's in writing, it's not like a written guarantee. But Yeah, we're just not doing that. We're. We're pretty much telling these guys Hey, you're gonna have these opportunities to make this much money. But it's the other schools that are saying this is our collective, this is how much you will get. And They're going, and these guys that are not gonna be NBA players, that if that's, whether in the transfer portal, because they're not going to the league, they're bouncing around. That's what they want. They want to make their money now. So they're going for a guarantee and it's been certain us So I have a question kind of along those lines.

Speaker 3: You mentioned cow doesn't want to pay him. My first question is why? and the second point what sauce now? Why Memphis? he had an issue at Memphis where he paid. I'm not saying he doesn't want to get an sd, take an SAT and then at UMass he paid a guy 28 grand in 95 where they had to vacate all of those wins. So why is it?

Speaker 2: 28 grand in 95 might as well be 20 a million now.

Speaker 3: Yeah, so what's three? What's three to 28 million?

Speaker 6: Okay, well, i'm not saying he doesn't want to pay them. He's all about the players getting their money. That's not what you said, though. No, i'm saying he doesn't want to guarantee. What a hedge take. I'm gonna play both of these. Now, what do you talk like it? I don't know what's confusing about that. Basically, he's saying look, you're gonna have these opportunities to make this much money. If you want to make, you can make more than this. You can make less than this.

Speaker 6: It's it's this, these are, this is how we're setting you up. Our guy like they're driving around in Lamborghini, it's like three, or Mercedes or whatever. They have a dealership with That. It has a contract with us, but I think so the players are set up. It's the schools that are being like hey, we have a collective pool of this much money, you're gonna get paid out this much as a guarantee. We're not doing that. I Think we should. We should be competing the same and a level playing field. I don't disagree there, but That's just the stance. That's cows taken and it's current. It's currently hurting us Sounds a little outdated. Well, yeah, everything's changed. Every I mean college sports today is Like completely different than what it was three years ago, you know it was changed everything about college sports.

Speaker 3: So do they need a new coach, new blood, someone to get in and pay some NIL.

Speaker 2: Maybe a new AD take a little change up at that front office. Yeah, it starts at the top. Maybe, change the name.

Speaker 3: Yeah. I don't know, maybe rough as an issue, change something else. Yeah, yeah, yeah, make it like another issue like like Zach's visa.

Speaker 2: Get some, get some money in there.

Speaker 3: We already have croaker fuel on the stadium and you can pay and I L deals from the sponsors.

Speaker 2: Yeah, put some logos on the jersey, kentucky is safe.

Speaker 6: Yeah, we have croaker fuel.

Speaker 3: That's our football stadium football school Yeah, the sponsorship on the football team.

Speaker 6: Yeah, it's tough to hire, to fire an AD that is literally elevated every program to compete it, you know, for championships, like our tennis just went out in the elite eight. Baseball is gonna be back in the regional tournament. They're a ranked team. Softball They just went out in regionals. Every sport men, men's and women's track is better than it's ever been. Sydney McLaughlin won gold medals like we're killing it and everything. So it's, it's hard to it's soccer We almost won a national title last year, so He's doing a great job. It's just he's, it's a well-rounded approach. He's not, he's not just throwing money at like other schools are, and that's that's tough to compete with, like I'm not.

Speaker 6: You've seen what Tennessee is proposing. Tennessee wants to build a Entertainment district next to their football and basketball arena. Yeah, so if you ever been kneeling there, the stadium is literally right on the river and Thompson bowling, the basketball arena is right next to it and then between those is just a parking garage. They're gonna tear down that parking garage. They want to build hotels, retail, so you know dining options and it's a good idea event space to have. I mean, it's insane, like it's Making college sports like professional sports. That's what I else doing like. So, yeah, schools like Tennessee, or Throwing money at it like crazy and it's working out for them, except Kentucky And we're Kentucky strategy with the old school way. It's not working out Like it's a. It honestly is impressive what Mark Stoops is able to do with football, with the football program, like they put out the budgets That each school spans on recruiting, kentucky is third last and the SEC the only schools that recruit with less of a budget than Kentucky is Vanderbilt, who's dead last, and And Mississippi State, who's just right at us, our level, we're about the same.

Speaker 6: Every other school spends, i mean, even like school like Georgia and Alabama's. They spend four or five times, five times more than what we spend. So I don't know, i don't know what's gonna happen with Kentucky basketball. I think this cows cows definitely towards the end of his run, a man. I think that it's a high likelihood that next year It's his last year, but he's definitely not, definitely not putting together a championship roster like we thought Can't go with seven player. I mean, now it's to the point where we're. We're past the window with the transfer, so the transfer portal is now closed. The only players that could go through the transfer portal now are grad transfers, or guys that are going through the NBA process and want to come back. So I Mean we're out of running out of options here.

Speaker 3: Well, What do you think? or yeah?

Speaker 5: I agree. So Kentucky to win the Natty next year. It's kind of what.

Speaker 3: Terrible. Odds are probably like plus 1200 or something.

Speaker 6: They're probably like the second or third favorite to win it every year, every year at this time we're Yeah, we're around 10 to 1 to 12 to 15 to 1 to win it. I, i Know, just it's like it. I don't know what we're doing. Then we had Lance where he tried he's a four-year guy at Trish transfer to Villanova.

Speaker 3: Contestant is the second favorite, big piece number two second favorite.

Speaker 6: I Mean the freshmen are gonna be good, like we have five really good freshmen, it's just yeah.

Speaker 3: Oh yeah, so the the it's the first, like six or Duke, kentucky, yukon, kansas, marquette, yeah. Purdue, michigan State, arkansas, alabama, houston, yeah, i mean I got plus 2200, 3000.

Speaker 6: Actually, that would actually be really good value because they just got back Nigel pack. He's coming back, yeah, he's one of their best players. Yeah, can you imagine if you put a parlay in Right when March Madness started and you had Miami final four? I get at that point in time, if you had Miami to Final four, you had Heat and then Panthers.

Speaker 3: They would have been stupid money.

Speaker 6: Oh my gosh, it is hilarious that Cain's fan that is Hedging and has both the heat and the Panthers in that parlay It's. It's up to almost like 20,000.

Speaker 3: Yeah, it's like 108,000. I think I saw, yeah, crazy, i mean we could be up there if it wasn't someone hadn't picked Riyama Trid. Could we could be close?

Speaker 6: Yeah, who was that? again You get, I think Rhomas is going. You can say it now. Yeah, it was Rhomas.

Speaker 4: Oh my gosh does that even know?

Speaker 6: soccer. See no soccer. Like, who are you picking real Madrid over man cities? man sees incredible Yeah.

Speaker 3: I forget who he picked. Victor, i remember you had Kansas and the Braves, right? Yeah, i had Denver and Dallas. Dude, i had the nuggets. What are you talking about? I thought I had the nuggets.

Speaker 6: I picked them. You had Dallas, and, and Well then, who were my two? I had, i know I had nuggets.

Speaker 3: We might have both picked the nuggets because not everyone got to, but I had the nuggets written down, so that's maybe why I picked the nuggets, because we didn't do 10 picks, it was only eight, i think. Yeah, all right, so we're two hours in. We've said dick about hockey. Do we want to talk about NHL for five minutes?

Speaker 6: I think it's gonna be Florida versus Dallas in the final.

Speaker 3: Yeah, the Florida Panthers look good. Bobrovsky is looks like one of the best coalies in the world right now. I think it's gonna be Florida versus Dallas in the final. Excuse me, florida, vegas, excuse me. I think I'll say right now for Harry's pick.

Speaker 6: I think it's Vegas. I think they I mean I I could see this Playing out that this is a perfect like but Florida, they choked And they got swept against the avalanche in 96. That's the furthest they've ever been. I.

Speaker 3: Didn't know they got swept, but yeah, they lost in 96.

Speaker 6: Rich. I guess I could see that happening again. I could see them getting all the way to the final. Like it, it just that. Can you imagine the Florida Panthers Winning a championship? is there? think of another team like that in sports, that one?

Speaker 3: They're good, they're deep. They got kichuk and Montor from Calgary and they sent them McKenzie Weigar, who had the biggest point drop-off in a year in like 20 years. So it's like great, great, great trades from Calgary. That's why they missed the playoffs this year, because they took two of Florida's mid players and it showed well And Florida's got a great coach. Paul Maurice is awesome.

Speaker 4: I'm trying to think.

Speaker 3: Winnipeg, he was with Pittsburgh name.

Speaker 6: Name another team that has won a championship in the and The major sports. That would look on a lester city when APL. Okay, but I'll talk about American sports. That would look as weird as the Florida Panthers winning the Stanley Cup. I Can't think of any.

Speaker 3: The bucks winning the Super Bowl that was weird.

Speaker 6: We won one already, though We've got two.

Speaker 3: Yeah, but I mean, we didn't expect that year one. That was kind of. I guess people outside might have thought oh, it's Tom Brady, hope when it again.

Speaker 6: So yeah, I probably didn't surprise too many people.

Speaker 3: It's just weird to say.

Speaker 6: Yeah, but um yeah, it doesn't happen. It doesn't happen. The NBA like, and then the NBA it's. It's always like a superpower, a dynasty, like a. The Celtics and Lakers both have 17, so Would it be the Kings? was that the last one? the hockey sometimes has them.

Speaker 3: I don't know the Kings one the Kings, one of two out of three. I mean they were good. They had great players, two or three of which would be in the Hall of Fame. So it's like that's the thing with hockey There's so much parody. Anyone can win. As long as you're not the Arizona coyotes, anyone can win The Stanley. Yeah, even the Anaheim ducks that would probably be one 2008 and ducks when the Stanley Cup that was. That was interesting, that was weird.

Speaker 6: Okay, and baseball I would probably.

Speaker 5: Isn't that a lot to do? the fact that the salary cap and NHL actually means something, so it's not like these big markets can just go into a luxury tax and Figure it out from there, and baseball obviously.

Speaker 3: It's a hard cap and it hasn't been moving much lately. It was supposed to go up like 10 million, like last year, the year before, and it's gone up like a million or two over like four years.

Speaker 5: So it's also hockey hockey players don't really care about like living in LA or Living in now wherever.

Speaker 6: Yeah, Yeah, this baby. You know what I'm part of my take. I thought it's hilarious.

Speaker 6: Big hat said that sometimes when he's watching a sporting event or like sometimes he'll think about, like Previous champions that he would have bet on, like years that he would like before sports betting was legal, before he was alive, or whatever he was thinking about, who I would have bet on. Yeah, i'm like dude, your big-time gambler if you're thinking about that. Yeah, but he was they were talking about. I totally missed this. Think about how unprecedented it will, how much of an underdog the Arizona Diamondbacks were when they beat the Yankees in 2001, right after 9-11. Randy Johnson and this was the Yankees that came off of three straight world championships And they lost at the Arizona Diamondbacks that in a game. Seven. That that's probably For baseball. That's probably the one outlier champion. I mean, if you're thinking like most recent, it's the Nationals, because they but they were a good team. They had a lot of good players on that team. They just imploded. Sense. The Blues weren't an outlier a couple years ago? right there, that was a good.

Speaker 3: Yeah, i mean they're a hockey town. They've had a lot of great players. They just hadn't won the cup in like 40 years, 50 years, something like that, like Toronto. Like, would them winning the cup be weird or would it be About I don't know? I mean it's a capital hockey, so would that be a weird win, or is it mean it's since 67. It's been a while.

Speaker 6: Yeah, i mean the NBA, It's probably. I mean you had the Bucks won, but that's Yonis, get the Raptors. A few years ago That probably. It gets the Warriors, but I mean Kawhi, i Don't know, it was just the Florida Panthers. It feels so weird, like it'd be so random.

Speaker 5: There's a main hockey, so Yeah, so are we saying that Vegas is the pick coming out of the West?

Speaker 3: Yeah, i mean I think they're the better team. The only thing about that pick for me is Dallas has the way better goalie.

Speaker 5: Yeah.

Speaker 3: I could see him stealing a game. And you know, dallas was in the Stanley Cup three years ago, so I mean they still have a majority of that team. A lot of them are looking for their first Stanley Cup. They got guys like Joe Pavelsky, who's you know, getting up there in age. Jamie Ben getting up there in age. Mason March may getting up there in age Jake Odenture is like 34. So it's Kind of their time and they you need to kind of make a move. But then again you got Vegas. Who's been in the conference finals, what? four out of last six years, or five out of last six years, or something like that. So They, they could do it, they've been there. Just depends on how far their goalie can take him.

Speaker 5: Odenture? Yeah, jake Odenture, he's a kid. He's younger than I am, he's like 23 or 24. I thought he was like 30 goalie. No, he was, wasn't he on that USA team a couple years ago?

Speaker 3: and like I think I'm thinking of No, i'm thinking of the other end. They were talking about that on TV. Never mind, the goalies on the East are 33 34. The ones in the West are low 20 to mid 20s. That's right I was taking. Odenture was older for some reason.

Speaker 6: So if you parlayed Heat, panthers, nuggets, golden Knights to be the conference winners right now, plus 181 for all four of those kind of lame that you can Walk into a city and get an NHL team and basically compete in the playoffs.

Speaker 5: Yeah, if so.

Speaker 6: If you parlayed the reverse of that. Celtics, lakers, hurricane Stars $1 wins, 408 Plus 40,000. Just saying oh Interesting development, though apparently the rays are now becoming more popular for buyers, so the rays could potentially get bought, and maybe a new stadium in the United States And maybe a new stadium in Tampa Yeah, that'd be lit.

Speaker 3: Yeah, i think to buy it. Vinik buying it would be awesome, i just don't think he wants to. Who Jeff Venek for the lightning?

Speaker 6: Oh yeah, i don't know. It's just the problem with buying the team is you have to, like, put forth a lot of your money to get the stadium deal done like that. It's been such an issue.

Speaker 3: Yeah, now focus on the lightning, don't worry about the rays.

Speaker 6: Yeah.

Speaker 5: So I went to a rowdies game last week. It's hilarious that the rowdies have like the perfect spot in st Pete and then the rays are out, unlike the way side of st Pete. Yep, why don't they just build the tropon at L L Lang Right there on the water.

Speaker 3: I think you got to put it in like e-bore Tampa fairgrounds area. Over there You get some of that i4 traffic. I think that's the perfect spot for it.

Speaker 6: Yeah, you got to somehow tie Orlando and that's the like. the trop is the worst location for anyone that's Outside of the Tampa st Pete area, clearwater.

Speaker 3: Yeah, dude, i remember like in high school, like with alex or not not high school, but like right out of college like alex would want to go to like boston games versus Tampa. We'd have to leave work early just to get down there in time and see what's like this ridiculous. So.

Speaker 6: I know one goes Yeah, there's that proposal to build a stadium in Orlando that people are speculating. Dude, I feel like we've been talking about st Pete and pose looks like 15 years It's because this stupid contract that the, that the lease that the city of st Pete has on the, on the rays, they can't.

Speaker 3: The city of st Pete's can't leave.

Speaker 6: Yeah, well it's. It's a problem when you give a team, a city of that size of really successful Yeah, sports franchise. They're not gonna not gonna give away. You know All that revenue that they get from people going to the games, and I mean now they're actually starting to get Good crowds. I guess that many people move down there that are baseball fans, yeah, yeah, where's the rowdy stadium, cory?

Speaker 3: How laying? is anybody like usf campus?

Speaker 5: ish No it's in st Pete, i mean usf st Pete campus. I don't even know what that is Water? Oh, it's like, uh, it's off of, like first south, and uh, oh yeah.

Speaker 6: I'm here. That would be a sick backdrop for a ballpark.

Speaker 5: Oh, it's right near the airport, oh yeah yeah, okay, it's on the other side of the park from the vanoy, it's just down the street from the truck, but it's on like the other side of downtown, i mean.

Speaker 3: Yes, downtown It's not congested in that intersection area.

Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean yeah, the truck is literally right off of i-75.

Speaker 3: It's right next to usf.

Speaker 6: I've never even been over there. What's with the rowdies? How come the tenth of it Have they have a? they've never moved up like in the last.

Speaker 3: You got to be selected. Yeah, I think it's in Nashville.

Speaker 6: All right, yeah, nashville just came out. I mean, i think they made that team out of thin air, like I think it was brand new. They didn't even like I think charlotte had a team and they moved up Lexington. They just got. You got their first. Uh, their start their first season of usl.

Speaker 5: All right, I need to be getting off here in a minute.

Speaker 3: Yeah, the name. Should we? uh, we wrap it up? Yep, all right. Well, i guess that does it for us folks. Thanks for tuning in. Good to see you, ramos. We'll see you in episode 25. Thanks for listening. We'll see you next time, folks. Episode 25.

Speaker 5: Yeah.

Speaker 6: Yeah, we'll be cool.

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Episode 24: Conference Finals, Football Frenzy, and Unlikely Champions

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