Club Shay Shay - Nightcap Hour 1: VINTAGE LeBron DOMINATES the Mavs + Nikola Topic makes NBA DEBUT after Testicular Cancer + Super Bowl CHAMPION Ernest Jones IV joins NIGHTCAP + NBA FINES Jazz & Pacers + Jaylen Brown SNEAK DISS Jayson Tatum?

Episode Date: February 13, 2026

Shannon Sharpe, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson and Iso Joe Johnson react to the Los Angeles Lakers beating the Dallas Mavericks and get a big win heading into All Star Break, Nikola Topic makes his NBA debut 4 months after beating testicular cancer, and Seattle Seahawk and Super Bowl Champion Ernest Jones IV joins the show and much more! Subscribe to Nightcap presented by PrizePicks so you don’t miss out on any new drops! Download the PrizePicks app today and use code SHANNON to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup! Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/NI... 03:05 - Lakers beat Mavs19:06 - Nikola Topic makes NBA debut 4 months after battling testicular cancer 26:14 - Ernest Jones IV joins45:12 - NBA fines Jazz and Pacers57:33 - Jaylen Brown’s tweet1:02:06 - Jeremy Sochan signs with the Knicks (Timestamps may vary based on advertisements.) #ClubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm Bowen-Yang. And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan-Cortina-2026 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Boen, hi, Matt, hi, Elmo. Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen. Hi, Cookie.

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So don't miss a chance to get started on America's number one app for sports picks. Football season was fantastic. But it's time to shift. to basketball. Trade deadline was exciting. You know I'm rocking with LA and my guys LeBron and Luca. More points, more threes, more rebounds, more, more, more. New feature alert. Price picks now have early payouts. If your lineup gets off to a hot start, you may now have the option to cash out those winnings before the game even finishes. Price Picks is simple to play. Just download the Price Picked app today. Use Coach Shannon to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That's Coach Shannon.

to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Prize picks. It's good to be right. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and thank you for staying up late with us tonight for another episode of Nightcap as you watch the Los Angeles Lakers win by the score of 124 to 104 over the Dallas Mavericks. They go into the all-star break with a win.

LeBron James, the oldest player to record a triple double, 28 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds. Y'all know who I am. I am your favorite uncle. That is my partner and co-host Liberty City's own. Bingo's Ring of Fame Honorary, a former Pro bowler and an all-pro. That is Chad Ochosinko Johnson.

And the third member of the Big Three joining us every Wednesday and Thursday night. University of Arkansas alum, Arkansas, Little Rock, Arkansas native, a seven-time NBA All-Star from the Atlanta Hawks. And he found out that he was nominated for the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. That is ISO Joe Johnson.

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It is the same great quality, same great taste, the same smoothness. Please drink responsibly and be safe. Again, the Lakers beat the mask by the score of 124 to 104. for LeBron James, his first triple double of the season, and the oldest player in NBA history to record a triple double. 28 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists. Joe, you watch this game tonight. You watch LeBron.

What did you think? How did you think he look? Man, he looked great tonight, Ocho. He got off to a great start. You know, that first quarter, he had 16 in the first quarter, Ocho, I saw, yeah. He got to go, when he started hitting you with that little walk out of the school, he's going to look it out.

Yeah, yeah. You know what time it is. You know what time of it is. So I knew he was going to be in for a great night. And I think he understands the moment, too, man, knowing that, you know, Lucas out. Yeah, he can go out there and get 25, 30 on the Ocho. But to be able to get 10 assists with that, I think he knows that's definitely needed for that team to keep other guys involved so they can just stay afloat until Luca get back.

And, I mean, it's the game to close out the all-stop break, bro. He knew how important this was just to keep. to have that winning morale, you know, going into all-stop break on a winning note, knowing that this second half for the season, this is going to make it break you right here. 12 assists and 10 rebounds along with 28 points, 10 or 20 from the floor. He didn't shoot the three ball well, although he got off to a great starter shooting the three ball. He missed his last, I think he missed his last five attempts on the three ball. But I thought he played well.

He knows, like you said, Joe, he knows Lucas out and Austin Reeves on a minute's restriction. So he had to play well. I thought Rui played really well also hit some big shots. They swung the ball, light some nice catching shoots. But he also was able to, Rui put the ball on the floor. Now, he'll put the ball on the floor and get to that mid range and pull up from there.

But I thought the overall they played well. Look, the Mavericks are very on the man. They've traded AD. Oh, man. Cooper Flag is out with a midfoot spring. And so clearly they're rebuilding. They're going to center everything around Cooper Flagg moving forward. And they says, you know what?

You know, they played hard. I mean, I wish we could. I wish the Lakers could have kept. Yep, Max Christie. I really like Max Christie, but hey, it is what it is. But this team right now, they're not going to really compete. They might as well, you know, don't do that. Don't do what Utah is doing and some of these other teams are doing.

Try to tank because this is a pretty solid draft coming up. Ocho, you see LeBron do what he does. And Joe, you know the problem, the thing is that when you've been great as LeBron has, people don't factor in that the man is 41. We just, Ocho, you know this with Tom. This is I was with Tom. I don't care he's 42. I don't care he's 43.

He's Tom Brady and I want to see 400, four touchdowns and no interceptions. And when you great, this is the level of expectations that people have for you. It's kind of like your kids, no matter how old they get. I'm like y'all 30, got kids of your own. And y'all still expect me by your Christmas gifts? Right.

Damn. Mm-hmm. Thank. So, but this was this look. Middleton, I mean, Joe, they don't have. They don't have, they gonna, this, I think this team, is going to look very different next year.

Yeah. I really do. Oh, yeah. Yeah, they're going to look different. I mean, listen, we just, it's unfortunate in Ocho because we never seen, you know, obviously what Nico Harrison was trying to put together there in Dallas. And that was Kyrie and AD playing together.

With Cooper Flagg. Yeah, with Cooper Flagg, you know, it's just, without Kyrie, man, I'm going to keep it real. Don't none of this work. You know what I mean? You just, you just need him at the helm, you know, controlling things. Obviously, him being the prolific score that he is,

but they just, they miss so much, bro. It's just, yes, it's a tough time now for Dallas. So I expect that, you know, the Lakers to kind of blow this thing up tonight. Yeah. When you look at, you look at Kyrie, he's a guy that can get his own shot. Yeah.

He's a three-level score. He's the best under six foot or however tall he is. He's the best finisher at his sides in NBA history. Nobody can finish. Now, I'm not saying he is above the rim, but the English that he can put on the ball, right, left, and people don't realize Kyrie does everything with his left hand except shoot a basketball.

With that being safe, I mean, he's phenomenal. I mean, he can get the three ball off. We saw that in the NBA final when he hit the biggest shot of his career. In the NBA finals, we know he can get to the mid-range, and when it comes to putting the ball on the floor and pat the rock and finishing at the rim, he's second and none. He don't take a back seat to anybody. So he's special in that aspect.

And I think him and Cooper flag in the pick and roll, I would have loved to see Cooper flag, A.D. and Karii, but unfortunately, we never got an opportunity to see that materialized. We didn't get a whole lot of opportunity to see Kari and AD because as soon as A&S got there, he got hurt that growing. And then shortly after that, Kari ends up tearing his ACL. So we never, like you said, Joe, what Niko probably envisioned for this team, it never got an opportunity to materialize because both of the guys that he was counting on ended up getting hurt. You want to say to him, Joe? Now, I was going to say I really enjoy tonight's game. Obviously, the Lakers playing against a depleted, a depleted MAV's team,

but it's also talked to the greatness of LeBron James, that he doesn't get enough credit. A lot of people chastised him despite what he's accomplished throughout his career, being in his 22nd or 23rd, on? 23rd, being in his 23rd year. And seeing him evolve over the years and seeing how he played the night, obviously, Luke being out and LeBron, whether he has to play on the ball or off the ball

and being able to do some of the things he did the night, obviously setting the tone for the Lakers very early in the game, you know, and getting those shots and getting everybody else and getting everybody else going as the game went on, him being able to transition and playing on both ends of the court. I mean, it looked hell. He looked like LeBron never used to seeing. So it sucks for the Mavs and the situation that they're in,

obviously with injuries. But seeing the Lakers stay afloat in the absence of Luca, I mean, it's pretty cool. But again, they were playing a MAV's team that is depleted, and they really nodded full strength, not even close for that matter. No. Hey, look, we can't help it.

They're on the schedule. This is who they got playing. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, we ain't got nothing to do with that. Hey, look, ain't nothing better than that when you go into a team. Like, oh, yeah, they got about four, five people hurt. Oh, yeah, we got to get us a win tonight. So, Joe. So even as a player, knowing that their team is depleted the way it is,

do you still count that as a win, knowing that everybody's hurt? Yeah, yeah, we're going to kick you when you're down. Man, listen. We're trying to get a dub, bro. Did they have Bo Nix? Uh-huh. You think the Patriots felt sorry for the Broncos? Did it have Bo Nix?

No, son. No. Exactly. Yeah. Okay. No, just like the Steelers didn't feel sorry for y'all when Carson went down in the first drive of the game. They didn't like, oh, man, you know what, man.

Carson out of the game. Man, come on, man. Hey, since and that they're over their fist bumping like, no, no, no, nobody can anybody else. Yeah, I mean, I understand, but, you know, just, hey. Man, hey, Ocho, when you see that on the schedule, you see, you see they depleted the way, like, the Mavs are. If you're the Lakers, you pencil this one there.

Oh, you got, oh, Joe, you already got it checked off, huh? Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. If I'm like Brun, say, going into the break, you see how he came out? He came out with it on his mind. He wasn't playing. Yeah, he got straight. He was on fire.

The team like that, that you just make sure, you don't let off the gas and let them nip you. Right. Because that's the embarrassing point. That's the frustrating point. Part, excuse me,

is that you know they're, they're banged up, and then you take them lightly. No, you kill a net with a sledgehammer. You make sure. You do what you're supposed to do to that team. So like Joe said, I don't feel no sorry.

Hey, man, we ain't have our best player. And, y'all put somebody out there right so y'all didn't have y'all so he didn't get his ass to it but the mother left him got their ass toe up for sure for sure that's a look that's what guys be thinking man when you go on the game then you see the injury report or you see that this team being nicked up for a while oh yeah we got the mouths in the night yeah we got to go and get them up out of hell and joe it's not like what a ocho he called somebody this at the beginning is that they would literally try to get your best play out of the game which is the quarter of the game which is the quarter of the We'll knock his ass out the game. We greatly increase our chances of winning. Right. I'm sad, damn, man. I feel bad for your quarterback.

I just said that, bro. I don't. Right. But look, in basketball, in basketball, Ocho, you know, sometimes it can backfired on you, too, because they got guys that's playing, and then they start having these out-of-body experiences. You're like, hold on, he wasn't even on the scowler report.

It mean, you look up, they may have got 27 points. Yeah. So it can back follow here at times too now. Yeah. I think the thing is when you look at LeBron, sometimes Joe, that's a blessing and a curse. Is that he get off to that hot start and then he'll fall in love with the three because you remember he hit that first three and then he came back down.

He checked it. And I was like, damn. In transition, a blessing and a curse because he will, he will. Hey, I got to see if I got it tonight. So I got to take at least one to two moments from about 28, 29, just to see if I'm still good. But the fact that he was getting everybody that was getting people involved, he probably should have had a few more assists because Jackson Hayes let one go out of his bounds.

He had a wide open dump. Roy let one bounce off his knee. So he had a couple that he probably should have had about 14, 15 assists. But I thought overall they played pretty well. Marcus Mark could not buy a basket tonight. He was 4.14. He couldn't, man. He couldn't.

But he normally plays really well. I mean, his defense is what he's known for. He's a former defensive player of the year. But he just couldn't make a shot tonight, Joe. Now, he normally, you know what it is? Ocho, he's normally a game change. I know he's been starting lately. But normally when he comes off the bench,

he's good at gauging what the game needs, right? Like, if they're down, he'd know how to muck it up a little bit, make the game a little ugly. And you know what I mean? Some way, somehow trying, you know, get the Lakers, the momentum to kind of get things going. But he's been shooting the three ball away.

I think tonight, you know, It was just one of these nights. One for nine from three. He just couldn't buy one. He finally made one in the second half. But, man, listen, he'll do who can play on my team any day, Ocho. You need fights with guys like that, bro. You need guys like that on your squad.

Yeah. I mean, he's going to make his own the ball. He's a defensive guy. Try to take some pressure off the guy. He normally tries to guard the best team's wing player. Hopefully, normally if that's a point, you know, even though he'd try to guard KD, I mean, they don't have a whole lot of great defenders.

Right. I mean, when you really look at this team, the Lakers, they got smart and they got a, uh, uh, Vando, Vando, that's it. Uh, Jackson Hayes is a rim protector. He's not a great own ball defender. And, you know, yeah, he can help weak sides. He's not a king. He's not bitch, Ben Wallace.

He's not, but tumbo guys like that that can defend their position. He's a great help defender. He got great leaping ability, but they really. really have two own ball defenders. They probably need another guy. Unfortunately, they weren't able to get one at the trade deadline, which makes it really,

because your three best players aren't defenders that LeBron can't defend anymore. He can defend for a possession or two, but to ask a 41-year-old to still be able to defend at the level that he wants to in his 20s, you're asking a bit much. Hey, Luca, it just, it is what it is. He's going to give you 30 to 40,

but his guy might have 25, to 30. Austin Reeves, hey, he tried, but hey, it is what it is. And,

yeah, I don't even want to talk about DA. I just, man, listen, look, Ocho,

in basketball, man, if you cannot guard that first dribble, if you getting beat off the first dribble, the first move, Ocho,

we can't get help that fast enough because every play we're going to be in a hucklebook. They're going to be penetrating the paint, kick out for three. throwing lives.

So we're going to have to pick our poison. That's when I see with the Lakers, bro, they're getting beaten off the first dribble. You can't do nothing about that. The whole defense weakened. Yeah, it kills you. It breaks your whole defense down because now you let penetration

and the teeth of your defense and now you're exposed because you got layups, you got lobs, you got kickout for threes. It's just so much, bro. A, Joe and Unk, that's the same conversation

we've been having over the years when it comes to the Lakers. Obviously, obviously having so much offensive power, but being a liability defensively. Yes. I mean, at some point, it all come down,

you got to hustle, you got to want to, at least pick and choose, pick and choose your times when to play goddamn defense. But if you're always getting beat, especially off the goddamn first dribble, I mean, I don't care how many points you score

if the other team's scoring just as many. Yeah, you, hey, look, that's why in the playoffs, Uncle Ocho, the Lakers don't need to, see the Timberwolves or the Thunder. They don't need to see them type of teams. You need, I don't know how, like,

you probably rather play against Denver, but you don't want them teams that got them dudes that go off the bounce like that. It just can't, it's too much, cause too much, bro, they give up too many points. Even though the Lakers, if you look at their record in clutch time right now, Joe, they're probably one of your better teams

in clutch time, five, the game within five points, the last five minutes of the ball game. That's what clutch means. They're probably one of the better teams. But come postseason, When you get beat off the dribble like that in a club situation, guys are going to get

getting way-ups. They don't get wide-open shots. And you can't defend, because you want to make it as difficult as you possibly can. Well, if you can't guard anybody off the first dribble and I got to come help, now I've weakened my defense. Yeah. And so that's the problem that they have is that, yeah, and like I said, the regular season is one thing.

The post-season is something entirely, entirely different. So you have success in the regular season and think that carries over it, but no, teams weak. And that's what, OKC, they were great in the clutch situation. Yeah. Because their game plan for OKC is to wear you down. Okay, yeah, you may get a couple appetizing shots, but we want this tempo.

And we know, Ocho, at the end of the game, under five minutes and crunch time, we know you're going to be dead leg out there, man. You ain't going to be able to get too much. We're going to be still, like we're in the first quarter. Yeah. Yeah. And when one of your three best players is LeBron at 41,

played the second most game, the most minutes in NBA history, he can't get up and down like he once could. That's not Austin Reeves and Luca. They're not speed merchants. So the one thing that you don't want to get into it with these teams is attract me. You're a distance running and you're trying to sprint. Nah, that ain't going to work, bro.

Hey, every once in a while you might have a guy. I mean, you had a guy that could run the mile or the half mile, he was on your mile relay team. Yeah. But he was really, really special. That ain't what the Lakers have. Right. No.

The Lakers got a lot of distance runners. So when you come to sprinting, they're getting last. Yeah. You're just putting them out of the old show to get some points. Hey, that's what I coach, coach all you do. Hey, get out there, coach. I ain't even ran, I ran the 800 all year. Don't worry about you. You get last, but that's a point.

What? Oh, Joe. Whoa. What you mean? You already know I'm going to get last, but that's a point. Right. I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith.

We're putting loneliness in the penalty box by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charmed Diamond Centers, proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories. and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find bromance on the I-Heart Radio Network or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Bowen-Yin.

And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan-Cortina-26 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Boone, hi, Matt, hi, hey, Elmo. Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen. Hi, Cookie.

Hi. Now, the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in, Italy to give you experiences from our hearts to your ears. Listen to two guys, five rings on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, you can decide who takes home the 26 IHeart Podcast Awards podcast of the year by voting at IHeart Podcast Awards.com now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote at IHeart Podcast Awards.com.

Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. Nicola. Nicola Toppich made his NBA debut four months after battling testicular cancer. The Serbian garb was a 12th pick in the 2024 NBA draft.

He missed all of last season with a torn ACL. He suffered before the draft. Then he received a testicular cancer diagnosis during the preseason. He had a procedure in October, then underwent chemo and worked his way back into shape. He entered Thursday night game against the Milwaukee Bucks late in the first quarter and received a loud ovation. That's really one of the blessings, Ocho and Joe, you guys know this, is that player of professional sports? Yes. Because when you go get the physical, they find out everything.

Every, every little. They find out if you got down. diabetes, they find if you got cancer, they find out if you have, you know, certain ailments that probably, probably a lot of times the general population, it goes undetected until it's too late. So congratulations to the young man that he got treated. I mean, he's had a, had a tough time of it. Tarrows his ACL. He battles his way back from that. And then coming back into the preseason, oh yeah, by the way, you have testicular cancer. I've seen that too, man. I've seen him getting a game. I've seen them.

give them standing ovation. I mean, that was dope to see, Archevato. I don't know about y'all, but, you know, my mother passed away 2019 from cancer. Yeah.

So, you know, that's a, you know, that's a tough battle, bro. I watched her take this battle for probably over a decade, you know what I mean, just going in and out of remission. But, you know, when I hear about stories like this,

bro, it was good to see that young man back out there. Glad he pulled through. My father died from it at 39 from cancer. He had two brothers that barely made it. One of them didn't make it to 50, and the other one was 50. So me and my brother has outlived my dad and my uncles tenfold. Now, we do have the oldest one.

Richard is, I think, 91, 92. So I'm on the other side, Joe. I go get a. Oh, yeah, I'll have met the deduct, but let me go. What I need, Doc? Yeah. I get everything. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, you know, we don't think, yeah, I think there's something that need to worry about. Mm-hmm. So go on, hey, go on and send me to a specialist. It's covered. Yeah. So, hey, they's like, well, you know,

there's an abnormality going on. I say, what does that entail? They say, well, we can numb your penis up and put a thing. I said, no, y'all can put me to sleep, but y'all still put that scope down there. Let me see what's going on. Yeah.

Yeah. Hey, Uncle Joe, that's one thing about it. If it runs in your family, if it's hereditary, you know, and other people who've had it in the past, you got to go get check. And even if it doesn't, you know, especially for us fellas, man, when you hit, when you hit a certain age, it's very important to continue to get those checkups, you know, to make sure you, to make sure you're okay, man, every six months. I mean, you mean, to a year, whatever it may be or whatever a doctor sees fit for you, especially if it runs in your family because it does get passed down, you know, through the generations, especially if you had others or uncles and aunts that have passed away from certain, you know, cancer.

So, I mean, it sucks. It sucks the fact that we've made so much movement in certain areas when it come to medicine and technology. But it doesn't seem we haven't been able to find a cure for some of these monsters out there. Ain't no money in the cure. The money's in the treatment. If I cure you, how do I get more money from you if I cure you? Yeah. I need to treat you.

So I need you to bring your ass back. Listen, I don't want to say that part. You know, the funny thing about it, Joe, it's funny. And, um, is we can find a way to do everything else. We can, hell, we can find a way to get to the goddamn moon. We have car, Joe, that can drive. drive themselves without us. And when it, when it comes to some of the, some of, some of, some of the simple formalities,

when it comes to, to, to us as humans, I mean, what do you mean? We can't, we don't, we don't have, I mean, really? Yeah, we do. I mean, you, listen, I, I can tell you. We wiped out polio. We wipe out smallpox. Um, come on. Now, you know, I know.

Buba honey, plague. Hey, I, if, if they really, if they really. But to, to your point, Ocho. Yeah. people that look like your men that look like you would me you and Joe because normally God had to come to the foot of the bed yeah oh you know I saw God last night let me go let me go to the doctor yes sir that was that that was when we absolutely had to go but we didn't have health care and my grandfather and my you know before us they didn't want to burn us with those bills

yeah so but you know what hey let me go ahead and let this go ahead and take because I I can't leave my family in debt for forever and forever and forever. So it was a situation. No, they weren't going to the doctors. And considering they weren't trusting the doctors like they like, oh no, I get sicker when I go to the doctor. That's what it seemed like.

Yeah, because they keep waking your ass up every 10 minutes. I say, damn. If I could sleep, I might get better and get the hell up out of here. But y'all keep waking me up. Mr. Sharp, we got to check your blood. My blood is fine. It's boiling right now. I promise you.

They talk about Mr. Sharp, your blood pressure's up. Yeah, because y'all woke me up. Two o'clock in the day or morning, I finally dozed off. So I'm trying to block that out. As soon as I get to sleep, Mr. Sharp. They wake your ass. Yeah. Right, right.

Hey, I know exactly what you mean, well, I swear. Man, I was like, so, but I'm glad the young man. I'm glad the young man got it, it was, got diagnosed because I think early, early detection is one of the best form of treatment. Yes. You catch it into the initial stages. Now they can treat it. They say nothing about you.

I'm saying, treat it and get you on a road to recovery. So congratulations to Nicolai Topich. Made his NBA debut four months after battle. testicular cancer a year after he suffered a pre-draft ACL tear, still was able to go with the 12th pick in the NBA draft in 2024, and he finally made his NBA debut. So congratulations. They said a lot, man.

Yeah, that's what I'm all right. All right, guys, we got a very, very special guest joining it. You know, he'll love a nightcap. He starred in Seattle Seahawks parade yesterday. Y. DeFiorne, Ernest Jones, DeFourth. Congratulations, man. Hey, you say that, I'll be back. Yeah.

I'll be back. Yeah. You wasn't all the sports, making a terminator. You said I'll be back, and you're going to be carrying hardware with you. Congratulations. Yes, sir.

DJ, you're... I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith. We're putting loneliness in the penalty box by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Centers,

proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find Bromance on the I-Heart Radio Network or wherever you use. podcast. I'm Bowen-Yang. And I'm Matt Rogers.

During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan Cortina-26 Winter Olympic Games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Boen, hi, Mel. Hey, Elmo. Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen. Hi, Cookie. Hi. Now, the Winter Olympic Games are underway, and we are in Italy to give you experiences

from our hearts to your ears. Listen to Two Guys Five Rings on the I-Heart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, you can decide who takes home the 26 IHeart Podcast Awards Podcast of the year by voting at IHeartPodcastawards.com now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote at IHeart Podcast Awards.com. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award.

Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. It was on the Rams when they won this thing actually in your own home stadium. Right. What is, is there a difference? I mean, can you compare or contrast the two if you could? Yeah, I mean, the biggest thing, man, I won that, I won in LA my rookie year.

So I thought it was sweet, man. I thought that's what you, I thought that's what you do every year, man. man. Right. You know, it took me, you know, three, four years to get back to this point and to do it with this group. Man, the way we love each other, the way we fight for each other each and every day, man. It definitely was different because, you know, I understand, you know, the struggle and how hard it takes to get back to that point. Yeah.

Ocho, Joe. Hey, look, you won a Super Bowl, you know, with two different teams, bro. Tell me, tell us what's like, what's the mindset and preparation? that separates, you know, championship teams from, you know, I probably would say just regular teams. Yeah, I think the biggest thing, I think is the mindset, like, man, we went into that game, like, you know, we weren't going to be denied. We were coming out of that game with something, and it had, it was something.

We were coming out of that would win. Right. And mentality on, you know, all sides of the ball was just that. And I think that's what separates, you know, the teams that, you know, get the job done versus those that, you know, don't make it all the way. Right. Yeah, EJ, after watching that game and the way you guys dominated defense, obviously having a moniker for your defense now called the Dark Side that is reminiscent of that of the Legion of Boom. Did you know you would dominate the game in this way and fashion of what you guys did?

Yeah, man. I mean, we were watching the film for, you know, two weeks, man. We were like, man, ain't no way you give Mike McDonnell two weeks. But not only that, we're watching the film. And we like, man, we've seen it all. What is this team going to do against us? And you can tell from on film that we're a different group. But when we get in front of you, it's much different.

It's real life at that point. So I knew we would come out there and dominate. E.J., you must have been on the Leportia yesterday because you all been the other day because you're feeling good, man. I was like what I wish I had some of that. I wish, no, man. That was a little bit of that done then. And why you get that T-shirt from?

I had it made on the spot. I had I had been seeing it online. Like, I've seen pictures of it floating around. And I'm like, man, I've been saying F you and about my quarterback all year. So let me go ahead and get this shirt. When you, when you. That's what's up. You mentioned your first Super Bowl, you're a rookie.

So you're coming in and you got J. Ram. You got Aaron Donald. You got, you got veteran players. You got OBJ. got Stafford, you got Vaughn Miller, you got Leonard Floyd, you got veteran guys on that team. Now, you're in a different role. You're a leader now. And so now guys are looking to you because even though you were a rookie on that team, they're looking to you. Okay, E.J., what do we need to do? Okay, we win the championship game. What do we need to do between the time we win the

championship game leading up to the actual Super Bowl game? So what type of advice were you able to give Man, honestly, for me, you know, it was, it was a lot different being in LA because our Super Bowl was home. Everything we did, you know, was at home. Media Day, you know, everything was at home. So I just told him, you know, get ready, enjoy the experience. But ultimately, man, when it comes down to when it's time for us to go to practice or go to meetings, man, let's be locked down. We came here ultimately to win this game, win us the Super Bowl. And that's what we're going to do. So that's, that was mainly my advice. What do you do now? You got the trophy, you got the ring coming. Offseason is here. Obviously, your offseason is starting a little bit later than others that didn't make it to the playoffs. So what does E.J. do now that the season is over? Man, I'm about to get away.

You know, me and my family, we love going to Hawaii, so we're going to get away here for a little bit. Yeah. And then, you know, at some point, I get back in the lab and get ready to go, you know, do this thing again. Yeah. You're from Georgia, E.J. Yeah, South Georgia. What part? Way Cross, Georgia.

Oh, hello. You're called to a trail. See, Unk, that's what I'm saying. You didn't even, you just finding this out, man. I didn't know you from Waycross. Yeah, man, I'm right there. Man, we used to catch chickens over in Waycross and Baxley. Baxley, yes, sir.

Hey, check this out. That ring, you guys kind of started that giant norm. It's one of those big, I'm talking about this thing this big around. You're trying to top that with the Seahawks? Oh, most definitely. We've got to. I'm hoping and praying they let me design this thing. You know, let me get a few ideas out there.

Man, the Seahawk, he might be on a real, instead of the head, he might be the whole Seahawks. But on a more. serious note, John Snyder's smoke at the ceremony of presentation about how you, Jake Bobo, Drew Locke, and Charles Cross all lost your father's this year. Talk about that special kind of bond that you guys had going through loss, but still having the main focus because you know the football season doesn't stop, even though there might be a loss or tragedy that someone in the family might have faced. Man, it was definitely tough when we all had those

conversation together. You know, I think I lost my father first. And then right around the time that I was losing mine, you know, Charles had started going through, you know, the complications with his. So it was tough, man, you know, speaking to him and, you know, not having all the answers myself because I'm still trying to deal with it. But we got a great support system there. They, that team, I'll tell you, they look out for you. They really truly care about you.

So it was easy when we came back to work because they knew, you know, that we were dealing with stuff, but they let us, they let us grieve, they let us have our moments, they let us come back and be around our boys and, you know, do this thing that we love. So it honestly, you know, made it easier being around the guys. Because it takes a special type of compartmentalization because you realize, like, you know what, I am grieving, but I know my dad would want me, would want X, Y, and Z.

And I know the level of expectation. Because, you know, a lot of times sports is not like a regular job. You know, a regular job, they might give you bereavement time, you might get able to take a week or two. That ain't how professional sports work. Now, maybe in baseball. I can just speak to football, so I don't want to get out of, you know, get out of character and say, well, this is how it is in basketball.

I'm talking about football. Right. Man, hey, basically, you go to the, hey, also, you go into a funeral, when you think you'll be back. Right. Yes, for sure. And that's what I say, like, for, you know, for most teams, and I, and I can't speak for every team, but I know that, you know, they wouldn't be willing to let their start

middle lineback and leave too much and miss that much of time during training camp and the things before. And they didn't stress me out about it at all. They let us, you know, do what we had to do. So I really appreciate them for that. Yeah, it's funny, especially when it comes to losing loved ones. I think teams understand that the owners, the GMs, obviously the head coaches, we've all dealt with loss. Sometimes it happens during the season and end season.

I lost my father. I lost my father when I was with the Patriots uncle. He passed away from pancreatic cancer as well. And they allowed me to do what I needed to do, to do. do it was necessary as far as funeral arrangements and going to a funeral and having to come back. And they understand that. Most of the time, your brothers in that locker room, they understand what you're going through. So sometimes it's somewhat good and you want to be back in that environment of your extended family,

you know, to be around the fellas to kind of get away from that. Because most of the time you go to work, especially after a tragedy like that, that's your sense of peace. No, definitely. Being around your brothers, man. It may make you feel a lot better. Oh, for sure. Definitely. But the thing is, the best thing about that with you, E.J, is that you're a vested player.

Because a lot of times I remember my great-grandmother passed, I was afraid to ask. I was like, no, I ain't going to even ask. I ain't going to even ask. Then when my grandma, my dad's mom passed, we ended up like, we're going to have to have this thing on a Monday. Because if you don't have it on the Monday, I'm not going to be able to make it. So, you know, fortunate enough, like you said, you're a vested player. And, you know, they gave you that kind of time because they, like I said, we understand that this is a, they say this. This is what they say, oh, you know, family is the most important thing.

Man, stop it. Yeah, it's football important too. Exactly. Man, EJ, congratulations, man. We're proud of you. Thanks for coming on during the season and talking with Ocho and I at Nightcap. Congratulations, two-time Super Bowl champ. Yes, sir.

Now, hey, in the same division, one with the Rams and now with the Seahawks. That's it. Been a livebacker for the Seattle Seahawks. Great defense, had an unbelievable game. before we get you out of here, what did you guys see on tape? Because y'all brought Spoon a lot more on the Blitz.

Normally it's emo that would come on the Blitz. But this time it was Spooned and he was getting home because he timed it up perfect. What did you guys see that said, you know what, that coach Max said,

you know what? Spoon. You get home with it. We got to play them next year. Okay. But I will say this. I will say this. the way coach Mike seen it is how it worked

yeah so in other words they had a tail they had a they had a little tail and and we had to do what we had to do yeah well that's awesome man congratulations EJ man enjoy hey get away with your family for a couple of weeks hey yes sir you know

it's either being the hunter that at the end of the hunt it yeah I love to hunt though we still go hunt that's what I'm talking All right, man, congratulations. Enjoy your time off and we'll see you down the road. Thank you, sir. Congratulations.

Ernest Jones, the fourth, Super Bowl champ of the Seattle Seahawks. Man. Man, that got to be a great feeling, Uncle Joe, man. Obviously, you experience it. Just winning Super Bowls, man. Just winning Super Bowls. They're just being in a winning environment. They got to be one of the greatest feelings.

One of the greatest feelings I've never been able to experience. Sometimes I'm in all of players when they, I don't want to call it luck where you just have the opportunities to be on certain teams where they're they're structured the right way we just have the opportunity to win i think it's a great thing and um just just just seeing seeing errant seeing ej happy like that man being able to do it as rookie year then come and do it again on it on the team like like like the seahawks man with a great group like that uh that that's dope that's really really dope it is it is it is oh cho it's unbelievable feeling i mean i can just imagine him coming in as a rookie i came into broncos uh after

they had gotten the eyes beat out 55, 10 by the 49ers. But winning that first Super Bowl, look, and I was very fortunate, like you said, went back to back 97, 98, and then went to the Ravens in 2001 again. Yeah. But ain't nothing like that first one. Ain't nothing like it.

Yeah. Ain't nothing like it. The second one, no show. Yeah. No, I don't even think I'd go into the parade. I ain't go to the ceremony. Baltimore, same thing. It was, it's something about the first.

your first love your first time you know your first time you know what I'm saying your first time oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah ain't ain't nothing like it I mean and I was very fortunate that it meant so much to me I gave my

first ring to my brother because me I was a part of the journey and his career got cut short like two years after he ended up retiring they go to the Super Bowl and win it so and he retired it you know his last year 8-0 18 touchdowns,

94 catches, and never played another snap. He was 29 years of age. So I was like, you know what, man. And I told him, I remember doing an interview with NBC, it's like, bro, we went to super, I'm going to give you, I'm going to get you to rain. And you know what I thought about too, huh? What did you think?

You see how the rings look when Jerry Rice played? Yeah, yeah. How small the rings are? Yeah, I do. Do you think would it be possible for players to be able to upgrade those rings? No, I'm just saying have them look like today's rings

but still have the dates from back then. It won't have, it won't have the same meaning. Well, it don't look like no meaning when you compare to any goddamn way. I mean, I guess, I don't know, I guess you'd have to look at like a class ring or something like that. You know, the rings, I mean, ain't nobody have no 15, 20 carry. I mean, there are like a handful of people that have big diamond rings.

Not everybody, everybody in the NFL White, got a big ass diamond ring. right so it kind of for me you know what i mean you know what i mean though right yeah it's i think what it means the size doesn't doesn't add more meaning to it i won the super bowl they could have gave it to me out a cracker bag a cracker jack box i'm a super bowl i'm a super bowl 32 33 champ i and i get it yeah yeah oh i'm looking at my ring and i've seen guys like god dang yeah i uh hey did you see you saw the a Philadelphia Eagles ring last year? I saw it. I saw it.

I mean, yeah. I see you. I was Jason of Beverly Hills. I've got a couple of pieces from him. I do too. Yeah. He has all the rings that he's basically designed. Yeah.

Since then, Tampa and the Eagles and the, uh, the Rams. Yes. The, uh, the Patriots. Yeah. The, uh, the Chiefs. Yes. So he's kind of, I think he did the Chiefs, but I know he's done the Rams. I know he did the Eagles.

He did someone else's too. And you're right, I mean, you look at you like, Godlie, yeah. But the meaning behind it, right. The size don't even matter. I mean, you look at, look at the Packers on the first one. I was like, damn, that looked like a class ring. But when you see a world champ on the side.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I mean, I don't know. It's like an upgrade. I mean, Joe, sometimes, you know, it's always good to upgrade things. Sometimes you upgrade things to make them look a little better, you know, as time evolves. You'd have to get a whole new ring. You can't, you can't, you can't, that's, it is what it is.

That's not, that's not like a house that you can add on to. Right, right. You'd have to get a whole new ring. I give an example, Ocho. It's kind of what we did with the, uh, the Hall of Fame rings. Yes. We had one company that was doing the rings and they were small. And then I think Kay came in and they're, they're big now.

Right. And so, and so they like gradually, gradually, gradually. And they just like, and they just like, ended up and guys got bigger rings. But I think also guys started wearing them on the index finger. They started wearing them on their middle fingers. And they started putting them on their thumb. We wear yours.

If I wear it, I wear it on my right ring finger. Right. I mean, if I, hey, Joe, if so happened, if I was ever able to win one, I would, I would have had mine on my pinky. Why aren't you pinkies? I mean, that's, I mean, I, I mean, I, I wear everything on my pinky.

They say that's like some pimps stuff. I don't know about that, Joe. I don't live that lifestyle, Joe. I just... Now, I'm just asking. When you wear them pinkering, they say they're like some. Oh, no, no, it just, it's always been me. It's always been me.

I know, I have, I have gargantia. No, you're going to get on the rig, because you want it big. You already talking about the size. It ain't going to be the same size on your pinky and it would on your middle finger. Yeah. That would look weird there.

Yeah. You wear yours on your middle finger sometime, huh? No, no, no. No, no, it's fit to my ring finger. Okay, okay, this one. Yes. Okay, okay, okay. Yes.

Hey, look, I know it feels, I'm sure it feels good to, you know, winning a championship, win a Super Bowl, but can you imagine making it that far and losing, bro? No, I have to take that into the summer. Like, no, I can't imagine because I know I'm a sore loser. My whole family is a sore loser. My sister was all, my sister had a headache because she was so worried. and she showed up, and it seemed like there were so many Green Bay Packer fans.

And she was so worried because they got the ball and we go straight down the field, Ocho, 80 yards for a touchdown. And she's like, Lord, have mercy. Here we go. So she was a nervous wreck. I don't think my sisters, I don't think in the pros, I don't think she saw me lost. Look, every game that she's come to, we've won.

Yeah. But unfortunately, she didn't like coming to the games. But I was going to get that one game, normally the first game of the year. If it was home, she would be to that. My sister said, if y'all go to the Super Bowl, I see y'all there if not, that's it for me. Yeah.

Now, my mom would come because, you know, she would have to go get, sometimes she would get the kids and bring them out. So that was right up her alley. But, no, no, I couldn't, I can't, that, to lose that game. Whatever. And you see how Drake May was trying to find Sam Donald

and then everybody just like, disappeared. They had to roped it off and the confetti falling and they ushering, okay, move it along, move it along. Hey, they got to be the worst feeling, man, when they, they scoot your ass off the field. Yes.

Yeah. Joe, do you imagine how San Antonio felt in game six, they already got the court. They all of them brought the champagne out and then Ray Allen hit that shot and now they got the guy and they pushed the champagne back in the locker room. and oh yeah

and day sorry I'm sorry hey hey hey listen and you get to see that as players

though because I'd have been in a few closeout games and the one that I can really remember is when I was

playing in Phoenix 2004 Uncle Ocho we was playing against the Spurs they was up on us they was up on us

3 1 and we was playing no they was up on us 3-0 and we was playing at they house for game 4

as soon as we come into the arena to go warm up Uncle Ocho I'm talking about, man, they got confetti stuff. I already pent up. They got champagne. I went in the room.

It was shit. I said, oh, man, they're going to try to celebrate on our age tonight. And we can't. Look, I went back and talked to say, hey, man, them four ready to celebrate anything. Anyway, we end up winning the game. But, man, yeah, when you see that, yeah, it'll make it, it'll make it lock in.

That's crazy. Joe, oh, Joe, Ocho, NBA, Fying, Utah, Jazz, 500K for what league called conduct detrimental to the league. and Indiana Pacer will find 100K for violating the league's player participation policy. In addition, Adam Silver said in an NBA news release that the league is seeking to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct. Overt behavior like this prioritized draft position over winning undermines the foundation of the NBA competition and will respond accordingly to any further actions that compromise the integrity of our games.

Additionally, we are working with the NBA competition. our competition committee and board of governors to implement further measures to root out this type of conduct. On February the 7th, the jazz played Orlando Magic in Orlando. Laurie marketing and Jaron Jackson had combined to score 49 points over the first three quarters, helping Utah to a 9487 lead entering the fourth quarter. But the jazz held out marketing and Jackson fellow starters Yusuf Nurkich for the entire fourth quarter, lost the game, 120, 117.

Two lights later, Jazz carried an 8582 lead over the heat in the fourth quarter. And once again, marketing Jackson, Nurkich did not play in the final period. But Utah ended up beating Miami 115, 111. Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith responded to the five saying, agree to disagree. Also, we won the game in Miami and got fine. That makes no sense. the Jazz O, a protected first round pick of the 2026 draft. Hey, what the hell is they trying to do, Joe?

Man, listen, let me tell you all something. Let me tell you y'all something. Okay, Ocho, I'm wet, I'm wet Adam on this as far as finding these teams, but if I'm these teams, I'm going to take that little fine. Because, look, let me tell you, as talented as this draft class is going to be. It can put you, it can put you ahead. 10, 15, 20 years, Ocho, you get the right, you pick the right one. You know, it's some, it's going to be some stars in this draft class, bro.

And if you got, I really believe even if you got a top five, top seven pick, you still going to get great value, bro. It's deep. This is, this is, this is a good one. This is a good draft class. I'm going to take the fine, too, if I'm NBA team. Yeah, I'm going to take that fine too. The problem that Utah has, if their pick is eight or down,

they have to turn that pick over to OKC. So they want to try to get as many ping pong balls as they possibly can to stay one through seven. So we get the kick. Right. Because the last thing you want to have is a top 10 pick that's eight somewhere, eight or below. And I mean, damn, we got to turn this thing over to.

They already got an abundance of wealth. And now we got to. Yeah. That sucks. That sucks for the players. That's playing on the jazz, though, Joe. So it's like, I mean, we going out here playing, and I know management, they're trying to tank.

They taking us out the game. They taking away our minutes. We got, we out here, you know, we got a job to do. And that ain't part of our job, trying to worry about we'll be drafting that. Hey, look, Ocho, you're absolutely right. And as a player, you ain't going to go out there, point shaving. You're trying to get to the money. Yeah.

Because, look, you want your numbers to look good, too, at the end of the year when you try to go up there and negotiate your contract. I don't care that. That's why they have to sit those guys out because if they don't, they don't win. They know they're going to win. And JJ, you're, uh, uh, uh, uh, triple J. They tried to win.

Yeah, they, yeah, they, yeah. Hey, yeah, they're going to be wrong. Yeah. Sit y'all at all that now. Right. Hold on, hold on. Hey, hey, Joe, and all, like, how do the players feel about this knowing, knowing what the team is doing?

Man, players go play, bro. Like, they may, like, it, Obviously, with those guys, they send them guys out in the fourth quarter, he probably already told them, but man, ain't no guys going out there lulliggging, Ocho. Guys really, because they got, they got some nice pieces over there that's having pretty good. Right. Like, give you the guard.

George? George. George balling. He could have been all the stuff. They just gave up a boatload of pigs to get Triple J. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Cavalier fired Ty Lou. Yeah. Because they were trying to take. Tileu's like, I ain't trying to take. I'm playing my guys. I'm playing my bad. player. Hey, Joe, I wouldn't be that type.

You know, if I'm one of the ball is on the jazz, honestly, I mean, knowing me and my mentality, I don't care about what you're trying to draft and you definitely ain't take me out no game. And I'm definitely my time, my time. Then you get fired for conduct detrimental. See how that work? What? Absolutely.

They go, hey, Ocho. You're going to fine because I don't want to come out of the game? Yes. That's Conjerk detrimental to the team. Ocho, we ain't, we are already. We already ain't won, but like 16 games. Ain't like we're going to make no playing and no playoffs. Like we need more ping pong balls so we can try to get one of these

feet arms that's coming out. I got you. Now, the team ain't going to come out and say that, but we know what time of it is. Okay, I understand. Come on. You get looking like the Spurs. They get David Robinson. And then they get Tim Duncan.

Duncan, yeah. And now they get Wimby. But look, how did they get Tim Duncan? That's because David Robinson, and them had set out pretty much that year before they didn't play. They got hurt. So they won the, they was one of the weakest teams in the league, and they ended up getting the number one pick,

and you get Tim Duncan and Dave Robinson. Together. Now you got a dynasty. That was the start of it. That was your linch being. Yeah. Yeah. So this is all it takes, man.

It takes one more piece that Utah can add to that puzzle over there, and they could be one of the top teams in the West real quick. And you got to get lucky. I mean, you look at the Lakers. The Lakers win the NBA championship, and guess what, to get the number one old pick, they get James Warren. How the hell, hold on.

You got magic and Kareemann, we win the championship. And guess what? The number one overall pick, University of North Carolina, six foot eight, James Worthy. Hey, how did that happen though, Uncle? Oh, there ain't no happen. How do you win the championship and get the number one pick? Back, you know, early on, Joe, this before your time, but you could draft,

like the Celtics drafted Larry Bird, his junior year and kept his rights. So you could draft the player and still have his rights. Wait, I'm not even going to ask. Oh, because it used to be you drafted territorial. Right. So you drafted a player that was in that area. Okay. Yeah.

So, but you could draft the player, draft the player. He go back to school and you still maintained his rights. Hmm. Mm. So that's what happened with the Celtics. And the Celtics did a good thing. They ended up.

trading Joe Barry Carroll. And guess what? They traded Joe Barrett, Cal. They got Robert Parenthood. Oh, lo and behold, Kevin McHale. So now you got a big three-four. But they had an eight. You go out and you trade and you get Nate Archibald.

You get rid of Nate Archibald, and then guess what? You get DJ. Who had just won the finals? I think he was a finals MVP with Seattle. Yeah. Damn. Oh, no. They had a whip.

They had a whip. Oh, duh. That Boston Seltz team was I mean a lot of the rules back in the See like in the free throw Joe You used to get three to make two You got three attempts to make two shots That was a lot of like

Damn just no hey So you made Hey you made one you miss one Hey he got one more free throw But uh And I agree with you Joe I see what the jazz is doing It doesn't look good

That you tank but they're going to tank ain't nothing you can do. And now, you're going to just eat that fine. Yeah. At the end of the day, if we get the number one pick or even the number two pick, Ocho, we back in business, baby. Yeah. Hopefully those picks turn out, Joe.

You say we got, they got, you got a deep, you got a deep class this year. Ocho, them top, I'm talking about for show, them top four, five picks, Ocho, they're going to be special, boy. Orlando got shot. And then guess what? That's when they got the next year. Chris Weber. They trained Chris Weber for Penny Hardaway.

Yeah. Yeah. It worked out. You get the right player. All it takes is one. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's it.

That takes one. That's it. It changed it for you. Yeah. That was a smart move. I wonder, I wonder why Orlando just didn't take Penny one. I think because Chris Weber was so. He was so darned.

People don't realize how good C. Webb was before he's in them to ease. Nees gave out on the month. Man, C.well was a monster. Well, coming out of college, he was a beast, Ocho in college. But coming into the league, you just, you can't look, you can, you couldn't see him and Shaq on the same team. And then, I couldn't really see that. It was perfect because you remember leading up, Penny and Shaq was in blue chips.

You remember? Yeah. Yeah, that's one of my favorite basketball movies. He was in blue chips. Ocho don't know nothing about that. Blue chips? Yeah. I ain't see that Joe or not?

Oh, man. Boy, that's a classic. We might take your black card behind that. What is on, Joe? I'm sure you can go, I'm sure you can go see it on. It might be on their own history. It might be on Amazon or something like that. Yeah.

Amazon, yeah. Matter of fact, you know what? I'm going to watch that tonight because, you know, I slept another four hours before we started. Yeah, I would knock that. Joe, you see up there we see right now the top 10, top 10 prospects is Darren Peterson 6-6-6-6-guard, freshman guard out of Kentucky, Cameron Booz, a 6-9 freshman, A.J. DeBanzah, a 6-9 freshman, Kingston Fleming's, a 6-4 freshman, Caleb Williams, a 6-10 freshman, Keaton Wagler, a 6-6 freshman, Michael Brown Jr., a 6-5 freshman, Nate Emmett, a 6-10,

freshman. LeBron Philion is a 6-4 sophomore, and Braylon Mullins is a 6-6 freshman. They got to have Lardis A-Cuff. And he leading the SEC and scoring and assists. Ain't no way he ain't. Is he ranked 14, Joe? Yeah, he's getting money over there.

As a freshman, Ocho, he leading the SEC and scoring and assists, partner. You like that? Yeah, yeah. Hey, you know what? At my daughter's school, I think he heard, I think he tore his ACL last year. He was supposed to be from what I, from I heard, the number one pick at Kentucky. He got, you got the, you got the, you got the, you got the, you got the, you got the braids a little bit towards ACL last year. Oh, I, I think I've seen him.

He playing out of this shit. I think he's, I think he's at Arizona State first, I think, if I'm not mistaken. Oh, the big, big fella. Yeah, they ain't, I mean, Kentucky's doing a eye, but they ain't like having no, you know, I mean, hey, and if Gilson keep playing like this, he's going to throw his damn name in the hat. Yeah. See, the thing is, he's tall. He's like six, eight.

Joe. He about six, he about six, seven. He got some nice length on him. But the thing is for him, because he, you know, he kind of came off, you know, late. He's such a late bloomer to the party. But he'll go to, like, a good team and end up paying it out. He can play. He can get money.

He can play. He's been getting to it out there. Yep, so Peterson. It's a deep drive, man. Hey, March Madden is gonna be fun. Oh, Joe, we're gonna have to do brackets. I know I'm gonna beat y'all in that. No, you're gonna do that, Joe.

Me? Yeah, in brackets. We all fill out of bracket. You're not gonna do that, Joe. No, that's definitely not gonna happen. Man, please. Yeah, we definitely go do that, but you're not winning, Joe. Jalen Brown posted on IG 2425. The record was 39 and 16.

There were the two seed going into the break. Now in 25, 26, they're 35 and 19. Two seed. Offensive rating, defense. They were number four in offensive rating. Now they're number two in offensive rating. They were fifth in defensive rating. This time they're ninth in rating.

Net rating. They were third this year. They're third. Yeah, put them facts out there. Hey, can ask you a question, Joe? But you see what he said. He said, one person tweeted says, bro, say he better than JT. Hey, Joe, who, whoa, look.

Hey, now that we at the halfway point and it's All-Star Break, what message is is J.B. trying to send? Outside of we've seen, he's improved. You know, he's playing extremely well, even with J.T. not being in. But is there a reason for doing this?

Or is he trying to send a message to the Celtics? No, he's sending a message to, I think, the people. Yes. I think for everybody who counted them out to start the season. Nobody had them coming out to east. Nobody had them in the top of the east. You know what I mean? And they've stayed afloat.

And honestly, Ocho, he's in the MVP conversation. Rightfully so he's been bawling, bro. He's been bawling. But they've had other guys who stepped up. Peyton Pritchie. He helped as well. Right. Yeah.

They didn't think you were going to be as good as you are. But J.B., like you said, is averaging 28 points a game. Peyton Pritchard has been Peyton Pritchie, Cole Houser. Though they've had Derek White has played phenomenal. They've had guys to step up. It's surprising that the Boston Celt is considering that JT went down and he was not expecting that he may or may not come back this season. But when you get rid of Horford, when you get rid of Holliday,

when you get rid of Pizzingas, I don't think nobody thought they would be in the position that they're currently in. And he's just singing their praise. And I don't have a problem with him doing that. Yeah, I don't either. I don't either. But they've had other guys outside the guys that Unc have mentioned. They've had other guys come off their bench.

Oh, Simon. Remember, Simons was playing well before they traded him. He's on an expired contract. He had a stretch. He had a stretch he was playing well. It's kind of like plug and play. Guys, it's like a great system. And guys just kind of go out there and do their thing.

You know what I mean? Yeah. It's been fun to watch. They've been competing. He's talking about the fan. No, no, no, no, no, no. The Boston's sales. They didn't think y'all was going to be that.

Because if they thought y'all was going to be that, they'd have kept them pieces. Right. But J-A., J-B letting the critics know, he letting everybody know who was like, oh, yeah, Boston ain't going to do X, Y, Z. Yeah, he'd let y'all know. We ain't far off from where we was at last shit.

Like, we're drilling the same way. So, when you got two guys making $300 million, their damn show better keep best. One go out, they better still float. I'll break this issue up. Yeah. So they second in the... Hey, look.

I'm going to say they're second in each right now at the break, right? How far do you see him? How far do you see him going? Especially without... Matches. It's match. I think it's matchups me. I think, I think, because if you get the wrong matchup in the first round...

Yeah. You could be. Yeah, you could... I'm serious, you could be. It's some teams. Look, I know we talk a lot of crap. And I don't know how long they can keep it up, but the Hornets, prior to the loss against the Pistons other night

and the LaBroner, they had, and the Hornets had won, what, 8-9 games in a row? They won't 8-9 of the road. Yeah, absolutely. Yep. If they end up, if they continue to keep playing well, let's say they do get into play in and do get the 7th or the AC, Ocho. Man, they can cause problems. They're a young team.

I think Toronto can be a problem also. Toronto. Who? Yeah, Toronto. You know, hey, them teams gain confidence, bro. It'd be hard to shut them off in the playoffs when they're out there playing, just having fun, not really understanding the moment,

just enjoying the game. Ever since J.B. let that hair go, he ain't painted no more. He been, hey, off to the races, that man. He free. I'm gonna get me a cough drop. Yeah, Jay, hey, Jay, B look good out there, man. I'm sure they're gonna,

they gonna try to give for this second half, make a good run, but it's sitting top heavy in that east. Form a lottery pick, all-ricky team selection, Jeremy Sohan, So-Han, has decided to decide with the New York Knicks. He would join the Knicks once he clears waivers. He reached a buyout agreement with the Spurs on Wednesday. So-Han had interest from 10 teams before deciding on the Knicks. Joe, how much did this signing help the Knicks? Man, I like him, I guess, because the Spur is so deep. that, you know, they had to give up something, Uncle Ocho,

but he's a great guy like a Twino who can guard multiple positions, plays with high energy. I like it. He's going to help the Knicks a lot. As you can see, the Knicks, you know, they've made some key change of little Alvarado over there. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. The desperado, man.

Picking people pockets. Alvarado be bawling, man. Yeah, he does. Hey, hey, hey, Joe and Unk. I don't mean to change the subject. Avarado remind me the young dude, man. I can't, was he a Puerto Rican player? He was short, but real high energy on both ends of the court, man.

I think he played for the Mavs. Was it the Mavs? Oh, you're talking about J.J. Barrera? J.J. Barre? Yeah, what J.J. A lot? He don't play that mode? I think he coached. He still at the Mavarves, Joe.

I don't know. Okay, go ahead. You can make your point now, Joe. I'm not sure. But now, Alvarado, he didn't, yeah. At like $25 a night, Uncle Ocho, that's a, you know, Nick's trending in the right direction.

Man, sometimes you just need to go to a team and you get an opportunity. See, people think all these guys, I mean, and some of them, but when you that size and you make an NBA roster, you can pay. Like people look at Peyton Pritchard. And people probably see him like, man, I cook this white dude.

Boy, that joke would drop 50 on you. Yeah. Now, for real, in the summer, Yeah, in them summer league, yeah, he will drop 50, 60 points on you, Ocho. Yeah. Yeah, man, that boy would be out there getting money, man. That boy can play. T.J. McConnell is another one.

You look at it like, boy, I'll have to cook, old boy. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, Joe, you know. He being in the camera doing all this on you, Ocho. Yeah. Hey, Joe, they had to show me, Joe. Oh, they would.

Huh? They had to show me, Joe. They would have no problem with that. No, he could know. You see what you call him, Payton Pitcher, get 30 in an NBA game. Yeah. He ain't playing out there, Joe. He's nice.

I'm Bowen, Yang. And I'm Matt Rogers. During this season of the Two Guys Five Rings podcast, in the lead-up to the Milan Cortina 2020-2016 winner Olympic games, we've been joined by some of our friends. Hi, Bob, hi, hi, Matt. Hey, Elmo. Hey, Matt, hey, Bowen.

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