IT IS WHAT IT IS - NBA Preseason Takeaways, Pistons Paid Jalen Duren & Fan Questions Segment Debuts!

Episode Date: October 7, 2026

Ma$e, Cam’ron & Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson are back with another one!! Please rate, review, and follow the podcast for more content.  Listen to the show on Spotify!  https://open.spotify.com/show/4Brb7BgCw4f4jwgS5v3sXQ?si=811988ecff7b416a Listen to the show on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/it-is-what-it-is/id1719695401 Keep up with us on social media! https://www.instagram.com/itiswhatitis_talk/ Snap:  https://www.snapchat.com/add/iiwii_talk2023  Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ItIsWhatItIsTalk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@maseandcam Twitter:  https://www.x.com/iiwiitalk Follow Our Hosts! https://www.instagram.com/masonbetha/ https://www.instagram.com/mr_camron/ https://www.instagram.com/treasurewilsxn/ Follow the show and our hosts on social media: ⁠⁠⁠It Is What It Is⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Cam'Ron⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠Ma$e⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson⁠⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠⁠Producer Ayooo Nick⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My reg league goalie says he plays for the love of the game. You gave up six goals last week, Steve? Maybe play to win, huh? Like with Bet365, I get paid the second my team goes up big with early payout and can cash out at any time before the game ends. Steve, Bet365, the home of winning early. Must be 19 and older, Ontario only. Please play responsibly.

If you were someone you know is concerns about gambling, visit connectsontario.ca or call 1866-5-1-2-6-600. Terms and conditions apply. Back to Who It Is What It is. I'm Tudson, A.K.A. Stab Baby, along with your host, Mace, and Cam. What's good, bro? You know, it's good. Shit, I'm good. How are you? Everything, all right? Good, man. I hope you're not wearing that green because of Minnesota.

No, not at all. Oh, okay. I'm wearing this because I'm a young Peebo Bryson. He said Peebo Bryson. Click on your feet. Click on your feet. You know Peebo Bryson, man. Peebo Bryson.

That was a good. That you know what Peebo is? You know, my goodness. You can definitely inform me. Yeah, man. Peebo Peebo. Yeah, you would have liked Pibo. Why?

I don't know, you know. Okay. They'll tell me why I would have liked them. I want to know. Where is your Minnesota green? Don't you? No, Milwaukee. Wrong, wrong team.

The blow is in the glasses. Oh, okay. We're representing that. Oh, okay. We're not too. Just for clarification purposes. Now we know. Okay, so let's talk about this team.

So we saw first look at Anthony Edwards and Lamello in preseason with the 11-16 to 97 win over the bucks the other day. Mello had 11 points, four rebounds and three assists in 17 minutes. Ant had 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists in 18 minutes. Mace, how do you see this playing out? Do you see this duo working? What do we like? I actually like this starting lineup. I'm telling you, I'm saying it early.

This might be the sleeper team, honestly. Not because I know everybody is high. Paul's on the hog when it comes to, when it comes to OKC, it comes to San Antonio, and I know that's a real southern term. But when it comes to this Minnesota team, When you look at Mello and you look at Ant Man, Mello alone is going to make Rudy Gobert might be an all-star this year. Just remember, I told you this.

If they ever get to first place, Rudy Go-Bear is going to be an all-star. Because the lobs that he could throw to Rudy, Rudy never had somebody who can come off the pick and roll and just throw the ball in the air to him at pinpoint accuracy. And I think he makes Rudy Gobert a more offensive player, and it makes this team a really great team. I mean, if we is playing in the hood, this is the team I want to see because of the slashing, because of the large three-point volumes, pause, this is going to be a good team to watch. And I think they're right there with any other team.

I agree with Mace is far-sleeper team. I don't know how quick it's going to, how much time is going to take them to jail. But, you know, looking from the preseason game, the other night, they look really good. People are, people don't pay attention to this stat because they're so used to it being Steph Curry or somebody else that were known for shooting threes or so on and so forth. But the year before last, if I'm not mistaken, if I'm not getting my years messed up, Anthony Edwards led the league in three-point shots. The following year, La Mello Ball was in second place in three-point shots, made.

They are going to run it up with three-pointers. They're going to score a lot of points. They're going to play fast-paced, and it's going to be other teams' job to keep up with them. Now, what they do defensively, that is the question that we have to ask. Is Lamello going to be a liability on defense? Not saying he has been in the past,

but you got Rudy Gobert, a defensive player of the year multiple times down there to help defend. This team should definitely make some noise. We'll see how quickly they could gel. But I'll tell you one thing. thing. How far they go in the playoffs, that's one thing. But I tell you one thing, if I had to guess right now, they probably are the most exciting team that you're going on to see this season.

Okay. We'll see what happens. Moving on to Anthony Davis. So there is a report by Joshua B. Robbins, who said there's almost no chance the Wizards will give AD a max extension. He currently holds a 62.8 million player option for the 2027 to 28 season, but would become Elis. for a max if he declines. And as we know, he made the All-Star team as recently as 2024 to 2025. So Mace, what do you see happening with AD? And then do you think that he deserves a little bit more respect, trying to get his money? I think it is, I think AD is a wonderful player. I think he's had a phenomenal career. He has some major setbacks with injuries at different times when it could have made him even more productive than he's already been.

I think when it comes to AD on this, on this Washington, D.C. team is going to be based on his performance this year. I don't think they're ready to give him an extension because they already got trade. They got trade young. Then they got this new they got the new guard, AJ that was the number one player, you know, so they got to focus on that first and that got to be their first priority. The future has to be the priority. They can't afford to pay AD as much as he would like to get paid right now because they have to keep that door open for AJ. If they do that now, then they make it hard for them to even in the future be able to make trades. They'll be over the luxury tax when if they ever do well and want to keep this team together. So there's a lot to go into this.

And this is now I got my GM hat on. Right. So as a general manager, I got to to think about this. If we've already paid Tray Young a lot and then we come back and pay AD, how do we keep the number one player in the draft around? How do we keep AJ here? And AJ is definitely got to be his team. So how can he get paid lower than the other two players? That's already starting out on the wrong foot. In Washington, D.C. and the Wizards, they have a history of not doing well when they get a lot of talent like this. The last time they was loaded with this kind of talent. It was Chris Weber,

Juan Howard, and somebody else, and they didn't do well. So this is the first time they ever got back to this place where they had this kind of talent. I know John Wall was there. I know Bradley Bill was there, but they've never had three dominant players in that Wizard Jersey at the same time.

So they got to play this very cautiously. Who's the three dominant players you think they got? Trey Young, A.D., and AJ. So are you putting the band's the dominant player in they've seen play yet? Who? AJ? Yeah, he's the number one player. So is Greg Oden.

I was just asking that's why I was an accident player. Sure, school will fly. Huh? Sure, school will fly. Sam Bowie. You're right. Kim, you're actually right. But it's normally a forward who's a bus.

It's not normally a guard because a guard you get paused, the ball in your hand. Right. And that's why I asked you because he's a forward. Who? The bansel. AJ. He's a forward? Yeah.

What is he playing on that team? It says forward, Mace. I said, what is he playing on that team? Forward, Mason. You sure? Check it out if you want to take your sound. Yeah. Look at it.

It's that. You're looking for you. Yeah. Go ahead. Yeah. Yeah. Let me know what is. What is he?

Yeah. Yeah, you let me know. He's considered a forward for the wizard. I was trying to verify for you. I was like, maybe. Not that this morning one expert up here. It's a couple experts. I would think they would put him at guard because they, they, I don't see who else they have at guard.

It will make sense. And even, I appreciate you saying he's a forward, but just like Cooper Flagg, because you know I'm not going to be wrong. Just like Cuba Flagg, they put him at point guard. And he was a small forward. But when the, when the season started, he was the, point guard. I see Larry. And they have Trae Young as the guard just so. What did you say? They have Trae Young as the guard.

Okay. No, I'm just watching the room. I don't know. I kind of agree with you. I thought he killed my guard too. Yeah, that's what I thought. No, that's what I said. I'm watching the room. I wouldn't do another. Just saying he's a four. I'm not in. I'm right.

Yeah, they say he's a forward. He's a forward. I had a battle with you. I was just, you're the ones say usually when it's a forward there, bus. So that's why I was I'm kind of confused with how his accent. No, you're right. I think, listen, let's be serious about it. He's a combo.

He can play guard if they need him to be on the wing. And forward two. He's a pretty big, poor as fellow. These are signs where he could play both. So I'm saying they got a labeled as a four. I think this is a very exciting team. This is another exciting team if it gels right. I'm talking about the Washington was, you know,

Trey Young. He said he doesn't think he ever had another, damn, I'm paraphrasing, because this is about a week ago, he never had another person on his team ever that required a double team. So basically what he's saying is that I never had no help. That's what Trey Young is basically saying.

So I'm sitting there looking at their roster. I'm not saying they have the best roster in the world, but you got a little older pieces of NBA champion with Chris Middleton. I don't know what you want to talk, DeAndre Aiton at this point. No disrespect. I'm just saying, you know, we used one of them ones at one time in Arizona, and then with Phoenix,

and we were thinking his future went bright and it kind of just kind of turned left. But if this team could gel together, they should be exciting to watch. Will they make noise in the East? You know, the Knicks, you got Miami, you got Philadelphia. You know, Boston, you know, Jason Tatum,

I'm pretty sure he's not going to want to go out quietly. It's about how quick they can gel. And then if Anthony Davis can stay, stay healthy. Back to your question, stat, about offering him to max. I get where the Wizards are coming from when they say they don't want to give Anthony David to Max, so there's almost no chance that they give him the max. A lot of injuries, he came in last year and said, look, I'm not playing the rest of the season. And then this year, early in the year, they was talking about the Max. I don't know if he asked for it or whatever, but this report

the stat just read saying, and I'm saying, we're not going to give him the max, almost no chance. I feel you if I'm the Wizards, but at the end of the day, O.L. Wizard, somebody else will give Anthony Davis some money. Don't act like

it's been popping in D.C. It's been very quiet in D.C. Now, you got the number one pick. You've got Trey Young and got some decent pieces around her, the NBA champion with Chris Middleton. But y'all ain't them, niggas. Y'all ain't been sexy in a long time. The Wizards are not

a sexy location. So when you're sitting there saying, there ain't no way we're going to give him the max. Oh, well, oh, what am I going to do? They're not going to give me the max. Be happy that a nigger like Anthony Davis, and I know we're pretty hard on Anthony Davis on the show. No, nothing personal. That's my nigger. I'm talking about Rich Paul and Clutch Sports. They're my dudes. And I have no power with Anthony Davis. You know, I just fuck around the show, but he hasn't been injured a lot, which I'm not going to ignore. But somebody else will give him the money. and he'll be in the hotter location than probably the Wizards

because he'll have his option to go where he wants to go once his contractors up. Now, I fear of the Wizards, you said, oh shit, this looked like something after 15, 20 games. You may want to reconsider what you just said about not wanting to give him the max. But don't act like y'all had a bunch of options where everybody, you know it's hot down here.

Everybody's trying to get to D.C. I'm not saying D.C.'s a bad city. Just playing for the Wizards. Hasn't been sexy. And it wasn't sexy even like. like what Mays said, when Bradley Bill and John Wall was there, y'all had something there with that, but it ain't been sexy in years.

The best thing about DC is the females. They got some bad bitches down there. That I will say, but don't threaten niggas acting like, yo, there's no chance. Oh, well, oh well, oh well, that's the best I can tell you. Get a little sexy and then start throwing threats out there. We're not giving niggas to max. You should have said, maybe we'll consider it.

We gotta see sign, no. You got to see something this year, man. Give me 17 games. Then come back out of all that, me a sudden. We got to see. I love clutch. We got to love them.

And Rich are going to figure something out, whether it's there or another team. They got until February, so we'll see what he decides to do. So moving on to the Lakers. So Luke could drop 21 points in 16 minutes for the Lakers preseason game versus the Kings. This is kind of like an earlier prediction base,

but how far do you see the Lakers going? Obviously, we've seen. Some things changed with no. longer having LeBron, but what do we think, Mace? Lakers are about, let's see, anywhere from three to fifth place. I think that's where I see the Lakers. I definitely don't got them over the Spurs. And then we don't have them over OKC,

but anywhere behind that they could be there. It could be Houston. It depends. Remember, they were beating up on this Houston team, you know, without a few players there. I know Katie want to redeem that. So that's why I say anywhere from three to fifth place. It should be Houston in third place.

But who knows? Who knows? Then you got, I see them tied fourth or for fifth place with Minnesota is what I see. Okay. Well, I'm looking at their roster outside of Colin Sexton and Barney. You don't know nobody?

Of course we know Austin Reeves and Luca, but I'm trying to look for a nigga I don't remember. Quentin, Walker Cusler, no. Nah. It's quiet for L.A., man. It's a show. It's New York time, man. Quentin Grimes.

Clinton Grimes up there. Because Luca is such a great player, you never want to be like they're out the picture. Because Luca is just that good. But I think Mace is being generous saying three to fifth. I think it's generosity, man. They don't have Rucci Hamarua. What was his name? Roy, I think he got, he's, I'm not mistaken.

He's with the Clippers now. Yeah, if they traded him, I don't got them. Yeah, he is with the Clippers. I don't got them three to five. Listen, the West is tough, man. Six. Six place. The West is tough, man.

I think one one team that we're not talking about with a motivated, two motivated backcourt guards that nobody's talking about and probably better. Portland. That they're not talking about. It's Portland. You got a motivated Damian Lillard

and you got a motivated John Moran. If them two niggins to get on the same page, along with that all started, they had Denny last year, and then Robert Williams, the third at center, they just re-signed to him. This is a team that will go under the radar

and before you look up and be like, hey, Portland, 22 and 3. You're like, what the fuck I've been? 22 and 3, killer? I'm exaggerating that kid. Yeah, you exaggerate. I'm just saying it depends on their lineup,

but I'm trying to figure out, I'm not putting the Lakers over that. Yeah, me neither. Yeah, I'm not putting them over that. I'm not putting them over Houston. Minnesota. Not putting them over Houston. I'm not putting them over Minnesota.

I'm not putting over OKC. I'm not putting them over San Antonio. I'm not putting them over Denver at the present time. I'm not putting them over Golden State. So that eliminates them from the top six right there. It's a dogfighter if you want to argue about Portland. Now, because of, like I said, it's hard because we don't see Luca wheel his way

to a championship, but don't act like like Harry Irwin wasn't right there. Don't act like y'all that make them great acquisitions before the trade deadline were lively and got some great height. And a big man pause with the Dallas Mavericks that run. They did make it to the championship to lose to Boston.

But Portland, man. Portland, they on some shh. But Lakers, I seen, you know what I didn't like stat? I seen a press conference with the GM and the heckles. Jay J.J. Reddick. And Rob Polinka. They asked Jay Reddick about to start five and his answer was,

there'll be some black guys. I did see that. They got two white guys started. He said, we need some black guys. I don't know. I got to answer. I don't like it. They don't know the start and file.

They just say they won't be white. We'll guarantee there's only going to be two white guys start. What do I do with that? What do I do with that in the first week of October when we don't know what's going on? I don't know what to take with that. So I'm not putting any stock in the Lakers until further notice. But, you know, when you got somebody like Luka is definitely a great, great asset to build around. And verbatim, he said, I'm pretty confident in three of the spots.

The other two spots will not be too white guys. I know Cammy gave her opinion, Mace, not giving. Yeah, I wasn't feeling that, you know. I mean, especially it's cool when it's just like two, it's like two African-American guys. Cam says he's not African-American, but it would be like us saying, I guarantee you the rest of the team. Is the rest of your family claiming African-American?

Or is it just you? It's actually. How many people are your family claiming? I'm just asking. Who else? It's from me. I'm just asking. I'll do a survey with the fam, man.

Yeah, man. But I'm saying it would be like us sitting there and we got two really great black guys and we say, we're going to have to get some white boys. You know, it just don't. It just don't. do that before. We gentrified the show, remember? We had gentrification, Trista and Nick one time. I think it's different for us. I don't think it's the same for that. Yeah, I don't think it's the same

because we don't mean nothing by it, you know? Shout to Trista. Sometimes it means something by it. Okay. Well, we'll see what happens for the Lakers. And this last one before we go to break. So Jalen Dern from the Pistons finally signed a five-year, $200 million deal with the team. he discussed that all those other narratives didn't come from his mouth. Basically, people were talking about you wanted a certain amount of money to in order to play for the Pistons. He went on to say, I am a Detroit Piston. I want to be a Detroit Piston for life.

I want to give everything I've got for the city and the fans. For me to y'all, y'all will have everything I have and will get everything I can give. I want the city to know that I truly do believe in what we're building. So Mace, hearing his comments, what do you think of the deal finally being done after a four-month standoff? Hmm. And he said he didn't say any of that. Basically, yeah, he was like all those other narratives didn't come from my mouth. Yeah, that's a real thing.

People pay people to tarnish your name and to put stories out there. So that's why it's always good to have an outlet like it is what it is. Okay. Call us, let us know the real first. Because we have the audacity to say what the truth really is. So you got, you know, for everybody that got a true story that's, In sports, this is the home for the truth. Every other place is kind of compromised, but this is a great place to tell that.

And had he had a place like this that he called up and said, you know what, this is what's going on. I'm not over here as a prima donna or a diva. I really want to be in Detroit. We would have big it up. This story could have been out there, and we probably could have got this money a little bit faster for you. But when you don't have those outlets, those stories get out there, make it harder to negotiate because your name is being tarnished while you're trying to negotiate and that's never a good thing because it kind of eats away at the value of the personnel that's trying to

you know conclude the deal and complete the deal so but I'm happy to hear that this deal got done whenever a black man can get 200 million doing something that he loves to do it's an amazing thing so shout out to him shout out to the whole Detroit and hopefully this year Kay Cunningham could can stay healthy for the entire season, and we can see some phenomenal basketball in the East Coast, because I think Detroit still got something to say. I think that nigga, Captain.

I think everything that was said, he said it, but he can say it publicly, and you leave your agents to do that. So when it comes to this point, Detroit niggas won't be like, why he's putting us through the ringer? Why he's going through all that? You back home.

You don't say that, because in case you go home, You say that wasn't me. You know what I'm saying? That's why you have agents. That's why you have people on your side so you don't look like the bad guy when it gets to this point.

Because if you didn't, let's say, pardon me, he went to another team. He probably been like, well, whatever. What was this close to that? I love the city of Detroit. I stand by it. No, you don't, nigger. You're from Wisconsin.

Where that nigger from? You don't stand by it. They gave you 200 M's. And now you want to be there forever. That is pure cap. Everything that was going on in the media, you told a nigga to say, and I ain't knocking you, nigga.

I ain't mad at you. You have to do what you had to do to get your money. Because just like you say you didn't say it, what you didn't do is also say, I didn't. I'm not saying this when the whole five-month negotiation shit was going on.

Because you could have been out there earlier before the contractor got signed and been like, yo, all that shit out there, that ain't me. That ain't me. I ain't saying that shit. That ain't me. But no, you wait till the deal got done to be like,

I never pushed them down. It's okay, nigga. I ain't mad at you. You said everything they thought you said. And I get it. I get it. Because what happens is this, right? Where his fight is from this.

You think about the top paid forwards. You know, Jason Tatum, I don't know, they got Anthony Davis is forward if you want. Yonis, Jimmy Butler, whatever. You know, it goes from about 58,000, pardon me, million, to where you get down to about 50 million, 40 million, top 10 I'm talking about.

And he's feeling like this if I'm Jalen Duren, right? Right, wrong and different, how he's feeling. Mm-hmm. We know Kay Cutterham's the lead on this scene, but I also am an all-star on this team, I also helped them keep the first place spot. They was the first place damn near the whole year last year. Also came in first in the east by a landslide.

Not only that, Kay Cunningham went down for two, three weeks with a collapse lung, who kept us afloat. It was me, not only that, I'm the only other all-star on this team. I average 19 points, 12 rebounds, shoot 50% from the field. Let me get mine. And niggas is like, yeah, but did we win?

Yeah. We didn't win. Take 40. 40 a year. 200 million. It's life-changing money. And he's like, nah, he was fighting for more. But they didn't budge.

And that's why we end up getting to this point because the season started. Detroit wasn't budging off the money. And he said, fuck it. Somebody in his pounded on his ear and said, come on a, nigga, 40 a year, though. We live in Detroit. No, we're going to run it up. And you don't want to get fined to miss games

because of this situation. So I'm happy that they did come to an agreement. Don't say and say you ain't say that. You said every last word that they speculated, you said, as you should have, fighting for your rights. And then you also did the right thing by cleaning it up. Everything you did was perfect. I just see what's going on.

You didn't do nothing wrong. I didn't say it, which we know you did, which you should have said that. And what you said after the contract got signed, That's what you should have said. You did everything right. But I ain't going to say and act like, I don't know why you did it to the way you did it.

That's the way it was supposed to get done. Bravo, brother. They did right by you with your media talking, when they talk, not to talk, what to say after the contract. You did good. You don't think if he's from Delaware, he really loved the city of Detroit?

Where's he from? Delaware. Delaware. The Delaware is a state, is he from the city of Delaware or the state? Like he's from Delaware State or is the city somewhere else in the Delaware by Philly. What part?

I just live in Delaware. Newcastle. Why are they from Newcastle? I used to go to the mall out there. You heard of not. Nah, Maherst. I used to go to Newcastle. I used to live in Newark.

Yeah. So excited. Nah, it's a city because people think of Newark and they think of Jersey, but it's a city called Newark where Delaware State is out there in Newcastle. I used to go to a mall out there by Wilmington. Grimy City, man, Wilmington. Not bad, it's just rougher than people think

Newcastle's right there. I don't say he doesn't love Detroit. But at the end of the day, and not saying he's not a star there, becoming, growing up, being the star, he's still pretty young, what, 23, 24 or something? Yeah, he's 22. He's super duper young, so he's going to grow into being there for the next five years.

So as adulthood comes, he may fall in love with the city that he's growing up in. Me, I remember when I was young and I used to go on tour, I don't know why. I mean, of course I know why I was young. I used to just want to get back to Harlem so bad. I want to go home, man. I want to go home. He'd be in a city for fucking 30, 40 days. I want to go home.

You're talking about him loving it, right? I know I'm a long going to do with the question, right? Let me ask you this. To your question. Mm-hmm. Do it look like Luca want to stay in Denver when the season's over? Do it look like Luca won to stay in Denver? He meant Joker?

Yo-kish. I'm sorry. Pardon me, the Joker, absolutely. Do it look like he can't wait to get the fuck out of there? Yeah, he's out of there. He can't. This is a nigga who won a championship. And they was like, yeah, he said, I'm going to go home tomorrow.

He said, he can't go home tomorrow. The parade is where. Wednesday, I can't wait to Wednesday. That nigger wanted to go home. The joker palm me everybody for San Luca. The joker, certain niggas, soon as that season over, they going back to where they came from. Is he one of those people?

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know I'm not well to say. But they respect the city that they plan, but they always want to go back to where they live. I remember Larry Bird and I know I'm going back. This thing is at the fucking championship parade with millions of people in the streets of Boston

after he wins a championship. So I love you, Boston. The only place I'd rather be is French-Lick-Poor as Indiana right now. Home? Larry, you're dead ass. Bad disrespect. That's what I'm saying.

Sometimes niggas want to go home. But me, as I got older, home is where I make it, man. Yeah. Home is where I make it. And just to add to the J. Land-Duron thing, because, of course, happy he was finally able to discuss it,

but he did skip Media Day and the early parts of training camps. So everybody was kind of like, what's going on? So they're happy to know that you want to be a piston for life because the fans and the team wants to know that if they're not hearing from you. So I will. Yeah, the money got it clear, though. The money got it clear. Well, it cleared.

And now he's good. So shout out to them for figuring out because he's definitely still an important piece to their roster. But I know a lot of people were questioning different parts just of how he had played. Especially losing Tobias Harris. They name them. Yeah. And then Osar Thompson, he had signed his five-year, $155 million contract.

So he's probably like, where's my money? So the process makes sense. It's just like what was actually going to happen. But we see that they figured it out. Okay, y'all, we're going to go to a break. When we return, y'all, we've got something special. So we will be hearing from you and answering y'all's fan questions. Don't go anywhere.

Welcome back. So we told y'all to bring in some fan questions. you guys could ask anything to Mace, Kim or I, football related, lyric related, whatever you guys wanted. So we have some fans who are joining the show today, and let's see what y'all have to say. First up, we've got Anthony. Hey, what's going on, everybody?

Huge fan of the show. And what's up, man? How you doing? I'm good, man, good. Good to be here. Excited. Good, man. Glad to have you.

What's your question? Let's hear it. Yeah, so I got two questions. First thing was about the injuries with this NFL season. We see a lot of star players getting injured, things like that. I wanted to see if there was a possibility of incentivizing teams to maybe put in their star players for a particular amount of snaps just to make sure they build that, I guess, that callous pause about

with them being able to go for week one. Because you see whether it's Gamar Chase T. Higgins, Jackson, Dart, just to name a few. that are hurt, and it's like a lot of these players didn't even play during the preseason. So you've heard a lot of older players saying, like, they need to make sure that they're getting their reps in for the preseason. I wanted to know what are your thoughts about that? You're trying to say do load management for football?

That's what you asking? That's what you're saying. Yo, is you saying, yo, we need to do load management for football when we only get in 16, 17 weeks anyway for football. now we got to do low management when it's only one game a week per team and now we got to sit there. Niggas soft boy. They soft, man, listen, did you see anybody else complaining? People used to play with their leg halfway off their leg, what they should have way off their leg.

You know what I'm saying? And I'm not sitting here saying, you know, what you're saying is wrong because it hurt, you know, the thing that which is, and this is a legitimate question what you're saying, the thing that really hurts, right, and where you're coming from is it ain't just regular people getting. hurt. The stars are getting hurt. We don't want to see Cincinnati play without Jamar Chase. You know, we don't want to see the LA Rams playing without Pooka Canua. We don't want to sit there even if you're the Giants fan without Jackson Dark with all the high expectations. So what you're saying is correct. But to me,

the NFL is already doing low management with the schedule. You got one game out the year for 16, 17 weeks if you make the playoffs so on and so on and so forth. But, Let's say, and I get what you're saying, it's a certain amount of snaps per game, like maybe not use them per snap. Did you see the game that just passed between Kansas City and the Raiders this past week? Did you have a chance to see that game?

Yeah, I watched it. When Max Crosby sat down for a particular snap. They went right to a side. Walker went right to Max Crosby's side, and he was sitting out, and they ran for 75 yards. They ran for certainly five yards because you know what? They said,

let's take Max Crosby out for a couple of snaps. And it might have cost them the game because they only lost the game by three points. So trust me, it's a loaded question which you're saying, which I think is a fair question. But for me, if I'm a GM or I'm an owner, let's do this. Let's take out the snaps you miss out the paycheck.

You want to take snaps off, let's take it out the paycheck. But it does hurt them. Missile Superstars to answer your question. That's a fact. That's a fact. And then real quick, Anthony, where are you from before we go to the next caller?

We appreciate you coming up. No, you got another question. We get to. Yeah, I'm from Jersey. But the next question is, it's been a lot of debate about Bryce Young, C.J. Straub. And I got just a couple of numbers that I wanted to go over.

Bryce Young as a rookie was sacked 62 times. And after that, Carolina really invested in their offensive line. and they were a top 10 office of line from 2024 moving now. And C.J. Stroud had Laramie M. Tunsell as his blind side left tackle. And when he had his greatest year, but, you know, their interior, their guards, their centers really weren't that good. And again, they went from 38 times to 52 times in year two for C.J. Stroud.

So my question is, how important is it developing a young quarterback and without developing their offensive line? Like, do we need to start developing offensive lines and quarterbacks more as a unit so they can kind of grow together and get better? Because there's a direct correlation to, you know, where they are and their offensive line play. No, that wouldn't be a good idea. I just got to say that. And, you know, being that I'm an expert, I really don't answer questions of people that are reading. I can see it in your glasses.

These are not your questions. But I'm going to answer it for you. Because I saw it all in your glasses. But, you know, when it comes to quarterbacks, you want your, you want your offensive line to be more pause, much sure than the quarterback because they got to protect, they got to protect the quarterback. If they grow at the same time, it may be pause a learning curve to the effect that the quarterback may get hit and lose trust in those guys by the time they finally learn what to do. I'm saying, if you're bringing in a quarterback, that's of a. an elite level, you want to keep that quarterback protected by somebody that really know what they're doing out there.

I don't think that's the place to learn as you go. Well, just question, just a follow-up with that. When Laramie Tunsell stopped being, again, when they traded into the commanders after the Texans, like there was this incredible regression that he made. And he really doesn't have that, you know, that bookend tackle to make sure that his blindside this protected. So, like, you have somebody that was good and is heralded across the league and then you get rid of them. And now CJ Stroud looks like he has happy feet, just being honest. Yeah, C.J. Stroud, if he keeps this up, I don't know. Do you think C.J. Stroud is

going to end up getting paid if it keeps going the way it's going? Do you think he'll be able to get the money he wants? So... Absolutely not. I mean, they're all in four now. And it seems like he's losing And like D'Amico Rines is losing faith in the quarterback. And I wouldn't be surprised if it keeps going the way it is. They put their backup in again like they did until the end of last year. Yeah, and I don't like this for a black quarterback. I mean, a black head coach, it seems like the head coach is that a black always get the worst jobs. But who am I?

I don't know everything. It's not a bad job. You're the expert, though. So you know a lot. That's what so. Hey, yo, bro, thank you for tuning into the show, man. We really appreciate it, man. Hit us back up. Hopefully we see you again soon.

Absolutely. Take care. I appreciate y'all. Love. Next up, we've got Zay. It's good job. Zay, what's up, man? Bo Tireenowin today? Okay. Okay, Zay. Okay.

Okay. Okay. Okay. There you go. Mason, Killer, can, feel me? I do it, for me. Yeah. A little son.

There you go. What's good, man? How you doing? Yeah, I'm from Brooklyn. I'm good. I'm good for me. New York City, love in the building. What's the word?

But I had a question for Mace Because, well, Mace got a lyric And I've always been a little I've always been a little curious about this lyric I don't know But for me One of your best verses for me I like when you get on that murder Mace time

And that Mace Mussolini time for me So me too, man Niggas done started some I feel like you was on that time And a lot like that's one of my favorite verses for you But towards the end of that verse, he got a line, and he says, and I quote, you bring your coo in them, I'm doing them. Then I'm beating them down with aluminum.

Then I'm putting two in them. Not one. Not one. I was wondering, like, what he's meant by, like, doing them. What do you mean by now? Why was it two? Like, why you're going to do with one? What exactly?

I just been on my mind like my whole life, like, since I heard that first. Like, my father told me that first. Yeah, that's a great question, man. That's a great question. That's a legit, man. You know what? You're wearing a bow tie.

You're from Brooklyn. Hey, don't you want to answer this big question, man. I'm waiting. That was a good one, Paul. That was a good one. What did you mean? All right, he don't want to answer. I'll answer for him.

I'll answer for him. And this doesn't make it right. I'm just saying. You can't make it right. I'm not, in 20, 26, it may never be right. But when you bring your crew in them, I'm doing them. I'm thinking he's a, meaning if you want violence, we're ready for violence.

We're down with all that. What type of violence? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Fakes your bow time. Bigged your bow time. Yeah.

I mean street violence from the 90s. This is 90s. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then aluminum bats. I'm Jay Z, my foot. Yeah, then aluminum bats, they used to run down on them. And then when he says, put two on them, porth, I'm assuming bullet, lyrical bullets.

I'm assuming. I'm trying to answer. That's a good question. You called him a old guard. Yeah, you did. You threw me off with the bow tie. I didn't know where you was going, you know. You're from Brooklyn, but you had the boat tower, you know?

That was a good question. That was good. What's your second question? Our second question, I was just wondering who y'all think got a better chance of making a deep playoff from before they retire between Steph and KD. That's a good question. That's a great question. You can start off answering that. Deep playoff run, even though Warriors is my second team, as I always say.

You don't always say that. You don't always say that, but okay. I do. You never heard her say that. Every show every show. Go back. I literally brought the form. I said I like, I said I like the Warriors a lot.

We know I like the feet. Y'all know how I feel. But I feel like. Yeah, the portal. He watched the show. You guys take a note. I remember. I'll take a notes.

But this was just last season. She ought to join the portal. That's a good. But I'm going to go with Katie, because I do think the Rock it's looked really good. And I think even going into this season, I think that they'll make a deeper playoff run. I just feel like Warriors got some things I need to work on. But that's, that would be my answer. That's crazy, stat. I knew you was going to pick Houston.

I'm going to. It depends on who's on the team. If, if, if, um, Stefan Curry gets another play on that team with him and a healthy Porzinger's coming back. This is a different team. I know last year we didn't get to see Golden State with Porzingis. But a pick and roll with Stefan Curry and Porzengis is a nightmare. And then when you add, it depends on if Jimmy Butler come back and look any way close to remotely who he was before. It's a lot of ifs there, but if they're 100% healthy, I would actually go with Golden State. But if they're not, I would go with Houston.

Yeah, for the sake of the argument, let's just say everybody. he's 100% for both rosters, I'm gonna go with Houston. And Mesa's correct what he's saying as far as Porzengis was just to, and like I said, we're doing health. It's just hard to count him 100% because he's never been 100% for any season. But I will say this, this, Stevens is coming back, Adam, Adam, is Stephen Adams. It's coming back for Houston to center position. And Van Fleet is coming back for Houston, which they didn't have a point guard last.

I think you had that with KD and Shagong. Singoo. Singo. Yeah. They should be in the talk. I know everybody's talking about San Antonio, talking about OKC, but the other two teams that I would put in that conversation would be the Houston Rockets. And I would like to see what Minnesota is going to do with Mello over there as well. Uh-huh.

Yeah. But Joe, that might be the best back going to lead. Yeah. But, yo, those was great questions, man. Hopefully we'll see you back on here soon, bro. I'll be here And ask Arabia is 24 too young All right

Much love y'all All right Appreciate you Zay Not it's 24 too young Arabia They call it for you Okay That's what you say

Arabia Yeah it's 24 too young You know it's crazy All my home boys be asking me about Arabia too I'm like y'all like y'all are young But I don't know That's a question for Arabia

We'll ask her when we get her back Okay next we've got Jacob. Hey, y'all. How y'all doing? This is Jacob from Knoxville, Tennessee. What's up? What's good, bro?

Jacob from Knoxville, Tennessee. How are you doing? How are you? Thank for tuning in, bro. We appreciate it. Thank you for tuning in. We appreciate it. Thank you very much.

Sorry about the Wi-Fi there, but I got a UFC question, MMA question. You guys are big boxing fans. Why the lack of interest in MMA? Is it a generational thing? You guys grew up on Oscar de la Jolla, Roy Jones, Mike Tyson. I grew up John Jones, Connor McGregor, and Habib Nirmagamagamatov. What is the difference?

Do you guys just not have an interest in the submissions, the kicking, or is it more just like fistfighting? What do you think? Me, actually, I like MMA more than boxing because you're always going to get a real fight. One of my favorite fighters was the spider before he broke his leg kicking. I forgot the guy who he kicked and broke his leg. Chris Wyden. Yeah, Chris Wydenman, I think. Yeah, I was mad when he lost the title to Wyatman.

So pause, that is like one of my favorite sports when it comes to combat. I would have to go with that over boxing because it's never a bad fight. I even remember when Ronda Rossi lost to Holly Holmes. I watch all of MMA, so that wouldn't be the truth for me. I really love boxing, but I really enjoy MMA more than boxing. I'm not trying to cut you off. Do you think it's more of where you guys are from? New York has a really big boxing presence.

Down here, it's more of just whatever you can get your hands on. You don't really see as many boxers come out of the south, really. It's more MMA. But did you hear what he just said? He said he like MMA. I said I like MMA more than boxing. I'm a big fan as well. You guys bring up boxing more on the show.

Is it more of the... Go ahead and go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. I want you to ask the next question. No, no, no.

I was just going to say, is it more of you guys' connection with the boxing community? Is that why you bring it up more on the show? Lopez, Shakur Stevenson, all these guys that are on the show a lot? Is that more of why you guys bring it up more on the show? No, actually, actually, when I first got to Vegas, I go to syndicate, MMA. You know, people don't know that. Statt came there. She learned the arm bar.

You know, people and our staff is a part of MMA. We have a really strong MMA family, but I think that's the second phase or the next phase for us to get into. I believe when we started, we just was sticking with the things that we, we, um, corporately knew together and the, and the people that we were able to get on the show earlier. But our MMA is definitely in our, in our DNA of, um, sports. Yeah, listen, real quick, we love M.M.A. right? But let me ask you this, and I can be wrong, because we're all in different reasons of the country. Who else the biggest stars?

And I'm just asking, because Kahnma Gregg is a super-duper star. Absolutely. And, and I'm just talking about across the board. And I'm asking your opinion. Where else biggest stars? MMA or boxing today? It's no right or wrong answer. Just asking you.

If we were going off following count, I would have to say MMA. Because of how many fighters there are. And then if you put, I would say, Canelo versus Habib, a Russian Dagestan fighter, he probably has more followers

because there's a ton of people over there in Russia. Well, let me ask you this. Who's the biggest star right now in MMA, just asking, or UFC, whichever, or either or? I would say definitely Alex Pereira or Ilya, Taboria. These are Brazilian and a Spaniard Georgian fighter. Gotcha. Well, listen, man, Mace is more in the MMA than I am, and trust me, I'm getting into it. I've been working with Dana White the last year or so, interviewed and a couple different

events with UFC. But I can't answer your question better than Mace did. Maybe it is that a older, maybe that I am growing up, maybe more traditionally in boxing. But I do love MMA. Only thing that I don't like about MMA is that sometimes you're waiting all night for the fight and that shit is over in 10 seconds. That's the only complaint that I have about MMA, but I love everything else about it. But we're going to get caught up on it. And that's a legit question to ask up here. It is what it is. It's the top dawn glock palm dot com get your shit rock man

Like I seen rock man No your lyrics boy You got you make sure we got We go I'm gonna just keep your email and invite you out I like that man I like that Peace bro Thank you man

Thank you man Jake God bless Thank you Jacob Much love No that was a good conversation I do want to add really quick too though I think there's a lot more

MMA fights than boxing matches And me personally I know more boxes than M.A fighters, but that doesn't mean that I would be opposed to speaking more on it, which is basically what you guys said. You know what it is, too, is that this, right? And it's not a bad thing. Yeah. You know, you got Connor McGregor, and he named the nigger to, what's the heavyweight nigga that just be kicking niggins forward, Nick? He just got that one kick forward. He always get caught with cocaine. John Jones, San Diego. Yeah, John Jones just kicking niggas cocaine.

Kicking, niggins cocaine. Kick your niggins cocaine. I'll fuck with John Jones. But the biggest, who's the biggest star in the UFC? Dana White. Dana White is the biggest star. And I didn't want to tell him that because he's going, but he, I was like, yo, bro, nobody's bigger than Dana White.

And that's why the UFC has been staying so hot because of Dana White. Not saying these fighters don't deserve the accolades and the awards and the praise that they're getting and moving up, but it's no bigger star than Dana White. And I'm not saying that's a problem. I'm not saying it isn't a problem. But if you're not sitting and talking about, yo, where Eddie Hearn at?

You know what I'm saying? Like when you're talking about promoting, you know, I ain't see, I ain't see, I ain't seen, Don King. Yeah, with Bob and Evermet. You know what I'm saying? You go to a fight, you're like, yo, they go, Digo, Dana White right there.

You know what I'm saying? And I think that they have to build bigger stars. And I didn't want to sound rude saying that because when you have UFC an MMA fan, they talk about what the fuck you talk about? This thing is a star. Yeah.

This thing is the star. I don't want no problems at all. But when you have boxers, they're just stars. We talk about it all the time, yo. If Tank is fighting. More recently, we talk about Tank. Everybody going to Brooklyn. Oh, the Barclays going to be crazy.

Yeah. We talk about older, when you talk about Floyd or Mike Tyson, whatever. It brings, outside of just the boxing fan, who else likes you to say that we have to go see there whether not just talking about the event the stuff surrounding the event. Yeah.

Shout out to everyone who is able to come on the show and ask a question. We appreciate y'all, but don't forget, you guys can also send in a question, so we're going to answer some of them here. From Roberto Martinez, he said, What's Good It Is What It Is, Big Fan of the show. Quick shout out to everyone involved.

Cam and Mace, y'all be having me crying. Regarding the recent AI conversation got me thinking about sports. AI is already here and becoming part of everything we do. When it comes to sports, do you think it ultimately helps or hurts the game? I can see the benefits for fans, whether it's broadcast, visuals, or access to information. But when it comes to things like scouting, coaching, decision making, is there a point where it starts taking too much of the human element out of sports?

Or is that just where the game is headed? So, Mace, what do you think? I actually think it's both, right? I think it is taking a lot of the humans out of it. Just like they say a lot of jobs are going to be gone come in the next couple of years, I think the same is true in basketball. I believe it was about three or four years ago. People start going by the analytics on basketball.

Everything became analytics. It's like, well, the numbers say this, where the numbers say that. And it really wasn't anything other than the point stats or the rebounds and assists. but then it became so many more dimensions to basketball. And I think that's just where we're going. That's where we're going. So it's going to be interesting to see because I think a lot of times a lot get lost without that human person looking into an athlete and saying this is the guy I chose.

If you pick certain people on numbers, I don't think it's the same when you actually are watching a play a play because numbers don't give you a person heart. It doesn't give you their drive, pause. It doesn't give you like the innate ability of the person and the makeup of the athlete. The numbers just tell you what they produced and what they're producing that year. So I think a lot can be lost,

and I think the more and more they try to force people into that, the weaker-minded people will be, will succumb to that model and they'll just make it true like a horoscope or anything else. People say you're going to meet a Gemini, you meet a Gemini, you go crazy. It's almost like playing into it. I don't think so.

I don't think that's where we should go with just the analytics. I think you should still have that human person there that can tell you the things that I just talked about. The innate ability, the mindset of the athlete, the makeup of the person, analytics won't tell you that. Good response there. And then we got one last one before we wrap. So Raymond Bryant asked Who would be the worst person to owe $20 to Mace, Cam, or Stap Baby?

Definitely baines. Why are you saying me? All seriousness in his face. Don't make me tell you. He said the worst person to owe $20 to it. I don't believe in being old. I need my money. Exactly.

That's what I'm saying. That's exactly why. Yeah, Kim is going to act like you don't have to pay him, but he's going to want to be paid. No, that ain't the question. Who is the worst person? Yeah, I want mine, too. Don't get it fucked up.

You might be the worst person. I would I be the worst person. Because you're going to be like, this is our killer going to be... No, we're not bad. Let's do the imitation. Let's do it. Let's do it.

Let's do it. Let's do it. Yeah, yesterday the nigger owe me $20. He had the nerd coming here. You're going to dwell on it. You're going to feel the same way I'm going to feel. Yeah, I'm not going to be worse about it because Mason's the type person to tell me like, yo, this nigga all me $20, man.

I can't fuck with a nigga who can't get 270 nickels together. If you can't get 272 192 nickels together what are we friends for Mace was just literally on this show yesterday day before yesterday

yesterday said I don't pick up the phone with you because I get poor with you that that is a quote this is a quote this is a verbator America agree. America agree.

That's a real way to look at it. What do you think, Larry? Fox, I agree with you. Stay away from me. Yeah, so $20. I agree. Yeah. That's fair.

Super, super good conversation, y'all. Thanks to everybody who sent in questions. If you want to be featured next or you want your question to be answered, make sure you guys send an email to the email on the screen. It'll be placed somewhere around. here. But with that being said, thank y'all for watching. And as always, it is what it is. My rec league goalie says he plays for the love of the game. You gave up six goals last week,

Steve? Maybe play to win, huh? Like with Bet365, I get paid the second my team goes up big with early payout and can cash out at any time before the game ends. Steve, Bet365, the home of winning early. Must be 19 and older, Ontario only. Please play responsibly. If you were someone you know as concerns about visit connects ontario.ca or call 1866 5 through 1,2,600. Terms and conditions apply.