IT IS WHAT IT IS - PODCAST P MIGHT MAKE A RETURN, COOPER FLAGG SHOULDN'T PLAY FOR DUKE ANYMORE & AARON RODGERS SHOULD BE A STEELER! S6 EP41

Episode Date: March 14, 2025

Ma$e, Cam’ron & Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson are back with another one!! On this episode, Maurice Clarett joins the show to talk about the vibe at MSG for the Uconn and Big East tournament, is the BIG (pause) East back or nah!? Then, Cooper Flagg gets hurt in the ACC tournament, should he sit out until the draft. Next, Podcast P is out for the rest of the season, will we get the podcast back and Aaron Rodgers should be a Pittsburgh Steeler, Sorry Stat! Please rate, review, and follow the podcast for more content.  Support the show and sign up for Underdog Fantasy HERE with promo code CAM and get a $1000 first deposit match, and a Special Pick'em pick. Follow the show and our hosts on social media: It Is What It Is, Cam'Ron, Ma$e, and Treasure "Stat Baby" Wilson , Producer Ayooo Nick Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hello y'all, uh I was selling crack on a private jet up in a hell and back But no confusion, this a reunion Hello y'all, welcome back Yeah, Murda here, he countin' money He said, can't man the hell we're at I'm only here to shit on niggas and piss on bitches Welcome ass, I bought jewelry and bikes, nigga

Black fences and white vigas Now I'm out here and I'm lookin' for more chandeliers and light pictures Nah, I don't like niggas, what's wrong with me? Welcome back to It Is What It Is, this episode is sponsored by Underdog. The app is an easy way to make some cash just by making picks on your favorite players. Underdog is available in more than 30 states including California, Texas, and New York just to name a few. Make sure to support the show by hitting the link in the bio and downloading the Underdog app. Use code MACE, CAM, or STAT to get up to $1000 in bonus credits with your first deposit and

a free pick. I'm Treasure Wilson aka STAT, baby alarm for your host Mace, Cam will be back and today we are joined with our analyst Maurice Claret. What's going on you calm baby March madness, baby. You see that March madness, baby Well, it looked like you and Madison Square Garden. I know Madison Square Garden. I know the walls in the city. I've been there before.

Yeah, you see. New Yorkers. Yeah, I know a couple of New Yorkers, right? I know some honorable New Yorkers. Some honorable New Yorkers. I'm wearing a brim to honor my brothers from New York, but I'm wearing a brim to honorable brothers from New York, but I I'm a stone's throw away from What that hat mo you know, I never wore that hat do y'all know that

Never seen mace the pinky hat ever. You know that in a Navy blue Yankee hat, you know this in a navy blue Yankee hat. Why? Do you know this? Why? Yeah, why? Why? You've seen the commands.

He's giving you the trivia. We've seen every other team, but we haven't seen the neighbor. I know, I'm just saying, I've never wore that hat, ever. What is it? Is it a Yets make, what is it, Mets Yankee thing? No, I just thought about it when you had the hat on that i've never had a navy blue yankee hat so so so sad what's up everybody i'm gonna find it hey whoever finds the yankee hat with mace on it, please tag me. It's going to be a Yankee hat that's red or a Yankee hat that's blue or green one,

but never that the original Yankee hat. Well, I thought this was the honorable New Yorker's hat. Yeah. That's the classic, right? Yeah. They didn't really start wearing that until I wore it in red, then niggas wanted to wear it. But you know, I'm not going to start with that.

I'm not here for the petty parade. I'm definitely not on petty time. I just thought about it when I saw the hat. Sped, how you doing? I see your mic is glowing. I'm good. It's my little streamer mic. You got bright days to stay this morning. It's my streamer mic, you know, with a gaming.

You're streaming, you're twitching. Actually, I am twitching. I'm twitching. I'm twitching. If you know, you know. OK, well, we don't have to find you a a hat because now I feel like that you said it, you might as well. You might as well wear it. We're gonna be short. Yeah. Yeah. Right. It's time. I think it's time. But what it's time for, we're going to start with Villanova and Yukon. That's why Maurice is in such a happy mood. They met for the third time this season, this time in Madison Square Garden for the quarterfinal round of the Big East Tournament. UConn beat Villanova 73-56.

So Maurice, you're at the game. Tell us kind of the breakdown, how it went, the vibes, all the above. So, yo, wait, before you go to Mo, why do y'all act like UConn is not my team? Yo, wait, before you go to Moe, why do y'all act like UConn is not my team? Why do y'all just... Moe is the paraphernalia. Y'all making his team, they flew him out on a couple trips. Now he's the UConn prodigy. The staff, everybody, they're from New York.

They're my people. It's Moe's team. Yo, Moe, I ain't hating on you. staff, everybody, they're from New York. They're from, they're my people. You know what's most key? Yo, I don't, yo, Moe, I ain't hatin' on you. I'm, it sound like it, but I'm definitely not. It definitely sound like it. So I'm gonna, I just don't like the way Stat is doing this. And for all the fellas watching this, this is how your girl gets you hatin' on a nigga.

You know what I'm saying? The niggas haven't done anything to you is just the way she presented it. You know, the way she presented it got me hating on Mo and I'm not hating on Mo. I'm pretty sure. Why are you asking me about Mase? I get it now. Yeah. Okay.

I don't. Now I get it. Go ahead, Mo. Okay. Well, I want to start off by shouting out the Biggies, right? So I've never been to the Biggies Championships. I've always heard about it. And I texted Nick earlier in the atmosphere in New York City and

outside the garden was phenomenal. All the bands, the fans, the atmosphere, the weather's nice here in New York. So I will say shout out to them. That's one. The second one, shout out to Creighton and DePaul. Uh, the reason that the Yukon game started late. And if anybody who's seen this, they had a great game. They wanted to double overtime prior to the Yukon game

starting, that's why I started so late. And it was a phenomenal game. But to the Yukon, it was, I know it was gonna be a great day. I came to the hotel and the first person I seen when I got to the gym this morning was my man, Danny Hurley. And when you have the head coach at the top of the morning going to the gym and getting it in, as if like he has something to prove

and he has something on his mind. And he's here to show everybody who UConn is in March. I just knew it was gonna be a great day, but my guys from UConn, they started off slow in the first half. Nobody on their offensive side, on the offensive side of the ball could get any rhythm, you know, and the kid for, for what is he called, Villanova, number five, I forget his

name, he has an African name and I don't want to chop it up or mess it up, but I remember his number number five, the guy was shooting lights out phenomenal in the first half. He was like the energy, the catalyst of their team, and he was just dominating UConn for the first half. But it happened in the second half, the turnaround that UConn won their run, excuse me. And they start playing the typical UConn ball that I've seen in the past. And I've seen over the last couple of years

that I've won them a championship and they caught momentum. And I keep on saying, there's nothing like momentum at this time of the year. You don't have to be good all year, you just have to be good when it matters most. And when it matters most is March. And I'm telling you right now, they're the number three seed in the biggies. But if they can build on what I just seen in the second half, I want my Alex Caravan, my man Liam McNeely, and the rest of the crew who's out there is going to be a great march for UConn and the Husky fan base.

So that's my take and my synopsis of it. But man, I was excited at the game at Madison Square Garden. Yeah. When I think about this game of Villanova versus UConn. This is one of those things that whenever they kind of meet, the team that wins normally is the dominant team of the division and of the Big East. You know, whenever I could think back times when Villanova won these games,

Villanova went on to have a substantial run in the tournament. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but that's just what I'm thinking. Being a kid that grew up on the East and watching this game for years and watching these two teams meet. I remember some of the greatest, greatest UConn teams back when Ray Allen and Al Amin and all of them was playing, and you all the way up to now, and you think about Villanova all the way back to where Brunson and even before

that just a bunch of people, Kerry Kittles, different people that was playing on these teams and to see the intensity still being there after so many years, even when I looked at the list and I saw St. John's at the top, I'm like, man, it's been a long time since the... I remember them as the Reds men. You know, not just- That's all that's cool. Not just the Reds storm. So I expect that UConn, the makers bring the story to a pause.

I expect that UConn to get this done. I expect that UConn to beat them by as many as they beat them. And I'm really looking forward to them playing Creighton. Creighton is the team I want to see them against. Don't they play them next? They play them tonight. Oh yeah. Yeah, Creighton is going to be a really good team. them against. Don't they play them next? They play them tonight. Oh yeah. Yeah.

Probably next time be a really good team. They got similar, um, similar records at 23 and nine. That should be a really good game. Really good game. Real quick. Uh, number five on Villanova's team was actually Wuga. He transferred from Miami to Villanova. Oh, yeah.

So he was ballinging but again, you cannot do it all on your own. You kind of need the team and I'm not saying like they were slacking or anything. I think everybody was doing what they were supposed to do but it just wasn't enough because when you got him scored 25 points, four rebounds and the rest of the team kind of slacking out there. That's why like UConn is that standard and you guys have a very good roster where everybody kind of playsacking out there. That's why like UConn is that standard and you guys have a very good roster where everybody kind of plays their part as they should. So, I'm excited for y'all.

You're pretty excited about Maurice because it's nice when your team is winning, of course. But yeah. You know, one thing I've seen, two shout outs to all of the legends who were in the build. I've seen Rip Hamilton, I've seen obviously Tim Thomas went to Villanova and I've seen Rudy Gay. So, you know, shout out to them separately.

It was just cool to see alumni who come back to the games but I will tell you this, and this was just something that you've seen during the game or just being inside the atmosphere or something that you can't get on TV. I've seen throughout the game, there came a moment where you can see that even though you kind of struggling, they have been inside of these championship moments, or they have been in

a situation where they had adverse conditions inside big moments. And you can see where Villanova, they almost had a time to crush you comment at the end of the first half, and it had a chance to crush McGill at the second half and sort of kill the spirit. But this goes to show you like when you come from championship pedigrees and championship programs, and you've had your leadership, who just been in these different scenarios and they can coach you through it and guide you through it. And you just have history and wisdom and all that stuff on the sideline.

Like I've seen it from the coaches. I've seen the composure and I'm telling you, this is for any recruit who may be looking for schools to choose in the future. Your leadership and your coach will basically reflect your development in all the way that you choose to handle adversity. And I've seen that there and I think that that made a big difference. With Alex Carabin, excuse me, some of these veteran guys who have been at UConn, aside these championship situations, play, perform, and show up inside these moments. And so sports is so, it's so, I don't know, sensitive. You know, you can

have momentum, you can get momentum stolen from you. You can have a time to where you have to kill an opponent or kill the, the opposing fighter or whatever thing that you're actually doing, whether you're playing sport or not playing sports, whether you're playing a sport, that's a team, or you're fighting, it's just these small moments. And I see in a small moment, man, uh, Yukon was able to take what was inside of villain over hands and basically bring it back home. I'm just curious, Maurice, what do you think? And Mace, what do you think is that mindset that kind of separates the greats from mediocre?

Cause you talked about those moments and being able to like pick up when needed. How do you think they kind of control that for, even just in their day to day when they're doing like playing the games, practicing, how do you think they kind of continue to have that mindset to separate themselves from the rest? Just my opinion. You want to go, Mike? Yeah, I was going gonna say the same is true when it comes to greatness,

whether you're talking about boxing, the greats don't take a whole day off. They don't take a whole game off. They may have a bad quarter or a bad sequence of plays, but they don't take the entire game off. If you ever see somebody do that, then that's what makes you think something must be wrong here because that's what makes you great. It's your recovery time.

It's how you recover from the things that happen. I cannot hate the, you know, Paul's beat a dead horse, but you know, Jordan, they killed his dad on the side of the road. He came back and got the championship. He got the flu. He come back and hit the game winner and then fall out and need soup and orange juice, right? So it's the same way with Floyd. He gets clocked by Sean Shane Mosley. Right. Yep. Gobbled and everything. Goddess composure and dominated the rest of the fight.

So I'm just showing you time and time again with people that are that way. When that greatness is there, they figure out how to get it done even on the off nights. When people are not great, what separate them is the mental recovery. They're not able to recover. You get what I'm saying, Stat? Yeah.

It makes a lot of sense. Is the mental recovery, whether it is rap, whether it is anything, that's how you know the greats. The greats can recover. Even I'll use a rapper, like somebody like Nas, he went through a lot of things. And then you turn around, he's on, he got this business and that business and all of these things that happened after. It seemed like where people were saying, where he's at.

You get what I'm saying? He was able to do it again and again. It's just a testament to that greatness. Yeah, to build on top of that, the place in my mind initially, what was that, I asked the question was in regards to sports, the guys who seem to get flustered are the guys who get caught up in some of just the emotional swings of the game. And there are so many ups and downs, and especially with basketball, you're up two, you're down two, you're up three, you're down three. Both teams are basically battling back and forth to basically, you know,

try to create some sort of separation, right? And you can see for some people, that's just a lot, right? It's just a lot of emotions. And when things get tough, there's a thing called right? It's just a lot of emotions. And when things get tough, there's a thing called like people just being fatigued and you just can't take that many swings or that many emotions or running through that many screens or constantly going to the hoop and grabbing the rebound

or constantly sprinting back and just your emotional wheel breaks down. And I think to the guys who are champions and the guys who have a different mentality, they're easy, they're able to sort of go through those And I think to the guys who are champions and the guys who have a different mentality, they're easy, they're able to sort of go through those sort of iterations or just like May said, those sequences through the game, but still have the ability to stick to the game plan.

And the people who succeed are people who stick to game plans. They're sticking to whatever the coach coached us on that week, whatever they're able to come to the sideline. And even though they knocked out, they got hit in the side of the face, they can keep their composure and they're able to implement what was taught to them throughout the week. And so it's the same thing that happened with Ohio State. You can get flustered, you can get beat up, but you'll fall back to your level of training. And that's what I'm talking about.

UConn have been in so many different, they've been in so many different situations before and Villanova has it, you know what I'm saying? And when you get into these new situations, it's like you're in deep water, right? If you out there with a Navy SEAL, he's going to know what to do in the deep water based on his training. And so that's what I've seen today. And you can see the look in people's eyes like, okay, we're in this situation, we're not performing how we want to perform, but we'll be okay.

You can see that with body language, you can see that with the guys who sitting on the bench who still rooting for the team, and you can even see it in the fan base. So that's what I initially thought set, but those guys definitely were able to tap into something that they had going on before in these past few years. Yeah, Mo, you said something really powerful. I want to pick it back up, pause. When you said the statement of that people fall back to their level of training, that is 100%.

That's another part that goes with greatness. You train for these situations so when you get in them, you know how to do it. I remember growing up, our coach would tell me and Cam, he'd give me the ball and just say, Mase, you're down eight points and he'll put two minutes on the clock. And we had to figure out how to beat this team that's up eight points with two minutes on the clock. So then being in those scenarios, or five minutes and we down 14, then he give Cam the ball and say, you the point guard now, Mase, you on the opposite wing. And we had to figure it out. And because we were always trained like we were behind or we need to catch up, anytime

we would get together, that's why it's kind of surreal sometimes when we're together because we know each other like that. You know what I'm saying? Like I know what he's thinking when he's saying certain things and when he's not saying it and not just about me and Cam, just that training that you're talking about. We were trained like that. So we get somewhere and things ain't, wasn't going good, we will always be able to figure out how to get back to the top because that's how we were trained.

And that all that credit goes to our coaches, like you said. It's the coaches. I was just bringing validity to what you said. Not that you need any validity, but our coaches, crazy as they was talking, that's how they trained us every time. Oh, y'all going to walk to Central Park, y'all coming back and then y'all going to play a team. Y'all down 17 and we only got 10 minutes. And if we win, the practice is over. If you lose,

we walking back to Central Park and coming back and doing it again. Yeah. And the Central Park is a blast. It's worth it. Yeah. Sometimes it's what you need. It's like, look, how many times y'all up? That's legit. And he would do stuff like that for trials. So it's like, you wouldn't have to cut nobody. Everybody cut themselves.

And he's like, yo, I'm not going back. I'm back. It's just. Who really wants it? Who really wants it? You don't. That's life. Because if you don't, somebody else don't get it.

So, man. So that plays into that championship pedigree that you're talking about. It's how you train. Some kids see the training and say, man, I'm not doing that. And they want to go to easier schools, but that's why they're not cutting down the nets in March. Great explanation there.

So now we're going to continue talking about college basketball. We got Cooper Flag. He actually exited the game and was helped to the locker room after appearing to injure his left ankle in the first half against Georgia Tech. Maurice, what does Cooper Flag's injury mean for Duke's chance at a time? He's a significant player in the city and he plays a pivotal role in all of their success And I don't believe that you can do it without him the irony of today I was watching the game and I said in order for you to win in basketball not like football football

You can have a few mediocre players. You got to have like a great defense You can have a decent quarterback and you can still go out there and win a championship. But basketball, it is completely different, right? You need somebody who's a bona fide superstar. You need somebody who can take over the game, give you 25 points and sets the tempo and the tone. And that was UConn's first half struggle. They didn't have nobody who could take those reins and do that. So to answer your question with Duke's chances, I think they diminish a lot. And the reason I say that is because when you've made it this far, and the identity of your team is built through a player, it is hard for people who haven't played roles all year, who has it made or taken 15, 20, 30 shots. It is hard for those guys to find that role late in the season, especially

right now that goes into the game planning. But I wish him the best of luck. I know he's touted to be the number one pick in the draft, so he has to think about his future in that. So you don't need him rushing back and ruining himself knowing what his future holds ahead. and he's rooted himself knowing what his future holds ahead. Brandon Harris Yeah, I think honestly, when it comes to Cooper Flagg, how you say his name? Cooper Flagg? Rob Markman Cooper Flagg, yes. Brandon Harris Yeah, he can be taking these kind of risks. If I was his agent or his coach, I would watch this in a very delicate way because

it's too much money on the line for him in his future. You need them to win these games and to mow your credit, you said he got to get 25. Yukon just had the highest man at 18. Everybody chipping in 11, 12, 10. Another guy had two points. Everybody chipping in 11, 12, 10. Another guy had two points. So it seemed like they were able to get it done with a committee. You do need somebody that's 25.

But 25 in college is like a 40 ball pause in the NBA. So it's something to seriously consider. If your Cooper Flags dad, are you putting him back out there, Mo? Mo Baxeo No, I'm not even playing around with his future. It was honorable to say years ago, and we always talk about this on a show, but the amount of money that basketball players make in comparison to football players or just most professional sports aside from baseball, these guys make a gargantuan amount of money and he's touted as the next thing. You know, I know anyone out there to, I know he made a name for himself in high school

and his teammate actually plays for UConn. His old high school teammate is called Liam McNeely. So he plays here at UConn. I haven't the chance to ask him about Cooper Flagg, but there's no way that I even consider putting my son back out there. I'm going to say, hey man, go into the draft, go be a superstar, go get all of the endorsements and just take yourself out of that environment and get around people who can help you to cultivate

the things that you'll be doing for the next 10, 15, 20 years. Yeah. So, Stad, if he's your boyfriend, you want him to go back out there and play or you want him to wait in the NBA? As a boyfriend, as a mother, as a ma, make sure he's good. Since we got to look at the future, it's got to make sense. We're not going to risk tapping in the now. But also I get it because that competitive spirit in me is like, dang, I really want us to go win a title together. I started here with y'all and I want to go with y'all to the end.

I don't want to be injured on the side. But sometimes, literally like y'all say, you got to keep the main thing the main thing. The main trajectory is quite literally the NBA. We got to keep that focus there as much as you might want to stay in college, play with your team longer. We got things that we got to do and that is the league. So at that point, sit your down, make sure you're recovered. It's called a risk management. Everybody is the same.

We got to start talking like that. We are to say, is risk management based upon what you have to lose? That's it. Right there. And if you think about it, I remember a fellow Duke member was injured on this same type of Duke team, Kyrie, when he messed up his toe and he didn't come back and play pretty much until it was NBA time. He's like, I'm not trying that again.

I forgot all about that. Yeah. And then kind of, kind of, sorry, I'm going to let you. You good, Stan. Kind of to Maurice's point. So I know he's projected to be the number one overall pick. And obviously like with this injury, I know it's pretty frustrating, but do you guys think just based off of what you've seen, what you heard, he will declare this year or you think he might win another year?

Cause you never really know. And then you guys' opinion, do you think it benefits players more to declare the first year or do you think it makes sense for them to do a year or two? Just in you guys' opinion, what do you think? Maurice first. Um, Cooper, Cooper flag has to go this year. If he got injured in his first year, you definitely don't bring them back and risk him getting injured again.

If he gets injured again, then it starts going on a sheet as injury prone or risk of injury high, and that changes your stock. And it's this other thing that's lingering around that's called one and done still pause that you're not that guy if you can't get out of there one year. I don't believe it, but there's a lot of people going with that.

It's like the zero record in boxing right now. Everybody just want their record to stay old. And we'll be having Lamont Roach and Senior and Lamont Roach Jr. on It Is What It Is come Tuesday morning. They're going to fly up and join us. But this whole facade about people just with that one and done, they gotta cut that out. But most people think that because there's been phenomenal talent that came as juniors, that came as sophomores and seniors. So you're not that much better just because you leave after one year. You may make more money because you have more years to be an NBA, just like, you know, I'm not going to say his name. Yeah, I know what

I'm talking about. Mo, it's on you, sir. Yeah, no, I was just going to build up to what you are built on top of what you were discussing. And I didn't know, just like a lot of listeners may not know, I got into UConn basketball five years ago, five or six years ago, right? Yeah. And I never knew that one and done like permeated basketball that much, right? I went there and you would hear guys talk, the younger guys talk about, hey man, if I

don't get out of here this year, as if like it was like a release date or something, you know what I'm saying? And I would say to myself like, well, man, you can stay here, you can develop, you can, you know, be on scholarship and if it takes you another year, but they've created this mentality around the, the world of basketball in general, that if you're stuck on college campus for two years, that you're deemed a failure. So a lot of these guys end up speeding up their development. That's the thing I would say to build on to that point. But back to the original point, and I don't know if stats old enough to know, but there's a name by the name, a guy by the name of Greg Oden,

who went to Ohio State. And he was a guy. And if you add the Greg Oden, when he leave college earlier, to basically go to the NBA, and basically make money for himself, he would say yes, because I wasted a lot of time, or not, I wasted a lot of time. I don't know how long Greg Odin did at Ohio State, but he was a guy who was injury prone or he got injured and he didn't end up, the point I'm making is he got injured and he wasn't able to maximize all of his earnings that he was supposed to make. And I'm pretty sure with Cooper Flag, he's had a family who's probably structured his junior high years, his high school years, and all of these things to put him in a position to basically go out and make as much money as he could possible.

But sometimes when we get to these college campuses, we like it to be noble to say, hey, be loyal to the university who ends up generating all the money, right? But it's this thing called life after. And I want this to be a part of our show as much as we can. It is risk management. What do I have to lose versus anything? It's all risk management. Life is risk management and when you're Cooper flag, you have to go because you have too

much to lose. And now there may be someone who did this before, who I'm about to name, but I think the one and done concept came from Calipari. You know, John Calipari when, whether it was in Memphis, I think it started up or, or Kentucky to where now let's go with Kentucky. So John Calipari gets to Kentucky and now he's bringing in all these players that are one and done. But it's also a underwritten, how can I say it, an unstated rule that not only

are we bringing in kids that should go to the NBA after one year, we're recruiting their replacement after one year. So why you're playing, the reason why some of those kids felt that pressure, because you got one year to do what you're supposed to do here and go as crazy as you're supposed to go. Because if you do not go to the NBA, we're now getting the next McDonald player at your position to take your spot. And we, we see that happen with a few guys. And after they did the one year Kentucky or the one year, wherever they were with Calipari, now they find themselves having to go to other universities and there's

nothing wrong with that, but it was an understanding that after this year, we're going to this direction, we're going in another direction. That's a great observation. I know something great that the audience can take from it. Yeah. Yeah. Cause now you see where that pressure came from. Now I don't know how it got to other universities, but maybe

now that's the new understanding. They're not saying this, but you know, the next year, if the top number one pick when it comes to Duke, we got to put them on the floor. You get what I'm saying? So you got a guard there, then Zion and you know, another guy wants to come and play there. We can't tell Zion no. Got to go.

You got to go. Yeah, that's a great point. Going to play at another university. Right, I wonder how that one and done concept kind of messes with athletes' mental. Because like you said, you know, if I don't perform in this year, there is the potential that somebody else

is going to come take my spot, and that's year after year, and then having to change schools. That's a lot. So hopefully they are taking it well. And then even to even Cooper Flax point, like he is going to have from what we've seen, he's going to have, you know, pretty good recovery, but not everybody gets that. And so kind of like what kind of happens next when that happens and you have an injury

that prevents you from playing the rest of the seat, like things like that brings in a lot of different other issues. So I wonder how those athletes handle that, but I hope that they handle it well because that's a lot, especially when transitioning into the league to your point, Ames. Yeah. At one point, a lot of the top caliber of basketball players in the NBA West was all some of the top players is like each team had a Kentucky player at one point.

It's like whether it was SGA or Murray or Anthony Davis and you look at them because they're spread out, but these are all like the same team at one point. Okay y'all Steph Curry accepted a new role we will discuss after the break. She call this thing about toxic Four years and counting Got you feeling like I optioned Maybe I'm my own problem, babe She tired of hearing I don't know What's up and that meat won't fall, oh, oh Killing with this thing called trust But she ain'tin' my heart wanna be free

Why am I here? This one's way free Hell, I don't wanna see her walk away I wish somebody told me the rules Disagreements let her win and and it's cool when it's cool. Even when I'm right, this ain't about you. Welcome back. So, Stephanie has accepted a role as assistant GM of basketball at his alma mater, Davidson

College. He's now the first ever active player in a US major's pro sports league to take an NCAA administrative job. Maurice, yes, he's doing two things at once. Do you think that this means anything for his career? And then what do you think about him accepting this new role? I looked at this and what two sort of lenses. One I think is him getting reps at wanting to one day become a general manager or someday run and own a team.

You know, Steph Curry is out there in Silicon Valley and I'm pretty sure throughout this time he's made a bunch of money, but he's also connected with a bunch of owners and a bunch of businessmen there in Silicon Valley. I think he's done well for himself. And I think that this is part of just the next phase of his life. I also think that Davidson sees everything as he's going over in the college landscape and they want his profile next to the university. Even though he's played there, it is another thing to recruit players and to know that you have Steph Curry actively in the building or he sometimes comes back and comes to game or he's just visible. It helps to raise the profile of the university. And Lord knows, this is what guys don't understand, Davidson, I'm pretty sure that there's a ton of business that goes on around Davidson,

be it with real estate, be it with different contracts. And I'm pretty sure that he's not coming back just for that, that there's some, it's a multi-layered opportunity for him being with ownership and also being with business back in school. And so I just think this is him sort of like taking the steps to getting his reps and shout outs to him and just shout out to where sports is going. Mase can tell you 15, 20 years ago, you weren't talking about guys doing this. Guys couldn't even think to even like orient their brain around doing stuff like this. But it's just a testament to where sports is going. And whoever started that more than athlete moment or movement, this is part of it.

Guys are more than athletes and they are taking steps to do or show themselves in that light. Yeah, because there was a time you couldn't do that. You're absolutely right. You couldn't do it in sports and you couldn't do that. You're absolutely right. You couldn't do it in sports and you couldn't do it in music. People always say, why are you trying to do this if you're this? It's like their minds only could ask you two or one thing. So I remember people used to say, how you gonna be this and this is like, bro, cause I can, I mean, it's like the same way you could be a doctor and still be a husband. And I mean, you got the capacity.

You, you're able to do it. You, your brain goes further than it's one thing that people see and is pause that is just crazy how much we have evolved and just to see somebody like you stat, you just walk into it. the Now this doesn't go with Paul George. We're going to get to that. This doesn't give Paul George a out. That's my guy, but it doesn't give him an out. But somebody like Stephen Curry, exactly. One day he'll be a GM. He got a GM.

Paul's written all over his career that he understands what it takes to win and he's likable to be a gym. You also got to be likable because when you need trades to happen and it goes, that's why he's working on his golf game. Now all of that is a part of being a gym and getting deals done. The deals get done on the golf course, not the basketball court. They get done on the basketball court. That part they get down on the golf court. So for you guys out there that need more business, work on your golf game.

That's where you're going to get a lot of deals done. Facts hidden gems to know. Okay. So we are going to get into Paul George. So he's consulting with his doctors about his injuries. He could potentially have surgery if he decides to undergo it after consulting with his doctors about his injuries. He could potentially have surgery if he decides to undergo it. After consulting with them this week

about his knee and groin, and if he proceeds, he could potentially be out for this season. So Maurice, what do you think? I don't like this. I don't like this. I don't like this. Paul George is my guy.

I don't like this. I wanna see Paul flourish. Paul Georgia's my guy. I don't like this. You know, I want to see Paul flourish. I want to see Paul do well. I want to see Paul win a championship. I want to see him cut the net down. I want to see him with the trophy, with his hat all stupid, with champagne, you know, champagne, all that. Yeah, but it just seems like, I don't know,

it's like something a witch or something. Like somebody's working against Paul because every time he gets right there, he gets hurt or something happens. It got podcast P written all over it. It's coming back to the podcast. As much as we don't want to look at it, he's coming back to the podcast.

And when he comes to the podcast, I'm calling up. I see the plate. Podcast P hit me up. I'm going to be on the podcast. I mean, you know, that's my guy. Is there anything you would say to him right now though? Like if he was like, yo Mace, you know, bro, like it's been a long season, like what you telling him? What's your advice to him?

It's not like he wants to be hurt. He doesn't want to be hurt. It's just unfortunate situations. What would you tell him? He doesn't want to be hurt. It's just unfortunate situations. What would you tell him? I would, I would honestly tell him like, um, all jokes aside, I would, I would definitely tell him to get a better off season trainer for his physical body.

I don't think people get hurt that are prepared for the drooling season. I think people underestimate putting in that time and that ethic towards their bodies because sometimes you play so much that your body has a high metabolism that you stay kind of lean. But we know when somebody come back to the gym, like they put on 10 pounds of muscle or they did something to alter their body that lets you know they're here for a different purpose this season. Right? Is that true Mo? Mo Bichon Yeah, 100%. You know they're here for a different purpose this season, right? Is that true, Mo? Yeah, 100%.

Yeah, you know this person plans on taking it up. So I think the thing with Paul, I would tell him is to really invest in your body, like LeBron invests in his. Because if you're talented and I'm talented and then you get stronger, even though our talent keep coming up together, I'm going to be past you just because my body is more conditioned and stronger. And I think that's what happens to Paul George. If he puts that seriousness into his body, thenaws, he could be one of those elite players for

a very long time because he have all the skillsets. It just, his vehicle is not allowing them to make it to the finish line. So you got to fix the vehicle and the vehicle happened to be his body. And before he do that, he probably got to fix the way he thinking because he's thinking about it, probably thinking about it. So that's where it starts. I'm gonna agree with you. I've been since I've been a kid, I say weight training is injury prevention, you know, performance

and to enhance your performance and to keep you from being injured. And there are certain things that you can't basically stop. But most people who take care of themselves, spend time taking care of themselves, and I'm not saying he doesn't do it. But if you're getting injured, then you need to do it a bit more to stop you from getting these nagging injuries. I'll say that that's to add on to that point. The second part is that when I sit with that, when you ask the question, I said he just wants to check out just because of Joel and B situation. You know, if

you're already up here with all these nagging injuries, and then you don't have all of the pieces that you basically came to Philly to play with, would you go out here and continuously press and push on yourself, knowing that all of your time wasn't put into preparation? And this isn't to be like, this isn't to be assuming or guessing or talking crazy. That takes it takes a lot of time to produce shows. It takes a lot of time to line up guests and sit down and talk and all that other shit. Right. And then you have to ask yourself as risk management, it backs to how do you spend your time? Should I be spending that time resting, being by myself, getting stretched out and all of that stuff? And then you have to ask yourself as risk management and back to how do you spend your time?

Should I be spending that time resting, being by myself, getting stretched out and all of that stuff? Pause. All that stuff that it takes for you to basically become... Yeah. So should I be taking that time to do all that stuff to prepare for the season? As soon as I hurt myself saying you should you be spending time getting stretched out crazy that was really crazy.

Yeah. The point that I was making was the same time you put into the production of the podcast, put into the preparation of your body, man, so it holds up to get you out there this season. This is what I'll say, it comes down to what do you want and what do you want out of your career and that's it. Everybody can do everything. Everybody can do podcasting, but should they if you're getting injured and it's getting back to keeping the main thing, the main thing.

If you're trying to do everything and everything isn't working. So are you saying that the podcast is the reason he got hurt? No, I was making a different point. So the point that I was making is the point that a lot of people make around drinking and drugging. And everybody can drink and drug, but everybody doesn't react the same once they drink and they drug. They don't have the same effects. Just because Mace does it, I can't do it. And just because Mace can

drink and drug and go out there and play 50, 60, 70 plays on a football field or you can go play a whole game after you got done smoking and going all crazy. Like that's what Mace can do. And so sometimes I'm saying like, with the podcasting thing, he may see other people doing it, right? But his life may not be able to work the same why he's doing the other thing. The other thing that isn't the main thing is since the main thing isn't working, I've just learned over time to cut away all things that isn't the main thing that pays you. Because if you start to feed into all the other stuff, to feed into all the other stuff.

I like that. That's definitely something that is valid and I learned that along the way to success. You got to keep the main thing the main thing and you got to be willing to relinquish things that don't help you to do well at the main thing. And, um, it just seems like people don't want to do that. They were rather, they were rather diminish the thing that's actually producing for them to have a shot at the thing that they're not even supposed to be doing because they see their brain grow bigger if they do these other things. But it's taken away from the thing that got you here. Yes.

You get what I'm saying? So it's, it's weird. It's, it's called greed. Is that's actually what it is, is greed. Cause you're actually willing to throw away what you have to get the opportunity of something you're wishing for. But the thing you're wishing for is not even the thing you're supposed to be doing. It's weird.

Hence the reason it's not working out. Yes. And a lot of people are doing that presently in that place right now. They have something, and people do it with relationships. They'll have somebody that's really good, but they're working on a person that's not good. And they're going to lose the person that's good, trying to have fun with the person that's not even that good.

I mean, I totally agree, but I do want to get a different perspective just because say I'm Paul George, right? It ain't my fault that I got hurt. I understand training in the off season. I understand weight training all the other things. I get hurt. I literally can't play right now. I can't take an hour to just go on my podcast and say some things that I gotta get off my

chest. Right? Y'all ain't finna tune in? No, you don't. You're finna tune in. But we're not gonna pay your bills when you lose the NBA contract. That's the... See, the thing about money is, while money is flowing, everybody think you're a great businessman.

It's not until the money slows up that we find out what you really did with your money. Yes. Because we can't see your mistakes while checks are still coming in. If checks are still coming in, nobody knows all of the crazy stuff you do. It's when the checks stop rolling in that you recognize, Hey, you should have been doing something else. And that's what you're seeing right now. You're saying, well, shouldn't I have an hour for this?

It's like yeah, you should have an hour for that But the same hour you're putting into running your mouth you can make sure your knees work you can make sure your legs work and Focus is on Talking to people and not realizing the only reason these people want to talk to you is because you play basketball. So why don't you play basketball? Like you see what I'm saying?

People wanted to talk to me because the only purpose of the real reason why it's so crazy with us doing this show is cuz of rap so if nigga you want to act like you don't ever have to rap we're not talking to you cuz you got a fur headband on that's pink. Oh The only reason the fur headband works is cuz we like your rats We didn't your rats who cares what you got on That's and that's this generation right you see what I got on no We only like the silver shiny suit because the song was good.

Yes. Right. Correct. Correct. We don't know why CeeLo had that on. Right when CeeLo had his shirt off and the fur on, but we understand the outfit because we like goody ma. If we don't like goody ma, we just be like, what is he doing?

He doing, yes. He doing too much. So, Stat, I'm trying to help you. You're trying to help early in the game. So, Stat, that is... So, you're off the game. Look at me down here. Oh, I'm dancing.

Like, listen, we know you from it is what it is. What are you doing over here? I'm just giving you the game. Cause I'm telling you, this generation is crazy. That is wisdom. Just because you can, just because you can doesn't mean you shouldn't. Yeah.

I'm in a beautiful hotel. I got a big living room. I stay in hotels that are like houses, right? I don't stay in the regular hotel. I can have the whole hood in here. Doesn't mean I should. Doesn't mean a few watches won't go missing. But you know, for the podcast, it'll look crazy.

I'm in here with little T-Dawg, shoot him up, bang, bang. Black George, right? 63rd mob. I'm not even mad at that. And they're like, look at Murda, he's still outside. Don't call me Murda no more, man. They got a trial coming up. My name is Mason Bethe. I don't have no problems with Puff.

I'm not dropping no album on Puff's day. Listen, just because you can, Moe. I'm not dropping the album on puffs day. Listen Just because you can moh No, I mean sure Sure. I like that. They see I like smart people around me And you always drop it on puff birthday Because them will be the same people like no no, why they come get Maze? They said he got information. We were playing all you guys.

Trying to link us. We totally planned the whole purpose about Now We Even is just to give back to our fans and to give back free concerts and to give back free performances. Like I told y'all last week, I come perform at y'all birthday parties and I'm going to give the music out, but I'm not doing it for the money. I'm not doing it for sales. I'm doing it to the money. I'm not doing it for sales. I'm doing it to give back. I feel like I owe these.

I owe some music to the world, especially people that are fans of mine. I'm not doing it to say anything about puff. I have no revenge for nobody. My life is way too good. My family's good. My children's good. I even got a pretty dog. I like telling you God just blessed me. I got a pretty wife, a pretty life.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. Exactly. you should. Exactly. I'm learning. You kidding on me? You should. As far as the sixers, we're talking about Paul George and we're gonna see what happens with him. But tonight the Pacers will play the Sixers. Underdog has Th to raise Halliburton at 18 and a half points. I'm higher lower mace Wait, that before we go from there. We got to check her temperature mo Just cuz you can now stat will you still do it? All right now But yes Tyrese Halliburton, 18 and a half points.

Do you have him higher or lower, Mace, versus the Sixers? 21 points. 18 and a half points, versus the Sixers. Hmm, he gotta get higher than 18 to even have a chance of winning. I'm going higher. Okay, Pascal Siakam's at 30 and a half points, rebounds and assists combined. You have higher or lower Mace? Higher. Okay, and then Kelly Oubre's at 15 and a half points. Do you have them higher or lower?

Lower. Okay, make sure you all download the underdog app and you can make your picks too. Last question before we wrap, we just gonna switch gears to football really quick because I just want to get you all stats. Aaron Rodgers. We don't know. We still don't know where he's going. What do you guys realistically think is next for him?

What do we think is the best fit? What do we think is going on with this man Maurice? Oh For Aaron Rodgers sake just because I think Aaron Rodgers is a football legend a living legend I want to see him go somewhere where he can either win or go on a Super Bowl run. I'm not one of those people who like to see guys who have like great legacies or great careers. And then, you know, we talk about Westbrook, how guys sort of get passed around to different teams in different franchises. And at the end of their career, they just have like some moments that aren't so pretty. But Aaron Rodgers, you know, I know he took a lot of flack. We'll go with the jets.

I know he took a lot of flack for some of his political stances. Uh, but I'm just still one of those people who has like, um, some level of optimism for people who've had great careers. You want to see these guys in doing like a, uh, stronger run. So I don't know what team he could go to that he would contribute and they would go on a championship run. I don't have that right now But that's how I want to see him like, you know, I'm a Browns fan I don't want to see him come to the Browns, you know, he won't take us to a Super Bowl

I just want to see him go to somewhere where he can Just just have a shot at ending his career, right? Yeah, I think in Rogers gotta go to the stillers as much as that doesn't want it. I think over there with Statenham. So however that goes, Statenham could deal with it. Stat, they got all the personnel over there. Papa Stat, Papa Stat, he could see over the line What else You can he can throw the ball deep pause, you know

And they got Mike Tomlin so that you don't have to worry about him getting out of pocket He can't talk crazy to Mike Tomlin. So this will be perfect with stat and the rest of our team How do you feel about his stat? Yeah, all that's cute in theory and much respect to Aaron Rodgers because he is a great... The answer is no. You hating on Aaron Rodgers stat? Not ever hating on no other man who's doing his passion, getting to his bed, and doing his thing. He's a great. He gets that. I give him that. But we do not want him on the Steelers. Mike T might and if he decides that, cool. I'm rocking with what Mike T says. Stat, you better never get old, Stat. Y'all young people don't got no sympathy for people that get

a little older than you. I know that. I got sympathy for everybody who deserves it. Why don't you want him on the team, Stat? Tell me that. I can't say the D for everybody. Why don't you want him on the team? Tell me that. I would rather have Russell Wilson. That's not what I asked. I said, come on. I would rather have Russell Wilson. To me, Air Roger didn't have a good season.

I don't want to deal with his attitude in our locker room. I thought he couldn't see over the line. Stiller's just resigned Mason Rudolph. You was saying, figure something out. I thought he couldn't see over the line. Stiller's just resigned, Mason Rudolph. You was saying, figure something out. I'm good. We're good. Okay. He couldn't see over the line. I think in this situation, because we've seen it.

Can he see over the line? Russell will see it in the... I want to get it on record. Can he see over the line? Sometimes So I got back to me up I got Papa's step backing me up and I got me of mine backing me up Cuz I could see you. Do something, do something. Do something.

Do something on camera. Let's see if I can see you. I'm gonna say, I'm gonna put a number up. Okay, go ahead. What number was that? You put your hand up and down too fast. Exactly. You're supposed to be quicker than that.

What's the number? Your camera is all messing up. You know what I'm going to say? Just because I can doesn't mean I shouldn't. Always! What you want nigga? Everything nigga supersized Two big necks Like when they doin' them two for five