IT IS WHAT IT IS - THE KNICKS GOTTA TRADE FOR GIANNIS & CAM'RON EXPLAINS THE "IT FACTOR" FOR ARTISTS!

Episode Date: January 21, 2026

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Back to It Is What It Is. This episode is presented by Underdog. If you're new to Underdog, today's the day, get $75 in fantasy bonus entries when you play just $5 on fantasy with code. It is what it is. Underdog is available right now in most states, including Florida, Texas, and California, just to name a few. So make sure y'all support the show. Hit that subscribe button, lock in your bonus and start playing today with code. It is what it is. I'm Treasor Wilson, aka Stat Baby, along with your host, Cam.

Mace will be back. And today we are joined with our analyst, Maurice Claret. Mo, what's up, baby? How are you? Life is great. Life is great. How y'all doing? I'm good.

You, listen, man, I want to get in on some of these investments. I see you copy hotels, all type clinics. Listen, man, call me for the next investment, man. What's having? Congratulations, too, man. Congratulations. I'm proud of you, bro. Happy and proud for you.

Now, I told you, every since I, look, y'all thought I was joking. Every since I joined the show, life been going up. Y'all think I'd just be joking and smiling for no reason, but when you were around winners, like, this shit happens. So, you know, life been moving in the right direction. But I will promise you this, the next deal, I will hit you up and tell you all about it. And, you know, if it's meant to be, we'll go ahead and break bread.

break bread and so on and so forth. Yeah, that's what's up. Congratulations, bro. You fired. Thank you to see it. Okay, so we're actually going to start with the Knicks, y'all. The Knicks are 25 and 18, and recent losses include the Mavs, King, Sons, and Warriors, and they had their ninth loss in 11 games.

So Jalen Brunson actually called for a player's only meeting. So Maurice is going to let you go first. What do you think can get accomplished in a player's only meeting that is? isn't accomplished in regular meetings. And then how do you feel about hearing that from them? Sounds good or sounds like it's a problem. Well, it's two things. The first thing, when people do players only meetings,

it's like a cry for help in some regard. And what you're really doing is you're trying to get people to get their focus back. And I was asking myself, did the Knicks lose focus when they won the end season tournament, right? Kind of to the fact that did you have so much success doing something that you've lost focus in in some regards feel like you made it. You know what I'm saying?

But I never know what guys plan to get accomplished in players only meetings that they're not talking about when you do your regular meetings with the coaches because the coaches are pretty much saying like what it is you have to do to go out here, compete, win and, you know, put yourself in a position to win a championship. And so I'm not sure what they'll hear from their leaders. That makes it a thing. Oftentimes I'm not, I'm not even sure how they're. this even gets out to the media for the media to say,

hey, the players who are supposed to be like just close to the group had some special meeting. And so I'm not sure being a football, basketball ever in life, what guys get accomplished from it. Hopefully they turn it around and they don't become the butt of the joke just that they started off fast and ended the way that they're doing now. But I don't know what they were looking to get accomplished.

What's the next? Fuck, yo. Yo, man. I don't know why we do this. I ain't going to say it's as bad as the Cowboys, but it's almost as bad as the Cowboys. See, at least I give the Cowboys a little more credit because at least they won a championship in 1990s,

Knicks, 1972. You know, this is how bad the Knicks is, right? They win the end-season tournament. They win the Cup. And the whole shit go down the drain because the nigger stuck his thumb in the nigger ass. They wasn't even nobody even gave a fuck after that. The whole topic wasn't even the Knicks winning the chip.

It was more about the nigga Josh Hart, thumbing the nigger Jalen Brunson. That was the whole focus after the champion. This is the shit that happens. This is the shit that happens. Now, the whole focus is not winning the cup. The focus is, yo, what type of games they've been playing in Villanova? How long he'd been figuring in this nigga in the ass?

This is the topic. I'm not shocked by none of this. See, the reason they're having a players only meeting, and I don't know what that's supposed to accomplish even more. But this is the thing. At least far as the East Coast is concerned, they were supposed to come in and be in the NBA finals this year, minimum.

You have no Tyrese Halliburton. You have no Jason Tatum. You know, Cleveland might be smoking mirrors. Orlando's a year or two or three away. You know, when I count, in Atlanta. We're not thinking about the Nets. This was the next year to go to the chibbin. I'm not saying this too late. But at the end of the day, coming into the season,

we thought that they would be looking like O'KC's looking in the West or how Detroit Pistons are looking in the East. You know what I'm saying? But I don't know what a player only means going to accomplish either. But I'm not shocked at none of this. This is the New York Knicks. And maybe you're right, Moe, maybe winning that. make them feel like, yeah, we got this. But my point to that is that I like the attitude.

I don't know whose decision it was, maybe World Wide West GM, our owner, players or whatever. They didn't want to hang the banner up. Because it's like, we want the real thing. I was like, yeah, I like that. Yeah, because, you know, even though the Lakers and I believe the Bucks won last year, they hung their band up, it's like, now we want a real banner up.

And I was like, I like that. but it's been downhill like Moe pointed out ever since then. But nothing shocks me. My personal opinion is they're going to get rid of Carl Anthony Towns before the trade deadline, and they're going to try and get the Greek freak. The Greek freak wants out of Milwaukee, and he's looking at houses in the offseason in Long Island in New York, and he's talking about playing in the major city when he's in the all season.

He's throwing thumbs down, booing the crowd in Milwaukee. I think that's what can revitalize. and saved the next season, some type of way to get the Greek freak over there. And you got about three weeks to do it. Because Detroit deadlines in three weeks. Besides that, look like, I like Detroit. I like Detroit. Let me ask you.

What's that going? Who do you think that would, who do you think they would give up to get Yannis? Who do you think they would have to give up? I was asking myself this. You got to, you got to listen, man. That's the next thing. You got to think about this if you're Milwaukee. as an organization, right?

Milwaukee tried to do everything under the Sunday Kenner's just not working out. They got rid of the coach when he didn't like the coach. They tried to go get Damian Lillard. That just didn't work out. They said, okay, we won't sign one of your brothers. We'll sign two of your brothers. So I'm going to get the NASS.

You know, that's my nigga, too. You know what I'm saying? We got your family over here on the visa. There's nothing short of what Milwaukee is trying to do as an organization. it's just not working out. But back to the original question, which are asking me, it's going to be hard to get somebody to fill seats.

I like Carl Anthony Towns and whoever else the Knicks may give up to him, because they're not going to give up Jalen Brunson. That's just out. But you have to get somebody who's going to put asses and seats. Greek Freak is a legitimate superstar, not just an American superstar, a worldwide superstar. So you have to get somebody who's going to put asses and seats. He's exciting.

He's, you know, I'm not saying he's flashing. He's big, pause, he's strong. You get to the basket, he's animated. It's gonna be very hard to replace that. Me personally, if I'm Milwaukee, I don't know if Nix have anybody I would give up for that. But him sharing how unhappy he is with Milwaukee, maybe they'll try and do something.

Maybe it won't even be the Nix, but you gotta get somebody who's gonna sell tickets, man. And that's what it boils down to. So, Can, let me ask you this before we move on just because I feel like I got to. So hypothetically speaking, if all goes is planning, they do, you know, make a trade that makes sense and they get Janus. Is this the next year? It should be. Like I said, we thought this before the season starter.

You think about, you know, I don't know a better point guard. Maybe you can argue Donovan Mitchell, but you know, he could play the one or the two. But I'm talking about a point guard. This, you know, from last season to this season, even. know they're not looking good in the last, however many games, but Jalen Brunson is a legit superstar as well. You know, him and Janice, with the role players they got, Mackell Bridges, Josh Hart, like I said,

I don't know if some of them will be included in the package if they do a deal. With those road, they have some really decent role players, and you got two, not just all stars, superstars on your team, with no Tyrese, with Tyrese Halliburton going. You got to think about this, Even Tyrese, Haleigh-Hullivern was back. Miles Turner's not there.

They tore up Boston. You know, even when Jason Tatum got hurt last year, the Knicks were up in that series. When Jason Tatum got hurt, they got rid of poor Ziggas. Nannes and Jaylen Brunson with some decent role players should at least get them to the championship. I'm not saying win it, but get them in. Makes that very clear.

Not saying win it, but they should get there. So we'll see what happened. So speaking of championship, so in football and in basketball, to some seasons feel incomplete or feel like a waste, right? If you don't win the championship. So Maurice can let you go first. Why do you think that is? I think it just because it comes down to just a team's expectations. When people are used to coming from winning cultures are just like what Cam was talking about with the Knicks and they started off this year and you're expected to win it all.

or people have just higher expectations for you. Oftentimes, if you don't go and get the chip, you ask yourself, like, what was this for? I know when we was playing, or not when I was playing, but just being with Ohio State this year, we went out there and we lost, and when we lost to Miami, I was like, man, you know,

what do we do all this for? Like the only reason that you get into the game or the only reason that you play the game is to win it all. And oftentimes, nobody remembers all of the great shit that you did along the way. Nobody will remember anything about Miami other than they lost. You'll remember Kurt Signetti, you remember that these Indiana stories.

You remember all the special stuff, but all this Mesodore Bain and all these memorable storylines, all that stuff gets lost once you lose and once you don't make it all. And I didn't know. I just asked myself, does music do the same thing? Like with expectations with Cam and, you know, I thought Mesa was going to be on the day. And when you have high expectations for yourself, and if you don't celebrate, a gold or a platinum album or even at that time you didn't sell a gold or a platinum album. I want to do people look at music in the same way. I know it's a little bit harder now

because you don't have the same metric for people's music success. But it was just a question that, you know, I just had in regards to be it with sports or being with music in general. As far as real quick, just a statement outside of that, college football is through the big ten right now. You know, sorry, SEC. I was arguing with a nigga. I've got to the SEC.

You got Michigan, you got Ohio State, and you got Indiana. Arguing with your mother. I'm not arguing with you about what conference is the best conference in college football at the moment. For all the niggins, who was like, SEC, Cameron, yeah, it might have been with the last three years. And that's a great point, Bo. You know, we can sit there and say, yo, who was in the Super Bowl? seven years ago. And you may know who won, but you may not know who lost.

You know what I'm saying? You know, you think about this, right? This is an interest in stat. I'm just staying on the NFL for a minute. For the last, this is the first year for the last, well, not even first year, they bought it back this year with the Patriots. The first, this is 16 years consecutively, or 16 or 17, that either the Patriots went to the

AFC championship or Kansas City. I think Kansas City had won six straight and the Patriots had went eight straight with Tom Brady and now the Patriots are back in it, which is amazing. I'm just thinking about some things running through my head, but in sports, you're right. You know, you may come into the season saying,

we ain't going to win, let me go do what I can do to make myself look good and the better my team, But some teams already know they're not going to win coming into the season. That's just a damn fact. You know, we'd be sitting here lying and say that we thought the Cleveland Browns had a shot this year at winning a championship. We'll be sending in line saying that we thought the Raiders had a chance to win a championship. Even though they just got Pete Carroll and Gino Smith looked decent last few years. We'll be lying saying that we thought they're going on.

So some teams don't have the expectations of winning, even though that's what you're supposed to say. A great question more when it was related to music, right? My first album came out, and for a first album, my album went gold, which was really, really good for my first album. But I was mad about that because I felt like I failed. And the reason I felt like I failed with only something. So a gold album is 500,000 units back, like you said, a different metric system there.

Physical sales, 500,000 units. A platinum album is a million units. And when my first album came out, I went gold. And now you're like, Kim, like, that's good, that's good. And I'm like, how is that good? And my man just sold four million records. These four times platinum. I felt like I failed.

I'm mad at the label. I'm maddened. I'm yelling at Polly Anthony. Shout to Polly Anthony. Shout to Polly Anthony. Shout to people at Sony who gave me the opportunity. But to me, that was a failure if my man just sold 4 million records and I sold 500,000. So, but to other artists who wasn't even went gold and never won gold, that's a success.

So it's different ways to look at it, more, when you say that. You may say, yeah, I won't gold, I killed them. But what you do when your child and friends sell for a million, and you don't, or you don't even sell a million. So it depends on how you measure success and how much you, how you look at it. You know, looking back at it, I can't speak from Mace because Mace made a lot of money on shows and so on and so forth, capitalizing off the $4 million sales. But a nigga had his publishing.

So did he make the money that he could have made? No, he didn't, but he could have, I mean, of course he got rich of the avenues, but he was being robbed too. But you got somebody who may be getting, not me, but let's say they have, let's just use somebody like Massapia Baby for cash money back there, where they say they get $8, $9 a record, and they sell a gold album. So you may have somebody who sold 3 million records

as opposed to something that's getting pennies off the dollar that sold 3 million records as opposed to somebody who got $9 off a record that went gold. What makes more such financially? And financially, that's what it's really all about. So there's different ways to measure it. What makes you happy? Like, to me, I don't think it would be measured in music like that

because everybody's deal is. not the same. Everybody has different deals. So it's about what makes you happy and what doesn't make you happy. You sell four million records and give pennies on the dollar or you sell 500,000 records. You get eight nine dollars off the record. That wasn't me. I'm not saying I was getting a dime a dollar. I was getting jerk to how I was getting trepins on a dollar too. But I'm just saying I think it's easier to measure in sports than music. Good analysis. Okay. So speaking from people who have sees huge moments in their careers at different points, which all of you guys have done. What is it mentally that separates those that are special from those who freeze up

when large opportunities arrive in sports, which we literally saw happen in college football. Not going to lie. And music. Maurice. Well, for me, I think it's like, uh, I think it's like this hidden ingredient, uh, that you could only access when you're sacrificing along your journey. And I hope I can explain this style the correct way but i think like as you're trying to become who you're supposed to become and there's different points of the things that you're sacrificing be it time be it things that you want to do in your free time be your relationships i think there's like a different life force that you get that you have access to that you can tap into when it's time for you

to pursue your goal your vision or your dream and oftentimes i think when people on their journey and they have different opportunities come up, I'd be thinking in my head, like, the reason I fight for stuff is because I'll sacrifice a lot and I'm able to go ahead and move forward. And I can look at somebody who doesn't want it as bad as me. And I always think to myself, I wonder if other people who've accomplished a lot experienced that, like they fought so hard or the reason that calls, the reason that people get called dogs, right, or the reason that, you know, one guy becomes a superstar with the same resources and another God doesn't make it, is because of that. Just throughout the journey, the person who succeeded has put up with more or has managed.

I don't know, I don't want to say absorb, just absorb pain a little bit different pause than somebody else. And so that's just my thought on it. Like you get a different force or a different energy that you're able to tap into based on the sacrifices that you've endured to get to where you've got to go. and that energy ultimately drives you. You know, it makes it to my brain, but I don't know that was my answer to the question. And accent one more time, so I just answer it correctly. Yeah, so what is it mentally that separates those

that are special from those who freeze up when big opportunities really arrive and come, like, straight to them? That's another question that I don't think it's a, it's one answer to, right? You got people who work their ass off and put time in and put energy in. And let's just use sports first I'm talking about. They put time, they put energy. They will get there before everybody gets to the gym of the field.

They leave after everybody needs the gym of the field. But they might not have, and they're super good, really, really good. This happened to me in basketball I'm talking about. Of course, I started playing basketball. I'm talking about nine, 10 years old. I was playing one of the best organizations, killing practice, be there late, stay after nine, 10 years old. But when I played my first game,

not even my first game, my first football games, I froze up. And I know we're talking about a 10-year-old, but it's other 10-year-olds that were good. And I froze up. I would have a layer by myself and miss the layer. I was sitting there, I couldn't score no points. And it was to the point where the coach just was honest with me.

He's like, man, this may be else. last tournament. Like you're a practice player. He may keep you to practice with things to be ready for the games. And it was like something mentally just wasn't clicking for me that one game I just had a breakout game and kind of never look back. Some people are scared at a moment. You know, it's different stages and it's different lives. They say Peyton Manning is the best regular season quarterback ever. How are Peyton Payne Bay, man supposed to look at that. Like, yo, do you want to be considered the best regular season quarterback ever?

Or do you want to be considered one of the best quarterback ever, which I think he is? But they're saying that to say that you really have achieved in the playoffs. Now, we got one Super Bowl that Peyton Manning was at the helm for when he played with the courts. Now, let's be serious. When he played with the Broncos, the defense won him that championship. He was just there to hike the motherfucking ball. He couldn't really do too much.

You know what I'm saying? this is a fact, man. You know what I mean? But moments, people are not ready for big moments. Floyd Mayweather says this all the time. The lights are different, man. You know, when you sitting in there on pay-per-view, it's not the same lights.

Even though it's the same lights probably because let's say you just fighting the T-Mobile arena. It's the same lights. But Floyd uses the analogy, when the lights, it is different because it's the same lights, but it's a different moment. If some people aren't ready for that moment, you know, we've been talking about this,

and I've seen other shows talking about too. Even Nick didn't even want to pay the nigga. Nick C.J. Strat, what do he do? He's not, he's 24 years old, Nick ready to kick the nigga to the curb. He don't want to pay him the money. I said, Nick don't want to get a nigga the money. And I'm saying he has time. I don't know how much time he has, but it looked like in big moments,

he can't perform. And that's a problem. You know what I'm saying? Like Josh Allen, we can't really say Josh Allen ain't performing. in big moments. Sometimes, you know, besides to me, this last past weekend, we can blame it on Josh Howard. The other playoff games, he was there.

He was ready to go. It's not his fault that Patrick Mahomes, Tyree, has Tyree killed with 13 seconds to go that's running 98 miles per hour to get them in field goal rates to go in overtime and Josh Allen doesn't get to play a minute in overtime. It's different scenarios. So you can't have one answer. Then you also have to have the it factor. Some people have the it factor.

We talk about this with music, right? I'm gonna jump over the music when it comes to the it factor. Of course, you practice your craft. Some people are naturally gifted, and go to a piano and learn how to play it, could rap, can sing, et cetera. But you may not be it. A lot of people I know or not just know, see,

they be spitting, they be like, that's that real shit. I'm telling us that real shit. I'm like, yeah, for, Let's say they live in Brooklyn. Yeah, for Brooklyn. Is that gonna translate to Boise Idol? Is that gonna translate to Omaha, Nebraska? Because you like, they're the realist,

but they got one of you out there. It's a crazy nigga, just like you in Seattle, Washington, nigger. They got their own rapper, it's crazy like you. Is the music gonna translate? Because niggas be feeling they spit the realest shit that they be like, niggas got, yo, it's one of you crazy niggas, If not eight, nine, 10, niggas, every world fucking counted in America.

So you have to do something to stand outside the box and have the it factor when it comes to being a star. Everybody don't have the it factor. You can be talented. You can be talented, but you don't have that it factor. You just may not have it. Let's think about Biggie Smalls, right? Real quick, let's think about Biggie Smalls. Just the last thing I'll say on it.

Biggie Smalls and no discrimination. respect his his own bars right he said this is biggie small bars not what I'm talking about big and small the niggas said heart thrive never black and ugly as ever however I stay koojee down to the socks rings and watch fill with rocks so big he's telling you yourself oh I ain't one of the pretty niggins but the bitch is going to fuck with me I got to put it together and the guy got it. You know what I'm saying? He said, I went from Ashy, the nasty, the classy.

He did talk about itself, because he had that confidence. He had that impact that. Everybody don't have that. Would you go ask me, Mom? No, but that's what I'm asking. Like, so I lost my point because I got into the story that you were talking about, but. Sorry about that.

Of course, you know, no, no, so when you perform and, right, when you perform on you have different opportunities, is your approach to both things the same. Like, yo, this is a major show and a major moment in my approach for me to be a star or to tap into my it factor is that different versus something that's like a normal show that doesn't require to be a headliner.

You know what I'm saying? Like, I just think like it's this different life force that a person ends up getting blessed with that brings out the it factor. You know what I'm saying? Like, I don't know how to explain it, But I just think that people draw from a different sense of energy. Even when you were talking about, you know, my failures,

or I couldn't see the moment at 10 years old when I was on the court. If you asked me and you put a polygraph on me, I would say that attributed to you being a star elsewhere, right? Where you keep on working through that moment or you keep on working through the failure, or even when a coach say something to you and you're like, yo, I don't think it's it for you, do you have your breakout moment? If you ask me, that's the thing that ends up making who we see today. And then as you were talking, I'm saying to myself, you know what I'm saying? I was trying to hone in on the thought, but I couldn't land it.

But hearing you talk, I had like just different things that came up with my mind. Yeah, it's like, man, it's no one. Let's use, this is a great example, right? This is a great example. And let's know, try to nobody. Last, uh, was a day before yesterday. We got the college championship, right? You got Mendoza against Beck.

This both y'all time to shine. Who's it going to be? You got the Housman trophy against the home team, nigga at the crib, playing at home. Left came to Miami. Nigel, who's going to capture this moment? Mendoza go four and five. Nigel move.

Pinball machine. Boom. throw a cross touch there nigger Carson Beck it's on you You got time you ain't got time else You got time though Doesn't seize the moment

So that's what I'm talking about Sometimes it's to draw the luck too You know what I'm saying Because now it looks like Mendoza His story you think about the story lines His story and his legend becomes bigger Then Carson Beck The kid who left

Cana Miami This side and third. You got to think about Mendoza left. He was a, he's a county. They took a chance on him. He was supposed to, he wanted to be a walk-on on Miami. The story gets crazy, and the more you win, you hear more stories. Oh, did you know?

He was wanting to be, he's from the Miami area. He wanted to play for Miami. He's a two-star recruit. They didn't even want him as a walk-on. How does this end up in Miami, the championship, the team that he wanted to play for that wouldn't let him walk on in his hometown, to seize a moment like that. When Carson Beck could I have the moment and say,

yeah, I'm the hometown hero that's going to make, not literally come drawing up there, but saying, yeah, Miami, I bought us back. We won the championship X-B. It's capturing the moment. That's what I'm saying. Sometimes it's just to draw the luck, too. Yeah.

Think about this real quick. Think about this, right? Same thing. Caleb Williams, seven comebacks this year. You know what I'm saying? there you down seven points you on fourth and eight you sit there you scrambling you've run back 25 yards and throw up uh it wasn't a hell Mary people don't people are that shit was spot on to me can land it right in the nigger hands and then you're

in overtime okay the Rams get the ball they don't score it's so you could be the hero You could take your team. The beers ain't won two games in the playoffs since 2006. You could be that nigger right now to take them to the NMC championship. You throw an interception. Now the story's back with Matt Stafford. You know, Matt Stafford had a great year. He's probably going to get the MVP.

Y, y, y, y'all. Matt Saffer, they threw a touchdown the whole game. But he looks good. They win. Wouldn't it solve a lot of shit. Guss that. He's going to say something. Yeah, I was going to add to that because I do think, like,

the college football championship is like a great example because both of them had great storylines. And I just don't think there's a certain amount of preparation that can ever prepare you for the moment. Sometimes moments are also going to come and go. But I think what really matters in these moments, especially Maurice, when you pose a question talking about what separates people mentally is how you bounce back from it. Because there are some people who like have these huge moments and they do fail and then they kind of disappear up the face of the earth. or they allow it to kind of like change their trajectory or where they go. It happens a lot also in music with artists.

If there's like a scandal or something like that, some people allow it to kind of like make or break their career. But I think what you do after as far as redemption and being able to kind of like bring out another side of you or allowing people to see a story that they might not have seen, I think that those are what separates people from like great to like good. Because obviously if you seize the moment, you're gonna be on the better end of the stick because you have have the better opportunity, but on the other end, the person, whatever they decide to do with

that and moving forward, I think that shows a lot about them too, because some people do let it break them. And I just don't think that you can allow that to happen because it like, not everything's going to be picture perfect, a Cinderella story. Like, that's just not realistic. So I just think after also makes a big point. But those are both great examples and a great discussion overall. Okay. Yeah, go ahead, Marie. before you go I wanted to be nosy real quick with this moment with Mason cam and you probably said it before what happened to you or what did you think of

when you had this opportunity like where did you function from to make you believe that you can do this um this you're talking about staff yeah I'm talking stat I just this was a huge moment and you've obviously seized it and I didn't want you to talk in generalization from a personal standpoint yeah what would make you believe I'll speak for myself because me knowing them, I was nervous before I did the show.

Because I'm fans of people, so for that, so you may have a different context being younger. What made you believe that this was gonna work out? That's all I wanna say. Yeah, it's funny because me and Kim actually, like just recently talked about it, just reflecting about it, because I told him, I was like, I was scared. Like, I wasn't, it's not like I was like prepped.

Like I didn't really have like my makeup, like, I just, when he said, do you wanna go? I wasn't gonna say no. like this some opportunities really do come once in a lifetime so for me personally when he said do you want to come up and debate with me i know my goals right and i knew that like i always wanted to be a host like i so why with the opportunity presents itself would i make excuses or tell myself i'm not able to do it when also prior to i've done the work making myself one percent better every day to be ready for these moments it's not like he asked

asked me to come up here and debate and I knew nothing about like I even like taking school aside like I'm watching the games like I'm doing my write-ups I'm writing like I'm making sure that I have the knowledge so when the opportunity presents itself I'm ready because if I would have said no anybody else could have gotten out opportunity and like when you know that you want something like you're not just going to let somebody come up and take an opportunity from you when it's literally yours so I think a lot of people self-sabotage and I wasn't going to do that to myself so when he asked you. I was like, yeah. Was I nervous? Yeah. When the lights come on, literally like he was talking about in moments, I'm not going to be like, uh, uh, if I don't know something, like I will genuinely say like, you know, let me figure this out or let me search it up. But I ain't fin a self-sabotage myself from being great. So it was a scary moment, but it was really dope. So obviously I'm happy I did it. Yeah, for people who don't have context or what's that's talking about and just to add more context. It's Mace Missis Flight. And Stapp was behind the scenes writing for the show. And when Maston make it, I asked her randomly, you want to get on the show? So it wasn't like she knew she's gonna be on the show.

Wasn't like she's prepared, like when she's trying to say she'd have her makeup or anything. I just say you want to do it? Oh, wow. And she did it. Yeah, and she did a good job. Mind you, like, just even for more context, like, because again, I like to reiterate, like I was in school, it was really late that day,

like I had it like it there was like no like obviously I knew the topics because like I was helping like write topics and stuff like that but it's not like oh here's the stat sheet here's what you like because also I think sometimes people think that like you know like the knowledge that you guys see from them like they know this stuff like the back of their hand so it's not like a walk in the park and like here you go like they do in a lot of networks just give you everything there like that's not. how this works. So it was scary. So like you definitely had to have knowledge, but of course, I'm happy that I did it. And then even as far as like an outfit, because I was doing my school's television network, I had a spare dress in the in the trunk of my car. Um, and just like that, it was kind of like a three to one go. And I was like, let's go. But like it was dope. It was super dope. So if y'all want to look back on that episode, you can definitely see the growth because it is still up on the YouTube. Um, wearing a bright pink dress. I literally remember that day up and down.

And it was great. So definitely sees the opportunity if it presents itself, because sometimes these opportunities come once in a lifetime, y'all. That's what I will say. And then Marisse, just because you know, you kind of asked me about my story,

I would like for you to kind of talk about your story and then your mindset when you were kind of like first doing the first show that you came on. Oh, no, here's the honest truth. I wasn't even keeping up with sports, but since Cam said you want to do a sports show, I said, fuck it, let's go. And so I had my son in the back seat, and I was like, all right, yeah, this was like the opportunity of a lifetime.

I kind of figured the same way. But you show you how the universe work. I wrote down as one of my goals I want to get media. And the irony of everything that it was a, it was a, not a YouTube video, but an Instagram video I've seen of Cam. And something mentally said, somehow, somewhere you're going to connect with this dude. I'm a big spiritual dude. Lo and behold, it ended up basically happened with a direct message.

So I felt like that that was the universe and God telling me, just keep on moving in that direction. And then what ended up happening was, as we did the first show, as I said, just go and be yourself. And before I got on camera, I would be nervous and like, okay, like, you know,

I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know, obviously, I watched him on TV. Obviously, I'm in Ohio. I knew when Cameron was out here, you know, all that. So I'm a fan, first and foremost. I'm never ashamed of all. I asked him about that, but I didn't know how I was gonna pan out.

But the more we just started kicking into talking, like it became cool. And I don't even know if Cam noticed, but like after like two or three shows, Mace hit me up at like six in the morning. And he was like, hey, man, could you come down to Atlanta? I'm doing a show with you. I don't even know you, you know what I'm saying? So I ended up getting a real story. Yeah, so I ended up getting on a plane and going down to Atlanta.

And I went to Buckhead. So Mace came, picked me up. I went to Overs to a studio. And we were just sitting around kicking it all day. You know, went and grabbed something to eat and, you know, just chopping it up. And then we end up forming like some sort of rapport out of that. And so then when I would come back on the show,

it was just easier to talk to him just because I had met him and chill with him and talk to him and just, you know, hung out with him for a couple of days. And, you know, I came back to Ohio. But it had it not been that and then just, you know, over time you get to do on the show every day, it became cool. So that's really how it happened. Then I became comfortable from meeting then, you know, when the Super Bowl came out there, I ended up coming to Vegas. And then that's when I met Cam in person and then met you sat and I was with my daughter. So that's how I came with me. And then, you know, we just landed here. But that's my journey how we got here. Yeah. And then just real quick where everybody like, I don't want to say everybody, first of all, it's a blessing that both of you guys part of the show. I want to tell y'all thank y'all for your contribution. Because this is this.

just all started from my idea, idea that I had. But as far as, it's just, when it comes to Mo real, I'll start off with Mo real quick. It's like I was in Ohio when Mo was a superstar. And a lot of people don't know his whole story, but a lot of people know the end into his story. They always remember the bad things as opposed to what you've done as far as not just more people in general, but the good things. And when me and Mace was thinking about talent,

I recommended Mo to him because I'm like, yo, bro, this thing he was a mega superstar. You know, he ran into his trouble with the law. He paid death to society. Now he's actually doing really well. He's opened on methadone clinics, so on and so forth. So it's more of a triumph situation for me to have you part of the show because I, even though you were doing things that were positive,

after football, people may not have known that. And I wanted to share that light on people. I want to share that light on O.J. Simpson. You know what I'm saying? Like the last thing that you guys remember about OJ is that he allegedly did something in society, whether guilty or not people think he's guilty in a public eye. And I'm like, well, he wasn't guilty for the case

so we could have him on the show. And you got to see his personality. You got to see how funny he is, Not only that, it's a lot of records to this day that O.J. Simpson has that they won't bring up because he has the records. And I felt like we had that avenue for that. POJ, even to Michael Irvin. You got to think about this and we don't like to bring negative things on the show. The NFL network got rid of Michael Irvin because they thought that he was talking to a female record's league and it was no audio.

All you see is him in the bar talking to a female and they go there separate ways and then they make a lot. leg something, this, that third. The NFL networks get rid of them. And then five, six months later, the case gets thrown out because it wasn't really nothing. So we observe all that stuff and be like, we're not going to hold people guilty in the court of public opinion. We're going to hold people guilty if they do something guilty, and then if they pay their debt to society and come back and make good as they.

So we're going to shine light on that. So that's how everybody that we kind of put on the show came together. Yeah, which is super dope and necessary because some people, other networks and stuff, maybe they definitely be tripping. But one more note that I wanted to say before we go to break because I know, Maris, you talked about how to writing some things down. It's actually real interesting because back in 2019, I graduated high school in 2019, and I had a list of things that I wanted to do.

And one of them was literally like, and I posted on my Instagram, like being a show host, and acting, which is like, you know, just some things that I knew that I wanted to do and I was going to work towards. The fact that two of the things already on that list and of course, like, big shout out and big thanks to Cam, like, because the Happy Gilmore Two thing and literally being a show host to me is so crazy because I don't know how old I was in 2019, maybe like 17, 18, but the fact that like I'm literally living what I always wanted for myself is crazy. So to y'all watching, if you have a goal, write it down, stick to the plot, stick to the plan, and make sure y'all manifest that. I promise you it'll happen if you just stick to the plan.

That's all I'm going to say. But of course, big shout out to Cam because none of this wouldn't happen. No problem, man. Seriously, like, it's the coolest shit ever. I'm like, dang you. Like, my teachers call me back from high school. They're like, I've seen you in the movie. Like, she was crazy.

Like, I'm real calm, but like, no, I be geeked. It's real cool. So. And that's, and that's a, and that's a, And first of all, no problem. You put the work in so you deserve it. But that's the difference. When my teachers call me, I'll tell them, fuck you.

You know, and I can't be mad at that. But I liked my high school teachers, like my drama teacher, my science teacher, but I... No, no, you sound like you got a good education. And more, your beefing sounds like it's more with your college teachers in your high school. No, fuck my high school teachers. Y'all didn't believe it.

You know, we think it was going to happen. Fuck y'all. It's about two of them, I'll fuck with y'all, because y'all cheated for me to be eligible to play basketball. Miss Webster, I'll say shout to that, with my mess about it. Mr. Glad.

Anybody else over four years? Nah, I ain't jacking none of them. Miss Webster, if you're out there, you know, just needs you and Pam to speak real quick. We gotta set that up. And Mr. Gladden, too. And Mr. Gladden. Athletic Director.

Because that's dope. So shout out to y'all. Because teachers need to be encouraging kids, by the way. Like, we need to bring that back because, yeah. Okay. So have we lost development in sports? We will discuss after the break. Okay.

Hey, if you want to put the light on it. DJ, the dime life brand is serious. I love that shirt you got on. Like this and your bank account is that much? You say whatever the fuck you want a second. Rally around him with that, you know, the picture of the His daughter sitting on the lap, the LSU player. Will we have that you can join us?

Man, thank you for having me. Look, I tell you. Okay, let me tell you like this. I got too much money to be fighting. We ain't got that number. And we've taken that song a long time and made it our answer. Paul A. Jenkins. I even put your bullshit-ass book up here on my, you know what I mean?

Welcome to start with the facts. Welcome back. Now let's get into our underdog picks of the day. We're going to ring it right back to the Knicks. Tonight the Knicks will play the Nets. Underdog has Jalen Brunson at 26 and a half points. Do you have them higher, lower cam? Who they play?

The Nicks play who? The Nets. You're high. Okay. Kat is at 21.5 points. Higher or lower? Lower. Okay.

And Michael Porter Jr. is at 24 and a half points got them higher or lower lower okay make sure y'all down on the underdog app and you can make your picks too so we've seen a lot of shift in sports and developmental phases so sports in general used to be about developing kids character learning about other cultures in building a work ethic but we've again seen a lot of things change so marise do you think that's forever gone with business being so prevalent in sports now yeah i believe I believe that just the entire concept of building basic work ethic, having character be like the focal point of sports,

be it for you sports, and just the entire environment of like, you know, like you know, they say you lose a generation. I think the generation that I kind of grew up in and think that stuff is gone. And what made me think about this is that there's a clip going on with John Caliperi. You know, he's Arkansas's head coach. right now and he was arguing against people being able to go to the G League, grab players

from the G League, and then petitioned to be college players again. And he just talked about the effects of how the unstructured NIL and older player environment hurts sort of like the high school kids. And me, I get down rabbit holes once I start thinking about stuff. And I start thinking to myself, like, how does that affect everybody? everything becomes a business once it's all about a business on the back end pause, you know, say, be it in college. Like, college is a bigger business.

And then what does that do to high school kids? It drives like an economic environment where everything is about the dollar. And then I just thought to myself with the people complaining about kids having trainers and everything is kids being specialized in sports. And I was like, man, you just kind of lose just things that just develop, like just personalities with kids where you played in the park, or you played in your backyard, or you played in the middle of the street, and just all that stuff that you get through socializing those environments.

And I just thought to myself that I think that is gone. And if it isn't gone, I would ask somebody, where does a kid find something like that at, that helps them to develop as a person as a youngster? So that was my response to it. It's going to be hard, man, to get that back. Because, look, we've been saying for years, years that these college kids need to make money.

You know what I'm saying? Because how much money that the NCAA was making? Now they can make money to where, you know, we talked about this on the show yesterday, I believe, or the day before one of these days. And because I bought up John Calipari as well. And- Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, yeah, it's good, it's good though,

that you could touch on it as well. But it's hard, because the, Oh, yeah, that's how we talked about, because it's high school kids saying they don't watch NFL. They like college football and they are more lit. And that's because the next step for them is college and that's where they can get their bag from. The goal may not necessarily be NFL, ultimately it will. But what do you do when you could play nine games and then red shirt? So you can sit there and basically play almost a whole college season and then be like, matter of fact, I'm red shirt.

They just change the rules for four games to nine. Now you're saying the extra year to make more money. They're finding mad loopholes for kids to go back to college or stay in college because now you're making money in college. So I don't know if you're ever going to have to play a development like you used to because you used to develop skills in college too. You know what I'm saying? And it may not be the goal of niggas to get to the NFL anymore.

Not saying that there shouldn't be. But if you got high school kids saying they don't care about their film, they're not watching it, what's the real goal? And they get like, yo, and then I'm being facetious when I say this. They're like, yo, man, my next eight years, I'm going to be in college. I'm going to brush up this year. I play nine games. You know, I'm going to take a COVID year even though I wasn't born when COVID was out.

Oh, listen, they go for Nagle to stay in college laws. They get some people. And that's where their money may be. You know, to me, imagine all the money. And I said, like, you could say, like, you can say, sit there and say Caitlin Clark because she gets a lot of money in the NBA. But this girls

that's in college playing basketball is probably making more in college than they're going to make when they get to the WMBA. Why not stay longer? If you can make more money in college than you make in the WMBA. So, you know, back to the question for our development. I'm not

sure how you get that back because the real goal is the money. And some people are not as hungry as they were when they broke once they get a couple dollars. So speaking on the money and getting to the bag, we got a nice little example here that I want to get you guys's opinion on. So current G-League player and former Alabama big man, Charles Bediaco is suing the NCAA in an effort to return to Alabama to gain immediate reinstatement to join the team for the rest of the 2025 to 2026 season. The school had already filed an appeal for his eligibility, eligibility, but it was denied. He last played for Alabama during the 2022 to 2023 season.

And the seven footer entered the NBA draft after that season, but was not selected. So Maris, what do the cases like this due to sports as a whole? And then do you think he should be granted to be able to go back to play? No, you got to get these niggas out the system. And they can't play in 2020, 2020, 2023. take three years off and then try to go back. All these COVID years, six year, seventh year, all these dudes need to just go ahead and get rid of the system. I just found out about the, you know, you can play nine games and then red shirt, but I still think college needs to go back.

Fucking ridiculous. Yeah, man. This ain't no hate on Kurt Signetti and winning with the 24 year old kids. I get it, right? But I think college should still be, you know, 18 to 22, just dudes in that age range or 17 to whatever it may be. And then after that, you go to be a professional. But, you know, dudes being 24, 25, 26 years old, trying to come play with young kids, it just ain't the same. And I don't agree with it.

And just so I'm clear with this story, explain the story, stat. Yeah. So he's suing the NCAA. He wants immediate reinstatement to play the rest of this season. The school actually filed an appeal for his eligibility, but it was denied. And then he last played in 2022, it was 23. How many, how many years did he play? He played two seasons, 2021 to 2020.

Shit is, wow. I'm not, listen, this is where I'm saying how they, they gotta get this shit together. Because if we're like, I'm about, I'm about a rule nigger. Not necessarily, but I'm talking about what I'm arguing. If the rule is, you didn't play. pro basketball or even if you ain't play I don't know exactly the rule more of the story is this watch and I'm not saying it's right I'm just giving an example why shouldn't he be able to play anymore if you only play two seasons if

figures in the G league to go back to college this is what I'm trying to figure out so he's in the G league oh he's in the G league okay that's what I'm trying to figure out yes thing's going back what you If it's a loophole, what you want him to do? You know what I'm saying? I don't get what you want the nigger to do. If there's other niggas that's in the G-League that's going back to college next year.

I can't even think of the kid name. This kid was real nice of high school. I guess he didn't go. This nigger didn't go to college. I can't remember his name, super nice. And he didn't go to the NBA. He never playing overseas and a few other places. He about to go back to college.

You got to fix the loophole. Because now look, he ready to go to court because he dropped snitching. I was a nigga in the G league. I just played against this nigga last week. How he going back? And I'm like, no, no, no, no. This thing I played against him last week. He, nah, he played three years.

I only played two. I'm going back. I'm just going to court about it. You got to fix the rule before you can argue with a nigger like him. Because if I'm him, I'm mad too, because I'm a G league niggins is going back. And I only played two years. I'm on my full eligibility like these niggas about to get. Yeah, definitely a tough one. So I see why he's fighting for it because I mean, either way he's going to get some money. That's what it looks like. So let me ask you. Did you know, did you're talking? So tell me, I see what I see money's bicker, but I don't know what you're talking about. Yeah. So he was arguing. He says there's no way a 17 or 18 year old kid who's getting recruited from high school.

and compete with somebody who just came out of the G-League. And so he was arguing that it kills high school recruiting and kills like the younger dudes trying to get into the system. Because if you start letting all these dudes come back from the G-League, there more people go and do what Rick Petino did last year with St. John's and just build teams with older players. And so that's where I kind of agree to him that you just kind of like you, like in order to win a championship now,

you're going to get these older guys, which kills the opportunity for the younger guys. That's what I agree with. Would you like me to read what he said? Do y'all want me to do that? Because I can't. Good. Okay.

So basically he said, does anybody care what this is doing for 17 and 18-year-old American kids? Do you know what this opportunity has done for them and their families? There aren't going to be any high school kids. Who other than dumb people like me are going to recruit high school kids? I get so much satisfaction out of coaching young kids and seeing them grow and make it and their family and life changes that I'm going to keep doing it. But why would anybody else, if you can get NBA players, G-League players, guys that are 28-year-olds, guys from Europe, do we really know their transcript?

Do we have somebody over there? Do we really know their birth certificate or don't we? We've got no rules. So that's what he was saying. Yeah, now look, I agree with Calipari and all that. You know what I'm saying? But now I'm thinking from a business standpoint, if you think about business, right, if you're recruiting a five-star coming out of college, pardon me, out of high school, this nigg is going

to want to want everything. Yo, come on, nigga, I'm five star. I need five million. I need a car. You know, listen, I know y'all got it. You want me to go to school. Send it here. On the other end, you may get a 24, 20,

20, 24 year on this, a Tucson. They'd be like, man, if you got 52,000, just to give me that, I'll go bust that niggas. I'll go kill that young nigga. Fuck, you're talking about you want five million. and a car and his own house off campus. Give me 52,000 and all year round I can eat it, a piece of hut.

I kill this nigga. Fuck you talk about. You saving yourself over $4 million, and he's probably gonna kill this nigga because this is last opportunity. You gotta think about that from a business standpoint. You think about back to Indiana and Miami, the five-star

recruits from Miami opposed to the five star recruits for Indiana. Miami killed these little five star recruits. They had a bunch of five star recruits. These niggas, they have four or five. They're in Miami had 200 five star recruits on 18. They lost. This is what I'm trying to tell you. This nigga, the coach for Indiana, Indiana part of me,

he's bucking the system. He's like, whatever, guy y'all, niggins. Go ahead, keep trying to young 18-on niggas that think they all that's going to rob. I don't want to get me some hungry niggas that noticed their last opportunity. Maybe they play for me two years. That'll be 24, 25, 26. Maybe they'll catch three years in the NFL and get a check after that.

You gotta think business as well. So as much as I agree with John Calapari, the businessman inside of me saying, man, listen, I can get too for a dollar. I guess I could, I'm spending a whole dollar 50 when I can get this. when I can get this something better for two for a dollar. And they're gonna be more inspired and more hungry because this is more their last chance than somebody who's 18 years old,

who'd probably been the man for the last four years in high school. I agree. Yeah. So one more example that I wanna bring up because he's been being talked about a lot. And like I am curious on like what exactly, like I know you're saying the rules need to be clear, but like what exactly are they supposed to do?

Because when you grant eligibility to some people, And then like you tell some people know like what is the end result supposed to be. So there's a player. His name is James. He's currently playing for Baylor, but he was the number 31 pick in a 2023 NBA draft in the first draft in men's basketball player to be cleared by the NCCA. So obviously this is causing him a lot of controversy because it's like, how are you picked 31st? But then now you're back playing at Baylor. But his argument in response because he's getting a lot of social media, he basically said,

He's getting a lot of insults from people, but what did he do? He's as young as everybody in here. That was his argument. So Maris, like, what do you think the solution is to be? And then like from his perspective, him being like, well, like, I'm around the same age as other people in here. What are kind of your thoughts on that if I'm wearing that in a way that makes sense to? What?

I heard you saying. So there's like three arguments that are taking place. People are saying, hey, baseball, you get drafted, but you don't. don't have to go and you can come back, so they're using that argument, right? So you have no universal standard for all sports, so people are just kind of using whatever convenient argument they have to make their point. The second thing about it, and this is the major issue that causes all this, the biggest thing is that they say American basketball is so shitty that you have to go get these foreign players.

And when you get these foreign players, a lot of these guys are playing professional basketball. And so they're saying if you're going to get those guys from Europe, overseas, or wherever you get them from, and they can come back to the States and then end up playing college ball what makes it any different from somebody who's in the G League. And so it's a bunch of conversations to try to preserve the game because you look at the NBA. So the NBA, you can see right now, you have a bunch of foreign players. So you need to create the pipeline for these foreign players to get to the NBA.

So bring them to college, let America fall in love with them. let it be something different versus us going overseas to come and get these kids to bring them into the system late. Let's try to fall in love with them in college, create their brands, then bring them to the professional system. So it's like two or three different funky arguments that people are trying to make. But the entire purpose as to why this stuff

won't get a universal language and is going to stay the Wild Wild West is because when you name kids student athletes, you don't have to call them employees. And employees, you can collectively bargain and basically unionize. to basically make rules standards and stuff like that. And since they never want to call these kids actually employees and leave them as student athletes,

this is all the shit that we can get. We're going to be able to, like, it's going to feel like a slinky. You know what the slinky is set? Yes. Okay. I know. I'm like, there's only one type of slinky, right? Yeah, I know I'm used to young.

Are they extinct? Like, people still use those. That's not the old school. It is old school. That's an legit question to ask if you know that. Dang, can I start not to touch you off? It's just funny when y'all ask me these questions because when it is stuff that I do know,

I'm like, why would I not know what a slinky is? So I'm like, I know y'all think I'm crazy when y'all bring up other things that I really don't. Yeah, nah. But that's why all this stuff feels like, like a slinky and I'm gonna pause, right? Yeah. So that's my first.

So that's why I feel so crazy with all these rules because they don't want to make kids employees. And so you get you get this type of environment. I'm not suggesting nothing. Niggas steal my ideas and act like they ain't hearing for me. They got started paying me for consultation, man. Any time I say seven eight months later, it's, oh, we figured it out. No. Listen, I'm not expensive to the people that I'm talking to.

It's a billionaires and nigs are 100. man just call me if you want to answer I got the answer to everything not going to keep back and like y'all just thought a sudden eight months after I said I'm not suggesting nothing okay y'all you all hear to hear y'all need a consultation y'all need to go book that good combo y'all but that is all the time that we have for today maurice you know it's always a pleasure to have you on the show thank you all good seeing you man congratulations on everything you do are man I told you Two things before I go.

One, I'm going to figure out how to get out there. We do talk with Flea. For more. But, oh, and I'm going to tell you, when people would know my whole story, I think they'll understand my comments a little bit better and where they come from. So I think just doing a story with you, it'll turn all right. And then I promise you, next hotel, because we're going to do another hotel, we'll figure out how to partner up on it.

And I'll give you the details later on about it, but it'd be a beautiful venture. So thank you all again. Thank you. Okay. Thank y'all for watching. And as always, it is what it is.