OverDrive - OverDrive - May 28, 2025 - Hour 3

Episode Date: May 28, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 3 on OverDrive! TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger joins to discuss the Maple Leafs' offseason direction, Mitch Marner set to hit the free agency market and John Tavares' interest in Toronto. The guys make their selections for the Memorial Tournament and NBA on TNT Ernie Johnson joins to discuss the headlines from around the NBA Playoffs, the legacy of Inside the NBA and the shift to ESPN and ABC next season and Hayes gives his FanDuel Best Bets.

Introducing Brian Adams Radio on I Heart Radio. Hosted by Brian Adams himself. Join me for an insider look on a wild ride through 40 years of global rock and roll. Brian Adams Radio. Now available on the free I Heart Radio app. Or ask your smart speaker to play Brian Adams radio on iHeartRadio. I was ready to rock. Final hour overdrive continues powered by Fandual bringing you everything from the opening line to the final score. Darren Dreger coming up, Ernie Johnson of Inside the NBA.

A little bit later this hour. Ernie used to call some golf too back in the day we've got our picks for the memorial coming up courtesy of Taylor made and we're chasing we're chasing Keegan Bradley right you want Keegan I want Keegan Keegan's a friend of the show fan of the show evidently maybe he was forced to take a picture watching the show earlier but it's all good and we'll get to those picks a little bit later on We should point out its OTA season in the NFL and most players are attending camp, but some are not It's those that aren't are

Apparently having a great time This story okay, so Stefan digs who people you know if you're not a full fan know who he is. If you're a Bills fan, you definitely know who he is. He was a great Buffalo Bill. His pastor was in Houston, got injured by the end of the year, signed with New England. So you have Mike Vrabel, first year coach, trying to turn that program around. It hasn't been good really in the last couple of years

since Belichick left. And Stephon Diggs is not at the OTAs, clearly, and the reason we know that is because there's video circulating. I guess he's dating Cardi B. Now I believe he's in a relationship with her. And they have a yacht party circulating the shores of Miami, and there's some funny business allegedly taking place on there. Not allegedly. I mean, the one thing is who knows what these videos, AI videos, like who really knows?

But there's some substances in bags roaming around. Yeah. Yeah, there's stuff going on and Diggs is on it and someone's taking video of him, which is insane to me that again, if you're digs and you're this deep in your career you know OTA's are happening right now with your new team who's allowing that vid that's obviously somebody could be sneaking it in but there is a no vid rule on the boat generally speaking there's a no there's a no vid rule anywhere but that's not somebody with a bought a fake hidden anywhere but that's not somebody with a

bought a fake hidden camera like that looks like somebody's literally holding their camera to him eight feet away while he's sitting on a stoop and there's that's true six girls are really aware of the video because he's got to be stupid if he's not yeah and and yes let's the bag looks like drugs it is you know it is what it is I mean I, I don't know, again, we can't verify it, but it looks like there's a bag of drugs rolling around. I'm sure, listen, they're enjoying themselves on a boat, but it's a bad look because it's a new team.

Shouldn't he be at OTA? Shouldn't he be there? Well, this is the thing. Veterans, they hate going to camps, especially in May. Training camps are a couple months away, month and a away and then it's go time and that's mandatory OTAs are optional right that that's what they are Not everyone shows up a lot of people do younger players clearly have to I Would think it would be in digs best interest with a new team and a new coach to maybe show up

But evidently he's chosen otherwise. But the video is out and Diggs is he's in that he's having a great time and Mike Vrabel who's again the new coach in New England he was asked about it earlier today the video and Diggs and here's what he had to say. Well it's something that we're aware of and obviously we want to make great decisions on and off the field and we're hoping that uh... with our time here on the field today and that when we don't have a script and we're on the call periods that were making great decisions and so the message will be the same for all our

players that were more trying to make great decisions and any conversations that i've had with stephan or main between him and i in the club i don't know how this is going to play out but i wouldn't be shocked to stephan diggs didn't make it to week one in new england but i would not be shocked that i would be shocked either and that's the thing like

as soon as you are dumb enough to put yourself in a position to allow the video i think you're going to get up to nonsense, there's just got to be no, there's got to be none of that because you're just screwed yourself. Now you're under the gun. Any poor performance, anything like that, they're going to say you're just a mess. People can get away with being a mess if nobody knows about it and you just go out and perform. But once it's public knowledge that you're up to no good possibly, it's just a

built-in excuse for people to hammer it. Yeah, that's right. Especially in a new market, a tough market in New England, the Boston area. Yeah, there's lots of athletes. I played with lots of players. They like to have a good time but nobody knew about it. And as soon as people start knowing about it, then all of a sudden you're an idiot and you're reckless and you don't care as much and you don't do this. Yeah. You got to do it behind closed doors, man.

Agreed. It's hard. Chain yourself to a tree in your living room and get after it. Or if you're on the boat, like, and understand if Cardi B or whoever else is on the boat, like they, she's in the limelight, like maybe. Oh yeah. No kidding. So point being is everybody's on the boat like they've she's in the limelight like I really know you don't have so point being is everybody's on the boat you go can you not post a video of me enjoying my life here while technically I should have

could have maybe be at work you know like that's the like if we if that video is not out there we have no idea what it's a footnote it's no's not even a little make it there today you know yeah exactly and again a lot of veterans don't go to the otas you know like a lot of them and and digs has been in the league for a long time is a great player here is coming off injury and it may have been a simple as i'm just you can't make it you know and you have with the cb a can't force anyone to do it

you know and a lot of people talk about Aaron Rodgers He hasn't signed with Pittsburgh's there's not missing anything But I think the reason he's slow playing the signing is so that this isn't a story because he's probably told them My my guess would be I'm not showing up for any of this stuff. I'll see it. They want to camp But between now and then I'm not coming to Pittsburgh. I'm not showing up at camps. I'm not meeting with people and You know that happens a lot, but this is different. You're having a yacht party in Miami Yeah, okay And now everyone's like what is this cat up to like what is this guy doing through the offseason?

And when he gets up to New England if he gets there, this is gonna be waiting for him Yeah, all right best bets later in the hour and our picks still to come as well. Our PGA picks brought to you by TaylorMade for the memorial that starts tomorrow. We've got game five, Carolina, Florida tonight. We know that the Oilers are up 3-1 in their series. Here's our TSN hockey insider, Darren Dreger. Dreggs are you surprised at all that we're possibly looking down the barrel of both series ending in five games?

A little bit. Uh, you know, maybe more of the West to be fair than, than the East. Um, I, you know, not that Dallas has given up on the series by a long shot here. I just felt like, you know, the momentum that Dallas earned coming out of the Colorado series and then taking down the president's trophy winning, Winnipeg get I I thought they'd be harder to handle than they have been for the Edmonton owners, but you know Edmonton is a real good team They're getting offense in different areas. Stu Skinner has been really good, especially the last couple of games

So we'll see how it plays out. There's still tons of momentum and time there, but You know Florida man So we'll see how it plays out. There's still tons of momentum and time there. But Florida, man, they're just that good. They're just that good. And I thought there'd be a little bit more pushback in the Carolina Hurricanes. Freddie Anderson was out of his mind the other night. But do we really believe he's capable of doing that and extending this series to a six or seven game scenario not for me and i i just think florida is gonna they're gonna cut bait as quickly as they can here

so darren if both series happen to wrap up i know jamie touched on this earlier in the show but would they kickstart up the finals a little bit quicker would they wait the full duration no i i you know this is just planning from a td perspective uh... it it's starting to sound like that if

if the series and even on the weekend both series they'd they'd go as early as next wednesday her from yeah i'm with you man uh... i don't know if you know i don't know know that people get to get caught up in other things and then and start doing summer stuff get fired up right away yeah and then you look at the cadence of of what that best of seven looks like

does it does wednesday you know i think they're gonna again just according to to the loose planning that's happening at the american network level of you know above all else it does how wednesday friday but that's just written the American network level, you know, above all else, it does sound Wednesday, Friday, but that's just written in pencil. I don't think that they've made a firm decision on, but I was surprised because I thought, okay, well, if Florida, Carolina were to end tonight and then Edmonton beats Dallas Thursday tomorrow, you know,

that makes sense that you'd get going as early as as next Wednesday but no it now sounds like you know there are at least discussions at the ad net level of that goes into the weekend and they've got their two teams and they'll get going as early as next Wednesday so that's a great thing. With Darren Drager at TSN Hockey Insider so we're going to hear from Brad Treeliving tomorrow, the GM of the Maple Leafs, and by the time he steps up the playoffs for the Leafs will have been done by, you know, for more than 10 days and I guess the dust is officially settled. He's met with Keith Pelley, he knows that Brendan Shanahan is

no longer his boss. What are you expecting to hear from Treeliving tomorrow? Well, more about just the direction that they're hoping to take the Toronto Maple Leafs. We're talking about roster here. There is off-ice stuff going on. That's the case with every organization every year. And I think Keith Fowley used the word forensic when he met the media late last week. And, you know, I don't think it's going to be any different under the umbrella of of MLSC and what that means is whether it's hockey operations, whether it's marketing, all the departments you know under the brand of the Toronto Maple Leafs would get attention in this process. So you know there could be changes happening that we don't even know about that in

the bigger picture from a hockey perspective maybe don't't mean a lot, but I do expect that there will be some level of change both on and off the ice. But that's not being specific to what we see in hockey operations. Now, you look at Craig Barubi as head coach, Lane Lambert, we know, interviewed in Seattle, and he sounds like a finalist. So just naturally, they may have to make some changes

to the coaching staff. We'll see how it plays out there But what all we fans are most interested in okay? Well, what what's the roster going to look like and I know you guys have talked a little bit in the market is You know kind of focused on the core for and is it possible to roll it back? You know, I it isn't because I just don't think naturally it's going to happen. It's just not. I mean, Mitch Meyers is going to go to free agency. The Toronto Maple Leafs are going to try and invest, reinvest that money.

So really when you're looking at core four, not to rip the scab out here, but you're probably talking about one player and that's John DeVaris who's attending UFA because if you're talking about say the idea of throwing Morgan Riley into a trade scenario well he's got a no-move clause so there's still lots of complications but the direction the want of the coaching staff of management is for this team to be different, to be heavier, to be grittier, all those great things. I just, I think I've got a pretty good grasp on what the pool of players available looks like and I'm not sure where they're getting those players. I'm not.

I mean, you can come up with trade speculation and this player, why he fits here and all of that, but you also have to have the trade assets to make it work and that's where it gets a little bit tight I think in Toronto. Darren as much as I'd like to see some different players because I don't want to sit late nights with you and do the same panel year after year after year but is it like a done deal it seems like it's basically done deal with john that john to bars is going to be returning there just sorting out the numbers with with

would you be comfortable saying that not done deal all uh... but a strong appetite from both sides to get it done uh... you know and and the challenge that i think most people have is okay that's fine everybody is a healthy respect for for tomorrow's and thirty equals that he scored and what he is have is okay that's fine everybody is a healthy respect for Tavares and 38 goals that he scored and what he is as a player turning 35 in September and and all of that but the numbers matter because anything that you're investing

in Tavares has to come out of the pie right and and what sort of dollars are we talking about here we know what he made and that was 11 million flat We know that he's not gonna make anywhere near that see I get less bothered and and people get wound up in okay What is the term and how important is the term? The term if I were a Leafs fan wouldn't matter to me at all for the next two years Because I think that there should be comfort in believing that John DeVaris is going to be a contributing player for the next two years because I think that there should be comfort in believing that John DeVaris is going to be a contributing player for the next two years. And so if you're Brad Trilliving,

not that you're just spending willy-nilly here, but I always use a Chris Taneff contract as my exhibit A. Do you think the Maple Leafs wanted to throw that term at Taneff? No, obviously they didn't, but they knew that they needed that type of player, the history, the character of Tanaff. And so you overspend on term just because for the next couple of years, if you're going to win the Stanley Cup, he's going to be a big part of it. And I think that that does apply to Tavares at least the next two years. So why sweat it if it's a four year deal, who cares? Now, I mean, if the team doesn't do well in the next two years, you know,

it's probably a different management group that's making those decisions anyway. So let them worry about it. So Draggs, in the press conference tomorrow, obviously it's Brad Tree Living addressing, but do you suspect that Keith Pelley would be there? but do you suspect that Keith Peli would be there and do you suspect that if he speaks that then maybe he would lay out the, I don't know, the chain of command, how he envisions that the Toronto Maple Leafs are going to be run

this season or do you feel like you got that answer with Keith Peli talking earlier in the week? Yeah, I'm not sure what, you know, much more Keith Pelley can provide and that's not knowing. I'm not saying that he isn't going to be there and I don't know that he isn't going to be sitting beside Brad Treloving. They're in pro-scouting meetings but again that doesn't really involve Pelley, it more involves Brad Treloving and Craig Borube. I do wonder if, if the head coach is going to be there because without getting into specifics because we don't really know them and I don't know that they've

officially sorted all out. Well, we do know from what Keith Kelly said is that Craig Borube has a different role. Of course. Yeah. He's head coach. He makes the decisions in, in, in terms of what's happening in game and all of that. But he's got a louder voice if he wants it.

But he also has a healthy respect, I know this, for Brad for living and management of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the decisions that need to be made that are going to be made. It just sounds like the conversation that he had with Keith Pelly while Bradshaw Living was in Calgary, attending to his daughter's graduation, was about, okay, well, Brendan Chan-An is now gone. We're not replacing the president's role.

I need you two guys to mostly handle everything under the label of hockey operations. And they're more than willing to do that. But I still think that there's some wrinkles in this process that do need to be ironed out. With Darren Drager, a TSN hockey insider. So I feel like we're going to ask this question a lot over the next month.

You just said that Marner is going to free agency. Does that mean, do you just you just said that martyrs going to free agency uh... tis does that mean do you think they have told the least if they have to tell the least anything to be any conversations between now and july first or is brad trillin in the may please you know if they get the message in the leg are here all good man like good luck will will see you later

like how does how does their relationship work in the next month? I don't think that it'd be that cut and dry, Brian. I mean we're in May, you know, quickly coming to the end of May here and July 1st isn't that far away. I don't think that the messaging from the Miner camp really would change from what they've already heard, right? You know, there's been some market speculation, well could they

trade miners rights and would he be interested if it was going to the right fit in pursuing that because in that case it'd be a sign of trade and he'd get the eighth year and I don't think that that motivates the miner side too much. I think that when you've gone through everything that that group has gone through, and by group I'm talking about everyone, including the Maple Leafs, and you're this close to July 1st, why wouldn't you stay on the script?

And the script dating back to this past off season was that, hey, focus is going to be on hockey. Mitch is gonna try and help this team win, which he did in the regular season and collectively they just weren't able to beat the defending Stanley Cup champs. Okay. That part is over. Now you get to July 1st and we know that the market is going to be vast and it is

going to be multiple teams with expressions of considerable interest. It's not going to be a problem finding a huge amount of money for Mitch Miner. His challenge is going to be, okay, well, is there a better fit available to me and my family where I'm getting the money and I have an opportunity to contend for a Stanley Cup? I think there will be. You know, the teams that have been speculated on ranging from the top possibility of Florida to Vegas go down the list. I mean, I can't dispute that. Why wouldn't those teams have interest? We can look the financial

challenges of making that work among that group, but the plan all along was to see what the open market presents and then, hey, if Brad for living with Toronto Maple Leafs are still in it at that point, of course Marner is going to listen. It's just, oh, joked about this a couple of minutes ago, not wanting to sit on the panel a year from now and do the same stuff over and over again. This isn't on Marner,

but this is opportunity for this team to change nobody knows if change is going to equate to a better run down down the the the playoff path but why would you see that opportunity to change and try something different and i think that that's more or less the way that the maple leaves are leading as well all right well i look forward to hearing from Tree Living tomorrow. I think most people do. I mean, this would be interesting. I mean, I'm sure he'll be asked about Shanahan. He'll be asked about Peli. He'll be asked about Marner and

you know, I don't know how many answers he's going to be willing to give but I guess we'll find out starting tomorrow. I guess we'll find out. Yeah. All right Dreggs good stuff Thank you for doing this as always. We'll do it again soon. You bet. Take care. There's Darren Dreger at TSN hockey insider All right, Ernie Johnson coming up our best bet's a little bit later in the hour We got to fire up some picks at the memorial though. Okay, why don't we come back? Maybe we fire those out then get to Ernie right Ernie's a big golf guy, right host of inside the NBA as well He's on his way back to the garden back in New York, right Knicks Obviously they got game three they lost game four last night Tyree Salliburton was unbelievable

His dad was back in the building that was very encouraging to see And yet the Knicks are in one, man. The Knicks are in one, Timberwolves are in one, Stars are in one, the Hurricanes are in one. So that more still to come this hour. Overdrive continues, TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. All right, Ernie Johnson coming up from the NBA on TNT, inside the NBA, we'll catch up with Ernie. Can't wait to do that, a few moments.

But the Overdrive PGA picks are brought to you by Taylor made when you need more performance distance and speed from your golf ball it's time to switch learn more about the all-new TP5 and TP5X at TaylorMadeGolf.ca. Alright, Picks the Memorial great tournament. Jax please. We do a new system now because I think outside the box unlike you Okay, we've made it clear you have Scottie Scheffler and my pick is Keegan Bradley. Okay, no my other selections are Shane Lowry Jordan Spieth come on dude. Stop it. You. I saw him get interviewed today and I loved what I heard, man. I took everything in and he wants to be the number one player in the world again.

Do you understand what that means? That's great. So do I. I'd love to be that. I'd love to be a scratch handicap. That would be amazing. Keegan Bradley, Shane Lowry, Jordan Spieth, Corey Connors, and one of my personal favorite picks to select at any time, Decky.

Yes, Decky loves this place, man. A hard course, Decky plays. Decky. That's a pretty good five pack by me. Bradley, Lowry, Spieth, Connors, and Decky. Matsuyama. So I'm going to take Schaeffler like you've established. Yes Here's a guy like you're picking guys that never win and unfortunately, I'm gonna do the same I'm gonna take JT. I'm gonna pick top 10 Tommy Tommy Fleetwood is in the hunt all the time

No one's I thought about him tens like him and he's in contention all the time at some point He has to win. He's the core for the goal of the tour but he knows it doesn't really is like on the thirteenth hole on sunday before he gets his pottery puts like a catching glove i know that in a hockey club i know that and parts with them i understand that i understand it's not great okay i'll take a look they go bird

i love would think this week blood is going through it's a worries okay I'll take Ludwig Oberg I love Ludwig this week Ludwig's going through Ixenro he's at the RBC Canadian Open next week too and then the US Open but I like Ludwig I like the way he's playing right now I'll take Xander like if you're gonna give me these guys I'll take them and then man I guess I need a Canadian but I don't like I'll take Pendy I'll take Pendrith is that five for me yeah okay I'll take Pendy I'll take pendroth is that five for me? Yeah, okay. I'll take Pendy Why don't I throw on one more throw on one throw in I'm gonna throw in two at you I like a Danny burger and I like a JT. Okay. Yeah, I like those picks I'll take sep

Straca, I like sep on a tough track and you know who's been playing better recently and kind of in the hunt and likes a tough track That fits Patrick. I'll take fats. I'll take fit see with his Yeah, we're size 17 sketchers. Yes, he loves my seven big baggy 130 pounds and he says size 17 sketch cross-handed wedges all over Muirfield Village You know who I'm gonna leaving the pen one last one I'm gonna take Bobby McIntyre cuz he screwed over Jack last year. He won the Canadian Open and he gave the bird to Jack Nicklaus Remember yeah, he did he went back. He's gonna go back and get drunk in Scotland. Yeah, that's right. Okay Yeah, you got him, you know all throwing min woo lee my boy min word uh... like they were a tough track

right there you go those of the pics overdrive pgpix brought to you by tailor-made when you need more performance distance and speed from your golf ball it's time to switch learn more about the all new t p five and t p five x at tailormadegolf.ca. All right, so we'll get to our best bets a little bit later on. Ernie Johnson will join us here in just a moment. The boys will let us know when we've got Ernie.

But inside the NBA, it's been around for almost four decades and it could have one more game left. Right, they've had the Eastern Final. And then how does that work? Do they just transfer to ESPN? The whole panel's going to ESPN? Yeah, I believe so. ESPN and ABC, I think they're finding a way to transition over. What I want to ask Ernie Hayes is, how's it going to be for Chuck walking into ESPN? Because

numerous times he starts a comment with, those idiots at ESPN. Yeah. Well, he was doing it last night. He was talking about the face of the league conversation. Yeah, he was like, everyone at ESPN says the Ant Man's a face of the league. He ain't. Gilder's Alexander is. He earned it. Don't give it to people.

Yeah. I think he's 100% correct. Like I love Anthony Edwards. What is happening there is, and I understand why, Americans looking for an American like that's what they're looking for He also takes it to the hoop and he has some things where people put it in slow-mo And there's always the tweet that says don't deny it that looks like MJ Yes And in ways he does and yet they just had a chance to challenge Shay and he couldn't meet the challenge

Or he hasn't they're down three one in the series and Gilded's Alexander's doing his thing every single night And and like he is a blast to watch play like shea Gilded's Alexander. He's got swag man He's he played he scores he gets to the basket They got a great team like Sam Presti and the Thunder man They are and they are loaded with talent and draft picks moving forward. Like they have they're like nine ten players deep that would be on starters on twenty five twenty six teams in the league. And that's why they're so good.

That's why they're winning so many games. And like if they win this series in five and then get to the NBA finals and win that. Like you talk one of the all time most dominant seasons. You know they don't get portrayed that way. We don't think of them like the 98 Bulls or you know the Shack and Kobe Lakers and other great teams you know the last 30 or 40 years but they won a lot of games this year and they've won a lot in the playoffs and they don't seem to be able to be stopped. Do you think any of these 3-1 series, any of these teams will make it to game seven? NHL or NBA? Yes, I'm saying. Mini Jerry? 10%.

There's a chance. The only option is make it to a game seven? I don't think any of them do, man. Mm-hmm. I have I don't think any of them do man none. I'm just throwing it out. Yeah, I mean, okay, so So what's your percentage to make it to game six then? That I gotta say it's 50 30 no way higher than that one of these teams gonna win game five, man I'd say 80 or 90 percent. I think the Knicks can win game five back at the garden I think Carolina can win tonight back home. I don't think they will but I think they can't Dallas can Yeah, I don't think Minnesota's got a chance. I think Oklahoma City is gonna blow the doors off them in game five I just got it. I'm gonna not that I didn't

Not that I mailed it in at 3-1, but 3-1 is like 3 wants an uphill battle, man You're looking at some things online. It's an uphill battle, but I'm sure our next guest is hoping I'm sure he's thinking let's go back to the garden in New York maybe the next pick up a win and this series continues and you head back to Indiana he is the host of the NBA on TNT inside the NBA there he is the great Ernie Johnson how you doing Ernie? If I had a tail it'd be wagging. How are y'all doing? We're doing great man. We're doing great. I mean you don't have a dog in the fight necessarily but are you rooting for that series in the East to continue and the Knicks to win game five or what?

You know what's great for us is a compelling competitive series. That's all we want. Nobody's rooting for anybody to do anything, but man, we've gotten it so far. I mean, when you look at being four games deep and the biggest margin has been nine, and that was last night in the game that was still close down to the wire, yeah, this is all we could ask for.

So I've always found that things are gonna work out the way they're supposed to work out. And if it's supposed to be a five game series, that'll be it. And if we're supposed to be going back and forth, you know, the way this one's been, I'd take a best of nine to tell you the truth. Ernie, we were talking about the possibilities of an OKC or the likelihood OKC Indyy, small markets, like excluding TV execs, like is that good for the game or where do you stand on that potential matchup as far as the markets? You know what, I think basketball fans will watch, you know, if you're truly a fan of the game and you've been watching the NBA all year, it doesn't matter who makes the finals, you're going who makes the finals. You're gonna watch the finals. I think where it comes in possibly is with the Fringe fan

who's like, oh, I really don't know Indiana and okay, see that well. And maybe they're not gonna be dying to watch the series, but that's the way it works. And obviously, look, when you've got New York involved, that brings us so many eyeballs to the set. And that's what we've got going on right now with the Knicks and the Pacers.

So whatever way it turns out, you know, the diehards are going to watch the finals. And obviously, TV execs, we don't have anything to do with the finals, but certainly TV execs would love to see the bigger market teams, but what are you going to do? That's it. The ball goes up in the air and everyone's allowed to play and everyone's allowed to try and win. I would suggest if you're a TV executive or otherwise, you better buckle up because this Oklahoma City team, they're not going anywhere.

I don't think this is a one-and-done scenario and we saw you guys on the panel last night talking about you know The face of the league conversation which has picked up a lot of steam and it's it is strange for us as Canadians like Steve Nash two-time MVP great player was never within reach of face of the NBA territory I mean that wasn't happening with Kobe and LeBron and Shaq and all those guys still playing. This is realistic for Shea. Like Shea is this young, he's this good, he's the best player on the best team and I think that'll continue for a long time. How do you perceive that as an American, as you know somewhat of an NBA historian, the idea that a Canadian like Shea could be the face of the nba sure i mean and i think that's such a it's such a nebulous term and it's hard to define sort it's hard to define like

most valuable you know that's like you know is that mean the best players at me the guy who's most valuable to his franchise and certainly s g a deserved uh... at the mvp uh... but when it comes to the face of the league, I mean it's got to be somebody who's got the skill, it's got to be, I mean there are a lot of things that go in the mix. It's personality, it's you know what impresses me about him,

his maturity impresses me. He's like a 26 year old player. But every time you listen to him in a postgame setting It's always it's all about winning and it's all about teammates and it's not about hey Yeah, look what I did they check the box score. I had another third you know at 49 30 point games this year and But it's always about that. We didn't win the game or yeah, we won the game. Yeah, I didn't have it I didn't have big numbers, but we won the game. And I love that attitude.

And so he has to me, he has the ingredients of it being a face of the league. And another factor in that is you keep your nose clean. You know, we don't hear anything about Shea Gilder's Alexander that's off the court. That's like, oh man, i don't know about this guy he's got it all and and wouldn't surprise me a bit to see him take on that metal

you know given some of the guys who were in the league now and all at the yet which is he doesn't want it that it's a big uh... uh... no i i think again i think he has those qualities that could do that if he's able to sustain this kind of level of performance. With Ernie Johnson, and what I find intriguing about this conversation, I think it's worthy of having, we've had it before, is that LeBron is still playing, and he's still in the biggest market on the biggest team with the lakers uh... and i'd like what do you what do you think lebron would be

thinking of all this that were were moving past him with this conversation that he still plant well we haven't we haven't moved out i'm saying that this guy likes shares in position to be right not i'm not taking that you know that crown off uh... off LeBron at this point. He's still in the league. He's still the guy, when you think of the NBA, he's still the face that you see.

So, no, but I think we're all kind of posturing that way because we don't think that LeBron at 50 is going to be, you know, putting triple doubles up and that kind of thing. But yeah, I mean until LeBron says, yeah, that's it. He's the guy. Speaking of LeBron, you've been around the game a long time. The Luka trade to the Lakers, how big as far as on the Richter scale did that surprise you

and everybody around the league? It was pegging the meter on the Richter scale and going off. It was breaking Richter scales when that happened. Nobody saw it coming. Now we'll see how it pays off and where they go from here. And we'll see if on the Dallas side, if having Anthony Davis and having presumably Cooper Flag as a number one pick and getting Kyrie Irving back, you know, Dallas might be in a better position

to win a title than the Lakers are with Luca who knows but no it was a that was a monster deal and and then to see the maps get the number one pick was just you can't make this stuff up guys I mean how does that happen it was's not like, oh yeah, they had the best chance again. No, they were what, 1.8%? Yep. Yep, they leaped over a lot of teams. Things that make you go, hmm, yeah, exactly. A lot of that, a lot of that going around these days with Ernie Johnson of Inside the

NBA, NBA on TNT. So there's been a lot of discussion about about you guys, you and Kenny and Charles and Shaq for the last couple of years about where this is going to go. And, you know, the NBA TNT, I believe has been around for 36 years. And, you know, it you could be walking into your final game of the garden, you know, for game five, you know, working at TNT and being, you know, the most esteemed panel maybe in pro sports over the last 30 plus years. You've been at the forefront of it all, Ernie. Like, when you hear that, when someone asks you, like, what's it been like to be a part

of this, how do you answer that? Well, it's been special. I mean, not to be simplistic about it, but it has. It has, it's been, you know, when you're in this business, you never know how long you're going to last in any place. You know, like, I start out in local news, my first TV job. I'm anchor in the news in Macon, Georgia, and I would seriously doubt that any of you guys have been there.

So it's in the middle of the state and I'm in a small market and I'm anchoring the news for a year and a half and then I'm in Spartanburg, South Carolina for a year as a news reporter and then I go to Atlanta and I go to WSB, which was a big market station for seven eight years uh... before the folks at turner called and so like the longest i've been in a place of seven years and i said i don't know if i'll be a bit at a place that long again

and now thirty five years later i'm still sitting in that chair and uh... and sort of think of the nba on tnt not being a thing anymore is sad. It really is because we've become as a network synonymous with the NBA. The good part about it is the fact that the four of us are going to stay together and we are going to do the show and it's just going to air somewhere else. And I know when I talk to fans about it,

they're still kinda like, what are you talking about? You're gonna still do the show in Atlanta, but it's not gonna be on TNT. No, it's not gonna be on TNT. We've lost the rights to the NBA. But with this arrangement they've made, it'll air on ABC or ESPN or some combination thereof. And we've got the same producer, Tim Kiley.

We've got the same studio crew. So we'll all still be together. It's just going to air in a different place. And so we say goodbye to the NBA on TNT when this series ends. And yeah, I don't know when that's going to be. Could be tomorrow. Could be, as you point gonna be could be tomorrow could be as you point I could be tomorrow night at the guard. Yeah, could be but

But we'll see and then move on from there So, you know you mentioned the the confusion at times of like, okay, we're how's this working ESPN ABC? I got to admit we've all fallen victim to that cuz we're like so are we doing like pre-games and post games and intermission stuff like what what is this gonna look like you give us more of a kind of an idea of where this is going. I wish I could. The confusion is not limited to y'all. They can you know there's still you know how long are the pre-games gonna be? How long is the post-game gonna be? When it's airing out on where they are.

So I don't know. We're ready to do whatever is required of us, but it's, I think the most important thing for us was to maintain control of the way the show is put on. We did not want to say, oh yeah, so yeah, we'll go and somebody else can do what they want with the four of us. No, we were not going to do that. We were going to do this on the condition that we produce it, it's our folks, it's the same show we've always had, the four of us, and that was very important to us,

and very important that our studio crew be still intact. I know some of our folks have already signed on to go to NBC or Amazon, and that's on the production side and the talent side, and especially with the talent side because There are no games to do so, you know, Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller, etc You know are gonna go do it somewhere else And we've had a producer on on our podcast The Charles and I do the steam room who has taken a job at

that Charles and I do, the Steam Room, who has taken a job at Amazon. He's going to produce the studio there and we're thrilled for him. And so those are just some of the dynamics at work and we just want it to be our show just airing at a different place. Well, I can tell you, we admire that greatly. I mean, the three of us, we've been doing the show for over a decade now and it's it's been a great ride and i i think we can speak to it kinda like you are as well i mean you really did develop this brotherhood and uh... because i have an unbelievable show that everyone of my as everyone loves and it's great to see that

it's going to continue some capacity at some point will find out exactly what that's going to look like but uh... enjoy it while the right to do it we may all work with the will find out exactly what that's going to look like but uh... enjoy it will arrive in the middle of the world we'll find out at the same time exact i was a bracing for but uh... enjoy the guards of all night thank you for doing this now it's my pleasure of it and and are you on my own a time right now now you get i want to know just a one please do you can i tell you one more thing? It's awesome. So we've

been on the road for a while and don't know why I'm getting home but I go down to the lobby of the hotel today and who shows up? But my daughter and two of my grandkids who flew up from Atlanta to New York to surprise me and it's the greatest thing in the world. And so they're sitting right here listening to this thing and I'm like, come here, Kate. Yeah, let's see it. Get a little shot. Hey!

Hey now. Say hello to our friends in Canada. Yeah. All right. This is Katie and Amy, come on over here and Amy's here too and there you go and and so this is this is the real stuff fellas this is shopping now well oh that's right no thank you guys thank you for having me on it's always great talking to you and as soon as I know what's going on

You'll be the first to know we can't wait. We always love having you on enjoy New York and the family up there as well Thanks Ernie. Appreciate it No, thank you guys. I appreciate you. There is Ernie Johnson of the NBA on TNT. That's a good surprise There's a guy that's legend in the industry been around doing his thing for a long time There's a guy that's legend in the industry been around doing his thing for a long time Incredibly respected and very cool the way they all kind of banded together because like Barkley would talk about it in shack Like these guys they all have so much money so much cash they could go anywhere You know any of these networks would have just said we'll take you we'll take you and they're all like no package deal We're all together and they all said the same, not one person is telling us what to do.

Yes, that's a big part of it as well. They're going to keep rocking the way they've always been rocking. I love that though. Like, you know, you almost, I don't know what type of prep they do, but they're better where they they're just off the cuff, right? Like, just turn the mics on and go. That's it. That's what we do. And we're lucky that we have that ability to where nobody's up are you know what's on a daily basis people leave us alone for the most part. Yeah let us do our thing and that's generally the one the reason why it works in the end for all these different shows. Yeah. All right. Best bets coming up overdrive continues TSN 1050 and on TSN 2. All right. Today's best bets are powered by Fandol. Make your picks and assemble a same game parlor in seconds on the Fandor sportsbook. Yeah I said you know Jerry's earlier something's

going to six I believe that. I don't know if it's gonna happen tonight I'm on the Panthers on the Panthers and I think the big boys show up Barkov anytime point Reinhardt who's playing anytime point that paying about plus 190 not a ton of plus money on that But I think it's the Panthers and the big dogs that drag them through to another cup final today's best bets powered by Fandu Alive same game parlays are now available for every Stanley Cup playoff game on the Fanduil sportsbook app Please play responsibly 19 plus physically located in Ontario All right. Well, we've got located in ontario we're games in the n.h.l. tonight and be a title to the blue jays can maybe score a run this evening that would be

fun their office is so awful i know it's a tough watchman it's like the given if you're gonna kind of the average can you be wildly entertaining i don't know yes actually only you wildly entertaining? Yep. I don't know. Yeah, exactly. Blow leads and all that stuff. I don't know. I don't know. But when you know what the deal is, for the last three years it's like, God, can you do something? It's a tough watch. Schneider's saying they're getting unlucky and it's all, you know. Dude, he's running out of things to say.

He's running out of things to say. What are you at? Can they get to 85 wins? 85 probably gets in the playoffs in the American League. I don't know, man. I mean, at this rate you're more than a third of the way into the season. Like, you are who you are now. You know, this is like Thanksgiving in the NHL. Like, you've kind of determined who you are. So, in order for that to happen, they have to go on a heater, but they don't do enough things well, including offense in particular, to go on a heater, but they don't do enough things well including offense in particular to go on a heater Right, they got to win like eight in a row nine in a row to reset

But in order to do that you have to mash and they don't consistently do that So as a result you're gonna see them hit against the Padres and then not hit against the Rays and then kind of not hit Against the Rangers and that you know, yeah, that's kind of how they operate right now and then kind of not hit against the Rangers and that you know yeah that's kind of how they operate right now uh... anyway we'll see what the Jays have in store tonight NBA NHL playoffs will break it all down tomorrow Brad True Living speaking tomorrow morning so we'll see what he has to say by four o'clock tomorrow afternoon thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out we

appreciated everyone for tuning in today TV radio podcast web YouTube live up on the TSN YouTube channel every single day. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at... Thanks to the listener who said my doppelganger would be Clooney.

4 PM? We'll chat then. The newest tracks and the next big thing and your first place to hear it all I Heart New Music your digital station for brand new drops fresh finds and tomorrow's bangers powered by North by Northeast celebrating 30 years of discovering the artists you love today I Heart New Music Discover New Music stream now online on your smart speaker and on the free iHeart Radio app.