The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1314 - THE LEBRONVERSATION: 72 Minutes With LeBron James LIVE In The ThunderDome Uncut & Unfiltered

Episode Date: March 26, 2025

On today’s show, Pat, Darius Butler, and the boys welcome LeGoat, The King, LeBron James for a much anticipated “LeBronversation,” which features 72 minutes of LeBron James uncut and unfiltered covering everything from his career, his thoughts on the coverage of the NBA and the media, what it’s like playing with Bronny and how proud he is of his development, and pretty much everything else you would want answered in one of the most candid, incredible conversations we've ever had with one of the most popular athletes on the planet (7:27-1:19:22). Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow or watch on ESPN (12-2 EDT), ESPN’s Youtube (12-3 EDT), or ESPN+. We appreciate the hell out of all of you. We’re off the next two days for the NCAA Tournament. Enjoy all the games, we’ll see you Monday. Cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello beautiful people and welcome to our humble abode, The Thunderdome on this LeBron Versace Wednesday, March 26, 2025. This program starts now. Big Day! That it is. Obviously we are incredibly lucky that we get to talk about the sports world every single day. We can't thank you enough for allowing us to do this. It is literally a dream job. And just yesterday we got a chance to catch up with a dream guest. Ladies and gentlemen this is something that I think a lot of people have been seeking or hoping for for a long time. If you host a talk show having conversation with notable human

beings is like a part of the gig. Getting a chance to talk to these greats is a dream part of the gig. To get to learn from the people to get to Kind of meet the people that you know and the people that kind of make the world run In the sports world kind of drive day to day we are incredibly lucky that we get to chat with these people and uh, We take every single opportunity and we try to hold it with the most amount of gratitude and appreciation that could possibly had possibly be had because Not everybody just has time to come talk to a bunch of dumbasses. Like for instance, for LeBron here, he's playing the Pacers tonight and he'll get to the arena shortly here

and we'll learn about that in the conversation we had with him. He flew in yesterday after the show ended, drove from the airport to the Thunderdome, which is like our drive, because we're on the opposite side of where the International Airport is. So, flight from wherever comes in, long time, hops in a black SUV, drives an hour around the city to get to where we are, and then comes in here and spends two, three hours, an hour and 15 minutes chit chatting with us on the show. And I saw a bunch of people say,

well why isn't it live? Why is it, he's in the middle of a basketball field? He's got a game tonight against the Indiana Pacers and the fact that he took any amount of time out of his life at this stage of everything to come chat with us incredibly thankful. We cover damn near everything. Damn near everything in this chatter and obviously we're gonna run it just straight through so it's an hour and about 12 hour and 15 minutes uncut. There are some pictures that have been put on top of it, but I think this is gonna be a convo where you're gonna learn more about a man

who has been a superstar since he was a kid. There may be ever, I don't wanna do too much, but I think we learn a lot about this guy and we're so incredibly thankful the toxic table is here Bruce Brown sitting in for boss and Connor who traveled back home with talk for the rest of the week Send some love to Connor and talk for sure at Ty Schmidt here tie. It was a big combo. Yeah, unbelievable I mean you mentioned it we've done so many cool things But for whatever reason and and you didn't even get like, he was so comfortable

when he got in here, which was so awesome, but you didn't even have the chance to really be starstruck. I mean, you said it. Been watching LeBron for my entire adult life since I was 12 years old. It was incredible. It was by far one of the coolest things we've ever done. I've seen him on the court, obviously. I've seen him on TV.

I've seen him play much taller than, yeah. For sure. He's so tall. Nine year NFL vet, Darius J. Butler is here. Thank you very much. He's so tall. And I think you kind of, you go watch the games and all the NBA guys are standing next to the guys.

And we talk about how big LeBron is, like on a LeBron 6'1", 8'6", 1'9". This guy's huge. Then he walks in and it's like, oh yeah, he is fucking gigantic. This guy is a tall lad. Also, just, like the way he operated was like so cool, like just human, you know?

And I thought that was incredibly impressive of him because he's walking into a building he does not know, into a bunch of people that he's never met before. And he was welcoming and cool with everybody. And it did feel like from moment one, it was like, oh, we're gonna have a great convo here. A great convo, like you said, super comfortable, almost like you were in a locker room or a barbershop,

just shooting the shit more open than I've really seen him on any platform outside of any platform that he's on. You know, obviously the shop and other things like that, he's minding the game and things like that, you hear him speak, you know, with no cut. So it was great. So I mean, I can't wait to rewatch it because having the conversation was one thing,

but now I've been able to rewatch them. Sure, I missed some things and you mentioned it. We kind of hit on most things that, you know, you would ask if you had a conversation with Braun and he was pretty open about it. You mentioned he's been, you know, in the spotlight since he was 15, 16 it, you mentioned he's been in the spotlight since he was 15, 16 years old,

and he's kind of around our age, but he's had to deal with so much before us and be on such a bigger stage. So it's gonna be dope to see. I think it'll be dope for the people to see, and I think it'll be a lot of things taken from it going forward. Yeah, I think there's gonna be a lot of reaction.

I think that's safe to say. I think, yeah. Yeah, I think the internet is about to eat because of everything that happens here. Now before we get to that, a couple quick NFL notes. Let's go to one half of the hammer. Cowboys AP Tone. AP Tone, you know how I know Russell Wilson isn't gonna be the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers? How's that? Because Russell Wilson is now a member of the New York football Giants. Unbelievable, ten and a half million dollar guaranteed on a one-year deal up to 21 million in incentives obviously we saw a rebirth of Russell Wilson in Pittsburgh last year. It didn't end the

way anybody wanted it to end but I think he showcased the fact that he still got it. Dayball not only brings in Jamis Winston a couple weeks ago now brings in Russell Wilson. They were in on Matthew Stafford, they were in on Aaron Rodgers. The New York Giants understand the situation over there We got a win now. We need a veteran quarterback That's gonna be able to do so they have two in their quarterback room with Tommy Cutlet Shell show hanging out as the third stringer good luck to day ball good luck to Russell Wilson Malik neighbors has a new quarterback in The building and actually a couple of them also news Stefan digs

Takes a trip up to New England. He is now a member of the New England Patriots last year was on the Houston Texans Got injured, but I guess he's back fully healthy. They're saying well, I would say fully healthy. He is moving moving well Running routes pulling sleds doing full workouts down there with dr. Reeve. He trains down in South, Florida He's always been a work. He's always been a grinder and Drake May Who was he compared to during the draft process coming out like a lot of young big athletic quarterbacks are compared to Josh Allen and obviously Stephon Diggs played a huge role in Josh Allen's development to become the MVP quarterback that he is now so I'm sure Mike Vrabel wants to see that same jump with Drake

May's place so getting a professional wide receiver who's used to being the guy getting open, catching balls in big moments. I think this is a pretty good move from New England. And salary wise, it kind of looks like a one year deal if they want to get out of after one year. And also good money for Stephane if he can make it work and stay there in New England. And in variable culture, we assume Stephane Diggs will be able to just jump right in.

I think a lot of people in Houston, his teammates have come out and said how much they enjoyed being his teammate whenever the conversation obviously with Buffalo went the way it did, Minnesota went the way it did. Teammates have come out and said positive things about Stephon Diggs and obviously as a football player, he is an absolute dog. But Russell Wilson goes to the Giants, Stephon Diggs goes to the Patriots.

Who's the quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tone? Right now it's goateed Mason Rudolph and we're just, you know, waiting on Aaron. Okay, all right. Obviously, Aaron Rodgers still making his decision. Let's assume that that comes at some point relatively soon, because it's going to have to. Speaking of all the soonness that needs to take place,

we need to showcase the greatest conversation we've ever had. Ladies and gentlemen, we got a chance to catch up with the king yesterday. It is time for the debut of the LeBron Versace. Ladies and gentlemen, we got a chance to catch up with the king yesterday. It is time for the debut of the LeBronversation Ladies and gentlemen Goat and I would say child stars

Okay, nobody ever talks about that been famous since a teenager Basketball obviously in life as a whole fucking dominating through and through just a kid from Akron ladies and gentlemen LeBron James I appreciate it man uh definitely been seeing you guys up in here man so it's great to come here and be in the studio with you guys I told you as soon as you pulled up out there I walked outside black SUV pulls up turns around your door opens and literally go holy shit you're actually here I thought this was all bullshit. Thank you for taking time and Coming and visiting and chatting with us. We're obviously massive fans, dude I'm 37 years old obviously you're a little bit older than me

But watching you because I have you know because my demo in high school was the one that was watching you dominate You actually came to Pittsburgh beat the Pennsylvania All-Stars, which is your high school team The whole story. So I followed your entire career. Massive fan-yours. Thank you for doing this. I appreciate it. I appreciate you having me, man.

It's going to be fun. Let's talk about it. You're 40 years old now. Yes, sir. You've been in the league 22 years, longer than you were not in the league. You're in the league. And you're playing like you're one of the best seasons you've ever had. Why is that, you think?

Is it comfort? What is it about this year? I mean, I think obviously I've been in the game for a while so I kind of know what to expect and you know obviously one you got to take care of your body but more importantly you got to take care of your mind. You know being a professional athlete if your mind is not as sharp as possible or as clear as possible then you're not going to be able to perform at a high level. You know I think you know seeing what our team is capable of doing, even before the big acquisition of picking up Luca, I thought we had a good chance of making a good run.

So I wanted to make sure that I was there, not only physically, but also mentally and just give to the season. But I felt pretty good, man, throughout the whole season. I know I had a little small injury that kept me out two weeks ago, but I'm back and I feel great.

We watched you do the sprint down the court thing. It was hilarious. It's like 40 years old doing the same thing you're doing whenever you're 18, 20. And we'll talk about the Luka trade. We'll talk about the Lakers, but you talked about, you know, having clarity in mind and feeling good going into the season because you knew you could go on a run. There was that say what you got, you spent like a million bucks on your body or something. I don't know where the hell that shit came from.

That's a very fair assessment. Yeah I don't know where that came from but I mean listen I do take care of my body but I don't I have no idea where the amount of money came from but I do invest in my body for sure you know trying to do a little bit of this little bit of that obviously a lot of soft tissue work a lot of massages a lot of hyperbaric chambers ice tubs ice ice baths. Whatever I can do to continue to play at this level, man, I'm gonna continue to do what I'm planning. You've committed your entire life to ball, right? You got safe to say?

Yeah. And you love the sport. Is that your drive is how much you love the sport? Or why do you think at this age you're still going as a shooter? There's no way I'll be still playing, you know, at this level, Pat, if I wasn't in love with it or didn't commit to it. I've had an opportunity to be able to be blessed with a crazy, God-given talent. A lot of us are, to be completely honest, when you find your niche in sports.

There's a lot of people that's born with unbelievable talents, but it's literally the ones that really commit to their craft and literally commit to the sport in general. Being able to pour yourself into it Is what you're gonna get out of it, too. So I figured shit when I knew I had a gift like 1314 that I was out there on the court and I was running past guys and jumping higher and you know making passes and doing things that other

13 14 15 16 year olds wasn't doing. I was like, oh shit. This could be it. This could be it. This could be it. And like I'm living in, you know, Section 8 housing is me and my mom, you know, we trying to figure it out.

And I'm like, oh shit, if I commit to this, I can figure it out. I can figure it out for not only myself, but for my mom, get out of the, you know, out of the inner city and make something out of it. So, you know, big time for sure. And your friends, you've taken care of everybody. And I think that is one of the inner city and make something out of it. So, big time for sure. And your friends, you've taken care of everybody. And I think that is one of the things that I love the most.

We have Rich on here multiple times. I love Rich. He's been very good to us, but just like the way you take care of your people, the way you've kind of done everything is admirable. It never gets talked about, honestly. No, no, I appreciate it. And the chatter that surrounds you,

since you have been a guy since you were 13, and I remember the Hummer story, and the shooting deals, and everything back then. What's going on now with the NIL? I mean, it's completely. Right, right, I mean, I can imagine if NIL was around when I was in high school, I'd have loaded up, I'd have loaded up big time for sure.

Well, I think you already were, which is part of the problem. Right. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But literally, since that you were a superstar, since you're like a teenager, as soon as you get in the NBA, obviously the chosen one, here we go.

This is it. You're in Cleveland. You immediately start getting compared to like greatest of all time. Yeah. And as a person that's in sports, and we are all sports fans, we saw that happen. I assume at the beginning, massive compliment?

Is that a massive compliment? No, it was, it was. I can remember like my first game, when I watched the replay, my first game on national television, it was like, will he be one of the one name guys that ever played this game? It was like, he's like, will Kareem Magic,

Bird, Jordan Jordan all these first-name guys and then at the end it was like LeBron and I'm like fuck I'm 17 years you guys are giving me this already like I haven't done anything and it's like it was a compliment to be able to be, you know, in the names of those guys, but it was also like super fucking scary and intimidating too, it was like, I'm just a small kid from Akron, Ohio. I don't even know what the call to action is. Well, very tall.

And at that point, I think you were a little bit more jacked at the time because the game called for it. But whenever you talk about it being a scary situation, you never let that image out publicly. And I think none of us ever saw you being scared. None of us ever saw you like kind of flapped at all. You were an unflappable force. And you've been in the public eye for so long.

I think you would probably admit that you probably fucked some things up on the way, but you haven't, really. You're like the, and I said it earlier, child star, like most people, especially you talk about section eight housing, coming from nothing to everything, being in the the public eye at some point that is gonna collapse a human there for sure for you It feels like it hasn't and there's been a lot of things said there's been a lot of fires that you've been put into Either you walked into yourself or thrown into why do you think that is the case?

Do you think it's cuz your mom do you think it's cuz what I mean? I was I give her about shit a lot of credit for the way She raised me the way she taught me the things that she was able to instill in me It was also me also just looking at her the way she moved in the way how how Determined she was to be able to make my life better even with the circumstances that we were growing up in so I give her A lot of credit. I have some little league coaches too that um, you know taught me about not only just you know playing the game and teaching Me the game of basketball, but also being a young man, you know throughout my small adolescent years And then just like to be completely honest, like I didn't want to fuck my opportunity up

Like I knew that the statistics For inner city black kid to be able to be in a position that I was in, especially from my hometown, shit, it never ever happens. Never. It never works out. It never happens and if it does happen, it never works out, you know. And, you know, it was a, I mean, I don't like, I want to throw him under the bus, but the only inspiration like we had was like Jerome Lane, the guy who like dunked and shattered a backboard that played for Piss Bird. He was from Akron, Ohio.

Like we saw that and we was like, oh shit, that's inspiration. And then I went through high school and all my boys know this too. Like I went through high school and we was playing against the inner city kids because we went to an all Catholic high school and fucking Jerome Lane was like hating on us.

I was like, oh this motherfucker, right? Like he's back in Akron hating on us, like going on us. I was like, oh, this motherfucker, right? He's back in Akron, hating on us, like going against us. And I'm like, oh shit, you was like our only inspiration. We like looked up to you and I was like, you know what? I can't fuck this opportunity up, man. If I get the opportunity to make it, I gotta do what I have to do to put my city on, to represent my last name on my back, man,

my family, my friends, and also like it's sport, you know, sport has given us so much. I mean, I look around here, I mean, looking at baseballs and NFL helmets and basketball jerseys and like seriously, like seriously, like a putt, putt, putt, putt, like seriously, like it's given us so much. So like I couldn't, I couldn't mess the opportunity up.

Well, you've done, hey, I think you figured it out. You've done good. Now we'll see what's left, you know? Now the conversation is how many years is he going to play? You look like you could probably play forever. D-Bud has a question for you. Kind of on that note, and one of the things people got on you about was when you went to Miami.

You made the city go to Miami. I know there were some great things behind that as well. Me, lifelong Miami Heat fan, I loved it. But what was it like coming down there, your first championship and what was that kind of load lifted off your back? You talk about being amongst the one-name guys. Championships obviously got to come with that. So what was that like going down there and getting that done? Yeah, I mean listen, my aspiration was a lot bigger than just you know winning MVPs and you know being an all-star and whatever, all the individual

things. Before I even got to the NBA, I've always won. It doesn't matter which level you win on. If you're in a winning environment, that shit carries on throughout the rest of your life. My first year ever playing organized sports, I won a Little League football championship that year and then backed it up with a basketball championship. Undefeated season. My second year, we did the same thing, you know,

and I was league MVP in basketball and football. Through middle school championships, through high school, I won three state championships, you know, like I was just always born winner and I knew how to win because of the culture that I was around. I knew how it was supposed to be done. And at that moment, you know, my seven years in Cleveland,

I had some good years, obviously some great years. One, I was able to take the team to the NBA finals. I was 22 years old. I had a moment in Detroit where I went insane, 25 straight, 29 out of 30, you know, and took a team that, you look back at our roster, you're like, what the hell? How would that even possible?

There's a lot of those, brother, we don't wanna dive into all of them. You were like, the finals like 45 straight years. You know what I'm saying? So like, but it got to the point that that final season, I was like, I've maximized this potential. I've squeezed all the juice out of this damn lemon here. And I know it.

And in order for me to get to where I wanna get to, I have to make a choice for my career going forward. And Miami was the best choice at that moment. I felt like it was the best choice for me. The conversation I had with D-Wade, had with Bosch, had with Udonna's Haslem. D-Wade and UD have been there, they had 1-1, have beat Dallas,

they had been in some big playoff matchups with Detroit where Detroit beat them and then they beat Detroit and things of that nature. And then you look at the big four that Boston had, everybody talk about the big three, but everybody always decides that for some odd reason that Rondo wasn't as great as Rondo was. It's always just the big three.

He's from Boston. Not me, I don't know what you're saying. They say the big three, but fucking Rondo was, he was a dog, he brought it all, he made it all work with those guys, because Ray wasn't bringing the ball up. You had Ray flying around, you know, you have Paul when he get it at a certain spot,

and Paul was a killer. And then you had KG was anchoring the defense, and also you throw it to the low post. But they all started with the mind, and that was Rarondo. So for me to go down to Miami, man, one, it was a terrifying experience for me. You gotta think, I don't know a lot of people, but it's the first time I ever left my hometown.

I was 25 years old. My first seven years, even though I played for Cleveland, I still lived in Akron. So for 25 straight years, I was comfortable. Awesome house, you had an awesome house, we seen that. Yeah, oh yeah. Oh yeah, oh yeah. We used to see that, it's a great house.

So I'm comfortable. That is my comfort, my comfortability is being in Akron, Ohio. I drive 30 minutes to Cleveland, play my games, and then I shoot right back down to Akron and I'm comfortable. That is my comfort, my comfortability is being in Akron, Ohio. You know, I drive, you know, 30 minutes to Cleveland, play my games, and then I shoot right back down to Akron and I'm good. So for the first time, it's like, I've always used the analogy, like, I felt like this was my college moment. You know, I didn't go to college.

So like going to Miami was my, you know, moment to basically get out the house with my parents. You know, I was going off to college and I learned a lot, man. And shit, two championships, four, four finals appearances, you know I was going off the college and I learned a lot man and shit two championships for four finals appearances you know two more MVPs you know and things that I can just I can always look back on say with hell of an experience and you guys were the heatles why we on that why we on that you mentioned you didn't wait and I forget which one of them that was but they told a story about Pat Riley fucking with your cookies. Yes.

Is that a real story? Is that a real story? He true. No, it's a true story. Okay. It's a true story. Now like Riles wasn't like, it wasn't like Riles was on the plane

and I was about to get my cookies and Riles snatched them out of my hand. You know how stories can become a little bit, they kind of build to Sasquatch at some point. But there it was. I mean, I was, you know, there was a time where everyone knows I fucking love chocolate chip cookies.

It's like my biggest vice. Is it specific? No, it was literally the plane that we were getting on, the ladies on the plane were making chocolate chip cookies. Oh, holy shit. Yeah, so they knew. Oh, man. Yeah, so they were making them and bringing them

because we had the same ladies all the time. It was a party of six. You know, they were rotating. Every time they knew I love chocolate chip cookies, so they would get on and I would, hey. Soft, soft. Soft with a little crispy edge. Oh!

Perfect, yep. Yeah, perfect. And I would get on and they already knew. They'd bring me two cookies and I'd get the gambling with the guys and I got my cookies and we good. And then one flight I got on, I looked at them and they looked at me and I'm like, oh those, that look didn't look familiar

But I asked him I was like do you we got the it was like no there We're not allowed to no more cookies on these flights. What and we all know where it came from I looked at D way D way looked at me. He was like basically without even saying he was like fucking rouse and done it again Rouse strikes again. I was like So what was it like down there? Cause they talk about the heat culture and Pat Riley and obviously him just saying no more cookies. Oh, it's LeBron's cookies.

I don't give a fuck. Once I get my Riles, he don't give a fuck about nothing. Listen, if it ain't about that heat shield and covering that heat culture, I mean, we see what's going on now. Well, not anymore, but we see Jimmy and you know, and it was at one point where even I left and it was time for D Wade to get paid

and he didn't want to pay D Wade and D Wade left. I was like, oh, when that happened, I was like, when Wade County had to leave and go to Chicago, I looked at the cookie situation, I was like, oh shit, maybe it wasn't that bad. I was like, okay, fuck it. I mean, D-Waze, millions of my cookies. I was like, okay, maybe I made it. I was like, okay, it wasn't that bad.

Let's talk about the cultures. You know, cause Cleveland, you talk about getting your career, trying, making, feeling like you had to go to Miami. You obviously did that, you go back to Cleveland, wait one day, there you go. Brown Town, that parade was bananas. And then obviously out at LA,

what is it about JJ Reddick's culture that you have felt, experienced, and obviously a couple games have not won, but fourth in the West still on a playoff push. What is it about JJ Reddick and his culture or what you guys have right now that you like? I think the best thing about JJ is that he's just a great podcaster. Yeah he is.

We learned a lot brother. You guys were talking about like when the fucking doubles here, do we round here, do we go under this? He's just a podcaster that for some odd reason became a head coach and all because of me. It's just the weirdest thing in the world. And those conversations have died down. But no, no, I think one thing about J.J., man, he bleeds the game and he breathes the game of basketball every single day. He's one of those guys that is kind of just like me.

Like if we lose a game or we didn't play up the par, there's no such thing as sleeping that night. There's really, there's no such thing of sleeping until the next match, until the next game. And he's just determined to like, he's a, he's a dickhead. Yeah, gotta be. And I love it, and I love it. And when I was a kid I used to watch Duke, now I realize it. I hated Duke when I was growing up. And then when I got a little older and I started playing with Coach, I started matching up with Coach K.

We played with, you know, I played with him for Team USA. And then I was like, okay, I see why he's great. I see why he's great. I see why I hated JJ Reddick. You know, I see why I hated Shane Baddie. And then Shane came over to us in Miami and helped us win a championship. I was like, I see it.

He's like the greatest guys slash dickheads that you ever meet. Is that all from Coach K? You think JJ has a lot of Coach K? Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. He's just um, he's meant for it. You know, and there's some things that can't be explained, but when you got the F factor, it's just like, oh yeah, he's... Does he still shoot ever? Does he ever still?

Absolutely. Absolutely. He'll let us know for sure. Yeah, OK. Let's talk about a guy who made a shot the other day in warm ups that was, I don't know how, it defied physics, I think. Luca, he did this. He did a shot up over. From the complete opposite. Yeah, and then it, I don't know how that works, actually.

Like, science. I don't know how. But then he'll do one off the fucking Jumbotron. Yeah, here it is right here. Here it is right here. You've seen this obviously, I assume. Yes. He probably does this type of stuff every single day. What has it been like being his teammate? And, uh,

I think it was the first game there was a, you guys were calling it up or whatever and you looked at Luca and it was a big deal. Cause you said, you don't change a damn thing. We'll change for you actually is what you said. And then broke down. I think it was a big deal for people to hear you say but also obviously Luca as well what has it been like and why do you guys have such good chemistry I mean his name is Luca magic for a reason and you see that you see his play on the on the game he's a very transcendent player and and you talk about that moment that

moment you got you got to think um you know, I can't put myself in his shoes because I've never been traded before, but I can have a sense and be a human being to know you commit to a franchise for seven years and you feel like, you know, this is the place where I'ma be. This is my comfort, you know? I talk about my comfort before I went to Miami,

and then out of nowhere, bam, you just get traded. I don't give a damn where you're going. It doesn't matter who you're paying with. That's a shock to your system. It's a shock to your system. And even though he was ready to play, that moment I feel like that had to be said because he is still that guy. In order for us to reach our potential, he has to still that guy, you know in order for us to reach our potential He has to be that guy. He has to he has to fit out and we'll figure it out Let us let us let us figure it out with you, you know, because we need you to be who you are But um, it's definitely you know, I lost a dear friend and a great friend and a champion, you know Do over 80, you know miss him to death and but we was able to gain

were 80 you know miss him to death and but we was able to gain Luca magic you know and you know I think both sides will a lot of people thought you two wouldn't be able to work together because ball dominant you know LeBron James too much of a pre-Modena. Not gonna let Luca come in and do the Luca shit. Yeah and he won't be able to figure it out. Yeah it must be the idiots that don't know the game of basketball. Oh my goodness there's so many of those guys out there right now. I would say your league, you, you, and your league has the most absurd chatter. Oh my goodness. It really is every single day. And then you realize you was like, I'll be looking at and I hear it. I'm like, you know, those

guys, just a lot of those guys that played the game or did not play the game. It was just they played a game while they were talented. I don't think they ever thought the game. I don't think they were ever smart. I just think they were bigger and stronger and maybe faster at the time and they dominated and when it was over, it was over.

You know, they don't, that's why I'm able to still play at fucking 40 years old. Well, that's what everybody talks about. My mind is just like, I can play the game because I can out think the guys out there and as my athleticism has went down a notch, not a lot, but a notch. Yeah, you look slow, don't you look fat too. You know, as my athleticism has went down a notch, like I'm able to still bring up other facets of my game to be able to still, you know,

do what I need to do every single night. But the talking heads of our sport, oh my goodness. It's a lot, especially for you. I mean, you're in a much different situation than maybe any other human in history of sports, if I had to guess. And like I said, at the beginning, it's a compliment though. Like they're immediately telling this teenager

that we need to talk about him as if he is Michael Jordan, who obviously transcended the sport, changed the sport forever, and everything like that. But then it gets to the point where it's like, hey, this is a real conversation, and it almost immediately becomes divisive. Do you, so, this is an interesting concept here. You probably lost a lot of trust in media, I would assume,

because of the things that happened. Not just what was said on TV, but what it led other people to probably think they should say. Yeah, for sure. I mean, it all started with the decision. It all started with the decision. The decision really had me sit back and like,

because people literally like, I give a moment. So the decision, it was brought to me to be able to, you know, do something cool on TV, you know, do a kind of college style. Like I said, I never had it with the college. I was like, you know, this would be pretty cool. Make the decision, put the hat on, but also, you know, raise $2.5 million for a great cause, you know, and also be able to, you know, make it cool.

And the funniest thing is from that moment, it was December 2nd, 2010, was my first game back to Cleveland. So I stayed at the hotel, stayed at the Ritz downtown in Cleveland. And this one I knew that it was, people did not even really care or didn't even understand the situation they just wanted to be a part of the nonsense I hit the elevator to

go downstairs to the bus catch the bus to go over to think it was the queue the quick alone Zarina then and the elevator opens and it's two guys random guys on the elevator I don't you guys can always pull this up. They used to have these F-U-K-L-B-J T-shirts, black T-shirts, rare letters. And I see the two guys, they see me, they say, oh my fucking God. Oh, no, listen, this is, man, we love you so much, man.

We're just here for the spectacle, man. We're just here for the spectacle, man. We're just here for the spectacle. Like seriously, we love you, man. And have a good, get in the door, in the elevator door close. I was like, oh, yeah. Those are two white dudes, by the way. Oh, for sure, I didn't want to say it.

I didn't want to say it, because we're outnumbered right now. No, we're all just here to run. We're all just here to run. It was like, oh my God, man, we fucking love you, man. Like, oh shit, don't. And the elevator closed. I was like, you know what?

This is all part of the spectacle and it's about to get haywire. So the decision you think is whenever the conversation kind of changed a little bit about you? Yeah, because they just needed something. They needed something. Everything was so positive, you know, and I gave them no reason to make it negative.

It wasn't fucking up. But they needed anything. You know, I'm doing everything I needed to do in the court. I'm not out on the streets. I'm not doing, I'm not being caught in all the bullshit that doesn't respect the game and respect my craft. It was like, oh, you decided to go on TV and make a decision for your career. We got you. We got it. We finally got it. We finally made a little

chink in the armor. We got something. We got something. It's selfish. It's selfish. He's selfish mother. Yeah. And then that caught a little bit of fire, right? Because a lot of people don't like seeing people that are successful in anything, especially if somebody is taking happiness from them and their team which you were doing Obviously with the Cavs and then that just got you're saying from that moment Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah until yep, which leads obviously to you and Stephen a Hey legit that feels like a moment that had been brewing for a long time. He's like on a Taylor Swift. Yeah tour run, right? Oh, yeah. Yeah, we're watching. Yeah, we right now. Oh yeah, yeah, we're watching it.

We're all seeing it. Oh yeah. You're seeing it as well. No, he literally, it started off with, I didn't want to address it. Yeah, sure. I didn't want to address it. I wasn't going to address it.

But since the video came out, I feel the need to address it. Yeah, one fire. You would be an odd to talk about it. Are you kidding me? If there's one person that couldn't wait to the video to drop so you can address it, it's your ass. Like seriously, it's... and like another... he completely like missed the whole point. The whole point. Never in my... never would I ever not allow people to talk about the sport criticize players about what they do on the court

That is your job to criticize or to you know be in a position where okay if a guy's not performing You know that is all that is part of the game. That's all part of the game But when you take it and you get personal with it, it's my job to not only protect my damn household, but protect the players. And I think a lot of the media, including him, and I know that he's gonna be happy as hell, he's gonna be smiling from ear to ear

when he hears me talking about him again. Oh my God, he's gonna get home and grab some ice cream out of the fucking freezer and sit in his chair and his tighty-whities on the couch. I hope at some point you two do get a chance. Like relax, bro. Like relax. Like seriously, just you know. How do you feel about the way the game is covered and you players are covered?

Because this is a big topic of conversation with the NBA. We have Tyrese Halliburton We love Tyrese Tyrese is great love that guy. So Tyrese gave me the heads up like hey LeBron coming on your show is a massive ordeal Because like everybody in the NBA like does look up like LeBron is our guy Like I think Pat Beverly told the story down the bubble like LeBron is our guy. Like I think Pat Beverly told the story down at the bubble whenever everybody was like, we need to take a stand and yada, yada, yada.

And then I think he was the person who went up and said, hey, you, if you're fucking playing, we're all playing. If you're not playing, we're not playing. But I think that's how everybody in the league feels about you. So congrats on that, by the way. Respect amongst your peers. No, no, for real.

I had to respect for my peers. That means a lot. And I carry that, man. And I take that means a lot. And I carry that, man. And I take that with a lot of responsibility because there was too many years went by when players did not have an opportunity to just speak and their voices to be heard or allow the narrative to get so much outside of sports. Like if I listen, if I miss a game winner or if I don't show up in the finals,

you know, like I was supposed to, versus Dallas in year one in Miami, you can say whatever the fuck you want. You know, I should have been a lot better, I know. But like, don't take it to, you know, my household, or take it to what's going on and other guys. Like, I've seen something with Embiid where a reporter came into the locker room

and started speaking about, like, I think his brother or something. Like, how weird is that? Like, that's so weird. Like, why are we taking it to that point? And we're taking it to that point because people have gotten too comfortable. I think people in the media have gotten too comfortable,

especially with our sport. They got too comfortable where, you know, back in the day, like, for sure, you would never bring up Charles Oakley's brother. Charles Oakley would smack you through his brother. Alright, yeah, Mad Max, like his name was Mad Max for a reason, it wasn't because he picked you up 94 feet,

it was because if you said something about Mad Max, like, he's gonna separate your jaw. And there was no repercussions from that. like we they got to the point where they Knew like oh, you know these guys can't really do anything to us anymore Because there would be a fine suspension and you know or or and don't embarrass Yeah, they don't embarrass the league or you know you now here come your sponsors They're coming after us or coming after you and they're gonna be like what are you doing like? That's when that's when they decided they could, you know, thought

they thought. So the conversation about old school basketball is a real thing. Like, uh, because that's the new narrative now is like, it's a nostalgia issue. Like, uh, a lot of people who grew up in a different era of basketball and get introduced to basketball, they're going to like that era regardless of no matter what happens in the future. You've played through what knowledge three years Yeah, three years back whenever koozie was doing no look pass Yeah, the first ever no look pass

Cools that game for sure boom Yeah, but we're watching these highlights and I'll speak for you for that for that error exactly Thank you. You don't have to say this. Yeah. Yeah for sure. I'll say this. I'll say yeah game for that I watched I didn't I grew up in Pittsburgh. So we didn't have an NBA team So I was more NHL guy, but I would watch the lake show at night cuz I couldn't sleep So I didn't know the NBA but not like I didn't follow it as closely when I watched the last dance I was watching a lot of highlights and I was watching people dribble ball I guess and I was like, I don't and I was watching people dribble a ball like this and I was like

I don't know how that works in modern basketball. Yeah, you guys have played a couple different sports I think there was a koozie era of sports where a no look pass. Holy shit And there was an era where people were starting to get like nasty. There's some more Yes, so Pete Merivich He started coming in and start, you know get a little bit in that but then the ball was hitting off guys heads and stuff So they looking at him like what are you doing? Like never see those lowlights though only see the highlights highlights for the Balinese bangers survive Then obviously Jordan comes in and transforms everything, you know him Duncan from the foul line mass or deal

I made a whole fucking brand off and he's flying now kids are like Duncan from the three-point line in high school It's like there is just like the game is evolved But there is like a nostalgia combo that takes place with you guys, this modern era. Do you feel that? How do you address that? No, no, no, I definitely feel it. And I think, you know, we just have to recognize that evolution is just a part of life, man. Like, you know, shit, you look at the Hummer from the 1970s to the Hummer of today, it's like, you're gonna be like,

okay, you might be nostalgic about it, you loved it in the 70s, but do you really wanna drive that every day? Right now in 2025? You're gonna get out the car and your goddamn neck and your back is gonna be hurting so bad. Like seriously, you're gonna be hurting so bad. You're gonna be like, okay, you know what?

This might be just a Sunday chill car. Like I drive it up the street, get some ice cream, come back home, but I can't. Refill it because it gets too much. Yeah, yeah, exactly. I got to just start it up, let it just crank the gas for about two hours just to make sure it's still running. But like, you know, like we have to understand that.

There's players and errors and things of that nature. Like we get it, but like, you know, you watch some of the NFL games as well from the seventies and the eighties. And you got like, you know, Jack Lambert and those guys like coming through like completely decapitating people, you know, like murder Ronnie lot, like Ronnie lot tours pinky off and then went to the sidelines, like just tear

the rest of it off. I'm getting back out there. Like, like I get it. Like those are nostalgic moments, but like the game has, the game is different and we should respect all eras in that era. You know, we can't be saying, okay, just because Wilt was great in the 60s and 70s,

that he'll be great now. And we also can't say to some of the guys, now it'll be great. It is what it is. Respect that era and we move on. But the whole, every single day that he's better, he's not better, he wouldn't, you're trying to tell me Giannis wouldn't be able to play an NBA game in the 70s.

I think that's true. He wouldn't be able to do it. Yeah, neither would you. Neither would you. Giannis Anticupo would have 250 points in a game in a seven 250 Disrespect like it's no disrespect but like seriously like Kyrie Irvin Which they would have called him a witch no no they would have told Kyrie you you're not you know know how they used to tell Luau Sender at the time that he couldn't dunk in high school games?

They would have told Kyrie, you're not allowed to dribble anymore. That's what they would have told him. Dribbling is out rude. They would have seen that. How tall are you? I'm 6'9". And how heavy are you? I'm give or take in between 215 to 280, I don't know, depends on the day. Depends on if you're giving my cookies or not. I'm give or take in between 215 to 280. I don't know, it depends on the day.

Depends on if you're giving my cookies or not. Yeah, power eyes like we're tipping too close to 280. LeBron, the needles are becoming a heavyweight battle. So six, nine. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's say you're two, you look very thin right now. Yeah, yeah, I feel good. So 215, six'9", 220.

Could easily get to 260 though. I think that would play in a lot of different eras. Yeah, come on. I could play. I would be able to play in any era. It's funny you hear some of them older guys like Ron James couldn't play in this era. Never been fouled by Bill Ambyr before.

Yeah, yeah. I think I've seen like Dennis Robbins say that one time. It was like, LeBron James, not skilled enough. Yeah, not think I've seen like Dennis Robbins say that one time. It was like LeBron James not skilled enough Yeah, not big enough he's not nah doesn't weigh enough. He's not strong enough can't handle it. Nah, yeah, i'm like Okay, okay. Let's talk about you flopping all over the place. That's why people get mad. Yeah, I know Yeah, I know now why do you do that? Patrick Mahomes does the same thing? He's greatest of all time

Uh for us in a conversation of the greatest of all time for us in a conversation the greatest of all time. The rules indicate that if you're to hit him he gets 15. No doubt. Is that the same thing for you? I wish. I wish. Because I am like literally over like the last five, six years why everybody's been claiming I flop all the time. I'm not gonna bottom half of free throw attempts per game. Oh, they won't give you the whistle. Hmm. You don't get the whistle. Oh, they won't give you the whistle

You know the funny thing is I have a lot of teammates that be like they come to the Lakers and they'd be like man When I used to play against you, I just think you got every goddamn call and I hated it And now that I'm your teammate, it's like oh my goodness. You don't get any calls I'm like, hey, you know, don't worry about calls. I'm like hey you know don't worry about it just just keep playing. No, why do you see me in the third quarter? I got to go flop. I practiced on this one last night because there's a video from the last dance where I think the ref says to Michael Jordan he goes I didn't see it Michael I am so sorry I would never do it to you. Yeah I believe you Michael yeah that's the clip. Oh yeah I saw that I saw that and Michael's like oh god damn it. Y, I saw that. Oh we. Okay so you and Michael at a good spot. Who me and Michael?

Jordan. Yeah we're a good spot. We don't talk. Why not you think? Uh, because I'm still playing. I think I'm still playing. I'm still focused on my craft right now. When you're done you think you two will be the only two that can have a conversation. I would hope so. You know, the funny thing is me and Kobe besides our, you know, the late great Kobe, obviously, me and Kobe never had a real relationship either until we was on the Olympic team. We had a great relationship there, Olympic team eight, Olympic team 12, but it was always competitive between us. We were always like, I was on the East Coast, he was on the West Coast, and it was like, even though we never, I fucked up one one time and you know oh nine and didn't

beat Orlando and I think it was oh nine didn't beat Orlando and didn't get him an opportunity to play him in the finals but like and until I became a Laker and then he retired that's when our relationship like became really really good yeah you know he like welcomed me called me like bro anything you need in LA like I got you, you a Laker now, you family you know and we would have multiple conversations. He was obviously you got to saw him coming to a lot of games and things of that nature and when I when I passed him in the scoring record in Philly you know I think he had a tweet out there like keep on going like keep transcending the game keep

going like and that shit like meant so much to me so like I think it's cuz I'm still playing you know and MJ's we all know MJ even if you don't know him personally He's one of the most ruthless competitors there is and Till I'm done And he doesn't have to look at me run up and down wearing the number 23 and every time my name is mentioned is mentioned What he is he's like, I don't want to fucking talk to you.

Yeah, I want to talk for you. Yeah, I'm on a golf course. Don't talk to me right now. I'm on a back nine. Do not call me. It was great to see y'all at the top 75. Oh yeah, that was dope. That was dope.

That's straight respect, admiration, and just like, you know, me for sure. I mean, shit, like I said, I wear a 23 because of MJ, you know, and that sure, I mean, shit, like I said, I wear 23 because of MJ, you know, and that shit, the inspiration that he gave me as a kid at Akron, Ohio, that don't have much inspiration in your hometown, you look at something. It's gotta be somebody in sports, somebody in music, somebody on the TV screen, so like,

Will Smith from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Michael Jordan playing for the Bulls, Jay-Z Biggie in Tupac. That was like, that was my inspirations. You know what I'm saying? Like I needed that cause I didn't have like, Lang. Yeah, couldn't be fucking Jerome Lang.

He's like, he know me and shit. So like, you know what I'm saying? Kind of on that note, Bronny, your son, he's obviously had that inspiration in the home and you've talked about it since years ago, wanting to play long enough to play with your son. So you obviously visualized that. How was the real moment with that happening?

Because I know me seeing it, seeing the Griffys there, that was just an unbelievable moment. So what was that like for you really actually being in it? Like, you know, seeing that pop fly head towards Ken Griffey Senior and then see Junior over there right before the ball got to his glove and he snatched it out the air and run back to the dugout like laughing at his pops.

Like, that was a cool ass moment. And for that moment, that game, that home opener versus Minnesota, and then just over there and see Griffey Jr., man, the kid, and seeing his pops over there, and us getting that pitcher at half court, and then us going out on the floor and having that moment, I was,

it wasn't even, I wasn't, physically I wasn't even there. I wasn't even there. You're floating. I'm floating and I can only imagine where Bronnie was. I don't know. I know we haven't even talked about it yet at some point we will But I wasn't even there like I was so I wasn't I might have been in the rafters I might have been at home. My body may have been at home watching the game watching the moment. I complete was not there.

And but damn, that was an unbelievable moment, man, for for me to be able to like have that dream, be able to speak it into existence for it to come to fruition, for my mom and my wife and my daughter and my my youngest son to be there. It's like, you know, I started thinking about everything for what the hell he went through less than a year before with his, you know, his cardiac arrest, man. That came out of nowhere.

That came out of nowhere. It was a birth defect that, practically, you know, quite honestly, if he never played sports or he never like started to become, you know, strong and run fast and all those stuff, we probably would have never to, we would never have to worry about it. But as he got stronger and things of that nature, it was just something inside his heart that, you know, was just pounding at his heart and pounding at his lungs that unfortunately

we had the incident. And thankfully, you know, a lot thankfully, a lot of these kids, we've been seeing a lot lately in sports, not only in basketball, but in football. And unfortunately, we was able to catch it. And to all the families out there that haven't had the opportunity to catch their kids before it gets to the point where they're not here anymore.

To see that happen to Bronnie, and for him to be able to play that same year after that happened, you know, at USC, and then less than a year later be drafted by the Lakers, and then in that fall, we go out there together. So that's why I wasn't there. Yeah, yeah. Like, I was, we walked in together,

but I was not there. That's a dad moment, that's really cool. People forget, you know, you're only one name now name now LeBron but you're still a human too and I assume seeing you know your baby boy. Yeah man. And then obviously that led to the thing with Stephen A talking about him and how critical everybody has been of Bronnie and I think that's a pressure that a second-generation star has on him. His whole life he's had that. It feels like he is very, I mean he's like a 55-year-old it looks like,

the way he kind of handles it all. And I think you've even said that as well. But how about his development? We had Rich Paul on the day after the draft. Because there was a bunch of rumors about Rich Paul was telling teams, hey you drafted him, oh son of an Australian. There was a lot of those types of things happening.

Eventually the Suns were involved, there was a chance they could get you, but he ends up with the Lakers with you. And obviously it's a whole storm, like LeBron James is bullying, blah, blah, blah. The way it always goes. This guy's not good enough, this guy's not this. He does start out a little bit rough, MP-wise.

But now, I mean he just dropped 39 last night in the G League. I think he had like a double-double or something. He had his best game in the NBA last week. He's obviously getting better and better. You have to be loving every moment and how proud of Brawny are you for what he's going through? And listen for me as a dad,

shit, it doesn't matter if he never scores ever. For me as a dad, I'm just super proud of him, period as a young man. For me as a mentor and as a teammate of his and that wants to see him thrive because I've seen the work he's put into the game. I am super proud of his development to where he is now from the moment that, you know, he was drafted in June of 2025 to us being now in March of 2026, his development is skyrocketed,

you know, and I just think I had a good friend of mine, you know, and I just think, I had a good friend of mine, you know, who went through a cardiac arrest as well. And he told me that, you know, it took him, and he played basketball as well. And back then when it happened to him in the early 2000s, they didn't, they wasn't with going back to performing. It was like, if it happened, it's over with. What does that roll the dice?

Yeah, we're not rolling the dice. There was not enough data on it. It's like you have a cardiac arrest. It is over. We don't want this on our resume. They was not going back to performing, perform the play. And he told me he was like, man, I'm gonna be honest. It took me about two and a half years to finally get back to just normalcy.

Like my body, my mind. And he said, what happened to me, I was 23 years old. Bronnie was 19 years old. And he said, it's gonna take a little time. And I reason with that. But also, he's doing things a little time, and I reason with that, but also, he's doing things right now less than two years. You know, and it's because of his determination and his will to want to get better,

and his will to like, I don't really care what y'all saying, I hear it. He did an article the other day, he was like, yeah, I hear the noise. I use that as motivation, but I also know what I'm capable of. And you know, I've always told my kids, all of them you know they all play sports two basketball players my youngest son going to Arizona I'm on a full ride my daughter's seven foot tall

nowhere he popped up on the family on the internet obviously we see it all and it's like Ronnie okay and then little Bryce no Bryce with the glasses right exactly and then all of a sudden one video popped up of it obviously and Bryce told him, wait a minute, wait a minute. So he on his way to Arizona, my daughter's you know she's playing 12 and under volleyball, she just turned 10 so like and I just tell him like it doesn't matter about the noise that's going to happen it's only about like if you love it go out and practice if you think you want to if you fall in love with it,

you only can fall in love with the process. Don't worry about the outcome. Fall in love with the process and that shit will take care of itself. So, super proud of Bronny, man. I know very long-winded when you talk about the kids, I just start thinking about them. But super proud of his game and where he is today.

Starting off the G-League season with just trying to figure it out. And now, shit like you said last night, 39. You know starting off the G League season was like, you know, just trying to figure it out and now Shit, like you said last night 30, you know 39 and more than anything when I talked to him He was more pissed off at the technical free throw that he missed more than anything He's like I could have had a 40 He said I could have had a 40 ball and I missed that day of technical free throw So man the kid is he's awesome. He's been fun to watch

Yeah It is in the story has gotten so loud and I think that's why listening to you talking you say you get long-winded about the kid it's like well that's why everything happened that happened a couple weeks ago but like you playing with him obviously was a dream said that years ago. Bryce down though I mean. Very possible. That is uh. Oh don't do that to me yeah you're second to 15 not nowhere near 280 the best shape you've been in that conversations loud about now about how many more does LeBron James have I think fans I think the league I bet you Adam Silver is wondering the same exact thing yeah of what you've done for the league, for how long you've done it.

That convo pops up every year. For you too, or is it just for outside people? No, no, it's popping up more and more every year. Cause obviously I know I'm on the other side of the hill than the previous side, you know? So I've done this for a long time. And then obviously I know it started like, okay, now you get to the top of that roller coaster

and it's like, okay, when is this damn roller coaster gonna go down? Kennywood yeah you know like so I understand that so I don't know man it's all about for real for me it's my mind if I could if I could continue to I am all about the process like I am all about the process and if it gets to the point where I don't feel like showing up to the arena five hours in advance or I don't feel like training or I don't feel like studying the scout sheet of guys like if it gets to that point like I know like you know what, Brian, it's a wrap. Yeah you kind of you'll be able to tell. Yeah you'll be able to tell. Yeah, you'll be able to tell.

Yeah, you will be personally. Five hours before the game or showing up every day? Yeah, 7.30 the game, I'm usually around 2.15 too. What do we got? We got a cold tub, we're drinking some, putting some wine on our feet. Sure. What are we doing?

We're doing a little bit of everything for sure. I'm missing wine, drink a little wine too. Oh, I saw you walking into the game, remember the big booze bag? Oh yeah. Yeah, that guy was walking with the wine to the game. I remember that. Mailed it in, LeBron's quitting, showing up drunk.

Everything you do is talked about. Yeah, I had one former Laker. I wasn't even playing. It was pre-season. I had worked out before the game. I wasn't playing in like a former Laker. I was on the bench like, you know, eating fruit. Like, you know, I worked out, I had, okay,

I gotta shower, let me get out here to watch the guys, support the guys during a pre-season game. It was like year fucking 20 for me, probably. Why am I even going out here for a pre-season game? But I'm a good guy, and I love my teammates, and I'm a good teammate. So I go out there, and the next day I wake up as a fucking Laker guy played for the Lakers

I know you guys gonna look this up. It's like Like that's very selfish LeBron. Why is he over there eating fruit? What are you doing? He could have did that in the back or he could have had that at home. I'm like, bro I'm literally just trying to like Replenish everything I just lost in my workout in the room, and in the back that you didn't see, but you worried about me about a damn bowl of fruit. Everything. Seriously.

You're not being committed, is the conversation. LeBron James, this guy's not committed. Not committed. Yeah, like I had a steak and eggs over there or some shit. Like, I don't know. Something to think about. Delicious. Yeah, that might be next.

Give him something to really think about. Yeah, a little protein in there. Connor Massive, Boston Celtics fan, has a question for you.'ll protein in there Connor massive Boston Celtics fan has a question Yeah, who's Boston Celtics fan? This might not be the year but Looking at the league and looking forward the big convo is you know, once LeBron is gone Yeah, who is the face the league everyone's talking about the face the league, you know as a Celtics fan Of course, I say like why doesn't Jason Tatum get more love? Yeah, even even talking about the future one for you

Did you become the face of the league? Like what year was it? Obviously right away? You're getting talked about as you know, a one-name guy, but when did you feel like? Okay, this is officially my league like I am taking over this entire, you know, I never had that notion I never had that notion and never like woke up like I thought brush my teeth with I get this is my league you know I'm the face of the league but I did know there was a responsibility put on me to carry the league in a certain fashion you got it you got to think that um like before I entered the league and right after MJ retired, after he came back the third, second or third time, yeah, he came back and he was done with Washington, there was a big fan player separation with our league. They just wasn't resonating with a lot of the players or a you know, a lot of guys was, you know, didn't really, didn't really care, you know, or whatever the case may

be. And I felt like, I felt like in order for, you know, myself to make a name for myself, obviously I knew the play was going to take care of itself because I knew how much I committed to it, but also had to, I wanted to handle the responsibility, you know, of showing a face of the league in a sense of like a modern citizen. Being a role model. We have guys who didn't want to be a role model to the sport or didn't want to be a role model to the game. Didn't want to appreciate the game or commit to the game. And I felt like I had an opportunity to not only play the game that I love, but also I wanted fans

to follow me, I wanted people to follow my journey. And what came out of that was me kind of being, I guess people say the face of the league. Yeah, that's right commercials. You know, like you know what I'm saying? So like I never went out to be like, I want to be the face of the league. You know, I've seen, I see a lot of shit too. Like I seen Brian Whamhurst on one of these shows

not too long ago, like I played. Wendy, you guys played together in high school. Yeah, he was on your high school. Yeah, this guy was like, you know, says he's like my fucking best friend. These guys are just weird, but. Wait, Wendy, isn't that your, isn't that the hell? You know, like. That's not real. Yeah, it was our fourth round. It was just weird, but um, wait It was our force around

What's all he went on his show and say, you know like oh don't let LeBron fool you like he wears number 23 Because of Michael Jordan. Okay, that's a fact He signed with Nike because of Michael Jordan. It's like, no the fuck I didn't. I signed with Nike because I got a hell of a signing bonus and they gave me a seven year, $90 million contract. And I moved my mom out of the hood the next day I signed that contract. And ultimately, my whole thing is like,

what do I want to wear off the court? It's like, I want to wear fucking Nikes. I want to wear Jordans, I want to wear Pennies, I want to wear Bo Jackson's, I want to wear Air Max's, I wanna wear fucking Nikes. Like, I wanna wear Jordans, I wanna wear Pennies, I wanna wear Bo Jackson's, I wanna wear Air Max's, I wanna wear like, you know, so. Primes. Like, you know, like what are we talking about? So like, I knew there was a responsibility for sure.

Like, listen man, during the ball drop, you know, during the lottery drop, Cleveland got the number one pick. That's, I just don't think that was. Whoa, what are you saying? Don't you see this? Wemby with the Spurs. Oh my God.

There it goes, Chicago. Let's keep LeBron home. You know what, Patrick going to the Knicks. You know, Derrick rolls to the bulls. But I understand the assignment, guys. I'm, you know, so, you know, it's, I had to make sure that, you know, I had to do my part. I didn't want to be a fuck up. I just didn't want to be a fuck up man. Like, like I said earlier in the show, like no one gets this opportunity,

man. It's zero to none and I couldn't be a fuck up. So that's what came with it. You've done a great job representing it all. Do you feel like we are at a phase though, and you talked about before you got in the league, there was like a potential disconnect between the players and the fans. Felt like that was almost starting to happen again, until, I don't want to say, back half of this season, feels like most momentum you guys have had in a while. Do you agree with that?

Yeah, I agree with that. You know, I agree with that. I just about, I think it's all just understanding. You know, understanding, you know, from a player perspective, and also we're getting closer to playoffs. Understanding from a player perspective. And also, we're getting closer to playoffs. It's a long ass season, man.

You know, the difference between us and the NFL, man, you know, there's so much excitement, but it's one game a week, and you get an opportunity to get excited. Like when, you know, that's Sunday, or you know, you got Thursday night games now. I mean, shit, even a Cajun Saturday game. Christmas, it took Christmas from me. You know, you got Thursday night games now. I mean shit even occasion Saturday

But not in all serious like, you know, it was one game a week so you like, you know the excitement You know is there so, you know, you you have us, you know, we just we just came out of playing six games in eight days You know six games in eight days is like oh man and three sets of back-to-back so but the playoffs is on its way. The weather is getting better, the excitement is getting you know the crunch time is like you know in the West is you know you got four or five teams one or two games from behind each other you know so I think that's the connection is coming back. Everyone loves it and now you got March Madness going on in college basketball. You follow? I'm going to be honest, no. I don't follow, man.

I don't do the brackets. I love the sport. I watch occasionally some games, but it's hard watching college basketball for me, man. Different sport. Yeah, it's a different sport. Yeah, it's a different sport from what we play. And you know, every time a kid drives,

you know, a kid can just come out of nowhere and slide up underneath him and it's always a charge. You can't do a Euro step, it's a travel. Well, Derek Queen actually, kid from Maryland, I don't know if you saw that. Gather step, I love it. He's hands on it. Pick that ball, gather one, two, off glass,

game time, you know. I just don't, you know, you shouldn't need 35 seconds to shoot the damn basketball. Got it. You know, you know, it's, you know, but it's, you know, you shouldn't need 35 seconds to shoot the damn basketball You know, you know, it's you know, but it's you know, it's the game. I hate two halves Why is that a thing? Yeah, the only sport right? You know women went to I think women Yeah, we want to have four it's long. It's so I don't watch one half. Yeah, it's too. It's too long It's long and then they got to stack the timeouts because of commercials too whenever the game play. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I think the four quarters kind of helps TV as well. It does. It does. And it helps the players too. Like it's four

quarters and it's too long. You get a kill, gets 2,000 the first half, you can't play again. You're sitting over there for an hour of real time. Like, you know, it's like you don't want to see your favorite player in college. Because that's what the game is built on. Like, you get your favorite player. Like, if Cooper Flag right now gets two fouls in the first half, you're like, I don't want to watch this Duke game anymore. Do you feel like this next generation, because Wemby is obviously...

Oh, he's a stud. He's unbelievable. But this is, I mean, Joker is also, what, six foot eleven, whatever it is. KD obviously says he's not seven foot And then he's always taller than everybody at the also He obviously whenever he came into the league and I think Dirk also big shooter like the tall Multifaceted player is the next generation right? Yeah, that's their inspiration their inspiration is you know Dirk their inspiration is Katie you know their inspiration are those guys who like you look at Katie you know like you know six nine to seven

foot depending on what he wants to tell you you know that great handle the smoothness to be able to you know shoot off the dribble and also be able to catch and shoot and be able to look silky smooth out there While being the tallest guy on the court You know so Katie's biggest, you know Katie's big-time inspiration to guys like Wimby to guys like Cooper flag who's coming in, you know You have a lot of these guys. So. Chet, Chet has a, Chet as well.

This Derek Queen kid, six foot 10. Yeah. Six foot 10, he's in the, I don't know if you heard about him saying, give me the motherfucking ball? Yeah, I'm from Baltimore. Yeah, yeah, that is absolutely fantastic. I'm from Baltimore, one of my best friends from Baltimore,

Carmelo Anthony, so I gets it. I get it, I get it, give me the damn ball. And he wanted the ball. That's what I told him in the conversation. I was like, Baltimore is one of the cities where if you give an answer on why are you a confident human, I'm from Baltimore. Everybody's like, there's no follow up question to that. Okay, got it. I got it. Ty has a question for you.

So obviously you could play another 10 years if you really, I mean, it really does seem like that, but as you've gotten older, I mean, you have all this other shit off the court. You the production studio the podcast all that kind of stuff that you're doing all these different business ventures how hard is it focusing on a lot of that stuff and not letting everything you have to do basketball wise kind of suffer because I mean you don't seem like the kind of guy where it's like you're gonna start a production studio and just be like fuck it you guys handle everything you know attach my name to it but like how difficult is

that balancing those two? Because this is obviously some stuff that you seem like you're passionate about. Yeah, for sure. For sure. I definitely got some great people in place. You know, my right hand man, Matt Ricardo, he's unbelievable. Dog, huh?

He's a dog. And the greatest thing about him is his ability to create relationships that last long. And we've never been just one off guys. Like we want to be able to create partnerships, you know, and not like endorsement deals. Like that was like a thing of the past. That was something that we didn't want to do. So the trust that I have with him, I allow him because of shit, I've been knowing him my whole life, you know, and when you have that type of chemistry and you have that type of brotherhood

and that type of trust, you allow him to do it. But also he's always checking in with me like, hey, listen, this is what we have going down the pipeline, yay or nay. This is why I feel it will be beneficial to us. But ultimately, do you wanna do it or not? So in this instance, I got to the point where, you know, you brought that up and why I started, you know, the podcast mind the game with JJ,

you know, last year, it was like, it was a looseness of the sport being covered, and how the sport should be covered. It had got away from the essence of the game of basketball of why I fell in love with the game why I teach the younger generation the game why I am in the position you know that I am that I am in and we have that that that that conversation me and Matt because okay I got what you're saying okay let me go figure it out and he goes to figure it out so um I learned so much from that show I I legitimately did now obviously looking back on it was just you interviewing JJ

That entire thing, but I assumed JJ was gonna become a head coach after that show regardless Yeah, because the way you guys talked about it to your point about never hearing it be discussed like that Legitimately as a football person as another sport person never played basketball Whenever you guys were drawing up plays and like why you do this and debating on how to cover and all that, I felt like I got smarter as a basketball fan. So first of all, I'd like to thank you for that alongside JJ and also congratulations,

season two, mind the game. Season two, season two. Wow, it's back. I haven't clapped all night, but I'm gonna clap for that. I'm gonna get there. Season two, man. With?

Steve Nash, man. Okay. Africa season too man with Steve Nash The great Steve Nash man, so he's been a coach before obviously and obviously he's played a long time in the NBA I had one chance to interview Steve Nash and I learned about him in real time and I think he played Not a lot of years I looked at him and I said you played blank amount of years. Legend. For sure. Legend. Two time MVP. Yeah. I looked at him and I said, you played blank amount of years? And he goes, yeah. I go, holy shit, man.

I literally learned it in real time. Legend out there. Absolutely. But also loves the game, obsessed with the game, which feels like why it could potentially be a great fit for season two of Mind the Game. No, absolutely. We're looking forward to it, man. We got two episodes in the bank.

We're going to get a couple more soon and we're going to just like continue to, you know, preach the game. How it's supposed to be taught, you know, how it's supposed to be viewed. We understand that some of the other things are going to be said. It sells for them. But what we've grown to love, why me and JJ did it in the first place while me and Steve are doing it now It's because This is how we grew up loving the game. This is what brought us together This is what the essence of the game should be talked to to not only the generation that's playing now But the generation that's gonna come up after us. So mind the game season two coming on man. Okay. Congratulations

up after us so mind the game season two coming on man can't wait congratulations thank you talk about a couple things real quick that we have to cover talk about Tuesday you thought is that real it's today Tuesday yeah today is that's quite a situation barbershop quite a situation. Barber shop, another one. Oh yeah man, the shop. Oh yeah. I grew up in it. That was easy. That was easy. That was another easy one, man. It was like, uh, too many conversations that's going on right now that's not, uh,

that's not the essence. It's not the essence. Man, I remember getting dropped off as a five year old mom drop you off. She go do what the hell she had to go do, make her errands. She talked to the guy that's cutting your, how many he's behind? About three or four, okay, about three hours.

Shit, being there about three hours and I gotta wait there and sit there and wait my turn and in that moment, that's when you hear everything. You start hearing about the best MC that's going on right now, the best hair product, the best beard oil, the best people in sports. You know?

Your music, it is everything. Drama. Everything. Yeah, yeah. Every single thing goes on in a barbershop. So, you know, for us to be able to create that platform, the shop, to be able to bring on all the beautiful minds that we've brought onto the shop, me and Ann Women, it's been a pleasure, it's been an honor, and we're

keeping that thing going, man, because it's a comfort place. I went to the barber shop from when I was like five all the way through high school, and to be able to have that sense of truth, it's the one place of truth where you can go out there and be like, this is who I like. All right that's what you like and we gonna fight to the battle about it. You know and it'd be a new topic the next day and you know I think it's pretty cool. You guys did a couple watch alongs too for third night football? Yeah man that was dope. I mean y'all I mean you guys know my love for the sport of football so to be able to do that. You wouldn't be able to take a shot though

remember? Yeah six foot nine 250 pounds wouldn't be able to do that. You wouldn't be able to take a shot though, remember? Six foot nine, 250 pounds, wouldn't be able to handle four foot five. Yeah man, you know, a lot of, you know, I wouldn't be allowed to do a lot of things, they say. Oh, they got a little, my little high school highlights up there. First Benedictine. That's where Rich Paul went to high school, by the way. Yeah, yeah, I was playing against Rich Paul high school there. One of the greatest American hustlers of all time.

Yeah, for sure. Legit, I think the record will state that Rich Paul may One of the greatest American hustlers of all time. Yeah, for sure. Legit, I think the record will state that Rich Paul may be one of the greatest hustlers of all time. You're from Ohio, so obviously football state. Yeah, man. Obviously basketball as well. Yep.

You love the game. I think you've talked openly about how much you love ball. Yeah, yeah, for sure. For sure. Football is my first sport, man, my first love. I grew up big time, prime time, Deion Sanders fan. Big time Eric Metcalf fan too. Growing up in Akron and seeing him up in Cleveland,

seeing Eric Metcalf do his thing up there too, man. Seattle's finest, Eric Metcalf. And just grew up just always loving the sport, man. Like seeing Jerry Rice and seeing some of the old clips of like Walter Payton's Sweetness, and seeing Barry Sanders. That was another topic of conversation in like the barbershop, Barry Sanders versus Emmett Smith.

You know, so you hear that conversation. So, you know, I remember my mom buying me a pair of Barry Sanders sneakers. You know, I was like, oh man. You felt so quick. Yeah, I felt so quick. Yeah. Elusive as shit.

And you know, they had, they was like, I don't know if they were one of the first teams. Obviously, I don't know that for a fact. But like seeing Barry Sanders on turf, you know, wearing sneakers, you know, that was super cool as a kid. So yeah, I just, it's a great sport. I mean, I love it. I love football and I love, and I love and I love the new guys now

Like they're super cool. My favorite guy Derek Henry without a you know seeing say Kwan like out there and I got guys like wearing my shoes now You know when say Kwan did that move we like turned backwards and did a pirouette Backwards and jumped up in the air and like he had my kicks on I was like, oh my goodness I didn't know those were yours. They were sick Yeah, he had my he had the LeBron retro fours on in a spike when he did that like out Nasty. Oh my goodness. Those are in the bronze. Yes. Yeah, I was like super like I was going crazy I was like I couldn't believe it. You know, I didn't even know that so um, yeah, I love it

Okay, let's talk about something else that we have to address the Olympics. You know, I didn't even know that so um, yeah, I love it. Okay, let's talk about something else So we have to address the Olympics you saw your eyes blink sideways What was that all about? Hey, I need to know what happened is that always happen your eyes always blink like that or is that just saw at the Olympics? Uh, I don't know that was probably like my Michael Jackson thriller video moment I don't know that was probably like my Michael Jackson thriller video moment You know what he went from like, you know, he kind of turned it to that to that beast of his I don't know man It was I saw that it kind of freaked me out, too

Okay, so you You also saw it in thought the same thing everybody else did okay. Yeah, there was people like, oh my god, he's actually There in Paris and he may be at his home in California same time this guy's not human yeah that's real that was a real conversation that was happening oh yeah and I watched it a couple times I was like hold on I'll tell you what I mean I can't sit here and say that it was not real was not Okay, when you think about the rest of the season and you think about this Lakers team, mm-hmm You guys will have success if what?

Wow, well obviously that we go without saying any team health Health that's the most important for our team. We are not in a position where we can afford anybody to go down. And then after that, Luca, myself, and AR15, we gotta be all clicking at the same time. And we know there's gonna be games where, that happens throughout the course of a playoff game where you know I may not be making my shots or whatever or AR is not making his shots or Luca might not be making

the shots but as far when I say clicking we have to be in tune on what we got to do every single night because we got to we got to make sure everybody's in the right place every single game you know the playoffs is literally one possession to have you losing a series you know one possession to have you losing a series You know one possession can make you lose a series and it's up to us three, you know, obviously I know I'm a you know My voice and what I command out of guys that's gonna be her Lucas play some people lead by example And his the way AR his infectious play we have to make sure we have everybody in tune and Because we know that our coach staff gonna give us the game plan.

JJ is not gonna send us out there on a wild goose chase. Nope, we're gonna be, he and his coach staff, they're gonna make sure we know what the hell we need to do in order to get the job done. And then it's up to us to go get it done. You guys are a mind to game. Mm-hmm. You guys are a mind to game.

Always do. Bug. Season two, Steve Nash. Season two, season game. Mm-hmm. Right. You guys are a mind game. Always do. Bug. Season two, Steve Nash. Season two. Season two. Available soon. Hey, we can't thank you enough for stopping by. No, I appreciate it, man.

Yeah, dude. Legitimately. You're awesome. Appreciate you boys over there, man. I didn't know we were snapping after. I feel like I missed it. Yeah, when I found out you was a Celtic fan, I thought you were going to throw a beer on me.

Like, what happened? No. What is that? Is that the one? What's the one? Yeah, after I went for 45 in there, you know, that through a beer on me Mythological whatever the word is question, you don't read those fucking books before the games, right?

To the first page and then you don't read those fucking books ever again Listen, I actually have finished those books. Oh, hold on, hold on. Like if you were to hold this. Hold on, hold on. People say you would say you read it. Mm-hmm. This is how I'm.

That's the art of winning. Someone take a photo. All right, take the photo, please. Pat, take the photo. Yeah, we got it. Hold on, hold on. I'll take it from this angle. It's probably Ray Rich's book.

We got it, huh? Yeah, first page. Wow, holy shit, Bron read it. And then that's it That's it. I didn't even talk to you guys this whole time. I was up here. All I did was read the whole book That's it. That's it It's a classic by the way, it's a classic so you get Talk about the books the music music's another thing

See the music Acting acting. Yeah, music. Acting. Acting, yeah everything. Who's next in the music world if you had to give a prediction? Wow. Yeah because we've heard you say, when I heard this guy, I knew. You know what? I don't know man. I don't know, that's a good question.

I literally go to, when it comes to like the new generation now, this is the best thing about having Teenagers as well. You can literally go to them and get the whole life the scoop. They had a scoop But um, I don't know man. I don't know who's next up but um, I I do love I do love music though, man But I'm definitely been listening to it. I got ready for the game yesterday listening to Eric being rockin man, like I'm an old-school guy too. So but we see we see music and sports go hand in hand so so much for sure Your knowledge of it is certainly been something that people have shared about. Yeah, I appreciate it. Hey you mind the music as well

That's right mind the books. Mmm. You mind the game mind the tacos Do you mind the game? Mind the tacos. Mind the movies. As long as they don't take away my mind the cookies we'll be fine. Damn. Damn, Riles. The Hino's are done. The Hino's are done.

This guy doesn't have any fucking cookies. It's over. We still got Spohl. We still got this. Look, we good. I don't know. People are saying the D-Wade cursed statue is now carrying on forever. It's a bad statue. I haven't seen it yet. Oh well, in person. You don't want to.

I've seen it on, yeah. I love my guy. Hey, when you get your statue done, let's make sure it's a good one. Yeah, check it before. I'm not gonna develop it to the world. What do you mean? Got to.

That's what a fucking statue is. No, no, fuck that. No, no, no. You're gonna put it in your bed? I need to see it Multiple times before we let it out. Yes, because if not that'll happen. Yeah. Yeah, what the hell? I mean wait saw his he says yeah, he said he saw that he liked it Yeah, but I think he was just sticking out for the party. Yeah him and his son's expression good like they didn't like it

Yeah, he's a good teammate. I remember a moment. Yeah Yeah, when he stood on the table. Well, I see, yeah. It's my shit. Yeah. All right, LeBron, we appreciate you. Ladies and gentlemen, go talk. Yeah, okay, we're clapping. I'm clapping for y'all.

Ladies and gentlemen. I'm clapping for y'all, man. LeBron James. Hold on, everyone ready? I'm clapping for y'all, man. I'm clapping for y'all, man. Yeah, we're snapping. I appreciate that.

I appreciate that, man. You're the man. Ladies and gentlemen, LeBron James. I appreciate you. LeBron. That was obviously an incredible honor to get a chance to chitchat with LeBron. I hope you had a chance to learn some things

maybe you never knew about. Why don't you go ahead and use the hashtag theLeBronversation on X and let us know and we'll read some of the reactions on the other side. Shout out to ESPN moving this break that we were supposed to have about 25 minutes ago this long into it. It was unfiltered, unedited and raw on YouTube,

ESPN Plus and TikTok Live, which you can certainly go back and check out. And we can't wait to hear your thoughts on it all. Whoa. Hit pause on whatever you're listening to and hit play on your next adventure. Stay two nights and get a $50 Best Western gift card. Life's the trip.

Make the most of it at Best Western. Visit bestwestern.com for complete terms and conditions. At Desjardins, we speak business. We speak equipment modernization. We're fluent in data digitization and expansion into foreign markets. And we can talk all day about streamlining manufacturing processes. Because at Desjardins Business, we speak the same language you do. Business. So join the more than 400,000 Canadian entrepreneurs who already count on us

and contact Desjardins today. We'd love to talk. Business. Big Day! It has been a big day. Yeah, huge. That was a big conversation. Yeah. Cannot wait to see the big reaction coming from it. Obviously, there's been a lot of parts of that that I don't think any of us knew about. And then some stories that were confirmed true.

You know, that cookie one, nine-year NFL event, Darius J. Butler. I guess from the responses and reactions that I'm seeing on X and on social media, I guess the Miami media said that that story was not true. I guess that is what a lot of people down in South Florida were saying on X. I don't know if that's true or not, but I guess it was reported that the cookie story blown out of proportion.

And then right there, good journalism, we confirmed that those crispy-edged, soft, home-baked cookies were certainly a part of the real story down there. Yeah, you know, some people call it Pat Riley petty, or is it just, you know, heat culture? Is it just the top, the pinnacle of discipline? But one thing I think we can all agree on,

you take a wet man's soft-baked, crispy-edged chocolate chip cookies. I mean, any consequences that come from that, you better be ready for them. You understand that. Yeah, that's right. I got a little bit more clarity on it, the entirety of it all.

The Talks at Table's here, Bruce Brown and Ty Schmidt. Boston Connor traveled back home alongside Talks, Yeah, that's right. I got a little bit more clarity on the entirety of it all the talks of tables here I Bruce Brown and Ty Schmidt Boston Connor traveled back home alongside talks and positive things to Boston Connor He'll be back next week Ty Schmidt What a moment there for the program and we let off the show we talked about Russell Wilson Gavin of the Giants Congrats Giants fans are saying let's ride. All right, very excited Stefan Stephon Diggs, 26 million, going to New England. Also huge. Huge. Trey Hendrickson, I guess they're uh, Cincinnati's trying to get a deal done with he. Okay, good luck there. And then we also said like, yeah, there's some things that we get to do that are outrageous. Talking to him yesterday was an absurd thing. And then watching it back,

like I literally watched it, I think probably just like everybody else did. Uh, that's the most I've ever heard out of LeBron ever. And while, as soon as it ended, okay, as soon as it ended, and they filmed an episode of Mind the Game season two with Steve Nash. Steve Nash was here too afterwards. We did not know that was happening. No, the legend. We had no idea Steve Nash was gonna be here,

and then all of a sudden Steve Nash walks in, and it's like, holy shit. Steve Nash is here. And Steve Nash then, I mean, absolutely beat the living shit out of me and Foxy. Okay? He didn't miss a shot. Didn't miss a shot. I don't think he missed one shot.

He said he hadn't shot in 11 years, you know, since he retired. He's in incredible shape. He's playing tennis for Singleton. Jumpers. He was in TST. His form was absurd. He started with a couple warm-ups, you know, and he was like, I don't know. And he rims in, okay, first one, from like, let's say four or five feet.

Then he backs up to six feet and then splash. And he backs up to seven feet, splash, eight feet, splash, ten, splash, and then he goes back to three, splash. And then the game is shooting from all five spots. Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash. Gets come back around. Splash, splash, splash, splash, splash. Get to come back around, splash, splash, splash, splash.

It was absurd. And then, you know, Ty, you walked out there and you go, it's a multiple time MVP. Yeah, yeah, there's levels. There is a multiple time. So Steve Nash was here, it was awesome. But literally sitting over there, we sat there for probably three, four hours.

We were here till about 8 p.m. last night, watching them record, do their thing. They took over, shout out to Jason and uninterrupted. He was a little bossy. A little bit, but hey you gotta do that. He was our producer. He had to do what he had to do and Kevin came through and worked and you know it was great. But we were chatting over there and we all thought it was pretty surreal and then watching it back it's like he was so cool to us. Like I can't believe he did that. Now granted there's some internet chatter happening

about maybe the reasoning on why he did it. Maybe. Okay, and there's been a lot of places that have certainly been wanting to chit chat with LeBron James for a long time like that, and those people are probably gonna be haters of some of the things and how we conducted said conversation. If you would like to ask the questions, do it.

Get a conversation and have it your way. But everything we talked about, I feel like we addressed a lot of outstanding things. And he blessed us with a lot of fucking answers. And I'm very thankful for that. You know, we've been doing this a long time. Remember, we're in the back of a box truck down in Louisiana with no air conditioning, 135 degrees. Everything's crashing, but we got to go live. We've been through a lot. That moment is a wild one for us us and I enjoyed the fact that we enjoyed it last night afterwards yeah and I think we should have because you know I mean we were even saying right up to like when you know we're like hey we'll

believe this when he actually shows up you know cuz like it's happened plenty of times you always talk about hey we don't really promote stuff for the show because there's a chance like you book someone and then you make a big deal about it and then 20 minutes before they're supposed to come on something falls through and it doesn't happen. And then we're kind of just sitting here with our dick in our hands. We look like assholes. Yeah, exactly.

Exactly. But for him to come in and it I don't know if it really, you know, like you could tell in the interview, he literally walked in, sat down and we got right into it. Like there was no preamble like him kind of feeling it out a little bit, seeing like, okay, so like, yeah, people can say what they want about the reasons he decided to do it here But regardless of that fact like there could have been multiple moments in that when we did it when he was just like Stop like cut that like I don't really want to discuss that I don't really which a lot of people are saying was gonna happen

Exactly soon as we announced that there's a lot of people saying you record it bronze Yeah, pre record was like's in the middle of an NBA season, he's got a game. He's flying in from the west. There's a lot of moving pieces and a lot of things happening. So the fact that he even made time was awesome. Then he added an extra two hours of travel to come here to do the entirety of it all.

And yeah, a lot of people thought I was going to be at it. We ran it. Yeah, exactly. That was literally the entirety of it. And that's what a lot of people are saying. Why is the, why is the audio dropping out? It's like cuz he was real He was dropping f-bombs like he was super he was super comfortable comfortable, which You know, I just I don't know it's crazy because like you said, you know For him to come in and for you know, like you guys are professional athletes

Like that's one thing but the amount of people that want to talk to him or have opinions about him or have said, you know, out of pocket stuff about him for him to just sit in the pocket there with, you know, me and Connor up here too. And just whatever, I'm going to, I'm going to go with the flow. I'm going to have fun with these guys. Like it surpassed my expectations of what it was going to be. And like, I'll remember yesterday for the rest of my life. Like that was insane. There were some LeBron haters in the Thunderdome, D-Bud. You know, there were some LeBron haters in the Thunderdome.

And then immediately afterwards, like, yeah, he did a lot there for us. Yeah. He seemed cool too, didn't he? Seemed like a human? Charming. Charming. I got texts from people that are in the biz. This is a fascinating conversation. What do you mean a fascinating conversation? Like LeBron

was just like kind of, it did feel like LeBron was just hanging. Yeah. Yeah. It literally felt like that. It was the most candid that I've seen him. Like I said, I've even seen him on platforms that he owns and obviously he's, you know, probably they probably have, you know, pre-production and know what they're gonna talk about. Like you said, walking in, just sitting down, you know how free flowing the show is. Like you, you didn't even know necessarily what we were gonna ask when you went to us.

So for him to be that candidate in that moment in the middle of the season, to take the time out all the things you mentioned. And he is a person that, you know, with all the deals and things that he has partnerships and things you wanna, you know, protect that in some sense. So for him to go into detail and talk about certain things Like it was huge things

I know even like when I asked him about the Bronte thing like I kind of forgot about Ronnie's heart which is that's huge like that's a huge thing for him to even go in detail About that and then why these moments mean even more to him because you do we do you know So especially in the media now we talk about athletes and sometimes even as former Professional athletes you forget about the human aspect side side of it the family side of it So I'm see I'm going in detail about that and clear up some other stories the cookie story obviously a lot of people from home or Pissed off about Pat Riley and how that all went down, but um yeah, it was dope million dollars on the body

Yeah, cuz he was probably in his head like, something more. Yeah, yeah. Wow, that's great. He never added it up. People are kind of undercutting, like I took a couple of trips, did this. At his stage, 40 years old, you know,

he is a physical specimen. Yes. And when you forget that, I think, when you see him just on TV, I think you forget that he like almost hits his head on the exit sign. Local. When he's walking in here, you know? And the pictures, like, it was funny whenever we lined up for the photo that we showed there, he was like,

I'll get in the back. He like looked around and was like, I'll get in the back. I don't want to block anybody. And Gumpy, you know, Gumpy's five foot, 10, we'll say. Okay, we'll do that. He's the one. 10? Yeah, he's the one right in between. That's a very good day, brother

He's five five This guy he is a little fella in his shoes. Somehow. He got these cute little shoes I mean it is unbelievable It is unbelievable one of the greatest humans and hardest-working humans of all time obviously a Canadian But LeBron literally looks right at him. He goes I'll get in the back and Gumpy goes Oh, no, it's your show pile and Gumpy just pokes his head around there and LeBron literally looks right at him he goes I'll get in the back and Gumpy goes Oh, no, it's your show pile and Gumpy just pokes his head around there and LeBron looks down at him one time and just like shakes his head and it was like I Assumed that he had never been in a room like what we had, you know

And I'm appreciative of him knowing our program because when he sat down he said I've seen this place so many times I had no idea what it looked like which is what a lot of people say so the fact that he's watched is very cool to think about because as I said at the beginning like I'm 37 He's 40 So I've what like and I'm a sports guy and I like people that are like I've always been infatuated with the greats Like always have been always want to know what makes the greats great I always want to know how they take you know the the work ethic and there's always gonna be things that come along with greats Now, you know, and if you pay attention to the greats, you'll ethic and there's always gonna be things that come along with greats now you know and if you pay attention to the greats

you'll find those there's always gonna be some sort of flaw or offset because you have to sacrifice something to get to a level that nobody else has ever been so like nobody at the top has ever been perfect nowadays everybody's been covered more so now even more so than whenever LeBron came out of high school in the early 2000s or whatever because how much social media is but his entire life has been documented, you know, and it's like for him to now granny's pissed off people with his politics. He's gone public with his politics, which is going to happen anytime you do politics. He's taking stances for things that some people think a portion of people think like this

guy shouldn't be talking about this, he has no idea. But then he's also done, like, so much good, and, like, the way he worded that is just not wanting to fuck it up. That's an interesting, I think that was, like, the most human thing that I think I've ever heard out of, like, a LeBron James, like, a LeBron James. Like, there was an actual fear there, like,

hey, there's a lot of stories in the past of people having this type of opportunity of ruining it I don't want to be somebody that does that that was cool to hear the reason like his that felt like his why you know and uh I don't think i'd heard it before in the way he laid it out. I was like There's a reason this guy is the one yeah There is a reason why he's been able to do it and and you look around now And I don't want to do like paul skeens feels like a similar, you know situation with like baseball right now

These it this doesn't happen often, you know him understanding the assignment. He said he talked about the lottery Yeah, Cleveland Okay lottery scratch off Me go back. I understood the assignment, you know, and it's like it takes that I think too and I bet you the league Is very thankful for everything Lebron and it's probably why Lebron has so much sway, you know amongst players amongst the league Because he has been it for 22 years literally day one. He's guy. Yeah, we talked about Expectations and I know skins is a guy and we've had other and now with the media that we have Like expectations are larger for a lot of different individuals

But to go back to you know, when he was 16 on the cover slam magazine or whatever it was His like at that point he was already big compared Okay, is he gonna be the next Michael Jordan and for him to you him to live up and surpass those expectations, I know Llewau send the cream up, Doudjibar was before our time, but he kinda had those same expectations. Before social media was really a thing, everybody knew who LeBron was,

everybody expected him to be kinda what he became. So I couldn't imagine the pressure it is to kinda live up with that, and him growing up saying that he didn't have necessarily those those role models around him and then to become what he's become and then they'll be that role model for so Many young kids, you know young boys in his house first and foremost like that That's just dope to see two point five million dollars was raised the boys and girls club School School like and and people to your point people are always gonna be especially people that are you know view on the mountaintop

Where as the greats people are always gonna be on both sides people, you know We we speak very very glowingly about Michael Jordan now But when Michael Jordan was in his heyday a lot of people hated MJ to a lot of people spoke on you know His weaknesses or whatnot everybody you go up and down the list, it's always going to be people on both sides. Just like you said, it may have been some broad haters in the building. It's definitely LeBron lovers in the building. And that's going to be in every building, every barbershop, every group chat. You're going to have those conversations.

It's kind of what comes with it when you when you kind of enter that Mount Rushmore conversation, not only in basketball, but just in sports in general business. Yeah. Human. Yeah. You like everything. When you get to the top of the mountain, but just in sports in general. Business, you name it. Human, you like everything. When you get to the top of the mountain, a lot more people know you. I think, and this is gonna sound so narcissistic to bring up our story, but the more people that know us, and the more people that get introduced to us,

the louder it gets. I think, I don't know if it was Herb Shrewd who told me, he was like, but as you climb up the mountain, the windier it gets. That is real life, and that is how it all is you know But the height comes a lot of benefit But the negative is it gets louder too more people that know you the more people that are gonna like you But the more people that are definitely gonna hate you LeBron's been known here By and we talked about before social media., that was Flip Phone era, everybody remembers him

at the WWE, the WWF at the time I assume, and in the front row with his little Flip Phone, it's like, you didn't need social media to know who the hell LeBron was. The whole world knew who LeBron was, and the way he is operated, I think he should be incredibly proud of himself, legit. And coming in here, and forever there's gonna be

some story or controversy, he's a human, you know, like things do happen happen but it's like what he did here for us I will forever be thankful for you know and that was very very very cool with him especially because we're football deficits you know mm-hmm I think we had some good NBA questions in there big time we did journalism I think we did a little journalism there's people doing emergency broadcast right now to respond and then we we sure? I think we did a little journalism. There's people doing emergency broadcasts right now to respond, and we expected that. Yeah, yeah, sure.

We did expect that. As in the conversations that we were having there afterwards as they were filming, there was a lot of like, oh, I wonder if insert name here knows that there's something. And then, oh, I wonder if definitely they know. They would know that something's. And then, oh, kind of a ricochet, oh, who, like a couple of those. But then, ooh, kind of a ricochet, ooh, who, like a couple of those.

But other than that, I learned a lot about the Ron James and the human he is, and he's got the Pacers tonight on ESPN. And I'll tell you what, we FaceTimed Tyrese Halliburton immediately after the conversation and said, look out, bub, look out, he's locked in right now. Just wanna let you know, they're figuring it out. And Tyrese said, so are we, I don't wanna hear,

you know what Tyrese's doing, his thing, but it's nice to get you know they're figuring it out. And Tyrese said, so are we? I don't want to hear, you know, Tyrese doing his thing, but it's nice to get to know these NBA dudes. So it was great. It was awesome to hear him just as a human a lot of times, like even him bringing up the finals against Dallas or that series against Orlando and like saying like, hey, I fucked those up. Like that was cool of him to hear

and just being a human talking about Brawny. And then I love, like you talked about, I love hearing the greats talk about the greats and like the conversation about him and Kobe Not being super tight and kind of a robbery even during those US Olympic teams until he became a Laker until Kobe was retired like and then talking about how that's probably what's gonna happen with with MJ just because like him saying he's Definitely tired to see me running up and down We're in that 23 like that like him talking about that stuff was just awesome Well, and then in that same sentence you mentioned like since I'm in high school They've been talking about my name with this guy, you know, so you can see how George and we all know Mike

Yeah, and even if you don't know Mike, yeah, you know Mike, you know was like Oh, I guess we could see how that could be true and I wonder if LeBron's gonna have to deal with the same Oh, yeah, you know whatever it happens. be true. And I wonder if LeBron's going to have to deal with the same. Oh, yeah. You know, whatever happens. I wonder if he's. Maybe if there's another one. Well, you know, we can take this over to football because like Brett to Aaron Rogers and then how Aaron wanted to do Jordan Love.

Yeah. I wonder if there will be a way that LeBron like for the next whoever it is. Is it Wembe potentially? Vastly different player. But whoever it is next, I do wonder how that relationship will go. Yeah, it'd be interesting to see.

And these guys are- How long is this guy gonna play for, too? That's the first question, but the Michael, we all know him, you know, just, I would say him and LeBron, just from the outside looking at are different when it comes to that, I feel like, you know- Everything? Yeah, a lot of things, a lot of things for sure. Kobe was more similar to Michael when it comes to that. I feel like you know everything yeah a lot of things a lot of things for sure Kobe was more similar to Michael when it came to

that so I think he'll be more open and you mentioned it being around so long like he's playing with his son but he's faced like I don't know how many players now he's like I played against your dad I played against your uncle I played again I've coached you know Stephen he played against Nash he played against your uncle. I've played again. I've coached, you know, Steve Nash. He played against Nash He played against Redick like Redick has come up after him retired Whitney TV now become a coach all while he's still playing so I think he'll definitely have that type of Mentor relationship with whoever the next person is Steve Nash and LeBron James season two of mind the game debuting on Tuesday, April 1st I do believe it is an Amazon property, but I think you can see and watch it everywhere. We talked to Steve Nash off air,

and I assume he thought it was off the record. But we're definitely gonna say it, because it was a great line. He said that all the people that didn't think LeBron and Luca were gonna work, is because they thought that, you know, a star, whenever he's not getting the ball, and he's used to getting the ball,

can sometimes paddle a little bit. You know, like that's a real thing that can Can happen, you know humans, egos, pride, everything like that could take place So I think the people thought that they weren't gonna be able to work because one of them wouldn't be able to buy into the other One being sorry. Normally it's like people take turns, you know That is kind of how like that would would work and he said instead it feels like what he's watching is LeBron's taking advantage of the fact that Luca is getting a lot of the attention to be in the ball so he's able to do stuff he's never been able to do before cutting

backdooring being able to kind of do the off-the-ball shit out that I assume he's been wanting like others to do you know like everything that he has maybe wanted and he's fully committed to that so I think that goes into it even more of a conversation like maybe this guy isn't just a prima donna prick. You know, like maybe he has been painted into an image that, you know, a couple different things that have happened people just automatically assume the absolute worst. It's like, this dude's willing to give up like his ego

in his 22nd year in Los Angeles with him already being a goat for another guy. Trade, he wasn't even, if you listen to all reports, he was not talked to about, he talked about how much he likes Anthony Davis and it's like he's just like, yep, and he's called a JJ Reddick, what a dickhead. So it's like there's obviously coaching happening, it's like I feel like I have a much different perspective of LeBron after talking to him and I just keep saying I can't take him enough for it. A lot of people would take shots at him early on,

even in high school, like he was always more passive. People would say like, hey, you know, take the shot, take the last shot every time. I don't care if you double team, don't pass it up to the better shot because that's kind of who he was as a player was, hey, I'm gonna be a team player, I'm gonna get the best shot, I'm gonna put my players in the best position to succeed.

And people wanted him to be the Kobe who's going to take the final shot, be the MJ who's going to take the final shot. So once you're in that in that position, you're never going to make everybody happy. I feel like he's definitely stayed true to himself. And that's that's what I also admire. Well, to your point, I think he's just like at peace with everything now. Like he does. He doesn't give a shit about the, you know, argument between him and LeBron, because like when you get to his level, like in his head, it, you're never going

to win that anyway, you know, like he probably thinks he's the best of all time he should, but, and you know, like it doesn't matter what he does at this stage of his career, like he, the Lakers could win the next two NBA finals. And that's not going to sway how anyone who is on the Jordan side thinks anyway. So like you said like he's a piece with it. It's like, you know what I can put my resume is signed sealed and delivered like it's set in stone so I can if if it takes me just sitting in the corner and hitting open threes or cutting to the basket and dunking and I can kind of pass the torch on to Luca to be like the next star of the Lakers. I'm good with that and people are going to say what they're going to say regardless.

He was awesome. Hey thank you Brawny and Foxy you've been a Bron enthusiast your entire life. Yeah. As soon as it was over you admit oh man who's a big Bron guy like that was awesome. admit, oh man, who's a big brawn guy. Like that was awesome. Like so mind blown. So he mentioned that night in Detroit where he scored 25 points. I was probably 12, 13 years old. And ever since that night, I'll never forget it. I was like, this is the guy. So I've been on this LeBron journey, ups, downs, championships, losing championships, all this stuff the whole time. And countless, countless countless countless LeBron Jordan arguments I mean you have to do that but to see him in the flesh like Ty said didn't know if he was actually gonna come I didn't want to get my hopes up and then to see him we do the interview immediately I couldn't

have got out of this seat faster walked out there immediately legend dapped him up he was so cool he was so nice I'll literally never forget did you guys snap after the dapp up no snap from him or me? So we were kind of on the right page there. That was interesting. He dropped that in there I know where you know, cuz he's got handshakes where everybody so I didn't know what to be honest might be your handshake Yeah, I think it is. Okay. I don't I didn't get a snappy The rhythm of the snap was something I've never experienced before it was very quick after the you know Usually there's like a boom and then like a little

Like a little oh, we're doing a boom and then instead it was like he's got those massive hands They get there just right away. You know big fingers. You know it's like well cuz he probably doesn't want to take him away That's a long tree exactly sure I get back. Yep, so huge He's absolutely he had a of bars in there too. Everything becomes Sasquatch, I think was one of the things that he said. It was like, oh, I bet you he explains that about a lot of stories about him. How about the two kids, two guys, Caucasian gentlemen who are outside the elevator.

Oh my God, it's Lebron. Oh, I didn't. What a moment. F-U-K-L-B-J. He's heard a lot of that throughout his life and we're thankful that he stopped by. I don't know what the hell we're gonna talk about. Nobody.

There's gonna be, we would be wasting every conversation that we have right now. For instance, for instance, Trey Hendrickson in Cincinnati might get done. Oh wow. Oh yeah. Maybe. What makes you say that?

Well there's been a report, you know, a little latte, Starbucks Air and Starbucks jouster. Yeah. Basically saying that they're looking to basically complete a sweep of paying all of their players. This has kind of been the MO or the statement coming out of the Bengals since the beginning.

They said they want to be able to pay Jamar Chase and T. Higgins Everybody said that's not possible. Remember he said ideally we'd keep both Jamar and T They did congratulations And then as he spoke about Duke Tobin spoke about Trey Hendrickson would like to keep Trey Hendrickson here as well Didn't think it would be possible to be able to pay both wide receivers and Trey Hendrickson Didn't think it would be possible to pay one of the wide receivers and Trey Hendrickson and pay the other wide receiver but now it's being reported that they're gonna try to do it so I'm

not gonna doubt them just strictly because they dunked on me pretty good for not thinking that they'd be able to get both wide receivers done but if they're able to get all three of these guys done they're gonna have to hit on the draft that is gonna have to be the case but other teams have been able to do it yeah but other teams have been able to I mean what a lot of the good teams that people always refer to the Eagles being one of the examples one of the best I would say the best example to defend the Super Bowl champs is they pay their guys early so they don't you know when you

get to this point and now the market it jumps up year by year by so much you know put yourself in this situation and we talk about it all the time when you when you're not on a when you're not with the quarterback that's not in rookie deal. So Joe burrows already been paid you paid you two receivers and now you're gonna pay The reigning sack king right now. It's like hey, it's gonna be a tough time filling out the rest of that Ross Maybe bring in, you know the Thunderdome squad we can get some shit done It'll be it'll be interesting to see how Duke Duke told me gets this done But obviously he's one of their best players. I'm bummed out to hear this as a Colts fan.

I was hoping some way somehow we got him back with Lou over here with our defense, but most importantly, I hope Trey gets his well-earned money because he's been a dog since stepping foot in the league. Yeah, Trey's been good to us, obviously, and what he said on our program at Radio Row was kind of the big, like, well, wait a minute, are they gonna be able to get Trey done?

Are they trying to get Trey done? And Trey's like, I love Cincinnati. But like also, at some point, I need to be given what I'm worth. There's been a couple years now where they've kind of extended it. Hopefully he's able to make his money, get his money. And if they're able to keep him in Cincinnati. That's phenomenal work by Duke Dome. Yeah. And we'll see how it all goes go ahead time Well and ultimately like well are they gonna have to meet in the middle somewhere?

Cuz I understand they're trying to get it done But if they come back to him and they're like, hey, how does 32 million dollars a year sound? It's like well, I'm the reigning sack king and you got guys making 39 40 million a year So like do it should I do I need to take a hometown discount? Like I know he said he loves Cincinnati But like the proof is still gonna be in the pudding cuz you know is that necessarily fair that because they've already paid Those two guys they want him to stay like that doesn't necessarily mean that he should have to take a big pay cut for what? He thinks he's truly worth. Okay. I don't know if it's a pay cut or not

Russell Wilson last year was getting paid 1 million dollars by the Pittsburgh Steelers and like 36 or 40 or something from the Denver Broncos Yesterday it's announced he signs a one-year 10 million dollar guarantee up to or ten and a half million dollar guarantee up to 21 million In the one year they obviously signed Jamis Winston to a four million per year Job a week ago or whatever and he got Tommy Cutlets in there Dable and was obviously on a mission this off season to get a veteran quarterback, understanding the situation, especially what has happened over the last couple years, and understanding that Hard Knock's off season basically showcased the Saquon Barkley decision,

and then Saquon goes on to be the offense player of the year and MVP basically, and have the greatest season in the history of any running back. So that's tough. But now, we got a chance to win. They bring in Russell Wilson. Let's go to New York Giants football fan. Bruce Brown, you guys going to Super Bowl or what?

I don't know about the Super Bowl but I'm fired up. It seems like Giants Nation is a bit torn and all the Giants fans that are upset about us signing Russell Wilson, I would just say, who do you think we are? Like we tried to get Matt Stafford, he stayed home. He didn't want to move across the country. 100 million guaranteed you guys are gonna get. Yes, exactly. To come be a New York giant,

I would imagine we offered Aaron Rodgers much more, or at least a few million more than what the Steelers are offering, but obviously he would probably rather be a Pittsburgh Steeler. We are what we are. And we gotta build something here to attract future free agents that might

wanna come here and just put a respectable season together. And I think Russ is a great first really second step behind Jameis, coming as the backup towards that goal. I think our roster is a lot better than a lot of people might think, especially on the offensive line end of things. But you know, still certainly holes to fill and steps to take. But I think it's a great first step.

And you know, now looking at the draft, we could still go Shador three and have him sit behind Russ for, you know, maybe eight, nine games and then let Shador go out there. Or we go Travis Hunter, maybe trade back in Jackson Dart. So okay, here we go. Now we're working, now we're wheeling and dealing. More options on the table for the draft and I'm pumped up about it. Hey, I love to hear that.

In Russell Wilson's post, obviously he won a Super Bowl there, but they beat the Broncos. So he says, I know this place pretty well. He goes, this is the place where Zito took the top off in RV right on the side. Yeah, a lot of people saying he's the first guy to ever be excited to go to MetLife Stadium. See, that's not good. But it's just shittable.

That's what I'm saying. Rusty's an eternal optimist. He is, he loves going to MetLife Stadium. That quarterback room is going to be... Let's ride. Is he going to let's ride? What do you think it's going to be? You didn't do anything with the Steelers, right?

No. I tried riding it down. No, and that kind of made me think that's why he lost the juice in the last half of the season. He last half of the season He hopped off the pony. Yeah, but um fun fact ESPN bet came out with their win total or the NFL Giants are the lowest at three and a half so they don't believe with Russell. What was it before three and a half? Yeah, our so yeah, Russ changed obviously we have our division then we play the entire NFC North and the Chiefs pretty much

Yeah, so you look fine. Let look at the Raiders Saints Patriots Maybe the Bears maybe the Broncos man double your head coach. Yeah looking at this thing going what I do They better not be on primetime that's all I think well they will five straight weeks of it Oh, yeah, five straight weeks. We're gonna be forced primetime that's all I think. They will. Five straight weeks of it brother. Oh yeah. Five straight weeks we're gonna be forced to watch it. Good luck to Russell man. Good luck Russell. Congratulations to Stephon Diggs. Obviously has a leg injury. He secures another 26 million dollars and another Prove It type contract which he certainly can and would be able to with Drake May. That's a huge deal for New England as we have about a minute here

D-Bud. Yeah good deal for New England. I think a great deal at this point in his career for Stefan Diggs. He's made a ton of money in his career. He knows what it's like to be a number one receiver. From what I've seen online at least from Dr. Reif and him and his posts he looks like he's trending in the right direction health-wise. So I'm looking forward to Drake May getting another certified weapon on offense. This makes the draft even more exciting for what the Patriots do at the top. Oh, Travis Hunter and Stephane Diggs. Oh wow, that'd be pretty crazy.

But the way those first four picks are going, literally anything can happen right now. Especially with what the quarterback stuff happening. And then there's some Browns quarterback conversation happening. There's a lot going on. We'll continue to cover it all. Every day that you'll allow us. We can't thank LeBron enough. It's been LeBron Versation Wednesday, March 26th, 2025, here on ESPN.

We roll on on YouTube, ESPN+, Disney+, and TikTok Live. We'll see you tomorrow. Be your friend, tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. Goodbye. That was a pretty good sign off. I felt pretty good about that one. I felt pretty good about that one.

People are not happy about the muting of this where words on ESPN. Yeah. We should have put it on the bottom, unfiltered on YouTube. They should know it. Yeah, but a lot of people do not know our show or watch it. A lot of people know LeBron. They were tuning in.

Have you just looked at the amount of followers he has? He's got a lot. I checked that out last night. Because we started talking about it, we're like, this is by far the biggest Yeah, that has ever been on the program by far like Aaron Rodgers is a megastar. Yeah, Peyton Manning Insanely famous. What about Dewey? It's the thing though. Dewey. That's the thing like football Obviously America, but these basketballs like James Harden, Steph Curry like these like

but these basketballs like James Harden, Steph Curry, like these like US numbers wise, probably not even the top three when it comes to like actual people, not money wise. Yeah, but soccer players, same thing. So yeah, when you get those big time basketball players, like their brands are so, so wide. It's crazy how many people follow.

We're getting quoted in different languages obviously. Oh yeah. And I hope they If they do a lip dub of me. Mm-hmm Hope it's going I'm sure will be hoping their language they go pizzazz. Mm-hmm. You know, I hope I hope they Hopefully get it right cuz I've been dying this here on National Road before sure It was not for a conversation with LeBron James It was for a conversation where Roger's door in a time where there was a

Shot, you know, yeah and won't He was he didn't want he was not he was never going wasn't getting it. I was doctor not doing it He consulted with dr. Joe Rogan at the time. Mm-hmm. Also like three other actual doctors. Nobody talks about that had a 500 page report Boy, I was getting murdered in different languages. I mean, just the entire planet was just burying me. Look at the flappy arms that I got next to me. This fatso is gonna be on a conversation about health. I don't think so.

Jesus, what language is that? And I'm asking the internet to translate and I'm like, stop translating, please. It was better when it was just a bunch of letters and I didn't understand what it was saying. Let me get out of here, let me keep it moving. I assume same thing here as miles teller saga Buried Swedish tabloids tell me I'm the worst human of all time. Yeah, so I translate that this piece are the Swedes I think so I'm telling you I think it was them. I forget who it was. But LeBron here, he certainly,

I assume shows are gonna use that for the next year. Long time. Two, three. A year? Long time, it was a lot of- So he put that in the bank for the next decade, I think. Be okay. Quotable moment.

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For details, visit your Toronto area Ford store or ford.ca. Big day! It has been, and what an honor it has been to be here. The talk's at table at Bruce Brown and Ty Schmidt looking fantastic Opening day tomorrow. Oh god. I cannot wait opening day of the baseball season is tomorrow Ty Schmidt and I'll let you two Yankees die hard snow Tomorrow on the program. Mm-hmm Derek Jeter. Oh my god. What the captain? Holy shit Yeah, I Derek Jeter. Oh my God. What? The captain. Holy shit. The captain? Oh my God.

Yeah. I'd take a bullet for Jeet any day of the week for the rest of my life. Well, you wouldn't be, you're just saying. That would be the last day of my life. Yeah, you wouldn't be able to do it every week. But you're saying if a week comes. If like Jeet's 95 years old, living in a nursing home

and some like Colombian hitmen in Miami decide hey, we got to get rid of this guy and I get wind of it. I'm down there I'll take every single one of them for your captain. Yeah. Oh captain my captain. Yes, he'll be on tomorrow. Hell, yes What are the storylines are the Yankees gonna win this year? No, we'll see That's what's kind of tough is because as you know, the baseball season is so fucking long that like there are storylines, but I mean, we are Nothing matters for the next like month and a half. You know what does matter? What's that? Shohei Otani is back on a bolt. Yeah. Shohei Otani last year, end of season. Now they would go on to win the World Series and all that, he was taking pitching sessions.

You know, never played, never pitched. We were hoping that there would be a moment where he would come out and maybe close the game out. Whatever it was, cause Shohei is obviously a phenom. This is a one of one, an anomaly in every single sense. He's back doing it. So we got a chance this year, we're gonna see the Shohei Otani experience.

You know, people chit-chatted about Babe Ruth was basically the last guy who pitched and hit as well as he did But inevitably would just go on to to hit there Normally if you're as good of a hitter as Shohei Otani is we're not wasting any of that And a chance to ruin it with pitching and if you're as good of a pitcher as you are Shohei Otani We're not going to blow any of that with having you hit. So he's the first guy, offense, defense, special teams. He's playing every single position on the field. And there was a conversation that maybe he would never get back to pitching because how good he did hitting, how much money they paid him, how well the team did.

This feels like maybe he is going to get back to pitching. And how do the baseball people feel about Shohei Otani's ability to be able to do both of these things? I mean, it definitely can be. I'm of the thought that the Dodgers pitching staff is so deep like they went out and got a bunch of starting pitchers so like they don't really need him to pitch per se and I just always worry when a guy has had issues before like it would suck if Shohei does something to his elbow that kind of to the point where like he can't even hit and they lose him for a season and we potentially like start to you know,

not not saying like what could have been because what he's already done in his career is you know, like will probably never be replicated, but I just worry because they're so deep like he's unbelievable obviously So it's kind of like I mean are we really gonna you know limit what this guy can do because he's unbelievable obviously so it's kind of like I mean are we really gonna you know limit what this guy can do because he's unbelievable but it's also like he is so good at the plate too that do we even want to take the risk of him potentially getting hurt because we went we have the best pitching staff in baseball too we went out and spent a bunch of money on that like we they don't necessarily need him to do it but it's one of those things where it's you got a guy throwing a hundred miles an hour he

has nasty stuff like he as a competitor I'm sure he wants to continue to so you two are Yankees guys okay as the coastal Alenus this has made its way out here to the Thunderdome and I hate to we're just part of problem you know just pushing the agenda of the Yankees yep Yep. Because you know what I heard, D-Buck? What's that? Well, the Mets run New York now. I heard that as well. Start spreading the news. No. We'll see.

No. Yanks left yesterday. There is no Sinatra at Citi Field, but they did have... I saw Jerry Seinfelder. He is a Mets fan. Yes. Yeah, I seen him there. I seen the Trumpets there.

They also got... He's back. He's back? The Rizler was there. The Riz seen him there. I seen the trumpets there. They also got him back. He's back? The Rizler was there. The Riz- Shit. What is it?

The Rizler was there? The Rizler was holding Mets here. That's it. That's it. So it on the Riz? The Rizler don't know shit about sports. You see his bracket. Everyone said, oh no, don't know.

He was four and O. Oh yeah, he picked St. John's to win the national championship. They didn't even make it to the fucking sweet. Come on. But they did. Yeah. They got that.

They got the Riz! So did this show. Yeah, we did too. We bet pretty heavily on that. So us and Rizzler seeing the field the same damn way. Yeah, we didn't have Yale in the sweet sixth, or the final four. You know, come on Rizzler. He's trying to get education. He's trying to get in. He understands. He's working. He's working a little bit. I don't give a shit if the Rizzler's a fan

of the Mets, because once again, once we do the blood sacrifice of Big Boom AJ and his son The Yankees are back big time who else got a shot outside of the Yankees Dodgers Phillies will be good. Yep, the Braves are always tough Pittsburgh Pirates. Yep. They could be a dark horse. Yeah They say right pitching stuff. Yeah, they can stay healthy. They could be a dark horse. Yeah, they're pitching staff. They say great pitching staff. Yeah, they can stay healthy. They will be Skeens a lot of people picking him to win Cy Young. So it's yeah that for the first time in a long time You might be you know, keeping a close eye on the Pirates

September what? Postings postings does that to a city to a franchise to a to a team, to a league. Okay? Paul Skeens is coming there humble. I love, I mean, I love. Super humble. So much moxie. Military man. Understands exactly who he is, what he can be, and I think he understands what he means to like the sport of baseball. Definitely to Pittsburgh. He gave a promo in a press conference I think last week that was like,

the city of Pittsburgh deserves like our team to be good. Like we're all getting excited about a wild card win. I think we won a wild card game a couple of years back. Cutch was on the team. And he was like, the Pittsburgh fans still talk about like the wild card game being like the thing. He was like, I respect that, I appreciate that, but that can't be what the standard is.

Like we need to do this. He gave like a motivational speech to the city of Pittsburgh. And I think it's radiated through the Pirates kind of organization. Now the ownership always going to take money. They always going to take the money. But I think they're being like publicly forced to kind of do a little bit more maybe.

And his other hundo boy, Jones, they feared for the worst. Turns out he's going to be able to get back. The pitching, not only Skeens, they got some pitchers. They got some people they can hit. Look at the Pittsburgh Pirates with the best ballpark in the damn league About to do the damn thing with Paul skein. I cannot wait until we can get skeins and some pinstripes He's got to spend six more years and piss we gotta spend he can turn it around He's turning fresh out franchise around, you pitch and what they pitch once every five seven days

I said every five days. I hate that as well. But uh, yeah, I'm wishing you guys the best but that shouldn't happen You're your Marlins look terrible. Just as bad probably ten times. They got the Buccos game You guys asked the captain about the Marlins and how shit went down there why he got he loves it down there What happened a lot of people say that he was like a sleeper agent for the Yankees and kind of got in there got rid Of all the Marlins best players traded into the Yankees got kind of set them back like 15 Fucking got out of Dodge. It's not true. He was in a can't win Listen to Yankees fans go our captain. Yeah. Oh, yeah. What's another team to work for us? Yeah, it was awesome at the time now, you know, John Carlo Jesus

Yeah, his arms. Yeah, get uses are I can't hold a fork It's most jack guy in the history of humanity fucking yeah, yeah can't unzip his pants Having trouble Surgery on both of his bionic elbows. He's got a hammy problem now, too He swings the bat like five mile per hour faster than anybody else in Major League Baseball I think O'Neill Cruz was second highest and now he just can't even why what are you talking about? He's armed her body. He squeezes the bat so tight that now he can't straighten his arms When he made that was the report this offseason when he makes contacts

He hits it like 10,000 miles an hour and it's a homer like every time he makes contact, but when he doesn't He usually strikes out and tweak something. You don't want to see that guy rounded third on his way to home either He's so injury prone that they told him last year not to run fast So he was just jogging around. Yeah, it's those basically like hey if you don't and even like he's guys too strong Yeah, yes, can he not dial it back as anybody talk to him and just said hey bud. Let's just too strong Yeah, that's not they tell him not to run can't really put the Gini back in the bottom I mean we're talking hitting bombs out the center field that like care him off the wall and like he just he'll Go to first and just stay there. Hey Hey we don't need you legging out a double we don't god forbid you try to get the third we don't need you pulling

a hammy. Is he healthy to start this season? No. He can't pick up a grain of sand right now. Hey Jean we hope you're okay we hope you godspeed on the way back. He just stands. He worked too hard he was too strong. Yeah, too explosive was dealing with it in the playoffs and just kept mashing dingers Anyway, really just need him for the playoffs total an absolute And with that being said all this comes from the amount of hard work. He puts it Yeah, you know you don't swing that fast just because you woke up that way exactly granted There is a gift but then he's gonna work. He's just too jacked you guys say. Yeah. You guys have a player that's too jacked on the Yankees. You have Aaron Judge. Yeah. How's he? He was MVP last year? Yeah, he's won MVP too the last three years a lot of people thinking he may win MVP again because he is unbelievable

See it hasn't even started. What are they talking about? Kind of the same thing like we think there's a good chance Paul Skeens wins Cy Young. We know that's gonna happen Same thing like we think there's a good chance Paul skeins win Cy Young. We know that's gonna happen So we'll see scenes is a favor. Yeah, we know he's gonna pitch and hit right? That's gonna be sweet Yeah, and we know that inevitably Pittsburgh Pirates starts spreading the news. Yeah that they are they in the same no as the Yankees not being that World Series where they So you guys would have Russell Wilson, I believe Holy shit. Yeah Yankees pirates. I believe are in town when we're in Pittsburgh for big night out that That week. I believe the Yankees are in town. Okay

So we'll try to make that happen for sure. That would be sweet. You think Ross plays or no? I'll tell you what we do a third basement. Yeah, I'm saying he lives in New York now utility guy He can do this finally. This is something maybe this is why he chose the Giants, you know, maybe there's conversations elsewhere I don't think there was convo's elsewhere hasn't been done since I mean I saw you guys in the bind now since he sounds Conversation, I don't know what your privy to behind and way behind I'm privy to that Steelers did not want Russell Wilson back. He wanted to be a Steeler until you know, he said well Giants really only team left that wants me. So so when you say the Steelers didn't want him back. That's the fans you're talking about new I'm talking about organization fans

I mean I mean, Kabali wanted him back, it seems. Well, yeah, Kabali did. Scored too many points against Bengals, and Artie Smith said, hey, stop Audible and at the line of scrimmage. Tone it down. I don't think that. Hand it off to Naj.

Let's talk about the Steelers quarterback situation. You know, the Ohio State Pro Day is happening. Mike Tomlin, Omar Khan, and Arthur Smith all in attendance. Guess who they're watching. The running backs? Of course. And also, national champion quarterback Will Hyde who's being compared to seven Big Ben Rolfe. Yeah yeah he is yeah they

went to dinner last night with two running backs Trevon Henderson, Quinshaw Juckins and a quarterback Will Howard. Love that. Where'd they go? Somewhere in Columbus probably probably Chophouse urban shop house if I was dancing No, we want to dance for stay away from no they took those three to dinner last night It was reported a huge pro day today. They they've brought running backs in they're gonna bring both those running backs from Ohio State I believe fitting for a top 30 and it feels like you know, will could be on the board And I'm pretty pumped about that I'm down to two quarterbacks that I would potentially want for this draft number one was Jackson Dart number two is Will Howard

If it is anyone other than that, I'll be pissed We huh, how's Quinn Quinn's a good guy. He's got a great arm. He's got moxie He's just he's not a Steelers quarterback. Okay, what team is Quinn yours good for you think not Steelers? Like a like a McVeigh offense like a like a KOC type offense dolphins Great great with the fins. That's what you're talking about. Yeah, Pittsburgh Steelers. We got play action. We gotta be a big boy We are in the AFC North. We were driving the ball through the wind. Yeah, that's what I'm talking Yeah, we're driving now. Will Howard's gonna have have to throw the ball today. Yeah. Like most pro days nothing bad can happen right most pro days. Yeah.

It's like hey this is uh yeah this is a choreographed workout. Exhibition. This is a routine basically that has been practiced but with what happened at the combine the way people were talking about that Will Howard should throw the ball well today to his people that he'll know he will throw the ball well, but also like kind of has to. Yeah, I think like kind of, and if he does, I think he quiets a lot. That happened from the combine. But if he has a day, like I think the NFL posted,

Quinn, you were throwing a duck. Did you see that? Yeah, they posted a bomb and then they said, look at the gun and it was, I mean it went far, but it was not a spiral. That was a wobble. That was Safety corner. We talked about that literally all night We talked about this all time social media person just sent Quinn Ewers into a fire like literally into a fire Didn't know ball in that moment like yeah traveled far, but that thing

That looked bad. I think when yours did not win from that particular clip, but nonetheless they say Quinn is a guy and kids But we all agree that he can but pro day I think matters more now yeah they posted oh shit I mean that's a long throw that's a long throw look like I didn't know was that oh did you see it no this is that a war maybe oh yeah yeah yeah especially with the white backdrop I mean it looks like it was a punt you know he got they got there I guess you know pay you those ducks that got there so a lot of touchdown wobblers, too. Yeah, they get there.

Yeah, you're right. I agree. But who knows if he's throwing every ball like that or if that's just the one ball. Texas put out another deep throw that was a nice pretty spiral. Yeah, because Quinn has that. Oh, yeah. You know, he's got that. Quinn's got a good ball, good release.

Will Howard, though, I think needs to show that he can throw the NFL ball, I think, personally. Big pro day for him. Obviously we talked to him after the national championship, so he didn't go to the senior bowl to compete and throw throughout that week in front of evaluators and coaches. So big, big pro day for him. One of his receivers also, Ibuka, he ran a pretty good time. I think he'll probably sneak into that first round running a 4-4.

So big, big day for those Buckeyes We're getting some footage here. This from chase Brown at chase a Brown underscore Will hire the Brandon in it's And that is in a Bucket. Oh, okay Spiral there too, you know, we were actually in a room that was right over attached to this Facility that has like 10 recliners, 6 TVs. That window up there.

Yeah, it's right on the, yeah. There's a basketball court down there. Very kind. And there's trophies from the 1910 all the way through now. Yep. Littered through that building. They have a showcase room that has a thousand trophies. Give or take. A thousand trophies. That's my quarterback. That's why we're, I mean that's a hell of a ball room that has a thousand trophies. You ever take a thousand trophies? That's my quarterback That's why we're that's a hell of a ball. That's a big deal for Will Howard, man Yeah, especially like the only reason why I know that is because

How loud I was about Will Howard after watching his playoff run from the sideline and being like there's a guy He's big he could run his teammates like him. He's making all the biggest plays in the biggest moments I mean third and 11, I understand Jeremiah Smith's wide open, but still got to make the play in the national championship to win the game. He did. How much football he has played has been something that a lot of people talk about over the last couple of years for rookies. How much ball are they playing college?

He played a lot of football. So I was a big fan. I was very loud about, hey, why is nobody talking about Will Howard? Love the Cam Ward conversation. Love the Shador Sanders conversation. Jackson Dart came into the convo a little bit more. We were missing out on that, I think, as well. But I just wanted to know why nobody was talking about the national champion Will Howard, who just had a run that was phenomenal. I know he's throwing to great wide receivers, but he was putting the ball in places. And when the lights were the brightest, he played his absolute best.

So I thought this is a guy, this is a guy. And then a comment happens, everybody's like, just like we fucking said, nobody's talking about him. Today can change all of that. And I think when draft comes, somebody's gonna love Will Howard. I think somebody's gonna love Will Howard. Agreed, and you saw what Hall of Fame quarterback,

you know, quarterback guru, guy knows quarterback. Kurt Warner said that was the greatest four games stretch he's ever seen in his entire life. No, I think he said of the season. I don't think he said of the entire life. Maybe. He said any quarterback from the entire season, I think. Well, okay, well, he might have said, but he said it was great four games.

Busted. Busted. Busted. Oh, so you think Will Howard's going to the Pittsburgh Steelers? Signed, sealed, delivered. He's ours. four games. Well said. Hey Will. Well said. Oh, so you think Will Howard's going to the Pittsburgh Steelers? Signed to deliver, he's ours. Okay, because he went to dinner last night?

Yeah, and they're just standing right behind him saying, they're basically running his workouts. Oh, so you say it's like whenever Urban Meyer was with Trevor Lawrence. Yeah. And when the Chicago Bears were with Caleb. Yeah. You're saying like, this has been decided.

Yeah. Hey, picture this. This QB room. Raji, the goatee, Mason Rudolph, and Will Hart. Will Hart. Oh. Oh. Oh.

Rejuvenated. Go win a Super Bowl. Win a Super Bowl. And then you got the future right there. Years to come. Will Hart. Hey. I think he'd be a good Pittsburgh Steeler too. I think you would too. He was throwing 11 o'clock at night the parking lot cold

Oh, he likes to throw the good wide receivers. We got him You do and one changes number because the other one's gonna wear the other number Everybody thought maybe that that wouldn't be a tandem or duo sounds like it might be 14 is GP's. That's his legacy Make mine for the DK Metcalf said after getting paid 30 million a year yeah for the Pittsburgh Steelers Rich Eisen mentioned it to Cam Hayward is it's great take if we were told you 13 years ago that the Pittsburgh Steelers are gonna pay 30 million a year to a wide receiver that has never played for the Pittsburgh Steelers before what would you say and Kim here was like we just we know we

know that it's time so we got a lot of vets here. They're trying to change it. They're trying to attack it. They're trying to go get it. That's why the Aaron Rodgers conversation is so loud because it's like, you listen to any player talk about Aaron Rodgers and they say, yeah, we'd be able to go win right now if Aaron Rodgers.

You listen to media people talk about Aaron Rodgers. They say, is it worth the- Poison. All that. That's how media, and a lot of fans think that as well, but you listen to any player, it's like, get Aaron in here, the game's gonna be better. That's just how it's gonna go.

Minnesota still in the game with Aaron Rodgers. I guess, really? Are the Pittsburgh Steelers still in the, I don't know. That's what, Quasey, who's the general manager for the Minnesota Vikings, had a press conference today, and he was asked about Aaron Rodgers, and he said, I never to be a thousand percent on anything or yada yada yada but then yeah here it is Vikings GM Quasi Adolfo

Mensa confirmed coach Kevin O'Connell talked with Aaron Rodgers and the Rodgers was a consideration a player like him is always going to be in those conversations but from our delineations at that time we're happy with where we are going forward obviously the caliber of player is, it had to be a part of our conversation. Then Adolfo Mensa added, right now we're happy, right now is a big one, we're happy with our quarterback room. On JJ McCarthy he said, at every checkpoint whether it was the draft process or practice until the injury or the offseason now, he's met the bar. So at right now and delineations at the time, you know

it's like we talked about it we certainly did we moved on but never says absolutely not because I guess there is a moment in time where it could happen and you don't want to have her have to put your foot in the mouth or have one of those moments but it's like is Aaron just waiting on Pittsburgh Steelers and potentially retirement is there another team that we haven't heard about potentially there once? What is going on? Do you think it and people are gonna ask us to tell them? I've no fucking idea. No, I have reached out. We're we're in the we're in the dark But also we understand that he's got a lot going on probably mentally thinking about everything how it was the last couple years

What his career was how Green Bay ended what he's accomplished how much money he's made his film his career was, how Green Bay ended, what he's accomplished, how much money he's made, his philanthropy that he's doing, obviously, award-winning and giving back, his experiences, we all know he likes to travel, get out of the country, go do stuff we've never heard of, and everything like that. So I wonder what all is being contemplated right now over there. I mean, the graphic, I was just upset, then there was two, but obviously that was probably put together before the Russell Wilson signing in New York So it's I can't think of another place outside of Pittsburgh where we end up. I know Quacey, you know didn't really speak in We're absolutes, but you know, it kind of feels like that's that's JJ's job JJ McCarthy You know, I saw him yesterday on my timeline draining a big clutch But yeah, you know talking about how just impressed he's been with his presence around

Out there in Mexico. So I think it's JJ's job. He drafted in the top 10 He was obviously look at this, but what a read Wow, I got a little Billy Ho in him Stance is interesting, but uh, he got the job done But I'm I think they'll start that clock with JJ McCarthy and see if that's really a guy for KLC the Minnesota Vikings excited to watch it and John the thought of JJ McCarthy being the starter for that Vikings team. It's like Welcome to the NFL and you're this is a good situation and JJ McCarthy in good situations has performed. Yeah. Well, yes He has always delivered high school. I think he did Yes deliver. He has always delivered high school. I think he did

College he obviously did dropped in as a freshman then he gets given the job over another quarterback who took Michigan to the college football Playoff like in real time. So he's always been a guy and you listen to like Herb Street talk about him You listen other people talk about him. They're like he's He's a guy and he needs to be talked about as if he's a guy It's like all right. I'm excited to watch if that's case especially with Kevin O'Connell big time I mean it is a lot like Will Howard coming out like he had that run to win the national championship I think the one thing that he might be ahead of of Will Howard Is on the aggressive side like he he's always you know

Kind of putting it where he wants it at least in the college game and what we saw in the preseason I'm excited for him to get this opportunity. I personally believe in JJ McCarthy and think that he will win at the NFL level, especially with all the talent around him. What about backup and all that though? Are they looking for a veteran anywhere? Yeah, didn't Tannehill's name was- Yeah, that's last-

Oh yeah. When you were in Glasgow, we talked about it a bit with- Yeah, Schultz is saying that Ryan Tannehill's name, they've were in Glasgow, we we talked about it a bit with yeah Schultz he's saying Schultz he's saying that Ryan Tannehill's name they've checked in on him. It's like Word flacco son. No where he hasn't yet. He was with the Giants for a second. He visited Yeah, I mean flacco with Kevin O'Connell Still for you. Okay, I remember it was conversations. Yeah, wasn't there like seven? No, New England, right?

No, that's Dobbs and... Josh Dobbs, yeah. Jacobi, where was Jacobi... Was it Colts? He was linked somewhere and had conversations somewhere. Cardinals? We just pulled some things up, I guess the Cardinals... Was it the Colts? He signed with the Cardinals we just put some things up. I guess Cardinals. Was it the Colts? He signed with the Cardinals. Oh, okay

Yeah, I thought we talked about him Johnny was that Corri's signs with the Cardinals that might that must been in that week free agency week must have been go down scroll down March 11th Yeah, two weeks ago We should have known this. Hey Jacobi we appreciate you man. Good luck. Beautiful city over there. Phoenix? What a place. Okay Russell's there, Stefan's there, LeBron Versace's at, Trey Hendrickson, TGL, Billy Ho, Billy Ho in Atlanta. Congratulations. He got a championship.

He did. That was awesome. You know, congrats to them. They had their championship. Now we don't know how the ratings did throughout the entire season, but we do know whenever there's big moments and a big play is made, we will celebrate the hell out of that.

Look at that celebration. First ever TGL champion. Are you not entertained? Love the juice. Are you not entertained? I'm the fucking guy. We will celebrate the hell out of that. Look at that celebration first ever TGL champion. Are you gonna entertain? Juice are you not? Congratulations to Atlanta getting a huge win. What a putt. Yeah, you know, you never do that on an outdoor in actual golf

You know, you never have full throw and a hat toss. Yeah, I'm the fucking guy You know anything like that feels like in that arena in that setting There is a little bit more juice, a little bit more electricity. You watch every single week. Not every single week. You watch, you watch every single week. It was tough to keep up because they change, you know,

days of the week and the times, but I'll tell you what, when it was like, you know, random Tuesday night, or even last night, like it was electric. I think this is, it's kind of what golf needed, a part of what golf needed. Obviously we need the best players playing against the best players more often But for this to be something especially for somebody that's new to golf You know, I'm gonna be watching it and playing it for two years

Like just a pace at their play you talk about the personality seeing more of their personalities more to juice more shit talk You know seeing because obviously these guys all know each other So the way they talk and but most importantly the pace of playing in the moments You know the heightened moments the people in the crowd. I think it will continue to grow. This is the first year I'm sure the ratings, you know up They've been probably down since that Tiger Rory matchup But I think if they get a schedule and we know the teams in the plays I think it'll find some legs for sure. I was just reminded

You know Billy Ho drains that massive putt from that big moment to you know kind of put a stamp on the end of that TGO first season. Do you know that Billy Ho and Tye Schmidt blocked on Twitter? Long time. Long time. What happened? This was year. Yeah. You know Billy Ho got beat? I think Tye's tweet was that he always pisses down his leg in the big moment. And he blocked you? Oh yeah, yeah. With the quickness. He said, I don't got time for this shit today.

Fuck this guy. And you know, rightfully so, but we put that in the bed. And then you put it in the bed when he came on the show. But him making that massive fight right there. Nick, obviously was in the back going, hey, do you remember Billy Ho had Ty blocked for saying all these jokes or whatever and then literally? I was remembering you guys did put that we did we put the unblocked right he did unblock me Some of his stories so I became even more of a fan of uh yeah blue-collar do blue-collar golfer

I didn't know any of that stuff either at the time You know I just figured I was you know prep school rich prick I didn't know any of that stuff either at the time, you know, I just figured I was you know prep school rich prick I hate this guy fuck this guy and then he comes on the show. I was like, you know what? I shouldn't have been hating this guy May 21st 2017. Ty Schmidt says Hey rigs, what are the odds old Billy Ho shit? I'm like and chokes down the stretch today simple Six retweets at the time 19 likes Billy Ho saw it and said fuck this guy.

I think Billy Ho bookmarked it. He might have. They were able to put it to bed though. I love it. And by the way Billy Ho, complete opposite last night. Championship putt. Good for him. Yeah he was good on the show because that was whenever Liv was making massive offers for people. Yes, and he stayed with PGA and we learned his story it was like hey, you're like a blue-collar dude like a Hundred million dollars like and he talked about like legacy one to play in the best tournaments and everything like that like loves the game I think very appreciative of the game. So him having that moment last night was dope. That was cool I haven't I haven't fought as closely because to your point

When's it on? You know know like when was it on Fox? You probably watched a little more than me. He watched that yeah So the issue is we didn't know when it was on and then if you guys remember at the beginning of the season All of them were blowouts the first like three weeks It wasn't even a close match every single time and what they did is they changed the hammer rule before The hammer went back and forth and like it didn't really do anything then they changed it midseason to where each team got three hammers and it changed everything every match after that was very close exciting I enjoyed

it but to your point it was very hard to find sometimes it was on ESPN too sometimes it's at nine o'clock seven o'clock it was very random so yeah. Yeah, there was moments, which I think all you're looking for in sports. The, I'm not gonna get into it. Now's not the time. It's a great day here. It is a great day. It's a great day.

Just to just- I know what you're gonna say. Why? I'm bummed out about it too, to be honest. They throw Matt Berry in just like one man that they, what sport have you ever seen just one person up in a tower being able to just... Very difficult task. Impossible. You're throwing Matt Berry in the tower. Then they had Marty Depp. I'm not getting into it all, but I think there's a lot of opportunity with TGL.

I hope they continue to do it. Like I hope that is the case. And I hope they, like you said, they change the hammer rule. They changed up like, I think they were trying to figure it out too, throughout the season. So good luck to all parties down there. EGL. Oh, Vetchkin's only six goals away from catching a Wano and breaking Wano's record. How many games are left? Nick, I believe he has 11 left for him to be able to pull this off. 11 games left needs to score a six after scoring another goal. Uh, Alexander of Vetchkin, an absolute dog, goes by Ovi.

And also is going to be remembered as the greatest goal scorer in the history of the NHL. Has to score 6 more times in 11 games. For people that don't follow hockey, yes, that would be a very impressive run. And yes, he would be able to accomplish that. He's already had a couple of those runs this season. A lot of people thought him catching this record would take multiple years. And instead he just showed up and just scored basically every single game that he played

to start the season. Then he was out for a couple of weeks and then he got right back into ripping net. And this is history in the making. Wayne Gretzky obviously the greatest of all time. He has the most goals in the history as well and then assists as well, and then assists as well.

So he just was great at everything. Ovi will go down as the greatest goal scorer of all time and six goals from now, it'll be justified. Nick, how's everybody kind of covering this? Capital is also number one in the East too, right? I mean, their team also gonna go on and win this whole damn thing potentially. Yeah, and it's crazy because this has kind of overshadowed

the team's success, not in a a negative way but the team is dominating. They are they are cruising through this regular season and it reminds you the Capitals teams of old they always finish first they get these presidents trophy runs and they had these early bow outs in the playoffs but this team feels different they're inspired by this OV magical run here and if he pulls us off this season and then they go into the playoffs they're gonna be really hard to beat. Tom Wilson still on their team. Yeah, still a menace. Still a problem.

Tom Wilson's a problem. Tom Wilson's a problem. Yeah. Always has been. So handsome, too. Yeah. Just like so, so handsome. And then just, well, I hate that guy.

If you're on any other team. But if you're the Capitals Gotta be the most beloved player Probably in their building. I mean Ovi. I would assume you're everything he's done But Tom Wilson has to be beloved by that entire place. He's a problem. He's a menace and he'll stick This right in your ear hole. Yeah, little chicken wing and you'll have to think about that for the entire game. Mm-hmm What was it the fight when there who's the full fight was it the game. What was it the fight? Who was the full fight? Was it the Capitals? Or was it the Bolts?

Who was the team that... Rangers maybe? Or the Islanders? It was the Rangers. It was definitely the Rangers. They all dropped myths right at the start. Yeah, they had to fight. Remember, something happened.

Yeah, I think Tom Wilson was just embarrassing our entire franchise. So we just took a stand and dropped the devil's all at once Who was it Devils and the Rangers? Okay, so it wasn't Tom So it was Devils Rangers this happened that happened with the Devils and Rangers this also happened with the Capitals and the Rangers because of Tom Wilson what he did to the bread man or Tommy Panarin Okay, so I'm remember and then you know guys just kept lining up and he kept knocking them down Yeah, yeah, it turned into Tom Wilson show. Yeah when really you're supposed to be a get-back by the Rangers Yeah, and everybody just had to be like I

Gotta go fight this guy They went and signed Ryan Reeves like a big enforcer dude just to combat Tom Wilson and then they built Rempey and elapsed Now we're good for how's Rempey doing hasn't been a lot of Empire State building conversation He's trying to play real hockey You know like pass the puck shoot the puck stand in front of the net and you know Maybe deflect it in a little bit, but he still gets penalties just for being gigantic He'll just be skating around minding his own business Maybe his elbow gets up a little bit and he just nails somebody right in the mouth and then he gets you know

Suspended for eight games and shit. So he's he's working through it He's got to get the target off his back a little bit more I'd say. That's never gonna happen because how we got introduced to him and I think a lot of people are introduced to hockey maybe for a while is that this guy in Madison Square Garden since he's beginning of being a Ranger would stand in the middle of MSG and he would throw bombs at people and it was like we love this guy he was great fighter he was built for it he's big and a lot of attention was drawn to him. So that got every other fighter on every other team going,

oh, you're the, oh, the Empire State building, huh? Okay, I know you had a fight last night. Well, guess what, there's another one coming tonight. And it became must watch, must see. And I haven't heard about as much of it this year. Makes sense he doesn't want to just be known as the face mask whacker guy. Yeah, well, he just can't be, you know, in the penalty box giving up power plays every time he steps out there

Also, I think he spent this offseason like actually just boxing and like fighting all the all the fighters do that Yeah. Yeah. So now I think people are a little wary about about trying the young lad Let's understand though that there's still one name synonymous with greatness in the NHL. Yeah. And although the team might not be having his best year. Sandy Crosby is still doing it. 37 years old. Pittsburgh Penguin legend. First in the NHL and five to five score.

So whenever everything's fair. Mm-hmm. Okay. Balanced. He's better than everybody. Do you know that? Of course I do. No, you haven't been talking about it enough. Two points away from a record-breaking 20th point for game season. Are you kidding me close to 57% from the faceoff dot what?

57% little respect D, but that's right. Shit me. Yeah, like fine wine. They're saying here Bleacher report which we couldn't emphasize more. Oh, that's what we should We should ask LeBron. Hey, maybe put some money into the pence Ten way sports group next time will there be a next time Fascinating question you guys still packing out the house. Yes it the penguins. Yeah sell it every night It was the last highlights. Shoot Don't you worry? They got a lot of draft picks. It's going to be big off season.

Oh draft pick. You can trade those picks for players. Okay. You need to stop. Yup. I said it. It's big night out and they're still filling it up. They're still filling it up. Another late season melt by the Red Wings, unfortunately. We stink.

We just keep losing and losing and losing. They get our hopes up. They say we're making the playoffs first time since like 17. The first 23 years of my life the Red Wings made the playoffs every single year it's one of the longest active streaks in any sport ever and then they haven't made it since back since and now they fucking they're not gonna make it again because they keep losing it's insane remember Stevie is Stevie I love him so he can stay as long as he wants they fired the coach like really early in the season

And then they they went on this run. They won a million games in a row and then they stink again Oh, so hockey town is currently floating around. It's terrible. But where's it at? Where's it at right now, Washington? I guess yeah, maybe the Bruins. No still down there. The Bruins are horrendous No, what are you saying South for yeah, let it, Atlantic Ocean right down there in that area. Not without Chuck E. Cheese. There are some rumblings Brad Marchand will make his debut for the floor panthers on Friday. Whoa. He hasn't played yet? No, he's been hurt. I thought I saw him skating on Boston's ice immediately after. Just had like a skate with the boys just practicing warming up and stuff. Oh, so he has not played for the Panthers? He has not played yet. Oh my. They said he jumped in the group chat and just started roasting people. That's what he does great piece classic Marcy

Is that you saying you guys are hockey time? Yeah right now hockey Beach. Yep Going down a hockey beach down there Sunrise, Florida is that the rise area? How's that go? Miami? Lauderdale? Sunrise? Sunrise is kind of, Sunrise would be like Carmel, Lawrence, you know, in Indianapolis. So Fort Lauderdale would be Indianapolis. Carmel would be like Sunrise. Miami's down at the bottom? Miami's at the bottom. Fort Lauderdale upright? Yep, that's Broward County, so that's Fort Lauderdale, the bottom. Fort Lauderdale upright. Yep, that's Broward County So that's Fort Lauderdale. You can say Hollywood like Fort Lauderdale Airport. Okay. In between Miami and Fort Lauderdale Okay, so Miami, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, then let's say like Boca

Palm Beach. Here we go. Jupiter. And it's in sunrise. So it is still... So it's a little west South Florida. Yes. It's kind of the ownership group. Exactly. So if you look in Port Lytle pump it'll be Kind of area and just hit a little wet. Yeah, so you hit west. Yep. Yeah, I got it. Okay, and that's hockey time That's hockey time hockey beach hockey beach. Well, it's inland brother So they just hopped on Sunrise Boulevard took it all the way east and then you run right into elbow room. I miss elbow room. Did you go? I went three days in a row.

You said you didn't think you were gonna go because it was so packed out. Yeah, night one I took that picture put on the story you DM'd me I said it was too packed to go in night two three four or not day two three and then yeah. Yeah it's always packed brother that's elbow room. Yeah. You're just gonna get in there. We got there early we post it up yeah. Yeah smart you get your play. Yeah. Yeah and then yeah, yeah, it's always packed brother. That's elbow room. Yeah, you're gonna just gonna get in there We got there early we post it up. Yeah. Yeah smart you get your play. Yeah, then everybody's joining your board Come on in. Yeah walk with the elbow room. Love it there. Did you tell them? Did they know who you were? No, okay So you were able to just do your thing in the body about a bunch of merch even though they sent us a bunch

But I bought a new hoodie down there. Yeah, that became the hockey room. Yeah, I did It became the hockey room. Here's it did. It became the hockey room. Here's a live cam down there at the Elbow Room. Obviously having a good time down there. I'm surprised Lord Stanley isn't in that man's pocket right there walking through. Congrats to all the boys down there having a day. Having a day. Alright.

The LeBron Versace Wednesday that we had here will be one that we talk about for a long, long time. Shout out to LeBron doing that. We're going to gather the LeBron Versace Wednesday that we had here will be one that we talk about for a long, long time. Shout out to LeBron doing that. We're going to gather the LeBron Versace tweets. We realized that that would have been an impossible task to do during the break. So we'll run those tomorrow. Okay. And that'll help us out for tomorrow.

It's the beginning of tomorrow, opening day for the MLB. We'll have Derek Jeter joining us. Let's go. We'll also be chit chatting about everything else that's happening around sports. In the back, great work, boys. Work, boys. Graphic department, way to go, way to go. Way to go.

Work boys. Boys, good work here. Hell yeah, you too, brother. Good work, boys. Good work, boys. Good work, good work. All right, we'll see you tomorrow. Be a friend, tell a friend something nice that might change your life or understand together. Team on me. Team on three. One, two, three. Team. Goodbye.

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